How about some cultural alignment? Right now, there doesn't seem to be much difference in being Itani vs. Serco vs. UIT. There's no real culture.

I would really like to see some more role-playing, culture-wise. There should be some cultural identity involved.

For example, in "Warcraft® III," it made a big difference to be Human vs. Orc. Objectives differered according to culture. But there doesn't seem to be much difference in being Itani vs. Serco vs. UIT here (yet).

It would be more immersive to have a feeling of cultural identity. I chose Itani because I liked the monk-based culture. But after playing for a while, I was disappointed that it didn't seem to make much difference. Can't the overall objectives differ from one civilization to another?

My suggestion is as follows: As in "Star Wars®," there should be certain abilities unique to members of each culture, and the growth of these abilities should depend on conduct vis-a-vis culture-specific values. Just as when villanous conduct led to the dark side of the Force in "Star Wars®," and altruistic conduct led to the light side, Buddhist-like conduct should lead to higher Itani monk abilities, hostile military conduct should lead to higher Serco warrior abilities, and selfish commercial conduct should lead to higher UIT commercial abilities. Members of each culture should have aptitude in acquiring new abilities specific to that culture, but should also be able to acquire abilities specific to other cultures with greater effort.

So, it should be possible for an Itani to acquire Serco abilities, and even eventually become a Serco (and vice-versa), but with greater effort necessary than in adhering to the native culture.

This would bring in a strong system of cultural identity. Actions would be tied in to honor, which would be tied in to cultural alignment and to the advancement of culture-specific abilities. Itani members could be temporarily excommunicated from Itani society for un-Itani conduct, and so forth (unless they later committed heroic altruistic deeds, for example).

-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier

maybe culture is a construct of our minds. maybe we are all really very much alike. maybe our outer professions of what we are, such as 'monk' or 'warrior' or 'trader', are simply masks that hide our true identity... human...

and maybe george lucas movies are silly exercises in bigotry

You say 'buddhist'. I wonder what you would feel in a buddhist country. China? Thailand? Japan? They all have McDonalds and KFC, people drive cars, they talk on cellphones, they put their pants on one leg at a time, they have toilets and sewers, street signs and schools, factories and farms, and they all have a military.

Maybe your personal morality and abilities is based on your actions not on where you were born.

There will be cultural differences as long as players want to keep them.

True, there are not currently driven by the game, but by individual and guild behavior.

True also, many Itanis have lost Eo's way. But not all.