Lets Fix Factions

Factions of Fractions

There are many mmo out there, but only one atitd. What make this game unique is

a) The friendly community and the non battle aspects. There is a good balance between competition and cooperation. The test of obelisk is a good example of that. You can choose your own style. You can respect a queue, or you can ignore it. You can even totally ignore the test. Generally (with the exception of body tests) you are not forced to do anything.

Why destroy the biggest asset of the game by, splitting it, into 3 pieces? Without provide ways to work around it? Thats the bummest decision ever made. If I like to play war games there are plenty of games out there to play. Please don't destroy the only one that I have found to be different the last 10 years.

As a non English speaker I read the word “faction” as “fraction”. The word faction was unknown to me. And it took me weeks to realize that it is actually a “faction”. But the word fraction is actually a better name. A faction is a fraction of the population. Thats the essence. That’s the idea. You are not an Egyptian citizen anymore. You are 1/3 Egyptian. So in my mind that word is fraction not faction. I try to use the proper wording, but my hands type it automatically and have to go back and fix it.

b) The 2nd unique element is the law system. Let’s use it to fix any issues! Let’s have ballots to see what people really like to do. This changes is killing the game. Let’s hear what the people say.

This is not an against the change rant. The game needs changes. Changes are good. But there is no good in change for the change. Not all changes are good by definition. But f(r)actions is a really rapid change. Now we have some data about the effects that they create in the game. It’s now time to analyze it keep the good changes, and fix the bad effects. Time to hear what the large player base have to say.

Notes:

1. All numbers mentioned is for demonstration purposes. The exact numbers is open to discussion.
2. I have some ideas that can fix some issues. Let’s add yours and debate them. Let’s find a new balance like the Obelisk test. Let’s make the game fun again to everyone. To the people that like factions and to the people they don’t. And let’s make our collective intelligence and our voice heard.
3. This is still a work in progress. I present it here for an early feedback
4. Feel free to add your ideas

The good parts

Factions offer new ways to play the game. You may like to play the tribute game, and that can give to some people a mission to do thats good. This proposal is not against factions. It just try to minimize their effect to people that like that type of play. One good effect is the research. It’s much better to be able to contribute at the research, than running to a remote region and get a bunch of skills that you may have no idea what is about. Also there was no reward to people that do research in old tales. Let’s keep that, but there are some other ideas, that can replace or add to the current system.

• If a player donate to open a specific tech, he/she get a priority in getting that skill. For example he/she can learn that tech 3 days earlier than others.
• Requirements to get an improved technology. This is for new players to get a feeling about Egypt progress. To learn improved brick rack and use it you have first to make 500 bricks in flimsy brick racks. Then you have to make 2K bricks in an improved rack, in order to get access to brick machines.
• In order to get a better feeling of what is need it to open a tech the player must pay a small and manageable tuition. This is also helps to learn what you learn in a uni run. For example to learn Basic Metal Treatment you must pay 1 gravel, 1 sulfur and 1 saltpeter
• Brain capacity This needs a lot of coding so lets consider it for the next tale. You have a limited brain capacity that can be increased in many ways. Doing chores, help in research, pass tests, learn skills from schools increase that. This limit the skills you can learn at a given month. This must limit your access to advanced tech, not basic ones. So you can learn some new skill and have time to play with. The next week you can learn a new tech or maybe 2 if you have a big brain. This idea needs a lot more thinking and discussion.

Fixes

Random ideas that needs better texting, and the reasoning behind them. Add yours. I try to keep all players happy with them

Region Chat

Let's have 4 hinderlands chats outside the core fraction regions. They will be open to fraction member. Existing fraction chats stay the same

Regional bonuses No need to change the regional bonus effects. People that like to compete still can. The faction that get the land benefits from it (maybe also make it to work in any people that do that activity there to encourage traveling?) But the people living there will not be affected. Chanceries and voting booths Anyone can build these structures anywhere, if they control the region or if they don't. Chanceries will never decay.

Democracy back

Let's get democracy back to our community Let's change the mechanics of joining a fraction. To join a fraction you have to gather signatures from fraction members. The same mechanism can be used to switch a fraction. Some mechanism will need it so that it will be harder and harder to switch fraction. For example increased number of sigs and increased time limit before you start gathering signatures again. Optionally negatives votes are permitted, with a negative vote count as double (and 3X, 4X next time) and the votes will be hidden. Implementation: 1st time it can be the leadership initiation, or a separate procedure (I prefer the 2nd so a new player have time to find a friendly guild and home). The 2nd time it can be an option to any voting booth (maybe with some signature gathering first) the 1st week of an egyptian month. Any ideas/other fixes? Idea: If a player switch fraction he/she forgets all skills learned

Discussion about issue 1:

How new players choose they initial fraction

Discussion about issue 2:

How a player can change faction (the reasoning here is not learning new skills)

Proposal: Multi-faction guilds

During the creation of a guild you have the option to make the guild multi-f(r)action. Any structure that belongs to that guild can be made accessible to all people of egypt. Existing guilds have an option of 3 weeks to decide if they like to go fractionless. Alternatively you can put a time limit and a maximum percentage of a specific fraction members to converted.

Proposal: Respect the teachers

There will be no punishment if you teach a player of not your faction a skill or tech.

Proposal: The people of Hinterlands

Any player can ask to leave a faction and become faction-less. A factionless player have 1 week to change opinion but the effects of his decision will be immediately applicable. A factioness people can’t learn from any Uni, but he/she can donate mats. Need to find a mechanism for seeds etc.. A factioness player can build anything anywhere, but not in the core regions, except if an event (ie werewolf) or test demands otherwise. An outsider can still participate in pyramids, megas and waterlines. If a new tech becomes available he/she must wait 3 weeks more to get it. Same for new tests. The only way to learn something is to have someone to teach him. But the teaching lessons and the waiting time must be 50-25% less than that of faction members. Also they have a little bigger brain capacity. Living in the wild force them to be easy learners

Proposal: Free events

All events must be open to all people of Egypt. Having the faction Elder decide who can participate in an event is not acceptable.

Alternative to faction implementation and ideas

For the next tale, at least if this tale manage to survive the community separation and drama that factions create.