Bureaucracies

[Ran Targas]

Hey gang, need some new and interesting plot twists/red herrings set on a sector capitol world run by an entrenched bureaucracy.

Forms in triplicate (no, you were supposed to keep the pink one), fees and taxes, submitting permit applications across town by close of business, or other acts of shear red tape nonsense.

Please, tell your PC horror stories or GM pranks!

 

[Shadowdancer]

There was a CT adventure built around this very situation: "Exit Visa" (I think that was the name; It was in the back of the CT combined rules book along with "Shadows."

I remember when I ran it, the players got very frustrated with the run-around, because there was a deadline they had to meet.

After they finally got off planet, I said something like "Well, that's the end of that little adventure." They just stared at me in amazement. Then one of them said, "That was an adventure? We thought you were just being an a**hole."

 

[Shadowdancer]

To answer the original question, I'd put in a circular Catch-22 situation: You need form A, but in order to get form A, you need to fill out form B (in another office, preferrable in another building); in order to get form B, you need to fill out form C (again, another office, another building); in order to get form C, you have to fill out form A.

Also, make it necessary for one of the forms to be signed by a particular person; it will be invalid with anyone else's signature. And that person just left town on his annual two-week vacation. Or to go to some workshop/convention in another town (if you really want to be cruel, on another planet within the system. Having him go to another system, that's just asking for a beating from your players).

Work it so that one of the forms that is needed is available from an office that just closed for the weekend, or three-day holiday. Which is too late to meet the looming deadline. So the players might just have to break in to get the form.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Be aware that this is likely to seriously piss off both characters and players, and will probably end in violence. I speak from experience.

 

[clementk]

Read 1984 then watch Brazil and the 1984 movie version of 1984. Brazil starts with a bug literally causing a misprint in a form. There's a bureaucratic episode of Futurama and the Discworld novels are full of bureaucratic nightmares. I'd also recommend the Cerebus collections High Society and Church & State I-II.

If the information isn't on the form it doesn't exist. Combine that with regular rewrites and adjustments and you have a nice exercise in doubleplusgood.

If the players resort to violence...oh the forms that will generate! ^_^ (squeee!) Granted you don't want to squash the fun aspect for the players completely so a light touch with some open options is recommended.

One suggestion is the potential for corruption and interdepartmental rivalry in bureaucracies. Gives a chance for use of liaison, administration, streetwise, etc. skills and some good roleplay.

"That is correct. Form XYZ-12345.67.a.b.c is only available on the other side of the planet or it has to be signed by Prefect Zog who just happens to be out of the office for the next 2 months but <inspects fingernails> we may have a copy of that form around here <looks at ceiling> *somewhere*."

Get the characters involved in local events and tie it in to what the players want to do with their characters instead of just using this as an obstacle.

Casey

 

[jappel]

Don't forget that sometimes forms have to be sent elsewhere within the bureaucratic labyrinth for approval. Perhaps there's a significant travel delay involved... Lois McMaster Bujold describes something like this near the end of _A Civil Campaign_, in which the forms had to be sent back and forth between several planets.

John

 

[Andrew Boulton]

"Read 1984 then watch Brazil and the 1984 movie version of 1984."

The '50s BBC version is good too.

Yes, Minister is full of bureaucratic nightmares.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008DP4B/qid=1085509075/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/102-2204426-7715312?v=glance&s=dvd

 

[Burocrate]

Oh the Horror of it all! One year stationed at a public walk-up counter was enough to last my entire career. If you are a PC ALWAYS ask about obtaining a local "broker" to ensure your paperwork is complete and correct. Spend the $$$, avoid the red-tape nightmare! Corruption is your friend!

"Flashback Warning"
Me: "Sure you can fill out the required documents yourself. You'll need this one (front and back), this one(6 pages front and back) and one of these to verify your status (white/pink/green and golden-rod colored pages). Just fill these out (sign & date the bottom of each page) take them to location "A"(downtown), have them checked over, then take the document packet to location "B"(another agency with interest in reviewing your documents located "near-by") to confirm the quantity/item description and bring them back here. If everything is in order we can sign-off on your docs (unless one of our teams has placed a HOLD on your goods). If so, you may want to call us after you have lunch tocheck the status of your goods, you may have to wait overnight. Then you can take your copies back to location "C" where you started this morning and pick up you stuff. Counting travel time, you just might get this all done today before we close. However, your best bet is to fill them out today and start the process tomorrow. Hopefully, nothing was damaged-in-transit or pilfered by then. Well, Good Luck and have a nice day. Next!

End Flashback: still a little flushed and shaky.

 

[RainOfSteel]

Oh, sign up here on our website for task A, well send you a an email to confirm your new account. The email never arrives. There is no way to get a new copy. All customer contact phone numbers, toll calls all, go nowhere (even though business hours are currently in effect). It is impossible to email customer service because you do not have an active account. When, two days later, you actually do get through on the phone number the website tells you to call to resolve the problem, the people there say they can do nothing, and you must respond by providing identify-theft quality information (driver's license and house-hold bill copies) to "unblock" the new account, and of course, they will not tell you why the new account was blocked in the first place (translation, they've got no idea, and their processes are out of control).

An actual foreign currency service website put me through this over the last few days, needless to say, they'll not be receiving my business.

 

[jasper]

Ok true story time of how I spend 4 yrs of my 6 no go enlishment without a Secret clearance when in the army I had a Top Secret ( which i never used but was on the tour of duty of a secret base)
I got a Ground Radio Repair MOs of Air Guard. They took my fingerprints. Lost the first form. Lost the second. Third one use the wrong form. Right form ended in 6 the one they used in 8. That was the only difference. Fourth form was done on outdated form. Only difference was the supersuceeds date and two or three words. So where during my fourth year my clearance came through but my unit was under the gun to be disbanded by then.
Note half the people in my Air Guard unit return last year from Afganistan.

The secret base which no one knew on in the Army was Ft Devens. I put Ft Derrick (signal training base outside of Boston) on my wish station list. It kept coming back Devens. Which at the time I was in was responsible for maintain the hotline to Russia and some NBC research stuff.

 

[jasper]

YOu also forgot say the new magic word to flunky. A few years ago Alabama change how they did car tags. One change was Antigue (cars 20 yrs old which were suppose to be for car show cars)[also the owner paid less taxes on it] were change to Classic Cars (tighten up the rules to try eliminate the junkers aka 1982 Dodge pickup with rusted out bed).
I was standing next to guy and we were both being served. He was renewing his tag ( no problem) and his parents two cars (they were retired and could not get around). Problem since he did not say the magic word classic she kept deined him their existed an Antigue tag. After abhout 3 minutes of this her self preveresvation gene must have kicked in because he was about to come across the counter at her and was going to follow him because her smirk revealed she knew what he wanted.

Then there was me and water board here in town.
I buy an existing house with water,power, and gas turn on already. Just had to get the meters read on the day of change over.
The gas company no problem or such a minor problem I don't remember.
Power company, I called 3 times and got 3 different answers. (moving 20 miles from one town to city). Got that settled.
Water. Called the water department told them I was going to be moving in on Friday. Just read the meter but leave water on as we will be moving in on next day. I had already got the deposit letter from my old town to new city and paid the additional deposit earlier that month. They just had to read the meter.
I get off at 4. Drive the mile and half from work to new home. Open door drop first load (realtor was letting move in before all paper work was signed). Turn on tap. No WATER. Rush back down town. (I should ran the yellow) Get to the water board to be met with rent a cop. (I now know why the hire cops with guns. It not to prevent robbery it to prevent violence on their personnel). He was about to lock the door as I was opening it. Five minutes of me talking with rent a cop. Rent a cop talking with who ever. I tell rent a cop I need water turned on because I have a 6 month old and we moving in tomorrow. He replies it will be handled. This is after a couple trips to the back.
I get to my current home to find that the signing has been postpone to Monday. I can't move in but can clean house over the weekend. Saturday with load of buckets, mops, brooms, hammers, nails and other instrutments of destruction (and cleaning) my wife, my mom, and I go to open the door to the new house to
find
a
Pink
SLIP
TELLING ME SINCE I WAS NOT PRESENT the water board would not turn on the water. (And people wonder how come today I keep a water church key)

Do want to hear about
My first wedding suit,
My Second Wife's wedding suit.
My second wedding hiccups?