Thread for Suggestions Index | New Thread | Reply | Close | Stick | Delete  Suggestions T 8:58pm, March 02, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] So, since the chat is up and running again...what things do you want to see to make it better? Anything and all things you can think of. Just keep them helpful and constructive. :p I'll consider each one and, if they can work, fit them into the chat. Thanks T  A word on Setting Vance Claustrum 10:16pm, March 02, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] It is my opinion that instead of being based around the cloud city that instead the location of the main chat setting should shift in conjunction with current chat events. Now all you people then will react saying that it limits interaction... and it does! But it also gives people the opportunity to have a more diversified character pool to draw from. While main characters will move from main setting to main setting there will also be a cast of supporting characters specific to each location. This is not to say they too can not travel or team up with the main charecter set, what it does mean is that people won't be stuck rping with the same five people all day long. Further if a character dies it is no big deal, you will have more to step up and take their place. Just another chance to make someone you enjoy playing more. No, this does not mean you get to make someone more powerful that kicks more ass because you are tired of dying. Such things are inevitable, characters will die, good and bad. But rest assured, the power of balance will be kept very simply, if someone goes about killing person after person they will soon have quite a large following after them, be aware of this, there will always be opposition. So if you make a hit man and someone comes looking for revenge, cry me a river. Don't be afraid to create such characters, just keep in mind that they may be short lived. I like plot, I want a plot driven chat that has some semblance of moving forward. Lets make a story worthy of the name star wars and not just another boring drama. Again, this is all just my opinion, but I hope you will consider and agree with it. (Who doesn't like being agreed with?) And if you don't, well that is your prerogative. Any suggestions or responses are welcome.   T 10:20pm, March 02, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] While yes, Cloud City and Bespin are the main setting, there is other important things going on elsewhere and I intend to have major stuff around the SW galaxy, as you suggest...and you do make good points....*ponders*   Mark 6:33pm, March 31, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] I'm inclined to agree with Vince that the location should change, but I understand that doesn't work for some people. Here are some of my suggestions, I've used the upcoming Bespin event as an example to several of my ideas. #1) A plot location that remains NEUTRAL. It doesn't belong to one faction or the other. Sure, we have that now, but in a few days it will belong to the Empire, no more neutrality means no more RP. The RP circles will be effectively cut, bad guys will RP with bad guys, good guys with good guys, and Ossus will stay where it has been put: not involved in the admin run plot. Obviously when Bespin falls a new location is needed. This one should remain neutral. #2) A plot that MAKES SENSE. Bespin is as far away from Imperial Space as possible, Imperial Involvement there just doesn't make sense when Fondor, Kuat, Bilibrigi, Mon Calamari, Ossus, Kashyyyk, and a whole host of other words are alot closer. The Empire is supposedly fielding resources on par with the Republic, which controls more then half the galaxy, while the Empire is down to a few dwindling sectors. #3) A plot that players can ALTER THE OUTCOME of. The Bespin Event (as an example) has already had it's outcome pre-determined, why should we participate in an event that's already been decided? If players can't alter the event of a story then they can't properly explore their role in said story. It's more like they're reading a story about other characters and just happen to be along for the ride. RPG's are about players being the Hero (or villan) everyone should have that opportunity. #4) A plot that players can PARTICIPATE in. There is no room currently in the plot for Jedi Involvement. They are almost ignored, as if they are an afterthought to the galaxy rather then an influence on it. No effort has been made to involve them in anything. All participating in the plot comes from Admin controlled characters specifically inviting people into the plot. Plots should build on each other - a character that is requested to do one action should see the next logical action in the plot and be able to participate, rather then have to wait for a special invitation to do so. #5) A plot that players can see CHANGES THE UNIVERSE. There is a war, the Republic is tight up...somewhere...fighting it. We have no idea where, we have no idea if they are winning, losing, or holding ground. occasionally we see glimpses of this in event news posts that are all OOC. There is nothing that connects the players to the Universe around them that is changing. Allegedly the Senate is poised by indecision - how do we know that? Are there news posts? RP events? NPC events? Nothing to explain away the story that is supposedly going on around our characters. A good idea here would be to have players write news posts based on RP events and post them on the board to keep others appraised and foreshadow future events, rather then run obscure NPC encounters that probably get lost in the logs. #6) A plot that players can HELP ESTABLISH. There have been some great suggestions from Vince already. I've made several suggestions myself, but throughout it all we get the same constant drumback: The plot has been decided. The plot council should be the ones running things, as they are live active players in the room. But since we still have no idea who they are, how to present ideas to them or even if they have any power at all, it's impossible for anyones suggestions to influence the plot. They should make themselves open and available to player plots, and have the authority to institute them. #7) A plot that has some FACTION LEADERSHIP. There is now an established Jedi Council, they need to get people involved in the RP by assigning missions. The council is not a passive force that waits until someone needs it to do something - they should be doing things already. So should the Republic. They should be issuing orders and responding to threats. There have been some good steps made, Faction Leaders should make more to ensure their factions are involved in the plot. #8) No more LOOMING MENACE plot scenarios. Frankly, they have been overdone. Every SW Room in existence has had the same plot: "There is a great evil thing coming and about to be done. Be afraid, because its going to change everything as soon as it happens!" And inevitably, it never happens. The plot needs to have things that are actually occurring in the galaxy. #9) No more SUPERWEAPON plots. It's been done, and it's just not that exciting. Supertechnology is great. A ship that has five times as many weapons as other capital ships is great. It's not FUN. It doesn't have anything to do with RP other then being super cool. If everyone had something SUPER COOL it would be REALLY SUPER COOL but not necessarily very fun. That's why we balance characters, technology should be balanced too. We should stick to the same technology available to the SW Factions in the real SW Timeline. It's fairly well balanced. #10) More plot RP EVENTS. I would suggest one a week to continually advance the plot. Generally, chats atrophy and die when things aren't happening. If things happen, and continue to happen, it keeps peoples interest. Summary: 1) NEUTRAL CHAT LOCATION 2) LOGICAL PLOT DEVELOPMENT 3) ALTERED OUTCOMES 4) PLAYER PARTICIPATION 5) A CHANGING UNIVERSE 6) PLAYER ESTABLISHED PLOT 7) FACTION LEADERSHIP 8) NO LOOMING MENACE 9) NO SUPERWEAPONS 10) RP EVENTS   T 7:05pm, March 31, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] You do know the name there is VANCE, not VINCE. Anyway, to your points: 1- The location of Bespin was chosen because it is not affiliated with Imps or Republic, but it also has a resource, Tibanna, that makes it desirable by both sides, which will factor into the plot. The leadership of Bespin, if RP goes like I want, will change many times over, not just Imperial controlled. 2- Due to the fact the Imps don't have as much space to control as the Republic, they can use their resources much more efficiently than the Republic and not be stretched as thin. As for their new boost in resources, that is actually part of the plot to be discovered, it was hinted at by the Muun after he was freed from the Imp control. I made sure to have a plot to explain this point, since the Imps are, as you say, limited in their sectors. 3- Bespin was always meant to have a battle where the Imps take charge, this was to wrap up 'chapter 1' of the story, and also ignite the Republic into action, which will happen. This battle is roughly to be equivalent to the Battle of Hoth, where the Imps were overpowering the Rebels and all they were trying to do was run away. This is what Bespin will do, a battle for Republic people and others who want to run to do so whilst the Imps take control. In the end, this will spark full scale war openly between the Republic and Imperials. 4- The Jedi were involved in the Muunilinst operation, if you recall. They've just formed a new council. I have some plots for them, but yes, they will be active, even if I have to force them to. 5- The war is not fullscale as it should be, political bickering and infighting in the senate is preventing the full mobilization of the Republic fleet. Though as I said, this will change with Bespin, there will be far more action with the war, before hand it's mainly been small battles along the front lines where the Republic forces are restrained due to political oversight. 6- I've worked with several players into getting plots rolling, Valroia is a prime example of a player run plot, others are getting underway, and others are being suggested and I'm reviewing as well. More goes on than you think, Mark. And the main battle of Bespin has been decided, not the plot overall, as I've not got that much plotted out in the future. And I did, ya know, go for your suggestion of Jedi involvement in the battle. 7- The Jedi are really the only big faction with a leader, and things are being done on that. 8- You always need some motivation factor, and big looming menace does it. If you didn't have a looming menace, no one would feel the need to rally together and fight against it. Some cliches are needed to make things work. 9- The only superweapon styled thing in use if the Hypermatter bombs that will be deployed at Bespin after the fight, these are just big boomers. I've no super weapons in the chat right now. If you mean the Super Class Star Destroyers, the Republic has them as well, hence it is equal. 10- Planning so many plot RP events so quickly will dry up the idea pool and alot of people can't always be around for such things. While the plot will become more involved once full war is declared and more RPs will happen, namely battles across the galaxy, don't expect a big RP plot every week on the big plot. This is why the plot mods were created, to allow other plots to work in and help so the main plot isn't running constantly over everyone else.   Mark 7:26pm, March 31, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] Edited 8:51pm, March 31, 2008 by Mark, author.  On the issue of plot and leadership A'lar Ossian 9:28pm, March 31, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] Right off the bat, I'd like to state that I have no issues with the plot or the direction is headed from what my limited position allows me to see. However, I can understand some of the frustration going on in the chat. Admittedly, I do not know who is on the "Plot Council" or even the majority of the players behind the chars that play them. But I can say this. It's true that the Jedi faction now have IC leadership, but effectively nothing has changed since that meeting. Perhaps I have not been on during the times these players or chars are on, but I haven't seen any of that leadership in play since that day either. What I would like to see is faction leadership and plot council push opposing factions together for conflict. Give the players of lower rank some sort of preogitive and stance on galatic events. In short, make us feel like a unified group. This lack of direction leaves some players without the ability to form up a personal plot that meshes with the larger chat plot. It also gives the impression that the plot is completely Imperio-centric. And while story-wise that may be true, there needs to be an antagonist for them. The Republic is under-represented player-wise, and the Jedi don't seem to have a meaningful reason to get involved. I feel that the thing we need the most is involved, present, PC and avaible faction leaders, that also can have a say in the plot scripting. Again, I have no problem with events like Bespin where the outcome is all ready arranaged. Players can affect many other factors that can alter future events. But we need a viable reason for certain factions to get involved in the events, other than individual will.   Kage 4:50am, April 01, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] As far as the Jedi Council goes, I know Cerf was saying earlier that she has some things going on at the moment, and I believe she should be back to here almost-always-online status pretty soon. Im not sure about the other two. I have a heaping large handful of problems with pre-destined plot lines. I really think its a bad idea to go into the Bespin encounter already knowing its going to fall the the Imperium. I think it would be fair for there to be an all out battle with the Empire at a distinct advantage (making it easier for the "Plot Council's" wishes to come true) but give the other side a chance. Than again, we really dont have any direct leadership for the Empire and the New Republic either. That needs to change too. ASAP. But if it gets the plot moving, I guess I can accept these pre-planned plot things. They're just easier to swollow in smaller doses, like if a couple characters have a "plan" on how to negotiate an rp experience, instead of a giant sized galaxy-altering all roleplayers can be involved type instance like what is going on with Bespin. That isnt my biggest issue though. When I see things like this starting, my largest concern is whether or not an individual roleplayer has the ability to even change anything if they try. Can someone infiltrate the New Republic and corrupt it from the inside out, or are they going to get slapped down by the "Plot Council" with some lame "that wasnt part of our plan, you cant do that" kind of excuse. What if someone wants to plant explosives covertly all over Cloud City, roleplays it out, and pulls it off. Only for an Admin to make a call that the explosives were faulty "for the sake of the chat" or some such. I say if the munchkins want to run around and make a difference, even if its to blow up the place the chat room takes place in, let them have at it, but give them hell. Maybe than -finally- some of the "plot moving" characters in the chat room will actually have a reason to go to Bespin. I just find it frustrating that all the important characters in here that have the largest opportunities to effect the roleplaying environment, are NEVER on the planet that the entire chat room is supposed to be based out of. Yes, Star Wars is a huge canvas, and there are many places to start your painting, and sure there should be plots going on at different planets and what not, but if the chat is going to make a stance that Bespin is its main location, than some serious work needs to be done to make sure that there are key characters and events going on there. Instead of the occasional Mandalorian waiting for work. Yes I understand the Battle of Bespin is comming. I dont see very many people that care. Why? The outcome has already been decided. Why bother. There will still be some that get involved, but it wont be the turn out anyone is hoping for. That isnt one of the key plot points I was asking for. We need to flesh out Bespin more, instead of having all our good plotlines being RPd by some unreachable Moff in some ship in some undesignated area. Or a bunch of Jedi twiddling their thumbs on Ossus because the Council hasnt done anything (let alone a single post made on the boards saying who the council members are, though granted, most of us probley know by now) Beh, Im just ranting... Ill hop off my soap box for now.   T 5:20am, April 01, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] Actually the Moff is reachable in his office on Bastion. :p And he is the leadership of the Empire, to be clear.   Kage 3:02pm, April 01, 2008 [Edit] [Delete] That actually has little to nothing to do with my actual comment though. Index | New Thread | Reply | Close | Stick | Delete