'State of the RP' feedback thread

[Roen]

Alternatively, you can just tell the Jedi, Sith, and non-affiliated Force-users that fancy woo-woo and a glowstick are all they're allowed to use, and that they will acrue penalties to the use of the aforementioned if they tack armor and gear ontop of their character's already extensive kit.

Personally, I'd like more emphasis placed on the Force and lightsaber combat, removing them as supplementations, and reinstating them as viable vehicles of characterization. As far as I can tell, most characters around these parts, especially on the Sith side, are Mandalorians that can use the Force, and I mean that in every implication.

Doesn't really jive with the spirit of Star Wars, imo

 

[Valen Pelora]

I wasn't here last TL or for the beginning of this TL so I don't know exactly how tech got outta hand but I can see it. I've seen tech on other places with ridiculous amounts of tech that was more than overkill.

Admittedly, I am extremely new to this site but a common problem is 1. Everyone wants their own "special" tech and that can easily lead to overkill. Creative does not always equate to well balanced. 2. The removal of an INSANELY large amount of canon tech when Disney moved it all to "legends" has led to an over compensation. There was a huge void that needed to be filled and that can/has lead to some issues.

 

[SonOfFire]

Also keep in mind that the list isn't just a list of my suggestions, it's based on suggestions, recommendations and discussions that took place in this thread, so don't just all grill me directly about it. I just compiled the ones the community seemed to be most receptive to.

I apologize if I came of as hostile in any way as it wasn't the intent. I was simply inputting what I thought to you rather than read through all 16 pages of text one by one and having to.

 

[Wit]

lol, with how much fandos used to cry about hating Force users and then create characters who were almost all secret Force masters I find the analogy exceedingly amusing. But yes, right now there is a lot of tech dependency because of how restricted the Force is. I think once that is fixed there will be a significant drop in how much tech everyone uses. As for the Sith in particular, using armor has always been a part of Sith culture. But we could always put caps on how much armor they can use.

 

[Green Ranger]

I apologize if I came of as hostile in any way as it wasn't the intent. I was simply inputting what I thought to you rather than read through all 16 pages of text one by one and having to.

Not at all, im just saying this isnt just my ideas is all xP

 

[Roen]

lol, with how much fandos used to cry about hating Force users and then create characters who were almost all secret Force masters I find the analogy exceedingly amusing. But yes, right now there is a lot of tech dependency because of how restricted the Force is. I think once that is fixed there will be a significant drop in how much tech everyone uses. As for the Sith in particular, using armor has always been a part of Sith culture. But we could always put caps on how much armor they can use.

I've nothing against Sith wearing armor; one need only look as far as Vader to see it as part of the Dark Side culture. What I'm against is a Sith using rifles, flame throwers, rocketboots, and all manner of equipment that I frankly feel belongs to characters that aren't Force-users.

It epitomizes the 'win-win-win' mindset that has become a reoccurring point of contention throughout the community.

 

[Wit]

I've nothing against Sith wearing armor; one need only look as far as Vader to see it as part of the Dark Side culture. What I'm against is a Sith using rifles, flame throwers, rocketboots, and all manner of equipment that I frankly feel belongs to characters that aren't Force-users.

It epitomizes the 'win-win-win' mindset that has become a reoccurring point of contention throughout the community.

Oh ya, that I agree with. Just saying that we can't really take away all the toys, just put good limitations on how much is allowed. I would love seeing Jedi and Sith marching down with just the Force, a lightsaber and their wits, but there will be a lot of people who want to use a pistol, or a stun gun, and as long as it's not too extreme that should still be doable.

 

[Roen]

Oh ya, that I agree with. Just saying that we can't really take away all the toys, just put good limitations on how much is allowed. I would love seeing Jedi and Sith marching down with just the Force, a lightsaber and their wits, but there will be a lot of people who want to use a pistol, or a stun gun, and as long as it's not too extreme that should still be doable.

I did that this TL. It was fun until it wasn't.

 

[Valen Pelora]

Oh ya, that I agree with. Just saying that we can't really take away all the toys, just put good limitations on how much is allowed. I would love seeing Jedi and Sith marching down with just the Force, a lightsaber and their wits, but there will be a lot of people who want to use a pistol, or a stun gun, and as long as it's not too extreme that should still be doable.

This is how it should be.

 

[SonOfFire]

This is how it should be.

Agreed.

 

[Dakota]

I still stand by the suggestion that if FAIL goes through that Force users should be prohibited from carrying around bulky armor and sidearms. Light armor is cool, but like Roen said, the emphasis should be on the Force/Lightsaber.

 

[Roen]

 

[FinnSimmons]

Arguably Jedi didn't need armor most if the time. Do we know if everyone is willing to give up on "FS mandos" though? It isn't my cup of tea but mosttly people don't like to be restricted like that. See the recently abolished faction limit.
Imo it's not new rules that are needed. The existing ones just need to be fixed and brought up to snuff.

 

[Roen]

I'm just saying, if you're going to play a Mandalorian, then play a Mandalorian. The same is true of a Jedi, Sith, et cetera. Remain true to your character.

 

[Wit]

I can tell from past interactions and the general reaction to Force wielding Mandos in the past, a vast majority of Jedi will end up going more old school with their characters. A lightsaber, maybe a pistol and that's it. I really think what we are seeing right now is a thing born of necessity. There's a pretty good chance your character will participate in PvP, and with how your opposition is loaded with weapons when fighting a non-FS character and how limited the Force is people are taking steps to level the playing field.

 

[Lord Potatoe]

I started looking back at rules and policies from previous timelines, and really liked the limiting certain skills, like Jedi only being able to use 2 or 3 types of fight styles and could only fully master 1. We could implement a system of starting off with low stats and with each PvP battle, characters could earn XP and essentially "level up" over time. Now, we would also need to create a checks and balances system so characters with higher stats don't pubstomp newer characters.

 

[FinnSimmons]

I'm just saying, if you're going to play a Mandalorian, then play a Mandalorian. The same is true of a Jedi, Sith, et cetera. Remain true to your character.

I am the last person to argue about that with you. All I am saying is that recently we had people cry out because they felt restricted in what they could play. I felt it was a relevant situation compared to what people were talking about now.

 

[Green Ranger]

I can tell from past interactions and the general reaction to Force wielding Mandos in the past, a vast majority of Jedi will end up going more old school with their characters. A lightsaber, maybe a pistol and that's it. I really think what we are seeing right now is a thing born of necessity. There's a pretty good chance your character will participate in PvP, and with how your opposition is loaded with weapons when fighting a non-FS character and how limited the Force is people are taking steps to level the playing field.

Per this. Theres a reason the recommendation has a time delay on the tech stuff, and thats because current use of tech is extremely abnormal, even by our standards. Most of it will go away if the Force is fixed, and the rest of the problem can be assessed from there.

 

[Roen]

I started looking back at rules and policies from previous timelines, and really liked the limiting certain skills, like Jedi only being able to use 2 or 3 types of fight styles and could only fully master 1. We could implement a system of starting off with low stats and with each PvP battle, characters could earn XP and essentially "level up" over time. Now, we would also need to create a checks and balances system so characters with higher stats don't pubstomp newer characters.

I disagree with most, if not all of this. It starts out with well intentions, but as characters level up, some faster than others through a PvP grind, the odds of a shitty Role Player with a high level character beating a better Role Player with a relatively new one character become stacked in the former's favor, and I will never advocate that. As an addendum, in terms of sheer practicality, once PvP starts, it doesn't matter one lick what Kung Fu your character knows and how black his belt is, it is your technical skill as a writer that will determine the fight.

I am the last person to argue about that with you. All I am saying is that recently we had people cry out because they felt restricted in what they could play. I felt it was a relevant situation compared to what people were talking about now.

If people feel restricted, then they are part of the problem. It isn't nice to say, but it is the truth. If I roll a Mandalorian, I should feel comfortable, as a Role Player, to stick to what it means to be a Mandalorian. I know how to fisticuffs, fire a blaster, conduct myself on a battlefield, and posses a loose code of ethics revolving around these specific talents. I am a Mandalorian. These are his strengths, and I am comfortable with his weaknesses.

Alternatively, I'm a Sith. I've spent years of my life training with a lightsaber, learning the ways of the Force, doing this and that to ensure that when I go to have words with someone, I'm prepared. What is a blaster to the Force? What is cunning, ethics, what-have-you to the Dark Side? This is my character, this is the niche he occupies in the universe I'm Role Playing in. These are his strengths, and I am comfortable with his weaknesses.

Problems arise with writers become uncomfortable with their character's weaknesses, and shoe-in other character nuances to supplement. This is bad. This is the baddest you can be. You have become a baddy, and as a bad, your objective is to git gud, not min-max your character.

 

[Dakota]

Roen said basically what I was going to say. The identity of a faction goes a long way in defining how players interact with the world around them, as well as build bonds with other members of said faction. Wit mentioned that these abnormalities in faction identity are more born of necessity than out of desire to change the identity of the Jedi or the Sith or what have you, which I believe is true. The only reason to backload your character with technology and armor would be either to stand a chance in PvP or to clog up any of your characters weaknesses. The former can be easily fixed, but the latter is more of writer-by-writer issue. Half of the fun of creating characters is embedding them with inherent strengths and weaknesses, and then seeing how that plays out with other people. If a character has no discernible weakness and just wins all the time, then what fun is that?

Roen basically hit the nail on the head. If the idea of giving up things that compromise the fundamental identity of your faction makes you feel restricted, that's probably a sign that you've gone a bit too far in one direction and need to reign yourself back in. I don't want people to think this means we should remove the option to personalize your character or change things to suit the character that you created. What this should mean, however, is that characters from certain factions should be created with the idea that they are a part of that given faction. Jedi or Sith shouldn't need bulky armor or grenades, just like soldiers in the Republic shouldn't be asked to do their fighting with swords and harpoons. Characters are people, and people aren't perfect. No amount of armor or magic grenades are going to patch that up.