I think option 1 would work the smoothest. The other three sound like interesting mechanics, but to me at least, feel a bit like trying to innovate where innovation is unnecessary.

I agree with Tortilla. Best to keep it standard.

Fair enough! This is one of those lines blurred by the engine and the spirit of the original... as the original had minesweeper (which I am hoping I can get a similar feel using Hong Kong in the future)

If we go the "buy as normal approach", that leads to the question of from who?
- Glutman (fixed location, tenth street)
- Someone else
- Online (ie - any time you sleep you can get a buy interface)

Thoughts?

I don't immediately recall anyone capable of selling Jake a cyberdeck in the original, nor do I recall if Glutman had a role beyond getting Jake to the caryards. Personally, I like the idea of expansion-by-adaptation. Have Glutman be the seller, perhaps give him a bit of new dialogue.

Originally posted by Tortilla the Hun:

I don't immediately recall anyone capable of selling Jake a cyberdeck in the original, nor do I recall if Glutman had a role beyond getting Jake to the caryards. Personally, I like the idea of expansion-by-adaptation. Have Glutman be the seller, perhaps give him a bit of new dialogue.

Jack steals his initial deck from Glutman's office, which makes him the logical point in my opinion. I know I already added the option to upgrade his deck somewhere... I don't remember if that was Glutman's office or not...

He would definitely need more dialogue if he is the seller!

I wouldn't balk at the notion of expanding a bit of dialogue. Particularly, Jake's. I get that the intention was to make a silent protagonist the player can immerse themselves into, but the conversation system Returns uses makes that rather obsolete.

Personally I hate the silent protagonist system. It could be argued that Jake does talk a bit, since he does have to mention key words and even in the beginning of the game he has the "whoa what happened?" "My brain feels burnt." "Who am I?"

SRR also gives him some personality, but not much to go by. The PDF anthology also fleshes him out a bit, but has some canonical inconsistencies in it.

Glutmans office has the guy who upgrades you for free. (the handyman or something)

Originally posted by Blatherbeard:

Glutmans office has the guy who upgrades you for free. (the handyman or something)

I was double checking his script the other day... I edited it so he would give you programs as well... Though I expect to make him a merchant in the future.