Shadowrun

Catalyst Game Labs => Catalyst's Shadowrun Products => Topic started by: jonathanc on <10-31-11/1825:35>

Title: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: jonathanc on <10-31-11/1825:35>
I love buying new books, but I hate spending money to re-buy content that I already have. In this case, I already own Corporate Download, the Third edition corp book, and it has served me well. I'm thinking about the new Corporate Guide, but I'm wondering how much of it is repeat information. Obviously the stuff on Neonet and Horizon will be knew, but what about the stuff on older corps like Mitsuhama? Can anyone who owns the book (or better yet, who owns both) give me an opinion?
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: FastJack on <10-31-11/1857:58>
I think it is worth it. Not only does it update all the major players, it also give insight into a wageslave's life, plus information on up-and-coming corps, the Corporate Court, and how to run games where the runners are company (wo)men.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: jonathanc on <10-31-11/1902:10>
Ah, so the corp info is all-new? That's cool. I've been kind of curious about Horizon for a while now (c'mon, there's something sinister going on in there, there just has to be) but I was considering just running the Horizon adventures instead as a way to learn more. Of course, part of me just loves following along with the story, which is why I'm considering picking up Emergence, even though my game has progressed past 2070 and I don't really think I want to run it ever since none of my players are interested in being a technomancer.


TL:DNR: I am a sucker :D
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Mirikon on <10-31-11/2012:43>
Horizon is a tough nut to crack. Everything everyone seems to have dug up says that they really are exactly what they appear to be. A corp with an internal structure to make MC Escher proud, and a business philosophy built on social networking. And somehow, it works.

One reason I'd be willing to guess that there isn't any real nastiness going on (sure they play hardball in the business world, but they're no Mitsuhama, Saeder-Krupp, or Aztechnology) is their internal version of the P2.0 network. All it takes is one secretary letting it slip how you're into something unsavory, and you've gone from district VP to janitor. Of course, the Consensus could be used to direct all the shiny happy Horizon family to do unsavory things...
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: CanRay on <11-01-11/0056:48>
Honestly, everyone is SCARED of Horizon and how squeaky clean it is.  That's how the Universal Brotherhood looked...  That's how AZT looks to the average sheeple on the street...
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Phylos Fett on <11-01-11/0226:56>
I liked the sourcebook, but not as much as the ones from previous editions.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Argent on <11-03-11/0048:34>
Honestly, everyone is SCARED of Horizon and how squeaky clean it is.  That's how the Universal Brotherhood looked...  That's how AZT looks to the average sheeple on the street...

Specifically the Dawkins Group has my team spooked.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: The Wyrm Ouroboros on <11-03-11/0148:33>
Honestly, everyone is SCARED of Horizon and how squeaky clean it is.  That's how the Universal Brotherhood looked...  That's how AZT looks to the average sheeple on the street...

Specifically the Dawkins Group has my team spooked.

Well, every corp has a Dawkins Group in some form.  Shiawase's MFID, CATCo's Seraphim ...
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: CanRay on <11-03-11/0214:06>
Yeah, but the Dawkin's group has everything on Turbo Bunny except for her Cup Size!
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: FastJack on <11-03-11/0752:30>
Yeah, but the Dawkin's group has everything on Turbo Bunny except for her Cup Size!
Proof that their operative was an amateur. :P
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: CanRay on <11-03-11/1120:32>
Yeah, but the Dawkin's group has everything on Turbo Bunny except for her Cup Size!
Proof that their operative was an amateur. :P
Or not an immature heterosexual/bisexual male or homosexual/bisexual woman.  :P
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Patrick Goodman on <11-03-11/1132:37>
Nah, I like FJ's explanation better.... :D
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Mirikon on <11-03-11/1832:43>
The thing that separates the Dawkins Group from people like the Red Samurai, whoever MCT uses, etc. is that the Dawkins Group are primarily faces or social adepts, meaning they worm their way into your group without you ever knowing there's a problem until everything comes crashing down around your ears. Whereas with Red Samurai, you know to run, pure and simple.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: The Wyrm Ouroboros on <11-03-11/2034:55>
The thing that separates the Dawkins Group from people like the Red Samurai, whoever MCT uses, etc. is that the Dawkins Group are primarily faces or social adepts, meaning they worm their way into your group without you ever knowing there's a problem until everything comes crashing down around your ears. Whereas with Red Samurai, you know to run, pure and simple.

You think the other major -- AAA and AA -- corporations don't have some section, department, group, team, or however they want to phrase it that's just like this??  The Dawkins Group is the first one that's been brought so blatantly, in such a dire fashion, to the shadowrunning world, i.e. us readers.  I specifically didn't refer to the Red Samurai or that group of shamans that Ares has for a very important reason -- they're physical/magical threats.

Shiawase has the MFID; CATCo had the Seraphim (which, if I hadn't known any better, I would have suspected was the collaborative idea of Mssrs Sargent and Gasciogne).  Saeder-Krupp has Saeder-Krupp Prime.  Every megacorporation has something like this, some group or team that keeps an eye on what they consider threats or opportunities or tools, finds out all they can about them, and then files that information away until it becomes useful.  Hell, this is exactly what the 'Dossier On File' negative is all about -- someone's done their homework on you.

Don't think that just because this is the first one that's really, really been highlighted in the texts that the other corporations haven't been doing this all along...
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Argent on <11-03-11/2336:31>
The other corps probably have, however the Dawkins Group clearly positioned Horizon better for the crash than the other groups did for their respective corps. That in and of itself should say something about their influence.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Neurosis on <11-06-11/1021:36>
The thing that separates the Dawkins Group from people like the Red Samurai, whoever MCT uses, etc. is that the Dawkins Group are primarily faces or social adepts, meaning they worm their way into your group without you ever knowing there's a problem until everything comes crashing down around your ears. Whereas with Red Samurai, you know to run, pure and simple.

But the MFID (Shiawase) is in fact more like the Dawkins Group than the Red Samurai.

And beyond that I'm sure that Renraku is perfectly capable of running subtle ops...when they want to.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: jonathanc on <11-06-11/1247:59>
Subtle would be a bit out of character for corps like Renraku or Ares. They're of the "problem? kill it with fire!" school of management.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: CanRay on <11-06-11/1253:36>
They can be subtle.  In fact, the fact that you think that's the only way they handle things is proof of said subtlety.

Really, I'm scared more of Horizon's actual secret spy group as opposed to The Dawkins Group...  You put out one that can be found so that the sneaky one can go unnoticed while you're patting yourself on the back for finding the first one...
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Longshot23 on <11-07-11/1021:41>
Is there going to be anything to hint (over time) at WHY it's called the Dawkins Group?

Who/What is/was Dawkin(s)? Or is it a 'confusion to the enemy' thing? Or are they looking back to Richard Dawkins?  I don't recall anything to say they're anti-religion.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Nath on <11-07-11/1328:02>
I think it's a reference to Richard Dawkins, since he is the one who coined the word "meme". Around the time Horizon was established in SR lore, meme was the next big thing on his way to rule the world, or at least it was according to the people who kept talking about it (my take is, the meme concept itself got recursive, accumulating an infinite amount of holistic energy into a single point, and then Maru the cat eat it).
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Argent on <11-07-11/2002:51>
Or Richie Dawkins is the root of all evil in the upcoming 6th world. If a dragon appears over Mt. Fuji on Dec 24th I'm building a bunker in my backyard. :P
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: CanRay on <11-07-11/2018:05>
Or Richie Dawkins is the root of all evil in the upcoming 6th world. If a dragon appears over Mt. Fuji on Dec 24th I'm building a bunker in my backyard. :P
You don't have one yet?
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Argent on <11-07-11/2200:17>
You don't have one yet?

Too much work if nothing happens.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: FastJack on <11-07-11/2337:08>
If a Dragon appears on 12/24 this year, I'm practicing my hermetic formulae.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: Mirikon on <11-08-11/0854:48>
And I'll be moving to Seattle.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: CanRay on <11-08-11/0957:23>
You don't have one yet?
Too much work if nothing happens.
If you only have one use for a bunker, you're not planning properly.
If a Dragon appears on 12/24 this year, I'm practicing my hermetic formulae.
And if it turns out you're a Shaman?
And I'll be moving to Seattle.
Like coffee that much?

Me, *Sighs*  I'll be stuck in Winnipeg, waiting for the Insect Spirits.  Mosquito to be exact.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: FastJack on <11-08-11/1042:32>
If a Dragon appears on 12/24 this year, I'm practicing my hermetic formulae.
And if it turns out you're a Shaman?
I'm on good terms with Dog. ;)
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: kirk on <11-08-11/1103:31>
If a Dragon appears on 12/24 this year, I'm practicing my hermetic formulae.
And if it turns out you're a Shaman?
I'm on good terms with Dog. ;)
Just remember:
I am the dog thy dog, and thou shalt neither feed nor pet any other dog before me.
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: The Wyrm Ouroboros on <11-08-11/1624:04>
I am the dog thy dog, and thou shalt neither feed nor pet any other dog before me.
Clearly originally written by a cat...
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: shion on <11-14-11/1736:41>
And I'll be moving to Seattle.

Anywhere far away from volcanoes for me....
Title: Re: Opinions on the Corporate Guide
Post by: beowulf_of_wa on <11-14-11/1819:15>
i prefer our volcanoes to tornadoes, forest fires, hurricanes, and floods.