Vague run idea...want to help me flesh it out? Options

[Legs]

I have a VERY vague idea in my head for a run...not even really an "idea" yet, actually...and i'd like some help steering me in the right direction or helping me flesh this out a bit.

I like throwing ethical dilemmas at my players. I have an idea for a run where the runners would have to extract an employee from a research facility and when they get there they find out the research is particularly heinous and they have to be careful not to destroy the research subjects. I have an image in my head of the characters entering a large room where people are catatonic and hardwired into the facility itself. Maybe they're even running the security or another aspect of the facility so a hacker has to be extra careful when doing her job to make sure she doesn't accidentally kill the research subjects.

I dunno...like I said, this isn't even to the "idea" stage yet. I just thought I'd get she extra opinions. Thanks all!

[ShadowDragon8685]

Legs: That might work best if the test subjects are all technomancers being very heavily controlled and basically forced to thread things, as an experimental alternative to actually buying some damn programs.

So that IC you're facing off isn't actually IC, it's some poor Emerged teenager who's doped up to the eyeballs and has no idea why she's threading an Attack program at you.

[RHat]

Technomancer experimentation, in the existing fiction, tends to result in digital "screaming" because of the pain they're experiencing. In these cases, they're not really taking coherent and directed action because they're just not able to. That said, technomancer experimentation is a good way to set up said dilemma - to really crank it up, you could have some of the subjects be kids. Make it clear that the Johnson wants the guy to continue his work, just for a different employer.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Paracritters.

If you're going for an extraction you always need some paracritters to liven up the fights.

With your above framework these fit in even better. The paracritters the team runs into were clearly "Alpha" Tests for what ever procedure the people are being tested. Be it biodrone type stuff or whatever. Even Technomancer experimentation CAN be performed on critters first, as according to the Emergence book there are a number of techno critters out there. (( personally I'd go a different way than Technomancer experimentation. It's heinous but it's kinda 'been done'. There was the entire book on it after all. Nothing wrong with it, but if you're going that way, grab Emergence and give it an entire campaign and long running sl. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Still.....

Paracritters!

[Shortstraw]

Well you could combine the two and have them grafting brain tissue from technocritters into people to try and develop technomancer bioware or an emerged symbiont.

[RHat]

When you're looking to pose a moral dilemma regarding experimentation, animals won't always do it - depends on the players. People, especially kids, on the other hand, tend to be more likely to get a response.

However, the post I just got ninja'd by makes a wonderful suggestion: attempts to give people para- or technocritter abilities through transplantation.

[Pepsi Jedi]

When you're looking to pose a moral dilemma regarding experimentation, animals won't always do it - depends on the players. People, especially kids, on the other hand, tend to be more likely to get a response.

However, the post I just got ninja'd by makes a wonderful suggestion: attempts to give people para- or technocritter abilities through transplantation.

RHat's right. Animals don't do it for everyone.

I personally would react much stronger to animals.. but that's because I don't generally like lots of people. lol

My post was mostly for 'added challenges' to get to the moral delimia stage. Guard critters, but... experimental critters works too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mach_Ten]

building on the above

think this was a film a long time ago, but hell it works.

So the kids are all, "gifted" and selected for "Boarding school" then bought here to the institute.

the kids are dropped into VR and think they are constantly playing video games.

they are actually jacked into paracritter / cyber drones performing training exercises and performing security around the whole compound.

so when you kill that Doberman drone, it dumps the kid and due to the coctail of drugs, the kid suffers complete lobotomy and is taken for post mortem byt the minimal staff of scientists.


the runners are after ONE kid and only one, and only have the time and resources for ONE!


Plot twist, the staff of scientists are ALL PARENTS. only they don't know which are their kids.

Plot twist the second, the runners have been hired by the institute as a test of security and against some of the newest and deadliest test subjects

Third plot tweak, other teams of runners have been hired and are 'plugging' kids (security) left right and centre without care, how long till they accidentally kill the target ?

[Manunancy]

I have a VERY vague idea in my head for a run...not even really an "idea" yet, actually...and i'd like some help steering me in the right direction or helping me flesh this out a bit.

I like throwing ethical dilemmas at my players. I have an idea for a run where the runners would have to extract an employee from a research facility and when they get there they find out the research is particularly heinous and they have to be careful not to destroy the research subjects. I have an image in my head of the characters entering a large room where people are catatonic and hardwired into the facility itself. Maybe they're even running the security or another aspect of the facility so a hacker has to be extra careful when doing her job to make sure she doesn't accidentally kill the research subjects.

I dunno...like I said, this isn't even to the "idea" stage yet. I just thought I'd get she extra opinions. Thanks all!

Would the 'don't destroy test subjects' be par of the dilemn or an request by the employer ? I'd say the first (and maybe even even set them free), unless the employer want the subjects extracted along with the employee. I mean, if they snatch the resarcher, ruining the test subjects and as much data as possible would hinder whoever bankrolled the research in the first place when trying to resume his research.

[Legs]

This is all really good.
I was thinking the "don't hurt the test subjects" would be part of the moral dilemma. And the fact the kids are controlling security that is trying to kill the PCs will make it even more interesting.
And what about the researcher himself? I was thinking he'd be a willing extract. Maybe he finds out his kid is going to be a test subject so he wants out? Or his conscience gets the better of him and he finds out his employers are going to dispose of him because he doesn't want to continue the research, so he wants out while he's still alive?

[Mach_Ten]

This is all really good.
I was thinking the "don't hurt the test subjects" would be part of the moral dilemma. And the fact the kids are controlling security that is trying to kill the PCs will make it even more interesting.
And what about the researcher himself? I was thinking he'd be a willing extract. Maybe he finds out his kid is going to be a test subject so he wants out? Or his conscience gets the better of him and he finds out his employers are going to dispose of him because he doesn't want to continue the research, so he wants out while he's still alive?

okay, so the researcher figures out which one of the kids is his, but can't get him out without all the alarms going off

hires the runners to extract them both, BUT you know that the CORP (Ares I guess or even DocWagon) will be able to track him down after.
So his only way to really escape is to destroy the facility.

if the runners go ahead, you should make it blatantly apparent that everything thing that they kill is actually an innocent !

or they Must find another way to clear ALL the data without human casualties (you have to leave this bit in mate, if I was railroaded in a game where you have to kill innocents it gets all sorts of ugly IRL) then they've got the clock running against them and another agency soon out to get them

this sounds like so much fun, I'm gonna steal it and use it in my next run .. if I ever get to GM soon (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

there is a sound ... and it goes like ... "Yoink!"

[BishopMcQ]

It could also be research following up on Dr Halberstam (Threats, Emergence).

An idea that came up in a different discussion is to trap a bunch of Astral Hazing changelings and lock them in place (drugs are good for this). Having a magic group using Geomancy to alter the flow of mana to aspect the background count towards their tradition. There are some fun possible side effects as the changelings' psyches are forced to change to accept the new paradigm, which is likely Twisted since it is based on crushing the will of others for personal power.

[Teulisch]

Medical research.

the facility is kidnapping SIN-less minorities, and infecting them with the ghoul virus, then performing research on them. and their research is actually showing progress! now, be very careful which electronically controlled doors you open, and yes there is an underpressure system with the airlock.

your Johnson wants you to destroy their research, as well as any samples they have.
that 'sample' is a 6-year-old ork ghoul undergoing treatment.

[Mach_Ten]

Medical research.

the facility is kidnapping SIN-less minorities, and infecting them with the ghoul virus, then performing research on them. and their research is actually showing progress! now, be very careful which electronically controlled doors you open, and yes there is an underpressure system with the airlock.

your Johnson wants you to destroy their research, as well as any samples they have.
that 'sample' is a 6-year-old ork ghoul undergoing treatment.

I like the idea, especially the paranoia of which door ... but having recently played a game where the door "Lottery" was prevalent, it got real boring real fast unless there's a way to find out if it's a "bad" door even more if there's a disease involved (permanent type) ... I'd want it to be something bad but not ghoul bad .. toxic but recoverable

but that's just me

[BluSponge]

I like it. I think I'll crib it and add it to my list of potential projects to flesh out for my own game.

Question/Problem: if the test subjects are running drones or even paracritters, what's stopping the team decker from just amping up the jamming interference? If you jam the signal, even a little, does that cause the death of the subject?

Idea: Have the other parent involved in the corp at a middle management level. Nice juicy promotion (ie better life for family) is assured with success of the project, and he/she fully subscribes to the work being done–maybe even volunteered the child in the first place. He/she knows the partner is uncomfortable with the situation and may try something like this.

Tom

[Manunancy]

In my opinion having the scientist rejecting his job would lessen the impact - have a quietly amoral guy. Not a sadist enjoying his experiment,s but simply a cold technocrat willing to go to any length necessary to perform his research. I'd also make sure the research is a mere moneymaker, not something destined to improve metahumanity's lot but only the sponsoring corp's bottom line. The 2070 equivalent of Viagra or hair-growth lotion...

[Mach_Ten]

Idea: Have the other parent involved in the corp at a middle management level. Nice juicy promotion (ie better life for family) is assured with success of the project, and he/she fully subscribes to the work being done–maybe even volunteered the child in the first place. He/she knows the partner is uncomfortable with the situation and may try something like this.

Oooho yeah, totally this ! one parent wants to succeed on the corporate ladder and never really wanted kids, but had one to get into this program !
the other that was totally brilliant in their field of science and didn't see until it was too late that the other partner was duping them !

Question/Problem: if the test subjects are running drones or even paracritters, what's stopping the team decker from just amping up the jamming interference? If you jam the signal, even a little, does that cause the death of the subject?

Now .. that right there is some top notch paranoia ... does the hacker try it ? and potentially kill a boat load ?

or is it the best way to harmlessly de-activate the drones,

I would have it but there needs to be several local nodes ... say 3-5 drones per node and each node is independenat of each other, so that if a hacker got it ...the whole program doesn't shut down

and Black IC ... LOTS of black IC ... and alarms to other real sector defences (turret guns manned by kids)

and ... stuff .. more deadly .. stuff ! ... oh the pain ... oh the tears of joy the GM will shed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Lionhearted]

Be very careful when putting kids in the firing line, even if it's to get across the graveness of the situation, it's one of those things that push buttons with people.

[MrGlee]

I do agree with Lionhearted, be careful when bringing children into runs.

However, an idea for a darker end of the run, the Johnson was the researcher himself, and he just wanted to test his experiments.

[RHat]

Be very careful when putting kids in the firing line, even if it's to get across the graveness of the situation, it's one of those things that push buttons with people.

That much is true - you want to know where the line is for your group, or at least find out if something like this would cross it.

[Iduno]

your Johnson wants you to destroy their research, as well as any samples they have.
that 'sample' is a 6-year-old ork ghoul undergoing treatment.

As I was reading through the thread, I had this same idea. The runners, maybe as a secondary objective, must either steal or destroy all of the research samples while extracting the researcher.

If you're making it obvious the Johnson wants to continue the research, you may want to make it possible for the players to choose between taking their pay and putting a few holes in the Johnson.

I also agree with the idea of making sure the characters can find out through legwork that innocents die/get hit with dumpshock when they take out guard drones. Or enough information that they can figure it out before they have to go up against the drones.

Several good ways to play this run. Enjoy, but make sure the players do as well.

[Blog]

Genetically modified animals/people that have chemical glands for producing X.

A medical facility that has made great breakthroughs in disease/drug creation. Their dark secret? they infect these special beings with the disease and their bodies mass produce anti-bodies/medication.

Could add a darker component in that the being for whatever reasons has special metahuman dietary requirements.

[Manunancy]

If you (and your players) don't mind the squick factor, fetus farming ranks very high in the 'do I really want to deliver the guy's doing that to a fresh new lab so he can keep on doing this crap for a new employer' scale. What exactly they're doing with said fetuses and why they can't rely on cloning vats should be justified (in case the player poke around to find).

[RHat]

If you (and your players) don't mind the squick factor, fetus farming ranks very high in the 'do I really want to deliver the guy's doing that to a fresh new lab so he can keep on doing this crap for a new employer' scale. What exactly they're doing with said fetuses and why they can't rely on cloning vats should be justified (in case the player poke around to find).

You can also use whatever they're planning to use them for to amp up the horrific nature of the situation.

[Manunancy]

You can also use whatever they're planning to use them for to amp up the horrific nature of the situation.

I had it in one scenario - basicaly the guys were getting Elven fetal tissues for anti-aging treatment. The busines was handled by organized crime and relied on abducted women to provide the wombs. In vitro fecundation, abortion befoe term to extract the required material, rince and repeat until the woman is too damaged (then it's organ bank). To make them more tractable, the women were lobotomized.

The player's involvment was through the colleteral damage from one abduction : the boyfriend was dispatched and rolled to a bodybank. The players were tasked with finding the boyfriend by a Johnson working for his parents. When they found the corpse, they got further pay to find the who and why of his death, then to perform a bit of extralegal justice. Unsurprisingly, they trashed the place and it's staff loudly enough to make sure the cops and the media would come poking, reasonably confident that the whole business was egregious enough that the cops would be more interested in who was running the place than who trashed it.