Gangs

[Venom_Fish]

Gangs are currently dying due to a lack of focus on them, either that or a lack of ability. Meaning, the administration either doesn't want to fix them, or they do not know how to; can't fix them. I'd have my bet on the second one.

Thats just how I look at though, aside from that; I'm interested as to know what everyone's opinions are about the current state of Gangs. Also, be kind enough to include reasons behind your statements. As well as, what you all think should be done.

Note: I'm not a firm believer in the concept that "no idea is stupid", so speak wisely.

Lets hear it; gents.

[Andre2006]

Sure I agree with you that they have become inactive and are now quite useless meaning they are no fun. I do not like them at all anymore and therefor I run arround placing bombs instead its a lot funnier since you guys get so mad.

[Venom_Fish]

Might want to add a, why you think they are the way they are. =o.
And/or what could/should be done.

[DarknessShadow]

Why should gangs be active?
Gang's, and its members do not gain anything for raiding,except tiny bits of bragging rights.
On the raiding note, its been the exact same for how many years?It just gets plain boring, raids rarely last over 30 minutes with one gang giving up and getting offtag or logging off.
And the gang event on the weekends doesn't solve anything,since your only including 5 or 6 members per gang,not the gang as a whole.But still gang events are pretty fun.

[Immolate]

Gangs, I believe, should have some sort of ability to claim territory, extort from and own businesses within that territory and go into other gang territories and sabotage their businesses and what not. There should also be some sort of 'illegal' market and generally give more options and features that will allow them to emulate true criminal organisations.

[Venom_Fish]

Thats a large developmental project, I doubt they're doing anything to that scale, even on the so-called "New Era". Hm, I actually meant more simplistic fixes, that would take absolutely no developmental focus. Simply wise management.

I mean, frankly gangs were active, alive and well long before incentives. There weren't even events when they were at their peak, I'd like to explore that. Why do you all think that it was this way?

[salesman]

I have a pretty decent amount done for a new gang system, but due to school and other things taking up most of my time, I haven't been able to work on it much, if at all, lately. I apologize for that. As of now, there is definitely more to it than there is with the current gang system, but I still have a lot of features I plan to add.

I've focused all of my attention on competition and creating incentives to participate. As of now, the plan is to let anyone create a gang (for a small price), but once you lead a gang, you have to meet certain requirements to maintain it. There will be a weekly point quota, and if you miss that quota too many times, your gang will be destroyed. It won't be too much, but enough to make sure you're active.

Gangs will be able to unlock new things the better they do and the longer they survive. Unlocks include custom outfits, nickname formatting, gang hats, gang guns, more member slots, etc. The more things you unlock though, the harder it becomes to maintain your gang. Gang leaders will be able to decide how big they want their gang to be...it can be small like a party, or bigger than what most gangs are now.

There is a very in-depth GUI which displays detailed information about members (there's even a bar graph to compare kills, deaths, etc) so you can see who is contributing and who needs to be removed. There will be leaderboards for gangs in general, but also individual members. Perhaps bonuses can be awarded to the top gangs and members each week?

I plan to also remake bases so that they are more interactive. For example, you could hack into a computer to gain control of the doors, destroy barricades to create new entrances, or kill the power to disable certain things, etc -- so that raiding can be a little more than just breaking a chest. Might also be able include some kind of event notification whenever a raid is occurring and give point bonuses for every kill inside the base.

[Immolate]

Originally Posted by Venom_Fish

Thats a large developmental project, I doubt they're doing anything to that scale, even on the so-called "New Era". Hm, I actually meant more simplistic fixes, that would take absolutely no developmental focus. Simply wise management.

I mean, frankly gangs were active, alive and well long before incentives. There weren't even events when they were at their peak, I'd like to explore that. Why do you all think that it was this way?

Ah well, my atleast I got my idea out there. I'd rather see it implemented in to Era than some noob era clone seeing it and going "osht lets do that!!"

[Dnegel]

Originally Posted by salesman

I plan to also remake bases so that they are more interactive. For example, you could hack into a computer to gain control of the doors, destroy barricades to create new entrances, or kill the power to disable certain things, etc -- so that raiding can be a little more than just breaking a chest. Might also be able include some kind of event notification whenever a raid is occurring and give point bonuses for every kill inside the base.

Would make raiding interesting?

[Venom_Fish]

The thought of all these additions sounds exciting, fun and interesting. Although, I'm not sold on thoughts, I am waiting with anticipation to see whats in store.

Still, New Era is a whole nother topic, since I or other players can't see it, there's little to no critique we can provide for it, and what little we can provide is nothing but wordplay.

This thread was geared toward the status quo, the now... I mean I understand New Era is an important project to you all, but what of this Era? If you guys keep ignoring the problems now, you won't have any players left to fill up whats to come. The Current Gangs are in trouble, not saying focus your developmental effort into helping that... but atleast put some effort. Change gang leaders, organize more events, organize raids if you can, so on and so forth. Thats all something someone incharge of gangs can do.

Maybe there are other things that can be done, or other unseen problems with gangs now... this thread is created to address the problems of the NOW. When New Era comes, I'm more than certain it'll have enough threads pertaining to it. For now, lets atleast make this era bareable and sustainable.

[Good_Ol_Daze]

learn to script

[Vman13x]

I like sales ideas, but why don't you guys add more things from new era to the current era to make things more fun for the current players?

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by Vman13x

I like sales ideas, but why don't you guys add more things from new era to the current era to make things more fun for the current players?

The new gang system will be introduced on the main server when it's completed. We will also be releasing rescripted/remade events and a new EventBot on the main server when it's completed.

[Venom_Fish]

Yeah, and there also WILL be a reset and a new era. We've heard that same song for years now, can we get an ETA?

[Nataxo]

Originally Posted by salesman

Sale's ideas.

Totally like this 100%.

[Herb_P2P]

New gang bases. I like the old gang bases as much as other people but I think it's time for new bases. and it would probably get gangs to become active again. I also would like to see the old way for getting around other gang bases where the other gang has to shoot down all the doors (except the exit door) instead of just grabbing it.

[Dnegel]

Originally Posted by cbk1994

The new gang system will be introduced on the main server when it's completed. We will also be releasing rescripted/remade events and a new EventBot on the main server when it's completed.

This is great news!

It's really tempting to get my phone and get two gelat codes.

[Andre2006]

Originally Posted by Dnegel

This is great news!

It's really tempting to get my phone and get two gelat codes.

"Sounds", its probably not going to get finished for quite some time, and why do you pay for this? It looks like they are trying to make it to where less people play this, if you need to pay every month less people will play this.

[Venom_Fish]

Whats up with the Gang Gun Racks or so, when will we be able to test those?

[Eclipse]

bottem line is that sales and vimes will both quit era before the reset is complete like the last 3 managers

[deathbarrier99]

Originally Posted by salesman

I have a pretty decent amount done for a new gang system, but due to school and other things taking up most of my time, I haven't been able to work on it much, if at all, lately. I apologize for that. As of now, there is definitely more to it than there is with the current gang system, but I still have a lot of features I plan to add.

I've focused all of my attention on competition and creating incentives to participate. As of now, the plan is to let anyone create a gang (for a small price), but once you lead a gang, you have to meet certain requirements to maintain it. There will be a weekly point quota, and if you miss that quota too many times, your gang will be destroyed. It won't be too much, but enough to make sure you're active.

Gangs will be able to unlock new things the better they do and the longer they survive. Unlocks include custom outfits, nickname formatting, gang hats, gang guns, more member slots, etc. The more things you unlock though, the harder it becomes to maintain your gang. Gang leaders will be able to decide how big they want their gang to be...it can be small like a party, or bigger than what most gangs are now.

There is a very in-depth GUI which displays detailed information about members (there's even a bar graph to compare kills, deaths, etc) so you can see who is contributing and who needs to be removed. There will be leaderboards for gangs in general, but also individual members. Perhaps bonuses can be awarded to the top gangs and members each week?

I plan to also remake bases so that they are more interactive. For example, you could hack into a computer to gain control of the doors, destroy barricades to create new entrances, or kill the power to disable certain things, etc -- so that raiding can be a little more than just breaking a chest. Might also be able include some kind of event notification whenever a raid is occurring and give point bonuses for every kill inside the base.

This.

/thread

[Venom_Fish]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

bottem line is that sales and vimes will both quit era before the reset is complete like the last 3 managers

I can see Sales, Chris Vimes doesn't have much else to do. Although, if they don't...even though it goes without saying; I don't see the reset for quite awhile.

[Sage_Shadowbane]

I honestly don't really see any point in having a reset.. nor do I see a reason to create a "New Era". I personally think it would be best to take what Era currently is and just improve certain things, and make a lot of add-ons. If a "New Era" is made.. well, than it won't be Era at all, it will be something else.

[Eclipse]

getting everything ready on a server where only the staff can critique and make adjustments and ignoring the real server = why the real server sucks so bad

[salesman]

A reset is necessary to release some of the long overdue system improvements, and to give everyone a fresh start after so many economic screw ups we've had in the past (and present ).

The term "New Era" was coined when promises of a new gmap, new jobs, etc came with the development. A reset is a big thing for players, and dev teams usually feel like they have to make a big deal out of it. Just about everything that could be released on the main server was when it was ready, unfortunately though, most of the new systems are designed around things that cannot be moved.

You have to remember that we are all volunteers, and may not work as fast as you would like us to, but everything we do on the dev server is to improve Era as a whole. I think it's important that everyone knows that Era Dev is just a place for us to work without screwing everything up on the main server, and is not some foreign server that will replace the Era you've enjoyed for so long.

[Venom_Fish]

Sure sounds like it. From the way you the Dev Team speak of it, sounds like you're scripting and building a whole new Era from scratch.

I'm still curious as to whats wrong with the current GMAP.
Oh, you're no longer manager... elaborate.

Also, I'm not sure why adding 1-2 additional jobs isn't enough, why you all need to replace the current jobs, lol. They seem to be functional; apparently able to substain this era.

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by Venom_Fish

Sure sounds like it. From the way you the Dev Team speak of it, sounds like you're scripting and building a whole new Era from scratch.

I'm still curious as to whats wrong with the current GMAP.
Oh, you're no longer manager... elaborate.

Also, I'm not sure why adding 1-2 additional jobs isn't enough, why you all need to replace the current jobs, lol. They seem to be functional; apparently able to substain this era.

Everything will be rescripted, yes. We will be reusing lots of levels, and also making new ones and improving olds ones.

The current GMAP has a lot of wasted space and isn't organized in any way. For example, the instrument shop currently resides in a former box factory.

We only plan to add one job (fishing?), if that. The other jobs will just be rescripted or maybe changed to be more interactive/fun.

[Andre2006]

The problem is that you're always limiting the amount of items to a certain number why is that? If you do that the item "may" go up in price and it's not like we come here to spend hours and hours making money.

If lets say an item is limited to 5, then someone will come up with the thought "ah I will buy all 5 of them and destroy 4 this way It will be worth A LOT", well if someone does this, that only means you're losing items, items are being destroyed and will never be seen again. Which leaves you without no choice but to put some more in of that item in. You should just have every item to an unlimited amount, most of them anyways.

[GarethOmni]

Originally Posted by cbk1994

Everything will be rescripted, yes. We will be reusing lots of levels, and also making new ones and improving olds ones.

The current GMAP has a lot of wasted space and isn't organized in any way. For example, the instrument shop currently resides in a former box factory.

We only plan to add one job (fishing?), if that. The other jobs will just be rescripted or maybe changed to be more interactive/fun.

Would you be willing to elaborate at all on what the businesses are going to be like, or are you going to wait to disclose that?

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by GarethOmni

Would you be willing to elaborate at all on what the businesses are going to be like, or are you going to wait to disclose that?

I don't know much right now except that we want to eliminate pure grabbing businesses and force them to operate working working with each other. There may be some business which cuts trees, for example, then produces some item which is needed for another business to operate (like a mixing spoon for Dairy Hut).

Lame example, but you get the point.

[Venom_Fish]

Originally Posted by cbk1994

Everything will be rescripted, yes. We will be reusing lots of levels, and also making new ones and improving olds ones.

The current GMAP has a lot of wasted space and isn't organized in any way. For example, the instrument shop currently resides in a former box factory.

We only plan to add one job (fishing?), if that. The other jobs will just be rescripted or maybe changed to be more interactive/fun.

The organization of the GMAP hasn't really been an issue. Players have been comfortable and functioning on this "disorganized" GMAP. I'm simply asking you do whats necessary at certain aspects of your development.

Solution to Instrument Shop: Move it to a location which you just deemed "Wasted Space". <- o.O? Clean up the gmap, re-making one is going to take you all an unnecessary waste of time.


In other words, new job. Core function to jobs is their scripting, if you're going to entirely alter theit scripting or "change" them. You're basically removing and adding a new job, hence my point; is that necessary?

[Eclipse]

extream home make over for era!

you have 7 days

[jkldogg]

Originally Posted by salesman

I have a pretty decent amount done for a new gang system, but due to school and other things taking up most of my time, I haven't been able to work on it much, if at all, lately. I apologize for that. As of now, there is definitely more to it than there is with the current gang system, but I still have a lot of features I plan to add.

I've focused all of my attention on competition and creating incentives to participate. As of now, the plan is to let anyone create a gang (for a small price), but once you lead a gang, you have to meet certain requirements to maintain it. There will be a weekly point quota, and if you miss that quota too many times, your gang will be destroyed. It won't be too much, but enough to make sure you're active.

Gangs will be able to unlock new things the better they do and the longer they survive. Unlocks include custom outfits, nickname formatting, gang hats, gang guns, more member slots, etc. The more things you unlock though, the harder it becomes to maintain your gang. Gang leaders will be able to decide how big they want their gang to be...it can be small like a party, or bigger than what most gangs are now.

There is a very in-depth GUI which displays detailed information about members (there's even a bar graph to compare kills, deaths, etc) so you can see who is contributing and who needs to be removed. There will be leaderboards for gangs in general, but also individual members. Perhaps bonuses can be awarded to the top gangs and members each week?

I plan to also remake bases so that they are more interactive. For example, you could hack into a computer to gain control of the doors, destroy barricades to create new entrances, or kill the power to disable certain things, etc -- so that raiding can be a little more than just breaking a chest. Might also be able include some kind of event notification whenever a raid is occurring and give point bonuses for every kill inside the base.

100% support this, 10x better era

[jkldogg]

Originally Posted by Andre2006

The problem is that you're always limiting the amount of items to a certain number why is that? If you do that the item "may" go up in price and it's not like we come here to spend hours and hours making money.

If lets say an item is limited to 5, then someone will come up with the thought "ah I will buy all 5 of them and destroy 4 this way It will be worth A LOT", well if someone does this, that only means you're losing items, items are being destroyed and will never be seen again. Which leaves you without no choice but to put some more in of that item in. You should just have every item to an unlimited amount, most of them anyways.

Why aren't people like Zoo Manager? This is pure genius. Don't limit items.

[warp2ukew]

Originally Posted by Venom_Fish

Gangs are currently dying due to a lack of focus on them, either that or a lack of ability. Meaning, the administration either doesn't want to fix them, or they do not know how to; can't fix them. I'd have my bet on the second one.

Thats just how I look at though, aside from that; I'm interested as to know what everyone's opinions are about the current state of Gangs. Also, be kind enough to include reasons behind your statements. As well as, what you all think should be done.

Note: I'm not a firm believer in the concept that "no idea is stupid", so speak wisely.

Lets hear it; gents.

Simple explanation:

Graal (as a whole) > Playerworlds (such as Era) > Guilds/Gangs (in this case gangs on Era)


Graal is dying > Playerworlds are dying (people quit, new people play but never experienced gangs as they were so don't know how to bring them back) > Therefore the gangs die

That's why guilds aren't as fun anymore either


Same formula can be applied to just about every used-to-be-fun aspect of most playerworlds.




EDIT:

I like the idea salesman hopefully the players will renew interest in gangs with that, but I think the steadily decreasing playercount of graal / era in general makes it less likely for something like that to succeed in the long run.

[Andre2006]

It is not going to come any new people here since they have to PAY for this. Who wants to pay for THIS?