A cunning plan., Traping runners for fun and games ;) Options

[Dumori]

So I was bored. This lead me to plan a cunning ploy for my runners. I remembered Reading about runners in the media and an idea struck me my runners end up on the trid. But how to do this I could set them up or have the next time they screw up to be kidnapped and forced or unwittingly made into entertainment. I see each Corp sponcering a group of runners (or some other team) and pitting them against each other or set challenges like a game show. With each group trying to get an item or away from an island but only with their basic equipment and may be a few changes so the ares team gets the corps stuff cheaper or for free as it all a big Corp add like urban brawl but much more deadly. It would also make a novel way to recruit runners for black ops but for that I would have to be done secretly.

So is this a good idea or am I railroading to much or would something like this be just to plane risky for a even a mega to pull off. Another question what would the reward for winning be just freedom or prize money as well.

[CanRay]

Corporate Endorsement Contract: "Hello, I'm Killabiker the Shadowrunner. And when I absolutely, positively needed to kill every Motherfragger on that island, I turned to my Ares Alpha Combat Rifle."

[Speed Wraith]

Been there, done that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

We played Survivor way before the show ever existed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) It was fun, tough to contain the runners, but that's half the fun.

[Leofski]

It's in corp enclaves. Don't have a copy to hand for reference, but runner shows are the rage in LA.

[paws2sky]

So... you want to GM The Running Man, but with AAA sponsors? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I could actually see this working, especially as a Los Angeles based adventure. They're all about the glitz and glam anyway. P2O, here the runners come!

Heck, maybe its a traveling Horizon "game show" that hits all the major metro areas! Sprawl Wars: Seattle coming soon!

A fixer could even set them up. He tells them they'll be some opposition, but neglects to mention the details. The runners discover several minutes into the run that everything they're doing is going on camera... Oops!

[Stahlseele]

too much railroading for my tastes, but to get them into the spotlight, have them do a run somewhere in the middle of the city and in the middle of the day and then have some hundred demonstrants start shit op there . .

[Dumori]

I had this idea some time ago but as i was a player not a GM I've never had chance to run with it. I can just see a team of runners thrown in to the mix to get rid of them. As the corp in question will think after seeing them kidnapped that they'd be easy pickings for the trained corp teams. Those teams(the corp ones) would be the saying "Although the lava filled pit looks impassable. With my <corp name here> grapple gun its as easy as walking your dog." and may other strange endorsements. or maybe a commentator would just say those things while the actions happening. "Just watch as the Ares Alpha rip that man to pieces."
Ah I this idea makes me LOL just think of how a runner group would react to being forced in to this.

[vladski]

Sounds like a great thing to do the next time the runners botch a run on a Corp. Much more fun than jsut sticking a cranial bomb in their head and then playing "pop goes the weasel."

Of course, I'd STILL stick a bomb in their heads. But, a Running Man version of Survivor? Works for me.

Of course, if I was a runner in that sitch, I'd be looking to escape (and as a GM, you should make it possible) rather than "win" the game. Make sure the security has a nice hole in it. Or maybe have them approached by an opposing team member that has the "magical plan" with some sort of inside help already in place. Maybe have a way to deactivate their little headbombs.

Then, for real fun, have the "other team member" screw them over right in the middle of a tight spot as they are escaping.

Anyway, all of it sounds a heck of a lot more fun than "Oh oh, you are all knocked out by the gas in room 16. When you come to, you find yourselves naked in a cell. One by one, a guard comes and takes your team members away. Distantly through the walls, you hear horrible screams, the sound of a few shots ring out...then silence. Then, a few minutes later, the guard comes again, this time for you."

Vlad

[Nightwalker450]

I like the idea of underground trids. Cowboy Bebop had their Bounty Hunter show, which was always humerous. And also I think the movie was Hackers (correct me if I'm wrong) had the "Hack the Planet" podcast basically, I think they even continually changed the network addresses they broadcast from, so you had to be on the inside to know where it would be next time. Shadowrunners should have their own network.

I'm thinking when I start GMing again I want to have this be a staple of shadowlife, tuning in to see how much air time you got (None is good for staying out of the spotlight, but getting some air time gets you some reputation). And also a learning to run, to glamorize runners and watch it thinking to yourself "I'd never do that if I was in their position." Sorta like watching cops these days.

EDIT: Hack the Planet, thanks Speed Wraith

[sunnyside]

I think you're making this to hard on yourself.

Just have the fixer say "hey, some people want to do a new reality show with teams of runners competing with each other on an island. I know one of the guys putting the thing together, would you guys be interested? If you win you could make <appropriate prize money for the length of time> nuyen"

Done and no railroading.

Personally I think it could be a lot of fun. Throw in producers trying to get them to do stuff like wear skimpy clothing insted of their armor. Have some chances for team mates to screw each other over for fun and profit.

And don't make the other teams a joke.

Also every event shouldn't just be shoot each other up. Come up with something interesting. And of course rules for people who fall down being "out" and have medics standing by. (So you can reuse people).

[paws2sky]

Ah, that sounds more like and Iron Chef sort of thing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


"Fujiko-san, can you see what sort of weapon Blitzkiller is using?

"It looks like a wooden plank with several nails, Nakamura-san!"

"I think you're right! That Renraku Iris-Omega eyeware pack of yours is quite impressive!"

"Indeed, you should have one inst... oh, my! Blitzkiller has just been decapitated by the monowhip of Silver-Wings-In-Moonlight the Sinsearch Elf team. For a Changeling, she's quite impressive!"

[masterofm]

My friend was telling me how he thought Urban Brawl was a place that had it's "stars" but the people on the most popular person's team were probably highly trained shadowrunners. They have the dude who blusters in front of the public, but probably the people doing the actual fighting are probably caught or paid shadowrunner teams. Almost kind of like Running Man or Gladiator.

[Speed Wraith]

I like the idea of underground trids. Cowboy Bebop had their Bounty Hunter show, which was always humerous. And also I think the movie was Hackers (correct me if I'm wrong) had the "Hack the World" podcast basically, I think they even continually changed the network addresses they broadcast from, so you had to be on the inside to know where it would be next time. Shadowrunners should have their own network.

I'm thinking when I start GMing again I want to have this be a staple of shadowlife, tuning in to see how much air time you got (None is good for staying out of the spotlight, but getting some air time gets you some reputation). And also a learning to run, to glamorize runners and watch it thinking to yourself "I'd never do that if I was in their position." Sorta like watching cops these days.

That would be "Hack the planet!", catchphrase of Razor and Blade. You were right about the movie though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Even though the tech-speak is way outdated and Angelina Jolie has fake breasts now, that flick is still cool and fairly relevant.

[Dumori]

But escape would a corp really let that happen when the aim of the game is escape for this island secure facility? Just pulling that off would be classed as a win in some respects I want to make the group think before running in to clash with that black ops team down the hall. Also this could be some thing like the first manhunt game I think ill let them get revenge on the guy running the show. How sick to make the twisted mess is the question. Hung and burning corpses of the losses maybe. And its a free sadistic GM card (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[masterofm]

Urban Brawl man Urban Brawl.

[Speed Wraith]

Oh, and the question of whether you are railroading too much or not? You are, but if you do it right, they won't care (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Don't string it out too long would be the best advice I could give you...

[Dumori]

What I meant by railroading to much was that not only was it going to be my way as this would have to be but at least it has a good reason and would the overall fun factor be more that the annoyance of being trapped a feeling that for this I want to grow. It would make a nice brake in a very open world for my runners. They get to do what they want and they know that i only screw there planes over for there own good as in stopping the idiot form getting the team kill by using them in unwittingly smuggle drugs.

As to stringing it out i was aiming for 5 sessions for the whole arch may be 8 this is for the capture the briefing and equipment giving the escape/event and time for revenge and or other loose ends.

[Stahlseele]

why the hell did i just now and in context of this very thread realize that the Star Sheriffs is basically the perfect Description for LoneStar Cops? x.x
but i still stand by my point of a demonstration of several hundreds of people, maybe MOM or something like that being perfect for those purposes . .
if it is in Denver i think the Rangers could just close in on the whole bunch with the Runners caught in the middle without them(runners/rangers) really realizing that they are not there because of the other party at all . . and media coverage is a given with the equality for metahumans movements all around . . and with the co®ps[es] being racist pigs . .

[Nightwalker450]

What would be a good name for the Shadowrun Network... Basically I'm thinking CNN for shadowrunners, run footage, insider information on the corps, latest and greatest in tech and magic, and Stock Prices for those interested in how their funds are shaping up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'm thinking "Johnson's Home Movies", but curious if we can get some other names for this network?

[Stahlseele]

i wonder if anybody will get this:"TROG-CORP!"

[SprainOgre]

I thought that's what some of the Shadow Nodes basically where...

[Raavek]

Oooh here is an idea. Go rent and watch the movie Battle Royale. It is a japanese flick that is simply amazing. It kind of has the same theme you are looking for, and would be kind of a neat idea to work with.

[Oracle]

Sounds to me like The Condemned, a crappy action flick with Steve Austin.

[Sir_Psycho]

A similar scenario could be to have the runners go and grab the daughter of a corp exec who's fallen in with a large gang and is living at their doss, which is an abandoned hospital/apartment complex with a complementary cast of squatters and prostitutes. As the runners are observing the site, they notice a conversion of other gangs. Serendipitously, three other gangs are descending on the neighbourhood, all unbeknownst to eachother. Maybe each gang only has 10-30 Members, but altogether, that makes a huge combat. The Media teams are already nearby of course, because they've got a tip on the exec's daughter.

The shadowrunning team will either bug out or move in. If they move in, they're going to have to be fast, because all kinds of hell is about to break loose. In ten minutes, the place becomes a warzone, there is chips of plascrete flying everywhere, motorcycles driving through hallways, the sound of gunfire everywhere, molotov cocktail fires, panicking squatters and prostitutes, possibly even some sniper fire. The runners have to get into the building without getting involved in the combat and spirit the girl away without her getting caught in the crossire.

But the hook is that the Media teams see the runners entering and follow them with surveillance drones. The whole thing is very cinematic, and the next day, the runners are dead famous, heroes for saving the poor daughter from the clutches of gang violence.

So the runner's are now all over the tv now, so it's time to retire or get new faces and skip town. But if they do legwork on their employer, turns out the johnson was working for the media producer who got the tip about the daughter. Digging deeper, the runners might find that the same producer tipped off the gangs about the daughter, or a valuable drug lab, or just the location of their enemies.

[Kliko]

There's a similar scenario in the old sr3 missions archive. Fortgot about the name though.