Forums » Suggestions
Faction Redux Redux
Players should be able to take a more active role in their faction standings. Itani players should be able to make the choice to "defect" to Serco without having to request a faction change from the devs, and vice versa. For UIT the UDV should require "neutrality" in the Itani-Serco conflict. It makes sense RP-wise where the current system simply doesn't. Access to important, powerful end-game-level equipment (Valk, Prom, UDV) shouldn't be determined by a single choice made when a player starts the game, it should be determined by that player's choices as they play - it is a Role-Playing Game after all. Maybe your "choice" would have to be locked in at a certain license level (to prevent abuse).
BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN: I'm not suggesting a return to the ability to get all POS. Itani and Serco (as well as the other enemy factions) would still be mutually exclusive.
BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN: I'm not suggesting a return to the ability to get all POS. Itani and Serco (as well as the other enemy factions) would still be mutually exclusive.
I've always thought that you chat colour should change based on your faction standings and that although birthplace could be recorded on your profile somewhere for the character, it shouldn't be the identifying characteristic in the way that it is.
+1 I'd also like to see a players role play affect their faction standing as opposed to something set when the character is created.
-1 While I think the faction system can be improved, I like the current direction it is taking. An Itani can infact defect to Serco, but they are still Itani and will only be trusted so far. Perhaps extreme trials could be put in to improve a defectors standing above +600
On the other hand, UIT is a mix of Serco and Itani, not necessarily a racially a distinct nation. Perhaps a better course would be to have all players start as Serco or Itani and then make the choice to become UIT.
On the other hand, UIT is a mix of Serco and Itani, not necessarily a racially a distinct nation. Perhaps a better course would be to have all players start as Serco or Itani and then make the choice to become UIT.
+1
Though everyone throws a fit at the mention of non-exclusive inclusiveness, true Roleplay can not be reached via the current system, though it has improved greatly.
Though everyone throws a fit at the mention of non-exclusive inclusiveness, true Roleplay can not be reached via the current system, though it has improved greatly.
-1
happy holidays!
happy holidays!
"On the other hand, UIT is a mix of Serco and Itani, not necessarily a racially a distinct nation. Perhaps a better course would be to have all players start as Serco or Itani and then make the choice to become UIT."
That is complete and utter bullshit.
That is complete and utter bullshit.
Geez, there's a cool way to disagree with a suggestion.
"-1"
It's not a farfetched idea, even if it is not accepted.
"-1"
It's not a farfetched idea, even if it is not accepted.
@Death Fluffy:
During the first years after the Itani were sent packing in 2661, there probably was significant intermingling between the Neutrals and the Serco. However, by 3419 the Serco had stopped communicating with the Neutrals (implying they already lived in separate regions and had little contact). Over the following 300 years, Serco-Neutral relations further deteriorated into outright persecution until the Neutrals began leaving the planet. By around 3780 they had left the Sol II system entirely and begun forming the UIT. The Serco proceeded to ignore the UIT for nearly 600 years, finally resuming contact in 4346 -- only 97 years ago. All in all, there was more than 900 years of little to no interaction with the Serco.
The separation from the Itani is even more severe, although contact has been reestablished for a lot longer. The first post-exodus contact between UIT and Itani happened in 3924, more than 1200 years after they'd fled in the Ark.
So to try to claim that the UIT aren't a distinct racial group at this point is just silly.
During the first years after the Itani were sent packing in 2661, there probably was significant intermingling between the Neutrals and the Serco. However, by 3419 the Serco had stopped communicating with the Neutrals (implying they already lived in separate regions and had little contact). Over the following 300 years, Serco-Neutral relations further deteriorated into outright persecution until the Neutrals began leaving the planet. By around 3780 they had left the Sol II system entirely and begun forming the UIT. The Serco proceeded to ignore the UIT for nearly 600 years, finally resuming contact in 4346 -- only 97 years ago. All in all, there was more than 900 years of little to no interaction with the Serco.
The separation from the Itani is even more severe, although contact has been reestablished for a lot longer. The first post-exodus contact between UIT and Itani happened in 3924, more than 1200 years after they'd fled in the Ark.
So to try to claim that the UIT aren't a distinct racial group at this point is just silly.
Fair enough. I'll admit my alternative suggestion makes no sense in light of the backstory.
"I've always thought that you chat colour should change based on your faction standings and that although birthplace could be recorded on your profile somewhere for the character, it shouldn't be the identifying characteristic in the way that it is."
^ this. This could also be a good way to introduce the "grey" faction to Vendetta - players still choose one of the main 3 to start with, but depending on their actions could change faction. I don't know if it should be based solely on faction standing - maybe an expensive/difficult mission that can be completed only after reaching a certain standing level. Heck, it would probably even work to have players as members of the other subfactions, with their names showing up as orange, pink, black, grey, etc. in chat. (just an idea, I don't know how hard this would be to implement). I just really think that faction changes should be part of the game, and not something that has to be specially requested and manually changed by devs.
^ this. This could also be a good way to introduce the "grey" faction to Vendetta - players still choose one of the main 3 to start with, but depending on their actions could change faction. I don't know if it should be based solely on faction standing - maybe an expensive/difficult mission that can be completed only after reaching a certain standing level. Heck, it would probably even work to have players as members of the other subfactions, with their names showing up as orange, pink, black, grey, etc. in chat. (just an idea, I don't know how hard this would be to implement). I just really think that faction changes should be part of the game, and not something that has to be specially requested and manually changed by devs.
I very much agree to this. Problem is I feel that it would drive certain kinds of people away, as not everyone wants a super in depth RP centered experience when playing games. Though you could also argue that it would bring in the right kind of players.
I don't see how it would drive people away, just don't pay for a faction change if you don't want one.
The way I would handle the faction system would be to add a number of multipliers and restrictions based on both your birth faction and whichever faction you currently are a member of. For example, doing an action that rewards you with faction points should have a smaller reward when the faction is at odds with your birth faction, as well as when it is at odds with your current faction. Those sorts of penalties and advantages should stack. However, the ones based on birth faction should only ever impact speed, easiness, things like that; gear restrictions, faction caps, etc. should only happen based on membership, not birth. That way your birth nation doesn't exclude you from changing sides and accessing that side's gameplay, but it does give you permanent nerfs to how well they'll treat you.
Furthermore, the benefits of faction membership should take a while to kick in when you join and then cease immediately upon leaving; meanwhile the penalties should kick in immediately and then persist for a month or several after leaving. This is to penalize faction-hopping and give your choices more lasting consequences without making them permanent.
And to be clear, while this would still permit people to stockpile a bunch of ships before switching factions, I'm all for having faction penalties and such for getting caught flying ships you "shouldn't". That's a lot more fun than just magically preventing it. And any national ships stored in stations controlled by that nation could still be confiscated on faction-change (possibly along with all your items in their stations; yay vindictiveness!) so that you'd have to move them all out first, not just buy thousands and leave them sitting there.
As for indicating allegiance, I'd rather do that by coloring the angle brackets around people's names rather than recoloring their actual names. When I talk to a person, their ethnicity is a lot more obvious than whatever political party they belong to. It makes sense for the name to represent birth nation and for the brackets to work more like a pin showing your alignment.
Furthermore, the benefits of faction membership should take a while to kick in when you join and then cease immediately upon leaving; meanwhile the penalties should kick in immediately and then persist for a month or several after leaving. This is to penalize faction-hopping and give your choices more lasting consequences without making them permanent.
And to be clear, while this would still permit people to stockpile a bunch of ships before switching factions, I'm all for having faction penalties and such for getting caught flying ships you "shouldn't". That's a lot more fun than just magically preventing it. And any national ships stored in stations controlled by that nation could still be confiscated on faction-change (possibly along with all your items in their stations; yay vindictiveness!) so that you'd have to move them all out first, not just buy thousands and leave them sitting there.
As for indicating allegiance, I'd rather do that by coloring the angle brackets around people's names rather than recoloring their actual names. When I talk to a person, their ethnicity is a lot more obvious than whatever political party they belong to. It makes sense for the name to represent birth nation and for the brackets to work more like a pin showing your alignment.