Basics
A Role Playing Game is one in which players create a character and play that role in a world and situations designed by the referee author, known as the "GameMaster". In an RPG, you're an actor on a stage bounded only by your imagination.
When played iRL, (using "pencil and paper" Role Playing Games) RP is usually the main reason for a session. Such games can sometimes be slow and tedious, as statistics, rolls, charts, and tables must be consulted in order to "run" the game and its rule system. While computer-based RPG's can swiftly and impartially calculate the results of contests between large groups of players, the traditionally low-grade artificial intelligence of such games pales in comparison to the richness of playing with real humans.
Cybersphere attempts to combine the best of both of these worlds. In Cybersphere, your character interacts with dozens of other characters, each individually crafted and created by another human player. Contests of intellect, will, and strength are decided by an impartial game system that calculates results based on the stats and skills that you select to define your character. Finally, the randomness of chance is thrown into the mix so that nobody-- not even the game's creators-- know what will happen next.
The world of Cybersphere allows you to define a character based on his or her history, stats (inherent physical abilities), skills (learned abilities), and advantages (special attributes, talents, or affiliations). Your character gains knowledge and experience with each day he or she survives the hostile world of Cybersphere. Over time, your character will receive stat points, skill points, and advantage points. You'll then be able to distribute these points into new abilities for your character, a process that represents his or her growth in the face of adversity.
But Cybersphere is more than just a complex simulation of combat and cyberspace. It provides a detailed environment for your character to interact with other people-- other players. Cybersphere is a stage that never sleeps, with actors playing parts 24 hours a day from all over the world. In the long run, you'll find it much more enjoyable to create and roleplay your character rather than to accumulate wealth, stats and powerful items. In fact, the truly powerful characters from Cybersphere's past were influential not because of their combat power or possessions-- these successful characters developed a cult of personality and legions of devoted followers because they had style.
Your stats can be lost through death and near-death encounters, your items can (and most probably will) be stolen or broken. Your wealth will be spent buying them back, or repairing your shattered body. But your character will not disappoint you. It is you. It's something you create that the chaos cannot take away. It will change and grow, and become something very real. It may even teach you a few things about yourself.
No matter how complicated or detailed Cybersphere's game engine may seem, never forget that the most important part of this mix is your imagination and your roleplaying style. Never, ever lose sight of this.
Stats are today.
but
Style is forever.