In the real world, the any military weapons design has to carefully balance three factors: stopping power, hit probability, and viability. All three of these factors are extremely complicated, and they play off each other in a variety of equally complicated ways that are the bane of just about anyone trying to break into the military arms industry. It's not enough to come up with an all singing, all dancing new wonder weapon if it doesn't significantly improve on existing stock. What's more, those improvements can't come at the expense of disrupting existing production contracts or overly complicating logistics. There's a reason the US has stuck with the AR/M16 platform since the 1960s: it's not that better weapons haven't been invented since, it's that none of them were better enough to force the switch. The XM-8 came close, but was doomed by political skullduggery.
On Chaos, the equation is much simpler. Since logistical concerns are only as complex as we want them to be, there's nothing that stops an army from changing weapons whenever a new bit of really neat concept art drops. The complex interplay between stopping power and hit probability is entirely forgotten. The single greatest overriding concern is viability within a role play environment, where you have absolutely no control over whether or not an attack hits or how much damage it will do. And in that regard, there's only one factor to consider: how good are you at convincing someone that they should take the hit?
That's it. That's all there is to it. How well you've written your submission is meaningless in the face of bullshit Force powers and loldodging.
So what's a person to do?
Lighten up.
The often bandied about excuse that this is such a game and that you shouldn't take it seriously is every bit as stupid as yeeting Star Destroyers from orbit or claiming your armor stopped a main gun round from a tank. There's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be emotionally invested in your characters, your story, and your faction. That's all part of the reason we're here, after all. Don't let anyone gaslight you into thinking you're somehow inferior for having strong feelings about your story. Either they don't care themselves, or more likely, they do care, but they're trying to get you to swallow some of their bullshit. Either way, keep doing what you're doing.
When I say lighten up, I'm specifically referring to things like Factory submissions and hits in combat.
The Factory has always been something of a dick measuring contest, and you know what? That's fine. I like knowing I can make stuff that's so ridiculous, so outrageous, that it's referenced months or even years later. I also like knowing that the more serious stuff I make can be used to devastating effect in the hands of a skilled writer. In either case, the sole point and purpose behind those submissions is to have fun. The Factory is a place where anyone who has an idea that fits within the loosely defined confines of Star Wars logic can go nuts.
The same thing applies to PVP. It's not a measured clash of wit and skill, it's a dick measuring contest. There are a few folks who have the technical writing ability to back up their character's supposed badassery, but most of them are in on the joke these days. Everyone who's tried to make competitive dueling a thing, myself included, has run into the same wall: no one cares. That's not what Chaos is about. The sooner you get in on the joke, the happier you'll be.
If you want to write a gritty, realistic version of the ubiquitous space wizard, knock yourself out. If you want to submit a thousand word essay to the Factory about your novel concept for a sniper rifle, pop off. There's room for just about anything here. But having room for just about anything leaves open the door for the weird and the wacky. Trying to fight it just leaves you miserable and burnt out and alone. Or worse, surrounded by other people who are miserable and burnt out. Neither one is very fun.
On Chaos, the equation is much simpler. Since logistical concerns are only as complex as we want them to be, there's nothing that stops an army from changing weapons whenever a new bit of really neat concept art drops. The complex interplay between stopping power and hit probability is entirely forgotten. The single greatest overriding concern is viability within a role play environment, where you have absolutely no control over whether or not an attack hits or how much damage it will do. And in that regard, there's only one factor to consider: how good are you at convincing someone that they should take the hit?
That's it. That's all there is to it. How well you've written your submission is meaningless in the face of bullshit Force powers and loldodging.
So what's a person to do?
Lighten up.
The often bandied about excuse that this is such a game and that you shouldn't take it seriously is every bit as stupid as yeeting Star Destroyers from orbit or claiming your armor stopped a main gun round from a tank. There's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be emotionally invested in your characters, your story, and your faction. That's all part of the reason we're here, after all. Don't let anyone gaslight you into thinking you're somehow inferior for having strong feelings about your story. Either they don't care themselves, or more likely, they do care, but they're trying to get you to swallow some of their bullshit. Either way, keep doing what you're doing.
When I say lighten up, I'm specifically referring to things like Factory submissions and hits in combat.
The Factory has always been something of a dick measuring contest, and you know what? That's fine. I like knowing I can make stuff that's so ridiculous, so outrageous, that it's referenced months or even years later. I also like knowing that the more serious stuff I make can be used to devastating effect in the hands of a skilled writer. In either case, the sole point and purpose behind those submissions is to have fun. The Factory is a place where anyone who has an idea that fits within the loosely defined confines of Star Wars logic can go nuts.
The same thing applies to PVP. It's not a measured clash of wit and skill, it's a dick measuring contest. There are a few folks who have the technical writing ability to back up their character's supposed badassery, but most of them are in on the joke these days. Everyone who's tried to make competitive dueling a thing, myself included, has run into the same wall: no one cares. That's not what Chaos is about. The sooner you get in on the joke, the happier you'll be.
If you want to write a gritty, realistic version of the ubiquitous space wizard, knock yourself out. If you want to submit a thousand word essay to the Factory about your novel concept for a sniper rifle, pop off. There's room for just about anything here. But having room for just about anything leaves open the door for the weird and the wacky. Trying to fight it just leaves you miserable and burnt out and alone. Or worse, surrounded by other people who are miserable and burnt out. Neither one is very fun.
