Official Faction Quarterly Check Overhaul Proposal
( My idea and suggestion on how the quarterly checks can be changed to have it not entirely based on log-time )
'Sup, everyone.
I have had a chat with a few people about Official Factions and what the ins and outs are of what you actually get once you become official. We have all seen the quarterly checks at one point or another, this post is essentially serving as my suggestion on how this system can be overhauled and changed into more of a "weighted" system. Let's get started:
BASIC IDEA
This "weighted" system comes from the ID checks you would have gone through when applying for something IRL. This big thing gives you more credit and these smaller ones give you smaller credit or points, all culminating into a total score you work on that passes a threshold. An adjusted system from this idea is effectively what I'm trying to put together here.
DEEPER DETAILS
My idea here is to list different ways we interact with the game and the forums and give each one a point score of sorts. And with all the interactions added up, you hope you pass the point check for the quarter. With this idea, getting the 3 days of log time would be enough, though if you struggle to get the time, the other interactions should be considered to fill in the gaps to pass the check.
(weighted strongly)
Log Time
Official Event Participation
(weighted fairly)
Message Dumps
Faction Specific Projects
Mission Boards
Player Base Related Activity
(weighted lightly)
Communication Channel
(weighted less)
Credits Earned(?)
That's all I have for now.
LEFT OPEN TO REPLIES
Essentially, I would like a system where official faction checks aren't 100% based on log time. Forum activity should very much be considered on top of in-game activity. I understand that this may lead into more work for the admin team and any 1IC / 2ICs of the OFs. With the inclusion of these added elements to pass the quarterly check, also opens more avenues for players to exploit and cheese the checks. There are upsides and downsides of this particular idea - of which I am aware. Hoping to spark conversation with the community on what other ideas come up regarding how the checks should work.
Answering permit requests, recruitment threads and servicing Bounty Boards should also feature heavily, they are after all part of the forum based RP, even if a little mundane.
It is a good start, but it is one-sided and ignores the other side of the coin that affects the activity of OF greatly. That is "why being OF in the first place" question. As of now, there are few incentives for being OF, none of them really crucial. The number of OFs overall is a good indicator. While it is no less important making quarterly check less of a chore to prevent people from burning out, there should also be incentive to motivate people going for ofdom if you want to keep the institute of ofdom, that is.
OFs should play the game, 3 days are easily achievable and should stay. But yeah, got to have incentives, there are none now. In many cases, it's actually harmful and a net negative to be an OF if your faction ID doesn't need to be different from Indie ID.
I like seeing players sharing ideas on how to improve things. Here's my take on this matter.
Some Issues with the Present System.
I am extremely fond of the idea of introducing this type of thing, but it comes with its drawbacks. For example, how to fairly oversee these matters. Even if we were to consider these rules fairly, there would still be factions trying to remain official by manipulating, or better said, dragging their way to meet the standards, as we have seen so many times before the start of each quarter.
Another point I want to mention is forum activity and activity in the game. In my opinion, in-game roleplay is much more valuable than on forums. It is much better when you have players who are there one in front of the other, communicating or simply roleplaying as the situation develops.
However, things like activity checks will always be much easier to maintain for corporations that do nothing else but make money, and powertrade. And, we know that ones who powertrade tend to offer much inferior roleplay quality . Such players applaud pirate roleplay only if their credit/cargo demands are low. Of course, there are exceptions.
If you have 3 days of activity each quarter, you literally should have a reasonable set of quality interactions that would prove you were truly active and contributed to the environment. Many don't. I wonder why. You would also want to like perhaps share those interactions in Message Dumps and branch further.
There are official factions that make every effort to avoid interactions. In my opinion there should be some kind of punishment for such nonsense. I understand that everyone uses that playerlist to search for, and sometimes avoid interactions, but if an OF frequently does this while embracing those that they favor and avoiding those that they don't is in my opinion very poor behavior and should be punished.
And no, I'm not talking about terrible sportsmanship that happens everywhere. That can be frustrating, but if you have someone who is reasonable, and you still avoid them because they don't play how you want, that's bad behavior my friend. Official Factions shouldn't resort to such ways. They should serve as an example of maturity, quality, lore-care and much more (I know that this is beyond comprehension for many).
Official Factions that represent that default NPC faction, should PERHAPS respect lore of that default NPC faction. It's silly to make friends with everyone just because you can't play your character according to the faction, or represent that faction properly. These are by no means minor deviations just to be clear.
Players do not take advantage of privileges offered to them as an OF. They simply do not engage in things like, for example, official events, nor do they create them, even though they have every right to do so. Similar things apply to actual new commodities and other related stuff.
Standards of official factions have significantly declined in order to rely mostly on accumulation of some activity. Whether that activity contributes in any way simply just doesn't matter. Official Factions have long been tools for power gaming. Powergaming in the sense of seeking overpowered privileges, and when you gain them, you use them to negatively impact the community.
Now, honestly, a serious question. What do factions expect when they become official? They themselves don't even know. They don't know what they want. Well, you'll get a new kind of ID, a new tech cell, better roleplay validity, and similar things. When you become official, do you realize that you should have a greater influence on the overall environment? Well, that should mean that you should represent qualities that would attract other players to follow you.
Do you really stand behind these qualities? If you gather some value, you should express it in-game too. Wait, you don't have the motivation to log in? How did you have the motivation to become official? To become official you need to present certain standards (of which there are very few). Your motivation is based on your approach to the game. You can't constantly focus on one thing and expect it to drive you indefinitely. If indeed, even when you have done everything correctly (which is not the case in 90% of situations), why don't you suggest some overhaul ideas that would not only motivate you but other players as well? This would imply following everything above, contrary to the negative side effects.
What Would we Achieve with an Overhaul? How to aim it?
First, somehow we should address these issues that I mentioned, but they mostly stem from players and how they engage with others, or approach the game, in a way. You'd essentially want to fix these issues. Taking the good things into consideration and pushing players toward achieving them.
Players expect additional rewards just because they are official. That essentially undermines the point of being official. Point is not for you to receive a reward solely for being official, but to further promote in-game roleplay, activity... Fun is needed. If you are truly working on interactions, to make them of higher quality, you will likely be rewarded with enjoyment. Example. You can't anticipate rewards by consistently logging an LABC to New York, and fighting the same people over and over, and writing those same few miserable lines of Roleplay to get into action.
Enforce higher standards? Advise players to actually play accordingly, and preserve the mystery that's been left out for a good while? Without mystery, there is barely any reason play. There are Rogues, quite literally, running to get infected by a Nomad. How does that make any sense? One of many examples. Alert: some won't be able to keep-up.
Present new rules for the sake of presenting, and restricting?
"Motivate players to play factions?"
I mentioned certain things that might push this idea in a better direction. Right now, I'm not exactly sure on how these "points" (As written in the original OP) would really work. It would require some thought I guess. Imo, much of this is related to personal-wishes, and how players actually play the game. I didn't really focus much on this, so I might offer some ideas if I get to it. Lack of incentives? Players can always suggest some. I think that just playing the game, and having fun has been neglected. I don't believe that healthy joy hides behind powergaming, and abiding by the negativities that I've listed.
Quote:official events, nor do they create them, even though they have every right to do so.
I mean - events do little to nothing for the faction itself, they work for the benefit of the community unless your lock it for your own OF only. Which tends to flop.
You outlined a lot of what RP standards OFs should have but ... why be OF? You can have high-quality roleplay on a non-OF, or on a random indie?
These events would essentially boost faction activity, how do you think they wouldn't contribute? Especially if you make use of that activity properly, I believe it could be quite effective. However, I'm not sure what kind of rewards you truly expect? What are your expectations? You don't mention them.
I mentioned reasons why someone might want to become official. If you find the system lacking in such way, why don't you propose solutions that'd motivate you to perhaps, "run an official faction?" After all, you run two official factions. You surely would know. Right?
Well, you just illustrated my point from earlier. What you are saying is nice and all, but all your points are actually responsibilities that become cumbersome after a month or two and, in fact, deter players from starting an official faction because it is simply "chill" to stay unofficial to play the way you want and with no expectations from the others. In order to demand from faction leaders events organising, excellent RP, and forcing them to RP with people (even when it is cringe or otherwise unpleasant) there should be some sort of motivation / incentive to tolerate all these responsibilities. So far, there are none.
I've already mentioned that. Any modifications, and restrictions would make factions more reliant, and of course would somewhat force players to uphold those standards. Preferably, you wish to lure players with content, without forcing them to like "play." As it currently stands, official factions are primarily there for validity, and then for everything else. You can maintain quality as an unofficial faction, but you are well aware of why most players prefer official factions. You still have official factions.
As for OFs, when I mentioned validity, it would be expected that you keep those standards. As an unofficial faction, you're not required to do so at all. Of course. That's obvious. And, you anticipate rewards as an OF, without really glancing back at general approach to the game. Part of it depends on the dynamic of the game, and progress of the story, balance, and whatever else that inspires people to play. It'd be beneficial if players would suggest solutions, and present what would "motivate" them. I mean, credits and similar things really don't mean a whole lot if you already have enough for your needs. That'd everything that I wished to underline. It would be pleasant to see changes, but first, players need to come up with something reliable. Which is kind of difficult with the current ambient imo.
(08-08-2023, 04:53 PM)xenomorph Wrote: Took you fast to read it all, and process. Right.
These events would essentially boost faction activity, how do you think they wouldn't contribute? Especially if you make use of that activity properly, I believe it could be quite effective. However, I'm not sure what kind of rewards you truly expect? What are your expectations? You don't mention them.
I mentioned reasons why someone might want to become official. If you find the system lacking in such way, why don't you propose solutions that'd motivate you to perhaps, "run an official faction?" After all, you run two official factions. You surely would know. Right?
Well no, not really - from my experience event effort/reward for an OF is not worth it for e.g. retention of activity for the OF itself - in large majority of the time it's other factions + indies that are mostly participants/beneficiaries, while you do a lot of background work. That's beside the fact that for events you don't NEED to be an OF, not one bit - only difference you get is to post on the main page.
There are a lot of stuff OFs use that doesn't really benefit them.
Events - service to the community, not a real perk, don't need to be OF for it.
Bounty Boards - service to the community, not a real perk but an administrative burden. You don't need OF for internal rewards.
Tech compact granting from 75 to 100 - again, service to people requesting, not you.
The benefits needed are clear - let OFs actually matter as NPC faction reps, bring back DWG with proper 3rd party moderation who distil points to the devs who lack communication skills and take things too personally(.i.e. most of them) - make OFs matter in the dev process again. They should be consulted on story developments, warned ahead of time of things happening. That's step number one.
Step number two are nice and easy to get perks - very basic perks are often denied, and it takes literal months to hear a decision, the most basic perks are blocked by individual staff members. If OFs matter then their perks should be taken seriously and only denied with strong reasons. You just give up using the perk process - OFs put in work to be ofs, keep being ofs, this should "buy" them goodwill and effort from staff. People don't even apply for perks anymore because the process seems so long and complicated and perks get denied and don't get fast feedback. You need simplicity, you need communication, actual community staff rep pushing factions to use perks and making it easy for them. OFs don't matter because there is no communication, being a casual pal of a dev gets you drastically more inside info and communication than being an OF lead. Make OFs matter again and you can increase the requirements. Now they don't, so the standard shouldn't be increased.
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