NETGHOSTSplaytest materials

PLAYTEST MATERIALS · IN DEVELOPMENT · INFINITE WORLDS ENGINE

A near-futuristic monster-collecting tabletop RPG

NETGHOSTS

infinite worlds

You are a Tamer, soul-bonded to a spirit from the Sea of Data. It's 2199: a bright, connected utopia run by the same corporations that sell the world its neural implants. You and your Netghost know what's underneath.

Read the rules Roll some d8s Pick your types

“Telling your story and playing the game are the same thing.”

The first principle of the Infinite Worlds Engine.

The Infinite Worlds Engine

Four core principles

01

Dice and Power

Roll a d8 for each relevant Tag in play. 5+ is Power, 1s take it away. Beat the Difficulty.

02

A character deck

Six cards: your Tamer, your Netghost, and four of your choice. No character sheet.

03

Four in play

Only Tags on your four active cards count. Swapping mid-scene costs Energy.

04

Three token types

Energy, Positive and Negative Tokens make up the game's dramatic economy.

Resources

The dramatic economy

Negative Tokens don't reset between sessions. Everyone can see the pile growing, and everyone knows something is coming.

Yours

Energy Points

Gained by invoking your Negative Tags: your flaws fuel your power.

  • Switch a card 1 EP
  • Evolve a card 2 EP
  • Nudge a die by 1 1 EP
The party's

Positive Tokens

Rare. Gained on a Double Infinite: two or more 8s in one roll.

  • Team Attack 1
  • Overpowered roll 1
  • Crossfield an Ally 1
The Facilitator's

Negative Tokens

Gained from player failures. Spent to escalate: enemies transform, luck turns.

  • Roll 0 Power +1
  • Roll negative Power +2
  • Reset between sessions never
Deck Creation · Tamer Types

Eight paths. Which one calls to you?

Your Tamer card is your human core. Your Netghost card is your partner, one of seven personalities.

Browse all 26 Tamer, Netghost, Skill and Power types

The world · 2070 to now

How we got to the Era of Rebellion

2070CIRCUIT InitiativeGlobal rollout begins. SURFnet evolves.Era of Wars
2070–86Media WarsInformation warfare. Proto-DIVEnet emerges.Cyber-sabotage
2086Delta InvasionsResource conflicts. Combat drones deployed.Corporate power
2087–89CeasefireWar exhaustion. AI peacekeepers deployed.Stability brokered
2090–2120Great InterfaceUniversal CIRCUIT. Medical breakthroughs.Era of Revolutions
2120–40Peace by CodeGovernmental Constructs. Peak efficiency.Digital governance
2140–49Whisper of GhostsNetghost sightings increase. Hacker rumours.Digital spirits
2148–49Tamer RevolutionAdministrator Programs freed. Delta weakens.New powers rise
2150–60New FrontierFirst ocean cities. DIVEnet regulated.Era of Discovery
2160–80Netghost AwakeningOfficial recognition. Five ocean cities thrive.Emergent lifeforms
2180–99 ▶ nowCurrent AgeFull integration. Analog revival begins.Connected world
Where to start

Pick your way in

New player

  1. Introduction: the Sea of Data
  2. Basic Mechanics: the roll
  3. Deck Creation: your six cards
  4. Types browser: find your Tamer and Netghost

Facilitator

  1. Philosophy & Ethos
  2. Facilitator Guide: the Negative Token agenda
  3. Scene Types: the five phases

At the table

  1. Dice & Actions: Dare, Overclocked, Overpowered
  2. Dice roller with token tracking
  3. Card Maker: design and export your cards
  • 2–5 players
  • 2–4 hours a session
  • 6 cards, 4 in play
  • Tone: cozy cyberpunk
Core Rules · Basic Mechanics · Dice & Actions

Roll the d8s

Count your relevant Tags, invoke your flaws, pick the difficulty and roll. The roller reads the dice the way the wiki does and moves Energy Points and Tokens for you.

Relevant Tags one d8 each · cap 6 at Base
3
Negative Tags invoked +1 Energy Point and 1 Negative Pool die each
0
Difficulty Power needed
Count the 5s and up. Subtract the 1s. That's your Power.

Tokens on the table

Negative Tokens never reset between sessions. Adjust by hand when you spend.

Deck Creation

Card types

Your deck starts with a Tamer card, a Netghost card, and four Skill or Power cards. Every Type comes with example Tags to get you writing.

Deck Creation · Tools

Card Maker

Design Tamer, Netghost, Skill, Power, Companion, Evolution, Quick Chip, Upgrade and Inventory cards. The preview updates as you type; tick Potential and Broken right on the card. Cards save in this browser, and JSON from the old Card Maker imports straight in.

Main Tag · the card's name
Positive Tags · 7 slots
Negative Tags · 2 slots · invoke for Energy
Card back · 5 Upgrade slots

Tick the boxes on the card: left is Potential, right is Broken. EXP segments fill when clicked.

Saved cards