Politician Archive
Thread: 0 Skill Points to be a Politician?
TheNola
Fri Dec 24, 2004 10:04 pm
#40
LadyLeala wrote:
I agree wholeheartedly that the game isn't what makes roleplaying happen. I am personally involved in a lot of RP events, and I also tend to simply RP in game all the time no matter who I'm dealing with. It's fun.
I agree. I don't think any MMO would have lots of roleplaying going on. The majority of players don't roleplay... and they are what make the roleplaying happening. An MMO is all too social for it to be all-roleplaying. Truth is, one of the most fun things in an MMO is that we get to meet actual players and it's a great and fun way to meet real people miles and miles away. Just talking to people about real-life topics is fun. That is one of the most important things to me in the game... besides making clothes 
Message Edited by TheNola on 12-24-2004 09:05 PM
Hvzeda
Sat Dec 25, 2004 12:59 pm
#41
LadyLeala wrote:
Hey guys... I know I've never posted in this forum before. But I will tell you that I've put a lot of thought into the entire concept of Player Cities in general in this game.
I won't get too much into it, except on this one point that I have tossed around a few times over the past year or so.
Do you think Politician would be more fun if it didn't cost any Skill Points?
I know there are a TON of details that would need to be worked out-- many of which I'm sure I haven't thought of personally. But what if they took away the skill Point requirement for politicians? As it stands now, by observation, most (all?) of the Politicians who I know personally are ALT characters who do nothing but "maintain the city". They log in to place trainers, update taxes, etc etc. Further, the entire concept of Player Cities just doesn't seem to be a big "thrill" to people anymore. I'm not saying that nobody likes player cities... and I know there are plenty that are still happening areas. But I think it would add a lot more "flair" to player cities, and encourage growth and competition and all that stuff if they just simply took away the Skill Point requirement.
I want to see some more political intrigue in this game, but not at the expense of my template which I love so much.
Anyway, just an idea. Maybe it's been offered before, but here it is from me all the same.
If you want to promote player cities, why not make suggestions of allowing mayors to get more abilities based on kept skills that will allow them to make their city more dynamic (ex: city quest that gives their city recognition, i.e., similiar to what EQ2 has for guilds or the ability for cities to declare war on each other or mayors able to assign titles to residents, etc.). Making politican profession free doesn't promote player cities one bit. It may (a big maybe here) promote political intrigue, but what about those cities that don't want that? Yes, griefing can exist with the current system but making the politician profession free will probably encourage more griefing.
I basically agree with the idea of making the politician profession into a pyramid base for skills in which skills are tied to keeping to those skills. Lose your ability to place that large garden, then the large garden you have currently placed has its maintenance doubled.
I was a mayor and I wasn't an ALT. I know of plenty of mayors that are main characters and these individuals don't have a second account. I was disappointed with the profession because once you mastered the profession and had the city set up, you really didn't need many of the skills anymore. Give mayors more ability to manage their cities and have those abilities tied to keeping those abilities.
TheNola
Sun Dec 26, 2004 7:18 pm
#42
OoOo.. speaking of, one thing I really want added is the Politician title.
As mayor of my city, I would love to have a (Mayor of Celestria) under my name
LadyLeala
Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:20 pm
#43
I like that idea on the title bit, showing your city name. Nice idea.
TheNola
Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:58 am
#44
LadyLeala wrote:
I like that idea on the title bit, showing your city name. Nice idea.
Thank you.
I thought... why not make something all politicians should be proud of? Now if they had that title... I would rock my city mayor tag all day long
ACiDAnArChY
Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:51 pm
#45
The politician profession is crap. I have to use a alt for it just to keep up on my jedi grind. If you ask me why not make it just like the pilot professions....... no sp! It would in no way effect anyone else except those that are city mayors! My alt's purpose in life is just to be mayor and soak up xp be mayor. What a waste of time and money on a second account
To me the eniter skill point structure and limit is crap. So is HAM, you have a character that has been around for about 20 months or so and has been all over the server, grinded all kinds of professions.... or even is a jedi and your character still has the same cap on SP and HAM....
does that seem a little odd?
By the way, how many professions POI's and badges did luke skywalker have to do to make jedi??? is moisture farmer a profession????
SweetaboEwokJedi
Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:53 am
#46
About Luke...he wasn't really a jedi until Episode 6.
About Politician skill point costs...I think that Novice should still be 15. Anyone who wants to do the griefing you guys described can do it as a novice politician without further skill investment and that's the fault of the game for not allowing the profession more things it can do. Usually once a city has what it needs, it doesn't need most of the politician skills again and there's little reason for the politician to keep them. We need more abilities. However, I think that the cost of the skills is enormous as is and not worth it because you're basically acting on behalf of SOE to keep people playing and making yourself a crappier crafter or fighter to do it.
In my opinion, having novice be 15 and the skill boxes above it be 0 or 1 is the way to go. Unless they make major improvements to the profession's usefulness after a city has developed.
One suggestion I have for increased utility is to have a bodyguard which would be like a faction pet. Then even neutrals could have someone to command and it makes sense in the Star Wars universe where danger lurks everywhere. Have this be a Master Politician ability and people will want to be one just to have a free extra pet. And it shouldn't count as the pet either so you should be able to have a pet out and the bodyguard.
I also recommend an auto-register after an election. For the incumbent to have to register every time before the people can vote for them is rather insiped. I'm not saying give them an auto-vote for themself just an auto-register. It is logical.
Another thing I would like to see is some kind of terraforming ability for city customization 4. Have them be able to flatten terrain within the city limits, cover up waterholes, create streams and ponds, and make little land bridges. This gives you more of a reason to keep the higher level customization skill and is something that some cities really need. Maybe even pave roads (but have a city cost for them to maintain). You could even go so far as to have your level of city customization determine what kind of road it would be (1 would be dirt, 2 cobblestone, 3 brick, 4 concrete).
Gatuu Tetsu, Mayor of Celestial City, Rori, Lowca
SicariusD
Mon Jan 03, 2005 4:45 am
#47
All I see happening if you make politician a skill that ANYONE can use, is thatJUSTANYONE will use it, it will be chaos and disorder, the person with mayor that has no real cost will undoubtedly lack the conviction needed to run a city, it will be shakey at best, and a revolving door of disorder at worst. We went from a *Council* type city government to an *elected dictatorship*, we went from disorganisation and bitching to strength and prosperity,**the Imperial senate will no longer be of any concern to us**
We were able to do this becuase the MayorWANTED to be mayor and was willing to pay the priceto attain this, the council members werent fazed either way as it meant nothing to them, as it cost them nothing, with no cost it will undoubtedly lead to a great big mess. Make a system that even an idiot can use, and only an idiot will use it, I dont want just anyone to be mayor, and player citys need ppl with the right stuff and those ppl are the ones willing to pay.The requirement should either be lowered or the benefits for master increased to keep costs and benefits inline.
Ive seen what lack of conviction can do to a city, and ive seen what one person with the desire to BE a politician can do, no cost is a bad idea
LadyLeala
Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:16 am
#48
I like everyone's comments on this subject. I didn't think it would turn into a long debate, but it certainly seems to have done just that.
I've read every response in this post, and I want to thank everyone for contributing their feedback. At this point, I feel that the idea I like the best is 15 points at Novice, and 1 point for each skill above that. I think your reasons for suggesting that the profession should cost something are very valid, yet I still maintain that the profession doesn't need to be as Skill Point intensive as all other professions in the game.
Scoooter
Mon Jan 03, 2005 8:38 am
#49
A good point that some0pne made if it is zero skill points
What reason wil SOE have to fix anything in it or cities since you get something for nothing?
Zero reason
With pilot they have an incentive since pilotworking correctly means they may sell more copies of JTL and that would not be the case with politician.
LadyLeala
Mon Jan 03, 2005 8:54 am
#50
Scoooter wrote:
A good point that some0pne made if it is zero skill points
What reason wil SOE have to fix anything in it or cities since you get something for nothing?
Zero reason
With pilot they have an incentive since pilotworking correctly means they may sell more copies of JTL and that would not be the case with politician.
I don't particularly buy in to this line of thinking. I'm sure that money is a concern for SOE. It HAS to be. They're in this business to MAKE money. Why else would they pay workers and what not? But they also need money to keep the game going. But I do think that they are smart enough to realize that a quality product will sell more than a non-quality product. Regardless of the cost to become a Politician, it is in SOE's best interest to enhance and improve EVERY aspect of this game, continuously. That keeps people playing, and brings new people in. Looking at it like you're suggesting is a bit too shallow, I feel. They have a much broader picture to look at.
Scoooter
Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:49 am
#51
LadyLeala wrote:
Scoooter wrote:
A good point that some0pne made if it is zero skill points
What reason wil SOE have to fix anything in it or cities since you get something for nothing?
Zero reason
With pilot they have an incentive since pilotworking correctly means they may sell more copies of JTL and that would not be the case with politician.
I don't particularly buy in to this line of thinking. I'm sure that money is a concern for SOE. It HAS to be. They're in this business to MAKE money. Why else would they pay workers and what not? But they also need money to keep the game going. But I do think that they are smart enough to realize that a quality product will sell more than a non-quality product. Regardless of the cost to become a Politician, it is in SOE's best interest to enhance and improve EVERY aspect of this game, continuously. That keeps people playing, and brings new people in. Looking at it like you're suggesting is a bit too shallow, I feel. They have a much broader picture to look at.
At Zero skill points no, how many subscriptsions are tied to politician. There are just not many of us out there. There are a finite numberof cities per server and very people outside the profession care ehough to show support.
And as far as quality, they also have to set priorities, and one that has no player cost and very little subscriptions tied to it will not get very high on the proprity list.
There is also the reality that simply states that SOE has just so many resources to dedicate to problems.
ACiDAnArChY
Mon Jan 03, 2005 8:39 pm
#52
ok so the point some of you are making is that since you are a politician that you chose to do it and you should be dedicated to this... so suck it up. so they have a profession for this.... right, where as if you want to be a guild leader there is no profession for that. why slap a huge cap on someone's abilities to further themself's in the game for something that really doesn't mean squat once you have reached 4/4/4/4 and level 4 or 5 city. basically if you ever want to have a good template character you are screwed so long as you stay mayor, hence why so many people go out and purchase a 2nd account. i just don't see the point to have politician skill tree be the same as a combat, artisan or entertainer profession, it's not the same! being mayor is just a mule, that is all there is to it. you are the mule of the city to have the "title" of mayor and move stuff around in your city. yeah there are other things you may have to do but a mule is basically all mayor is. WHAT FUN IS THAT? say all you want about it but in the end no one in their right mind is going to spend 2 years playing swg as a politician, or a pistoleer/polit. you can't even grind jedi.
and i would like to reiterate a very good point that was made. "give us the ability to level some terrain or add a little water pond, maybe a bridge", christ, I had more abilities in sim city than i do as a mayor in star wars.
ok i'm done ranting... i just get frustrated with the profession tree concept, it needs some serious reconfiguration!