Inspired by the release of Entromancy: Definitive Edition, the 5e-powered fantasy cyberpunk TTPG from Nightpath, here’s a cyberpunk TTRPG simulator.
This widget further abstracts Entromancy’s hacking rules, and thank you to designer M.S. Farzan for some gentle guidance on the mechanics.
HACKING INTERFACE
Entromancy hacking
I don’t want to do a disservice to Entromancy as that TTRPG has simple rules for open, limited and closed systems, plus counter-hacking. All these nuances are important, easily dealt with in the system and better than I managed here. The fantasy cyberpunk game was the TTRPG I took inspiration from but that doesn’t mean this hacking simulator represents Entromancy.
The Definitive Edition merges the original Entromancy with The Orichite Age Omnibus.
As Entromancy does, increasingly cyberpunk TTRPGs make note of physical distance and contact. To keep cinematic action in the game and to ensure there are roles for everyone in the group, it is commonly ruled that hacking is only possible if the hacker can plug into the device they are trying to hack.
Running hacking scenes
I suspect the simulator is the highlight of the post however, I have taken the chance to write up some hacking lessons I’ve learned as a GM over the years. The very first suggestion contradicts the idea of a simulator and leans towards making more of a single scene rather than abstracting it to a button press.
1. Ditch the Single Roll: Think Digital Dungeon Delve!
A single skill check can feel flat. Instead, design hacking like a mini-adventure.
- Break it Down: Present a series of interconnected obstacles, puzzles, or layers of security. Each step could require a different approach or skill, making the process more interactive and rewarding. Think of it as navigating a digital dungeon with its own traps, guardians, and treasures.
2. Paint a Picture: Visualise the Abstract
The digital realm can be hard to grasp. Use vivid descriptions and metaphors.
- Sensory Details: Is the system a fortress of glowing code? A tangled web of data streams? A sleek, minimalist corporate interface? Help your players (and yourself!) “see” the environment they’re navigating. Simple flowcharts or digital aids (for online games) can also work wonders.
3. Raise the Stakes: Make Success & Failure Matter
What’s on the line? Ensure outcomes are meaningful and impactful.
- Beyond the Data: Success could mean disarming real-world traps, turning security systems against foes, or unearthing game-changing intel.
- Consequences of Failure: Don’t just lock them out. Failure could trigger alarms, unleash defensive programs (ICE), corrupt valuable data, leave a traceable digital trail, or even inflict neural feedback on the hacker.
4. All Hands on Deck: Involve the Entire Party
Don’t let your non-hacker players tune out. Find ways to keep everyone engaged.
- Meatspace Support: Maybe the rest of the team must physically defend the hacker’s vulnerable position from guards.
- Creating Openings: They could be causing a real-world diversion to lower digital security or providing intel gathered physically that helps the hacker bypass certain obstacles.
5. Beat the Clock: Introduce Pressure & Urgency
Nothing ramps up excitement like a ticking clock. Make time a factor.
- Impending Threats: This could be a system purge countdown, an admin actively tracing their signal, or physical enemies converging on their location. This forces quick thinking and impactful decisions.
6. Diverse Defences: Craft Unique Systems & ICE
Avoid cookie-cutter security. Design varied and interesting digital threats.
- Beyond Passwords: Implement everything from simple password prompts to sophisticated AI constructs, deadly “Black ICE” that can harm the hacker, or deceptive “honeypot” systems designed to trap intruders. Give them distinct functions and even “personalities.”
7. Multiple Routes: Offer Various Paths to Victory (and Defeat)
A good challenge allows for creativity. Design with multiple solutions in mind.
- Player Agency: Can they brute-force it? Use social engineering on a hapless sysadmin? Find a hidden backdoor? Exploit a known vulnerability? Cater to different player styles. Similarly, failure can have degrees – a minor hiccup or a catastrophic cascade.
8. Weave it In: Integrate Hacking with the Narrative
Hacking shouldn’t be a side quest. Make it integral to the story.
- Plot Progression: The information gained, systems compromised, or digital enemies made should directly influence the main plot, reveal crucial secrets, open new avenues of investigation, or provide vital leverage.
9. Clear Options, Not a Walkthrough: Guide, Don’t Handhold
Players need to know what’s possible. Provide a general idea of their capabilities.
- Actionable Verbs: Suggest types of actions like “scan for vulnerabilities,” “decrypt file,” “disable countermeasures,” or “impersonate user.” But leave room for them to be creative and combine actions based on your descriptions.
10. Roll With It: Be Prepared to Improvise
Players are wonderfully unpredictable. Embrace flexibility.
- Unexpected Genius: They will try things you didn’t plan for. If an idea is cool, plausible within your game’s logic, and doesn’t break everything, be ready to adjudicate it on the fly.
11. Set the Mood: Match Hacking to Your Setting’s Vibe
The “feel” of hacking should align with your world. Tailor it to your genre.
- Genre Nuances: Is it gritty, dangerous cyberspace à la Neuromancer? Sleek, sophisticated digital spycraft? Or the complex, technical system navigation of hard sci-fi? Your descriptions, challenges and the very nature of hacking should reflect this.
12. Applaud Ingenuity: Reward Creative Hacking
When a player pulls off a clever digital manoeuvre, acknowledge and reward it.
- Positive Reinforcement: This could be bonus information, an easier time on subsequent related tasks, or simply praising their ingenuity. It encourages players to think outside the box and engage more deeply.
