Politician Archive

Thread: This week in politics 3/30/04

Bajeezus
Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:27 am
#1
I'll make a new thread each Monday for use throughout the week for youto let me and the rest of the Politician community hear how things are going in your city, events planned, tips you might have learnedlike ways ofusing specializations efficiently, new facilities being placed, any interesting dynamics like mergers with new partners to grow your cities or issues of disagreement between your citizens, anything having to do with your politician skills, new skills, skills sold back, newissues, frustrating bugs, or just a quick status report. It will be easy for me to keep up with a digest version ofthe goings-on of the community this way, and perhaps a way for you all to get to know each other as players dedicated to the concept of building communities in the Star Wars universe.


Well, finally bitten by the "lost citizen due to inactivity" feature. I logged in this last week to see a list of nine citizens that had been removed from our citizen list. Luckily, we were more than that number above the minimum requirement for metropolis, and we are working on bringing in a group of 15-20 new citizens to help shore up our population, but I have to admit to running to the city hall in a minor panic to make sure that we still had 85+ citizens when I saw those nine lines of lost citizen notices in my mailbox. As I looked at the names, most were players I knew were gone, perhaps only one was a surprise, and so I really had no reason to be caught off-guard.


As I told you last week, we've been working on mayoral succession in my city, and this week we got our new mayor voted in and my main character returned to private life for the first time since November. I immediately shed most of my remaining politician skills, keeping novice politician out of maybe sentimental value, and also because I won't be advanced enough to use all the extra skill points for quite a while.


Speaking of this reminds me, I really do need to hop onto TC this week and see how my Test Center mayor is doing. I expect he should be ready to place some large gardens by now, which is what I've really been waiting to do, hopefully to show the devs some of the difficulties of placement of the larger gardens in anything other than completely flat terrain.


That's my week in politics.
Laeren
Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:38 am
#2
City of Rauha, Naboo (Starsider)


Sunday, we had our Jeopardy! party, which was a lot of fun. Our nightclub hosted it and it seems everyone had a great time.


Seen here.


We also are in the process of moving a significant guild into our city. Very nice people, and we are honored to have them in our city. Had a good time helping them place houses in their area, and I'm sure the next few days will be settling-in pains for them and us. But, we're hoping everything goes smoothly, and we figure there's about 15-20 people total that will be moving in as a result. We might hit Metropolis in the coming weeks, but I believe our Naboo is already capped out with 5 Metropoli (Braxis, Vagabond's Rest, North Beach, Thalnax and Trinity City, I think, are the Big 5). No big deal. I think we never even thought of being a Metropolis, so having the possibility of being capped at it really doesn't phase us.


We're also currently in discussion with a neighboring city about rebels using our cloner and shuttle to attack it. We're a neutral city, and we don't want any trouble from either the rebels or our neighbor, so we need to discuss what we're going to do about being a "backdoor" to this other city.


Last night our mayor and I started discussing more beautifications to our city, as well as a rotating central park garden scheme. Gonna be pretty fun!


On a more personal note, hada chance to check out the Droid Invasion, and took some pictures.








Aes Sedai Industries
::::Swarriorx Irow: Mayor of Rauha (Naboo), Starsider (www.rauha.com)
::::::Laeren Misha: Teras Kasi Master, Master Rifleman, Master Journalist, Master Interior Decorator
:::::::::Apprentice FilmmakerVisit my movie page: Triquetra Pictures AIM: LegalMinn
ArthurP
Tue Mar 30, 2004 4:35 pm
#3
DATELINE: New Hope Metropolis, Lok, Naritus


Greetings from Mayor ArthurP Coodle!


This has been a good week in New Hope. Yes we lost 12 citizens after being GRIEFED by the devs with thier inactive citizenship rule (I know our former citizens will NOT be happy when they get back), but due to our practice of tighly woven housing grid (not lovely but now in retrospect, seems wise) we have plenty of space for new citizens who seem to be arriving daily.


We are in the middle of Lok - just south of Nyms. We are not a major PvP group, we possess no great resources, are near NO major POI's but our city is thriving with happy citizens. People stumble upon our city quite by accident and after a short time in the BEST Cantina in the GAME, they decide to make New Hope their home.We even have some entertainers form neighboring cities - and even some from across the galaxy come to play here on a regular basis.


We are made up of our founding guild (New Hope Alliance) and a smaller guild (DeadZ) - but welcome stout-hearted Rebels of any guild or race. We have many PvPrs but have a large percentage of crafters as well. All-in-all, a good mix, I think.


We HAD some bad news recently. Three leaders our neighbor guild turned traitor against the Rebellion and left thier guild. This caused divisions and stresses in our group that seem to have calmed only now. After the dust cleared - one from NHA left as well - but she is still a trusted friend who is around almost every day - and one of the three traitors has had a change of heart and is coming back. We now have regular visits from Imperials hoping to do damage - and this is causing our citizens to gear up for the GCW more and more. With each visit, our people are growing in their knowledge of warfair, andare finding more and more victories as the invading troops are sent to the cloning centers.


I have been working to reorganize the city decorations. I'm not the original mayor of New Hope, so it's taken me a while to get the XP needed to move certain structures. We now have a GREAT museum of artifacts and rare items - as well as a ZOO which is almost completed. All our trainers are one main street - spread out so they are easy to find, but far enuff apart to hopefully reduce LAG.


It's easy to become complacent and bored with a city when all you see are structures and landscape, but its important to remember that a city ispeople. This became clear to me last night in the cantina... A regular to our cantina - but not a citizen was not his cheerful self. He made it known that a friend in RL had passed a way in a tragic accident. Later that night, he said he had something to tell me.He told me that he want to join our city because he had never been so accepted or had people care so much as our citizens. He and I had had debates on the cause of the Rebellioin and whether it was a winnable battle - or even worth fighting. Tonight he told me that now he saw the true heart of the Alliance - and that even a legion of stormtroopers could cause him to turn his back on the Rebellion, or our city. He told me that he had never felt more at home than that night in my cantina.


You know..faction battles, griefs and nerfs aside, and lack of content aside. THAT is why I play this game!


On a side note: PLEASE ask the devs to remove the inactive citizenship rule. I DO have dear friends who have been called away from the game for a while - but have done all they can to ensure their character's belongings and done all they can to help our city. It would be a shame if when they came back - they discovered that what they THOUGHT would help the city - actaully HURT us because their house was taking up valuable space, and we couldn't get new citizens ... and thier beloved city died around them. PLEASE END THE GRIEF.





¯¯¯¯ArthurP Coodle¯¯¯¯
Now Playing in the NEW Bantha PooDoo Cantina
in Beautiful, Historic Kestrel City, Naboo
ï Now with Mayor Power ! ð


JediKozel
Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:11 pm
#4
Stronghold of Bane (rename this week for, a 3rd time), Lok, Kauri

Some of you might remember my lengthy post-explanation of mayor succession in our city:
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=Politician&message.id=29785

An Update -- I was able to keep the office on the update. Indeed, every new citizens needs to go to the voting terminal and vote for the incumbent mayor. Otherwise, the new citizen's vote will not count at all. Also, the old (banned) mayor was finally removed from the citizenship roster, so it looks as he will never come back to hunt us again ...

Inactive citizenship list works indeed. 2 City Updates ago I got the first emails, about 30 of them. But the Ctizienship Report on the city terminal hasn't changed then. However, last city update the roster updated and we are now 30 citizens smaller. Looks like we will loose our metropolis rank after this update. But that was something we've been prepared for.

- Last week I placed our first garage. Not yet sure about the use of it, since most of the folks use shuttleports for transportation and rarelt hunt within the area.
- Also placed faction terminals, and after this update will switch to Job Market to see if that will increase faction mission FP award.
- Trying to set up some statues & fountains as signs, that give waypoints to market area and local POIs in their name. I hope that it might generate a bit more traffic within the city.
- I'm also considering to run an event for our city - again, to spread the name and attract attention, and may be even new citizens.


That's it. Till next week.



Mokael Openg
Mayor by Day, Fixer by Night, Gunfighter by Need
"Face it, if crime did not pay, there would be very few criminals."
Laughton Lewis Burdock
(from Shadows of The Empire by S. Perry)
storme
Wed Mar 31, 2004 4:54 am
#5
I have been officially named the Bloodfin.Dantooine.Caritas Correspondent.


Caritas has recently reached Metropolis, 3rd week, and currently has a citizenship that fluctuates in the low 90's. This is, in part, due to the inactivity rule, which I like. The other part is that the ebb and flow of any city is inevitable.


I am afraid however that I have lost three to a rapid decay of their houses, less than 8 hours from the first e-mail. I have not lost three yet, but will with inactivity, when their accounts lapse because they've chosen to move on to another game.


On the bright side, the progress toward the web-site that will allow for Caritas to be showcased, the progress that the council is making toward establishing a working rotation of skill trainers, and the resolution of a 50k overcharge in maintenance, hopefully with a retroactive status, do I smell vacation on Yavin?


Our plans for the immediate future is to reestablish the militia with strict guidelines for /cityban and /grantzoningrights, urban planning scheme implementing volunteers that will place the structures and /transferstructure, and the addition of two exotic gardens each representing the two guilds.


For the future, we are working toward creating zones of interest. One of the zones, with the garage as the focal point, will be the industrial zone that will contain all lots dedicated to factories and wharehouses. The artisan zone, which will have the first of every merchants vendors (Your first vendor will have to be located here before you get to place the second vendor in a prime location). The Caritas Performing Arts Council will be home in its very own section of town. And the continued beautification of the downtown district will be a very big concern.


Other ideas that have been presented is to form the Caritas Chamber of Commerce where dues can be used to advertise, gather resources, provide crafting stations, and anything else that our merchants may need.


If you have any questions feel free to give me an in-game tell.


Bloodfin.Storme
Akaara
Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:30 am
#6

This week in politics... merging new active citizens with the current citizen population has been an ongoing problem.


It turns out adding the new active citizens really helped when we lost 8 due to inactivity. However, some of the citizens who helped build the city before I became Mayor are resisting change. They do not not like the new citizens moving into their territory. I am having a city meeting tonight, and forming a city council which I hope will help ease tensions between incoming citizens and the founding citizens. Though a council will add more of a head-ache to my job in the long run, because it will take more time to get things done.


Our land area is just horrible for placing structures, I wish they would loosen up the restrictions on this or give us a way to flatten the land. I bought some expensive decorations which I was unable to place. Plus because of the tension between new and old citizens, it is hard to make any changes, even just asthetic changes.


I also am unsure of what to do with new crafters entering the city. Do I make another mall, do I set up some merchants tents? There is one mall and 2 vendor tents, but again the citizens almost don't want the new crafters in the city, even though I feel it is needed and good for the city. So, now I need to wait for the city council to form, hear all sides and then figure out if a mall or more tents would be better, or use the cantina.


I am in the process of getting a citizen only shop up and running. I will need to manually add the citizens to the entry list, then charge a high fee for other people so the shop will hopefully be a place where citizens can get reduced prices on final products.


Someone asked me a tough question and I would like some help in answering this; "What are the benefits of joining a player city? What do I get with my taxes?" You know what... I couldn't really think of a good answer.


I also wanted to remove the income tax, but again I got resistance from some of the 'founding' citizens. I really need to find a balance here but it's becoming increasingly difficult. They knew me before they elected me, if they cannot support me, should I just give up being Mayor?






_____Chiana_________________________
JEDI ELDERCL 90

Sying ~ Master Entertainer
Nikeesha YMaster Tailor

storme
Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:03 am
#7
Akaara,


Don't give up?


This is where you batten down the hatches and tell them where the city is going and just how you are going to get it there. If they do not care about the city then they can move. Tough line andeven tougher to implement. However, it is evident that you need to answer for yourself whatdoes the city give to its citizens?What does the individual get for their investment? Once you answer those questionsthen they can become your selling points and you will have to pitch it time and time again. I can't, no one can, answer that for you. It is as personal asthe appearance that you've chosen.


For me, my city, Caritas, it is the uniqueness of terrain, the ubiquitous sense of home, the undying beauty, the feel that you get when you 'walk' from district todistrict. It is so many individuals helping each other out. It is the devotion that is displayed time and time again.It is citizens hopping three shuttles because they are needed by their city. It's her in the morning. It's her at night. For me, my city, our city, Caritas is home.


Make your city yours. I don't mean lord it over everyone. What I mean is when you are physical pulling your hair out using invented names like smacktards and older ones like yahoos remember that she is your passion and that she may need this person. Make it so that if someone should ever leave they will regret every step that they take. Make it your home and make it theirs. Be the politician.


You have to have the influx.


I think the move to a council is a good thing. It will lessen the burden on your shoulders once the kinks are worked out. And besides, if someone complains, blame it on the council. Shhhh don't tell anyone I said that.

It will also serve to provide you with an avenue for new ideas or better approaches. Remember to communicate and establish the rules for the council and council participation.


Bloodfin.Storme
Akaara
Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:18 am
#8
I fell in love with the city when I first went there, it is in a beautiful location (though the terrain makes it tough to place things). It felt like a place I wanted to 'live' in and I rarely leave.



_____Chiana_________________________
JEDI ELDERCL 90

Sying ~ Master Entertainer
Nikeesha YMaster Tailor

Cosra
Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:57 pm
#9

Mayor Cosra Nedok here.


Mos Krayton, Tatootine, Tarquinas Server


I have a question and I wanted to know if anyone else was affected in this way. We lost one citizen due to inactivity. This put us down to 54. Well I knew I had a week to get another citizen and even had some lined up, so I was not concerned about the shuttle issue. But then...it also knocked me down to a level 3 city which then knocked out 8 citizens because they were outside the new limits. I am sure I can get these citizens back, but I don't know that they will all log in within the one week time period before the next update. This presents just a tiny bit of stress Was it supposed to be that way?

ArthurP
Wed Mar 31, 2004 3:46 pm
#10
Welcome to the sanctioned GRIEFING by the Devs.



¯¯¯¯ArthurP Coodle¯¯¯¯
Now Playing in the NEW Bantha PooDoo Cantina
in Beautiful, Historic Kestrel City, Naboo
ï Now with Mayor Power ! ð


Megathrax
Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:37 am
#11
Last week was a pretty busy one for us. We ran a very successful Decorating Contest for the citizens and recruited somewhere around 15people to make upfor idle citizens and a few other losses. Though we didn't really need tomore citizens since we would've been secure as a 75 population city, we really like having the Metropolis Title.


I really think the idle citizens has created an interesting and overall positive dynamic. In the past we stuck to recruiting players that hadn't lived in a city before. Now we are being approached everyday by guilds and small groups of friendsthat are wanting tomove their home to a more involved and activecity.It is sometimes troubling to thinkthatgaining this new growthwill cause other cities to crumble. Many of my personal favorite places to visit have lost their shuttleports and I have heard many tales ofmayors just giving up altogether.But what I do likeis that more cities are becoming supported by a community of diverse groups and individuals instead of the personal toys of a few elites.


It will be interesting to see what our own galatic maps will look like in the coming month. I only hope that our city can continue to have the foresight to make the best of the problems we face.



Ultros Fishmagnus
Leader of the Chaos Breakers
Mayor of Ataxia, Dantooine

If I won an auction, please offer the items to the vendor at City Hall in Ataxia, Dantooine.
PosiTec
Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:38 am
#12

Cosra,


You have my sympathy.


This is exactly the sort of city implosion that we warned the devs about when they first announced this hairbrained idea.


Good luck getting all those people to move their houses inside the new radium within the week... better hope they havn't decorated, and log on regularly.


Laeren
Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:09 am
#13

Akaara:


We're currently going through the same thing right now, except I think we've got an easier time of it cuz everyone is willing to compromise or just tough it out. We have several overlaps between the new citizens/guild that's moving in and the already-present crafters. However, upon talking to both sides we were able to look at the situation and find out that there wasn't nearly as much conflict as eveyrone thought there might be. In fact, there is a very nice mesh of professions going to happen in our city.


One of the soothing factors is that the incoming citizens have been very accomodating with making sure they aren't stepping on toes. And the present crafters are eyeing the new people with the thought they too can work together in various ways.


I found out, for instance, that the new incoming citizens are specialized in medium harvesters. We currently have 2 archs already in the city, but one specializes in furniture, and one specializes in heavy harvesters, or at least plans to. It's this sort compromising and niche-marketing that makes things a little easier to bear.


I'm hoping that the attitude amongst your citizens starts to work together. I hope they realize that more crafters means more resources to call upon for sub components, raw materials and the like. Also, most people are vendor-shoppers - if they don't find it on one vendor, they will go to the next one next door.


Good luck with the meshing. It's a time-intensive process, but the more information you are able to present to both sides, the more they will see that they can work together for the city. And even in cases of direct competition, it's still not that bad a deal.




Aes Sedai Industries
::::Swarriorx Irow: Mayor of Rauha (Naboo), Starsider (www.rauha.com)
::::::Laeren Misha: Teras Kasi Master, Master Rifleman, Master Journalist, Master Interior Decorator
:::::::::Apprentice FilmmakerVisit my movie page: Triquetra Pictures AIM: LegalMinn
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