Influence and Exposure

Influence

Influence is rated on a 100% scale in 10% increments; so one contact may have 60% influence and another may have 90%. When a contact's Influence reaches 80% or higher, they become eligible for an Influence Limit Break, which is an upgrade or buff to their power and capabilities.

There are several ways for players to increase influence of a contact: by selling accounts or blueprints, running Legworks, completing storylines and by running missions. If a contact is interested in buying a particular account, and it is "epic" quality (purple) selling it to them gives them +10% influence. Selling a legendary account gives them +20% influence. Selling an epic or legendary blueprint gives them +10% influence. Selling a minted File will add +10% influence. Most missions that you run for a contact will increase their Influence by +10% and many Legwork options will increase their Influence by +20%.

Influence can also be increased by the underworld simulation, in which Contacts are occasionally given a chance to spread or gain Influence and Exposure based on their Traits and relationships.

Both Influence and Exposure cap out at 100%; further increases beyond that have no effect.

Influence Limit Break

Once a Contact reaches 80% Influence, they join a queue to have a Limit Break. The queue is ordered by all Contacts who have 100% Influence, then 90% and finally 80%. Within each Influence set, the ordering is by how long they have had over 80% Influence. Once a Contact has the Influence, it can take some time before they make a Limit Break. Recently we added a dynamic throttling to this time to help clear out backlogs of Contacts - the more Contacts who are waiting for Limit Breaks, the faster this goes.

During an influence break for a friendly Contact, the game will present a dialog box where you may choose which type of promotion they get. For example, you may be offered a choice between having the Contact sell higher level gear or giving a temporary 20% increase in the reward for their missions. If you have favors with the contact, you may trade in favors for additional choices; but sometimes a contact may have no additional choices and the favor is wasted. After the break, their influence decreases by some amount, affected by a number of internal hidden factors.

It is critical to gain Influence Limit Breaks to help contacts to offer better services. While there are storylines that can directly help Contacts gain access to new or advanced services, Influence Limit Breaks are primary way you can help your underworld Contacts increase their power and what they can offer you in return via services.

While it is possible to craft higher level weapons, higher level cyberdeck and programs in particular can only be purchased after you level up the related contacts such as the Wireghost. Whenever you have a qualifying account or blueprint, be sure to sell it to a contact where leveling the contact will provide gear you need. Also make sure you have favors available to add options when their level break appears.

Some results require a high Trust (positive for Friends, negative for Enemies) to appear. Influence Limit Breaks include but are not limited to:

Friends -

• Gain 1 level in 1 service
• Gain a level in in a positive Trait
• Lose a level in a negative Trait
• Gain some Power Level
• Temporary buffs lasting 30 days
  • Hi-Priority
  • Data Flood
• Gain Power Play tag (requires minimum team PL3)
• Initiate Power Play Storyline (only possible with Power Play tag)

If the Contact has a Power Play tag, they will have better options and weights on future Influence Limit Breaks. In particular, Breaks are more likely to result in upgrades to Services. The most important new option that becomes available is a Power Play Storyline.

Enemies -

• Add 25 Heat
• Give Exposure to another (friendly) Contact, up to +80%
• Send Head Hunters after the team (only possible with Power Play tag)

Exposure

Exposure is the flip side of influence. As bad things happen to a contact, their exposure increases; when a contact has high exposure, over 80%, they become eligible for an "Exposure Limit Break" which will cause a negative effect. Contacts may have negative Traits gain in power, go into hiding or gain a negative temporary Trait but cannot not have their services downgraded.

Contacts can gain Exposure through different storylines where you work against a Contact or if you refuse to assist them. Also, if you allow the missions that they offer you to expire, the contact will gain +10% Exposure. Contacts directly targeted by missions you take will gain Exposure. Also, if you run a mission against a faction, there is a fair chance that a contact in that faction will gain Exposure. A pool of 25 contacts is allocated, any contacts considered "in your sphere" are given a seat in this pool. Then a roll is made (4% chance per contact) that they may gain +10% Exposure. if an empty seat is rolled, the Exposure is lost to the ether.

Exposure can also be increased by the underworld simulation, in which Contacts are occasionally given a chance to spread or gain Influence and Exposure based on their Traits and relationships.

Exposure Limit Break

During an exposure break for a friendly contact, you may choose which type of demotion they get, parallel to the discussion of influence breaks above.

Exposure Limit Breaks include but are not limited to:

Friends -

• Gain a level in a negative Trait
• Lose a level in a positive Trait
• Go into hiding for 30 days
• Go into hiding for 60 days (only possible with Compromised tag)
• Temporary debuffs lasting 30 days
  • Data Drought
  • Hi-Mark up
• Compromised state.

An Exposure Limit Break can remove a Power Play tag from the Contact.