[DeathStrobe]

- In the Evo section it would have been good to have two sentences about what happened with the old CEO (I don't recall reading what happened with the old CEO?  I assume it was covered somewhere but I haven't gone back to look)

Anatoly Kirilenko caught CFD on Mars and was assassinated in Hard Targets.

- I was disappointed to see anti-grav technology made canon (it was left optional to the GM when brought up in 5e).  There is a lot of technology in SR that might be on dubious footing in terms of materials, engineering, or thermodynamics, but up until now it was a matter of degree, not of "we have no current science that suggests this is remotely possible"  It also seems like something that will have a major impact on the setting (unless it gets retconned or something)

There was antigravity tech in Tir Tairngire. I assume that the early writers really had a hard on for the superiority of elves.

[Wakshaani]

Thank you, Beta!

[Beta]

@DeathStrobe thanks!

@Wakshaani more when I get through the rest of the book.  I'm getting through it slowly enough that I figured I should provide that much before I forgot too much of it.

[Wakshaani]

@DeathStrobe thanks!

@Wakshaani more when I get through the rest of the book.  I'm getting through it slowly enough that I figured I should provide that much before I forgot too much of it.

Very much hyped for more.

[Beta]

I just finished reading the three japancorps, and have a huge smile on my face.  They were each clear and gave me a better feel for the Corps, they made the three corps much more distinct from each other in my mind, there was plenty of good (and sensible) progression (especially Renraku) and the writing was a pleasure to read (especially Shiawase).  Basically all were pretty much what I'd hope for in such a guide.  Not saying they were perfect, but honestly some of more quietly effective ShadowRun writing I've read.  I hate to sound so much of a fanboy, so I'll say that I read them over the first part of a long weekend, largely while sitting out in the sun, so I did absorb them while already in a positive state of mind.

And also, Shiawase bought what!  I can't believe nobody has been talking about it, but I kind of don't want to spoil it for anyone else who isn't there yet.  Has this been mentioned in any other products yet?

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

And also, Shiawase bought what!  I can't believe nobody has been talking about it, but I kind of don't want to spoil it for anyone else who isn't there yet.  Has this been mentioned in any other products yet?

SRM has not one but 2missions set there in the upcoming season... believe me it wreaked havoc.  They were written before that little gem was made common knowledge among the SRM writers...

[Wakshaani]

I just finished reading the three japancorps, and have a huge smile on my face.  They were each clear and gave me a better feel for the Corps, they made the three corps much more distinct from each other in my mind, there was plenty of good (and sensible) progression (especially Renraku) and the writing was a pleasure to read (especially Shiawase).  Basically all were pretty much what I'd hope for in such a guide.  Not saying they were perfect, but honestly some of more quietly effective ShadowRun writing I've read.  I hate to sound so much of a fanboy, so I'll say that I read them over the first part of a long weekend, largely while sitting out in the sun, so I did absorb them while already in a positive state of mind.

And also, Shiawase bought what!  I can't believe nobody has been talking about it, but I kind of don't want to spoil it for anyone else who isn't there yet.  Has this been mentioned in any other products yet?

Not yet, but it should come up more soon. There are some interesting details to that involving white knights, favors for the Throne, white knighting turning sour, then Shiawase stepping in to moderate and getting a piece of the action in return. Interesting for some people but boring for the majority.

I can say that out of the past couple corporate books, giving each Japancorp a personality has been a goal and I'm thrilled to see it working. For a long time, most players just glomped 'em all together and didn't really know one from another. Some GMs couldn't even name 'em all! That's no good, so giving them each a vibe's really helping.

(If you dig that kind of thing, check out Chrome Flesh and the Protein Queens section for a bit more.)

[Wakshaani]

And also, Shiawase bought what!  I can't believe nobody has been talking about it, but I kind of don't want to spoil it for anyone else who isn't there yet.  Has this been mentioned in any other products yet?

SRM has not one but 2missions set there in the upcoming season... believe me it wreaked havoc.  They were written before that little gem was made common knowledge among the SRM writers...

Oh, OOPS! THAT purchase! I wa sthinking of a different one.

Yeah, that one's gonna be interesting as well...

[Beta]

Now I need to re-read Shiawase and see what else they bought,  that I missed retaining!

[Beta]

To wrap up my feedback:

- I left Aztechnology until near the end of my reading, because not much is happening with them, right?  Hahahahahaha, jokes on me.  Interesting approach, kept it interesting.  Although a bit frustrating that in the end we don't know too much of what is happening.  Still, I immediately included it in my game, if only peripherally.

- Saeder-Krupp was what I expected out of Aztechnology: nice clear write up, bringing things up to date, but nothing too exciting.  However it was also exactly what I needed to flesh out a long simmering sub-plot in my game so I'll happily take it as it is

- Spinrad-Global shared a bit of the Aztechnology issue, of having something currently going on (or 'possibly going on') which made the reading more interesting, but it is a bit frustrating having something so open-ended in a reference book.

- Corporate Court justices section was hilarious

- List and summaries of the AA corps was nice to have

- A general note that I came to appreciate the amount of Shadow Talk being just right.  Not huge discussions, but enough to break up the 'official' articles some.  Also it added a bit more spice, without carrying all the main points.  More like that, please!

[Wakshaani]

What about Ares? I think that's the only one that you missed thusfar.

[Beta]

What about Ares? I think that's the only one that you missed thusfar.

Oops!  Accidental, I assure you.  I laughed at parts, well namely this part:
Trying to explain the
org chart of a single Ares subsidiary will drive a
Saeder-Krupp executive to tears in under ten minutes.
Why does this movie production company
own a box manufacturer? And a chain of shoe
stores? A ten percent stake in two different noodle
delivery services? A baseball team for fourth
graders? And just bought a family-owned exotic
tropical fish store when the owner died and his
husband didn’t want to stay around the memories?
How does this work?!

I mean, that is great humour and a good inspiration for how Ares is cobbled together, all rolled into one.  Very effective writing IMO.

Also it rolled back the "Ares is fully pulling out of the UCAS" bit from Cutting Black, but explained that confusion in a very fitting in-game way.  Nice.

And wrap those two things up in a solid write up, explanation of the craziness around replacing the CEO, and it all adds up to a nice package.

[Wakshaani]

You can compare a lot of Ares' failings over the past few years to Kmart and, later, Sears, who both used a similar "You and you, FIGHT!" method of corporate command. It made a few people VERY rich but it also shuttered a TON of stores and cost those two corporations dearly. Ares had that, plus an active insurgency from the bug infiltration.

It managed to survive, but woo, it ain't pretty.

[Wakshaani]

One last question for you, Beta; any thoughts about the Ares CEO situation? Anyone you're pulling for?

[Beta]

One last question for you, Beta; any thoughts about the Ares CEO situation? Anyone you're pulling for?

I'm pretty much pulling for a cool story. 

I've never had an emotional attachment to Ares (the "guns, rugged individualism, and 'murrica!" stereotype never really resonated with me, and, well, they are a mega-corp so by definition are somewhere between an overgrown parasite and simply evil).  The move to Atlanta kind of makes sense but at the same time removes some of the tension inherent in them being in the UCAS, while the death (?!?) of Knight and general passing of the old guard ends most of the rest of their tenstions/plot hooks (for most of those: good, they were tired and overworked). 

So at this point I think Ares needs new themes/plot-hooks/tensions to make it more interesting.  The shake up has done a good job of shaking off a lot of stale old material, now we need to see the corp get new stories.  New CEO will no doubt be part of that.  Tensions arising from other candidates not getting the job will likely be part of that (but we already have some of that at other corps, so I hope that isn't a tension that is leaned on too heavily). 

So to be honest I skimmed the candidates section, but didn't put much thought into it for now.  It is in the back of my mind that this is going on so maybe it could form the basis for a run or three in my game, in which case I'd go look over that section again to see which candidate would best fit that.  But so far I'm not really attached to any of them.