Development on the player-facing side of the first Dark Conspiracy Core Rulebook is going well. Just about everything is in place, with us only really needing to add some more equipment options and tweaks Events to better fit in with the universe (which will be done once we have developed the Dark Minions and their dimensions).
The last thing we need to polish off for the players are Cells - the way outside resources are made available to them.
We are keeping things simple, so as not to burden players with too much beyond their own characters. However, various skills, events, ranks and total terms served all get totalled up to give you a score that defines the resources your cell can access beyond those provided by 'the company' for specific missions. So, if you get assigned to check out a bunch of odd disappearances in the Alps and the Powers That Be are pretty sure you need a helicopter that can float, you will get one. If, however, you think that what is really needed is a rocket launcher, your cell will determine whether you can get that. Access to information/data is also controlled by the quality of your cell, and enterprising Operatives might find ways to 'break' the cell system and find people higher up in 'the company' that they can talk directly too to get what they want/need.
Also defined will be the HQ of the cell. At the low end, this might be a recreational vehicle or boat (good for mobile campaigns, but please do not call it the Mystery Machine), or even a 'virtual' office. In the mid-range, it may be a little basement complex below some commercial enterprise (think Kick Ass 2) or an innocuous but specialised library (think Buffy). At the high-end, you might well be looking at a hardened bunker. However, we are weighting initial HQs to the lower end of things, so don't expect to replicate Doctor Evil from the get-go.
However, through successful missions, you can improve your HQ, and missions can be 'graded' to get better improvements quicker.
If, of course, things are successful. If the Operatives really start stuffing up their conspiracies and the wider world starts learning about Dark Minions, things get taken away...
Improvements can include better medical care facilities (that could get really important for some injuries that you do not want to take to a public hospital), better Internet speed and security (OpSec is going to be a thing in this game), better physical security (up to an including 'lethal response' systems), comfort and quality of life upgrades, 'stealth' (making your HQ better hidden), and even someone who can be trusted to stay at the HQ and run things from there (think Oracle from Batman).
The intention is to make things very easy to begin with and just supplying a bit of support for the Operatives. However, if players and Referee so choose, the HQ could end up being a very important part of a campaign...
The last thing we need to polish off for the players are Cells - the way outside resources are made available to them.
We are keeping things simple, so as not to burden players with too much beyond their own characters. However, various skills, events, ranks and total terms served all get totalled up to give you a score that defines the resources your cell can access beyond those provided by 'the company' for specific missions. So, if you get assigned to check out a bunch of odd disappearances in the Alps and the Powers That Be are pretty sure you need a helicopter that can float, you will get one. If, however, you think that what is really needed is a rocket launcher, your cell will determine whether you can get that. Access to information/data is also controlled by the quality of your cell, and enterprising Operatives might find ways to 'break' the cell system and find people higher up in 'the company' that they can talk directly too to get what they want/need.
Also defined will be the HQ of the cell. At the low end, this might be a recreational vehicle or boat (good for mobile campaigns, but please do not call it the Mystery Machine), or even a 'virtual' office. In the mid-range, it may be a little basement complex below some commercial enterprise (think Kick Ass 2) or an innocuous but specialised library (think Buffy). At the high-end, you might well be looking at a hardened bunker. However, we are weighting initial HQs to the lower end of things, so don't expect to replicate Doctor Evil from the get-go.
However, through successful missions, you can improve your HQ, and missions can be 'graded' to get better improvements quicker.
If, of course, things are successful. If the Operatives really start stuffing up their conspiracies and the wider world starts learning about Dark Minions, things get taken away...
Improvements can include better medical care facilities (that could get really important for some injuries that you do not want to take to a public hospital), better Internet speed and security (OpSec is going to be a thing in this game), better physical security (up to an including 'lethal response' systems), comfort and quality of life upgrades, 'stealth' (making your HQ better hidden), and even someone who can be trusted to stay at the HQ and run things from there (think Oracle from Batman).
The intention is to make things very easy to begin with and just supplying a bit of support for the Operatives. However, if players and Referee so choose, the HQ could end up being a very important part of a campaign...
