Changing Willard's HL2RP: The Case for a Wipe & More

[BrennenW05]

If there is a reset we should move to a different part of the timeline, either after HL2, or just after the 7 hour war, shake stuff up a bit, let us see parts of half life we have never seen before. Personally i think it would be really cool to see these timeframes used for the main server.

 

[ShadoWiz4rd]

personally I would love the idea of starting from the end of the seven hour war, it would be great to see how the world changes as time passes

It would take forever to get anywhere though that's the problem, It feels like rn we're just waiting on the uprising seeing as the rebels either don't or can't do anything, And if we re-set its gonna be a few months of nothing since there is no resistance network and they won't be any threat to CPs.

 

[Conundrum]

Personally I'd love a post EP 1/2 server.

There's really no point in being a Rebel, but that setting would let us still have City RP, while also adding a global narrative about lingering Combine forces facing off against the native human population across the globe in a war of attrition. Things can change in unpredictable ways, which is not really possible right now short of ludicrous City Administrator plotlines.

 

[ShadoWiz4rd]

If there is a reset we should move to a different part of the timeline, either after HL2, or just after the 7 hour war, shake stuff up a bit, let us see parts of half life we have never seen before. Personally i think it would be really cool to see these timeframes used for the main server.

If we do post SHW I hope its raw af and we have hazmat conscripts patrolling with Synths and shit the early days/months before CP was established we'd get to see the final roars of the old world fighting back.


That being said I think a post HL2 /Post Occupation would leave alot more rp since post seven hour war is just early city rp...which could be done in an SS/Event that takes place in one of the glassed cities like we had with the china event

 

[ShadoWiz4rd]

Personally I'd love a post EP 1/2 server.

There's really no point in being a Rebel, but that setting would let us still have City RP, while also adding a global narrative about lingering Combine forces facing off against the native human population across the globe in a war of attrition. Things can change in unpredictable ways, which is not really possible right now short of ludicrous City Administrator plotlines.

Imagine the citizens needing to rebuild civilization in the aftermath of a combine loss in their city doing the job of the CWU Figuring out how to govern themselves and stop anarchy Aswell as fighting the combine off and keeping the xenians at bay maybe seeing the tables flip and you're fighting brain washed combine hold-outs hell bent on shaking up what they see as an ilegitimate government.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

I don't plan on doing post-occupation after Episode Two other than Short Stories cooking something up because that's exactly what it's meant to be. They're not sustainable 24/7 servers that last more than either a few weeks to a couple of months - I've seen this happen about half a dozen times in the years gone by throughout the genre. Post-occupation is best done with seasonal running plans or very well planned events that last up to a maximum of three weeks long.

You're virtually asking for HL2RP combined with WW3RP which is not sustainable the HL2RP playerbase in my opinion, with the mentioning that it's a gamble hit-or-miss for most people.

I do have something else in mind, but definitely not post-Episode Two.

 

[John Rico]

Personally I'd love a post EP 1/2 server.

There's really no point in being a Rebel, but that setting would let us still have City RP, while also adding a global narrative about lingering Combine forces facing off against the native human population across the globe in a war of attrition. Things can change in unpredictable ways, which is not really possible right now short of ludicrous City Administrator plotlines.

Wouldn't change anything since I doubt rebels would magically get any clear objectives to fight the Combine and try liberating this timeline's city, they would still only be able to hoard scripts that they can't use for anything worthwhile.

 

[Anilife]

I'll go ahead and lay down my shot at why I believe the server should be reset...

Lore​

Roleplay movement, in and out of character is very stagnant. Lore wise you have groups, cities, and points of interest with no addition - left leaving dust and creating contradictions as well as striping locations that do have a lot of opportunity for better quality writing and meaning. What I mean by this is a lot of the lore map is just random logos - some good, some bad - filled in by some writing. 3/4s are useless to the event and main server but some are just too poorly to have anything taken out of it. I can't crap on all the accepted submissions, some are amazing - Rome, Malta, Boston, the American Wasteland, and other POIs are just very well put together - but the ones that aren't simply just take up a spot and further prevent community members from writing about them.

Roleplay​

To start it is best to look at the map change. When the server went ahead and switched to Terminal 9 you saw new characters in the city, players took it upon themselves to start fresh and experience this new roleplay opportunity of a character in or arriving in a new district. The first days, weeks, and then month of the map change was super fun. But then- it died down. Everything went back to the same old - player count lowered - roleplay sort of fell down to the same plain as before and it leads us to where we are.

Not everyone took the option of a fresh start and I believe that is kind of what killed it - a lot of people entered with the mentality of stepping into a new character and with others doing the same the environment would be different that the other x amount of months on C24. This although didn't happen, everything reverted back and you saw the same style of C24 just on a different map. Sure there was change and some cool things - such as the CP reform - but when you actually play and look at numbers. Nothing really changed.

Server​

The main server has a lot of OOC issues... You can't lie. RebelRP has been dead, for a number of reasons, and can easily be fixed... It is hard to fix it while everything is moving. RebelRP isn't really the only thing. A MAJORITY of promised content is to be released soon, a top of all the suggestions that were just accepted - today. This little section I don't think I need to explain as much as you can tap into the previous post I made but what I can say is if the OOC issues, such as LFC being inactive - this is an OOC issue as it is an OOC application/lead faction - rebelRP being stagnant and dry, overhaul (economy, model, and quality of life update), if everything is fixed and then released A TOP the overhaul of updates... That would be a HUGE step into the new year.

---

I am new to this community, I do support the idea of a lore and server wipe. I believe it will fix a lot of issues, bring people back, allow fresh starts/create more roleplay, and a ton of other things.

 

[Conundrum]

I don't plan on doing post-occupation after Episode Two other than Short Stories cooking something up because that's exactly what it's meant to be. They're not sustainable 24/7 servers that last more than either a few weeks to a couple of months - I've seen this happen about half a dozen times in the years gone by throughout the genre. Post-occupation is best done with seasonal running plans or very well planned events that last up to a maximum of three weeks long.

You're virtually asking for HL2RP combined with WW3RP which is not sustainable the HL2RP playerbase in my opinion, with the mentioning that it's a gamble hit-or-miss for most people.

I do have something else in mind, but definitely not post-Episode Two.

Completely wrong.

You can have your standard and sustainable City server, while also accounting for the unstable and unpredictable ways the world will change based on the actions of the characters within it. In this setting it is possible to kick the Combine out of a city and do self-governance, same as it is possible for the combine to re-acquire the city.

It would allow for (potentially) more dynamic roleplay, instead of the rigid 'the combine always wins' state of things we have now. Your response lacks imaginations and a will for change.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

Completely wrong. Your response lacks imaginations and a will for change.

Name me a server that succeeded in the years that have tried it. I'll wait.

Just because it isn't an idea I prefer is not a casus to immediately label someone as lacking imagination. My advice for you would be to start one and to prove the theorem correct.

 

[Conundrum]

Name me a server that succeeded in the years that have tried it. I'll wait.

Just because it isn't an idea I prefer is not a casus to immediately label someone as lacking imagination. My advice for you would be to start one and to prove the theorem correct.

Name a single HL2RP that has survived since its inception without being shut down due to a lack of interest.

I too can pull straw man arguments.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

I too can pull straw man arguments.

I'm not here to argue with you, but you're avoiding the question and therefore nullifying the point that was attempted to be made. Therefore, you don't have an answer and don't have the experience to point one out in the years of the gamemode circulations.

I'll state that TNB still exists despite it changing its formulae from serious-rp and that CVR server that I cannot remember the name of that's still going on to this day. So, if you're talking about a lack of interest, that server still has interest since Zara Kane still maintained it.

Please stay on topic to the thread.

 

[Conundrum]

I'm not here to argue with you, but you're avoiding the question and therefore nullifying the point that was attempted to be made. Therefore, you don't have an answer and don't have the experience to point one out in the years of the gamemode circulations.

I'll state that TNB still exists despite it changing its formulae from serious-rp and that CVR server that I cannot remember the name of that's still going on to this day. So, if you're talking about a lack of interest, that server still has interest since Zara Kane still maintained it.

Please stay on topic to the thread.

Your point was comparing post episode 1 era settings with failure. When even cookie cutter HL2RP settings have all inevitably failed. It's not a point, it's a deflection. If you want to make a point, explain it as you just have.

If they have failed horribly, then do tell. Explain the follies of those servers and how Willard might learn from them. The onus of responsibility to defend your case rests only with you.

 

[John Rico]

My experience with post-uprising hl2rp is SCG attempt at revitalizing their city roleplay by setting their timeline right after Freeman's rebellion. Since staff was too lazy to implement any gameplay changes and players were still too scared to play outside the box despite begging for the change, everyone reverted back to the same old pitfalls after a fucking week. It's just pointless. Since everyone in this gamemode seems to think with the same 'path of least effort' pattern, I'm willing to bet anything that the same shit would happen here.

 

[ShadoWiz4rd]

My experience with post-uprising hl2rp is SCG attempt at revitalizing their city roleplay by setting their timeline right after Freeman's rebellion. Since staff was too lazy to implement any gameplay changes and players were still too scared to play outside the box despite begging for the change, everyone reverted back to the same old pitfalls after a fucking week. It's just pointless. Since everyone in this gamemode seems to think with the same 'path of least effort' pattern, I'm willing to bet anything that the same shit would happen here.

I miss SCG

 

[RedHotGinger]

Dont feel like writing out my standard long post, so I'll just summarize.

Lore/Server wipe:
No. Hell no, even. This is the same mindset that inspires people to whine and moan about map changes every four weeks after one occurs and just as with that it will *literally* fix nothing. If you have garbage on your table and your game-winning move is to just sweep it onto the floor all you've done is make a big mess. The only thing this changes is that every choice, ever character, every event and effort spent for the last two years goes to complete and utter waste. Best case scenario you lose only about 20% of your player base doing this would be my forecast.
This also feeds into the idea that there is literally nothing good about Willard in its current state. If nothing in this server was worth preservation then none of us would be here. Even me, someone who despises all of the embarrassing factions such as the SRF, can admit that there are portions of the lore that are good and justify the existence of the bigger picture. Besides, go ahead and clear that table...what are you going to replace it with?
Dont fix what isn't broken. Don't throw out what can be salvaged. Willard would never recover from a mistake of such magnitude.

Post-Occ:

Same as above, except with the added fact that no server running this has ever lasted any extended period of time far as I know. Its no different than people wanting outland RP and just like that - its not feasible for long-form RP. Its also going to be a breeding ground for ego's and CvR mentalities which will grow even beyond the ones we have now.

Faction changes:

Give the citizens a proper gameplay change and a setting thats interesting and provides a fun gameplay loop.

No offense, but this is the equivalent of suggesting 'Make citizens good.'
If it were so easy it would have been done already. Loads of problems with most factions, and they need fixed. Most are known and while it is fun to regard them, its unneeded much of the time. Loyalists especially need some care, but that isn't exactly deep lore at this point. Not a bad thing to point these things out - but I would hardly rate this as a 'solution'
Other solutions vary, but its clear the meat of this post is dedicated to the idea of removal rather than renewal, which is just not the path Willard will find success in. Hence a big disagree from me.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

I'm willing to bet anything that the same shit would happen here.

Unfortunately, it did.

Parashock did good though with SCG and I respect him for keeping it alive for so long, more with its CMRP too. Though they had their own issues to deal with. Wonder where Denny is.

----------

That's a more reasonable take though, Conundrum.

There was one very large server with the name of Valhalla Networks that actually was heavily committed to the post-occupation genre, one that was particularly set foot in a city where society had effectively collapsed with what-ever remains of the Combine, with said city, splintering off into various independent states. So how did that project fail?

The problem with setting, however, was more due to the fact that it was as aimless as at generally was baseless. Now I took part in that project trying to make it work, but the server effectively collapsed in on itself due to the people in charge not having a stronger understanding the post-occupational feel to it and fell into the trap of extremely weird tropes for what was considered to be the nature of the server. It fell into a state of disarray, the writers were ignored in favour of concentrating more on what coolest addon they could shove into the server like M9K guns or something similar. Management was ineffective, staff were inexperienced or undermanned and lore was generally ignored for what-ever the person in charge decreed it to be "the best thing" in his mind. It was a closed network, despite it growing to an effectively large number of people in the discord, forums and server.

There was an opening event which was mediocre - not bad but it wasn't "amazing". One of the final large scale conflicts between the Combine and the Resistance in that timeline amounted to a strong, good start (which would have been ignored if people didn't actually beg for an opening event lmao). But yeah, addon priority over story kind of happened. It really wasn't well planned and felt like an inner-circle leadership that focused centrally on its own benefit, not of the server.

The follies of that server is effectively being the most ignorant at its height, realising its head was too far into the clouds without knowledge on how it got there, only to look down and to find the big space needle keeping it up tore off its big rope.

It quickly faded into obscurity and at the time it was when Lancer Networks (the first iteration) was being developed and that was before Willard existed. So I think around 2018, maybe 2019.

@Aspect™ remember Valhalla Networks? You don't want to, but do you?

What I'm saying is that while post-occupation isn't a go-to idea that I feel would be bringing the best outcome, hence why I said "in my opinion" - I at least respect everyone's idea for wanting to bring it here. However, there's other communities I feel that are more versed and inspired to do that. Willard's a big melting pot and I don't particularly see a creative envisionment for post-occ that's good for this community, at the very least.

Other solutions vary, but its clear the meat of this post is dedicated to the idea of removal rather than renewal, which is just not the path Willard will find success in.

Maybe, maybe not. Merlin has hit the nail on the board to a multitude of topic discussions.

 

[Goose]

Damn that’s a lot of words on this thread.

 

[verTix]

still waiting for a custom lore post-occ server (100-200 years later) with various warbands of hyper souped-up synths and new OTA variants led by several scattered and disconnected advisors who have taken hold of various defensive strongholds around the world

each advisor would have its own legion of different types of synths created from native earth/xen flora and fauna and would work to achieve different goals. some would try to re-establish connections by any means necessary. some would rebuild something resembling a city. some advisors could be loyal, while some could go insane from being disconnected from the regime and work for their own gain -- raiding nearby settlements and taking slaves to stalkerize or turn into transhuman operatives. hell, add some grimdark. human farms for OTA operatives and meat farms for neural biomass to use as data centers (HLA did this already on a small scale)

the remnants of humanity would suffer from routine antlion and advisor warband attacks but over time they've reverse-engineered combine technology to achieve previously-impossible feats like antlion grub farming for biogel (regenerative healing and biological immortality for the rich) and repurposed scanners/manhacks for maintenance work. not to mention the new weaponry created from reverse-engineered combine tech (see the thunder's leaves mod for some inspiration)

some human societies have completely forgotten the evils of the combine. some even worship the advisors like gods, using old breencast transcripts as holy scripture. mimicking what they perceive as what the combine would have done if their plan wasn't thwarted. augmentation, brainwashing, etc. these religious fanatics would be arguably even worse and more brutal than the remaining advisors

think fallout but instead of nuclear war it was the 7 hour war and combine occupation. sprinkle in some 40k inspiration and you have something that could be kino

and no it wouldn't be like .dust it would be like at least 100 years after the occupation to give a reasonable timeframe for humanity to recuperate and for advisors to rebuild mini feudal empires

OR!!! Another hard occupation server set in a loyalist city in the middle of the combine regime. yeah let's do that instead.

 

[RogueSynapse]

nO dOn't wiPe thE seRveR I dOn"t waNt tO loSe my fAncy sUit aNd aLl mY sCriPts!