Puppets Without Strings (minor spoiler)

[Boedullus]

So at the onset, the PCs are given leave to investigate the front runners for the Directorate. The rules give guidance on treating this as a Diplomacy check to gather information. I'm sort of baffled. In a sci fi universe, and one in which the PCs are wanted criminals, AND one of them is a CLONE of one of the people they're asking about, it seems unthinkable that for basic information, they would ask around instead of exclusively using the infosphere. Like, if I wanted to know more about my Congressional candidate, who in the world would go to the pub and ask people instead of going to google?
It's not a big deal, but it seems really weird that they framed this in such a way, even put in a small rule system for conducting the research. Do not get it, and now I have to rewrite it all so it makes sense. Bleh.

[Ahkmed]

My viewpoint would be that while they might be using a resource such as the infosphere, they would be doing it with a diplomatic approach. Not necessarily "diplomacizing" it, as much as using diplomacy to base the criteria of the searches.

[Nullpunkt]

I don't see why you couldn't turn it into a Computers check if that's what you would normally use for infosphere research.

[SpiderOrc]

Boedullus wrote:

Like, if I wanted to know more about my Congressional candidate, who in the world would go to the pub and ask people instead of going to google?

I plan on treating this section as a set of different tactics: computers (easy) to learn basics, computers (hard) to learn fringe dirt on the targets (buried by Infosphere manipulation), and diplomacy (moderate to hard) to specifically learn about these candidates' personal lives, where they hang out or live, etc. Also Culture checks to give background info on how government is set up, how society works in general, etc.

[Nullpunkt]

Sounds very cool! Care to share what bits of intel your players may find behind which DCs?

[SpiderOrc]

Nullpunkt wrote:

Sounds very cool! Care to share what bits of intel your players may find behind which DCs?

I haven't actually drafted my notes that far. My players just arrived at Roselight from Upwell, and will likely be making Xych Vorsen's acquaintance next session, encountering that troublemaker DeBrie, and possibly having some trouble at the ice cream parlor.

I map on Roll20 about 1 book ahead at a time, so I've prepared most of The Cradle Infestation now. But I only do pre-session notes about 2 or 3 sessions ahead, with only bare outlines for anything past. So I probably won't start preparing the Absalom Station sequence of events until they've at least finished up at Gamut Bio, which could be between 3 and 6 sessions from now.

I'm curious to see how others are planning that last book, though. For my party, it should be interesting, in that everyone's stated intention was to get to Absalom Station when they first started their journey on the Chimera. It's been a running gag that at every location since, two of the characters--both big dumb frontliners with oodles of personality--have mistakenly celebrated their "arrival at Absalom Station". So I'm back-burner thinking about hwat sorts of serious/dramatic and humorous stuff I can weave into the investigation of the politicians. Gonna reread the Pact Worlds entry on Absalom Station, see if I get any ideas.