I think Factions current system is just not good enough to be fun. It doesn't really offer anything more in my opinion.
It needs to have a goal. The Sigs don't cut it. There's not enough story to include the towns, shops. I think the game probably lacks alot of the team oriented programming that it will probably have in the future to create a tactical warfare type mini game.
Losing stats doesn't really make sense because all it does is take you out of the game or limit your ability. This seems more like some type of barbaric punishment or childish hazing or even just a very unlogical annoyance.
But I don't think it's because of the idea itself. I think it's because of the system surrounding it does not do it justice.
For example: I could invite someone into my guild and then kill them and not have to worry about stat or I could bring together a team and just monopolize kills, so, eliminate the chance of dieing. So, because there is a way around stat, it really has no purpose even if that means not being in Factions at all, it creates a way around it and furthermore, leaving the game to play one that does not have stat loss.
Now, I know, that's not taken into consideration but if you had a million people, I don't see how many of them would want to join Factions because they could have stat loss. It's not really a good selling point. I try to understand this over and over in my mind. I can make up games, fun games that people like to play over and over, card games, dice games, just stupid pass the time games but every time I try to create a game with stat loss it just sounds ridiculous.
Like, if I invited everyone over to play cards and then told them that if they lost a hand they would have to sit out for 20 hands, what would be the point in inviting them over? They could just stay home and watch tv for that 20 minutes. So, I basically blame the game itself, not the concept of stat loss, just the idea of what makes it worth it or why we need it.
Factions, to me, should be a tactical war game. It should include bases and armies. Armies should need resources, weapons and armour. Each should have its' own power or unique advantage. There should be warring capabilities such as tamables and spells and even actions that are connected to each component as a team effort for one goal, with several smaller goals to achieve it.
There should be battles that last no more than 4 hours on an epic scale. Bases should be divided and reset as well as resources, towns, even NPCs. There should be food supplies and anything maintained by the Faction should be through means of war, which is simply killing an enemy or an enemy spawn or holding teritory that belongs to the enemy even though the area gives them an advantage. For example: Strongholds, Towers, Walls, Resupplying Stations, Seige Weapons and of course the list goes on.
But I don't think stat loss should be the focus. I think a plan should be put in place that creates a mini game, a tactical war game that is expanded on as more systems that are needed are developed that promote team work and help the over all feeling of being in an actual war. These are not just systems that we can just throw sand at each other and be happy. We need to discipline our fighters not stop them from playing. We need organized troops not a bunch of yippy PvP artists or PK killers who think it's funny to watch others die and we definately don't need any Thieves running around stealing.
Not that these things couldn't be worked into the mechanics to give you an advantage. For example: In a Chaos Guild or in an Evil Faction being red could give you special rage powers, feeding the evil of the murderer so that his power is able to leech life itself but these systems need to be realized. The importance of drawing in people is far more important than trying to control them.
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