Midgard discussions

[Steve Kort]

Give us a list of what factions you will have in this version of the game at the start? Most of the older players will have a rough idea of what they are like maybe not exactly how you will have them but enough to know what choices they have in your version of the game.

[Davin]

Well, we may adjust this list after reviewing their goals, but for now here's what I'm looking at starting with:

Barbarians
The Banner Religion
The Blood and Fire Religion
The Boda Family
The Getham Family
The Gift Religion
The Imperials
The MercVerk
The Ring Religion
The Roder Family
The Society of Arms

[Dark Shadows]

I would like to point out that speaking for myself and others we enjoying playing both 'Pirates' and 'Bandits' clans. Basically a clan would be have a 'normal' name like 'Ferggison's Circus' declared 'Independent' then the same clan would have a 'alias' name when they switched to 'Bandit Mode" and would be called as 'The Ghost' declared 'Bandit'. The same method would be used by 'Pirate Mode' for a Naval clan. Now add to this there were other factions in the game like 'Brotherhood' kind of like the 'MOB', or the 'Buccaneers' faction of Naval that were also 'Pirates, Mercs, Merchants'. Now the SOA aided in different ways and having many different connections to all.

I hope you would consider including that code as well in the beginning for both the 'Pirates' and 'Bandits'. These two factions were in all the games, and there were those that enjoyed playing that style of in-game fun. I understand you want to use them as NPC bad-guys and they were used in all the games as NPCs as well too, but there are some that excel playing within that mode of play too.

[Davin]

I was thinking of avoiding player use of those sorts of clans and replace it instead with a mechanism we designed to allow any clan to have a "black ops" mode, where they had an alias with disguised allegiances.  In that way anybody could perform that sort of outlaw behavior (if they can get away with it) without having to belong to a specific faction to do it.  Of course, other people might look dimly on anyone behaving that way, if they can catch them at it.

[Dark Shadows]

So your saying a 'Imperial clan' using a alias to pretending to be a 'Barbarian' clan to burn some 'Roder' fields. So what are the SOA going to be able to do now? Next thing we will hear about is a 'Barbarian clan' using a alias to pretend to be a 'MercVerk clan' and attacking a 'Getham' city. Oh the horrors of it all, what is the world coming too? I have come to see the violence inherent in the system, what will a poor SOA clan to be able to do now?

[Davin]

Some of the details are still in flux, such as how easy it is to detect/penetrate a disguise and perhaps a limitation on usage.  I'm also not sure if it will report an actual fake factional alignment or perhaps just say they're independent.  We also discussed only allowing the leader and followers to be in disguise and the rest of the clan wouldn't be (assuming they weren't physically in the same group at the time), for instance.  There are certainly going to be game balance issues involved all around.  I expect I'll have plenty of help looking for loopholes, won't I?

[DreamWeaver]

I know, everyone whips out a leather mask that covers just their eyes and they tie behind there head to hold it on. Plus they all hold up a small sign that says they are Faction X. That's it great disguised, works in the comics!

[Davin]

Well, if you tell someone who you represent, why shouldn't they believe you?  How do you think we announce our factional alignments (not to mention, names) to one another anyway?

BTW, those masks need to conceal your cheekbones to be really effective.  Unless, that is, you've got the magic "Clark Kent glasses".