New Megacorp, Veridian Dynamics Options

[Faradon]

Just curious how many other GM's out there use the provided megacorps vs how many come up with their own new ones. Personally, I like to mix it up a bit... I did a search and didn't find any other reference to it, but figured I'd share this gem with the community.

Veridian Dynamics. I got in to watching Better off Ted a bit after it was cancelled, but after watching what there was of the show before it got cancelled I immediately thought of how great a shadowrun megacorp this would make. In my current campaign setting they are an up and coming AA Megacorp based out of Chicago.

I chose Chicago because A) I grew up there and there is a level of nostalgia and B) I like the setting. Also as their primary focus is on technology rather than magic building their HQ in a magic dead area works pretty well for them (just their HQ is.. plenty of other sites elsewhere for players/ PC Mages to run against without dealing with a magical void.)

So Veridian Dynamics has become kind of my go-to Megacorp for adventures I write while I still like using Ares, Aztechnology, Knight Errant, and Cross (CAT) for other things. I'm also gearing up to run the Dawn of the Artifacts adventures once the 3rd one comes out and I can work them in to the current campaign.

For those unfamiliar with Veridian Dynamics please take a look here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TcRjxPyhv0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_bPobs8T5w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia8OKMlqxLs

Those are some of my favorites, but I think you get the point. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) They have the outward face/front of being a publicly minded and loved corp that spends a LOT of money on PR/appearances while behind the scences is all about making money, no moral/ethical constraints, etc. Good times.

Again, just a resource that I figured I would share for those who don't know about it, if you want to know more or discuss please feel free to send me a pvt msg.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[LurkerOutThere]

So horizon jr? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Runner Smurf]

Loved that show.

I'd actually say that any of the mega's would fit that roll - but Aztechnology fits best. According to the fluff over the years, most of the public has no idea of the scary stuff that Aztechnology is involved in. They have a fairly bright public image as the parent company of a bunch of common consumer products. It's like what companies like BASF, GE and 3M are today - what was BASF's slogan? "We don't make the things you buy, we make the things you buy better." That's how I portray Aztechnology in my games. And Veridian Dynamics (apart from the subtext) is a perfect stand in.

On the other hand, according to the fluff in some of the novels, the identities of the some of the mega's aren't common knowledge. In one of Findley's books, most didn't know who or what Yamatetsu was.