Question
Where are the Forums
Answer
There is a forum started on www.deniableresources.co.uk
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.
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
We have a mailing list that you can join on this website. There is also a forum at www.deniableresources.co.uk
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.
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
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. You can buy it anywhere in the world from our website.
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, Combichrist
TV & GAMES
Deus Ex 1, 2 and 3, 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
At present corporation is softcover but we are working with Chronicle City to produce a hardcover version.
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
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.
The upcoming book on playing normal humans will introduce a hit location system.
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. However, there is tonnes of new stuff in the supplements.
Question
Is there a possibility of making a pdf version of the game available through vendors like drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com?
Answer
Yes, you can get PDFs of the book from Drivethru.
Where are the Forums
Answer
There is a forum started on www.deniableresources.co.uk
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.
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
We have a mailing list that you can join on this website. There is also a forum at www.deniableresources.co.uk
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.
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
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. You can buy it anywhere in the world from our website.
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, Combichrist
TV & GAMES
Deus Ex 1, 2 and 3, 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
At present corporation is softcover but we are working with Chronicle City to produce a hardcover version.
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
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.
The upcoming book on playing normal humans will introduce a hit location system.
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. However, there is tonnes of new stuff in the supplements.
Question
Is there a possibility of making a pdf version of the game available through vendors like drivethrurpg.com or rpgnow.com?
Answer
Yes, you can get PDFs of the book from Drivethru.
