Frequently
Asked Questions
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The website is
changing soon. So we won't be posting any FAQs for a while.
If you have any questions please email.
achitect@corpgame.com
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Where
are the Forums?
Is Corporation a dark future?
Trainings and Licenses
How powerful can Telepathy be, potentially?
How powerful are Agents compared to, for example, regular
people?
What are the major factions/enemies in
the setting?
Will we see vehicle and weapon design
rules?
Sourcebooks, what are planned?
PDF Previews
What are the names of the five major
Corporations?
Biotechnology
Middle East and Asia?
System Shock 2 / Deus Ex?
Telepathics / Psionics?
After seeing the map: What happened to
Australia and South America?
Autofire and Explosives
Are there drones, mechs or powered
armor in the game?
How close is Corporation's world to
our world?
What role to players characters play
in an average game?
Do you have any supplements planned,
or is the book self-contained?
What is the tech level of the setting?
How does Armor work?
What kind of system is used for basic
task resolution?
Weapons Skills
How well are equipment and vehicles
covered? What's an Ion Katana?
European Availability
Bibliography / filmography or some
influences.
Hardcover or softcover?
Does the game use classes?
Character Advancement / Experience
Points
When will the game be available for
purchase?
Hit Location System
How many books do I need?
American Distribution
Interested
but more information please
PDF Version
Question
Where are the Forums
Answer
There is a forum started on
www.deniableresources.co.uk
which is looking good. It's not official but we have signed
onto it and will visit it to discuss topics.
There is also a
forum at RPGnet
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=281602&page=8
Question
Many rpgs set in the
future tend to be very dark, where the environment has
been polluted beyond repair and war has ravaged the planet.
How is Corporation? Is there still a natural world to speak
of?
Answer
An interesting question. In Corporation we were very keen to
avoid the dark, grimy future of hopelessness. We found the
films 'Demolition Man' and 'Total Recall' more inspirational
than say 'Judge Dredd' or 'Escape from New York'. That is
not to say Corporation does not have it's darker, grittier aspects.
Corporation is
set on Earth in 2500 and as such there are many similarities
to our own world. Some locations have remained the same and
so players and Games Masters alike already have a good idea
of what to expect. For example, many of the great cities of the 21st century still stand
although most are a shadow of their former selves, however, only criminals,
outcasts and the impoverished would live in these filthy,
crime-ridden holes.
Those who can
afford it can reside in government housing or even in the
opulence of the Corporation-owned Spire Cities. As an Agent
your Spire Apartment is already reserved.
The Austerity Spire Complex (New England USA)
Natural wildlife
is not as common as it was, the United International Government
systematically cleans the world and the rich and influential
can pay for areas to be environmentally purified so flora
and fauna can re-establish.
The bio-research
orbital of Miller-Urey and the pleasure world of Vastaag
also provide a wealth of natural environments for Agents to
explore.
Question
I
noticed that there are both skills and Trainings on the
character sheets. What are Trainings? And what about
Licenses?
Answer
Trainings
These are specialist skills which allow Agents to perform
with great competence in a specific area. For example:
Assassinate
An Agent can perform swift stealth kills on unwitting
targets.
Animal Skills
An Agent can command packs of sentient creatures including
Cybernetic animals.
Command
An Agent can bolster social rolls where his level of authority
may be an asset.
Disarm & Fire
An Agent can take a weapon from his opponent and attack with
it in a single move.
Licenses
Agents can acquire a range of licenses.
Low level licenses may simply allow you to carry and use
bladed weapons or medical drugs. More potent licenses allow
Agents to commandeer property, search business premises,
re-route traffic and perform cybernetic surgery.
Question
I've read
there is telepathy in the game. How powerful can this
be, potentially? Is it limited to small "mind tricks" and
such, or can unique individuals have powers that can be
immensely powerful, like for example Phoenix in the X-Men 3
movie?
Answer
Telepathy is controlled by 7 different skills (rated from
1-10) such as Telekinesis, Psi-Blade, and Assault. (See
character sheet).
As you increase your ability with a particular Telepathic
skill the effect becomes more profound. At a low level of
Telekinesis you could re-direct a grenade thrown at you.
With high levels you could throw cars or rip structural
supports out of buildings.
What is
important to note though, is that there are not 70 different
Telepathic skills. Each power is controlled by a simply
formula which is noted on the character sheet, so you don't
need to continually refer to the book.
For example
- The Telepathic power 'Jump' allows you to make huge leaps.
The formula which controls Jump is
You can leap your Jump skill squared in metres.
Distance = Jump2
If you have Jump 2 you can leap 4 metres
If you have Jump 3 you can leap 9 metres
If you have jump 8 you can leap 64 metres
It’s also
worth noting that Agents don’t need any Telepathics, its
optional and if your character chooses to specialise in
other areas, he will not be disadvantaged compared to a
powerful Telepath.
Question
How powerful are Agents compared to, for example, regular
people?
Answer
Agents are augmented with a number of biomechanical upgrades
when enlisted. This allows them to ignore many of the
weakness of a normal human. Organ trauma, blood loss,
unconsciousness, limb severing and the like do not impair an
Agent to the same degree as a normal human. An Agent could
typically take out a gang of street thugs without great
personal risk.
Of course, 'normal' people can acquire these upgrades as
well with the right cash or connections and there are
already plenty of abnormal people out there.
Question
What are the major factions/enemies in the setting?
Answer
Because Corporation is based in a possible future of
our own world, the scope for antagonists is huge and anyone
can be an opponent if their ideas and goals conflict with
that of an Agent or his Corporation. This will soon be
covered in more depth on the website. For the meantime here
is summary.
The UIG -
The United International Government.
This is effectively a world government and policing
authority. As much of an Agent's work involves breaking the
law they must always be careful not to attract the attention
of the UIG.
Rival
Corporations
Although each Corporation has their own area of speciality,
their interests often conflict. For this reason one of the
most common antagonists encountered will be enemy Agents.
Minor
Corporations
Aside the five Major Corporations there are dozens of minor
Corps. Some are under the umbrella of the larger companies,
some fiercely independent. Such groups may need to
be investigated, sabotaged, crushed, monitored or relieved of
technology by Corporate Agents.
Outlaws /
Criminals
The UIG's depersonalisation policy results in the removal of
human rights for those who persistently break the law. These
outlaws have nothing to lose and are a constant source of
anguish for the Corporations. Additionally Agents can work
part time for the UIG to bring down outlaws.
The Cult of
Machina
This faction of augmentation addicts are constantly
searching for upgrades to improve themselves and replace the
weak flesh they were born with. Agents provide an endless
supply of top quality hardware which the Cult try to harvest
with brutal fury.
(See Image)
Citizens
Citizens can be as cunning, cruel and greedy as any
Corporation. The activities of determined Citizens are often
the target of Corporate missions.
Droids
Droids have a range of functions and can be fitted with
varying levels of Artificial Intelligence. They can be
encountered as mindless servitors, alert sentinels, cunning
assassins or brutal war machines. Whatever function they
serve, Agents can destroy them, shut them down with EMP,
sneak past them or even reprogram them to serve as allies.
The Unknown
Although Corporation is set mainly on Earth and nearby
orbitals, the opportunity to explore further is presented if
it is something your group would like to do. This can
obviously provide a wealth of new enemies and factions.
Question
Will
we see vehicle and weapon design rules?
Answer
In the Core Rule Book there is a system for the condition /
quality of equipment and suggestions on how to modify or
improve it. More comprehensive custom weapon and equipment
rules will feature in a forthcoming supplement.
Question
Have you any
plans for a mailing list or forums before release, to
give a central place for discussion toward raising awareness
and fan word of mouth?
Answer
At present there is a mailing list (see newsletter in the
menu). There are no plans to run a forum before the
release of the book.
Question
Other than regional and
individual Corporation sourcebooks, and the ubiquitous
equipment book I am sure is planned, what other sourcebooks
have you got planned? What sort of release frequency are you
shooting for?
Answer
We have a number of releases planned. As you say, there will
be expansions covering in detail each Corporation. There
will also be books describing how to play non-Corporate
factions and characters such as UIG Officers (International
Police), outlaws, outcasts from society, Cult of Machina (see
image) and bounty hunters to name but a few.
Although staple books such as an equipment catalogue, a
guide to running the game and standalone missions are
planned we also have some more unusual ones on the design
board. For example, when your Division of Agents becomes
competent enough they may be asked to split off and start a
minor Corporation working under the umbrella of the mother
company. The book will cover the elements of building,
expanding and defending your business empire in both an
economic and street-level sense.
Aside these planned
releases we also intend to collect player feedback to find
out which supplements you would like to see.
As regards release
frequency, we are keen not to simply churn out books, so
they'll appear when they're ready and not to a schedule
though predicted release dates will be published.
Saying that, we are aware that gamers enjoy regular updates
to the game world so we'll be placing free updates on the
website as well.
Question
I'm really looking
forward to this game since it seems like it will be
filling a niche which is as of yet unfulfilled by any rpg
thus far.
However, since the game is only around 3 months from
release, can you release some real downloadable PDF previews
for fans to get a better idea of the game?
Answer
There are now some PDF previews on the site.
Question
What are the names of the five major Corporations?
Answer
We'll be putting up more information about each Corporation
soon. Until then here are the names.
Ai-Jinn
Comoros Indo-African Alliance
Eurasian Incorporated
Shi Yukiro
The Western Federation
Question
Biotechnology doesn't
seem to be a major part of the setting. Is this because it
has 'blended' with cybernetics or is it a purposeful
development of the setting?
Answer
Biotechnology features heavily and plays two main roles in
Corporation.
Firstly, Agents
themselves are heavily bio-modified when they begin working
for the Corporation; blood clotting agents, atrophic DNA,
independent cellular excision systems and synaptic
modulation are all powerful biological augmentations which
allow an Agent to be far more than human. Additional organic
upgrades are available for characters to acquire.
Secondly the
orbital of Miller-Urey is home to a scientific facility
unlike any other. A whole new wave of bio-research is
carried out there. Miller-Urey is used to conduct these
experiments to ensure there is never any risk to the
ecosystems of Earth.
Question
What about the lands
in the Middle East, the far east and southeast of Asia? Are
they a part of the setting or is this another setting for
westerners and Caucasian people only?
Answer
The Middle East is home to a number of important locations,
groups and individuals. Although the nature of the area has
changed somewhat in Corporation, it is still a
significant part of the world and an excellent setting for
campaigns.
There are five
major, playable Corporations in the Core Rules. Two are from
East Asia so this region features heavily, and another is a
union between the African Nations and India. Only two of the
Corporations are comprised primarily of Caucasians. Players
are encouraged to play Agents form every corner of the
world, and for the most part, you can play any type of
character working for any Corporation. For example, a
Nigerian telepath working for a Japanese weapon
manufacturer. The international nature of the game is one of
it's key components.
A new image in
the Art section shows a Middle Eastern Agent under the
employ of an Indo-African Corporation. (Click
here to see).
Question
While it
gives off great Deus Ex vibes this could also be a great
RPG to use to play in a System Shock type setting.
Answer
System Shock 2 was a fantastic game and played a strong
influence in many aspects of Corporation. We wanted to keep
Corporation on or near Earth for the most part to
keep the basic premise of the game more imaginable to the
players. Saying that, there are still plenty of
opportunities to visit nearby space, and games set on
derelict space hulks or abandoned colony orbitals are
mentioned in the book. In addition to this we have an
optional supplement planned which takes these ideas and
expands upon them.
Question
Does this
game have rules for psionics?
Answer
The game features a telepathics system which is essentially
psionics.
It represents
the utilisation of dormant parts of the mind; this is to
keep the game grounded in a possible future so gamers can
relate to the world. It does not feature dozens of
telepathic abilities, rather a small set of abilities which
can be mixed to create desired effects and merged with
combat to provide dynamic action scenes, e.g. lifting
someone off the floor with telepathics and throwing them
through a window or leaping off buildings.
Question
After seeing the map: What happened to Australia and South
America?
Answer
The coloured landmasses on the map (see below) represent
Corporate owned land. The white areas are International Free
Zones where no one Corporation has total control.
Question
How are autofire and explosives treated by the rules?
Answer
Corporation has a classification called Machine Weapons.
Imagine a machine weapon deals 6D6 damage. You can
effectively split that 6D6 over as many targets as there are
damage dice (in this case 6) as long as they relatively near
one another.
For example, 1D6 to
six separate targets (representing a spray), or 6D6 to a
single target which will more than likely kill them.
Explosives have a
blast range (e.g. 6 metres) and a damage (e.g. 6D10).
Depending how accurate your throw was, the target takes one
third, two thirds or all of the damage. Damage on explosives
is always divisible by 3. You can also use the blast range
to work out damage to buildings and other nearby parties if
you need to.
Question
Are there drones, mechs or powered armor in the game?
Answer
If by mechs, you mean hulking war machines of a bipedal
nature, yes there are, although since the end of the
Corporate wars their use has been restricted to guarding
important installations and acting as deterrents.
Drones - there
are various forms of droids and robots. Some pictures will
be posted soon.
Yes, there is
powered armour.
Question
How
close is Corporation's world to our world? Do the USA,
Japan, etc. and distinct cultures still exist, or has the
whole world been modelled after the Corporations? Are the
Corporations themselves based on existing cultures?
Answer
The world of Corporation mirrors much of our own world.
The USA, Japan and most other countries still exist, though
they are under the jurisdiction of one of the major
Corporations or the UIG (United International Government).
The political boundaries of the world are no longer national
borders, but the borders of Corporate owned land. The map
below (which is featured full size on the inside cover of
the book) shows the basic geographic distribution of the
Corporations.
The
existing cultures of the world can still be seen within the
civilian populace and are often evident in the philosophies
and methodologies of the Corporations.
Question
What
role do the player characters themselves play in the
'average' Corporation game - do Corporations use small
groups of trouble-shooters / soldiers / etc., or do GMs have
to come up with a reason for their players' characters to be
working together?
Answer
Players take on the role of a Division of Agents, these are
street level executives of the Corporation who take care of
any affairs which cannot be handled behind a desk. On a
basic level this could involve spying, recovering
technology, assassination, escorting a VIP, investigating a
murder in a Corporate Spire city, stopping or starting a
drug distribution network, etc.
Initially the GM will
find it extremely easy to start the game, the players are
simply waiting to be called in and assigned a mission.
(There are hundreds of example plots and mission ideas in
the Core Rule Book.) They can then use their skills and
resources to complete the mission. As the game gets more
advanced, simple missions may become replaced with freeform
assignments such as 'maintain our affairs in Tokyo' or
'engineer a long term underground movement against a rival
Corporation'.
Typically the
players will all be employed by the same Corporation but
Cross- Corporation games are possible where a common goal
unites rivals, such as a hunt for a mutual enemy.
Question
Do you have any supplements planned, or is the book
self-contained?
Answer
The Core Rule Book has everything you need to play (save
dice). We have some supplements currently in development and
more planned, some of which are referred to in the Core Rule
Book.
Question
What is the
tech level of the setting?
Answer
The game is set in approximately 2500, depending on the
Games Master's exact wishes. Between 2100 and 2400 Corporate
wars ravaged the planet. These have passed now but earth is
not a classical post-apocalyptic hellhole. These
extended conflicts have caused some technologies to
practically stand still while others have leapt forward.
This, combined with some unusual discoveries, has meant that
the world of Corporation has an extremely varied technology
tree. Some Agent's work well with just a sword and a kinetic
handgun, others prefer to use advanced A.I.s, plasma
weapons, personal teleporters and invisibility shields.
Different tech levels have different advantages. Simpler,
older tech will be immune to Electro Magnetic attacks and
manipulation by A.I.s and the advantages of newer equipment
speak for themselves.
Question
How does Armor work? (As forcefields seem to be ablative
pools that must be depleted first.)
Answer
Armour
Amour has a damage reducing effect. Like all systems in
Corporation it's designed to be simple so as not to bring
too much maths into action scenes. Imagine you take 10
damage and you have an Armour with a rating of 3. You'll
take 7 damage. There are lots of variants and you can
attempt to shoot around your targets armour if you need to.
Shields
Shields are quite simple, they work on a velocity filtration
system. Relatively fast moving matter and energy such as
bullets are stopped. Slow moving matter / energy such as
sword blades, gas and vehicles are allowed to pass through.
This allows the Agent to conduct his everyday tasks while
shielded.
The shield absorbs a maximised damage roll from any hit.
For example if an attack hit the shield dealing D8 damage
the shield would be reduced by 8 points. When the shield is
down to 0 the Agent is exposed. Numerous types of shield are
available with different functions and some weapons can be
configured to bypass them.
Question
What kind of system is used for basic task resolution? Is it
a rollover or a rollunder system?
Answer
Corporation uses a simple system for almost all
rolls. This is basically a STAT + a SKILL (+/- a penalty if
needed) which must be rolled under on 2D10. 10 is the limit
of human ability with Stats and Skills meaning the maximum
'action total' you can have is normally 20. Drugs,
biomechanical augmentations and the like can take Stats
above 10.
This system means you can keep increasing your abilities and
if they exceed 10, you can start taking some significant
penalties to pull off stunning moves and still have an
excellent chance to pass the roll.
Two key advantages to this system are:
1. It is very simple to learn with lots of flexibility
2. The basic adding / subtracting of numbers is just
as simple for powerful, long term characters as it is for
starting characters. The difference is that powerful
characters can take bigger penalties and thus pull off more
devastating moves.
Essentially your character is designed to become more
powerful and effective without becoming more complicated.
This applies to combat, socialising and general roleplaying.
Question
What is covered by the skill "tactical firearms"?
Answer
Weapons are divided into 5 categories.
Close Combat - swords, punches, knives,
chainsaws, etc.
Light Firearms - pistols and small
handheld firearms
Tactical Firearms - Mid sized firearms
with different functions for varied jobs such as shotguns,
submachine weapons, rifles, sniper weapons, flak launchers,
crossbows etc.
Heavy Firearms - Cannons, machine guns,
rail guns, rocket launchers etc.
Support Weapons - Grenades, charges,
mines, etc.
Question
How well is the
equipment covered? Are there several models of cars, for
example, and
how extensively can equipment be modified (as it's mentioned
on the website)?
And, since I'm at it...what is an Ion Katana?
Answer
Equipment is an important part of Corporation and as
such there is a massive range to choose from. There are of
course dozens of weapons each of which has a significant
difference in it's functionality. There is also a range of
ammunition, armour, shields, drugs, toxins, support weapons
and general equipment such as healing aids, lock breakers,
toolkits and the like.
Modifying equipment is normally done in
your downtime. There are rules for increasing the general
power of your equipment during your downtime. There are also
suggestions on how the GM (Games Master) can allow you to
enhance your equipment in more personal ways.
Regarding vehicles there are over 20
vehicles in the core book as well as a list of vehicle
upgrades for you to customise your ride.
An Ion Katana is an advanced sword. The
manufacturing method is only known to the Shi Yukiro
Corporation. The weapon cuts through armour like butter
making the Agents of the Shi Yukiro particularly dangerous
in close combat.
Question
Will the game
be available in Europe?
Answer
Yes, Corporation is a European game developed in the UK.
Question
Can you post a bibliography / filmography or some
influences?
Answer
The Corporation Core Rules features a list of influences to
help you understand the mood of the game. Some are listed
below to give you an idea. The dynamic nature of films and
videogames was a significant influence in the development of
the game.
FILMS
5th Element, Alien Series, Blade, Bladerunner, Demolition
Man, Equilibrium, Gattaca, Ghost in the Shell, Johnny
Mnemonic, Minority Report, Predator, The Matrix, The Running
Man, The Terminator Series, Total Recall, Twelve Monkeys.
MUSIC
Crystal Method, Fear Factory, Fluke, Icon of Coil, Ministry,
Nine Inch Nails, Orbital, Prodigy, S.U.N Project.
TV & GAMES
Deus Ex 1 & 2, Doom 3, Half-Life 1 & 2, Metal Gear Series,
Syndicate & Syndicate Wars, System Shock 2, Quake IV,
Splinter Cell and F.E.A.R. Also TV shows based in a
futuristic setting such as Dark Angel or ones involving
covert ops such as Alias and 24.
Question
Is the book
hard cover or soft cover.
Answer
Corporation is a 256 page, full colour, hardback book with
matte laminate covers. (Much like the new edition of Exalted
or the Ebberon setting for D&D)
Question
Does the game use character classes or is it skill based?
Answer
Corporation uses a skill based system with no presets on
what type of character you play. You simply select skills
which suit your concept. One of these skills is selected as
a profession which grants you bonuses when using that skill.
Question
How does character improvement / advancement work? Are there
experience points?
Answer
Character advancement works in main 4 ways.
1. Experience
points.
These are awarded for good roleplaying, good ideas and the
like. These are used to increase your characters basic
abilities.
2. Rank
Points
These are awarded for success, competence and generally
providing a service for your Corporation. The more
successful your Division the more Rank you acquire. You can
also gain rank from the government for bringing in bounties
and enforcing the law. This has no bearing on experience
points, a character who defies authority can be powerful and
competent but is unlikely to ascend to a high rank within
the Corporation.
As Agents
acquire rank they gain more respect and the ability to use
more powerful licences. Licenses grant Agents increased
legal power, for example, carrying extremely dangerous
weapons, searching houses, confiscating property, bypassing
customs, terminating individuals etc.
3. Downtime
Corporation has an extensive downtime system. When your
Agent completes a mission he may be awarded some time off.
During this time he can modify, repair and improve his
equipment, build up contacts, earn extra money, relax and
regain his focus or simply train to become a better Agent.
These have a powerful effect on the game and enable you to
control the entire life of your character.
4. Spending
Cash
Agents get paid for their work, they gain cash to spend
which can be used to buy goods, weapons, armour, equipment,
apartments, workshops, labs, vehicles, biomechanical
augmentations etc. These all influence how your Agent can
operate as well as adding depth to their character.
Question
When
will the game be available for purchase?
Answer
Corporation can already be pre-ordered which will give you a
discount. It will be available for direct purchase in mid
September 2006. Keep checking the site for more accurate
details.
Question
Is there a hit
location system?
Answer
Normally during combat you simply try to attack an opponent
in any way you can to keep it simple and concise. However,
you can make a called shot to any body part if you need to,
for example, if you want to shoot a gun from someone's hand.
In addition, many of the weapons in the game such as swords,
blade launchers and needle rifles allow you to sever body
parts from your enemies (even heads). This gives you some
significant tactical options.
Question
Do you need supplemental books to play the game? What dice
do I need?
Answer:
No, everything is contained in the core rule book, character
creation, system and rules, limb severing, antagonists, vehicles,
sample missions. You'll need a basic set of dice, D4, D6, D8, 2xD10,
D12 and D20.
Question
Do you have any plans to sell your book in the US via a US
distributor or will this book only be available directly from your
company?
Answer
At present the book is only available direct from this website to
customers in the USA and overseas. It will be stocked in UK shops.
There is currently an offer on the website which reduces the price
and postage for overseas customers.
Answer
There is a money back guarantee on the book so you can purchase with
confidence.
If you have a look
at the PDF leaflet on the site it describes a little about the
system but in essence it is created to allow you to pull off
simple yet powerful moves.
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