Emergence Q&A, Spoilers included... Options

[Synner]

In the last week or so I've fielded quite a few inquiries about the Emergence campaign via PM and several questions keep coming up. Since a specific FAQ would be overkill and people have asked, I thought I'd open a thread where I could give anyone interested the developer's view point.

Note my answers might contain a few spoilers so you've been warned.

So, try to keep questions short, simple and straight forward. I'll start this off with some questions I've repeatedly answered.

- Emergence is billed as a campaign book. Does this mean it's like Harlequin's Back or Brainscan (ie. a series of interlinked adventures driving an ongoing plot), like Mob War or Blood in the Boardroom (ie. campaign books providing setting information and adventures frameworks linked to different plot tracks), or like System Failure (ie. a campaign book focusing on major events and providing background information and adventure hooks)?

Of those books, Emergence is closest to System Failure in that it provides both in character perspective on events as they unfold and the background information gamemasters might need to use this material in their campaigns. However, it is different in that it provides a man-on-the-streets perspective of events rather than a composite view of the big picture from disparate sources.

I like to think that it has a touch of Universal Brotherhood and Bug City in that it provides you with street level, incomplete and baised perspectives on events as they unfold.

The fiction component of the book is presented as an ongoing thread and attached documentation posted on a Jackpoint's forum during 2070 (being read in 2071). The way the information is presented even allows the fiction sections to be used as hand outs to players, though numerous plot seeds and adventure ideas are introduced through the fiction (including news items that give you the wider picture ).

- So what's Emergence all about?
On the surface this is a campaign about the emergence of technomancers into the public spotlight and subsequently the discovery of a new generation of AIs. The circumstances of this emergence and manipulation of events by the powers-that-be lead to backlashes, witch hunts and other nastinesses.

I like to think Emergence is about a lot of other things too. It's about fear of the unknown and paranoia, it's about scapegoating minorities based on kneejerk reactions, it's about the power and manipulation of the media, it's about a fundamental and often-unspoken distrust of an integral part of life (the Matrix), it's about 6 years worth of grief and pain finally finding a convenient vent, it's about difference with a capital D and how people deal with it, it's about discrimination and the right for self-determination. It's about how even those who suffer descrimination aren't immune to bigotry, and it's even got a nod at civil rights ideologies and a new twist on slavery.

We've even woven in some references to Shadowrun history for the old timers like me who like that sense of continuity.

So Emergence is all about playing up technomancers?
Yes and no. Technomancers are the catalyst for events, but these have far-reaching consequences that affect people in all walks of life whether they're involved in the technomancer craze or not: for several month security goes through the roof making life miserable for shadowrunners and hackers; hackers are mistakenly confused and targeted as technomancers; people become more distrustful and paranoid affecting business and relationships; corporation are not only on the hunt for technomancers but they're keeping a keen eye on their and their competitor's talent; etc.

- When is it set? Will it conflict with my existing campaign?
Emergence was conceived to fit into existing campaigns with the least amount of disturbance. The events described therein start in 2069, with awareness of the technomancer phenomenon growing over the following months, and the actual flashpoints occur in May-July 2070.

Reasons are given for the lack of awareness regarding technomancers (ie. AIPS and corporate coverups) up to early 2070, and key events that follow occur (for the most part) during the second half of the year. Much of the revelations in the initial chapters take place in the shadows and behind the scenes and are compatible with setting information detailed inRunner Havens and the core book (both of which are chronologically parallel to chapters 1 and 2).

Frankly, we would have liked to have released this earlier (to save people from retconning) but the developments involving the Shadowrun license and our move to Catalyst Game Labs just didn't allow it. As is, I believe the timeline described is flexible enough that moving events a couple or more months forward to account for ongoing campaigns shouldn't be too much of a problem as long as the group hasn't focused too much on technomancers and their roots.

- Why release Emergence before Unwired?
We had no intention of releasing the SR4 Matrix book incomplete, which is what it would have been if we had to later introduce rules for the new generation of AIs.
Doing it the other way round would have been anticlimatic in terms of plot development - like introducing the rules for bug spirits before you actually ever encountered them in Queen Euphoria or Missing Blood - so our goal was to first introduce them to the setting and give them a place in the Sixth World.

- Will I need to wait for Unwired to play Emergence?
No. Emergence can be plugged into any game using the basic rules in the core book. Very brief guidelines are provided on giving the new AIs stats if needed, but in Emergence they are rare enough to qualify as a gamemaster device.

[Prime Mover]

[QUOTE]We've even woven in some references to Shadowrun history for the old timers like me who like that sense of continuity.

Thanks for the continuity! I have guys in our group who have played since I opened the first edition book and are always up for meddling in a storyline there familier with.

[Synner]

[fistandantilus4....]

Still trying to figure out the UB one.

[Synner]

Clue: It's something to do with Sunshine.

[fistandantilus4....]

Thanks, will get back to reading.

[toturi]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but question: what does COMA stand for in p117? The old acronym stood for the Commision for Megacorp Affairs and they were UN and anti-corp. It just didn't jive. Any clarification would be nice.

[Jérémie]

[neko128]