Post 2070 modus operandi for corps Options

[Kesslan]

Right, so I only finaly recently aquired Corporate Download, only like.. several years late or something. Really nifty book.

Of course some of it's info becomes errelevant by 2070. So it gets me thinking, what exactly do you folk all think would have changed for the various corps that are no longer around or more precisely, arnt what they used to be?

Cross Applied Technologies for example. My understanding is currently that it's actually still around, albiet worse for wear after it was torn up like the baby jesus being thrown into a wood chipper once Lucian Cross died in the planecrash. And as a result is no longer a AAA corp. From what I understand though it isnt quite a carcass yet.

And then there's NeoNET. Which merged two of the corps I allways sort of rooted for (Novatech and Transys Neuronet) along with Erika. I sort of have to wonder how they handle runners now, becuase Transys and Novatech had two completely different ways of handling the shadows it seems to me.

The rest of the megas I'm sure will remain otherwise unchanged in their methods of dealing with runners (Which leaves oddly Ares so far as the best one to work for it seems to me, as by CD they generally wont screw you on purpose)

I largely wonder about this as at least with Novatech the standard method of operation seemed to be to capture runners alive rather than KOS like many of the other megas. (Actually it seems mostly only Ares and Nova shared their traits quite so simlairly).

I personally hope they at least eventually come out with an update to CD for the post 2070's era. As I allways loved that kinda fluff that really helped the various corps stand out from each other. (And once more proving why you should never, ever work for SK if you can ever bloody well help it)

Also, on an unrelated not since something reminded me of it. But even after several years of playing SR now.. I still dont know.. WHAT THE ****** are Nerps???!?!? :eek: :wobble: :grinbig: :rotate: :talker: :please: :(

[Konsaki]

Non Essential Role Playing Stuff

Toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, that sorta shit.

[Kesslan]

Ahhh ok.

Cause isnt there even an SR rule/fluff book with a NURPs advert?

[Blade]

NERPS is mostly a joke.
Some 2nd ed. books had ads for NERPS, some books refers to NERPS but nothing ever explains what NERPS are. The only thing we know for sure is that NERPS are common use products.

You might see a lot of explanations to what NERPS stand for, but I'm not sure if anyone still knows what was the original meaning. (if it ever had one).

[Kesslan]

Ah yeah was just re-reading sprawl survival guide at work while checking up on something for a game. Bung on page 10 makes a statement there too refering to it as a food product.

[mfb]

it's NERPS, not NURPS. and, yeah, there are ads. NERPS stands for Nothing Ever Really Pleases Steve--referring, of course, to Stephen Baldwin, who originally invented Shadowrun and the cyberpunk genre.

[Blade]

A little search of topic with NERPS in the title turns up :
this
this
this
and this

[Kesslan]

[mfb]

btw, i was just kidding about Stephen Baldwin. it was actually Steve Buscemi!

[Kesslan]

MFB. I am going to send drop bears after you! I swear it!

But on a more serious note, I take it no one as yet has any real oppinions on the OP? I mean I think a good chunk of the changes at least with the merger into NeoNET would take some figguring out, afterall you've suddenly got another AAA (At least I think the merger makes them AAA) mega with a dragon onboard.While Celidyr (SP? If i'm wrong I dont mean it! Please dont eat me nice net dragon type guy!) seems abit more laid back to me than Lofwyr for example, I.. just... dont know.

SR tends to do a good job teaching you never ever to trust a dragon, and that dealing with one at all in any capacity is quite likely to be ultimately detrimental to your ability to retain your status as a living entity.

I mean I assume to some extend the dragons minions would continue to serve their previous purposes, but would those purposes then be extended to encorporate the whole? As the Seraphim once worked for Cross? Or would they instead simply remain centered around the dragons regular doings, leaving Lanier to conduct buisness as usual when it comes to shadow operatives? Certainly to me it seems Miles shares one thing in common with Celidyr in that he puts more importance in information where runners are concered (Especially runners working against him).

[mfb]

NeoNET is a AAA because they own JRJ, a corporation that holds a permanent seat on the CC. JRJ was part of Novatech's portfolio, and Novatech got it from Fuchi when that mega broke up. i think someone hexed that stock.

i expect Transys Neuronet to basically transform into a gigantic robot and destroy the earth. they were big news when they were just a little AA; i'd guess that they had to spend a significant amount of effort avoiding takeovers by the big boys. now that they are in a AAA, they don't have to worry about that nearly as much. on the other hand, they probably get tapped to pick up the slack when one of the less-capable divisions falls behind, so maybe TN won't go all Voltron on us after all.

as for actual operating procedures, i doubt much will change. at the ground level, i view most corporations as being pretty much interchangeable; you can't make more than very broad generalizations about how a Johnson from corporation X will act, as opposed to one from corporation Y. there are minor details that will vary, but i don't think you're more likely to get screwed working for Aztechnology than Yamatetsu.

[Kesslan]

Yeah except that by offical fluff Ares and Novatech J's were actulaly pretty upfront and honest with you.

Ares especially going by the CD book. Nova wasnt half bad either in that area. Where as Renraku for example is listed as havnig an increasingly bad shadow rep because it basically keeps sending folk on suicide runs.

And how SK usually cant get anyone willingly so they go through a quabillion shell companies and such to greatly muddy the waters.

[Wakshaani]

There's a TON of info out there, of course, and speculation on the future. I'm most curious about Aztechnology's attempts to recover from teh *drubbing* it took for, what, ten solid years there?, Wuxing's rising status, and how this new "Horizon" works out. I mean, there's no new Shadowbeat, so it's helpless! :D

Ares hasn't changed much, other than having waaaaay more bugs in it. They're kinda creepy with how bugcentric the magical research sections are getting. With Large Brown Nipples out of the Veep spot, they've lost access to core governmental influence, and certainly aren't fans of the reunification movement. Overall, business as usual, but, the magical side is freaky.

Saeder-Krupp is unstoppable, having taken the #1 position and showing no signs of letting go. Golden Snout has basicly won at this stage. Nothing new here, just the same old same old. Boring corp.

Shiawase is up to something, but, nobody really knows what. The new board will wind up different than the old one, in terms of what they're doing, but the Oldest Mega is still gonna play it conservative. Poor guys really need a plotline.

Renraku has, hopefully, shaken off the effects of the Shutdown, but the financial loss has staggered 'em and the PR damage was enormous. Luckily for them, several nukes went off and the Matrix crashed, so, people had bigger things to worry about... Renraku's board of directors must have prayed *really* hard. They're still in a rebuilding mode, and are still a JapanCo, but, their future is kinda dim. In particular, they do *great* VR work ... but everything's gone AR. There is no joy in mudville.

MCT is building mroe drones, ninjas, and Yakuza ties. And, you know, being MCT.

Evo, formerly Yamatetsu, has fully moved to Russia, now, and set up the new ID as the Meta-Friendly Corp. Troll-sized clothing, Dwarf-sized tools, and HUGE ties to the Russian Vory. Still a pretty small Mega which doesn't seem to really *do* anything, other than tick people off by existing.

Horizon is an unknown.

Wuxing is ascending, big time, but we don't have more than that yet.

Aztechnology got slapped around for a decade. It survived purely on consumer goods (NERPS!) and bank reserves which are bound to be bone dry by now. Probably had several loans from Aztlan, too, so has a debt score, if it ever cares to pay it back. We'll have to wait for Shadows of Latin America to see what's up.

NeoNet is putting the grid in everywhere and basicly rolling around in stacks of money like a cat in catnip. They're basicly every single DotComMillionaire company rolled into one. Probably drives villers a bit bonkers, but, he's used to teh three-man dance, even if one of teh men is a dragon. He should do fine.

I look forward to official stuff, tho. Heck, I'd love to *write* some official stuff, but, I think that ship's already sailed, so.

[mfb]

well, Kesslan, also consider that Ares is--after a decade or so of 'fighting' bugs--breeding them. consider that Novatech was formed by one man's hostile takeover of a third of holdings of the corporation he formerly ran. if they've got secrets like that, what other secrets do they have?

CD is awesome, but i believe that the parts you're referring to are in-character. sure, Ares has a rep for being up-front and honest--they work hard to create and maintain that rep. Novatech is everyone's favorite scrappy underdog--an 'underdog' fabricated in a few short months by the power of one man's personal fortune. Aztechnology is the big bad guy. S-K is run by a dragon. even the stuff that's factually true doesn't matter much at street level, because street level is so far removed from those things.

i mean, let's take S-K. Lofwyr's a powerful, really smart, really ruthless dragon. if you go on a run that crosses him, you're in deep doo-doo. but, seriously, S-K is the biggest corporation in the world. how many S-K-sponsored runs are a direct part of (or pose significant opposition to) Lofwyr's plans? a tenth of a percent? a hundredth? how 'bout Aztechnology--how many AZT-sponsored runs have anything at all to do with blood magic?

it's like... i dunno, the difference between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. yeah, they taste different, but 99% of the ingredients are identical. they're both cold, and they'll both rip out your throat as soon as look at you.

[Kesslan]

But.. but.. the files! They say their big and fuzzy! And friendly! And will give me cookies and milk, and tuck me in to bed at night and read me bedtime stories! :wobble:

I dunno, I suppose everyone has their favorite megas. Novatech and Ares at least at one point were the only megas I'd ever as a runner consider actually working for on a regular knowing basis.

Though yeah now that you remind me of how much Ares is playing around with the bugs I sure as hell would stay away from them even more than SK. NeoNET has the whole dragon angle too, but he dosent seem to have quite the mean fragger rep Lofwyr does.

Renraku can go to their elitist hell and burn in it.

MCT i'm abit iffy on, but the Yaks do have that whole honour thing going and actually sort of belive in it.

The Azzies are into mondo bloodmagic, sacrifice and all sorts of bad drek. Not quite (in my mind) as bad as messing with the bugs and such, but pretty close. At least you know where you stand with them (Total cannon fodder)

I still havent quite gotten round to reading the section on Wuxing. They have allways sort of confused me.

Shiawase... well .. who knows now that there's that big stir up on the BOD. I suppose their sort of ok.. for a Mega and all.

I mean even Dues wasnt such a bad guy in a way for an uber evil AI. He at least let you know where you stand. "You will bend to my will or you will die and be horrifically experimented on, hell, I might horricially experiment on you anyway!"

Ahhh man, all the various angles, it seems no matter what choice you make, in the end. It's the wrong one.

[Wakshaani]

In my heart of hearts, I want a section on Aztechnology to have a few pirated memos, where the bidness types talk about the failure of the magical branch, of how much drek has been tossed their way due to it, and how little there is to *show* for it on the bottom line and, in esence, to bust them down to toilet scrubbing.

"We have tested the blodd magic business paradigm and found it wonting. As such, we well be returning to a profit-based strategem effective immediately."

Oh, there's still some Blood Mages working in the pyramids and the like, but Aztechnology: 4th edition should be alll about the NERPS, rolling out new food products, shampoo, and going all Wal-Mart on people. Heck, if memory serves, Aztechnology owns Disney, so they can unleash that as well.

To Joe Consumer, Aztechnology's a cool company, after all. Might as well refocus them on what brung 'em to the dance, rather than the black magic which has turned basicly everyone "In the know" against them.

Just the notion that new players in 4th ed wouldn't think of a priest holding a still-beating heart over a victims head so much as a new Princess movie and adorable animal mascots.

I don't know, it *amuses* me.

[ShadowDragon8685]

[SL James]

[fistandantilus4....]

[ShadowDragon8685]

[mfb]

that's the thing. Aztechnology was never "clear-cut bad guys". yes, the big kahunas at the top of the pyramid were crazy-evil. but that's got nothing to do with the AZT Johnson in Seattle who's been assigned to find and neutralize a suspected Seraphim. when the AZT Johnson in Seattle screws you, it's not because he's secretly a blood magician, it's because it's cheaper to screw you than pay you.

[fistandantilus4....]

Well that's kinda the point, making it all muddy and gray. if you want them evil, then just say the rumored dragon behind the Big A is pushing the "evil agenda" again. Just a matter of preference really. but like you said, Ares used to be the "Good" corp, so they pointed out some of their bad stuff. Same kind of thing about how in Threats 1, FAB III was explained as being an "Oh my god, we can't let this get out", and instead they flooded a city with it. There is no good and evil, because a corp isn't a person. You can't assign moral values to something like that. I'm still trying to figure out ways to show the Draco Foundation in it's gray shades because of that perception. Once again, a matter of personal taste.

[SL James]

[fistandantilus4....]

No I wasn't kidding, but I like your take on it. I guess it's just a matter of changing the way it's percieved. Maybe I jsut need to use Aina more in it as well, and stop assuming all those magic goodies are just sitting in a vault somewhere. Aina spying on Schwartzy is a good start now that I think of it. Thanks James.

[FrankTrollman]

If you really need a way to make the Draco Foundation look bad, consider the following:

• While Dunkelzahn was alive, he had a board seat in AZT.
• After his death, blood magic got put on the back burner. Almost as if there was less of a voting stock impetus to fund blood magic.
• The draco Foundation has as its official policy to scrub out blood magic in Aztlan, not the world.
• The Draco Foundation keeps a list of the most powerful and influential blood mages, and has an open bounty of 1,000,000 :nuyen: if you bring them in alive.

Got that? Now that Dunkelzahn isn't running AZT anymore, the Draco Foundation is doing everything in its power to relocate blood magic up north. They don't hunt blood mages, they hire shadowrunners to extract them from other organizations.

The Draco Foundation treats Blood Mages the way NEONet treats computer scientists. The DF is the biggest repository of blood magic knowledge on the planet, no exceptions.