Thoughts on Loyalist RP?

[Salty]

I've been realizing slowly, that most loyalists have no goal. It's come more apparent to me that, benefactors or whatever you want to call them. Just kinda roam, vote on bills and passive rp. I've been thinking of something to help and fix it. Since, I'm DA, I have a little power to help the server RP flow so I want to use it. My thought is just post some common goals and motives loyalists should have but, honestly, just asking your opinion on the topic. Thought? Ideas? Solutions?

Most loyalists run follow the herd with no unique characters, they grind for tier four and just fall off the face of earth.

I'll make a poll on this too, for what I think could fix it.

IC Overhaul - Just like me as DA pushing CCA to make change and the way of doing things.

OOC Overhaul - Admins get involved and try to make a new narrative or any other solution to help.

Full Overhaul - Loyalist RP is too far gone. Fix everything and change it all. OOC and ICly.

 

[Fallizs]

make different ways to make SC rather than worktable and workshifts, shit takes too long to farm and let alone wait for
then do something for the ones that have managed to get tier 4, there is nothing to do and every slummer is out for you and your loot

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

Voting on "Full" Overhaul because, to be honest, there's very little you can do with only IC acts. The reason I say this is because "Loyalists" aren't a faction - they are an expansion to Citizens, and subsequently their RP.

If Citizens have nothing to do, then Loyalists don't have anything to do either, because they both literally follow the same version of Plaza RP, with the only exception that both of them have their own areas they can pursue - Average Joe can't do what Collaborators can, but Loyalists can't be criminals and hang out in the slums, that sort of ordeal. Basically, since Citizens have jack shit to do besides going to workshifts and attending events, so do Loyalists have jack shit to do besides going to workshifts and attending events.

In other words, fix Citizen RP, and you fix Loyalism RP. Unfortunately, Citizen RP cannot be fixed, so where does this put us? Well, into the grasp of CT and Admins, because they're essentially the only people able to give the average citizen at least SOMETHING to do besides afk'ing for workshifts and Passive RP'ing on benches. Events, narratives, some drama - something like the Administration of Orwell, more or less.

As for the IC portion, Loyalists could always be given something to chew on from time to time. Regulatory and Planning Committees exist, and should be, in theory, ways for Collaborators to actually do shit time from time. Unfortunately, they're pretty lacking in that regard. Most people in the Regulatory Committee, for example, have literally nothing to do when Legislations are fully implemented. So too does Planning when not planning for events, which are a rare occasion. In my opinion, Loyalists should be encouraged to interact with normal Citizens and the rest of the server, so any sort of activity they can do should ideally stem from that specific area.

 

[Furious]

Let’s be honest here.

There isn’t really much of a goal for everyone in general. You hop on, do x thing that has minimum impact, and count the days. We’re all basically staring at a calendar and just doing day after day instead of working towards a goal. With no overarching story or goal in general that makes our actions or anything we do matter. Literally Slice of Life.

 

[Conundrum]

This is a complicated proposition due to the nature of loyalism. Ideally Collaborator's would be minor antagonists. There would be a whole dynamic where they're the people who could ruin your life with the right words and joining them should inherently make you an enemy to humanity, actively or not.

Instead Loyalism is kind of just an upgrade to being a Citizen. You are not obligated to push the Combine's oppression. You're just there with an armband and, realistically, it is beyond easy for a competent "Rebel" to join their ranks without ever having to morally compromise themselves. It's just not a gripping affair and it leaves Willard in a dull state where there is no clear enemy on either side. A Collaborator is bound to have friends in the slums. Why would you torment your friends?

The LA is a placebo and more often than not, I have noticed, they vote in favor of less oppressive resolutions.

I think the system is broken and needs a full overhaul. I could not tell you what that would involve, however.

 

[Purple Knight]

Voting for full overhaul, here's my breakdown:

Loyalists simply put, don't have enough options, either IC or OOC to expand their position, especially in the early days, as mentioned previously, the only ways to get SC are workshifts and workdesk jobs, both of which are sluggish at best, and especially during any Socio-code beyond blue, where workdesk is rarely occupied (understandably) therefore your ability to gain SC is completely controlled by the frequency of work shifts, I would like that to change, add more options for SC accumulation, from an IC standpoint, allow citizens to perform jobs for the CCA in return for SC, perhaps have CCA related workplaces offer SC in conjunction to credits.

From an OOC stand-point, it's understandable that it's a grind, much is the same with rebel RP where one must grind for their materials, loyalists must grind for SC, except the former route is dictated (mostly) by the player, rather than any outside factors, this must change for balance I'd say, perhaps an automated system where if you don't get any charges from CP you get +1 SC per day, something like that, just to ease the burden a little, or expand the cap on SC, to 15 or even 20, for those few days where there is more than one or two work shifts,

Alternatively have citizens performing roles receive SC alongside credits in wages, for example, CWU workers can easily farm SC from running workshifts every day, however CMRU workers are basically stuck, as they have no real reason to run workshifts of their own, and cannot attend CWU workshifts if they're busy doing their own job, like wise with shop owners, they have to prioritise (especially newer businesses) credits over attending workshifts as rent is high, reward them with extra SC for performing vital roles in society.

For more IC:

Expand on CCA hiring citizens for menial roles, and reward them SC for it, remove limitations for loyalty tiers (perhaps reduce to T-1) to be hired, it will both assist with loyalty and offer chances for internal sabotage for rebels, there's plenty that can be done to fix this, it's simply finding a balanced way to implement it, either way I'd say it needs doing, especially after rebels got the loot boxes which can seriously speed up their grind during reasonable pop counts.

EDIT:

New idea; for an OOC/IC standpoint, if the staff would be willing to do so, make more loyalist / CCA event characters, and have them be much more interactive with the population, run mini-events as an excuse to earn SC.

Additionally, rebels get a quest board, that rewards them relatively large amounts of chips, perhaps a loyalist equivalent would be a good idea, though as for what to put on it, I personally have nothing in mind, still, would be a good idea IMO.

 

[Pasta]

So it's time again for me to write on the forums. I'll try to make this somewhat quick and understandable.

Furious comment is pretty much what is happening. This in itself is not a bad thing. Personally, I enjoy some slice-of-life roleplay however we do remain within the Half-Life Universe. Oppression, Hunger, and Dispare, it's all core concepts as to what goes through the city, even now while perhaps it is not seen as an arcing goal. I can tell you that rampant attacks on Civil Protection, Check Points, and even political powers have caused a great conflict between the Civil Protection and Rebel Forces.

This doesn't mean that there is a goal. As much as I hate to say that there isn't a grand 'Do this' and 'Do that' for anyone right now in the server. I'd argue this isn't just for loyalist RP; I'll try to stay on topic. When it boils down to the bare bones of Loyalist RP there are not too many paths to take. Even Civil Protection in my eyes needs to have more goals (this is for another time, another topic.)

We have
-CMRU
-CWU
-Shop Owners (forgot the name sorry)

As the main 'three' they are likely the easiest options for those who want to get into the stepping stones of loyalist RP. Though it can also be abused for Rebels and whatnot again, we're staying on topic.

I think the core issue here is that the CMRU, doesn't really have too many people in its ranks at the moment. At least I haven't seen too many lately (I could be very wrong.)

The CWU doesn't suffer from this problem but it can and does have the issue of burnout, there are only so many work shifts you can do before it gets boring and mind-numbing.

Lastly owning a shop can provide funds but, as someone who has BEEN a shop owner, it can be very very boring when people don't go into shops. I just wish more shops were open, to be honest, yet I understand why it's not this way because it's not always fun.

All of these have a similar core theme which is earning SC. There has to be a better way because the grind is simply not fun. And I'm saying that as someone who has the power to just give people SC. It is very clear, for both sides of things that there needs to be an improvement. I don't like running the work desk and I know damn well people don't like doing the stupid little tasks we make them do for a sliver of SC. I'm not saying to make it super easy but offering different avenues for earning such credits, to allow people to get the fancy armbands and feel important.

An QoL for Citizens/Loyalists I think is well due. As for how I'm not quite sure. Loyalists do get a lot of perks, but they can also be muddled down to a confusing melting pot - perhaps working on a more simple clear-cut encouragement. Maybe run a Gala where all those of a certain loyalist tier can go for a night of fun. Perhaps even allow more simple perks in life, extra food that's not easily obtained, allowing more funds(?), there's a list that could go on forever. I just hope my points made help.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

This is a complicated proposition due to the nature of loyalism. Ideally Collaborator's would be minor antagonists. There would be a whole dynamic where they're the people who could ruin your life with the right words and joining them should inherently make you an enemy to humanity, actively or not.

Instead Loyalism is kind of just an upgrade to being a Citizen. You are not obligated to push the Combine's oppression. You're just there with an armband and, realistically, it is beyond easy for a competent "Rebel" to join their ranks without ever having to morally compromise themselves. It's just not a gripping affair and it leaves Willard in a dull state where there is no clear enemy on either side. A Collaborator is bound to have friends in the slums. Why would you torment your friends?

The LA is a placebo and more often than not, I have noticed, they vote in favor of less oppressive resolutions.

I think the system is broken and needs a full overhaul. I could not tell you what that would involve, however.

you voted against these resolutions yourself, you nicky-dicky doopy-poo-hole

 

[Conundrum]

you voted against these resolutions yourself, you nicky-dicky doopy-poo-hole

I have indeed played both sides of the argument. Ruthless villainy and Aunty Teresa.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

Interesting.

I am intrigued.

 

[ultima]

Interesting.

I am intrigued.

he is intrigued

 

[Kamilisha Haijulikani]

Interesting.

I am intrigued.

 

[Deleted member 4096]

I had something I had written to KG months back. It's unfinished but let me pull it up:

 

[Deleted member 4096]

[Insert Banner here, 'Social Credits Overhaul Proposal', Big Text.]

I. Preface Statement.
II. Acknowledging the issue. - The Issue itself?
IIb. Design Philosophy and Implementation (Ignore this shit)
III. Proposal
IV. Example of Reform
V. Summation of conclusion, and ask for insights.
​

---

[Logo Here - Preface]

​

Hey there. If you know me from Willard's Discord you've probably heard me talk about my concerns for Social Credits and the problems they incur due to their current design, which I've done exhaustively and repeatedly. The issue is that such a perspective is easily expressed, but because that nothing is complementing it; it's easily lost in its ambiguity which amounts to dumping the issue in one's lap to simplistically state 'Fix this!' before abruptly disappearing. Because of it, I've decided to put my foot in my mouth and step back from 'bothering' people with my litany of objections. I've come to the forums to post my collation of thoughts on the issue, and a subsequent proposal and example to, in my own belief, amend the issues that I believe have an overlying impact on the server itself and its playerbase.

Time is of the essence, as I also believe there to be a community meeting in the next few days to air concerns and resolutions; levying wanted changes on the server. But in my own experience I am absolutely abhorrent at dictating anything in a succinctly-done manner, and due to my own misgivings about my ability to do so I feel it best that I do so here.

I acknowledge that what I am to propose is effectively a sweeping reform; unbecoming, probably ill-thought out, and just generally something of a chimera that both has issues of its own and requiring an exhaustive amount of effort to one of, if not the, foundational blocks of the server to amend. I'm not someone who believes their ability to be above-average. There will be things amiss; unmarked if not totally imperceptible when I first make this. This is also one of the reasons why I am posting this here. Above all: We're a community, and I believe that everyone should also have the ability to express, rearrange and also propose new things to which the original is deficit of.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SOCIAL CREDITS ISSUE, TOO!​

---

[Logo Here - The Issue]​

A person who's invested an amount of time into Willard beyond an incredibly brief, negligible amount, likely understands what I am going to be glossing over. In fairness; undergoing an thorough and holistic process, however, I think it is better to start from tabula rasa. The server is invariably dominated by Social Credits, which is developed and designed to be a mechanism that tracks how 'loyal' one is to the Combine's administration of City Twenty Four and other adjacent organizations which are its provided subsidiaries. Within the server, it is effectively utilized as a dystopian tool for surveillance and keeping track of how good or bad one is on face value. At a cursory glance it's something befitting the nature of Half Life Two and its environment for oppression. However, in practice, most have highlighted an issue that they've frequently come into contact with.

The medium is Half Life, the mood of the setting is a slow, glacial omnicide of all things upon earth. Everything that is anything is a depressive, fleeting feeling that pushes characters down their path all while being mantled. It is an ugly affair for our characters; whose usual escape from the hellish world is invariably a demise that is either quick and sudden, or slow and agonizing.

But.

We ourselves are not the characters that we play irregardless of separation. Roleplay itself is synonymous with the idea of collaborative writing. So much so, that the server's narrative and its livelihood would ultimately die if everyone receded not from it, but from interactions with one another. And no matter how true the simulacrum, it is acceptable and even encouraged for such breaks in reality to occur to support the ideal of writing with one another and its accoutrements.

Currently as it stands, the way that Social Credits are implemented are something that peels back that notion of cooperation and the ideal of writing be first and foremost. To succeed within Willard a newcomer is pointed not towards the interactions that would cement their character's personality and subsequent path that they would tread down, but instead areas that are ironically vacant at its worst and tangentially operating as an individual within a group at best.

It's a common event that whenever there is an announcement of a CWU workshift there's a majority of people whom simply drop what they are doing to rush from wherever they were to stand in line, hopefully achieving their goal of being the first select amount of people to queue to ensure their participation within the workshift and subsequent reward. But the goal is not being driven by in-character wont, but instead of chasing a number that, when achieved, they may be granted access in their desired field whether it be CWU, CMU, Civil Protection; anything at all that may fall within its purview. And until the number is reached it falls into a vicious, tiring cycle.

Diagram below.
[Picture of Diagram - The one you sent KG Earlier]

​

People's goals become more inclined towards chasing a number where interactions become secondary. Some, probably, burn out. But the effect isn't solely relegated to the player; it's felt far beyond the pursuant because the behaviour ekes and affects everyone and every organization on the server. Workshifts become secondhand because the character and player doesn't wish to do them, they're instead a chore, and it reverberates because the ones who plan and oversee it, see their effort responded with minimal emotes and vacuous levity. Workdesks undergo something similar. Everything is predominantly seen in the lens of not truly being a vehicle for interaction that someone's character would do, or they wish to undertake, to write with another player, but instead as a means to an end. Everything is reductive to 'How much points I can achieve to obtain what I wish to get into?'.

For clarification, this isn't advocacy for faction leaders of civilian factions to change their entry requirements or to remove them altogether. This is to mostly highlight what I see as a destructive means which tend to pervade, restricting players to prioritize a formulaic gameplay loop until something is achievable not by merit but by number, than instead they're supplementing prerequisite being how good of a writer themselves are and other instrinsic personality traits and intentions of the character themselves.

---

[Logo Here - Proposal]

​

Due to my belief that the best types of design and proposals are flexible, the entirety of what I will be proposing is not one unified subject, but instead modular; interactive pieces. Because what I might envision may be too far for some; antithetical or otherwise just generally boorish; where somethings may be considered acceptable others may be less so and require tweaking. And although themselves may be tangentially related to one another, the argument of which most are predicated is not to put systems before people; , but allow an implementation and refitting where the systems benefit people while avoiding formulaic gameplay loops where social interaction is notoriously absent. People would be having their roleplay decide and be decided by others through their own interactions spurring on character growth and the paths that their characters take. While ensuring that whatever is implemented doesn't necessitate the mechanics of the game changing or having to undergo more work done for them, but instead them being viewed through a different lens.

As such, I am, ironically from my previous tone, not actually wishing for the abolishment of the Social Credit System implemented within Willard Networks. One of my goals is to critique it, and also try to offer forth a solution to others that may be more evocative for roleplay and gameplay itself.

Currently the system of Social Credits as it stands is, to my knowledge, something that is absolutist in terms of whether it is necessitated or not. People whom have their wanted amount will almost never offend. Diametrically, those whom do not care for social credits will never deem it worthwhile to actually go and obtain them other than being forced to participate in Workshifts. Similarly people are arbitrarily rewarded until 'Tier Three' for largely only achieving a number. To myself, this feels hollow. People are simply being representative of an abstract system in which whether met or not bestows people a sticker. It's only when things are brought to Tier Four when there's actual roleplay involved between players with the goals oriented around social interaction.

For this, oddly enough, I am arguing for a decoupling of Loyalism with its accoutrements and the Social Credit system. It may sound drastic, but please: Allow me an opportunity to present my ideas.

The decoupling of the Social Credit system for the lower tiers of Loyalism is because that the system I'm proposing isn't going to rely on the aspect. In my own mind, detaching them from one another actually allows both to form complementing systems which are built around player-to-player interaction and reaction.

By finally segregating Social Credit alone: I can opt to say that instead of it being on a level of loyalism it refitted to instead judge how law-abiding a Civilian is. Where, according to their own actions, the Social Credit goes up and down regarding how they are.

Sound similar? Yes, it sound exactly as its predecessor. The reason why is because, as before, the goal isn't to naturally destruct and build from ground zero. However, the oncoming proposition is that by fundamentally changing Social Credits in being a marker from loyalism to basic conduct, one inherently changes how everyone's character is afforded a measure of risk and reward. By consequentially alleviating the risk in certain conditions and criteria, resistance and anti-citizens would be theoretically encouraged to go topside and encounter Civil Protection, spurring player-to-player interaction and driving forth both personal and server narratives that fulfill more things to happen. Incidentally, those whom fall too short of Social Credits may end up either risking death or having to, in their respite, go back into society and actually interact with loyalist/city elements to ensure that in their next foray if they are indeed caught again it won't necessarily mean death.

Now, an earnest question one would ask is 'But what about the MPF?' And, well, of course! The implementation isn't to sacrifice the Combine faction onto the funeral pyre and relegate themselves into 'second class roleplayers' to where their meaning doesn't matter. Instead, the goal of this is to also facilitate roleplay within the MPF by affording cat-and-mouse games between both Resistance and the Metropolitan Police Force. But, more importantly in the Social Credit change, it affixes the individual within the MPF to also decide, within reason and their own flexibility, to give their own verdict and by such action also individualize them.

In context: A resistance member whom actually gives information; does bargaining; is complaint throughout their capture and following interrogation; and overall provides good roleplay could be given a more lenient sentence by their interrogator in affording scenarios. Meanwhile, it is also indicative of the Unit's own ideology and action to how they may register whatever verdict: Having the possibility of being seen as a Cop who could either being known as someone who could be cajoled into a lesser sentence, to someone who is 'by the books' and keeping it nominally within the average, to someone whose dogmatic views push them to be more punitive to anything else.

As always, I am going to place another couple of diagrams down. These are strictly from my own reading on the forums and also hearing it secondhand. Of course this is going to be some level of bias involved as I am advocating for the system to be implemented but I will try to be as impartial as it currently is.

[Diagram of the Current System]

[Diagram of the Proposed System]


Obviously, there's no diagrams but there's enough here to understand what I'm recommending. A majority of the time people are effectively going after mechanical game routes instead of facilitating and encouraging player interaction.

I largely written everything but the conclusion.

Hope it's an enjoyable read.​

 

[Fallizs]

[Insert Banner here, 'Social Credits Overhaul Proposal', Big Text.]

I. Preface Statement.
II. Acknowledging the issue. - The Issue itself?
IIb. Design Philosophy and Implementation (Ignore this shit)
III. Proposal
IV. Example of Reform
V. Summation of conclusion, and ask for insights.
​

---

[Logo Here - Preface]

​

Hey there. If you know me from Willard's Discord you've probably heard me talk about my concerns for Social Credits and the problems they incur due to their current design, which I've done exhaustively and repeatedly. The issue is that such a perspective is easily expressed, but because that nothing is complementing it; it's easily lost in its ambiguity which amounts to dumping the issue in one's lap to simplistically state 'Fix this!' before abruptly disappearing. Because of it, I've decided to put my foot in my mouth and step back from 'bothering' people with my litany of objections. I've come to the forums to post my collation of thoughts on the issue, and a subsequent proposal and example to, in my own belief, amend the issues that I believe have an overlying impact on the server itself and its playerbase.

Time is of the essence, as I also believe there to be a community meeting in the next few days to air concerns and resolutions; levying wanted changes on the server. But in my own experience I am absolutely abhorrent at dictating anything in a succinctly-done manner, and due to my own misgivings about my ability to do so I feel it best that I do so here.

I acknowledge that what I am to propose is effectively a sweeping reform; unbecoming, probably ill-thought out, and just generally something of a chimera that both has issues of its own and requiring an exhaustive amount of effort to one of, if not the, foundational blocks of the server to amend. I'm not someone who believes their ability to be above-average. There will be things amiss; unmarked if not totally imperceptible when I first make this. This is also one of the reasons why I am posting this here. Above all: We're a community, and I believe that everyone should also have the ability to express, rearrange and also propose new things to which the original is deficit of.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SOCIAL CREDITS ISSUE, TOO!​

---

[Logo Here - The Issue]​

A person who's invested an amount of time into Willard beyond an incredibly brief, negligible amount, likely understands what I am going to be glossing over. In fairness; undergoing an thorough and holistic process, however, I think it is better to start from tabula rasa. The server is invariably dominated by Social Credits, which is developed and designed to be a mechanism that tracks how 'loyal' one is to the Combine's administration of City Twenty Four and other adjacent organizations which are its provided subsidiaries. Within the server, it is effectively utilized as a dystopian tool for surveillance and keeping track of how good or bad one is on face value. At a cursory glance it's something befitting the nature of Half Life Two and its environment for oppression. However, in practice, most have highlighted an issue that they've frequently come into contact with.

The medium is Half Life, the mood of the setting is a slow, glacial omnicide of all things upon earth. Everything that is anything is a depressive, fleeting feeling that pushes characters down their path all while being mantled. It is an ugly affair for our characters; whose usual escape from the hellish world is invariably a demise that is either quick and sudden, or slow and agonizing.

But.

We ourselves are not the characters that we play irregardless of separation. Roleplay itself is synonymous with the idea of collaborative writing. So much so, that the server's narrative and its livelihood would ultimately die if everyone receded not from it, but from interactions with one another. And no matter how true the simulacrum, it is acceptable and even encouraged for such breaks in reality to occur to support the ideal of writing with one another and its accoutrements.

Currently as it stands, the way that Social Credits are implemented are something that peels back that notion of cooperation and the ideal of writing be first and foremost. To succeed within Willard a newcomer is pointed not towards the interactions that would cement their character's personality and subsequent path that they would tread down, but instead areas that are ironically vacant at its worst and tangentially operating as an individual within a group at best.

It's a common event that whenever there is an announcement of a CWU workshift there's a majority of people whom simply drop what they are doing to rush from wherever they were to stand in line, hopefully achieving their goal of being the first select amount of people to queue to ensure their participation within the workshift and subsequent reward. But the goal is not being driven by in-character wont, but instead of chasing a number that, when achieved, they may be granted access in their desired field whether it be CWU, CMU, Civil Protection; anything at all that may fall within its purview. And until the number is reached it falls into a vicious, tiring cycle.

Diagram below.
[Picture of Diagram - The one you sent KG Earlier]

​

People's goals become more inclined towards chasing a number where interactions become secondary. Some, probably, burn out. But the effect isn't solely relegated to the player; it's felt far beyond the pursuant because the behaviour ekes and affects everyone and every organization on the server. Workshifts become secondhand because the character and player doesn't wish to do them, they're instead a chore, and it reverberates because the ones who plan and oversee it, see their effort responded with minimal emotes and vacuous levity. Workdesks undergo something similar. Everything is predominantly seen in the lens of not truly being a vehicle for interaction that someone's character would do, or they wish to undertake, to write with another player, but instead as a means to an end. Everything is reductive to 'How much points I can achieve to obtain what I wish to get into?'.

For clarification, this isn't advocacy for faction leaders of civilian factions to change their entry requirements or to remove them altogether. This is to mostly highlight what I see as a destructive means which tend to pervade, restricting players to prioritize a formulaic gameplay loop until something is achievable not by merit but by number, than instead they're supplementing prerequisite being how good of a writer themselves are and other instrinsic personality traits and intentions of the character themselves.

---

[Logo Here - Proposal]

​

Due to my belief that the best types of design and proposals are flexible, the entirety of what I will be proposing is not one unified subject, but instead modular; interactive pieces. Because what I might envision may be too far for some; antithetical or otherwise just generally boorish; where somethings may be considered acceptable others may be less so and require tweaking. And although themselves may be tangentially related to one another, the argument of which most are predicated is not to put systems before people; , but allow an implementation and refitting where the systems benefit people while avoiding formulaic gameplay loops where social interaction is notoriously absent. People would be having their roleplay decide and be decided by others through their own interactions spurring on character growth and the paths that their characters take. While ensuring that whatever is implemented doesn't necessitate the mechanics of the game changing or having to undergo more work done for them, but instead them being viewed through a different lens.

As such, I am, ironically from my previous tone, not actually wishing for the abolishment of the Social Credit System implemented within Willard Networks. One of my goals is to critique it, and also try to offer forth a solution to others that may be more evocative for roleplay and gameplay itself.

Currently the system of Social Credits as it stands is, to my knowledge, something that is absolutist in terms of whether it is necessitated or not. People whom have their wanted amount will almost never offend. Diametrically, those whom do not care for social credits will never deem it worthwhile to actually go and obtain them other than being forced to participate in Workshifts. Similarly people are arbitrarily rewarded until 'Tier Three' for largely only achieving a number. To myself, this feels hollow. People are simply being representative of an abstract system in which whether met or not bestows people a sticker. It's only when things are brought to Tier Four when there's actual roleplay involved between players with the goals oriented around social interaction.

For this, oddly enough, I am arguing for a decoupling of Loyalism with its accoutrements and the Social Credit system. It may sound drastic, but please: Allow me an opportunity to present my ideas.

The decoupling of the Social Credit system for the lower tiers of Loyalism is because that the system I'm proposing isn't going to rely on the aspect. In my own mind, detaching them from one another actually allows both to form complementing systems which are built around player-to-player interaction and reaction.

By finally segregating Social Credit alone: I can opt to say that instead of it being on a level of loyalism it refitted to instead judge how law-abiding a Civilian is. Where, according to their own actions, the Social Credit goes up and down regarding how they are.

Sound similar? Yes, it sound exactly as its predecessor. The reason why is because, as before, the goal isn't to naturally destruct and build from ground zero. However, the oncoming proposition is that by fundamentally changing Social Credits in being a marker from loyalism to basic conduct, one inherently changes how everyone's character is afforded a measure of risk and reward. By consequentially alleviating the risk in certain conditions and criteria, resistance and anti-citizens would be theoretically encouraged to go topside and encounter Civil Protection, spurring player-to-player interaction and driving forth both personal and server narratives that fulfill more things to happen. Incidentally, those whom fall too short of Social Credits may end up either risking death or having to, in their respite, go back into society and actually interact with loyalist/city elements to ensure that in their next foray if they are indeed caught again it won't necessarily mean death.

Now, an earnest question one would ask is 'But what about the MPF?' And, well, of course! The implementation isn't to sacrifice the Combine faction onto the funeral pyre and relegate themselves into 'second class roleplayers' to where their meaning doesn't matter. Instead, the goal of this is to also facilitate roleplay within the MPF by affording cat-and-mouse games between both Resistance and the Metropolitan Police Force. But, more importantly in the Social Credit change, it affixes the individual within the MPF to also decide, within reason and their own flexibility, to give their own verdict and by such action also individualize them.

In context: A resistance member whom actually gives information; does bargaining; is complaint throughout their capture and following interrogation; and overall provides good roleplay could be given a more lenient sentence by their interrogator in affording scenarios. Meanwhile, it is also indicative of the Unit's own ideology and action to how they may register whatever verdict: Having the possibility of being seen as a Cop who could either being known as someone who could be cajoled into a lesser sentence, to someone who is 'by the books' and keeping it nominally within the average, to someone whose dogmatic views push them to be more punitive to anything else.

As always, I am going to place another couple of diagrams down. These are strictly from my own reading on the forums and also hearing it secondhand. Of course this is going to be some level of bias involved as I am advocating for the system to be implemented but I will try to be as impartial as it currently is.

[Diagram of the Current System]

[Diagram of the Proposed System]


Obviously, there's no diagrams but there's enough here to understand what I'm recommending. A majority of the time people are effectively going after mechanical game routes instead of facilitating and encouraging player interaction.

I largely written everything but the conclusion.

Hope it's an enjoyable read.​

i aint reading allat

 

[Username]

The return of political parties so Loyalists can have their own RP generation. And keep the CP's from immediately lumping the entire party together on a RICO case because someone threw a rock at an opponent. (Loyalists can also help do this by not making a militia as the beginning of their party)

Increase interactions with the Civil Protection. CP escorts instead of OTA, preferential treatment for even lower-level loyalists, have patrols function as "roaming workdesks" if they see something in the city they think they can have some fun with, summon citizens to deal with it and reward them. (workforce conscription)

SC rewards for stable employment, shop ownership, pro-social activity within political parties or Combine Organizations (CMRU and CWU apparently not having this is astounding), or just generally being seen to be a pro-social individual who keeps their nose out of trouble.

 

[TheGoodHunter]

the only good thing about Loyalism is the tier-4 characters like siemens. they’re chill people who do evil things because they have to, not cuz they’re evil. evil characters are underused and if they are then they aren’t being done properly

Loyalism is dookie as it means nothing other than being a status for your character. needs an overhaul.

 

[swagile]

loyalism also has to fight for its right to exist as well

think about it; if you really want to go for the end game of loyalism, you apply for CP / OTA / CAB

if you hate loyalism you go for rebels

the problem isn't loyalist rp, per say, its the fact that there is no midgame just like how citizenrp is bad because its the mid game for ALL OTHER ROLES

i only know 2 people in the entire willard community that have stayed a pure citizen; all others deviated to another role afterwards

the same can be said about loyalist rp; most people either go CWU / CMU / some other organization, aim for CP / OTA, or go for the end game which is CAB

no one likes the midgame of citizenRP just the same as loyalistRP as its a mind numbing passive rp fest with nothing interesting in between; something that this server has had trouble with for actual ages. the only shakeup to the mid game of loyalist AND citizenRP was during the era of political parties when merlin (despite my many misgivings with the way he did things) created a antagonist [but state approved] villain character that headed the Futurism Party which got both citizen characters AND loyalist characters involved in a genuine conflict to the point that even rebels joined in to try to either help futurism for their own goals or assassinate futurism leaders

a proper conflict and story with a proper villain so that hero(s) can emerge from the Citizen populace has to be put forth if the issue of loyalist RP being shit wants to be recetified

yeah ok even if you remove loyalist points, it won't solve the issue since even without the grind, loyalistRP mid game is so goddamn aweful that you might as well turn on the GTA cheat codes to give urself a proper whitelist so you can actually do something worthwhile, like CWU / CP / OTA / CAB

tl;dr loyalist (and by extension since they are connected) citizenRP midgame is giga weak which makes loyalism in of itself unappealing and triple cringe

 

[Mc-Crabs]

There's an easy fix to the loyalist system, just make it harder to get the status. We should totally and without me meming, make it so you're capped at +2 gain SC a day.

 

[Inspector Orlok]

Loyalism is something I always want to be apart of, wanting a tier 4 armband a cool jacket. But then I actually got tier 4 and got bored instantly, the only thing really bringing me back is LA meetings as they really are made for loyalists.

You get some pretty cool benefits when becoming a tier 4 but you're not really invited or asked to join anything interesting. I would of thought there be more high class jobs as tier 4 but there really isn't. Perhaps more events/expeditions aimed at loyalists, giving the feeling they're actually apart of something above the normal citizen.

Ideally Collaborator's would be minor antagonists.

This is an interesting concept but is quickly shot down with how dull the personality of most collaborators are, they either fully support the combine or are so ambiguous with their opinion of them it's unrealistic.

A good example of a collaborator who had personality is the one and only, Goodfella. Though most of us can agree he was very nice and kind IC people forget he worked under the combine, doing speeches over the district spreading their agenda, and in some cases even having a hand in it. Though he was a nice guy people often forget what he actually did to help the combine, most of it was masked by his charisma and personality, similar to Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds or Lalo Salamanca from Better call saul, someone evil but something you can look past due to their charismatic nature.