QUOTE (Wasabi @ Apr 22 2010, 07:36 AM)
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Half our table walked away at the thought of using terrorism on a national landmark. While that may be the exception and not the norm it sure would have been nice to have a white dove option so keeping our character's IP morals consistent didnt earn the politically correct response we got:
(Paraphrased, but not by much): 'I'm sorry, even though the time slot just started we can't run it for alts of y'all because you can't repeat a mission and even though you didn't complete the mission it counts as attempting it.'
It sure would be nice to include a GM-discretion White Dove option on a case-by-case basis.
(And yes, I know some white dove options are meant as a surprise and are worth extra karma for being willing to walk away.
If its mid-mission party-optimization being thwarted as the cause of leaving such a clause out make it worth 2 less karma to the swapping player(s).
None of the PLAYERS objected to the mission. The objection was from some of our CHARACTERS and the characters objecting were mission-critical. [Mage, Rigger]
Since I was the rigger in question, let me post my thoughts:
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As shadowrunners, we are supposed to represent deniable assets in a city that is presented as being locked down tighter than a drum. Then along comes this dude who is either inexperienced, or playing at being inexperienced who asks us to blow up a bridge. Neither situation is ideal since you're either working for a noob, or you're being set up. And he doesn't ask you to blow up just any bridge, but a national landmark. And not just any landmark, but one that is used by thousands of people every day. Putting aside the morality of potentially killing thousands of people, let's consider the professional repercussions of such an event. Your group has just committed an act of terrorism. Something that's not going to be chalked up to a little corporate espionage by the powers-that-be. You've just caused billions of nuyen of harm to the local economy. Not just the cost of repairing the bridge, but the cost in lost production hours from the thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) of workers for whom you've just removed a major traffic artery for getting to/from work. No way are the corps going to want to do business with your team after that. In fact, I suspect they would be helping any federal authorities who might be searching for said team.
I'm sorry, I had to play to my character's motivations. He would like to enjoy some of the money he's been making. Can't do that from the inside of a federal penitentiary.
The whole situation could have been written with a different mark in place. For instance, use Ellis Island, make it clear that the place hasn't seen a tourist in years, it's national landmark status has been revoked by the corporate council, and that it is scheduled for demolition, but that the demo has been held up by a radical group of Historical Preservation Society folks. Then you can use all the same motivations for your NPC. (I've read the mod now that I've "played" it.)
I run a home game, and my players will tell you that I hate it when an adventure breaks what I consider a "reality" for the setting.
BTW, I don't post this to break the author's balls. You certainly don't see me submitting any adventure ideas. But I do post this to perhaps give a little insight into character motivations for future mod writers. Thanks for reading.
Robert (aka Spanner)