[ELPIRATA]

Ok, no, is not about players becoming factional commanders.....

I always felt that Jumpgate had a problem with one events GM that had to figure out a story and then develop factional interactions and such. To me, factions should be led by real people although hiding behind a NPC or fiction figure (cause we never saw either of the Emperors for example, only their liasons).

The idea is that a GM would dictate how the faction would go in all of its aspects, much like Allegiance but without being there. In some cases the factional leader (the GM) could make polls visible in factional stations in which ONLY factional squad leaders could vote, be that factional fluxxers, factional economic (hauling, producing, mining and explorers) and factional warriors.

He could (or not) ask/tell/show their factional leaders what direction the faction is going for and as such everyone knows what that implies. But, the main idea of this goes for PvP. to me, again, it makes sense if a person (taking into account his forces) plans an attack on the enemy and then creates missions for each type of ship that could be there, like a mission for that specific time and sector where the 'aggression' will take place. Then missions for escorts, bombers, scouts, and other logistic ships (or cargo/miners) would be available. These missions would expire once the event is 'expired'.

Think about the procurement missions, but in a wider scale. Perhaps we need 1000 dreams at Core... he makes a mission available to factional ships only (fluxxers, economy or pvpers) then squad leaders may have the ability to see how many haulers have applied for the mission, and then pvp'ers also sign up. The idea is not a mission taht will happen in 30 mins.... Im thinking on a mission planned before hand for say, tuesday at 1600EST. People have time to check their schedules and see if they can help or not, and some 12 hours before the mission, the factional leader sees if there's enough to proceed with the mission and decides if its a go or not.

Then, tied to the cap ships idea, perhaps he feels that at some point in the route there should be a Corvette class ship with some more escorts to provide either a distraction or a safer way out of enemy space.

Possibilities are endless but with just one GM... is perhaps too much. One GM per playable faction and another for the main story and TRI and hyp/aman... is good. Besides, if we get 1000-5000 players or even more, ND will need to have various GMs online to control or monitor what happens.

ELP

[Viper2c]

Before adding in a GM for each faction, then telling me how I should roleplay, I'd wait and see how many people we actually get into the game to play on a regular basis.


Viper2c

[Jump]

I don't think they can afford to wait. They have to have a plan and staff in place for launch. To launch, realize it's real popular, and then make a plan and hire staff would be suicide.

I think it would be pretty neet if GM's, as far as the roleplay/storyline they are in charge of, would be factional. As long as they are not factional in how they discipline.

So if their are 10 GM's. You could have 2 working on storyline for each faction. As well as responses to other factions storyline. Then maybe have the rest be TRI based. You think the Conflux need a GM or two?

[ELPIRATA]

telling me how I should roleplay

Well, the idea is not tell you how to roleplay, the idea is to have somebody that suggest misions/events and only thinks about whats good for that faction.

ELP

[Jonboy]

I don't think you should be designing in GM intensive features... If the game is incredibly successful, which I assume you want, it will be impossible to hold GM events. Imagine there are 200 game servers on different continents.

You have to do better than design a game that requires a GM.

[ELPIRATA]

Well, I just hope we dont have 300 servers.... Im aiming for one (of course I have zero control on them) and the idea goes for just 1 server. Even with 10k players in one server, if the mission is prepared beforehand, the GM can wait and see if there are enough responses for a mission to go in effect.

Also notice that the idea is for an attack (mandated by a GM) without the knowledge of it for the receiving party, which is as it should be, unless they have spies and such...

ELP

[Wild_Bill]

I'm willing to see how it plays out before I stand in opposition to this idea. I tend to think along the same lines as Viper though. I really don't care to have anyone, GM or otherwise, dictating me what to do in a game I pay to play. Then again, I guess that's how Tritian and others feel about the bounty system and their preferred mode of play.

[dahalb]

It shouldn't be about dictating your RP, its about providing RP opportunities that tie-in with the overall story lines that are presented by the GM's. If you remember back a while, the GM storyline revolved around Sentients. You could either get involved or not.

3 or 4 GM's could be good but if it were me, there would be one overall story line with substories that intertwine with that primary focus. That primary story line would be handled by a single person and all other RP would need approval from a committee headed by that person and involving the other storyline GM's.

As for discipline - so long as its consistent and the people dishing it out aren't settling personal scores then who cares really.

[Jonboy]

The number of shards or players is really irrelevent. Designing in GM-led features is bad game-design. It doesn't make economic sense. Particular GMs can't be on-hand 24/7 and they cost money.

Designing in player-led features is very good.

[Lordopic]

I always thought and still do in fact that GM’s should be like Victorian children. Seen and not heard until you need them. As for giving any one person control of an entire faction. Just how long before they turn into a megalomaniac and it all turns to *its my game and if you don’t like it there’s the door*

Id rather see the story/RP drive forward the key faction personal i.e. the Octavian Emperor ( lets have one and not three this time , and before you ask Emperor = the male sovereign or supreme ruler of an empire. )

If the GM or GM’s could do this with out letting things go to their heads and thinking the players owe them something and they did it for the game rather than their own ego stroking, then maybe your on to something.

[Viper2c]

I never said they shouldn't be 'unprepared'. Lordopic is more inline of what I was thinking. In my experience whenever I started a RP story, and was working on it being public and a continuation, it usually got kicked in the sack by a GM event that suspiciously was designed perfectly to ruin my story. And I'm not the only one it ever happened to.

This is what I hate and fear most. It's almost as if the GMs at the time didn't want people to think up ideas on their own, thinking that their RP couldn't match up to the 'professionals'. "You can't think for yourself, that's what we're here for, do this instead cause we know we are better."

At least that's what it seemed like to me.


Viper2c

[dahalb]

My comments were with regard to "Company RP" not player driven RP. I like a lot of ppl have tried, most times, in vein to get an RP off the ground. When it comes to player driven RP there should be an open invitation by the GM's for ideas. No-one is perfect and no-one knows everything. Player driven RP should be a major part (though not the definitive part) of Jumpgate Evolution. Some of the most original and enjoyable RP's have been by the players for the players in my experience.

EDIT: The factional commanders should IMO be the contact point for the player RP also. With non-factional RP being run through any/all of them.