An idea for some unique expansion material

[ShAdOwXkAgE]

<!> Just a warning. This is a LONG post. Be prepared to read <!>

 

Hey there. This is something I thought up of after having a long discussion in my server's fleet general about ideas that are unique and interesting. The most popular idea that seemed to catch on was the option to defect to the opposing faction. While this would present many challenges that I'm sure wouldn't be feasible for a free to play MMO, I did some thinking and came up with this:

 

A brand new expansion that would add 5 levels of gameplay and a new planet, similar to Makeb. But with a twist.

This planet would be a world that is similar to Voss, only recently discovered. On it are a couple lost fragments of the infinite empire. (This is just a standing idea for the system I thought of and could be changed to better fit the lore, but it provides a basic infrastructure for me to get my point across.

 

On this planet are two factions, both Rakata based. One is the Infinite Conquest, who believe in gathering the resources and manpower needed to conquer the galaxy to once again become the ruling nation of the galaxy. The other faction is the Galactic Initiative. They believe more in the unity of the various galactic species in an effort for galactic stability and peace. Both factions have undertones that mirror both the Empire and the Republic.

 

When players arrive on this planet they arrive in a cross faction spaceport. This would be a sanctuary similar to Nar Shaddaa. In this spaceport there would be two Rakata delegates. Each is a recruitment officer for his faction. Players may talk to these individuals and listen to the recruitment pitch, with the option to refuse the quest at the end so that they may listen to both before making a decision. Once a player chooses a faction to ally with, they can then head down to that faction's main hub on the planet. (Choosing a faction would add a secondary flag to your character. While on this planet flagging for PvP or engaging in PvP would only be possible against the opposing rakata faction. The Empire/Republic alignment would be ignored)

 

Now initially your government has no real stake in this conflict. Neither faction possesses enough strength to be considered any sort of real threat. But as time goes by they become more interested.

 

The big appeal to this is the fact that members from BOTH factions may ally themselves under the same banner. This would allow both Empire and Republic forces to work side by side for the first time. And those of the opposite planet faction are your enemy, regardless of if they are Empire or Republic. This would allow for a unique style of gameplay, and allow like minded/aligned individuals to work together towards a common goal.

 

The story would progress through your new faction's story, working together with them to build up their strength until you're contacted by a high ranking member of your government. At this point you're then instructed to help your faction decimate the other, but at the same time keep your own from gaining enough strength to become a serious galactic threat. This will allow you to still show loyalty to your original faction, and would allow the story to showcase the stress and anxiety of Imperial and Republic forces working together. The struggle would ultimately culminate in the deaths of both major figureheads, stemming any further progress and preventing either faction from becoming a major power (And also helping to keep the lore on track by making this a sort of isolated incident)

 

One unique part of this system would be the one time ability to defect to the opposing faction. This process would be started with an item bought in the Cartel Market (Because as much as many people would dislike it, it would be an excellent way for them to rake in a little extra). It would be a short story driven mission string that would eventually bring you into the other faction. The main story would be done with a sort of internal checkpoint/phase system. So if you defect in say, phase three of your current faction's storyline, you would start the opposing faction at the beginning of phase 3. This would help keep the timeline and progress from getting all wonky. This mission string would also grant the title reward "Traitor" upon completion. Just note that this one be a ONE TIME deal. No bouncing back and fourth. Once you turn your back on the original faction there is no turning back. Defection could be done at any point before the final mission. Completing the final mission would lock you into that faction and remove the ability to defect.

 

Each faction would have it's own reputation and associated gear rewards in the following setup. Three armor sets (Adaptive), three weapons for each class, three pets, and three speeders. As well as a small assortment of toys and shiny things. The first of each set of three would be bind on legacy. The second and third would be bind on legacy as well, but locked to that faction. Meaning that if you bought armor set three from the Galactic Initiative faction, you would only be able to wear it if you or another character in your legacy was aligned to that faction. If you decide to defect with faction locked items you lose the ability to use them, but retain the ability to send them to other characters in your legacy. In the case of pets and speeders, they could either be unlearned and the item deposited into your inventory, or they could be very cheap to purchase and you just simply lose them if you defect. This would be incentive for people to stay loyal to one faction instead of just defecting and performing dailies to raise their faction standing to get everything from both factions.

 

This last part is a bit of a stretch, but this could also be a good opportunity to offer the Voss as a playable race. Their neutrality would fit into the feel of things fairly well.

 

That's basically my idea. I'm well aware that it would likely never happen. My main intent of writing this is to spark discussion about the ideas of working alongside the opposing faction, the idea of defecting, and the idea of an expansion more heavily based on the choices you make as a player than ever before. But I figure I'll post it here. Who knows, maybe someone at BioWare will like it.

 

I would like to wrap up this post by asking people to please keep comments and discussion positive and constructive. I welcome comments, feedback, and even input and ideas.

 

So, would you work alongside your enemy to fight a war within a war?

[JuntaKast]

I have already had quite the extensive discussion with you on the fleet about this idea already, but now is my chance to put them out there for more than just the Imperials on Begeren Colony to see. I very much like the idea that the gear/rewards would be faction specific but still bound to your Legacy so that you could shift them around as you see fit and ultimately not "double dip" on the same character. I feel that if this is something that is rolled out as an expansion that there should be no cartel market cost for it as it would be a purchased expansion at would only be available at max level since that would make the defection story flow a lot better. Imagine the complications if you went through this process and defected at level 25 (just an example of course.) Only key point that (sadly) needs to be blatantly pointed out would be the fact that you defect to the opposite faction as you are; if you are let's say a Sith Warrior who picked Marauder you then become a Marauder for the Republic and don't get a magical makeover to become a Sentinel. It would also be good at this point to add my input about to settle at least one burning question: the class trainer. To that extent you would actually rescue/kidnap (depending on your faction perhaps, although just rescuing would more that fine) throughout the course of your defection storyline missions, which would initially place them on your ship as a guest, then upon the completion of your mission, and final choice as to which side you wanted to be on; they become a permanent crew member. Now of course you will still be able to use your Hutt Holostatue, but this would be a great storyline way of making sure that you would be able to train your new abilities. Again the same thing could also be handled by just making the respective class trainers offer whatever abilities you current have available to train, but what the heck is the fun in that; especially in a story driven game.

This I feel would open a lot of interesting class mixtures throughout both factions, since the classes are similar to a a point, but also differ on others. Also my input when we chatted about this on the fleet was that I would actually like to see your Light/Darkside points come into play within your decisions, since the points are very important up until you hit level 50 then really have no significance anymore, which is most unfortunate. Now that doesn't mean that you are "locked" into let's say the Empire just because you are Darkside 5, but that you would go through a path of redemption to reverse your points and push towards Lightside 5 when you finish defecting to the Republic. I know that this particular idea might not sit well with the people that want the "full freedom of choice to be Darkside on the Republic" or vice-versa. But at that point you could totally just stick out whatever faction you wanted. I feel that the changing of you light/dark status at that point would be ideal to have as a sort of confirmation box, so that if you wanted to defect but keep your alignment points were they are then you can. But i personally like the idea that your alignment dictates what faction you are ultimately on.

It just seems like it would be tough to hide out on the Empire side of things as a Lightside Sith Warrior (to use that class example again.) The faction switching as it relates to your light/dark standing is an idea that I have had for a long time myself and have bounced off of many people both in the game and outside the game. The idea of something like this being exclusive to a planet, thereby making it only available to people of an appropriate level would be a fantastic idea as a future expansion.

[Lanja]

This is a very interesting idea. I like it. I think you'd definitely have to think out the retention vs. revision of abilities thing. The simplest thing would be someone at max level changing sides and keeping their existing set of powers abilities. If you're a Sentinel, you remain a Fallen Sentinel, you don't become a Maurader.

 

Alternatively you could have someone totally change gears and TRY to truly reverse things (i.e. go from being a Sentinel to a Maurauder or vice versa). I would think that would appeal to the role-play crowd, but building that kind of system in would take a LOT more time though. I would think you'd have to tie it to a shift in LS/DS alignment. So if you start at LS five and want to go Sith, you could perhaps learn some basic DS powers (i.e. convert some of your abilities to the mirror AC). Some powers however would have to wait until you make it back to neutral territory, and then final high-level powers would only become convertable/trainable after you cross into the appropriate alignment territory.

 

I know that you can max out your abilities and talents in either mirror AC at any alignment, but this would be a heavily role-play focused task, so I'd think you'd want alignment to be factored in. If you're switching sides AND switching alignments, perhaps your new "trainer" is the person from the new faction who "turned" you to it.

 

Speaking of trainers, there's also the question of someone who's NOT at max level when they change sides. You wouldn't be expecting the Sith who turned you to the dark side, or the Jedi who brought you back to the light, to blithely go on training you in abiliteis oriented around your old faction's alignment. Instead, they could weave in a character of neutral, Grey alignment who, for his/her own inscruitable purposes, agrees to travel with you (on your ship) and help you with this transition. I would suggest that there be a "price" per level for their aid in the form of tasks, converation choices, etc. that nudge your character's alignment in the new faction's direction. (You would be free to off-set that with other LS/DS points to keep your alignment as is, but it would make things interesting.) Of course that could just be one option. On could instead just kidnap someone...but how would you force/entice them to train you.

[JuntaKast]

Again while I personally very much like the restriction of gaining Light/Dark 5, to not get into the whole thing of: "I just spend X amount of money and Y amount of hours just to make my Marauder into a Sentinel!!?!? O_o". Rather just having something put in the CC market to micro-charge us all into further debt and headache, I would much prefer to this implemented as and endgame only option while possibly still having the restriction of Light/Dark 5. I think too many people would be really upset to go through all that time just to become the faction appropriate version of their advanced class, and not just switch over as they all with all abilities and gear remaining intact.

 

In so far ad kidnapping your future trainer goes, it's not like they could really go back to their faction ( I would feel that this is a much more Darkside choice), but I think that in a story driven sense they would be willing to go with you no matter what your alignment is or will be.

 

In closing to the one anyway, just imagine: Bounty Hunters on the Republic Fleet, Operatives PvPing right along side a Scoundrel, a Commando healing a Juggernaut, the variations go on of course so I need not list them all. You all get the idea.

Edited April 22, 2013 by JuntaKast