Official Preliminary Community Feedback Thread

[Aspect™]

Willard Networks V3

​

In anticipation of the V3 release, we are opening this long-term, Preliminary Community Feedback thread for everyone to use and for us to gather any complaints, suggestions, inquiries, or general feedback you may have that we can address prior to the launch of the server. These can relate to the game server itself, sub-servers, the discord, the forums, the Staff Team, Community Management, and everything in-between.

There is no format or template, but we expect replies to remain constructive, serious, and on-topic. Any posts on this thread that do not adhere to those three rules will be deleted. This is a serious topic and we are genuinely looking to hear what you think about Willard, and what steps we can take to improve the server, either by addressing previous shortcomings, adding small or large features, or even completely re-evaluating our gameplay or roleplay loop.

Here you may also link any documents or threads you have authored that relate to the topics above.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

 

[Wraygun]

Citizen roleplay was always a tough aspect to iron out. Willard's V2 citizen roleplay was barely intersting, and many people have either turned into rebels, or have joined a faction because of how underwhelming it felt at times. There was no real incentive to be a citizen.

Regardless of what people believe as to why this is the case (lack of gameplay features, the lack of narrative tools in the players hands to make something interesting out of a citizen character) I think we can all agree that this is a facet of the server that has always been lackluster.

The recent event is a very good start to address all of these issues imo, but my question is what are the plans to actively prevent citizen roleplay from falling off again?

Are there any plans to knit both roleplay and gameplay features together to create a certain pacing and sense of progression that doesn't necessarily rely on pure roleplay?

 

[Trutyis]

Waiter, waiter! I'd like some roleplay, please!
A stupid rambling about stores​

I consider myself a newgen on WN, so my experience starts at late city-8. A pet peeve that never stopped bugging me was how shops were run. They were so boring and 'lazy'. It felt like stores were only there to farm you some creds, nothing more.

Every one of them was almost identical with minor propping differences, always offering the exact same thing. What happened to being interesting and unique? Where's the sweet roleplay I requested??

Can't offer a solution to my issue, because admittedly I'm very dumb. Buuuut it shouldn't mainly be about those credit, instead it should be about offering roleplay and integrating itself more into the world.

I'd love to see more personality and diversity! Of course, this depends on the playerbase, instead of leadership. However, a push towards roleplay over in-game advantage would be quite nice to see.

Think of the Union section in the Whirling-in-Rags from Disco Elysium, or maybe a salon where your shoe can get polished and clothes taken care of, perhaps a tailor shop where they take your measurements and preference of fabric, then get back to you after waiting a day or two. You are not limited by scripts. Roleplay over Meta!!

Edit: It's up to you to make a difference! We. Want. YOU!​

---

Made in a sudden surge of a once-lost idea, thus it's quite personal.
Sorry if I kept repeating myself or the opposite, not getting the point across.
Also sorry if I came off as a negative nancy, wasn't my intention.
​

 

[melodicwaste]

I think the lore all looks very great. I have no problem with how the server is going. Great job!

 

[Khrushchev]

- Push the in-game date back to within 3 years of the 7HW
- Replace OTA with Synths
- Have CivPro restructured into something that resembles a semi-masked UN Peacekeeping Force.
- BHA / UN is in charge. Some elements of national governments still exist.
- Remove some of the 'hard occupation' elements.
- Remove some of the existing faction leads and restructure some factions to come in line more with this vision. The Server Director / people above the FLs should be deciding what the factions look like for the most part.

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

- Push the in-game date back to within 3 years of the 7HW
- Replace OTA with Synths
- Have CivPro restructured into something that resembles a semi-masked UN Peacekeeping Force.
- BHA / UN is in charge. Some elements of national governments still exist.
- Remove some of the 'hard occupation' elements.
- Remove some of the existing faction leads and restructure some factions to come in line more with this vision. The Server Director / people above the FLs should be deciding what the factions look like for the most part.

It's within 4 years of the 7HW.

OTA are replaced with Synths.

CPs are too iconic to remove (in our opinion).

Technically the case, but they've already been/are being sidelined in lore (as in, in universe, not in lore in-lore).

Technically the case.

No comment!!!

 

[Kappatalist]

https://willard.network/forums/threads/city-rp-and-more.16194/post-128457

This here too OK.

I'm not amazingly thrilled by political RP, it's not often done amazingly and I think has even had a detrimental effect on Willard in the past which often just boils down to making life harder for everybody else. Taxes on goods sold in stores, which I don't know, but suspect was created by this, was an absolutely terrible idea for example as were bans on the slums or the annual "let's actually just burn down the slums instead."

It's a bit late to say don't do it, but I do hope it isn't going to be the usual 4 man circlejerk whilst the rest of the server sits there like a neglected middle child, since it looks like we're going in strong on politics for v3.

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RebelRP also needs room to breathe and be creative, but not allowed to turn into what happened on V2. Which I think, having been there from the start, was because of how heavily restricted rebels felt. Booile and the triumph attack which was the first major rebel operation on the server was done to prove that rebels could actually do something, anything, after months of frustration. But I think this took things in the wrong direction from there.

An idea I've kept suggesting is a rebel iliasion for groups, a dedicated GM character that can act as a mediary between rebels in the city and lore groups in the outlands. It gives rebels a way to get into expeditions, or pass on information they've gathered that would otherwise go to waste. Just somebody to interact with rebels, not like Taskmaster or Pathfinder, but something more personal and also low level. They shouldn't always be around, but can be easily contacted and updated on whatever the group may be doing and be able to help in ways as a guiding hand.

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And uh, lastly, Willards endless bureacracy. The current ruleset is a big improvement and good as is but for the longest time Willards solution to any problem has been to create a team for it, or make an overly complicated rule (which gets ignored, until the appeals or complaints). It's better than it has been, but to be picky do we really need a quality control team for example? What does staff do, if not quality control? I haven't been staff for a hot minute, so maybe it's not like this anymore, but it also goes for faction leadership and the likes and is something to be wary of at least IMO.

 

[Ocean Man]

Waiter, waiter! I'd like some roleplay, please!
A stupid rambling about stores​

I consider myself a newgen on WN, so my experience starts at late city-8. A pet peeve that never stopped bugging me was how shops were run. They were so boring and 'lazy'. It felt like stores were only there to farm you some creds, nothing more.

Every one of them was almost identical with minor propping differences, always offering the exact same thing. What happened to being interesting and unique? Where's the sweet roleplay I requested??

Can't offer a solution to my issue, because admittedly I'm very dumb. Buuuut it shouldn't mainly be about those credit, instead it should be about offering roleplay and integrating itself more into the world.

I'd love to see more personality and diversity! Of course, this depends on the playerbase, instead of leadership. However, a push towards roleplay over in-game advantage would be quite nice to see.

Think of the Union section in the Whirling-in-Rags from Disco Elysium, or maybe a salon where your shoe can get polished and clothes taken care of, perhaps a tailor shop where they take your measurements and preference of fabric, then get back to you after waiting a day or two. You are not limited by scripts. Roleplay over Meta!!

---

Made in a sudden surge of a once-lost idea, thus it's mainly personal.
Sorry if I kept repeating myself or the opposite, not getting the point across.
Also sorry if I came off as a negative nancy, wasn't my intention.
​

Adding to this...

Speaking from both the perspective of a previous store-owner, and a customer, I think the way shops were handled in V2 wasn't optimal. Shops were very good at promoting 'community' with the various bars and stalls which cropped up, commerce was a hotspot for roleplay especially in the loyalist and resistance roleplay (in the slums shop). When it worked, citizen roleplay was viable as it allowed for employment, enhancing skills and making roleplay connections; I think the sense of ownership and business management worked in favour of this.

The issues arose when roleplay got repetitive and stale, and understandably, shops would remain shut for days on end and within peak roleplay hours. There was also very little enforcement for ensuring businesses retained employees (something that was picked up on nearing the end of V2) with the burden falling on one to a handful of people to sacrifice their time to enact 'vendor roleplay' which in itself can be dull depending on the quality of roleplay.

I think a transition to a more 'shared-ownership' approach to in-game buildings could allow for more variety, that or shorter tenancies for inactive stores. Lack of commerce halts the economy and credits begin to burn holes into grubby citizen pockets.

Edit: I also wanted to add that of course, IRL prioritises will always come first over being a virtual bartender which needs some consideration.

 

[fhs15]

This here too OK.

I'm not amazingly thrilled by political RP, it's not often done amazingly and I think has even had a detrimental effect on Willard in the past which often just boils down to making life harder for everybody else. Taxes on goods sold in stores, which I don't know, but suspect was created by this, was an absolutely terrible idea for example as were bans on the slums or the annual "let's actually just burn down the slums instead."

It's a bit late to say don't do it, but I do hope it isn't going to be the usual 4 man circlejerk whilst the rest of the server sits there like a neglected middle child, since it looks like we're going in strong on politics for v3.

Given that currently two of the parties are just straight up fascist, I think we already fucked on this front, I had hoped that we would see more moderate parties, showing that the decent into authoritarianism. but I guess we can have full blown fascist day one.

 

[Khrushchev]

It's within 4 years of the 7HW.

OTA are replaced with Synths.

CPs are too iconic to remove (in our opinion).

Technically the case, but they've already/are being sidelined in lore (as in, in universe, not in lore in-lore).

Technically the case.

No comment!!!

good that some of the stuff has been reworked. have opinions but idk

ur one of the good ones though kamil

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

Taxes on goods sold in stores, which I don't know, but suspect was created by this...

Sales taxes are a GOI mechanic.

And also, how the city gets money. As well as most countries irl.

 

[Kappatalist]

Sales taxes are a GOI mechanic.

And also, how the city gets money. As well as most countries irl.

OK yeah but its ASS for RP

so was the whole update TBF

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

Given that currently two of the parties are just straight up fascist, I think we already fucked on this front, I had hoped that we would see more moderate parties, showing that the decent into authoritarianism. but I guess we can have full blown fascist day one.

vote labour.

 

[joe moter]

Given that currently two of the parties are just straight up fascist, I think we already fucked on this front, I had hoped that we would see more moderate parties, showing that the decent into authoritarianism. but I guess we can have full blown fascist day one.

Harmony is technically a political party. Pretty moderate.

Also Labour and Union

 

[ford-michigan]

I do again wonder if there will be changes to text formatting for in-game paperwork (e.g. paper, notepad, book) as well as more space for text. In addition to the points listed in the link I also suggest that there be a way for either custom signatures or a special font applied, the ability to add stamps & seals, and for special books that can have more text on them (for things like essays and large reports obtained by events or GMs)

https://willard.network/forums/threads/books-paperwork.16137/

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

I do again wonder if there will be changes to text formatting for in-game paperwork (e.g. paper, notepad, book) as well as more space for text. In addition to the points listed in the link I also suggest that there be a way for either custom signatures or a special font applied, the ability to add stamps & seals, and for special books that can have more text on them (for things like essays and large reports obtained by events or GMs)

https://willard.network/forums/threads/books-paperwork.16137/

You will be able to embed content into books, though this may change. There won't be multiple pages (probably) unless we implement an image-based system where you can embed images onto "pages" rather than raw text or links.

 

[fhs15]

Harmony is technically a political party. Pretty moderate.

Also Labour and Union

pretty moderate? maybe by late occupation ascensionist standards
but elimination of pre approved speech, limits on sale to underclass, making areas loyalist only.



and I do agree that the other two are moderate, but it saddens me we are already in the full blown fascist era, especially seeing how much influence they will already have.

right now to ensure a slow loss of rights, that I really hope for since that is only positive I see from early occupation, OOC limitations will need to be placed on the council.

 

[joe moter]

pretty moderate? maybe by late occupation ascensionist standards
but elimination of pre approved speech, limits on sale to underclass, making areas loyalist only.

View attachment 52055

and I do agree that the other two are moderate, but it saddens me we are already in the full blown fascist era, especially seeing how much influence they will already have.

right now to ensure a slow loss of rights, that I really hope for since that is only positive I see from early occupation, OOC limitations will need to be placed on the council.

Just because I'm a redpilled chud and you are a liberal woke doesn't mean you get to say whats moderate.

 

[ford-michigan]

You will be able to embed content into books, though this may change. There won't be multiple pages (probably) unless we implement an image-based system where you can embed images onto "pages" rather than raw text or links.

How will this work with docs? Will I have to make sure to have it as open access and such? Also, once I get back, I kind of want to test it out and give better examples of things. It might also be good to have an in-game option for signatures, seals, and stamps, maybe also fields that you can write in in-game.

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

How will this work with docs? Will I have to make sure to have it as open access and such?

Yeah.