[Morg]

a PC of mine wrote up a Face/Hacker with a contact list containing only Jack point, instead he spent his knowledge points and some BP on different occupation archetypes his explanation is that he can us his knowledge of these archetypes to find new contacts in Seattle quickly. His reason for not having more contacts is that he just arrived in north America, from England

His pool is 17 with most social tests and all his knowledge street pools are 10 (12 in Seattle)

Knowledge (street) Knight Errant officers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Smugglers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Street Mages (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Arms Dealers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Hackers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Mob Enforcers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Fixers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Joyboys/girls (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Private investigators (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Streetdocs (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Shadowrunners (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Jackpoint Posters

What do you all think of his plan

[Canticle]

Well, Jackpoint is a primarily Seattle forum that is a couterpoint for the shadownet datahaven ShadowSea. In England he would be connected with the shadownet datahaven Helix or even Nexus.
Giving him the specialties for Seattle honestly does not make much sense if he just came over from England. He would have London or York or Sussex as his specialties.
Even if he did just come over, his datahaven friends or his contacts back in England would be able to hook him up with contacts in Seattle. They would not have high loyalty (unless he finds an old buddy there) but their connections would be good.

[Morg]

Ya I had the same problem with his specs as well

I just realized that this may have been better as a character critique

would one of the mods send my post over to the right board while I face palm

[Glyph]

A lot of characters start out with only one or two contacts because they are new in town.  And there's nothing wrong with a knowledge skill like "arms dealers" or "merc hangouts".    It's merely that this particular character has done this in a cheesy way that doesn't particularly make sense for this character.  Not only is this someone from England with nothing but Seattle-based knowledge skills, but they are all street knowledge skills.  I like character optimization as much as the next person, but characters should still have an "organic" feel, with things that make sense for them.

[Triggvi]

a PC of mine wrote up a Face/Hacker with a contact list containing only Jack point, instead he spent his knowledge points and some BP on different occupation archetypes his explanation is that he can us his knowledge of these archetypes to find new contacts in Seattle quickly. His reason for not having more contacts is that he just arrived in north America, from England

His pool is 17 with most social tests and all his knowledge street pools are 10 (12 in Seattle)

Knowledge (street) Knight Errant officers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Smugglers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Street Mages (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Arms Dealers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Hackers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Mob Enforcers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Fixers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Joyboys/girls (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Private investigators (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Streetdocs (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Shadowrunners (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Jackpoint Posters

What do you all think of his plan

There is a big difference between contacts and knowledge skills. A contact is someone you have invested time and energy on to form a relationship. Without that investment you are a stranger asking questions, and most people with not answer you or out simply our right lie to you.
I would allow them the use of these skills to find people he or she would like to make in to contacts, but the people you find would not be contacts without the work going into forming a relationship.

[The Cat]

a PC of mine wrote up a Face/Hacker with a contact list containing only Jack point, instead he spent his knowledge points and some BP on different occupation archetypes his explanation is that he can us his knowledge of these archetypes to find new contacts in Seattle quickly. His reason for not having more contacts is that he just arrived in north America, from England

His pool is 17 with most social tests and all his knowledge street pools are 10 (12 in Seattle)

Knowledge (street) Knight Errant officers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Smugglers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Street Mages (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Arms Dealers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Hackers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Mob Enforcers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Fixers (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Joyboys/girls (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Private investigators (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Streetdocs (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Shadowrunners (spec) Seattle
Knowledge (street) Jackpoint Posters

What do you all think of his plan

The easiest way I can think of to get how I would treat this across to someone is to tell them to look up Private Investigators in the local phone book call one or two and ask them a fairly simple question about how to go about something you know is illegal in your local area.  They should quickly realize how "not smart" doing so is (and if they actually do it, you may have to bail them out of jail).  If that fails, ask them what they would do if a person they've never seen or heard of approached them at work and asked them to do soemthign illegal (or even marginally so) as a paid favor for them?

Beyond that, remind them that if they DO manage to get some help (Hackers tend to not care about those legality things like PIs would) they'll be paying the going rate for services, not the "I've known you a while, so I'll cut you a break" rate.  That is, naturally, assuming the person they contact doesn't think it's a police/corp security sting operation.

Contacts KNOW who you are, which is why they're willing to do more (or anything in some cases) for you.  You're not just some guy that called on the phone one day.  They don't have to do legwork on you, don't have to check into your background, don't have to pay 4 trolls to watch their backs when you meet them.