Proxies

[*Sinlinara]

Mr Otyugh is entirely correct in his description of my motives.

[*Darkrob]

I still can't see how removing player access to Factions would be a good thing for a Planescape server. They are an integral part of Planescape Lore and should be promoted more, not less. There will always be conflict... there will always be winners and losers... the idea should revolve around how to make the conflict and victory conditions fair and fun not simply take them away because they're inconvenient.

[*Mr_Otyugh]

Lets say it this way, we currently have 15 factions among which to split members... lets add 5 more groups, now we have 20. Sure the 5 and 15 occasionally mesh along a bit, but it's still more individual groups technically. So it might actually add to the issue technically.

Now something that could be done is instead of making groups, make sort of "Yellow Pages" or "Talent Pools" from which any faction can draw... lets for arguments sake make:
- Adventurers Anonymous
- Socialite Servings
- Whatevers Whatevs

That'd just be a sort of "Hey I'm interested in X type of events" pool from which to draw from, except more IC. :P And factions could issue jobs for such kind of "groups", to do faction like things.

[*Sinlinara]

The Sects are also a part of Planescape and Sigil especially, but aside from the Merkhants they aren't even represented. The Golden Lords and numerous other lesser groups are barely even considered, and almost no one is involved with any of them.

They all fall by the wayside because of how heavily we push the factions. I think the Planes Militant is the only organization like that that I've even seen players be a part of.

[*rapsam2003]

Instead of taking away the ability to join factions...(*cringes*)

I suggest that you tie factions into each Proxy group. Have players join the Factions through the Proxy groups, and let most of their Faction stuff be tied in with the Proxy groups.


Something like the following for all Factions:
Fated, Free League, Revolutionary League Proxy, "Marketeers" has a representative NPC from each Faction. (I'm taking the suggested NPCs from the Factol's Manifesto, and I think most of those should be on the server already as NPCs.)

• Marketeers Fated rep: Aram Oakwright, contact for applications to join the Rowan Academy of Training
• Marketeers Free League rep: Bria Tomay, contact in the Bazaar
• Marketeers Anarchist rep: Beringe, (disguised as Hardhead maybe?) contact for several Anarchist cells

For purposes of Faction-specific RP, let Factioneers go through these reps, who are already important Factotums in lore. To join the Fated, talk to Aram. To join the Free League, talk to Bria. To join the Anarchists, drop a letter in the hidden dropbox for Beringe.
If further Faction-specific RP is required, that can be done as an individual request to DMs/EMs. Applications for rank advancement can still go through DMs, but it can be based on activity within the Proxy groups and advocating/supporting Faction philosophy within the Proxy groups.

Edit: I further suggest that the Forums be changed (or rather, the new forums be set up this way?) to reflect this. 5 Proxy group subforums, with any needed lore stickies and a sticky detailing Faction reps.

[*Artifice]

I shared my thoughts in Discord about this suggestion yesterday and on the whole I was very worried about it. I thought it'd add more barriers to people getting involved in Faction RP, because they'd have to both fit in with the Factions and also the more specific initiatives.

Reading through it today, I want to add that I'd be extremely disappointed if the ability to join a Faction was taken away.

I've been planning a character for after Kasha for a long time that is going to be Faction dependent, and I highly doubt it'd fit into the narrow confines of the initiative that has been put forward that involves that Faction. Please remember that when you make changes like this, you may be damaging what people enjoy about Planescape and SCOD.

[*Sinlinara]

I want to note that my suggestion to limit faction membership was only my own personal opinion and not something that the staff as a whole is considering.

Or to put another way, it is probably as likely to happen as a vault wipe. Which is just not something that is going to happen. Like, ever.

[*MimiFearthegn]

Yeah, no, we're not seriously considering getting rid of the factions.

But as a community we might want to rethink how we approach them. Sigil is not split up into 15 high regimented groups who only patronize their own and don't speak to each other. Yes, people socialize and do things within their faction, but comparing them to "player factions" on other servers just doesn't work lorewise or playwise. For one, we never have enough people for 15 factions. Secondly, I think it is safe to say that "historically" most of the community doesn't really want them to fight.

Which means that the door is wide open for PCs and EM's alike to form joint faction initiatives. There is no need to wait for an official announcement to send that joint taskforce off to retrieve the artifact. Do it now! Otherwise, how are we going to get to a point where PC factioneers ICly say "yeah, we like working with those guys. Let's ask them to help with x."?

[*Mick64]

The server has been trying to "push the factions more" for 10? years now, and people still aren't buying it. I think Sin might be right that it might be time to look reality in the face and admit that most players just don't really like the canon factions, and trying to push something most players don't want is not going to work.

Though I wouldn't cut them off entirely, I would remove the ability to rank up in them and the assumption that events will focus around them, and simply have factions be general philosophies that players can ascribe to if they feel like it would fit their character.

[*Hydra]

Yeah, no, we're not seriously considering getting rid of the factions.

But as a community we might want to rethink how we approach them. Sigil is not split up into 15 high regimented groups who only patronize their own and don't speak to each other. Yes, people socialize and do things within their faction, but comparing them to "player factions" on other servers just doesn't work lorewise or playwise. For one, we never have enough people for 15 factions. Secondly, I think it is safe to say that "historically" most of the community doesn't really want them to fight.

Which means that the door is wide open for PCs and EM's alike to form joint faction initiatives. There is no need to wait for an official announcement to send that joint taskforce off to retrieve the artifact. Do it now! Otherwise, how are we going to get to a point where PC factioneers ICly say "yeah, we like working with those guys. Let's ask them to help with x."?

I'd agree with that approach, factions in themselves aren't a problem there's just a lot of misconception about them, they are lose groups with tons of disagreements and contradictions sometimes that people join because of it's a good way to get by, even if they do not fully commit to the ideal.

I think faction should just remain as it, grouping them under arbitrary non-organic conditions is going to feel forced. Perhaps shrink their forums to one topic and focus more on individual character efforts, no matter if that effort is made within a faction a sect, or as a solo planeswalker. Though leave the ability of players to actually rank up in them and keep their political purpose just put less emphasis on them. It's not like there's a lot of players asking to see Factols all the time and factions with active Factors and Factotums players can all be considered as active and doing alright.

Also... please update these godamn forums we have now, they're not helping communications.