One Faction must go!

[G.v.P]

In accordance to yesterday's HoC Chat, and the proposed plan of cutting Factions down to only three sides, the inevitable question is which Faction should get the boot!?

My pick is Council of Mages, because, for one, I don't like their colors, and two, isn't it weird to have an archer/swords in a faction called "Council of Mages?"

Minax is my fav, I love Minax for RP alone. Shadowlords have recent RP, I don't see them going anywhere, and True Brits, well, maybe they should have a name change if they aren't tied to a town any longer, or be renamed True Lunas, hehe. They might get the heave-ho as well I assume.

But is any Faction safe? :O

 

[Vaen Swiftar]

if they are true to the lore, the Shadowlords faction will go.

if they are coming up with ideas that no one will like, there will be three new factions that no one has any special attachment to.

True Britannians isn't about the town, it's about the facet. "Trammel/Felucca" is considered "Britannia."

 

[G.v.P]

if they are true to the lore, the Shadowlords faction will go.

if they are coming up with ideas that no one will like, there will be three new factions that no one has any special attachment to.

True Britannians isn't about the town, it's about the facet. "Trammel/Felucca" is considered "Britannia."

Good points. I always thought of TB as the "New Order," housed in Brit, but you're right on the continental scope.

Hm, if that's true about SL I wonder if Minax will make a return as the new villain then. They did say old villains would return :O.

 

[AirmidCecht]

Let's freak everyone out and merge CoM with SL.
Shadow of Mages anyone?
*looks around*
Who said that??

 

[Lightning 1]

What the? The Council of Mages is ahead in the 'boot out' poll.
Don't you like mages?

What's the first thing you yell when you get hit?
"Medic!"
or the newbie version
"OOoOo Ooo OO OooOO"

oh yeah and "Cast your Energy Vortex over there."

 

[kinney42]

Let's freak everyone out and merge CoM with SL.
Shadow of Mages anyone?
*looks around*
Who said that??

I like "Lords of Mages" better
hehe

 

[G.v.P]

I like "Lords of Mages" better
hehe

As long as it's not "Lords of Magic," I didn't like that game too much, haha.

 

[Cogniac]

I voted to axe Minax. If you follow the stream of events, and the general consensus about what basic time period UO is in right now, Minax should be banished/dead/etc. by now.

Shadowlords (zerg) are your big baddies, TB (terran) is your true good, and CoM (protoss) serves as chaotic neutral.

 

[Jhym]

I've always looked at CoM as the "neutrals", TB as the "goodie twoshoes" and shadowlords/minax as the "bads".

Though one could argue TB is the bad side most of the time.

Anyway, I like CoM, TB and shadowlords, or Shadows of Blackthorn perhaps.

A new name could be "Lordy lordy, Mages!?!?"

"Tyrannious Britannious"

"ShadowMakers"

 

[Cal_Mythic]

Ummm if I vote is that conflict of interest??

 

[Lady Michelle]

Ummm if I vote is that conflict of interest??

Only if you don't tell us who you voted for it might be. lol

 

[Sir Morder]

I voted for True Brits because i've been TB forever and im not even British!!!!!!!!

 

[Stupid Miner]

CoM seems to have the least Lore, but the Shadowlords did just get themselves killed last year (or so we think), so either one would be a good candidate.

Besides? why do you think they're only getting rid of one? They could easily get rid of two and add a New Faction.

 

[GL_Seller]

TB should go as its in a town and also occupies british's castle which blocks ppl i guess on siege from doing some stuff.

 

[Viquire]

Get out of Town, it just said three new bases.

Only three *smirk* were busted.

 

[Viper09]

CoM seems to have the least Lore, but the Shadowlords did just get themselves killed last year (or so we think), so either one would be a good candidate.

Besides? why do you think they're only getting rid of one? They could easily get rid of two and add a New Faction.

Yes but does that really mean that the ShadowLords are really gone? While their physical forms may be destroyed they could likely still exist.

Also the SL faction would also seem to be as followers of the ideals of the ShadowLords.

CoM is the only faction that doesn't really have much behind it. SL, TB, Minax, all have a strong background in lore. Thus if any faction is going to go out, CoM should be the first.

Plus, Mag was destroyed

 

[Mook Chessy]

I voted for COM...just because of the ugly horse!

 

[Chardonnay]

None...

 

[weins201]

Three new names should be used --

I konw alot are tied to lore and everything but lets face it new faction ideas should have new faction names ???

If they are still going to be tied to controlling towns for certian purposes then perhaps somthng along those lines -

Eternal Raiders - Alway wanting more control
Guadrians of Virtue - Alway striving for saftey and stability
Chaotic Warlords - Just plain out to reek HAVOC

Who konws only the future will tell but is on has to go I also agree with, by by SL

 

[JC the Builder]

Lord British died like 6 years ago. The True Britannians should have disbanded by now.

That was a sarcastic remark. In my opinion, none of the factions should be removed. It is going to upset power balance, with two factions always ganging up on the other. As long as incentives are equal, people will spread out among the factions.

 

[lols]

I say we get rid of SL, because they have the ugliest war horses.

TB has the prettiest, so they have to stay

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

I've always looked at CoM as the "neutrals", TB as the "goodie twoshoes" and shadowlords/minax as the "bads".

Though one could argue TB is the bad side most of the time.

Anyway, I like CoM, TB and shadowlords, or Shadows of Blackthorn perhaps.

A new name could be "Lordy lordy, Mages!?!?"

"Tyrannious Britannious"

"ShadowMakers"

Here's the official overview of the fiction.

A few things that are not in there....

In addition to the Council of Mages objecting to Lord British's basically giving up on Felucca (in their own judgment anyway), there was something about how the Council of Mages objected strongly to Lord British and his Council dealing privately with the Time Lord in some way.

The Shadowlords...Until Warriors of Desitny they were rather mysterious and nobody quite knew what was up with them or what they were about, save for the "rumors" (which of course means the classic Ultima lore from the single-player games).

They had kind of a cult following among evil types, headed by a man named Revlo.

They were involved somehow in a very early attempt to steal or break the Bell of Courage.

It's worth knowing that during that scenario, known as "The Principle Pieces" (get it? As opposed to "principal?"), a Blackrock Elemental appeared for what I think was the first time.

I wasn't there. I missed it as I often missed Seer Quests.

I remember, though, seeing the following excerpt from the journal of someone who was foolish enough to try and solo the Elemental while everyone else was still entering its lair.

It went something like:

• You see: A Blackrock Elemental
• You are attacking a Blackrock Elemental.
• You are dead.

After this was a ghostly screencap of the guy standing there cursing.

The lesson: Don't try and solo something you haven't seen before unless you basically have no choice.

I would say there's an 88.36% or more likelihood that the SLs are gone, to be replaced by a fusion of them and Minax, into a general "evil" Faction under the banner of Mondain and Minax.

Now that the Shadowlords are dead, their followers are finally coming "home."

-Galen's player

 

[G.v.P]

Ummm if I vote is that conflict of interest??

Cal, I know you're a Minax guy, right? *slips you a mil* lol

 

[Specialshoes]

Shadowlords died off in last event. By allowing TB, COM, and Minax to stay it would allow for the Good Guys, The Bad Guys, and that one in the middle that could swing either way.

 

[canary]

CoM seems to have the least Lore, but the Shadowlords did just get themselves killed last year (or so we think), so either one would be a good candidate.

Besides? why do you think they're only getting rid of one? They could easily get rid of two and add a New Faction.

I'd go with ousting the Shadowlords after the last big storyline.

 

[MalagAste]

Um.... in my opinion it should be shadowlords.... since we beat them.... basically.... in the last large story arch...

 

[WarderDragon]

The Shadowlords Faction will, in all likelihood, be the one to disband. We defeated their masters (or so we believe), and have banished them to the Void. Aside from the most fanatical elements of their quasi-religious order, I see the Shadowlords worshipers as opportunists who would quickly switch their allegiance at the first signs of trouble.

But from a technical standpoint, the Council of Mages also needs to go. Not to mention Magincia is destroyed. The Council of Mages is, and has always been, a branch of the Magincian aristocracy in opposition to the Britannian Monarchy.

The True Britannian's aren't going anywhere. It is their mission to protect (and attempt to reclaim) Old Britannia, otherwise known as Felucca. And Minax is (and has always been) at large; the victim of half-finished stories and incompetent storytellers.

If I were the a developer though, I wouldn't just disband one and end it at that. I would reform the factions as a whole. A new storyline. A new purpose. It would create new interest, and would allow the team to actually make the factions have a purpose aside from the perpetual game of capture the flag.

The Kingdom of Old Britannia (or Akalabeth): Created by merging the True Britannian Rebellion with the Magincian Aristocracy in Exile (Council of Mages). While their rivalry has not faded, the two disparate factions have greater concerns. Old Britannia might be loosely tied to Queen Dawn; but they may or may not have differences, and they may even choose their own leader and rebel against the Trammel Queen (political intrigue for the win).

The Fellowship: In the latter stages of the Ultima Series, a cult sprung up that was based (very facetiously) on modern-day cults, namely Scientology. The Fellowship proclaimed themselves to be Good; all the while they were secretly worshiping the Guardian (alternatively the Avatar's Dark Twin or the Ultimate Shadowlord, dependent on your views of Ultima IX). The Followers of the Shadowlords would have flocked to this movement. They may even be its founders.

Exodus: He is still out there; a giant machine in Ilshenar bent on dominating all life. It would be a good way to bring him back in the story. Just because all the villains in our storyline hate Britannia doesn't mean that they have to like each other, and perhaps the Guardian's goals of destroying the world don't mesh too well with Exodus' intention of conquering it.

While I seldom suggest imitating plots found in other games, one thing that I found from Warcraft is everyone loves the Bad Guys; and Bad Guy vs. Bad Guy is increasingly juicy.

 

[Specialshoes]

Ohhhhhhhh how bout removing COM AND Shadowlords. Make it a stepping stone to the return of Order/Chaos.

 

[Tinsil]

If one of the four has to go, then let it be CoM.

 

[canary]

Ohhhhhhhh how bout removing COM AND Shadowlords. Make it a stepping stone to the return of Order/Chaos.

Choices are good IMO, and having a third makes the stakes a bit more interesting.

 

[kelmo]

I like the line of thinking that CoM moves neutral, leaving Minax and TB at either end of the spectrum. *nods*

 

[Sir Morder]

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly...*whistles tune* Waaa waa waaaaa...

 

[Vandetta]

KEEP 4! Makes for better fights!

 

[A Rev]

Merge 2, COM and SL...to form, Council of Shadows [Cosh]!

Then add another 2 making 5 in total.

One should be gargolye related.

 

[Aurelius]

3 factions fighting over control, bases moved out of town - wonder if at least in part, given it's EA/Mythic, they are applying a few things learned from past experience on DAOC...

 

[QueenZen]

A few things that are not in there....

In addition to the Council of Mages objecting to Lord British's basically giving up on Felucca (in their own judgment anyway), there was something about how the Council of Mages objected strongly to Lord British and his Council dealing privately with the Time Lord in some way.
=================

Leave CoM alone and fix Magincia !!

I was in CoM when factions were new, for the specific reason our wonderous King actually wussed out on us all and made a trammel. Making secret deals and sparing his own life warp sharding away from us all.

CoM was a form of chaotic neutral. It stood for something. Not evil not quite obeying his highness either............. IE INDEPENDANT THINKERS and not true evil like missy Minax either.

Shadowlords maybe can go the way of extinct species.

Just my humble opinion. SAVE CoM the UO lore speaks volumes silently what they stood for thinking outside of the good and evil boxes ....and a wussy king that made trammel !

Go CoM !

 

[Nastia Cross]

I like the idea of three completely new factions. Why would we need three new bases if not for that reason?

On a different note, its kinda pointless now that two shards had the special reward for the SL faction...

 

[MalagAste]

I'm somewhat warm to the suggestion of having Minax and True Brits remain while destroying Shadow Lords for their defeat and then Council of Mages do to the loss of Clainin and making a whole new Gargish type Faction... based on their Virtue system...

That could be interesting...

And if your saying Elves should then get one you would be wrong... Elves would chose a side they desired and help but I don't think that Elves would have their own faction.... now if there were Dwarves..... they most certainly would. But Elves are less likely to meddle in the affairs of Humans and Gargoyles.

 

[Tinsil]

From my experience, the majority of PVPers don't care this much about lore.. Rather what's important is game balance.

 

[A Rev]

From my experience, the majority of PVPers don't care this much about lore.. Rather what's important is game balance.

Your probably right, im not much into lore BUT its still nice to maintain that UO feeling.

That means maintaining lore.

 

[Sneaky Que]

Should either be SL or CoM, probably SL because of the recent 'defeat' of the SL.

 

[Kat]

I think it should be SL or CoM, but voted CoM. Although, I have to say that they better not be changing the names of the other 3 factions. That will royally **** me off.

 

[Krystal]

i'd vote get rid of all faction. But if had to pick one i'd say TB cause its in a guard zone.

 

[G.v.P]

From my experience, the majority of PVPers don't care this much about lore.. Rather what's important is game balance.

The only differences, that I know of, between the factions right now is the location/size/security of the bases, the main color associations, and the monsters associated. I forget if the horses differ other than color? After that, the question is does a 3-faction system present problems over a 4-faction system, and why not cut it down to 2 (as far as game balance).

I think some solid fiction lines will encourage a large group of RP to join the fray, and believe a permanent triangle can keep things in balance. With four sides, two powers can farm with the other two lesser factions on the shard and create a huge point imbalance because there are simply not enough people to power four complete sides (plus, they got rid of the measure to prevent any one faction from zerging, a mistake in my opinion).

With only three sides, two powers will need to battle to control the third side, which should, hopefully, decrease imbalance. It's pretty tough since they made the changes in which you can have chars in multiple factions per account, and no matter what, you're going to have spies and such, haha, or some kind of imbalance going on but we'll see how the full list of proposed changes, including the new rank system, will pan out. Hopefully a lot of Test Shard time when it comes!

 

[Tina Small]

Maybe whatever we end up with will build on the Loyalty System, with additional monarchs or figureheads other than the Gargoyle Queen, to whom our characters will pledge their allegiance.

 

[Tina Small]

It's pretty tough since they made the changes in which you can have chars in multiple factions per account...

The rule change that was made about two years ago allowed you to have multiple characters from the same account in the same faction on one shard. Prior that change, you could only have one character per account per shard in a faction.

If people have figured out a way to deliberately put characters from the same account into multiple factions on one shard, they are exploiting a bug of some sort.

 

[Gowron]

The big change I'd like to see in factions is that Reds are no longer elligible for membership.
So far all the consequences reds have had to face have been removed except for having to remain in fel. They shouldn't be elligible for any of the Faction arties.

 

[G.v.P]

The rule change that was made about two years ago allowed you to have multiple characters from the same account in the same faction on one shard. Prior that change, you could only have one character per account per shard in a faction.

If people have figured out a way to deliberately put characters from the same account into multiple factions on one shard, they are exploiting a bug of some sort.

Ah yeah I worded that poorly I just meant people put in all their chars per account and then farm pts with thieves w/ other side then pts end up being crazy for noobs when they enter for ranks.

 

[Tinsil]

Actually it's very easy to make all of your chars on one shard in different factions if you want..

 

[JC the Builder]

With four sides, two powers can farm with the other two lesser factions on the shard and create a huge point imbalance because there are simply not enough people to power four complete sides (plus, they got rid of the measure to prevent any one faction from zerging, a mistake in my opinion).

Even when UO had hundreds of thousands of players, all four factions were not active. On Atlantic we usually had 2-3 factions which were doing the fighting. So the argument that fewer factions means more balance or activity is false.

The best reason to have 4 factions is there is always a place for a new group to start out. If you only have 3 factions then you have no choice, you have to pick someone's side and do what they say. What if there was a limit to the amount of guilds in UO? You can only have 100. No chance to start your own and make your way up in the world.

Also, some groups might like an inactive faction. That way they can solo play or do strike teams. They want to be orange to everyone. The new system isn't going to allow this.

Factions was never designed to have all sides active and fighting. You only need two. They tried this with Warhammer Online and it failed miserably.