Is the map game really necessary?

[Tefka]

Seems like it puts a lot of pressure on this community to be competitive, and gets in the way of the story sometimes. On the other hand, its also one of the most enjoyed aspects of this community.

But do we really need it? Is Chaos defined by this awesome map that a totally awesome artist put together, influence clouds and factions and all? Or could we get rid of it and just go back to much, much older methods of tracking planets owned per factions via a text list?

What are your thoughts?

 

[Nei Laa]

[member="Tefka"]

A text list would probably be easier for people to see which planets/objects are under the possession of various groups (because then you have a list right there that says it, and if people need help finding an object they can do the control+f command xP), but I humbly suggest keeping the map instead of getting rid of it. Do away with the influence clouds if you will, but I personally see the map as a good way for me to see exactly where everything is located in the galaxy -- especially if the object I'm looking fo is a custom place that's not on any "canon" map. Just my thoughts

 

[Nyxie]

Imho the map is just a guideline for places, settings and scenarios to host important threads in. That's all it is. We're competitive by nature, not because there is a map that tells us we "need" to claim one thing or hold another. It's just flavour and a sort of template that decides where major threads like invasions will be held. That's all it does. And I'd also argue that this is, after all, Star Wars and without wars (which are a given, map or not) it wouldn't capture that same magic that the verse has.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

The map, for me is a point of reference and nothing more. I like it there for that reason, where to know what systems are within a faction cloud (be it our own or others) and what are not.

I use the map mainly to find a new place to RP on.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Speaking entirely non-staff here, but in my opinion…yes, it is.

As many of us remember coming from ye olde craftshop, without a map and the invasions/dominions we have here, there is a staggeringly low amount of things factions and groups can do. You’d be reduced to doing skirmishes as your sole means of warfare, and without the map game there’s no long-term consequences here.

Factions build up stories and RPs based on the planets they possess, develop them over time. Other sites where there is no such ownership devolve into endless and inconsequential raids which no one has to worry about because there is no consequence.

I advocate fixing the current system, not tossing it out. The map game, for all its flaws, is a big draw for me here, and a big part of the ‘Open’ RPing here as well.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

[member="Tefka"]

Someone is feeling spunky tonight...You're making it difficult for me to keep up with the sassy replies and GIFs...

We should actually rename CHAOS to Star Wars RP: Crayon Wars

That's all I've got for tonight. Goodnight.

 

[Gael bar Ammon]

I think it's awesome. It's a tangible benefit that motivates me to get out there and RP. It's really rewarding to see the progress you've made as a faction and its easier to locate. Without the map game, all factions are minor - some just happen to be bigger than others.

I concede though that some of the drama will go away should the map go to. But drama will be around whether the map is or not. I think drama surrounding the map has mostly to do with people not thinking hard enough on the battles they choose.

 

[Audren Sykes]

I'd go with the 'why not both' clause. You've already got the Map Update thread in text form, simple enough to modify existing lists. The most difficult part of it would be creating the initial list after so much history. The map is visual though, I think of it a lot like the tabletop maps we see generals use in history for battlefields and wars. One can't see the influence cloud by a text list, but they can with a map.

 

[Fatty]

via a text list

I think I gagged a little, sorry.

The map is enjoyed (despite the drama that the rest of the game brings) because it is a visual. It gives you an idea of things without having to spend as much time reading through a list.

If you are looking for a way to decrease the stress of the map game, perhaps you could de-stress the importance of things like Dominions, by allowing a more generous passive way of gaining territory. If you're around for x-amount of time, you are guaranteed x number of worlds. Not a lot mind you, but if your faction is guaranteed to gain planets without direct effort in gaining them, the competitiveness of constantly doing dominions diminishes. It's almost a proven fact that giving away free stuff decreases competition. Of course, the free stuff they gain will be entirely at the discretion of the staff in determining how active they actually are much in the same way that they determine a faction is deserving of a recall.

However, you will probably argue, it is the Invasions that are the real stress inducers here, and I will agree with you. That I have no quick fix for, but perhaps by slightly diminishing the constant need to expand, the relative importance of an Invasion will decrease with it, thus allowing for more focus to be put into the Invasions as an opportunity of story. Though hopefully, decreasing the competitiveness of dominions does not also affect Invasions in the same way.

I dunno, perhaps I am rambling about things I don't understand.

 

[Miv Kora]

[member="Tefka"]

plz keep da cloudz or u make [member="Popo"] sad

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Tefka"]

No, but at the same time, yes.

Heres why the map game is necessary in a way that isn't... well necessary... ok im starting to get confusing already.

Basically, this map game helps with the amount of people here. It gives us all something more to do and something to aspire to as well as keeping the power of a faction in check where otherwise someone could just randomly say they have influence somewhere they don't. It also gives us clear sight of where a faction would be recognized as a interplanetary force, and where they wouldn't be while also expanding the lore of the Site.

So No, we don't need the map game as many forums do not have it, but without it, we would not be as active or as different as we are.

 

[Ilias Nytrau]

[member="Tefka"]

If you take away the map, then where will I get my fix?

I'M A JUNKIE. A MAP JUNKIE. :mellow:

 

[Tefka]

[member="Ilias Nytrau"]

I WILL BE YOUR CURE

 

[Ilias Nytrau]

[member="Tefka"]

BUT I'M NOT READYYYYYYYYYYYY

 

[Eralam]

On the other hand, its also one of the most enjoyed aspects of this community.

Therein lies the problem with getting rid of it. For better or worse, the map game is one of the greatest driving forces behind the interactions between factions. That interaction has turned sour as of late, but not because the concept is broken. Competition between factions has undergone a sort of forced natural selection. Things like not taking damage or demanding edits or unnecessarily convoluted and hostile negotiations have proven to be the successful traits, so they've been passed down and distilled from invasion to invasion.

The solution to this problem is to start actively selecting for positive traits, like sportsmanship, collaboration, and fun. Again, I've got a plan cooked up for that, and I'll post it up here in a little bit.

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Though hopefully, decreasing the competitiveness of dominions does not also affect Invasions in the same way.

People hate to lose. Online, with the anonymity aspect where you and your opponent don't have to shake hands at the end of the day, there's always going to more aggression. That's why what could otherwise be healthy competition turns into a gripe fest.

And if you want to fix that, you'll have to fix human nature first.

 

[Jsc]

Theoretically. Nope.

Go corporate. You get territory. (In list format.) Influence. (via networking/contracts.) Fleeting. (via Defense Fleets.) Factory Subs. (For yo products.) Other players. (Because employees.) No unwanted Invasions. (Because your holdings are intangible.) Great stories. (Because zero drama.) Positive feedback daily. (Because your selling on the Marketplace.) No training threads. (Because entrepreneur.) No wanting for Masters. (Because one CEO is always enough.) And nobody wants to kill you or cares that your a Force User. (Because zero genocides.) ... (Okay. Almost zero genocides. Rusty has to test his products sometimes.)

Rationally. Yes.

Because Star Wars is all about the Star Wars. The Rebellion fights the Imperials while the Jedi fight the Sith. It's 100% pure SW genre. I wouldn't scrap it for anything.

 

[ADM. Reshmar]

No its not. Not in its current version.

 

[Cecily Demici]

I think the map is useful. How else would we know which faction is the best and most popular?

but really, I think it's an important aspect of the logistics of the game.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Great stories. (Because zero drama.)

More of this, yes.

Here is my two cents about Invasions and such and the map game, I intentionally have not gotten involved in it for a number of reasons. First, too much drama. I come on here to avoid that, and frankly it doesn't appeal to me. Yes, I partook in a few as this character for the Hutt cartel and James Justice for the Roche thing, but I never really got into it. With James Justice the whole invasion thing on Roche got way WAY out of hand, and in a lot of ways I am still getting heck over it. That's really uncalled for. Especially since I did literally nothing. Literally. Nothing. And while the system is not broken, I would say the people who are using it are. They take things way out of proportion.

Perhaps a system needs to be taken into place. Yes, I do understand IC actions and IC consequences and yea, you can't force people to do the right thing. Heck, we could even have "chaos" replaced with the words "THIS IS A GAME" and I think people would still manage to forget. But, the level of drama that surrounds the whole "My faction could beat up your faction" sometimes reaches the level of primatives. A system, I think, somehow, to help us keep our manners or something could be put in place to help. But I don't know. That's just me.

((PS, Alt of James Justice, I just typed all this out and was too lazy to switch over accounts))