I constantly see it, the need for a bad guy. I see it in both the real and virtual world. In the real world, everyone needs someone they hate. I have seen it in every job and social structure. At work, there always needs to be one (or more depending on company size) person that everyone hates and trash talks. The interesting thing is when that person leaves the company, someone else falls into that position and is the new hated employee. Anyone that has been a manager has likely at least seen it happening, if not actually hired someone to be a bad guy so the situation is controlled and manageable.
In MMOs, the same is true. Everyone needs someone to hate. Usually, it's a guild/clan that everyone talks about. It is typically a PK or opposing faction group and that group usually changes as the months go by. The main point is that there is always at least one. As one fades away, another takes it's place as the new superbad. It's usually very innocent and fun, but occasionally it takes a turn for the worse. Sometimes that group finds a way to fight back and ends up trolling the entire game. I can see this being a huge potential in SC. Just imagine if a pirate org actually gets good leadership and shuts down entire solar systems for their own profit. Profit = better ships = more system control = more profit = rinse and repeat.
Honestly, Test is one of the orgs that is large enough to pull it off. If, as an org, we decided to go pirate, we would have more than enough resources to basically run the game. It's a scary proposition. Not that we necessarily would, or that we would use it for game ruining purposes (not entirely devoid of possibility), but rather that it is possible with a large enough fleet. I'm sure other orgs have discussed this very possibility with great concern. How could they not when our numbers are over 10,000.
So with that in mind, I propose Vanduul space chess. What I propose is less random events, but more a very long term and organized AI. This AI could constantly push for domination. They could take over solar systems, and trade routes. They could colonize planets for resources that increase their invasion force until players retake the planet. Hell, they could even interfere with our UEE controlled resources and alter our ability to make new ships or repair and replace damaged ones.
What I propose is a Vanduul AI mastermind. I would love to see it. I would love to see them pick at weak points in both player and UEE forces. I would love to see them actively attempt to interfere with the player "quality of life" in the game. More to the point, I would love to see the need for the player base to actively organize and push back. I want to see a need for things like operation pitchfork to occur on a fairly regular basis. I want to see SC generate the game's bad guy so that it is under CIG's control.
Also, by being under CIG's control, I also mean literally under their control. I would love to see a handful of devs take control of some vanduul ships and have little events. They used to have them in MMOs. I remember them from back in my EQ days (embarrassing, I know). A GM would take control of a boss monster or something powerful and go on a rampage until enough high level players showed up to kill it. This would be amazing in SC. Just imagine having a dozen or so devs control a vanduul invasion. It would be amazing, fun, and a refreshing break from the usual rinse and repeat that inevitably overtakes the daily mmo routine.
More to the point though, it would give the game a bad guy. It would give us all a reason to get together and push back. It would develop our ownership of this universe and give us a sense of pride. It gives us history and memories of this game. Most importantly though, it gives us a reason to band together instead of the usual MMO trend of cancerous behavior.
That's the idea though and I'd love to see it happen. What do you all think?
In MMOs, the same is true. Everyone needs someone to hate. Usually, it's a guild/clan that everyone talks about. It is typically a PK or opposing faction group and that group usually changes as the months go by. The main point is that there is always at least one. As one fades away, another takes it's place as the new superbad. It's usually very innocent and fun, but occasionally it takes a turn for the worse. Sometimes that group finds a way to fight back and ends up trolling the entire game. I can see this being a huge potential in SC. Just imagine if a pirate org actually gets good leadership and shuts down entire solar systems for their own profit. Profit = better ships = more system control = more profit = rinse and repeat.
Honestly, Test is one of the orgs that is large enough to pull it off. If, as an org, we decided to go pirate, we would have more than enough resources to basically run the game. It's a scary proposition. Not that we necessarily would, or that we would use it for game ruining purposes (not entirely devoid of possibility), but rather that it is possible with a large enough fleet. I'm sure other orgs have discussed this very possibility with great concern. How could they not when our numbers are over 10,000.
So with that in mind, I propose Vanduul space chess. What I propose is less random events, but more a very long term and organized AI. This AI could constantly push for domination. They could take over solar systems, and trade routes. They could colonize planets for resources that increase their invasion force until players retake the planet. Hell, they could even interfere with our UEE controlled resources and alter our ability to make new ships or repair and replace damaged ones.
What I propose is a Vanduul AI mastermind. I would love to see it. I would love to see them pick at weak points in both player and UEE forces. I would love to see them actively attempt to interfere with the player "quality of life" in the game. More to the point, I would love to see the need for the player base to actively organize and push back. I want to see a need for things like operation pitchfork to occur on a fairly regular basis. I want to see SC generate the game's bad guy so that it is under CIG's control.
Also, by being under CIG's control, I also mean literally under their control. I would love to see a handful of devs take control of some vanduul ships and have little events. They used to have them in MMOs. I remember them from back in my EQ days (embarrassing, I know). A GM would take control of a boss monster or something powerful and go on a rampage until enough high level players showed up to kill it. This would be amazing in SC. Just imagine having a dozen or so devs control a vanduul invasion. It would be amazing, fun, and a refreshing break from the usual rinse and repeat that inevitably overtakes the daily mmo routine.
More to the point though, it would give the game a bad guy. It would give us all a reason to get together and push back. It would develop our ownership of this universe and give us a sense of pride. It gives us history and memories of this game. Most importantly though, it gives us a reason to band together instead of the usual MMO trend of cancerous behavior.
That's the idea though and I'd love to see it happen. What do you all think?
