Well.. there are a couple of problems with the "you can't get a decent job anymore" thing for my game..
1) They can't get decent jobs.. that's kinda a problem since we don't play that often..
2) There has to be some way to get out of the rut.. and just "time" leads back to (1).
Which is why I was looking for ideas on something more interesting as a "punishment", that still makes sense, that is a one time deal rather than.. "welp you blew it and now no one will hire you for any serious work for a long time". Sure I can just say "no one will hire you for body guarding anymore", but realistically that would just mean their fixer no longer presents them with such jobs which results in not much game impact since they just take other jobs (of which there are many types).
This is why Spooky's idea of a "practical joke" or just "screwing with" the chars is closer to what I was thinking (looking for).
Don't get us wrong, there is always work...
You just don't want
THAT work.
You
know the work I am talking about... It usually starts with a nice meal, in a nice restaurant, with nice Johnson, with a nice smile. It usually starts with "we want you to test our security".... All said with a nice glass of wine.
Of course this is only a test,
of course the guards will only be using less lethal ordinance.
Of course we won't arrest you if we catch you, you're
helping us remember?
Yea, THOSE jobs are always available.
As are those OTHER jobs... you know, the "take this large bulky package to this address and leave it on the front step. Try not to shake it too much too" jobs....
The ones where they need a face seen putting something somewhere. (but don't really need a face seen leaving.. in the same direction at once). And then suddenly that place has a gaping hole in it... or a funny smell; and people bleeding from the eyeballs.
But yea, the "good" jobs dry up for a while. And it happens when the Johnson is pissed. that's the circle of life in the shadows.
The Johnsons have the work, but need the team.
The Fixer has the team, but needs the job.
The team needs the work, but doesn't know the johnson.
The Johnson contacts the Fixer, the Fixer contacts the team, the Team meets the Johnson and gets the job. Does the Job and gets paid.
However, If the Johnson is unhappy, Then he ALSO tells the Fixer, and now the fixer can't use the same team for same johnson, and risks his rep more if the team screws up again....
Its all one parasitic circle.
Now, how does one break a downward slide? They do shit jobs until people have forgotten about their fuck ups. How long does that take? I dunno, how badly did they fuck up in the community's eyes? (lets face it, some celeb whining about a broken nail after the runners deal with 200 cyberzombies intent on her head doesn't carry much weight... But a celeb that took two to the face because the runner was "on smoke break" has a legit complaint!) Sometimes its a couple of "bag man" runs. Typical fetch and pick runs that are low risk and low reward - jobs you give newbs. Sometimes it takes longer or something "bigger" to break that cycle. (like surviving a suicide run, or pulling off their own run). Sometimes all it takes is some good old fashioned begging. Followed up with copious amounts of fellatio and salad tossing. But its not like you needed your Pride, right?