Neutral Location for Cloning

I have very limited experience on this stuff and I can only rely on the information I learn through roleplay like anyone else but it's my understanding that DCD treatment is only available through Viriisoma, and to me this posed an interesting problem when thinking about how people take risk and whether or not people will get involved in something.

If giant corporations have immunity to do what they will on their territories, putting DCD treatment, something that I have some experience with, and how vicious DCD is portrayed in the game I thought that perhaps the location of the DCD treatment is too large of a discouraging factor to engage Viriisoma in the us versus them theme of the game.

I don't know of any other corporations that have monopolies on services so critical as DCD treatment, you don't go to Genetek when you update your clone or get a new one, and Genetek doesn't seem to hire people so there's little risk of upsetting them and having cloning revoked.

I think it might be beneficial to everyone, including Viriisoma employees if DCD could potentially be moved to another location on Gold, or maybe Sense/Net could offer updating and treatments. I think this might lower risk aversion and encourage more conflict interactions with those employees.

If I were playing a corporate security character I think I would be way more interested in having more people wanting to engage me in conflict and RP by lowering possible perceived risk to the overall survival not the immediate survival of my character by potentially losing access to DCD treatments.

Also I considered that Viriisoma employees might actually do work associated with DCD treatments and I wouldn't want to take away any job functions from people or their RP, but I don't think it's anything more than an automated process like updating so I don't think that is a consideration.

I think changing the location would be a win win for the game, I haven't been able to find any downsides but my perspective and experiences are not as expansive as most people around and would really like some feedback.

DCD treatment itself does not generate work, but it is leverage for VS, as you do not want to be wanted by VS and get it.

VS can develop a treatment for DCD and another place can give the treatment. Isn't that pretty much the same concept?

And with how rare DCD is, I can see VS not wanting to let that patent fall into others hands.

I'd like to not feel like there's no other choice but to choose disguise and stealth on every character for matters of survival from automated game mechanics, personally.

As a rule of thumb you shouldn't expect people to try their best destroying your character as the default though. You can RP your way out of most things if you're willing to take the L and move on.

Yes this may not be RP on your PC terms but… So what? This isn't a game to win, it's to write stories, and players who are given the power tend to have shown that they get it, or are learning to get it and had a spanking or two through NPC hands for overstepping.

ICly, be terrified. Everyone should be more terrified of VS and all the corps. :P Makes me so sad when hotshot Corpsec agents are treated like mall cops… Or if they act like mall cops. They're big bads. I would hate for the terror to be dissolved more than it already is.

Shameless random throw in... Id love to see people give VS scientists a chance to RP DCD treatment. This can totally be done right now but it can be skipped for automagic coded stuff. I know its got to be designed a certain way for logistics reasons and its so rare but heeeeck would that be fun to rp.

It's literally not something that is happening, it is of course technically possible, but that would be for someone who volunteer, and knowingly, goes onto a path that ends in such place, and continues so against MANY very direct and not subtle at all warnings.

And even then it would be possible to overcome with RP. So really, take the hint people are giving you, often from wider experience and perspective, that this type of punishment, if ever used, would be really consensual between the parties, as are most of more "severe" punishments (aka stuff that lasts, not vats/maimings/fines etc) are doled out.

But that shouldn't be fear that stops your character from interacting with them, whether directly or indirectly. There should be some drive that lets your ICly overcome this fear, backed by OOC knowledge that there are checks and balances in place to keep it from escalating beyond any sanity.

But by the same token if you ICly poke the bear, you absolutely should expect the bear to maul you, and be ready to either take the maul, which usually means having actual conversation with the people involved from the corp and resolving matters, or keep escalating and expect the same from the other side.

And to be even more blunt, the only way I could see using something as insane as DCD is where the other party either directly asks for it, or when they flat out refuse engage to RP in meaningful way at all, but continue to be just attacking the megacorp. Those are more or less the only situations where the big toys get deployed like that.

Like someone already said before - perceptions, charades, ICly they look scary, OOCly there are limits, check and balances to it. Corps looking scary is upholding the theme of the game, where mechanically most corpsec is poorer than most mixers, and has to work way harder before they can make a move onto anyone, especially if they want to use the corporate tools for it.

I recommend to try the other side, and learn the amount of leg work needed, which includes consideration for driving RP, not stifling it.

As for VS hosting the location for DCD treatment? It's both themely and there for a reason. You should always feel the corporations looming over you and that's part of why the DCD cure isn't neutrally located.

Consider the type of characters that most frequently contract DCD. While DCD treatment will almost never be forcefully blocked, it does force those that contract it to engage with the status quo, one of the corporate Gods that can theoretically choose to let you live or die forever.

No matter your ideals or behaviors, no matter where you stand on the sociopolitical divide, the corporations hold your lives in their hands and this is one of the ways that is reflected ICly. You can be the biggest baddest terrorist the city has ever seen. But if you get DCD, you have to walk through those doors or die.

Having the cure for DCD in a non-neutral place allows the opportunity for RP. Just the same as having Sense/Net only on Gold provides opportunities for RP. There are a number of things that are intentionally placed to force players into locations they might not want to be.

That's all.