fragmaps

Pachinko Parlor

Added 2023-08-01 05:44:56 +0000 UTC

Battle map dimensions - [32 x 24] squares

Scale - 1 sq = 5 ft

Image size - 6400 x 4800 px

Hi everyone,

We’ve arrived at the end of the month again. Time really flies when you’re busy drawing maps, I think! Here is the last cyberpunk map of this month - the “Pachinko Parlor”.

What are Pachinko Parlors?

For those who do not not already know, Pachinko parlors are establishments in Japan where people can play the popular mechanical game of Pachinko, which is similar to a combination of pinball and slot machines. They are often brightly lit and noisy, with rows of machines and a lot of people playing at once. It is a form of gambling which is illegal in Japan, but the funny thing is, these Pachinko arcades can still be found all over the country.

I think this is because you are supposed to trade in the metal Pachinko balls for prizes in the store, but with many of these establishments, you can actually cash the balls in for cash. These come in the form of booths located just outside the premises.

A Front For Other Kinds of Business

In the world of Cyberpunk TTRPG, Pachinko Parlors are oftentimes used as a front for illegal business dealings, money laundering etc. I.e. they are great for keeping the law out of your business.

To the public, the parlor looks like a fun way to pass the time but if one were to look a little deeper into the balance sheets of such an establishment, he or she would know something doesn’t quite add up.

Cyberpunk 2077 even has a short Wiki page with a story around a particular parlor and fixer.

Map Chaining

This map will work well with the Chinatown Alley map that I drew over a year ago. That map in particular actually has the facade of a Pachinko parlor built right in.

Battle Map Variants

Back Office

This is where all the back room shady dealings go down. The back office also doubles as storage and has a simple CCTV security system set up.

Mirror Door

A quick escape passage hidden behind a set of mirror panels. There are stairs leading down which could lead to a basement or sewers (you can lead your players to the Sewers Canal map if you utilize this narrative).

Small Armory

Instead of the escape passage, now the mirror panel opens up to reveal a small armory filled with assault rifles and a safe (possible cash to steal here).

Balloon Mania

With this last variant, the mirror panel opens up and a flood of helium balloons come pouring out of the closet.

This is something you can throw at the players who come into the Pachinko parlor, fully convinced and head-strong that they’re going to find some hidden illicit goods. Just for laughs. I’m sure some of you GM’s can come up with even cooler narratives for all the balloons.

Note: These variants come in tile format. For those who are new here, "Tiles" are small sections of the map that have something different going on. If you use a virtual tabletop software (Foundry VTT, Fantasy Grounds Unity, Roll20 etc) You overlay these tiles on top of the base map to change the narrative, circumstances.