I have recently bought the PDF of this really nice looking game, but I have some questions, which I hope some of you can answer:
1. How do you fictionalize the stake of cred after you take a job? Why is the runner not able to buy expensive stuff or pay his contacts? Is is because of the time constraints (and his inability to liquify his assets) or is is because their contacts are nervous and want to await the outcome of the run? I see how this is a nice game mechanic, but I struggle to come up with an explanation to my potential players.
2. Matrix Moves and ICE. The compromise security move allows the hacker to activate or deactive ICE. But in the description of ICE it tells me that ICE cannot be compromised and has to be melted. Compromise security and Melt ICE have different results on a partial success or a 6- so it could provide an interesting choice to the hacker (do I risk another alert, or do I risk getting burned by the ICE).
I am eager to hear your takes on these subjects.
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Cred is equal parts money and reputation/favors. Doing a job puts your reputation on the line. You can spend either 2 creed or 3, In which case you are trying to bolster your rep by spreading word around about the job. Your legwork clock rises when you spend 3 because you are pimping yourself out as a runner. When the job pays well the multiplier goes up, more money and word about how flush with cash you are.
Steven answered (1), I’ll take (2).
I don’t have the book in front on me and I can’t recall the exact language I used, but I imagine ICE to be in three states:
A) Turned off.
B) Turned on and looking out for trouble.
C) Trying to kick your ass.
So I imagine compromised security allowing the hacker to flick ICE between A & B, and being able to turn on state C, but that melt ICE is required to get ICE out of state C.
I also suspect that I didn’t spell this out in the book…
Hamish Cameron Ah, that makes a lot more sense. When active and engaged are two modes it is now clear when to use the moves.
steven swezey I totally get how after a job you gain more cred and can buy stuff. Maybe i would have understood it better if you either lost your stake at the end of the mission when it failed or you instead gained your stake (or twice your stake in a well paying job) in case of success. In the end it would result in a net gain of +stake, but I would not have the felt fictional disconnect of people immediately trusting you less because you took a dangerous job.
EDIT: The reason I am asking is because in my opinion, possibly the worst answer a GM can give to a player, when asked “Why does this happen”, is “Because the rules say so, I don’t know why”
Jochen Steimel You do lose your stake if the mission fails. If you succeed you get twice or three times your stake back. As far as them trusting you less: you might be dead soon. Being on the job is dangerous. How likely is a non-trusted acquaintance to want to pay off what he owes you in full right before you bite the bullet?
Cred may not represent money in your pocket, but your ability to pay as well. People are less likely to give you a loan when they know you might die before you can pay it off.
steven swezey Thanks for the examples! That was exactly what I needed. Especcially the guy seeing you as a possibly “wasted investment” when you take a high risk (=high stake) mission.
Possible responses could be along these lines:
“Yeah, I have what you want. But just not right now. Come back later when the dust has settled and you still have all your limbs. “
“Sorry, but your dealings with …. has aroused so much interest that you a kind of pariah in our circles. Prove that you a worth your word and then you can have that shiny cyberware”
Good points all!
I also told my players that some of what your stake represents is the “petty cash” you’re spending during the legwork phase. Things like buying a round of drinks, cab fare, standard ammo, bribes, routine stuff like that.