| From: | "Richard C. Osterhout" <rcoster@*****.NET> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Getting hired, some thoughts: |
| Date: | Tue, 24 Aug 1993 20:10:49 -0400 |
> How *do* those nasty Shadowrunner types find those nasty illegal jobs
> they need to keep body and soul together, or at least the rent money
> paid, without getting arrested by the cops or burned or something even
> worse? Well, here's my take on the second most dangerous part of the
> job: getting hired.
>
> - "I want YOU": A Johnson wants to hire you specifically. At least he
> knows who you are, but you gotta wonder what he's heard and why he's
> picking you. FASA seems to think this is the most common way people
> get hired, but I'm not sure I agree; it implies that a lot of people
>
> - The connections fixer: a Johnson gets a team together on a fixer's
> recommendation. The fixer just serves to put people together; to a
>
i do not agree...the way i see it, FA$A sees it the latter way...most of
the published modules have the FIXER call the runners and tell them that a
johnson wants to meet with them...a johnson will contact the fixer, who
connects with multiple teams of runners, not just the player characters,
and decides who is right for the job and who is available to do the job
(the players)
> - The fixer: a Johnson hires a fixer to get a run done, and he
> subcontracts. The big advantage here is that you never have to deal
this is very common, and the fixer also gets paid a commission for
arranging a successful job...
>
> Why not deal direct with a Johnson? Well:
> - Johnsons are often new to the biz. They don't understand the rules
> of the Street, and they don't know your preferences and limitations
BULL! most johnsons are, and should be, representatives of the
corporation...they would be experienced in the shadowrunning
business...that's why it states in the background section of the rulebook
that corporations do not openly acknowledge the use of shadowrunners, but
they all find them useful...if you are actually doing a job for a corp, it
will be done through a "public affairs" officer, the johnson...they are
the ones who are given the assignments to get a shadow job against a rival
corporation done....
now, if you are being hired by a small corp or hired by a single person
(ie: someone wants to be extracted from a corp or wants you to find their
girlfriend who has been kidnapped) then THESE are the people who are
inexperienced and won't know about the shadows....
> Corollary: On the Street, you live and die by your rep, especially
> your rep for keeping your word and keeping quiet.
exactly!
>
> - If you deal with a fixer, the fixer will have done all the homework
> first, and extracted the maximum information from the Johnson
> beforehand. You won't have to do time-consuming go-arounds or lots
> of argument to get vital info.
>
yeah right....i make all my players get their own info...the fixer is
nothing but a go between...true, he may have done some background checks
on the run, but just enough to make sure:
a) the johnson can pay (the most important!)
b) the fixer is reasonably sure the job isn't a setup
c) he has the right team of runners for the job
i do use fixers in my game that specialize in certain areas...one of which
is an "information broker" or data fixer...in this case, he might SELL
some of the vital info on a run to the team....
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| rcoster@*****.net Currently in Baltimore, MD |
| Richard C. Osterhout but hope to be home in |
| professional nerd Orlando, FL soon!!! |
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