Netrunner (and LCGs)

Yeah, It really only works if you have a spouse, sibling, son, etc that is also interested. Someone you see frequently enough.

dontbecruel wrote: Original Netrunner is the most-played game this year in my group. We're bringing it back. Doin' the 'Drine.

I'm liking the feel of this card. Reminds me of some of the cards from the old shadowrun tcg like Green Apple Quicksteps.

Is there any humor of this sort in the new android netrunner or is it all serious business?

Hex, I believe you're right and my most likely opponent will be my pokemon crazed son...in a few years...

Netrunner is really a singular experience, there is not other LCG/CCG like it. The Corp and Runner play very differently mechanics wise, it's a totally asymmetrical game. I think you would really like it, Jeff. As for LCGs and in particular how it applies to Netrunner I'd ask who will you be playing with? If you're going to play organized competitive play then yes, you probably have a lot of catching up to do. Still I think you could find some dedicated Netrunner sites/forums that could get you up to speed on which packs to buy in order to build some competitive decks. For casual play it depends on how much deckbuilding you want to do and if your opponent wants to customize their own decks or is cool with what you supply. If you really want to get into deckbuilding then the number of core sets and boosters you buy is going to be higher. But if you're just going to play casually then a core set will be just fine, if you like it and want to expand more then you can read up on which boosters/expansions have the cards for the factions you like.

Netrunner is a classic, as you can tell from the fact it was OOP and then republished by FFG. It's had a solid fan base and set of admirers since the 1990s. It's the most unique and interesting CCG I've played. I have two of the old starter packs but they are buried in our storage unit, otherwise I'd offer them up for trade.

It really is a brilliant and fun game. I got more hours of play out of just the one core set than I have with a couple other more expensive toads I own, combined. So far I've bought like 2.5 waves but I'm going to buy it all eventually. Once they reset after wave 7 I'm out.

Regarding expense... All I know is that everytime I go see my buddy he's just dropped $200 on boxes of Magic. He's done that twice in the past six months or so and I know he drops at least $100 on packs here and there. And that's a conservative estimate. I'm thinking the LCG route is a little cheaper...

The only difference between LCGs and CCGs is that in the later you get cards at random and in the former you can get all the cards as long as you buy the expansion. This makes LCGs much, much, much cheaper. For example, bthese are the costs of some 60-card Magic decks:

U/G Infect: 750$
R/G Scapeshift: 471$
R/G Tron: 857$

Other CCGs are not as expensive, but you are still going to spend over 100$ just to have a working deck and everytime you want to make changes you'll have to buy more cards. I don't know how much it costs to have a full Netrunner collection now but I can assure it's fairly cheap in comparison and you can always just get the packs you like to build a deck and then work from there.

Mr. White wrote: LilRed, what do you mean Netrunner tried the draft and it failed? I think I witnessed my first draft last weekend. There was a new Pokemon release so at this pre-release party they gave all attendees 6 of these new boosters to make a 40 card deck with and played a mini tourney from those 40 cards. Players didn't know what they would have going into the day. Same thing? How was Netrunner not able to replicate that?

As far as working goes, it works well, but drafting in Android: Netrunner hasn't been popular at all because the draft packs are expensive and you can't sell the cards afterwards. I don't think any of the regulars around here have ever played it, myself included, for that reason.


Anyways, my recommendation as far as Netrunner goes is to get the base box of Android: Netrunner and see if you like it. It's a fairly self-contained experience and it won't set you back a lot of if you don't like it later on. It's really not a game that shines through casual play so for me it's the best bet.

Hex Sinister wrote: Once they reset after wave 7 I'm out.

What does this mean? A new starter after wave 7? Will existing cards be cycled out? Should I wait til then to get in if I like the game?

I would love to have a pal who was really into Netrunner and constructing decks. Because I'd love to play it, but I don't care anything about deck construction (or keeping up with it or whatever).

Mr. White wrote:

Hex Sinister wrote: Once they reset after wave 7 I'm out.

What does this mean? A new starter after wave 7? Will existing cards be cycled out? Should I wait til then to get in if I like the game?

www.reddit.com/r/Netrunner/wiki/buyingguide

I've heard something about "rotation" in Netrunner. What does it mean?
In November of 2014, FFG announced that they would be introducing a set rotation to Netrunner. The general idea is that the cardpool for competitive tournaments will be limited to a maximum of seven cycles: as soon as the first pack for cycle #8 is released, the first two cycles of the game will be dropped from the rotation, and unusable for competitive tournament play. This was projected as occurring sometime in Spring 2017, but a more realistic estimate puts it late in the summer of 2017. Regardless, it's true that packs from early in the game's life will be rotating out of competitive play, likely sometime in 2017. How much this affects you depends entirely on your interest in competitive play: those who play just at home with their friends need not worry at all, while those who are mostly interested in the tournament scene will need to keep this in mind. Finally, it's also worth noting that the core set and deluxe expansions will never rotate out, meaning that these are wise investments regardless of your desired style of play.

Mr. White wrote:
Is there any humor of this sort in the new android netrunner or is it all serious business?

I don't think FFG specialise in humour. The Android world is missing both the oily darkness and the humour of Neuromancer/Cyberpunk 2020. It could've been a lot naffer than it is though...

Mr. White wrote:

Hex Sinister wrote: Once they reset after wave 7 I'm out.

What does this mean? A new starter after wave 7? Will existing cards be cycled out? Should I wait til then to get in if I like the game?

I said that partially because it coincides with the rotation Craniac mentioned but it just feels like a good target to quit at. 7 waves is more than enough for me to be content with. Depending on what happens in the future I might change my mind. Who knows what FFG will really do. A revised core wouldn't be surprising - one that contains a few key cards from the retired set(s). But with the current information there is no reason to wait.

My advice to anyone who will only be playing with a loved one or BFF is never netdeck. Learn only by playing your partner. If you outskill your partner (by net knowledge) they may become bored or frustrated. To save cash, share one collection. What we do is make one runner and one corp deck each. If one person grabs the good economy cards or icebreakers (or whatever) first... too bad. You work with what's available and try out different things. When we get bored with those after several plays we build new ones with different factions. I have no idea what the "meta" is and don't give a fuck. I'm not going to nationals any time soon or playing with randoms.

Not a tabletop RPG, but it looks like FFG is expanding the Android universe. The article says it's free as well...not usually into videogames, but I may give this a look if it becomes more than vaporware. Also, I know nothing of '80 Days' besides traveling around the world. Should this news be exciting?

venturebeat.com/2015/10/21/netrunner-is-...from-80-days-writer/

My biggest knock on the Android universe is as mentioned above. It seems too 'clean'. I liked the adjective 'oily' used by dontbecrule. I think 2020 and SR had that in spades and if Android is going to be the most accessible cyberpunk universe to game in...I'd like to see a little more grime...or 'punk' besides colorful clothing and hair highlights...

EDIT: It's also true that FFG sort of drops the ball in the humor dept, IMO. It's the biggest knock I have against their Warhammer titles. They have the skulls and spiky bits down, but not so much the dark humour.

Mr. White wrote: My biggest knock on the Android universe is as mentioned above. It seems too 'clean'. I liked the adjective 'oily' used by dontbecrule. I think 2020 and SR had that in spades and if Android is going to be the most accessible cyberpunk universe to game in...I'd like to see a little more grime...or 'punk' besides colorful clothing and hair highlights.

Good point. Although the subject matter of the Android boardgame gets into some gritty territory, the visual design of the game is too clean and shiny, missing out entirely on the punk portion of cyberpunk. Maybe I'm too stuck on the idea of the old school crust punk style, but I just don't associate freshly-scrubbed androgyny with punk.

I just got the base game and the first deluxe expansion in a trade and I was looking at the cards this morning. They do look shiny. Also, the font is akin to Times New Roman. I need to buy the base decks from the original game and compare them.

Mr. White wrote: Also, I know nothing of '80 Days' besides traveling around the world. Should this news be exciting?

venturebeat.com/2015/10/21/netrunner-is-...from-80-days-writer/

I am skeptical. So 80 days is a very well-regarded text with pictures game on PC and mobile (sort of like Choose your own adventures books). The basic premise is around the world in 80 days with you as the butler, but inevitably you get sidetracked, and each city basically has its own mini plot. It's very well done by the premier company of that kind of experience, inkle.

The way I read that article, though, Meg Jayanth isn't doing any of the writing, she's sketching out story space. Which is certainly better than nothing, I think she is very good at that kind of thing...but if the actual writing is done by hacks it will be for naught. Plus some vague hints at free to play nonsense.

craniac wrote: I just got the base game and the first deluxe expansion in a trade and I was looking at the cards this morning. They do look shiny. Also, the font is akin to Times New Roman. I need to buy the base decks from the original game and compare them.

That would actually make for a fun little article. Comparing the starters from the WotC and FFG versions. Perhaps images of a few cards side by side that are the same in both so we can discuss the differences (in card design, game play effects, universe setting, etc)

Are 'Rockers' even a type in the Android setting?