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Thread: Large Player Structures - Organisations!

  1. #81

    What about Neutrals

    You did not mention Neutral orgs in the article - no plans for neutral orgs?

  2. #82

    Cool

    Option 2 (forcefully changing org names) is probably the best decision that aligns with the overall storyline. That said, however, I would expect a few other things that are also inline with the game concept:

    * these 'super org' leaders must be active. If they are FC employed and extremely active, then good communications and interraction with the storyline is possible. If the leadership is invisible and 'assumed' then don't even bother - you have that now.

    * Along with a sort of 'super org' or departmental broadcast (mentioned in an earlier post) there should be a facility for org missions. If you want to effect the storyline by fueling and encouraging player participation, then you MUST do more in-game. When everything is camped, when the only information is the web-based community anyway, and when fully half (or more) of the players actually give a rat's ass about story line, you have a core problem that has fundamental influences on everything you build over it.

    * If it will take 3 or 4 months to implement org housing OR 3 or 4 months to fix 30+ players lag issues (more than 30 folks in an area) then I would suggest spending the developer resources on the lag issues first. What good are super-org meeting halls and/or massive battles if everyone gets booted all of the time?

    Please do not misunderstand me. I enjoy the game and try to enjoy the roleplay as much as possible. But underlying issues MUST be resolved before introducing more 'candy' here. Piss-poor-prior-planning will cause a lot of the issues that FC has eperienced in the past, is experiencing now, and will experience in the future. Fix the foundation components first and scrap the storyline for 3 months.

    * are all of the tradeskills working so players know where their strengths/weaknesses are and can intelligently select the best department/org?

    * are the classes balanced in alignment with the game vision (perhaps not player expectations) and does there seem to be a fairly predictable distribution?

    * can a player select the correct org based upon their perception of their class and playstyle (will a martial artist truely wish to be in an Omni-med org? Why? What benefit does the org recieve and what benefit does the player recieve?). This is a fundamental question that must be answered long before posing the question presented in the original article.

    * is spawn competition resolved and part of ancient history for all orgs needing to equip in an inventory-based game? Why have missions if they mean little more than level advancement and loot aquisition while speaking of reducing that focus in the original article? Why NOT have FC-inspired org missions of some sort (assuming FC can fit large numbers of people into an area) that lure the players into the storyline.

    * can more than 30-100 people actually be in close proximity without booting or do the stated minimum requirements need to be updated/increased so these departments/super-orgs actually have something to participate in?

    * is it truly possible (or even feasible) to have the players effect the storyline or is the storyline already written and the players are simple sheep being herded into it? (in the latter case, there would obviously be no need for the initial article here and there is plenty of evidence that this is indeed the case - few people even care)

    I personally enjoy the game and the storyline - I also have a very fast PC with SCSI drives and a fast 768/768 DSL connection. But many many others do not enjoy the game nor even care about the storyline. Many others have only the minimum stated requirements for this game and are limited to solo or small team missions as far as their participation is concerned.

    If FC can first ensure that players will have influence on the storyline then FC must first optimize the current technical issues before even entertaining the idea of moving forward. If players and 'Department Masters(?)' can not have access to each other and build a good relationship, then the original article is irrelavent and work should be done on the technical aspects of the game anyway.

    Please do not read my words above with any emotions in them. I like AO and think that FC is one of the only games that shows steady progress - quite refreshing really. The written word has a tendancy of sparking a unique response from each reader and I hope that what I presented here is used as fuel for thought and not fuel for flame-throwers - hehe. 'Writing for neutral emotional response' was not a collegiate course that I remember nor should a person need to take such a course in order to share a thought.

    -- Bearsoul - Clan MA - RK1

  3. #83
    Did someone mention this? In order to foster more involvement with the story, there could be a way to grant XP for things that involve the story but not necessarily killing.

    Let's say, for example, that Ivan Sergeyich decides to hold an all-hands meeting every second Tuesday of the month. All Omni-Pol members who show up for the meeting could get a percentage of a level. Omni-AF decides to make a rade on the Cyborgs in Mort 'in the best interests of national security' and all who bring in a Cyborg ear get 2% of a level.

    The current state of PvP affairs disgusts me. But, if a real battle were ever to be imminent and the military leaders on each side decide to rally the troops for an assault, 'medals' could be given out to those who participate which when right clicked provide a proper xp boost. Picture Luke and Hans going up to get their decorations after blowing up the Death Star.

    Doing paperwork could advance your character as could serving as a recruitment officer. It would be well worth it for FunCom to encourage people to fulfill their positions admirably by providing an equitable (if not nearly as efficient) alternative to mission after mission.

    In closing, even if this argument is rejected, it shows again that FunCom must be in charge of these groups. No player could be entrusted with the distribution of medals such as described above.

  4. #84
    Originally posted by Damien
    Option 2 (forcefully changing org names) is probably the best decision that aligns with the overall storyline. That said, however, I would expect a few other things that are also inline with the game concept:

    * these 'super org' leaders must be active. If they are FC employed and extremely active, then good communications and interraction with the storyline is possible. If the leadership is invisible and 'assumed' then don't even bother - you have that now.
    This would be another perfect inside to get guilds more active as far as storyline is concerned, without showing favouritism. Even if they aren't too active in the initial stages, it leaves that door open. They should get this done irregardless of what the minority opinion is.

    Originally posted by Damien
    * Along with a sort of 'super org' or departmental broadcast (mentioned in an earlier post) there should be a facility for org missions. If you want to effect the storyline by fueling and encouraging player participation, then you MUST do more in-game. When everything is camped, when the only information is the web-based community anyway, and when fully half (or more) of the players actually give a rat's ass about story line, you have a core problem that has fundamental influences on everything you build over it.
    Well, the guild leaders certainly won't be powerless if they are GMs. They might not be able to give your items back, or but be sure that they can create and run NPCs to track down and assassinate, transfer important documents to, provide an escort to peace talks, board meetings. You get the idea.


    Originally posted by Damien
    * If it will take 3 or 4 months to implement org housing OR 3 or 4 months to fix 30+ players lag issues (more than 30 folks in an area) then I would suggest spending the developer resources on the lag issues first. What good are super-org meeting halls and/or massive battles if everyone gets booted all of the time?
    Content developers and bugfixers are two different departments. They pulled people from the fantasy MMORPG people to take over the task of fixing AO. This has been officially stated by Cosmik and Cz. Lag issues are for network admins maintaining the servers in both the US and Norway. Calm down, bubba.


    Originally posted by Damien
    Please do not misunderstand me. I enjoy the game and try to enjoy the roleplay as much as possible. But underlying issues MUST be resolved before introducing more 'candy' here. Piss-poor-prior-planning will cause a lot of the issues that FC has eperienced in the past, is experiencing now, and will experience in the future. Fix the foundation components first and scrap the storyline for 3 months.
    I have a major disagreement here. High-level players are leaving because they are bored. I'm talking people that are 125+, which is a better chunk of the players. Their poo-poo attitudes kill alot of the enthusiam on the boards, making other players leave because they are getting all of the negativity and feel they don't have anything look forward to.

    With all of the bug fixes they have been doing, the *candy* they promised didn't appear, and people are getting upset about that. It's impossible to please both polarized player bases without one or the other, and splitting things up the way they are, I applaud them for trying to stretch as best as they can.

    Originally posted by Damien
    * are all of the tradeskills working so players know where their strengths/weaknesses are and can intelligently select the best department/org?
    Tradeskills are money-making professions that also make better weapons. It is neither a major crashing/lag/killer bug, nor is it too terribly vital to the storyline. You can delay the IP reset until those are fixed. In addition, you decided which guild you want to choose, how would it matter how you spend IPs on tradeskills if you want to join the Engineering research guild? If you really want to RP, you join it because of the idea, not how good you are at making guns.


    Originally posted by Damien
    * are the classes balanced in alignment with the game vision (perhaps not player expectations) and does there seem to be a fairly predictable distribution?
    This is the biggest complaint I have no sympathy for. Classes will *NEVER* be balanced to the players satisfaction. It will always be So-and-so Profession has a bigger <male chicken> than me.

    Fix(er) the major imbalances, tweak the ones that N(T)eed it, and close the change possibilites that are co(MP)leted.

    Originally posted by Damien
    * can a player select the correct org based upon their perception of their class and playstyle (will a martial artist truely wish to be in an Omni-med org? Why? What benefit does the org recieve and what benefit does the player recieve?). This is a fundamental question that must be answered long before posing the question presented in the original article.
    Benefits is Min/Maxing, if you don't want to RP, don't join a GM governed organization. Read the description of the organization, see if you can and want to follow its itenerary and philosophy, as well as it's restrictions.

    Why join the Navy if you are going to get seasick? Why join the Airforce if you can't stand heights? Would a Catholic priest join a biker gang?


    Originally posted by Damien
    * is spawn competition resolved and part of ancient history for all orgs needing to equip in an inventory-based game? Why have missions if they mean little more than level advancement and loot aquisition while speaking of reducing that focus in the original article? Why NOT have FC-inspired org missions of some sort (assuming FC can fit large numbers of people into an area) that lure the players into the storyline.
    Wouldn't the focus of GM-run organizations put much much more influences on a story-based drive instead of a leveling treadmill and having ph4t l3wtz? Read the segment above on GM spawned NPCs. What do you think that would have an effect on spawn camping? Do you honestly think that we would be sent out to camp an already contested spawn if the GM can just whip up an NPC and start controlling it?

    Originally posted by Damien
    * can more than 30-100 people actually be in close proximity without booting or do the stated minimum requirements need to be updated/increased so these departments/super-orgs actually have something to participate in?
    Valid point and something that FC should take into consideration if they haven't already. This is glaringly obvious.


    Originally posted by Damien
    * is it truly possible (or even feasible) to have the players effect the storyline or is the storyline already written and the players are simple sheep being herded into it? (in the latter case, there would obviously be no need for the initial article here and there is plenty of evidence that this is indeed the case - few people even care)
    That is something easily controlled by each org. Some have set agendas, most will be able to adapt to the changes. In addition, what is to say there won't be board members who are all players, stating the direction of each of their departments. What about the deciding 12 for a clan sect? They obviously want our input here on the forums, why would they not want it in the game too?

    Originally posted by Damien
    I personally enjoy the game and the storyline - I also have a very fast PC with SCSI drives and a fast 768/768 DSL connection. But many many others do not enjoy the game nor even care about the storyline. Many others have only the minimum stated requirements for this game and are limited to solo or small team missions as far as their participation is concerned.
    I'm very sorry, but they purchased the game. If they know what minimum requirements mean, they accept that the machine will not be able to perform as best as it could (recommended hardware). I've had to get a better video card and ordering memory because I turn up the resolution and all features to the max. I'm not being elitist, but come on, common sense here people.

    Originally posted by Damien
    If FC can first ensure that players will have influence on the storyline then FC must first optimize the current technical issues before even entertaining the idea of moving forward. If players and 'Department Masters(?)' can not have access to each other and build a good relationship, then the original article is irrelavent and work should be done on the technical aspects of the game anyway.
    GMs, Devs, CS reps, even the cleaning lady (look in the Troll Corps. thread, it's there) play. Wouldn't you think that they would love to be able to interact with the players? They already play alongside with players anonymously, they could 'come out of the closet' and interact the the same way with players, and have a greater take on the storyline.

    Originally posted by Damien
    Please do not read my words above with any emotions in them. I like AO and think that FC is one of the only games that shows steady progress - quite refreshing really. The written word has a tendancy of sparking a unique response from each reader and I hope that what I presented here is used as fuel for thought and not fuel for flame-throwers - hehe. 'Writing for neutral emotional response' was not a collegiate course that I remember nor should a person need to take such a course in order to share a thought.

    -- Bearsoul - Clan MA - RK1
    Babe, I think you have some great ideas. I just refute them because they are mislead, but your thoughts are in the right place. I am not responding the way I am here not because I want change for changes sake, but I genuinely feel that this is one of the brightest and most useful changes FC could have done. It's IMHO revolutionary! I can not think of a single instance where EQ had a GM-led guild when it was blatantly obvious.

    I say WTG!
    "Rubi-Ka is my home, my life, and my office... who let these people in?" - Madaline "Deaddreamer" Fontanaro
    "If you cancel your account, can I have your stuff?"
    Date of registration 2001-06-29 00:11:50 UTC
    Account status Open
    Next billing 2002-08-04

    Now, who's the newbie here?

    For the MMORPG Elitists:
    • Explorer:80%
    • Socializer:66%
    • Achiever:33%
    • Killer:20%

  5. #85
    It's been stated that it's already known how the major events are going to play out over the first four years. It's not up to us to decide how the story goes. It's up to us to enjoy living in a constantly changing world.

    If chapter 17 of episode 2 has Omni-AF getting decimated by aliens in the Outzone, then the head of Omni-AF has to oversee a catastrophy happen to his men. He has to craft and nudge his people and sub-orgs properly to ensure the proper outcome without being too obvious.

    Only FunCom can do this. Those of us who understand we are living within a novel will react with horror, shock, joy, surprise, at the turn of events witnessed by the destruction of such a powerful detachment of soldiers.

    However, certain others will whine and cry foul and piss and moan that it was 'fixed'. Duh, of course it was. Wait till you see what happens next.

    Those who don't want to take part in the story can stick to the current style PvP and enjoy your <male chicken> comparison contests when they implement your 'capture the flag' rules.

    It's my sincere hope that the Story Orgs finally add some realism and accountability to player actions. Players may or may not be able to police themselves. But, when you sign up for a particular organization (especially Omni-Tek) you had best be handed a code of conduct along with your Riot Shield.

  6. #86

    Thumbs up Here Here!

    Absolutely Bionitrous, that is exactly what I was saying, these super-orgs will not be mandatory, and will give few real in-game benefits. They are however, tools for telling the story and involving the player base in that. If FC can get this right...

  7. #87

    the real idea

    The real idea should not be forgotten that this is a game based decision. It is happening not to please any player or particular set of players (or even the entire community, though pissing us all off would surely have financial consequences) but for the STORY. Now, the story is written for the players so it may be a symantical distinction, but an important one. If the storyline is written for the players, but is written specifically to PLEASE the players then there would be no bombings of cities, no zone wide viral infections, all the really fun things would disappear because too many players were upset about it. SO - the point - Funcom is gonna have to piss some people off to set this one straight. I belive it was mentioned in a earlier post though that if thier really THAT pissed about it then they didn't care about the storyline anyway. SO - here's what they should do!

    1) Player Orgs with storyline names have 2 options, they can either fold completely and give the control of the org to Funcom... the best example of this would be "Omni-Pol" which is the most directly controlled department by Ross himself, not much chance for Player intervention there other than saying "Yes Sir", in this case all current members would become "citizens" of the org an no more until promoted by funcom... OR they can submit to the will of the higher authorities and retain thier membership charter as is

    2) Since the storyline is expected to progress there should be a HUGE list of naming conventions AND you should be able to FILE as a storyline org and at some point down the road you MIGHT be written into the story with some importance... note the term APPLY -- this means there is a standard and rules for becoming a story org, either you meet them or you don't, sorry guys

    3) Funcom will have the right to control, if appropraite, the charter of orginizations... this again applies specifically to "Omni-Pol" - one of thier requirements would be that you could NEVER have declared yourself as clan -- Neutral may applie -- also, selling weapons to any clan member could get you banned from an org ect... don't take this too, it just means that ROLE PLAYING will be ENFORCABLE in the Story orgs

    This is the honest opinion of one crazy MA and i don't expect anybody to listen, but this way gives players ALOT of option, makes it so that guild restructuring won't completely alienate ANYBODY and will piss off the most people possible so nobody will feel left out... One more thing - the current leaders of ORGS that would be completely controlled by fucom could always get "promoted"

    Cromethus

  8. #88

    Lightbulb Vote for door #3

    IMHO, most if not all of the organizations that assumed the same name as story-named organizations did so (at least at first) to become "part of the story." Having this actually become so in the game would, I would think, be a blessing to those organizations - especially if new perks come with the new responsibility.

    From a player's perspective, as long as the org is not a small, closed, and tight knit group that simply refuses new members; as long as the group generally roleplayes the organization and recruitment, this could be really fun! I just started running an Agent, and this type of organizational change, along with the soon-to-come Agent changes allowing crossing of sides, could make for some really fun roleplaying. Even more interesting would be if Agents could belong to multiple organizations simultaniously

    I, myself, would not mind having "lost" the chance to create a story-based organization because I was "not quick on the trigger."

  9. #89
    Look more great ideas from Gaute. While it's all well and good to come up with new stuff, isn't there enough to work on right now with getting the game just balanced and working properly? Can we please take a break from new ideas for things that probably wont work right, and fix the old stuff that doesn't work right first?

  10. #90
    Originally posted by Ayvalen
    Look more great ideas from Gaute. While it's all well and good to come up with new stuff, isn't there enough to work on right now with getting the game just balanced and working properly? Can we please take a break from new ideas for things that probably wont work right, and fix the old stuff that doesn't work right first?
    Uh, no.

    How about both get done.

    Not everyone is a dev at FC.

    Some are modellers, world mappers, content developers, as well as programmers. Plus, there are different teams that work on different sections of the game.
    "Rubi-Ka is my home, my life, and my office... who let these people in?" - Madaline "Deaddreamer" Fontanaro
    "If you cancel your account, can I have your stuff?"
    Date of registration 2001-06-29 00:11:50 UTC
    Account status Open
    Next billing 2002-08-04

    Now, who's the newbie here?

    For the MMORPG Elitists:
    • Explorer:80%
    • Socializer:66%
    • Achiever:33%
    • Killer:20%

  11. #91

    Re: What about Neutrals

    Originally posted by Bergen
    You did not mention Neutral orgs in the article - no plans for neutral orgs?
    I would not like to see these.

    Being neutral entails no affilations... When you start making guilds and getting involved in things then you aren't truely neutral.

  12. #92

    nr2. - Enough sad

    >Forcefully taking back the appropriate story names - making >stronger checks on names when people make new >organisations. Removing the players' ability to >have "Departments" on the Omni-Tek side - assign these as >the "story level" of the Omni-Tek structures. Run the structures >with specially selected players / Funcom employees.



    To qoute Captain Jean - Luc Picard: " Make it so."

  13. #93
    why don't you seperate the servers. this is the biggest problem with this game. you can't get events for 1 server, let alone 3. if the servers are seperated, Guild houses should be only for the guild, not all the guilds. One guild house and we should pay for it. the more we are willing to pay the more we should get.

    also no grid in or out, but a bank would be good, also only people that can pick up items in the houses are guild members. nobidy else

    there is much that needs done, can funcom keep 3 servers functioning, when now it can't even do 2.

  14. #94

    Uhh...what???

    This is all personal opinion, but why are you worrying so much about large organizational structure when the game does not even work right? Should you not put all your efforts into resolving the numerous bugs and problems with the game rather than worrying about how to structure large organizations? If you don't fix the problems, all the new MMORPG's like Star Wars Galaxies or City of Heros are going to take away all your customers. Then all you'l have to worry about organizing are the few die-hards that play a game despite all the problems with it.

    Just an opinion...everyone has one.

  15. #95
    Originally posted by Bionitrous
    It's been stated that it's already known how the major events are going to play out over the first four years. It's not up to us to decide how the story goes. It's up to us to enjoy living in a constantly changing world.
    Hmm, let me refute you with a little thing That Anarchy Online's own website states:

    Anarchy Online is the first science fiction-based persistent online role-playing game. Thousands of players world-wide can compete and cooperate simultaneously in a rich, futuristic world

    Similar in concept to older online RPGs, the updated technology of Anarchy Online has everything those old online games have, and much more:

    http://www.anarchy-online.com/content/game/whatisao/
    So you see never had it been stated this a Novel where we watch it happen and Show how amazed we are. But a RPG let me futher retort:

    Role playing, in essence, is putting yourself in someone else's place, and reacting to situations the way you think that person would react. In Cowboys and Indians, if the Apaches are waiting down the block in ambush, the sheriff's posse just didn't catch the bus to sneak by them. No, you had to get on your horse (stick horse, bicycle, what-have-you) and ride out to look for them. It's what John Wayne would have done, after all.

    Sometimes role playing is compared to theater, but it's not like you'd see in a regular play on a stage. There, your role has been predefined, and your actions predetermined by a script. Your story is already written, and you tell it with costumes, props, and scenery as much as with your words.

    Mirriam Webster Dictionary define's Role playing as to play a role, Act out.

    Mirriam Webster Dictionary define's theater as dramatic literature , dramatic representation as an art or profession

    So tell me again how this is a theater? We are relegated to watch, HMM Funcom says that you are wrong this a a MMOPRG
    Massive Multiplayer Online [B] Role Playing Game [B]

  16. #96

    Arrow RPG

    And in most role-playing games, there is a story... It may be little more than a location/situation, it may be very freeform, but it is present. That's part of why there is a GM. Look at the Dragonlance series of modules, the story was planned out in advance, and the players simply participated in its telling. That style is rather like an improvised play, and is I suspect what FC are wanting to do. Players will influence small events, but the big, world-shaking stuff is beyond them (and, if its like real-life, everyone else as well...)

    Other MMORPGs are aiming for a different approach, one where the situation is set up, but by and large, the players themselves write the plot.

    Let's just wait and see.

  17. #97
    Just wanted to cast my vote for option 2.....

  18. #98
    The player 'affect' the story. The players do not 'determine' or 'write' the story. We got the moat in Tir cleaned up. We 'affected' our environment. Some players made up holidays which were incorporated into the storyline.

    Anything that we do that is archived and can be retrieved four years later is evidence of our direct impact on the storyline.

    What we cannot do is is 'determine' or 'write' if FunCom does not want it to be so. They are the author. They are the ones sitting at the typewriter. They have their major plotlines already coming. These are their plotlines, not ours. They are providing this story to us as part of the 12.95 a month we pay them. They are unbiased in terms of how events are going to unfold. Their goal is to provide us with the best history of the planet for the next 3 years in an effort to stand up to critical acclaim.

    If Phillip Ross is supposed to be assassinated by Clanners on June 24th 2003, then he will appear and the guards will be weak enough to make sure that some lucky Clanner will get a killing blow. That player has had an impact on the storyline. His name will be memorialized or villianized in perpetuity. If nobody shows up to kill Ross, then FunCom will spawn a Clanner to do it.

    All the PvP going on around the planet is silly unless you take it for what it is: a diversion for those who don't like to roleplay or are tired of the leveling treadmill.

    The only battle that will matter will be the one that is endorsed in the storyline. Now, just like a good GM, FunCom may infact have two endings for a particular battle and may infact let this particular event play itself out. This is where the Story Orgs and even the envisioned 'capture the flag' rule changes will come into play. Both these elements are key to properly telling the story. Ragnar has said so himself in another thread.

    But rest assured whatever it takes to keep the plot on course, FunCom will do. They WON"T allow Ross to die if he is required to be around 3 years from now to eventually side with Radiman. FunCom simply cannot spend the effort to create a character with the background and visibility that Ross has to fill that role 3 years from now if some jackass decides to ruin an event and kill him.

    The Story Orgs are just that: STORY Orgs. They help FunCom to tell us the Story. Capturing territory will be an important tool as well. We have high hopes of getting News Terminals based on crude HTTP clients to retrieve frequent updates into the game. DynaCamps can be tailored to help tell their Story. It's all about FunCom creating the tools that they need in order to be able to tell their story.

    Ragnar and others have openly admitted that the game launched without the proper hooks for them to be able to tell their story. Implentation of Story Orgs will probably (judging from the relative technical ease of implementing them) be one of the first steps at rectifying this.

  19. #99

    Storyline and guilds

    Wow Bionitrous

    It is so wonderful to see that you can speak for Funcom and tell the rest of us un-enlightened what we can do to affect the story!

    As a matter of fact Funcom doesn't even run events those are done by the ARK's (volunteer players) and even those aren't included in the "story" most of the time.

    It is wonderful to see that soemone thinks that they can actually affect anything in the game when it is painfully clear to the rest of the community that nothing we do does affect the story in one direction or another, short of a blurb.

    There is no battle between the factions, there is simply a convient way to PVP. There is no political influence or even statesmanship (the original outline for Crats).

    There is barely anyway to level in the game short of missions, since funcom is painfully aware of how fast they are losing their subscription base, so they turn up the level curve more and more.

    This is not roleplaying to any degree, where is the story based missions that the community has to complete to affect the story? Who ever said WE SHOULD WRITE OUR OWN Story? Where should I go to trigger an advantage for clans or omni for that matter ? Where's the NPC (either GM run or AI?) That I talk to to trigger some key happening? Where's the Questing? What can my guild do that would affect anyhting other than going and killing some unique spawn?

    The story in this game is Theatre (Funcom says is RPG) The rest of the game is a level contest, and a item camping lag fest. I say that Funcom hasn't made a step in the right direction, I am glad you are happy to play a movie from a website and call it Roleplaying.

    In short I find your knowledge fictional, Your faith misplaced, and your fanatasism about which you spew this forth vulgur.

  20. #100
    There is no battle between the factions. You are correct. War has not been declared by either side.

    If the focus of this game is one side killing the other side and whoever is left standing, then I might as well quit now. How infantile a plotline is that.

    Unfortunately if left up to the players that is what the 'plot' would devolve to.

    - We had a battle and took over this town.
    - We killed this guilds leader.
    - We had a battle and killed all the other guys.
    - The leaders of guilds X and Y had a duel and one killed the other.
    - We caught Clanners in Lush Fields and killed them.
    - Phillip Ross made a speach and he got killed.

    Honestly, I don't think anybody who signed on for the Story thought it was going to be a 4-yr Team Fortress Classic. People who enjoy that 'I hate you, I shoot you, you hate me, you shoot me, whoever lives is the winner' kind of game don't even give a crap about a plotline or backstory that gives meaning to why they are shooting each other.

    It's for the rest of us who are interested in what the Dust Brigade is doing, wondering exactly where they are coming from, why they are killing indescriminately. It's for those of us who are waiting more and more impatiently to find out exactly what is going on in the Biomere. It's for those of us who wonder if Ross and Radiman are ever going to sit down again and get tensions eased. It's for those of us who care about the Story as a 'story' that things like Story Orgs are being created.

    You don't have to be a member of Omni-Pol to run around like a jackass and shoot every Clanner you come across. However, you DO need to be a member of the Official Omni-Pol if you expect to arrest a Clanner in Omni-Trade for questioning if he also is a believer in the Story and expect your actions to be regarded as legitemate. Do this to a prominent Clanner and you have just made the news. Turn it into a chronic happening and you have affected History. Roleplaying affecting the Timeline of the game. Nothing wrong with that.

    FunCom having divergent plot lines where multiple paths can be taken depending on player actions (read: result of battles) eventually resolving back on track is of course to be expected. This is one of the best devices of a truly gifted Games Master. Nothing wrong with that. The players shaped the storyline.

    What is unacceptable is players trying to usurp the Games Master power from FunCom. This is unfair to each and every player who is not part of the small group trying to polish their egos and run things their own way. Note, the incredible majority of people who want FunCom (or authorized, trained, and eventually accountable individuals) to run these groups rather than simply players. We can complain to FunCom if their storytelling skills suck or the story just isn't entertaining. That's to be expected. We are paying them. It's our duty in fact.

    What we don't have recourse to do is to prevent other players from spoiling the evolving story if we DO happen to enjoy it and maybe want to see what's going to happen next. That is FunCom's responsibility to make sure that player actions absolutely cannot ruin it for the rest of the playerbase. It's a tough row to hoe. But, any competent PnP GM can tell you it's rewarding for both the participants and the host when when people finally 'get it' and learn to go with the flow rather than always trying to swim upstream.

    Join Omni-AF. Just don't go firing your gun off in Clan territory without authorization. If you plan to visit Clan territory you better have a reason. Join Omni-InternOPs. Just don't go spouting off to everyone that O-I is having an 'event' somewhere when a group of you is selected to infiltrate something. Good way to get yourself kicked out a spy org, no? If you join the Eco-Warriors, don't you think you'd be given a code of ethics? If you can't deal with working within the framework of both the story and the backstory then stick with your own guild and powerlevel and try to kill Ross everytime he tries to give a speech. Story Orgs are not for you.
    Last edited by Bionitrous; May 9th, 2002 at 23:15:41.

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