Chile Options

[FlakJacket]

I'm currently trying to hunt down information on Chile in the various sourcebooks, so I was wondering what do we know about the place in the 2060/2070s?

And I know that Shadows of Latin America would of no doubt covered the country in depth, how it isn't out yet, how holostreets has gone dead, blah blah blah, so can we ignore it for the time being please? No cries of anguish or veiled comments from the authors, no moaning from the customer base either thank you. I'm just looking for references from the published sourcebooks. All help is gratefully appreciated.

[Rajaat99]

I don't think there's much of anything canon on chile. Renraku has a presence there, I believe.
When you make stuff up, share it, so we can steal it. Um, I mean look over.

[JongWK]

IIRC, there was a Corp Download reference about Yamatetsu in Chile.

[FrankTrollman]

Corporatee download has a reference to Chile on ps. 78 and 116 stating that Renraku and Yamatetsu are both totally there. Prepare for disappointment though - Renraku's statement is "Major corporate facilities exist in [list of cities] Santiago"

Yamatetsu's statement is a little more helpful, granting an entire paragraph to the continent. "This division is a mess, having jumped from a marginally profitable agriculture outfit to a high-yield research machine in tw years. When things went sour in Japan, Yoshida began dropping his personal yen into the South American market, snapping up a number of smaller biotechnology businesses in an attempt to expand his personal power base. His efforts have solidified the corp's presence in Peru and Chile, but the division's profitability has suffered."

Also there is a statement that there is a Crashcart hub in every city with a major Ymatetsu presence. So that would mean there's one in Santiago. Of course, that's all about the ld Evo not the new.

-Frank

[JongWK]

Yeah, that's the entry I was talking about. :)

[FlakJacket]

Thank you all. :)

[cREbralFIX]

I lived in Chile. It is very small. It is the banking center of the entire continent. They have banks like we have fast food restaurants. Chile makes a point of being stable economically and politically. They are very law abiding on the whole. Taxes are low on purpose and their social security system is privately managed and financially strong. Banks, telecommunications, and service companies like this because it makes for a decent workforce, reasonable standard of living, and consistent enforcement of laws.

The natural growth of this culture would be to incorporate some minor mega-corp elements into the game. It would be a great campaign setting as a battlefield for small to middle sized corps. You can make the government as unbribeable as you'd like; it would certainly be refreshing.

However, as it stands now, the entire country has around 15 million people. 4.5-5 million of them live in and around Santiago. Even at double the size, this is not enough to really attract most mega-corps. A mega-corp may have a small division there and regional satellite offices, but I don't see huge megaplexes replacing the small mountains in Santiago. Instead, I would set it up as a jumping-off point for South America. I'd place continental HQs in Chile, with satellites in Argentina and capitol cities around "The Cone" (continent). This could make for some great runs outside of Chile (and some very dangerous ones inside Chile).

Entire sections of the city cater to foreigners. Providencia offers many American restaurant chains, modern hotels, and Blockbuster. The first Star Bucks opened two years ago so the gringos won't die. I can see this area expanding as foreign investment increases.

Just remember, the Andes Mountains are formidable. The bus drivers crossing it are crazy. Take a good rigger or you'll end up splattered on the side of a mountain.

[cREbralFIX]

Chilean gun laws:

All rifle calibers except 22 Long Rifle have been banned. Shotguns for hunting are available. Handguns are legal, but citizens are only allowed eight total. Concealed carry permits are available and require a psych evaluation, background check, training, legal counsel, and the proper fees paid and stamps stamped.

Costs: Glocks run $500-550 new here in the US. In Chile, they run at least double. Ammo is STUPID expensive. I pay $7/50 for 9mm practice ammo here...it's at least $20 there. 50 rounds of 22 runs $7 there...at least double.

Characters may be able to import firearms if they go through the proper channels. However, rifles chambered in serious calibers are illegal without government approval.

Also remember their legal system is based on the FRENCH system. You're GUILTY until proven innocent. Jail sucks; don't go there.

[cREbralFIX]

Another point: computer technology lags behind the US by at least a year. Prices are at least double.

Oddly, not everything is expensive there. It mostly seemed to revolve around imported electronics and such. If you use local brand names, the prices are quite reasonable, though quality may be lower.