SK as a player corp
My vision of what topside should look like

After months of monumental effort, SK is made into a player corp as competition to VS. On top of the usual PR and HR and CorpSec positions, they hire cyberdocs to both ICly research new projects and offer custom chrome designs, much like VS researches new nanogens and offers custom biomods. With competing research projects, SK and VS race to see who releases their new thing first, while trying to get intel on what the other is doing in order to make sure they're staying ahead of the curve. They can employ full intrigue here, even going so far as to hire mixers to sabotage the competition in any number of ways.

NLM quietly (or not so quietly) fuels the conflict because it generates news and updates and bribes while continuing to be the holy grail for creative types who want to write news articles and movies and shows and superstar performances. It is at the center, playing both sides and raking in profit without having to needlessly antagonize the Mix (even though they still probably will.)

NeoTrans is kept as a faction, but it is a lesser corporation that other corps feed off, seeing as NeoTrans only has a port within Withmore rather than a real HQ. Their employees' status is somewhere between a service mixer and a full corporate citizen. NeoTrans becomes a route for wannabe corporates with hopes of being offered better-paying, more prestigious jobs at one of the Big Three once they prove themselves (with washouts possibly filling the higher echelons within NeoTrans). NeoTrans stays relevant in-game, however, because all three corps rely on them for [REDACTED].

Now that corpies have concrete incentives and weight in terms of competition, topside players have concrete incentives to compete with other corps beyond a vague sensation of 'well we should be competing,' with bonuses and promotions given out for good plotting and intrigue. Perhaps even a semi-automated feature that gives bonuses to one's weekly paycheck depending on how stocks are doing! And yes, the topside community is "divided," but not all positions *have* to be filled at every corp, much like how some Mixside positions remain empty for a long time until someone fills them.

In summary, topside becomes a more interesting, lively place that still accommodates current corpie playstyles but with an added level of danger, intrigue, depth and opportunity similar to what the Mix has, yet with its own unique set of rules and nuances that make it feel very different.

Not having roles open means nobody wants to play an otherwise extremely invested and contested job role.

There's a lot of characters with Cybernetics skills in the game. Give them someplace to be besides working at one of the handful of clinics in the game they could possibly hold the (1) position in.

I think SK would be very attractive to a lot of players in ways that VS, NLM and NT are not. It would also provide a more logical balance to the triad of archetypes that the corporations sort of notionally represent.

Because there's hardly ever violent crime topside, whereas in the mix, they're able to RP being a doctor and living out their character fantasy pretty much daily. I'm sure there's people willing to, or hell, even desperately wanting to play someone who researches cybernetics at SK.

But let's also address the idea that we'd need like, lots of bodies for this. The last additions to VS nanogenics was basically the brainchild and RP dump for one character. One or two producers at NLM have historically produced the bulk of content. SK doesn't need a glut of skilled cyberneticists, and those out there that are skilled could probably easily be pulled topside with some plot strings. There's also the security, HR, PR, Requisitions, pilot/transport roles to be filled, and that's assuming that things already in SK tower don't get touched, like WAI, which could have a few token people generating RP in it with a pay terminal as well.

I'd also imagine that people with some level of cybernetics skills could make some level of progress towards 'weekly research' even if they're not skilled enough to actually be doing surgeries on people. After all, engineers designing the drek aren't the same people sticking the wares in live patients.

I just think that for myself, and a lot of others, the fantasy of playing a baggage checker is way less exciting than the fantasy of playing a corpsec agent protecting a corporation researching all kinds of black ops next-level cybernetics. Or hell, even being one of the researchers or people installing the cybernetics in-house.

Really my main concern is trying to focus it around competing for a pool of employes that already basically doesn't exist topside. Apparently it's highly sought after mixside, but I can't just go with the assumption that 'this time it will be different' and unlike all those other cyberneticist jobs availavble topside, the SK ones are gonna be what people actually fill. Not to mention of course the other position having even more competition for very few players to fill them.

I am not ruling out making SK a corp, but I think if it was made one, the Cybernetics would have to take a background role of off-screen NPC action, and I'm all for promoting rigging, mechanics and other Engineering tech and giving it jobs through SK, in the wake of the Townhall.

You yourself already show how little NeoTrans means when you are more worried about positions not being filled, it is empty for a reason and that being lack of appeal.

One of the corps has a strong identity and culture, and people are drawn to it naturally through it's presence. Want to be a musician, media star, director, writer or the people rubbing elbows with the dome's glitz? NLM. 10/10 for theme. People are naturally drawn to it because they want to be loud, or popular/infamous, or work for people who are.

One of the corps more or less seems to exist to put out new content every couple years, has some cool identity, but also has some 'dark' baggage that people might not want to be associated with. Arguably one of their main product lines is arbitrarily locked behind corporate citizenship in what some might argue is a non-hyper

capitalist way. So we have VS for medical fantasy people, cyberneticists, bio-researchers, etc. I think it's fair to say they have some great strengths to play to on their theme, but it could use shoring up in other areas. 6/10 for theme.

Then we have NeoTrans. The corporation that the other corporations laugh and snicker about. It's a spaceport that's woefully underutilized, has an annoying-to-visit snack stand, and some lockers ostensibly for smuggling things that don't seem to hardly get used. It has arbitrarily 'lesser' positions than it's 'peers,' and really is -very- lacking in culture and theme. There's a lot of areas they could branch into, like PCOW said, they could be more of a topside import/export corp, even though that would mess with game balance in other areas. It could also be a place people who are inclined to mechanical trades drift to. Issue being is that NT is where you used to go to fly around, and now they're just, well, as the topside jokes go, they're just a stepping stone. Nobody wants to take pride working at the 'B-team' corporation. 2/10 for theme.

On the flipside, SK oozes theme. They have WAI. They have cybernetics. You could roll up PrimeSoft into them for more techie inclusion. They have shit so cool it was banned within Withmore city. There's lore and history there that's cool, and it's not even playable. VS and SK are obvious and natural enemies.

Hell, I'd even argue that PRI/Skywatch/SHI probably has more thematically going on for it than NT does. That corporation would make much more sense to be a stepping stone corporation than NT, IMHO.

I don't believe the latter will ever happen. One of the corporations used to have an in-house cybernetics clinic several years ago that wasn't used and was removed when someone sought out the possibility. Johnny said at the time that he didn't want to take away from PC clinic positions.

NeoTrans used to be a bustling corporation. VS used to be dead. It's cyclical.

You want to open up SK. I like the idea in theory. But in practice over the last five years we have seen empty or near empty departments of the other three. Sometimes only one of them, sometimes all three at the same time. Even at the game's highest consistent peak of active players there were still many vacancies. It really risks stretching something thin even moreso.

Yes, in theory, NeoTrans could be fixed. Import/export code, more opportunities, more unique things, yadda yadda yadda...what then? Now you have three big corps that still don't really compete with each other.

Instead, invest that energy in SK and make a cool topside dynamic that breeds conflict and fun throughout the whole Dome.

Yes, there are NPCs that help showcase the how and why, adding in 'pillar examples' of what the corps stand for, but saying that any corp is a graveyard is insulting to the people there.

If you want theme, push for it. Find ways to represent your corp. Opening up another one like SK will lead to the same exact issue if you don't know why it's an issue to begin with.

They have nothing like the Globe, or the Television stations like NLM does, or really any necessity for other players to go to NeoTrans, like VS has for it's services.

They don't have a way to carry out their theme, both mechanically, and viably.

They have no way to create that theme -mechancially- either, because mechanically, to integrate them in a themely fashion would make all other topside factions subservient to them for shipping and requisitions.

Unless you want people just spouting nonsense about Neo on SIC? Which would only open them up to retribution from the larger more influential and mechanically powerful factions and characters topside.

But that's just my 2 cents. That players can't viably provide a theme that makes sense for Neotrans, and that to provide it to them in tools that make sense would disrupt and make the playerbase reliant on Neo topside in a way that wouldn't be healthy for the game.

As crashdown mentioned, there's a cycle to them, like the rest of the game. Stars rise and fall. Some are bustling hubs only to be effectively mothballed by the end of the year. Just because one isn't active now, doesn't mean it's bad or another option is better.

Again, back to the players. Some means of conflict are easier than others, but even with other "active corps", all the things that have been mentioned still require staff. If you're a PC in a "dead corp", then do something about it. If you build it, they will come.

The solution isn't to just create/bolster another corp. The solution is for players to find ways inside the current corps. All the wishful thinking of what SK -could- be would still require staff attention for each and every one, without pulling players from the others.

That's not to say all corps are created equal and there's complete symmetry in design. But even in the "dead" or "dying" corps people are talking about, I've seen many many ways to generate plot without needing tools -from- the corp.

https://www.sindome.org/bgbb/open-discussion/theme/corporate-rp-orientation-handbook-272/

See "You are not your job" under the above. While some jobs do have more hooks than others, that isn't to say some are dead ends. They wouldn't exist if they were. Jobs at corps are (generally) background things to give you money and keep you afloat while you pursue other things. Yes, you can excel at a position, just as much as you can bomb at one. Even the "best" topside jobs can have stagnate people not utilizing the hooks, or just playing it safe.

If you wait around at -any- corp for GMs to come and give you plot? You're corping wrong. Start chasing your own, be it big or small. You start making things happen? People will notice, PCs and NPCs alike.

Hands down.

I don't know what you -think- each corp has that they're throwing or not throwing around on the daily, but it isn't much. When it comes to day to day, every corp has the exact same resources as the other, give or take some minimal exceptions.

This isn't about players not taking the initiative or anything like that. This is about building infrastructure.

Topside doesn't have good infrastructure for conflict between topside factions and I think making SK a player corp in direct competition with VS would establish good infrastructure to generate conflict and plot with much less GM interference.

What about PRI?

They are already a corporation. They have a facility on Gold. They have facilities in Red. They literally make robotics and all(?) of the security gear in the game (doors, locks, etc)

I agree that cybernetics are cool and SK would be cool. I just think that the "no place for techs without SK" discussion is off base.

As for NeoTrans, it seems like the ultimate corporation for Johnsons and Fixers. Got Import Export? What else needs to be said there?

If I were CEO of NeoTrans, it would be a holding company for a bunch of deniable LLCs and other shell corporations. People would be coming and going from there all the time. Taking trips to Location A, while really ending up in Location B, complete with plausible deniability. Every other corporation who needed materials or wanted to sell things would be paying my NeoTrans a protection fee, or their shipments would get lost.

There's always GM driven plots that try and push this, and sometimes they feel great, and other times they miss the mark.

The things that NT is supposed to be doing thematically isn't represented in gameplay, period. I can't tell you that I've ever heard about someone in SK, PRI, VS or NLM, or hell, even the Hall being like 'Oh no, we pissed of NeoTrans, we really fucked up, and can't get basic everyday shit we need to -exist- as a corporation here.' It's entirely possible that it happens under the scenes or there's staff rolling off dice to see if that's the case when generating plots and the like, but it doesn't feel like that's the case.

I'm right at the four years of playing mark now, and for as long as I've been here, NT has been the butt of most corporate jokes. Even when it was staffed by 'powerful' or 'influential' characters, the go-to retort has always been 'oh yeah, well, you work at NT, hah!'

That's a problem. Nobody wants to play out a fantasy where the highlight of their day is mopping a floor and getting bullied on SIC all day. That's fine when we have transition jobs for people to get punched around like that for X amount of time to pay their 'dues' before being let into Y or Z organization, but as an identity, it's not okay. In the past year or two the last MAJOR plot that NT had arguably wasn't even NT's plot. It was a plot that involved them, but really had been setup and orchestrated about the damages and losses of a 'real' corporation in the way it was framed. If we want NT to exist as this stepping stone corporation and not one of the 'big boys' then that needs to really be S P E L L E D O U T in much the same way that decking as an archetype had to be EXPLICITLY told to players the state it's in and what the roadmap is for it.

@HolyChrome is spot on correct that players are ultimately the driving force of theme for a lot of these corporations, but when you have a corp that's the punching bag, and has been staffed by people that either treat it like the corporate merry-go-round that it is, or totally fail in their roles, then what is to be done? I don't think the solution is to simply have players existing and collecting paychecks from a place topside that has started to represent the embodiment of mooching gameplay.

And again- as Rhea and others have brought up- where is the organic conflict between NLM and VS? Between VS and NT? NT and NLM? These corporations compete over talent, but they occupy totally different market shares from one another. NLM doesn't grow food, NT doesn't have television stations, VS doesn't import mass cargo and export goods.

The corpshare market is a step in the right direction, given the framework that we have and corps we have active now. If there's say, 250K up for grabs in 'stock/dividend/bonus' payouts per quarter, then people will naturally want to go to the lesser populated corps to try and edge in and grab second or third place of that cut. But even then, it's more of a carrot on a stick to promote pushing plots hard for their own corporation than it is significantly beefing with other corps, but the devils going to be in the details on implementation and support for that feature. It'll be a big deal at some point, I'm sure, and might even prove to provide a lot of resolutions to everyday problems we're discussing here.

On the topic of Neo being a butt of jokes, I've recently seen Neo as the place for people who are corporate to get away with a lot more than anywhere else. It almost feels like the San Mara of topside.

Being a cabby is typically considered one of the safer professions in the game, having them (or their vehicles) reclassed as targetable assets by corporate rivals would spice things up with a bit of extra risk. It would also give the mechanics some more stuff to do, seeing how most cabbies don't seem to crash their work vehicles. 😊

I'd say maybe Chex stays the same but Neo grabs Skyfox. So we get mixer cabs and corpie flyers. Makes sense with Neo's mechanics positions in place.

SK is superficially more interesting than NT in my mind, but only from the perspective of a 1:1 reskin. I don't think any faction should just be given more stuff to make it more attractive, especially something as extreme as giving one a borderline monopoly on flying.

That certainly is a problem.

Kill all servies.

;)

If Immie Greeters and Chex cabbies and Disposal Techs were treated as badly as Bizou baristas, no one would fill those jobs, and then you'd really see a problem.

The Chex/SkyFox employees would still be service mixers still (unless they were some sort of special senior/corporate only pilot) and their vehicles would now be potential targets for VS and NLM in the corporate war. It'd basically be the same, just getting them involved in some possible topside drama/intrigue, and possibly letting them network with Neotrans people closer in case they want to go corporate.

I also don't think it makes sense, given the long history of chexxies themselves being criminal scumbags and not hoity-toity wannabe corpettes.

Skyfox on the other hand? That'd probably make more sense, thematically.

I still think there should be a corporation that has a serious investment in deckers -besides- the one that already exists.

That could be a organic avenue for a lot of inter-corp drama and intrigue, while also promoting more people to get into the new and shiny life of 3.0 as it's fleshed out.

It would ruin Chex cabbies. They'd essentially never get a fare again considering Mixers account for almost all of their fares, and no mixer is taking a corporate lapdog servie cab driver.

I think there's a very good reason Chex/Skyfox are positioned independently and this would ruin the entire concept.

I'm absolutely for trying to give NT some kind of actual services and assets, but you don't break one thing to try and fix another.

Seems fine to me.

When you say mixers should be able to be comfortable with their cabbies and corpies just need to deal or not get rides, then you're saying mixers are in a privileged position and corpies are in a non-privileged positions.

That's backwards.

Corpies don't have to make that choice because from what I can tell from past experience and the experience of other Chexies I've interacted with, Corpies take Chex rides very rarely. They have much easier access to their own vehicles, corporate rides, or they just take the free lev rides provided by their employers most of the time even though it's the most dangerous option for them. They're privileged enough to not have to make the consideration to begin with.

Sure, if they do something to you, they lose their job, but that isn't gonna un-murder you.

Many people have brought up the lack of structure or forced conflict / reason to 'fight' with other corporations as a NeoTrans employee.

Lastly it has been mentioned that relative power of corporations tends to ebb and flow depending on the players involved in them.

This entire thread puts me in mind of organizational psychology and specifically work motivation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_motivation

There are different types of people drawn to different types of organizations. Some people like the ambiguity of not having a lot of management oversight because it gives them free reign to act. Others want to be told what to do, or have a very clear structure to fit their actions into.

Some people get beat down and give up when others are giving them crap all the time. Others respond to that as motivation and find even more drive to work harder and eventually overcome their detractors.

I briefly mentioned this in the Town Hall, and one of the things I have come to love about Sindome is the lack of direct admin involvement in factions. It is up to the players to become members of a faction and make them succeed. Some factions are better resourced than others.

I do not think it is up to the GMs to make one corporation more or less competitive or "attractive to players" than any other corporation. In fact, I would be disappointed if they do that.

The first "cyberpunk" type online game I ever played was a horrible world of admin backed factions that were nothing more than exclusive cliques. Those cliques lived and died based on admin attention, and "everyone" wanted to be in whichever one had the most admin support at any given time.

The system that we have here, where players run the factions and admins neutrally puppet and answer queue requests is a much better system.

One last point to get back to the topic of organizational psychology, the base salary for professionals in that field is ~$103K a year. It is an extremely complex field that few are good at. It's practically insane to expect part time admins to create organizations that are going to cater to all of the various personality types that are represented in the playerbase.