Willard is to soft and 'bright'

[Donavin Jones]

Two examples of what I mean.



Meme hawke made



What I mean is, willard in of itself almost feels 'normal', if you know what I mean.
Doesn't feel Dystopian or Sad, it feels like a normal day in like Chicago or New York.
And doesn't help that CP's (and their colored armbands) chit chat a lot in public, and my biggest issue on this is how I've seen a few CP's just chilling in the slums.
I just wish willard was more authoritarian like it used to be, people being beaten in the slums for simply being in the slums, now loyalist and cops and go in willy nilly as if it isn't meant to be a slum shit hole.​

 

[Donavin Jones]

female cps play a big role in this as well.

 

[ryebredd]

then the other half of you goobers will cry in pk appeals about how cp are so mean and killed you for no reason and this server is no fun because all you do is spend months developing a super cool character just to have him die for no reason cuz u talked back to someone :'( [sad violin]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Robert]

Well here is the problem Willard faces and why it has changed so much:

1. Influx of new players not enjoying the dark and more dystopia-type atmospheres. The moment you try dare beat someone up as a CP, you are cried out as Edgy, abusive and outright minge despite the fact you are just doing your job.

2. The changes in policies over the last few months have, to some extent, made a lot of players softer on others for the sake of avoiding Community Bullying which is a recurring issue.

3. Everyone is free to act how they want by our rules, however, because there is a lack of incentive as pointed out by many to be evil, most people choose the goody route simply because they have that choice and because it's not like there is any benefits for going the opposite route. This applies mainly to CPs who live their lives never needing to be closed off to anything because nothing stops them and we don't want to OOCly force anyone which is good, but there is no IC incentive for them to be mean. So good cops end up being the large majority unlike any other hl2rp which is the majority of bad cops.

4. Everyone loves creativity but with creativity can also come the destruction of dystopia. We allow a lot of creative freedom and while that is good, I will be honest in saying it can be beyond what should be allowed. I am a believer of limiting creative freedom in some way in order to preserve the intended feeling of a dark and gloomy atmosphere which should be in place in hl2rp, but current policy does not support such acts and it only tends to be Short Stories and Creative Team who have to come in and save the day just to try forcefully push the world into a darker setting against the cabal itself.

In all honesty, there is a few things I can say which makes Willard be far too soft and it generally lacks that feeling... one of the main reasons I just develop and never play the Main server because... well it lacks a lot of feeling to it. That is my honest review of the setting. If I did a full review of the whole server on the other hand... well then my review will go more in-depth and generally point out everything wrong in at least 10 pages of complaints.

 

[Wraygun]

I won't go and dive into a 10,000+ words essay, but my main gripe is the "handle it IC" dogma when it comes down to factions. A faction cannot be handled on a pure 100% IC basis. I stopped treating Willard like a proper HL2 dystopia long ago, primarily because of how the faction management is being handled. My main gripe is how Civil Protection is handled. These two pictures here say more than enough.

 

[Neonity]

I won't go and dive into a 10,000+ words essay, but my main gripe is the "handle it IC" dogma when it comes down to factions. A faction cannot be handled on a pure 100% IC basis. I stopped treating Willard like a proper HL2 dystopia long ago, primarily because of how the faction management is being handled. My main gripe is how Civil Protection is handled. These two pictures here say more than enough.

View attachment 14448

View attachment 14449

I was one of the cops punished for "emoticon abuse".

They removed over 5000 STC from me, putting me in lifetime debt.

It was funny.

I would do it again.

 

[Stonetb]

female cps play a big role in this as well.

Don't insult any fem characters because their OOC fem cop friend will nag on you

I would do it again.

quick, bury this thread before it gets out of hand

 

[Merlinsclaw]

My main concern is this:

You can have crazy cool shit. I17 in the first week was a great example. Raves, corruption, drugs, bad cops, ‘good cops’, etc.


Yet it still felt dystopic and fun. It was great. Overall though C24 has neither. There’s nothing fun, interesting, or unique and it’s not dystopic. There’s a fine balance where, say, CCA can have authority over cops. Yet they’re antagonistic, corrupt, and work well together. Yet neither of that happens and ultimately it’s just more of the same.

 

[Rabid]

HL2's dystopia sounds amazing on paper but incredibly awful to play in for any extended period of time and I don't know why people have such a problem admitting that. That goes for when Willard tried it, too.

It wasn't fun having cops blank your roleplay to stand around in the plaza doing nothing because they were threatened with 99 if they engaged with you.

It wasn't fun having cops roll into the slums all the time to randomly beat everyone up because DYSTOPIA!

Yes, I joined to play HL2 which comes with the atmosphere but I also joined to roleplay and even cops suffered from a lack of an ability to really do it. The sort of dystopian feel people are gagging for a return to didn't really allow that, not fully.

Also the problem w/femcops isn't that they exist (fem citizens can literally give them "I'M ABOUT READY TO JOIN CIVIL PROTECTION" line in HL2), its that they don't use the normal cop model so they stand out massively.

 

[RedHotGinger]

These two pictures here say more than enough.

(Assuming this is what you mean) Makes sense for CCA core to hold authority over some standard CP's, so that is totally fine. I think that's more an example of CP's viewing themselves as way more than they are in the setting, when they are surprised that the literal CA can order an I5 around. If you are just talking about the other thing...fair enough. Kinda funny tho.


As for Willard being too soft...give or take on that one.

Firstly, be careful what you wish for. It takes some time to notice but Willard players have consistently failed to play evil characters that are both imposing while not being downright ridiculous in the over-the-top villainous acts they engage in. Most 'bad guys' in Willard are akin to edgy cartoon characters in a show trying to be ironic.

I think a huge source of thematic degradation in this server is how the Combine themselves are portrayed as weak, incompetent overlords that basically exist only because the CCA is around to clean up their messes. The lack of foreboding presence that should be basically pouring from the Combine makes everything feel *far* safer than it should. But, this is Willard, so striders get destroyed with WW2 weaponry and rebels wage open warfare somehow. I know a lot of people don't care much about the lore, but I am telling you, this does leak into the Main Server 100% and it will/does effect how things are perceived ICly.

Outside of that, on the server itself I think there is just a lack of 'pressure'

Pressure does not mean you get beaten nearly to death for sneezing in front of a CP, mind you. An important distinction around here. Pressure would be the incentive for your character to act a certain way. To do certain things, even if they may not like it. As a citizen, or even loyalist (As both suck pretty bad rn tbh) you can skate by with absolutely no real conflict unless you intentionally bring it out on yourself.

Rebels are similar, in the sense being a rebel on the server just amounts to grinding scripts and little else. Not to mention rebels are all pretty much psychopathic which is probably half the reason people avoid rebels ICly. You are probably safer in the presence of a CP than you ever will be a rebel.

As for the slums - they should be integrated into the city almost entirely. The idea that rebels 'own' the slums is terrible not just for them, but for the server as well. The main city consists of two streets and that's it. The slums acts as a much needed deviation from the droning existence one has within those two roads. As for rebels, counting the slums, they own half the city by default. This means rebels have *very* little to plot against or attack. Nexus/CCA building is out the window by default. The more space you give rebels to walk around in full kit for no reason, the less they will have to do with those kits (except look cool for femchars)

Final thought on this idea would be that its a double edged sword. While there are some things that absolutely could be improved, going down the 'total dystopia' route gets old very quickly. That's assuming it would be handled well which it almost certainly wont be. The watering down effect exists and there are only so many times getting beaten with a baton or told to 'isolate' by CPs really inspires much of a reaction at all.

 

[George]

doesn't help that CP's (and their colored armbands) chit chat a lot in public

Let's force CP's to be statues and say nothing ever except for when they are beating people to death

 

[Rabid]

I think a huge source of thematic degradation in this server is how the Combine themselves are portrayed as weak, incompetent overlords that basically exist only because the CCA is around to clean up their messes. The lack of foreboding presence that should be basically pouring from the Combine makes everything feel *far* safer than it should. But, this is Willard, so striders get destroyed with WW2 weaponry and rebels wage open warfare somehow. I know a lot of people don't care much about the lore, but I am telling you, this does leak into the Main Server 100% and it will/does effect how things are perceived ICly.

Tbf though, there's a good reason for that. The Combine win by the server existing or by netting PK's/dismantling rebel operations, meanwhile The Resistance only get the same feeling by doing things in events or going "big".

That's the reason there's so much OOC bad blood whatever happens because the way those two factions (and the players behind them) feel satisfied and accomplished is so opposed to one another.

As for the slums - they should be integrated into the city almost entirely. The idea that rebels 'own' the slums is terrible not just for them, but for the server as well. The main city consists of two streets and that's it. The slums acts as a much needed deviation from the droning existence one has within those two roads. As for rebels, counting the slums, they own half the city by default. This means rebels have *very* little to plot against or attack. Nexus/CCA building is out the window by default. The more space you give rebels to walk around in full kit for no reason, the less they will have to do with those kits (except look cool for femchars)

I still have absolutely no idea why when the server was emptied into the slums that the decision was made to make the city smaller and expand the slums on the next map lmao.

 

[VelmaDingus]

female cps play a big role in this as well.

elaborate

 

[Wraygun]

(Assuming this is what you mean) Makes sense for CCA core to hold authority over some standard CP's, so that is totally fine. I think that's more an example of CP's viewing themselves as way more than they are in the setting, when they are surprised that the literal CA can order an I5 around. If you are just talking about the other thing...fair enough. Kinda funny tho.

Nope. I'm talking about the fact, that expressing discontent of an IC message via an OOC reaction led to several people getting punished.

 

[The_Grass_Man]

When I tried RPing as a mean and bad cop I got bullied by other bc I was apparently a monster and a sick psychopath. Bro not my fault that shawty got caught in the crossfire

 

[Rabid]

Nope. I'm talking about the fact, that expressing discontent of an IC message via an OOC reaction led to several people getting punished.

I think punishing people for taking Discord emoji reactions as IC is probably the wierdest thing I've ever heard in my 7 years of HL2RP lmao.

 

[Deleted member 4096]

Nope. I'm talking about the fact, that expressing discontent of an IC message via an OOC reaction led to several people getting punished.

I think that's internecine. Although it could be considered to be trivial and a break in the decorum; when one acts in such a way to have consequences for reacting, one ends up stifling any actual reaction from the player that they could then be considered worthy to be punished of, dismantling communication.

 

[RogueSynapse]

To establish what should be as blunt as an atom bomb right now, the server does not take place in the Half-Life 2 Universe, It takes place in Willards Half-Life 2 Universe.

 

[Donavin Jones]

then the other half of you goobers will cry in pk appeals about how cp are so mean and killed you for no reason and this server is no fun because all you do is spend months developing a super cool character just to have him die for no reason cuz u talked back to someone :'( [sad violin]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Good point, I say the admins try and force that 'death is likely if you revolt, if you die, you die'.

Well here is the problem Willard faces and why it has changed so much:

1. Influx of new players not enjoying the dark and more dystopia-type atmospheres. The moment you try dare beat someone up as a CP, you are cried out as Edgy, abusive and outright minge despite the fact you are just doing your job.

2. The changes in policies over the last few months have, to some extent, made a lot of players softer on others for the sake of avoiding Community Bullying which is a recurring issue.

3. Everyone is free to act how they want by our rules, however, because there is a lack of incentive as pointed out by many to be evil, most people choose the goody route simply because they have that choice and because it's not like there is any benefits for going the opposite route. This applies mainly to CPs who live their lives never needing to be closed off to anything because nothing stops them and we don't want to OOCly force anyone which is good, but there is no IC incentive for them to be mean. So good cops end up being the large majority unlike any other hl2rp which is the majority of bad cops.

4. Everyone loves creativity but with creativity can also come the destruction of dystopia. We allow a lot of creative freedom and while that is good, I will be honest in saying it can be beyond what should be allowed. I am a believer of limiting creative freedom in some way in order to preserve the intended feeling of a dark and gloomy atmosphere which should be in place in hl2rp, but current policy does not support such acts and it only tends to be Short Stories and Creative Team who have to come in and save the day just to try forcefully push the world into a darker setting against the cabal itself.

In all honesty, there is a few things I can say which makes Willard be far too soft and it generally lacks that feeling... one of the main reasons I just develop and never play the Main server because... well it lacks a lot of feeling to it. That is my honest review of the setting. If I did a full review of the whole server on the other hand... well then my review will go more in-depth and generally point out everything wrong in at least 10 pages of complaints.

Thank you for putting this in robert, this actually explains what my point was a lot better.

(Assuming this is what you mean) Makes sense for CCA core to hold authority over some standard CP's, so that is totally fine. I think that's more an example of CP's viewing themselves as way more than they are in the setting, when they are surprised that the literal CA can order an I5 around. If you are just talking about the other thing...fair enough. Kinda funny tho.


As for Willard being too soft...give or take on that one.

Firstly, be careful what you wish for. It takes some time to notice but Willard players have consistently failed to play evil characters that are both imposing while not being downright ridiculous in the over-the-top villainous acts they engage in. Most 'bad guys' in Willard are akin to edgy cartoon characters in a show trying to be ironic.

I think a huge source of thematic degradation in this server is how the Combine themselves are portrayed as weak, incompetent overlords that basically exist only because the CCA is around to clean up their messes. The lack of foreboding presence that should be basically pouring from the Combine makes everything feel *far* safer than it should. But, this is Willard, so striders get destroyed with WW2 weaponry and rebels wage open warfare somehow. I know a lot of people don't care much about the lore, but I am telling you, this does leak into the Main Server 100% and it will/does effect how things are perceived ICly.

Outside of that, on the server itself I think there is just a lack of 'pressure'

Pressure does not mean you get beaten nearly to death for sneezing in front of a CP, mind you. An important distinction around here. Pressure would be the incentive for your character to act a certain way. To do certain things, even if they may not like it. As a citizen, or even loyalist (As both suck pretty bad rn tbh) you can skate by with absolutely no real conflict unless you intentionally bring it out on yourself.

Rebels are similar, in the sense being a rebel on the server just amounts to grinding scripts and little else. Not to mention rebels are all pretty much psychopathic which is probably half the reason people avoid rebels ICly. You are probably safer in the presence of a CP than you ever will be a rebel.

As for the slums - they should be integrated into the city almost entirely. The idea that rebels 'own' the slums is terrible not just for them, but for the server as well. The main city consists of two streets and that's it. The slums acts as a much needed deviation from the droning existence one has within those two roads. As for rebels, counting the slums, they own half the city by default. This means rebels have *very* little to plot against or attack. Nexus/CCA building is out the window by default. The more space you give rebels to walk around in full kit for no reason, the less they will have to do with those kits (except look cool for femchars)

Final thought on this idea would be that its a double edged sword. While there are some things that absolutely could be improved, going down the 'total dystopia' route gets old very quickly. That's assuming it would be handled well which it almost certainly wont be. The watering down effect exists and there are only so many times getting beaten with a baton or told to 'isolate' by CPs really inspires much of a reaction at all.

Again, another great point and opinion.

As for the rest are also very good.
Thanks for putting in your thoughts guys.

 

[Blitz]

lol this exact conversation with that exact picture has already been thoroughly discussed at length before