Incentivizing CvC: Factions and Society

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saladbowl
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Incentivizing CvC: Factions and Society

Post by saladbowl »

With the release of the Mistveil Dominion on the very near horizon, a few questions related to CvC have popped into my head.

I don't think fighting the opposing faction is enough for reason for many characters to enter CvC, even if it's for valuable resources. More so if players of Undying characters disregard the meta knowledge they'll always respawn somewhere. You don't get points for killing most other characters, you inconvenience them. What's to stop someone from organizing a schedule for who has access to CvC areas and when, having signees band against breakers of that treatise? If the list grows large enough the areas would lose their importance. The materials fought over will have to be valuable/scarce enough to turn friend against friend. What rewards could accomplish this? Will there be any further motivation to fight PCs beyond material gain?

Most societies aren't planned to be restricted by faction. I feel it's another wrench thrown into the CvC equation: characters are still characters when battling in designated zones. They'll remember a member of their own stabbing them in the back. It's another reason to forgo character on character combat. If the CvC areas do grant rewards enough to pit friend against friend despite societies, will that tear them apart from the inside? How might characters work with their society when killed without hesitation over shiny rocks, and how might societies allow killing of their own ranks?

For rewards, I've been thinking something other than XYZ material. Something personal, limited. Want the ingredients to cure afflictions? Go fight it out. I don't have a strong idea to counter people signing truce. It might be less game breaking than I think it has the potential to be. I've also got no ideas for managing the society aspect. Wyrvardn will likely have it rough there.

Those are my thoughts. I'm curious to what everyone's thinking regarding character conflict.
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Talyn
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Re: Incentivizing CvC: Factions and Society

Post by Talyn »

So, interesting thoughts and while I'm not Rias I just want to say since this is something people for get. CvC is more than just characters killing each other. An argument is CvC or really any sort of conflict is CvC really. There's a thing even though it's not Mechanics as Social combat and while I suck at it with Baako, it's something I'm hoping to fix. I imagine there will be a few reasons for wyrvardn to fight. Wyrvardn are something I will always adore for past experiences and playing a Wyrvardn who was pro Shadgard in the other game, I could see how the Wyrvardn could work with Mistral also. The Wyrvardn wish to bring not exactly help the Lost Lands regain it's glory, but how one does that would be up to the independent person. I suppose deep down, even if we're friends my character would have to think is treason worth it to turn a blind eye to something or would this be a chance for a certain Wyrvardn to make a power play. A wyrvardn from Mistral might want assist those in gathering coal because the Dominion requires steel for it's army. Shadgard doesn't like that and fights them, or vise versa.

I think I'm ranting here, but even in the other game there was internal conflict between members. I'll use my old character as an example again with well just say Wyrvardn two. In this situation The Dunwyr was present outside of the Hearth and Home. Everything my character has heard about the Dunwyr was this crazed eco terrorist that burned down some building, and that the Wyrvardn should do everything to deter them away from such establishments. However, when I got there I met a girl, she seemed harmless, didn't even seem different than anyone else. So my character didn't think twice if they were a Dunwyr or not. Wyrvardn two shows up and starts making demands on the where about of more Dunwyr and calling threats to this woman who's innocent in my characters eyes. So, in retaliation, my character draws his weapon and gets into a guarding position for this woman against someone of his own organization. I was a brand new member but this didn't feel like honor to me, but perhaps to that other wyrvardn it did. However, my character was 100% ready to fight a member of his own organization if need be for how he felt in that situation. I would hope, that your characters would do the same even in this game. I can't say everyone will play this way but I think that's kind of the thought process behind it all.

Sorry to write a past experience on what I think or hope internal CvC will happen cross faction. I could be completely wrong on it too! Rias is the one with the plan and like most DM's players derail things quite easily too! I'm curious too, these are some great questions by the way! Also to conclude that story of mine earlier since it was how CvC would ruin an Organization after killing each other, even though it never came to blows in that example, we continued to work together for sometime, but there was a bit of side-eyeing going on between both characters, and they would usually butt heads repeatedly. I loved every encounter and if that player reads this I greatly enjoyed our time as Wyrvardn. The Conflict can be and was fun.
I'm Not Accepting Surrenders At This Time. I Want You To Know Failure, Utter Defeat, And That It Is I Who Delivers It Crashing Down Upon You.
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Dennis
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Re: Incentivizing CvC: Factions and Society

Post by Dennis »

So riding on the coattails of this topic. CvC is not just combat. Character vs Character is when you put yourself against another person for any particular reason. Bidding war? CvC! Competing to forage the most medical herbs because there's a pandemic and there's limited resources for medical reasons? CvC!

I'm not Rias but I don't think the goal of factions is to spread rampant anarchy and murder of each other. Yes, there is the overt battlegrounds of "If my faction owns this mine, you're not allowed in" that will be in play. But if your faction loses, then you can always pay a premium to buy it off the opposition. There's emergent roleplay that comes from the presence of a thing that you can't have that the other people can.

In so far as etiquette, if characters are fighting one another, just remember the "you got me!" rule. You're not some kind of hero who can't lose. You will lose. You will die. Smile, say, "You got me!" and move on. You can't keep pressing the topic repeatedly if you're expected to play in the same space together. The whole aspect of a society is that you are fighting a greater foe than your squabbles. Set it aside, save the world then go back to futzing over shiny rocks.

Focusing on feeding brainstorm ideas for expanding factions is going to be powerful and great, I believe there's a whole topic for contributing ideas to faction CvC sites and incentives but it's been buried by the ages.
"Always remember that we are a community before anything else. Before being a 'game' or a 'world' we are a bunch of folk who get together to have fun."
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saladbowl
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Re: Incentivizing CvC: Factions and Society

Post by saladbowl »

I should've started with a line saying I'm talking about combat CvC. Designated zones like the tin mine, with garrisons and faction control. Sorry about that.
Gorth
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Re: Incentivizing CvC: Factions and Society

Post by Gorth »

Sorry for necromancy, btu a few recent experiences made me want to raise this:
Dennis wrote: In so far as etiquette, if characters are fighting one another, just remember the "you got me!" rule. You're not some kind of hero who can't lose. You will lose. You will die. Smile, say, "You got me!" and move on. You can't keep pressing the topic repeatedly if you're expected to play in the same space together. The whole aspect of a society is that you are fighting a greater foe than your squabbles. Set it aside, save the world then go back to futzing over shiny rocks.
I understand that people hate running, hate losing in a game. I get that, because I've kept on fighting way past a human would in this game on Maya. However, something I've had to learn is that backing off, even if it isn't running, is good. It can lead to more RP, better RP than just, oh, I attacked you, I was kicking your ass but i gave you several opportunities to run away, you didn't, I killed you, and then...RP is over, because you and I dont' want to overstep and continue to slaughter each other. If, for example, you had run, perhaps we could have had some long distance verbal conflict, or had some effect. Instead, it's just one and done, and all that served to happen was a sense of wasted life and time, and adrenaline.

These are personal experiences, and they don't apply to everyone. My point is just, remember your characters are human, and remember that sometimes you have to take blows for the good of the evolving story.
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