Company Discussion/Advancement Guidelines/Ect

[The End Narrator]

We need to bring the discussion from Skype to here.

I had no clue I had to dev out advancement.

I know I'm probably not the only individual who is lacking in this knowledge and was under the impression one could use major projects completed and such. I never knew about "double-dipping" ect.

I think I can relate to the frustration of other players in the community and I really don't know of suggestions at this time but I'm putting this up cause obviously Companies are still an issue.

I personally don't agree with having to dev thread out advancement. That is a bit restrictive.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Aaralyn Rekali"]
What do you mean? For my advancements I've had threads and dev threads but I've never RP'ed the actual advancing of tier since that's an OOC designation not an IC one.

 

[The End Narrator]

[member="Aaralyn Rekali"]
What do you mean? For my advancements I've had threads and dev threads but I've never RP'ed the actual advancing of tier since that's an OOC designation not an IC one.

I was told you can't double dip. Basically, you can't use a project that you created or a contract from a project in order to advance. You have to do something totally separate. I'm also confused as to why this was a huge discussion in skype, I post it and it dies here. Curious.

So, anyways. Stealth-X Project, Contracts established, can't use it to advance Incom from T4 to T5. I think that's a bit bogus considering. I'm one person running Incom, yeah I have alot of time on my hands but not all the time to do I have the effort, energy or the input to sit there and churn out enough ideas and requirements to push from Tier 4 to Tier 5, then Tier 5 to Tier 6. Aegis project example, became an Omega Protectorate exclusive design and production from Incom Corporation. It was an agreement/sponsorship but isn't enough to advance. I'd have to do alot more to push up. My issue is, these are things I wasn't aware of.

I'm not saying everyone should be able to fire out Tier 6 companies from the fourth point of contacts but the common person, cause let's say I'm not, isn't going to have the time, effort, characters, muse or patience to build their stuff past Tier 2 or Tier 3 when we make it extremely difficult, obviously unknown (As I didn't even know.) and just well unrealistic.

So, allow me to put my shields up and prepare for the incoming, because I know it's coming. Again, not everyone has the means, time, know-how, and even the resources.

 

[Delila Castillon]

I was told double dipping was out as well. Otherwise I'd be Tier 4 right now.

 

[Caulder Dune]

I personally don't agree with having to dev thread out advancement. That is a bit restrictive.

You do not seem to be familiar with the tier advancement guide. I have absolutely no idea where you are getting this "dev thread out advancement" thing from. You are asked to provide threads where you gain contracts and a certain amount of products that have been approved in the factory. Then you are asked to provide a certain amount of threads where you do literally anything, so long as it involves your company in some way.

For instance. I am advancing Cestus from Tier III to Tier IV. The requirements are as follows.

• Sign a contract with three more player-run organizations, one of which must be a major faction OR a Tier V+ company.
• Make an additional three mass-produced products..
• Complete four miscellaneous threads.
• Successfully complete a project of sizable proportions.

So I would link to the following and describe them as such.

Here are the threads where I secure three contracts in total.

• [Contract] CEC and Silk Holdings
• [Contract] Neuro-Saav

Here are my three mass-produced products.

• [Submission] TA1 Battle Droid
• [Submission] Z6 Naval Droid
• [Submission] S1 Medical Droid

Here are my four miscellaneous threads, wherein I do a bunch of little things.

• [Misc] Labor and Materials
• [Misc] It's Got What It Takes
• [Misc] Everybody Needs a Whale
• [Misc] Expanding Markets

And here are the threads pertinent to my sizable project.

• [Project] Carry On, My Wayward Son
• [Project] There'll Be Peace When You Are Done
• [Project] Lay Your Weary Head To Rest
• [Project] Don't You Cry No More
• [Submission] P1 Destroyer Droid

Double dipping would be attempting to use a thread related to your major project as a miscellaneous thread, or a contract you were using to advance as a miscellaneous thread. That is not acceptable. This rule is not going to change if I have any say in the matter. You either do the work or you enjoy your current tier, or get someone else to do the work for you.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

I'm of the same mind as [member="Darth Janus"]. The current tier advancements are perfectly fine.


Now what I do want to toss in, is that perhaps a bit more elaboration is needed on what qualifies as a major project. And perhaps, a method to weed out the inactive companies into an inactive company forum.

The mass check in sounds neat, but would require quite a bit of admin work at the end of every month.

I did say I was going to work on an index of of the companies, but it is a matter of trying to figure out how to appropriately list them. ( Tier, Main products, etc)

 

[Sirella Valkner]

Okay a few issues/suggestions with companies.

1. Remove inactive companies to an inactive company board. To be active you must have actually Roleplayed the company. This doesn't include random factory subs. If your company is being used not as a backdrop for RP but only as a toy manufacturer you aren't doing it right in my opinion.

2. Consolidation of Submissions. I was just informed last night that each subsidiary needs to be its own sub and thread. Well that isn't the case and if it was tef would have to do like 10 more subs as Titan has a ton of subsidiaries. So either I misheard, people who told me that are being hypocritical and playing favorites, or they are wrong. Either way I'd rather make a subsidiary and add to my description in the original sub in order to keep all the information on a company centralized instead of spread out. It also makes it easier to not make mistakes and accidently get rid of a subsidiary of an active company if the above is implemented.

3. In a perfect world people the company forum and the rest of the factory would work a bit closer together. When someone makes their personal blaster I'd ask them what company produced it or the parts for it. Or if someone made a personalized item I'd ask what corporate components from our companies make up the basis for it. It doesn't work with everything but personalized "unique" ships and the like? Sure. We'd get a lot less crap vanity projects if a company owner had to sign off on a production run or whatever, in addition it would help boost activity of companies and maybe alleviate that concern people had.

4. I don't like the government sponsorship thing. Mostly because of how fast some of these major factions rise and fall. What happens if the CIS and Fringe who my company has a sponsorship deal with falls? Do I love my tier? What if someone brings that up? Its just too easy for a player who did everything right with a company to get hosed by this.

5. Some people.... some goddamn people. So I've seen a number of people claim their T2 company can produce everything under the sun and diversify into doing everything. Droids? Got it! Foodstuff? Got it! Ships and medicine? Sure they are related! Got it!

For larger companies this isn't a problem. Baptist Memorial in memphis owns an autoyard and a garage and also a small farming interest. So like things happen. Baptist Memorial is also the largest company in the midsouth. I tihnk we could do a specialization system wherein companies specialize in an area and can branch out as they grow. I don't think its unreasonable and I think if we all put our heads together and come up with an easy guide it could help with these factory submissions. In addition it would also promote cross company interaction.

So I made droid brains and have specialized in droids. I make fighters and have a client who wants to make a droid fighter. Well we both have specialties lets get together and do something. And on top of that with more cooperation between parts of the factory we can have those specialties come into consideration when judging articles.

I'd also like to see, but don't' know of any way enforcing it, trying to get more Major Faction company interaction. It feels like a lot of factions simply make a company to supply them and ignore other people. I said feels like because that isn't entirely the case. But if you're Larraq and can't get contracts because every Major faction just makes their own company to supply them.... then really that is a legit grievance. I think number 1 will help a lot there to be honest.

Anyways these are just some thoughts I had on the issues I've seen/heard of. Some of this I know won't/can't be implemented but I felt was worth mentioning.

 

[Delila Castillon]

I do like the idea of number one. I feel there are way too many inactive companies and there should be check ins. Maybe not every month, perhaps bi-monthly or quarterly. Then again this puts more work onto the FJs, especially with the first check-in. There is going to be a lot of deleting going on.


The major faction thing is a issue. I am so happy its been changed to "Or Tier 5 or larger". However, I don't think we can really dictate that Major Factions have to shop around. Its the nature of the game, people are going to supply their friends or make shady side companies to hog all the contracts.

 

[Sirella Valkner]

[member="Delila Castillon"]

Yeah as I said in my post a lot of the stuff I say and suggested can't be implemented and even if we tried would be mostly unenforceable. I will say I do agree with Bi-monthly. It eases the burden on both staff and players.