She sends her response to the homing signal: simple code, simple message:
I am here. Make ready.
At first glance, SCAVENGER’S DILEMMA appears to be a fairly standard full-immersion game. The setting is meticulously realized, but familiar: a mysterious derelict ship has been discovered in the far reaches of space, and various bands of adventurers race to strip it of valuables. Players can join a loosely organized band of salvagers, hot on the trail of an artifact rumored to be in the wreckage (the identity of the artifact changes with each new chronicle), or a team of scavs who want to dismantle the ship to sell as raw mass on the black market. That the two groups will come into conflict is inevitable, and the no-G setting makes for an interesting battlefield.
What elevates SCAVENGER’S DILEMMA above other games of its type is the nature of the two core alliances. The salvagers are independents, pooling their efforts to locate a single artifact so they can sell it and divvy up the profits. But the closer they get to their goal, the more tempting it will be for one to break away and claim the prize for himself. And while the scavs aren’t limited to a single prize—there’s enough raw mass to go around—they are ruthless rivals and might betray a companion just to rise in the scav pecking order. Whichever group you decide to join, you can never be sure that an ally will not betray you . . . or that it might not be in your best interest to betray an ally first.
Like the Prisoner’s Dilemma for which it was named, SCAVENGER’S DILEMMA forces players to weigh the consequences of cooperation versus self-interest. Role-play takes center stage as a player must work to strengthen the bonds of common interest within his group, in the hopes that when battle finally does occur, his own people won’t stab him in the back. To trust, or not to trust? In this finely nuanced game, there is no easy answer.
It should come as no surprise that SCAVENGER’S DILEMMA is from the design team of Micah Bello, whose previous credits include STAR’S TEARS, BLACK AS BLOOD, and of course, DRAGONSLAYER. We’ve come to expect complex games from that team, weaving together action-filled adventures with moral and philosophical challenges, and this one does not disappoint. Whether you are a beginning gamer or a seasoned veteran, SCAVENGER’S DILEMMA will have something for you. Highly recommended.
Selma Sommers
Virtual Reviews, Issue 123.5
HARMONY NODE
INSHIP: ARTEMIS
THE RESPONSE from Jericho didn’t have her name on it. It didn’t have his name on it, either. Paranoia, or reasonable precautions?
I received your encrypted data packet. All of the security seals were still in place when it arrived.
Payment for services rendered has been transferred to your account. I believe that the information you have gathered qualifies you for the Guild bounty, and when you return I will see that you get it.
To say that your conclusions are unsettling is an understatement. Whoever was responsible for the situation on Shenshido, we must assume they have the potential to do the same on other stations. Such technology could undermine the stability of the outworlds, casting them into chaos as it did with Shenshido. Until we know more about who is responsible and what their plans are—and how all of this is tied to the Dragonslayer incident—we are just stumbling in the dark. We need to find out who is behind this, and why.
You are the person best suited to seek out that information. Indeed, you may well be the only person who can do so freely. Harmony is pressing us to abandon any interest in the Dragonslayer assault, which raises the question of whose agenda our leaders are serving. You alone are outside the circle of suspicion, unrestricted in your actions. It is my hope that you will agree to follow the trail you have identified and continue to gather information. Accordingly I offer continuation of our per diem arrangement, and generous financial reward if you are successful. More is not possible in advance, I regret, lest the transfer of funds draw attention to our activity. For now, please accept my own personal marker for a future favor, as security. Given my position in the Guild, such a debt has considerable value. I can only hope it is enough to convince you to continue.
Regarding your concern about the survivors on Shenshido, rest assured, I will make sure they are rescued. It may not be on the schedule they would prefer, since, as you point out, that would alert our enemy that we are on to him, but I will make sure that their future recovery is guaranteed.
Regarding your request for information:
Micah Bello is dead. This was just announced by Tridac Enterprises, his employer for the past five years. Are you sure that the person on your skimmer is really him? I am attaching some data you can use to confirm his identity, and I recommend you do not discuss any sensitive matters with him until you have done so.
According to Tridac, Bello was the one responsible for the Dragonslayer explosion. They were planning to bring him in for questioning when he fled their station, and in the ensuing chase, both he and his ship were destroyed. That is what they have reported to us. Needless to say, that chain of events seems remarkably convenient, in terms of covering up any involvement they might have had in this affair. One wonders what their true role is in all of this.
Meanwhile, be wary of Bello. It sounds like he didn’t know anything about the Shenshido experiment, so if there is a terrorist conspiracy I doubt he is part of it, but there is no denying that he specializes in the very type of programming that may have been used in the Harmony assault. Even if he didn’t contribute directly to Shenshido’s downfall, software that he designed might have been used for that purpose. If so, he has an interest in this matter that directly conflicts with our own. I appreciate that he has been a useful ally up to now, but please bear these things in mind as you deal with him.
You should plan on bringing him directly to me when you return. I am attaching a set of fake ID for him to use until then. If Tridac truly believes Bello is dead, we should give them no reason to think otherwise. But do not underestimate the importance of delivering him to me first thing when you return. He may carry a dangerous malware infection and needs to be quarantined until we can determine what kind of threat that implies.
Background: Before his flight, Bello was a designer for Dobson Games, a subsidiary of Tridac, for whom he produced several award-winning multi-player virts, including Dragonslayer. In addition to an impressive résumé in the gaming industry, he has presented papers on virtual technology at several professional conferences—all well received—and published a book on virt technology. Before coming to Tridac, he worked briefly for Guildmaster Vienna. I can find no information on his duties there, which suggests he may have been part of Vienna’s private hacking team. Given that, and his programming specialty, you will understand why I caution you to be wary.
The choice of where to go from here on is yours to make. I hope it involves further investigation of this matter, but I can only request that of you, not order it. Let me know what you decide, and if you do choose to continue, what support you require from me.