Local Non-Mechanic Mechanics Changes, Plus…
Hi everyone!
Today’s blog update is a big one, regarding some upcoming changes to our game. Here’s what’s up:
While we are not allowed custom mechanics, there is intentionally a little bit of gray area for us to play around in. An example would be the mail system. This is not a printed and core mechanic of the game, but it does not directly interact with any official mechanics, and leads to better play experiences for everyone. After we have gotten some time with these "non-mechanics" and gotten feedback, we have decided to make some changes. All of the changes listed below will come into effect starting in our June game, and will be covered in opening announcements. If you have any feedback or questions, please use our discord server to facilitate discussion.
Faction Buffs
In prior games, we have offered small "faction buffs" for characters that have joined our local factions. We love the idea of rewarding becoming a part of the world with getting something tangible in return. However, due to these buffs needing to be non-mechanical, the design space was extremely limited, and while some are very clever and fun, others barely function. In the opinion of the staff, the positive play experiences we have seen are not worth the complexity and upkeep. Therefore, starting in June, no characters will receive any of these buffs. We understand that this may be disappointing, and we do really want to incentivize characters to join factions. Therefore, I would like to remind all of you that every faction member has a "global buff" of "Your faction is more likely to agree to favors or requests". There's no harm in asking for something, especially if it would further the faction's agenda. In addition...
Faction Identification
As the game runners, we play a dangerous game when it comes to deceiving our players. It is important that we are allowed to tell stories where NPCs come to town and lie to you. However, if we do this too much, then every NPC will be accosted and interrogated, even when we're just sending out a hook to get a mod started. It's not fun for a group of threats to sit out in the woods while the players try to determine that "Bob from the Orchard" is real or not. To solve this issue, the game offers us the Codex Insignia. However, in practice, this item does not fulfill the function it attempts to. Therefore, starting in June, we are instituting the following system. "If an NPC claims to be a member of a local faction, a member of that faction may try to authenticate them. The NPC may answer "Yes" or "You don't Know". A "Yes" is absolutely true. The NPC might still have malicious motives, but they are a real member of that faction. If the answer is "You Don't Know", it means the authenticator does not know if they are truthful or not. There is no way to "negatively authenticate" someone. This system lets us quickly hook players if needed, while allowing for more complex situations as desired. As always, all existing mechanical methods of gathering information continue to work as written.
Travel Visas
Many times, players ask if their characters can go to other locales in the Grand Tides region during a game. This puts us in a difficult situation. We can certainly "block off" part of the site and have a specific mod at a location if requested in advance, but if there is an impromptu request or something that wouldn't make a good mod. (Some prior examples are going to check out the conditions of Fort Mayfield, helping out First Pointe Hospital with an overflow of patients, using the Kingscrown printing press, etc.) Starting in June, players can fill out one of these forms to request a "Travel Visa" (Note, this is purely an Out-Of-Game term/concept. There are no literal immigration documents In-Universe). On the form, you say where you want to do and what your goal is and turn in the form to Public Works. This will go to the story director, who will assign you some additional casting time based on your request. If you accept the "cost", you will show up at the time to perform some extra time as an NPC, cleaning/organizing, etc. Once you are done, the Story Director will meet with you to answer your questions, describe your experiences, etc. You have an opportunity on the form to list availability and what you're "willing to do" to earn the reward. Speaking of which, Travel Visas CANNOT be used to earn rewards. You can learn information, help a faction and improve their/your reputation, accomplish narrative goals, etc. However, we cannot provide physical rewards in exchange for extra NPC time. If you're asking "Why would I want to ever do this?", don't worry about it! Much like letters, this is a system for giving players and staff more options on how your characters can interact with the world. We encourage creative uses and look forward to see what kinds of requests we get!
Click here to see the travel visa form.
Research and Rumor Forms
Speaking of forms, in order to make sure that our Story Director doesn't drop the ball when it comes to information requests, Public works will feature two new forms. One to fill out for the Research mechanic, and one for Civic Landsman Rumors. These will go into an inbox inside Public Works so that they Story Director can work through them. We hope this leads to a better experience overall.
Mail CvC
At this time, we are not announcing any changes to Mail CvC. However, it is a very confusing policy, and we are not sure what our player base wants. We ask that everyone discuss publically in the discord, send messages to the Story Director, or include in event/general feedback hwo you would like the mail system to work. Should some letters be CvCable? Should ALL letters including mission rewards be CvCable? How should we indicate letters that are not CvCable, etc. We are continuing to monitor this aspect of the game, and hope to align it with the desires of our players and staff in the future. Thank you all for reading. A lot of thought has been put into these changes, but nothing is set in stone or immune to criticism. Please discuss and share your feedback, and propose new ideas for this "gray area", so we can continue improving your game experience.
