Politician Archive

I don't think its fair to say that you only need 15 pts to be mayor. Anyone running a metropolis will know that one of the most important things for a lot of citizens is the skill trainers, and they need to be changed all the time, so add more points for that (2 levels in fact), and another important aspect is Militia so there's another box there.

That's a few more than 15 points for most people.

Personally I don't really have an opinion one way or the other, I think worrying about skill points isn't really valid. I have a Master Commando/Master Politician and the skill point usage for me is fine. However, I do have a problem with "Content". Once our city hit metropolis there just wasn't enough to keep me interested. I wanted to build another city.

So rather than dump politician I left the city to go start a new one to keep my interest up. Its been a good move so far, I'd still like more to do as a politician though, just don't make it micromanagement like the skill trainers, they are so annoying.

While I'll agree that being a mayor does take a fair chunk of my skill points, I have wanted to hold the position since I had first heard it was going to be offered so I don't have a problem with the 'point sacrifice'. Should it cost nothing, or a mere pittance? NO. I wasn't aware that 6% of your total skill points and 500 APs was that large a hurdle to overcome for Novice Politician. As it stands now I see it like this: If a person is willing to train to get Novice Politician you can be certain that they have given this action serious thought and, therefore, is more likely to take this profession seriously. Now I am not stating that you, or anyone else in your position, would not do a fabulous job as a politician if you could take the profession for 1 skill point, just that as it stands now there will be fewer that are willing to make asshats of the rest of the profession because of the skill cost.

Now, I'll also agree that the skills earned as a Politician offer absolutely nothing to the character when outside of the city. Sure more people now may know my name (at least if you live on Rori on Tempest), but beyond that it's really only a cool title to wear above my head. If there was content in the game that would make being a politician (not even an elected mayor) more interesting that, in my eyes, would be even more incentive to play the part and start kissing babies. Taken into the real world example given, yes anyone may become a politician but only those who take it seriously and are willing to put effort into their new profession will succeed. Politicians in the real world perform all kinds of roles plenty of which *could* be adapted into SWG, but this is of course another subject altogether...

I'm curious...how many cities have multiple people fighting to become mayor each week? And how many cities have the same Mayor week after week partly because no one will or wants to run against them?

I've seen posts in various server forums for cities looking for Mayors...is this the way it should be? That a Mayor is a recruited and hired postion rather then an elected? I know that there people out there who love the Politician profession as much as I love the Commando profession...But what happens when those people get tired and move on? If I quit Commando it only effects me...If the Mayor of my city quits and nobody replaces them, it effects everyone in town...all those people who paid taxes...all those people who donated money...all of it is for nothing...all because 15 pts seemed like to much to everyone...

In the city I live, when we first started we had at least 4 people wanting to be Mayor (we were one of the first player cities on Naboo on our server)...Since then 2 have become Mayor...the other 2, that I know of, have quit the game or moved on to other things...So now it comes down to someone giving something else up to become Mayor...

Should the Mayor position be Hired...receiving a default salary of xp each week just for being in office with no one running against them...or should the Mayor be someone the people elected into office...I would love to see player cities where 3 or 4 people at least run for Mayor each week...that would be an added excitement...but how do you get 3 to 4 people to run each week instead of the 1 person who is willing to spend the skill points?

Garvin I can understand your argument about Commandos not getting Commando xp when not killing stuff, but I don't see how that argument also covers what Politicians and their xp. Apples and oranges. Every week I send out a mailing to the citizens of our fair city called the Weekly Update and Opinion. In this letter I describe the state of the city as well as accomplishments of any person that has taken the time to inform me of such. Also this gives the good citizens of Talath a chance to tell me what I should train to server them best, those who respond get their voice heard. I am their public servant after all. I also help organize various special events, help new people move in, answer any questions (since I where the helper tag and since I'm mayor) and anything else I can think of to make Talath a great place to live. As progman eloquently stated.

The Politicians gains XP by 'running' for office and getting votes.

Does this mean, following your argument, that merchants should only get xp when they sell something? And Crafters when doing factory runs? What about the famous AFK dancers and musicians?

True, there are no other people running against me in Talath, the city where I am now mayor, either I am doing the job well enough or perhaps it is as you suggest and nobody is willing to make the sacrifice of 15 skill points. Personally I don't see that as a show stopper, but everyone is different and we all have a different idea of what we want our character to be in that world.

And that is exactly the way I'd love to see the involvement in all player cities...congrats...

I only wish other player cities were that way...Problem is we've prettymuch run that same course only at a faster pace...when the first Mayor stepped down there was still much interest in being Mayor...but with the second Mayor stepping down, the interest has seemed to fade...

We still have lots of people involved in the City in the form of City events City Forum and City Council...but those things don't cost Skill Points...Since City Mayor cost 15 skill points,someone has to give up their prefered player template for the good of everyone else...To those who love politician, what if I told you that if you wanted to keep playing you had to give up that profession just so other's could be happy...would you do it happily or reluctently?

What about this idea...what ifonly Novice Politician was reduced in skill points downto 1 skill point...but the rest stayed the same as it is now...that way anyone can be Mayor, but only those willing to spend the Skill Points would progress higher...Would those who are in favor of Skill Point requirements be ok with this? People would be more ready to give up 1 pt then 15...and who knows, they may decide they love Politician and progress farther...

Again...it isn't my intent to insult anyone in this Profession...I have much respect for all of you...just offering up some ideas that I feel will help my city and other player cities in the long run...

Message Edited by garvin on 02-19-2004 12:59 PM

It also does not give you anything. Unless you take a weekly salary from the teasury there is no way to make money

Message Edited by vonbloodworth on 02-20-2004 01:46 AM

Exactly! SOE never said that each and every guild in the game should have a player city, and don't get me started on private cities...

If you can't find someone in your city to take the responsiblity of the title of mayor then perhaps you should try recruiting outside the city so that new mayor doesn't have to start from scratch. There will be mayor holo 'grinders' and there are others who just want a taste of politics. If it is that difficult, place an ad on the forums and interview the applicants, ask them to move to your city and 'live' with them to make sure that they are the type of person that you want running the show.

Perhaps we are seeing the natural cycle of player cities. The city is created, it thrives for a while, and then it dies off to make room for other new cities. I can think of historical cities that are no longer around. Heck, entire cultures have vanished. Perhaps they couldn't find a mayor either. LOL

but ! cant pwn n00bz wit my 733T M@Y012 skillz. y shud i giv up b-in da shizznit wit my haxxord flamethrower 2 be m4y012?

Ridiculous twits. Be the part or be gone. This may see the death of some of these moronic cities that were thrown down in 5 minutes at the absolute outer edge of the starter city municipal zones.