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Paydirt Generation
LF Muns 4 Theft

Started on OOC chat as bullshitting.

What if Neo, NLM, VS, and more rarely some Red companies like CGH generated a document, file, or otherwise object called 'Paydirt'. This would appear in a room inside of the building.

To begin with, the system would have a liason (a random player(s) employed at the company), a timeframe (anywhere from days to weeks), and a value (5-50k chyen).

At the end of the timeframe, if the paydirt is still at the company, the business terminal pays out a bonus to all the liasons.

The counterplay comes there are NPCs who buy paydirt. If the document is sold to one of these NPCs, the seller gets the money and a bonus. And a note/mail is sent to all GMs telling them to enact CONSEQUENCES on the liasons.

Thoughts?

Maybe more advanced implementations of this system can include random goals?

This package has to go to X location before being returned.

Make it so it can't fit in footlockers and stuff like that?

Track if it leaves the building to prevent hoarding at home? So on.

To incentivize theft from your fellow players, I suggest routine subtasks that need to be completed to avoid hoarding. Meaning the player with it in their possession needs to take it out into the world.
I like the idea generally, a couple observations.

You will basically need to make room for the corporate cain and anyone else involved to get paid, so the value of it getting delivered to the black market or a rival corporation needs to be higher than the value to the originating company.

It's more interesting if the objective is ultimately to deliver it somewhere, take it to some kind of receiving NPC or location. Potentially, this location could even be in the Mix - a delivery needs to be made to a staging point, someone who's doing research in the Mix or the Badlands. This creates opportunities for rival firms, shady organizations, or even independent criminals to stage an ambush.

I can imagine this idea could get boring if some high-ranking loyal person just routinely locks this object away at home, so you'll have to take some steps to prevent that practice. Keep the paydata briefcase (or whatever it is) moving, create tasks that require it to be shepherded around, and thereby opportunities to betray its location or divert it from its regularly scheduled path.

Not wild about the the punitive aspect for whoever's guarding, if this becomes a pretty regular thing. Best case scenario, nothing happens, next best case is people probably get fired for trying to steal it in the first place and worst case scenario, you get punished for people getting to do more exciting and cyberpunk things than you.
Isn't the best case for the guarded actually that they get a bunch of chyen?
If we want to encourage stealing, raids, corporate espionage, I'd say holding onto things successfully shouldn't be -too- punitive. But I love this idea. Right now, we need MacGuffins topside for people to be aiming for, and a system to generate them and make them a part of daily life would be glorious.
Or rather, losing things and failing to protect them-- unless it's something big-- shouldn't be -too- punitive.
I like it. And yes, randomized tasks to prevent players from just sitting on it would be good and also create more conflict and opportunities.

These could also be themed items to help any surrounding RP and add some uniqueness to each one. NLM could have scripts for upcoming (not real) shows, Grid private data, media star secrets. VS could have prototypes, expensive/rare chemicals, viral disease injectors. NEO would have shuttle schematics, passenger data, shipment data.These items wouldn't do/actually have anything on them, it's just fluff/theme. Red businesses also having these would be cool, maybe just make them worth less than the corporate counterparts?

I think the variety in tasks and selling points would be the most interesting/important part, especially if those could be randomized. This chummer in the park wants Grid data from NLM, but he only speaks mash. This topside fixer will buy this VS chemical from you, but you need a high-end chemist to reverse engineer the formula for it first. Stuff like this that would get unlikely people coming together and add even more potential for theft and backstabs.

It would also be nice if these weren't purely for security players, going with their randomized nature. Instead of just an item spawning in the same safe or whatever, it would be somewhere appropriate for it's nature. Chemistry stuff in the labs, budget documents in accounting or requisitions, media star secrets as an e-note that someone dropped and needs to be broken into by a decker/techie before it can be sold. Stuff like that.

I love the base idea and love the additions made by Sly. Something to drool over and fret about that belongs to an entity that isn't a single player will add a type of gameplay that I don't think we currently see much of. I think this could tie into the corporate stock system, too, and serve as the "way to influence" that many corporate players wish to see.

These items should have the chance to be small enough to be pickpocketed in order to allow all types of counterplay. I only mention this as I would hate to see paydirt's inability to be fitted into a container be the cause of not being able to be dipped in a natural way.

As far as a "task pool" goes to keep things varied? Here are some quick ideas:

Object Goals/Tasks:

- Item needs to be delivered to X NPC by Y time but NOT before Z date.

* When handed the object, the NPC could hold it for X number of minutes/seconds and then hand it over with a task-specific message. Alternatively, the NPC could ask the PC to come back in a number of days and, at that point, would give the item to PC when a certain phrase is spoken. If timed correctly, might be the timezone difference that allows a different player to pick up than who dropped it off.)

* Locations could include WJF-exclusive ones, medical centers, badlands locations, etc.

- Item needs to be exposed to a weather condition/temperature/room type and then returned (sewer, badlands, Mix, Gold, Green, rain, snow, fog; iffy).

- Item needs to be debugged before X date.

- Item needs to be incinerated.

Object parameters:

- Radioactive? (Chance for higher or lower rads per action or per movement; NeoTrans special cargo or VS special project)

- Infectious? (Disease may vary, some type of VS work-in-progress)

- Flammable (may cause small fires/burns)

- Chance on movement to cause electrical shock to all in area or maybe just the owner (volatile machinery)

- Chance to cause bleed when moving w/ object (caged research animal?)

- Is bugged. (May need to be debugged)

---

When considering the above, I picture that NLM's reasoning for holding these objects pertains to film projects or execs wanting unique goods; VS would deal in research projects and NeoTrans would deal in the acquisition of cargo and jumping through hoops to make sure said cargo can be delivered. Other corps, orgs, and businesses may vary.

I really enjoy the fact that people are considering turning some of my favorite plots back in the day into something more automated to have them be more regular.

I think a nice addition to this would be the fact that maybe the paydirt/item isn't always at X corp to begin with. Example: NeoTrans has heard about a big shipment coming in on X date, but it is currently being held up in Y location (freesky, badlands, wherever). That data could be sold/traded/leaked and then various groups (be that the corps or freelance) could be tasked with retrieving the goods before they reach the intended goa point.

Right now, that leads to interesting runner play, and a need to plan ops around a timetable. Later that could lead to some vehicle combat fun when the corp caravan carrying said item needs to be stopped, etc.

Yes, please, so much. Everything about this would generate reasons for people to be interacting other than "I hate you!"
Sounds awesome. I think a bit of low hanging fruit like this could really help players get their feet wet with topside crime.
Also, given that in theory this will be a bit until it happens, players can spur this kind of RP on a smaller scale.

I know I have done jobs for corporations which could have been under this umbrella all spurred by players and could have easily be sabotaged by mixer/corporate players with minimal effort of info leaking. Data and running deliveries and all that can easily spur RP like this between corps and players.

So a few things. This really should be tied into the Corpshare system. Corpshares should be used as Corpie bonuses. Yes, they can be manipulated... but Chy is the blood of corpies so game on. I'm sorry Mr. Newsie McNewserton if you can't afford the latest fast car or the tenth joy because you didn't make bonus, that's the way it is.

Some thoughts about what an implementation would look like.

All of it should center around a McGuffin that gets assigned a positive or negative value against a Corpshare. The McGuffin would run perhaps a couple weeks each time one was created. One person/department would be the parent of the McGuffin. As the McGuffin existed, the following would impact it's value. The McGuffin has to be turned in at the end of the period to someone.

Players only have vague ideas of the value of the McGuffin. NPCs in the Corp might say: "project X is really hot right now, keep working on it." or "seems that we've got a leak XYZ corp is developing a competing product now."

The rumor system will also play into this to where NPCs might say, "I've heard Joe Hustle is working on a new script. Bet he keeps that under lock and key. Oh, and I heard he's going to talk to Immie Influencer tomorrow some time to have them check it out." Give a general status of who has the McGuffin and what it's doing as well as any pending quests with it.

Positive:

The McGuffin is put in a place where it can be worked on. For VS that's a Lab, NLM a studio, etc. When it's in places that make thematic sense, then it gains value as long as it's out in the open and not in someone's inventory.

The McGuffin has "Quests" on it. Bring it to the hall for approval, take it to Shady McInfluencer to get a quick take, go talk to ACME crates on the manifest. Whatever. Just every now and again, it needs to travel and be handled by someone else. There should be a reasonable time frame of about a day to do this. Even better if some of these are taking the product to other players/NPC in rival Corps. VS product to get an Ad campaign shot. Neo Manifest getting signed off by NLM, etc.

The McGuffin is in the inventory of a player who is assigned to work on it while they are awake and active. HR for employee list. Bio/Chem for sciencey things. Producer for scripts. Flash drive for Gridworks, etc.

McGuffin is turned in.

Negative:

The McGuffin is out of it's place where it is being worked on. IE stuffed in a closet, or locked in an apartment.

Quests are missed in the time frame.

The McGuffin is in a players inventory who is not assigned to "work on it". Or in the inventory of an asleep player.

There are also Chy "Quests" which can be used to drain value and convert to Chy. Giving the script to a Bootleg radio producer. Chemicals to a Drug Runner, whatever. Just somewhere that people can take it and get a pretty big payday. Should be a massively negative impact to the McGuffin. This can be someone in the corp "Caining" or a rival corp managing to make a score.

The McGuffin can not be turned in at the deadline.

Final Thoughts

Love the idea. Semi automated ways for people to much about topside that tie into FINANCIAL ramifications are very on theme. This was just my thoughts on how to implement a system like that, but there are a lot of ways that you could. Just make sure that it's open to lots of people interacting and uses some of the systems that you've put in place like Corpshare, Bonuses, Rumors, and Chatter.

Love the idea. Would be geeked out to see it in some form.

How would ya'll rate this in importance / urgency compared to something like more robot parts, or vehicle combat?
While I'm down for vehicle parts and robots, I do think that this system would be used and spur larger scale RP probably faster and could be incorporated into the implementation of more robot parts and vehicle combat down the road.

If this idea were implemented before robot parts or vehicle combat, the latter two systems could definitely add to this thing as a whole. +1 to this idea all the way.
Definitely digging this idea, and agree it's of more importance than robot parts and vehicle combat, at the moment.
Yeah, this idea is just fantastic.

Honestly, when I first started playing sindome I believed something like this already existed...for some reason. Maybe due to how friggin' awesome of an idea it is and just how much RP it would stir up.

I'm a fan.

+1

Suggestions:

1. To prevent anyone from just taking the item and sell it while everyone else is asleep, there should be a NPC for each faction that walks around in the building, that gives the item only to the liason(s) and gives them the 'tasks'.

2. The item should have a set of goals or tasks, let's say 2-3 random locations or NPCs to inspect the item, or even create a chain of PCs or NPCs between corporations (e.g. NLM PC has to give it to VS NPC has to give it to VS PC, has to give it to NEO PC, has to give it to Big-Shot-Mixer or drop off in random private room in Red/Gold). This will make sure the item does not remain locked up inside a footlocker or a closet and allows it to be stolen. There needs to be a mechanism that requires the item to move around.

3. It should incorporate with the corporate gossip system so that corpie gossip givers can tell other corp members about a "dossier on the move" last seen in the hands of X person or corporation.

If properly implemented this idea would be AWESOME and it would support incredible plots and roleplay, even cross-sector.
Even simple gameplay loops (like the new sewer mechanics or NPC fetch quests) drive a lot of character interaction. I think any mechanics like what have been described would be great, especially for players who log-in during quiet hours when purely player-driven gameplay may be less available.
I think one of the biggest thoughts I had was brought up several times. Care has to be taken to ensure these items are OUT THERE and not just locked away. This could also mean carefully examining locations. Not all buildings have the same secure/unsecure borders.

Another one that was briefly figured on is participation. Bob might play 16 hours a day 7 days a week while Jill plays 2 hours a day three times a week. So just havinga thing pop out with Jill's babe on it that she is accountable for will suck for Jill.

Beyond that, we behalf want players doing more that sitting in their work buildings. So even Bob might run into trouble if he's out making RP most of his 16 hours.

Maybe have an OOC command to out into our out of these autoquests combined with a reliable IC noviciate system that let's a PC know they've been tested. Or have NPCs and/or terminals that you can request work from that triggers a little autoquests.

I also think they should be made in a template fashion so you can create a quest "template" and the locations and individuals involved are kind of randomly filled in. So when generated it would be one of x templates with react blank having a variety of possible options. Your night even be able to GENERATE NPCs on demand when making the autoquests. I'm pretty sure the scripting language had a similar feature.

Then you can add more templates over time. Maybe even source players to write up templates. :)

In general, I like the idea.

I'd like to expand a little more on incentives to intercept/steal the paydirt. Selling it to an NPC seems geared towards motivating the criminal element to get involved. There's nothing wrong with that, but I'd like to also see motivations for more inter- and intra- corp involvement and rivalry. Maybe in addition to giving some corp PCs the liaison role, other corp PCs are also given the rival role with an incentive to obtain the paydirt. These could be employees of a rival corporation who have a vested interest in seeing the liaison's corp fail (and their own succeed), or they could be employees of the same corp who are angling for the same promotion or project funding, etc., and are looking for an opportunity to sink a rival. Sure, all of this could be rolled into the NPCs offering to pay for the paydirt, but I think it would be more interesting to have some corporate PCs with the motivation to go after it .

If you made it so corps had to infiltrate mix buildings or the other way round to force more interaction between the two classes I think it'd be fool.

Corp X has to hire a team of mixers to obtain info from mixer Bob who's got corp Y's paydata.

I can think of at least one major location that would draw in Mix players and corporate players...and has in the past ^
I love the idea, want to say that first.

It could go a long way to no only drive RP, but also allow more inter corporate planning, operations and natural RP guidance as to what people could do within a corporation. Additionally giving goals to outside entities other than just ‘BOO corpos bad’ or ‘Our corp is better than your corp’ shit slinging.

I would say that like all things, the implementation has to be good from the start, perhaps start slow with some hand holding while players get used to it. It would really suck to get it wrong, alienating players by hitting them with harsh punishments like firings, disciplinaries etc with a system that could potentially lead to this without any player interaction what so ever.

My biggest comment though is that the data should mean something, I mean really mean something to players. Not just be a letter with ‘important information top secret’ in it. Perhaps it could be information regarding corporate goals, HR data on staff, player project data. Stuff that actually matters to players, so there is a large incentive not just to steal the data, but also protect it beyond just another way to produce money.

Perhaps there could be every 1 in 5 that actually contains this ‘personal’ data so that people simply don’t know till they start to RP and make connections to that data.

Faking this data as well could be really awesome, in the same way that Gossip was implemented. Leaking misinformation in this way could be just as engaging as actually getting hold of some legit juice corporate secrets. Adding value to both sides of the interaction.

I am hugely excited to see this implemented and there is already lots of scope to see what could be done.

TLDR

-please don’t just make it another Chy generator

-Slow forgiving implementation

-Player influence over some data

I strongly agree with Fopsy's requests.

If it's just another Chy generator, then it's going to be ignored in favor of easier Chy generators. There has to be something unique, and there are dozens of NPCs at corporations who can have sensitive things about them packed away. Of course they do shady stuff, and of course you're going to want to protect your boss's reputation. If the paydirt is compromised, then the PCs have an instant plot on their hands. Run a brief scene at the resolution of it all. The stuff like with that one Director from about a year ago was a ton of fun to get immersed in.

As for the implementation, what if you made it so you can't take it into residential areas (Belgrave Apartments, all of Prae, etc.) nor can it be dropped? Thus preventing it from being stowed away anywhere where someone could just sleep it out. Allow the data to be passed from person to person inside the organization for safe keeping, and have factional NPCs willing to hold it so that when everyone logs off, there's someone to hold on to it in public sight (HR person, random guard, etc.). The more PCs that hold it for, say, 6+ hours each over the course of the month, the bigger their bonus at the end of the month gets.

That way, all the PCs at the corp can get in on the action and work as a team to keep the paydirt safe. Otherwise you'll just get your strongest combat PC holding it all the time. Or with corps that have many PCs, some may never get a chance to be involved.

Lastly, run a public scene with the NPC involved. That way, you've got the PCs feeling like they made a difference one way or another. And, like any NPC that high up, they'll take a brief reputational hit, but they'll bounce back pretty much immediately because they can just snap their fingers and everyone beneath them will fix everything. Even if C-Suite Johnny is revealed to be budget skimming, nobody is surprised, it's a minor embarrassment for him, and he loses 0.01% of his total wealth from such a blunder. Something like that. Victory and rewards and solos at the door for whoever exposed him.

Whatever implementation that happens, it sounds really exciting.

Isn't every game mechanic when reduced enough just a chy generator?

In any case, I don't see a way to enclose actual IC info in the items without it dramatically increasing the scope of the project to years or decades.