ENTRY 081: Skincast
One mutation of the ages-old broadcast entertainment that
has adapted to the syntax of transhuman existence are Skincast and its various
affiliate, derivative, and supplementary programming. A variation on the
episodic trial-reward program, the conceit of Skincast is that
member-participants can compete in a series of original and sometimes absurd
weighted-scoring challenges, with the ultimate victor or victors of any
particular series of trials being rewarded with a new or upgraded morph. While
most popular in the Planetary Consortium due to cross-licensing agreements
between participating hypercorps (“Our Beloved Sponsors”), the show or
something similar to it exists in at least 65% of habitats in transhuman space,
with the largest outliers bioconservative communities that frown on exotic
morphs.
The in-character backstory of Skincast is that the contests
are being judged by alien intelligences (who may be influenced by up to 45% by
a send-in fan vote), who choose the participants that are worthy and desirous
for the competition (pseudo-random pick from a pool of volunteers, paid actors,
and charity cases in desperate need of a new morph) and subject them to
“Xenochallenges” set in locales throughout the solar system (usually Mars or Luna)
that prove them worthy of receiving the gifts of the space-gods. Those who
accumulate sufficient points are deemed the “Select” and allowed to resleeve
into a brand new and exotic morph, supposedly custom-designed for the winners.
The truth is that the whole debacle is a mix of scripted drama and gameshow,
sometimes cruel and often more than a bit ludicrous; viewers on video or XP are
as likely to see a crippled synthmorph and an aging flat grapple to see which
can place a gold apple on a pedestal as they to see a blatant pleasure pod
plant try to sow an X-rated romantic subplot and pitch “Our Beloved Sponsors”
latest synthmorph polish. Skincast continues to be seen by millions, and
hey—you too might be a winner!
Using Skincast
At its basic, Skincast is the kind of background element you
can drop into a game almost anywhere and pick up when convenient: the guard
missed the PCs sneaking past the camera because they were streaming Skincast on
duty; the Barsoomian contact makes small talk about the latest series of
Skincast challenges set in Europa; the target is devoted to the show and will
give up anything for a pair of tickets; the bouncer at the club’s morph is
actually one of the old Skincast morphs from six seasons and twelve users ago,
etc.
On the other hand, gamemasters may choose to use Skincast as
the focus for one or more adventures, even letting the PCs compete to become
one of the Select. Most challenges are not simply physical, but contain some
element that requires players to outthink or outwit their opponents; rarely the
judges even include a Moral challenge designed to test intangibles like courage
and self-sacrifice, setting up scenarios where the PCs may complete their
stated objectives or do the “right” thing. Unlike modern game shows, Skincast
averages 2.73 “deaths” (destruction of morphs) per episode, so the danger in
any given challenge, as insane as it may be, is very real. Forks of each
participant are kept secure by Skincast Inc. just in case. The reward morphs
are typically the latest corporate models from Our Beloved Sponsors, or
standard models with enough cosmetic bodywork to appear new and flash; rarely
the morphs are unique or experimental, and the GM is encouraged to get creative
and go nuts—if the PC isn’t interested, the morph can always be donated to a
charity of their choice.
I had an idea like this once. However you got put into a new biomorph and had to compete. If you did well enough you got to keep the morph. If you rated badly, you were pulled and put back into storage and someone else got the chance to 'win' the morph.
ReplyDeleteObviously considering the cost of morphs the battles were less deadly and usually appealed more to watches libidos.
As good a way to do it as any, I say. Maybe a spinoff?
Delete