THE FORMIDINE RIFT MYSTERY (Part 4)

[Trafalgar Law]

Some of the recent posts have raised a few concerns.

First, have the 'gamesmasters' organised an actual opposition team? Or are you relying on the opposition organising themselves? This event is going to be quite a damp squib if there aren't enough players opposed to Salome and if what players there are are completely disorganised and clueless. You talk about spreading out to cover all available routes but that isn't going to be possible without a lot of coordination. I see you posted links to Alliance (presumably pro Salome) discord channels, but you haven't linked to any opposition channels or groups involved. I can't see any threads anywhere on this forum for opposition groups, so I really hope you have a contingency plan in case of a no show.

Secondly, have you put any thought into how you are going to make sure all the various players (from both sides) are kept moving in the right direction? Ideally any opposition groups would need to have some idea as to what the general plan/objective is (obviously you would need to trust them to RP the event and not take advantage of any foreknowledge). Alternatively you could use 'intelligence' reports to give people a hint as to where to go and converge in order to make this suitably exciting. It seems to me that it would be far to easy to quickly shake the pursuit and remain largely unopposed for most of the journey, which would be rather anticlimactic to say the least.

I hope you have already considered these issues and have contingency plans in place.

I'll probably turn up if I have time (must stop these dangerous terrorists ) and I hope it goes well.

 

[Masheikh Scytale]

I'll try and answer some of your questions about what the event is about.

I assume you're talking about the actual specifics, and not the background of the protagonists, Salome and Raan Corsen, and why they're being hunted? As that information has been documented on Galnet and forum threads for the past few months. Tsu Singh is a new character to everyone, one that we'll probably have to read about in the book as we know little about her, and Yuri has been added as to give the XBoX platform a chance to take part.

Careful, Mr the cultist's Primus Consul...

The witch's name is Salomé.

There is also a Cmdr Salome in the game. Might come to be messy to identify the right prey ...
(There is even a Salami lol)

If they are the same player, forget it.

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

Thanks for the long and detailed explanation about the event.

The problem, in my opinion, is information for those who didn't read this thread for the last few months. Your explanation is a perfect example: deeply hidden in a forums thread many probably don't read.

If I weren't already very interested in the Formidine Rift mystery (and everything that can remotely pass as story or lore) I would only know that something is happening on April 29.

It's understandable that those who invest a lot of their time organizing and/or preparing for that event think it's all known to the public.

I think a sticky thread about this event would have been a very good way to inform players. With some basic information who Salomé is, what the Fromidine Rift mystery is and how the event is planed to be. A short version of your (very good answer I'm replying to) with a bit additional background information.
Maybe with some ideas what players could do.

A short paragraph in the latest newsletter explaining what is planed would have helped - more than the really basic "something will happen" that was in the newsletter #171

I know, that sounds a lot like handholding, but I think that such an event needs to be sold to those who don't know about it. I think some sort of kickstarting the interest of a broader player audience would have been a good thing.
Getting players interested who weren't already interested. Giving them clear information about what to expect or what is planed. In a way that gets them interested in taking part.

That said, thanks again for the answers. I hope my reply doesn't come across as aggressive, patronizing or otherwise hostile or opposing. I'm just trying to help by offering a different point of view (and probably aren't very good at it or even helpful).

I really hope that the event will be a success.

And, don't tell anybody, I hope Salomé survives. Without her we would need a new character to "love to hate". D. Wagar created a really good (not moral, but good as in works good in the story) character.

+1

All fair points, and noted

I've collected quite a bit of info together and put together a thread in the community events forum (will add more info when I get chance to).

Premonition End Game Event

That thread would also be a good place for participants to post their event day experiences on, in the aftermath, good or bad.

Videos, screenshots, comments, after action reports - that kind of thing. It'll be a nice archive of information for those who took part.

 

[Harley Quinn]

.... It basically turns what could have been one big Benny Hill chase ....

You evil man. I now have Yakety Sax going through my head and will be stuck with that on the 29th

I won't join the discord though, as I haven't committed it seems too much like spying and false representation to me if I did.

 

[Volimar]

Two things are very clear.

1). The community is desperate for this kind of content. The hundreds of people in discord and pages and pages of posts about it speaks volumes and I hope F Dev is listening.

2). As yet, there doesn't exist a suitable apparatus to hold such events. I sincerely hope that F Dev puts some effort into developing one because they could be epic in the right cicumstances.

Big thanks to Drew, F Dev and all the players involved in this event.

 

[BuddyE]

Two things are very clear.

1). The community is desperate for this kind of content. The hundreds of people in discord and pages and pages of posts about it speaks volumes and I hope F Dev is listening.

2). As yet, there doesn't exist a suitable apparatus to hold such events. I sincerely hope that F Dev puts some effort into developing one because they could be epic in the right cicumstances.

Big thanks to Drew, F Dev and all the players involved in this event.

I agree. But then, the islandic guys had to make a "slow-down" mechanic to get huge events working. I don't think we'll have the worldwide infrastructure to really make things like that happen, for hundreds of players, for quite a while.

 

[clavain]

Somewhere in my head, there is a dissertation on how social computer games show how groups of strangers self organise into quasi-military groups in the face of competition. It's human nature. When there are win conditions, people will naturally migrate towards doing anything and everything to maximise their advantages to win. That always leads to hierarchical structures with people who are skilled, knowledgeable and have almighty egos and mouths to go with them ending up at the top, giving orders

This. So much this.

Yup. Want nothing to do with player groups that end up like that, or player groups generally for that matter the more I experience them. Don't have the time or inclination, and have too much of that in Real Life (tm) as it is.

 

[Volimar]

I agree. But then, the islandic guys had to make a "slow-down" mechanic to get huge events working. I don't think we'll have the worldwide infrastructure to really make things like that happen, for hundreds of players, for quite a while.

True. I can't think of one at least. Hopefully the devs don't suffer from my lack of imagination.

 

[Masheikh Scytale]

You evil man. I now have Yakety Sax going through my head and will be stuck with that on the 29th

It's the secret anthem of CoR.
Be comprehensible.

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

Some of the recent posts have raised a few concerns.

First, have the 'gamesmasters' organised an actual opposition team? Or are you relying on the opposition organising themselves? This event is going to be quite a damp squib if there aren't enough players opposed to Salome and if what players there are are completely disorganised and clueless. You talk about spreading out to cover all available routes but that isn't going to be possible without a lot of coordination. I see you posted links to Alliance (presumably pro Salome) discord channels, but you haven't linked to any opposition channels or groups involved. I can't see any threads anywhere on this forum for opposition groups, so I really hope you have a contingency plan in case of a no show.

Secondly, have you put any thought into how you are going to make sure all the various players (from both sides) are kept moving in the right direction? Ideally any opposition groups would need to have some idea as to what the general plan/objective is (obviously you would need to trust them to RP the event and not take advantage of any foreknowledge). Alternatively you could use 'intelligence' reports to give people a hint as to where to go and converge in order to make this suitably exciting. It seems to me that it would be far to easy to quickly shake the pursuit and remain largely unopposed for most of the journey, which would be rather anticlimactic to say the least.

I hope you have already considered these issues and have contingency plans in place.

I'll probably turn up if I have time (must stop these dangerous terrorists ) and I hope it goes well.

We suspect Drew pulls the strings on both sides

There are some major PvP oriented groups opposing Salome and her fellow fugitives (CODE just being one we heard rumors of taking an interest). These groups don't need any advice on how to go about their business from a bunch of explorers and roleplayers! I think the opposition will be formidable, both in numbers and organization.

As for public discord servers, thats one thing we were hoping would have been set up from the players who dislike Salome and seem to be prevalent on this thread. There's still time for freelance opposition to organize something, like the allied collation did.

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

As for public discord servers, thats one thing we were hoping would have been set up from the players who dislike Salome and seem to be prevalent on this thread.

Ahh, but as you said, we're a bunch of explorers and roleplayers.

The IREA are hardly going to be able to carry on labeling CoR a bunch of terrorists if we start arranging hitsquads to target Kahina

There's also the fact that, from what I can tell, the anti-Salome faction on this thread are predominantly independent pilots.

I'm afraid your opposition is primarily going to come from the PvP headbangers, so hope they're in the mood to rumble.

 

[Cmdr-Wotherspoon]

So the event has effectively evolved into the following -

The protagonists will attempt to reach their destinations in the bubble, and those aligned to them, or opposed to them, have been encouraged to spread out across the frontier and deploy fleets to areas that the protagonist will attempt to run through. People who want to help them can fight for superiority in those areas and prevent blockades and camps from forming, while those who are opposed to the protagonists can attempt to chase down and outmaneuver the fugitives, or gain control of the hotspot regions that allies will be patrolling.

This allows several things. Firstly if players follow those guidelines, the event will be spread out over a larger area so the whole thing isn't based on one single focal point and stressing the servers. It allows players on both sides to use some tactics and strategy to out maneuver each other, they can deploy scouts and use intel to spy on each other (which is already happening), they have an opportunity to use tactics, deception, and put some thought into ship loadouts other than simply taking the fastest thing they have.. It basically turns what could have been one big Benny Hill chase (that could have left 90% of the players in their wake out at 46 Eridani) into something much more spread out and inclusive.

So, other than 46 Eridani, what other systems are known waypoints for bounty-hunters to wait at? If there's one known location, and it's the first location, you're still on for a Benny Hill chase.

Whenever the Hutton Truckers organise a convoy, the details of the route always seem to leak out to the pirates. We suspect that the dastardly Zac Antonaci has something to do with that. It normally makes the convoys a lot more fun.

There will almost certainly be some good opposition, but it may not be particularly well organised, and if there's only one location advertised, there will some unpleasantly crowded instances there.

 

[L.S Algir]

Well, I suppose that the purpose of spreading forces is to counter the lack of knowledge. On the other hand you could stick to the "path of souls" down the bubble.

As for me I'll be there to capture her and bring her back into imperial space. Look like an impossible plan but I'll stick to my RP. If anyone knows a discord for this kind of goal, you'd be kind to let me know

 

[Masheikh Scytale]

Well, I suppose that the purpose of spreading forces is to counter the lack of knowledge. On the other hand you could stick to the "path of souls" down the bubble.

As for me I'll be there to capture her and bring her back into imperial space. Look like an impossible plan but I'll stick to my RP. If anyone knows a discord for this kind of goal, you'd be kind to let me know

Sorry but did I miss a game feature which permits to 'capture' another ship/player ?

 

[L.S Algir]

There isn't , but Drew said that as it has been asked to be a possible outcome by several players/groups , if Salomé is outgunned yet spared she might follow and surrender.

 

[-Denali-]

So, other than 46 Eridani, what other systems are known waypoints for bounty-hunters to wait at? If there's one known location, and it's the first location, you're still on for a Benny Hill chase.

Whenever the Hutton Truckers organise a convoy, the details of the route always seem to leak out to the pirates. We suspect that the dastardly Zac Antonaci has something to do with that. It normally makes the convoys a lot more fun.

There will almost certainly be some good opposition, but it may not be particularly well organised, and if there's only one location advertised, there will some unpleasantly crowded instances there.

Like I said, if the opposition are smart they'll just watch the streams to figure out where they need to be while all the supporters sit in 46 waiting for the battle that never comes. They could blockade every system for a 40ly swath along the way to the bubble but Salome could also use FSD injections. This fight is most likely going to be determined by the numbers for each side at the finish of it. Those at the front will just be cannon fodder for all the chaos it will cause.

 

[Masheikh Scytale]

There isn't , but Drew said that as it has been asked to be a possible outcome by several players/groups , if Salomé is outgunned yet spared she might follow and surrender.

Ok, so I must outgun her for her to surrender and follow me ...

Must ready my badass FAS if I want to have a chance to enjoy a galactical,yet forced, romance with this chick.
Must also find the most marvelous tourist site to bring her there...

 

[Deleted member 148280]

Ok, so I must outgun her for her to surrender and follow me ...

Must ready my badass FAS if I want to have a chance to enjoy a galactical,yet forced, romance with this chick.
Must also find the most marvelous tourist site to bring her there...

Nothing says "I love you" like a couple of rails and a bouquet of flowers. [heart]

 

[Belthize]

Ok, so I must outgun her for her to surrender and follow me ...

Must ready my badass FAS if I want to have a chance to enjoy a galactical,yet forced, romance with this chick.
Must also find the most marvelous tourist site to bring her there...

That seems a decidedly unlikely outcome but my real question is "Is the typo in your signature intentional ?" I was not aware that CoR had a vested interest in meat products.

 

[BluWolve]

Ok, so I must outgun her for her to surrender and follow me ...

Must ready my badass FAS if I want to have a chance to enjoy a galactical,yet forced, romance with this chick.
Must also find the most marvelous tourist site to bring her there...

Just send her a pic of your holo-me, she surely couldn't resist such divine beauty [heart] xoxo7