Improving our Dominions

[Cecily Demici]

Alright folks...

So, we have had two stagnating dominions under way for quite a while now and there are a core small number of people really working to bring them to a close. However, we really just aren't getting anywhere fast and I think as a Faction, we need to sit down and have a serious conversation about why we have been struggling with having successful and more importantly quick/efficient dominions.

Once we know why, we have to start putting in place ways to improve and address the issues. Otherwise, we are gonna fail as a faction.

So two questions being posed for open discussion:

1. What problem(s) are we currently seeing in GR dominions?

2. How do we address these problems and generally do better?



(Also, before anyone asks because I have a feeling someone might, this topic is here and not in Mission Control because it is primarily a discussion. It does not have to do with actually planning any specific events. )

 

[Akatan Adasca]

[member="Cecily de Demici"]

Resistance.

It's difficult to take a faction and push for 100 posts when the feeling isn't there. It's understandable. But if you can foster a healthy relationship with major or minor factions and enlist them in a format of story that incorporates resistance, you can push the numbers up and create something of worth for both groups: a story. This isn't to say that there isn't movement towards discussion with 'enemy' factions, but it goes towards the idea of looking at dominions differently.

Dominion of planets shouldn't always happen in a vacuum and realistically building in resistance can really amp up the story for it.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

[member="Akatan Adasca"] is right (well worth the price of admission, I'd say) and I think that your little experiment with the Dominion of Umbara will be telling as to whether this can be successful. I like the idea of having resistance. I do not like the idea of everyone writing their own, because that would be anarchy. Perhaps your experiment will yield results that suggest whether a single GM can give people something to work with without sending them running amok.

 

[Cecily Demici]

[member="Aurelia Volcata"] [member="Akatan Adasca"]
Yeah, the biggest thing I see a lot of the times is that each person arriving (specifically those working on different objectives) are seemingly all just appearing there by happenstance or they all received different orders for different reasons without explanation or coordination. So one person might be there because they were hired for it by some obscure person and the other person could have been sent by the government and its all just one big coincidence they are doing it all at once and it happens to culminate in that planet being like "Yeah, Republic for life man."

I think Rhommamool/Osarian has a LOT more coordination between the various objective participants, which is good, but there is still room for improvement. Also I feel like sometimes the people who write dominions simply dont cover all the bases and then regular members are left flopping around trying to fill the gaps or giving up because of how big the gaps are.

So, yeah I hope Umbara goes well when it gets going. I'd love to start running speed dominions eventually.

 

[Ali Hadrix]

I feel dominions need to remain simple. A 100 post requirement can be a tall order for five people, and we should be incorporating as many folks from the GR and allied factions as possible.
Hell, we could offer unique items and what not for people who complete objectives during a dominion (the Rebel Alliance does this and I acquired a couple pretty neat pieces of equipment that way). That shouldn't be hard to do, it adds incentive and motivation to see your objective through to the end.

We should also let people do things on their own if they want. A 100 posts, again, is a tall order, and the more structure and rigidity we require only slows progress down until everyone loses motivation and the gears simply stop turning.

So again:

1) Add incentives/rewards for completing objectives (this will attract outside help in completing each Dominion)

2) Recruit allies and other factions to diffuse the number of posts required from each writer and make this easier to complete.

3) Provide objectives for completion, but allow writers to write their own stories within the Dominion to help cover the post requirements. If you're already going to do a story somewhere else, just stick it on the planet we're doing the Dominion on and you're killing two birds with one stone!

 

[Akatan Adasca]

[member="Ali Hadrix"]

The OS provides bling and occasionally provides IC rewards, unique not so over powered items to those who actively participate in the faction threads. It's definitely something to consider for the GR.

 

[Marcus Itera]

1) Add incentives/rewards for completing objectives (this will attract outside help in completing each Dominion)

These are always good. Back when the Lords of the Fringe was a new major faction and I was an FA, these worked extremely well.

2) Recruit allies and other factions to diffuse the number of posts required from each writer and make this easier to complete.

Maybe we should allow the Hutt Cartel, the One Sith, or any other faction opposed to us to provide minor IC resistance. We can provide some incentives for them as well.

 

[Cecily Demici]

Couple points in bullet form cause of time crunch IRL:

• I agree with the sentiment that rewards should be offered. Even OOC prizes could be given! Something as simple as a Rank Title thing for participants and then specific titles awarded to individual members who participated and did something awesome like "Most Interesting Story Development" or "MVP" or "Best One Liner"
• I also agree that people should be allowed to do what they want in the Dominions up to a point. Just because we reach 100 posts does not mean we win the dominion. If our story is all over the place or just doesnt make sense or contradicts itself, the RPJ can deny it or mandate X amount of additional posts to resolve issues or expand more. So, there does need to be a story and a clear goal. Doesn't mean people can't own their participation. To summarize: provide free-play objectives, but supplement them with primary objectives that follow a story line.
• The Faction would benefit from forming a team of 10 good, detailed, and most importantly QUICK writers to come together as an official 'speed dominion task force.' So, while anyone can still put together dominions or whatever, this team's primary goal would be expansion. Personally, I am typically a faster writer/plotter, but that's just my preference and I know there are other people who like to just take it slow. It wouldnt even need to be official, but if there are any people out there wanting to do it let me know

[member="Akatan Adasca"] [member="Ali Hadrix"] [member="Marcus Foster"]

 

[Marcus Itera]

[member="Cecily de Demici"]

I'm a fairly fast poster as well mainly because I can litter it with dialogue.

I can participate in speed doms because I burn out during long ones, but weekends are the best for me. I'm also free after school on Wednesdays.

 

[Marcus Itera]

[member="Cecily de Demici"], [member="Ali Hadrix"]

I've given the rewards deal a bit more in-depth thought and I think it would be gnarly to offer our members increment rewards. Here's an example:

• 5 Posts - A sick blaster pistol
• 10 Posts - Stylish Jedi robes
• 15 Posts - A personal Echani vibrosword
• 20 Posts - A starfighter/starship

Gives a little more incentive to reach higher post counts and collect better rewards while also equipping our eager and loyal members with tools for use in skirmishes and invasions. Would also allow much more exposure to canon SW technology and that of our contracted companies.

 

[RC 212]

Yes LoTF did have great rewards system. They also frequently used DM's and had really, really interesting plots. It doesn’t always have to be war and chaos to take a planet. You could use all the characters in each dominion.

For example, one of these I se has like no place for senators. One has little place for Jedi.

Don't forget your fleeters, and your pilots too. If a character arcehtype has nothing to do, you're not going to get a big turnout, just a few people every time. Also making a unique item for the top three participants will breed a certain amount of competition within the writers. That makes a huge difference.

For instance, OP has Dommed planets where it was all politics, meanwhile ground troops were providing aid to the populace while deals were discussed with local government. What about breaking a blockade? Give the fleeters something to do. I think having a massive space battle with dogfighting as the main focus would be a fun one.

Make characters do something they are not used to.

Give us something fresh, something new.

As far as your lagging dominions, the plotlines are so screwed up, they are so far along, and everyone is so out of touch with one another.

I'd say just scrap them and focus on one at a time. Use two objectives, and split the writers into two teams. Make them work together, then try to have a free format, after you can get some cohesion.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

The Obsidian Order, or perhaps even Spynet, could provide some opposition for some dominions

 

[Mantic Dorn]

Maybe start with sparking life into the existing ones and then move on with these new thoughts for the "second wave"

 

[RC 212]

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

Its going to be very difficult, considering half the folks that started them are now gone or innactive.

Huge plot gaps too.

 

[Mantic Dorn]

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

There is no rule against a faction changing the objectives to make things finish.
If we got 50 posts in a dom and it goes dormant new objectives can easily push the dom to 100 posts with fresh members.

Its not that complicated, its a matter of inventing new stories, break the "dead objectives"

(. Speed doms are complicated though, but not the regular ones.)

 

[RC 212]

Eh, thats thin Ice I think. An RPJ reading that might not approve. But hey, we can certainly try.

 

[Mantic Dorn]

[member="Vassara Raxis"]

Its being done all the time, Some organizer (like myself) start all dominions with an objective called "Do your own thing" to make sure people understand this.
dominions have no rules apart from being 100 posts, and that they need to hold a certain level of quality.

The objectives are player invented. Not something chaos staff demands. But they help to help people get organised, and to be given room to cooperate better in the thread.
point to complete a dominion. 100 posts is.
One rule to keep in mind is of course rule number 2

" 2. The faction must construct a believable plot for the duration of the role-play and present some sort of opposition for it's members.
http://starwarsrp.net/page/articles.html/_/role-play-rules/dominions-r17

But so far that does not seem to mean that we need to stick to the same objective or anything. Just that it need a storyline that seems belivable.
For example:
Luke and his merry rebel faction went in to dom Endor,

Objective A - Get the ewoks to help them destroy the shield generator in the djungle
Objective B - blow up the orbiting evil deathstar.

All good and the faction gets to work.
But since Lukes writer gets bored he decided to start a story of his own and be captured by darth so he could have a lightsaber duel instead....
In the end this was a new objective but worked out fine since it centered around defeating the Empire who was the opposition.

 

[Oddball]

Let me write one. I'll make it great, don't mean to brag or anything but I'm pretty amazing. My best quality is that I'm humble

 

[Strider Garon]

2) Recruit allies and other factions to diffuse the number of posts required from each writer and make this easier to complete.

That goes two ways though. Allies jump in on your doms, such should be done back in return.

 

[Oddball]

Let me write one, I'll DM it and everything. I used to write all the fun Red Raven dominions