I joined the Merovingian as soon as I could way back when, and since then I've seen absolutely nothing besides one party just after Morpheus' death that's been exclusive, let alone beneficial to me. It certainly makes a big difference on a pvp server, but generally I'm just attacked because I have a red nametag, as opposed to Zion hating me for aiding in Morpheus' death (well I'd like to think I did ). As for other organisations, the killcode did essentially nothing.
One thing that's always puzzled me is why agents attack Machinist redpills. Maybe they could be given certain access node locations when they opted to go Machine or something. If it was worked into the story that Gray can't stop these agents (the level 255s) as they are automated, built into the Matrix's core security system, and would attack any redpill or even unauthorised machines themselves if they tried to go there without sufficient access rights, but giving their redpills knowledge would give them a headstart and they'd only have themselves to blame if they got attacked. Not just "Agents attack here" or whatever generic message is given.
I'm trying to think of organisation based perks that would be subtle enough to not make everyone go "*CENSORED* look what they get I'm going *Org name*", but not so subtle as that they're barely noticeable (e.g. cake, which wasn't even exclusive last time!), but it's pretty difficult. Perhaps Merovingian redpills (as they would be of the money/power orientated ilk) can get extra XP and/or info for doing missions (to prevent abuse, you'd have to be a member of the organisation for 30 days or 50 missions, and the increase would happen every 5 or so missions after that), Machines would be immune to player attacks in Archives thanks to an exclusion program (one with a time limit to prevent major camping and abuse), and Zion could escape the Death Effect thanks to their strong will and battle hardened psyches.
Or even more drastically, there could be an irreversible option to permanently join one organisation, and these abilities wouldn't be available until you did. Though in this case I'd want hostile 2 person emotes to be re-enabled, as there's certain Zionites I can't live without slapping Probably wouldn't work, but I know I'd like to see some kind of reward for being dedicated to one particular cause, rather than just a different operator.
Any thoughts or ideas on this?
BakuraRyou wrote: Everyone is privy to to basically the same information in critical missions
BakuraRyou wrote: Or even more drastically, there could be an irreversible option to permanently join one organisation, and these abilities wouldn't be available until you did. Though in this case I'd want hostile 2 person emotes to be re-enabled, as there's certain Zionites I can't live without slapping Probably wouldn't work, but I know I'd like to see some kind of reward for being dedicated to one particular cause, rather than just a different operator. Any thoughts or ideas on this?
Interesting, there does need to be a balance. An incentive would be a good route to go to get new players to choose an organization other than the current system. I don't think it would be possible to start a newbie with no organizational affiliation as it is now but, when the time came to choose, having to weight options for instance, org specific equipment.
I do think org selection should be in the tutorial however, I don't know how you would blend this into the storyline.
Message Edited by ibewarped on 12-29-2005 03:11 PM
Definitely. I'll take some time to type up my own points of view and ideas and post them later, but you are definitely on the right track.
Organisational benefits is something I was campaigning for very early in MXOs release.
I think this is a fantastic idea. Maybe intsead of a permanent dedication to organizatio however, there could just be some massive penalty for switching. Or maybe you could get "Organization Specific Benefits" only after being in the organization for some length of time. Maybe you if you switched you simply wouldn't be privy to the Organization's benefits that you just switched over to.
Just rambling, fantastic idea however.