Faction Stipend System

[TarnishedSoul]

Or, "NPC better have my money!"

Proposal: implement a faction stipend system where members of factions (guilds) can speak with a NPC on a per-X time system, generally once per week, and receive payment for being a part of the faction. PCs would need to spend an amount of time in the game world (not the Nexus!) to trigger the stipend.

Other Suggestions

• Multiple pay tiers

→ Rank 1: 1250g
→ Rank 2: 2500g
→ Rank 3: 3750g
→ Rank 4: 5000g
→ etc.

Number of tiers and amounts TBD by people a lot smarter than am I, but the overall goal is to REWARD players who do guild-based RP.

• Guild leader would be responsible for speaking with NPC and adding accepted PCs and their rank to the system. This requires coding juju that is beyond me, but I know it can be done.

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For those familiar with Sundren, I'm blatantly plagiarizing their faction stipend system, although without the corresponding faction points part. I figured a NPC should handle it instead of the automated version.

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Pros:

• money
• incentive to become active faction members
• it'd stop the "I never get paid!" RP that guild members love to say

Cons:

• AoS will murder me
• It'd be a major undertaking
• probably other things

How 'bout it?

[Storm Munin]

Not against the suggestion, since it does mean guildleader can spend less time on their toons assembling cash for the greedy underlings.

But it does sound like the up and down cash flow within a guild is as erratic as ever.

[Wolfshear]

I actually think this is a great idea. There are a variety of groups/factions that would technically have access to any number of resources, but its not adequately represented unless the guild leaders or their officers spend all their time grinding.

Which for me just isn't fun enough to warrant doing it on such a constant basis.
I would love a system like this and even more so if it could somehow be implemented in a way that it's an incentive for actual guild activity and rp. As opposed to those who just log on for the occassional event and beyond that rarely participate.

Perhaps the guild leader themselves could control when rewards are doled out or something to that effect. I dont know im just spitballing, but the downside is if there isn't such an implementation people will just log in purely for the gold as they might mindlessly ooc run quests now.

[Kiran]

I like the idea.

Had a similar system in ultima online many years back.

I used to roleplay a tavern owner/Criminal leader. We had a npc in which people could every Monday pop in and get their pay. In turn I would ensure I was atleast online that day for 2 hours at a certain time if any issues happened (Which was rarely) and also to give bonuses if people done reports, been specifically active or warranted. This gave a nice sense of immersion and in turn gave people a actual incentive to do faction stuff.

If it can be coded in, all for it.

[Aspect of Sorrow]

• AoS will murder me
• It'd be a major undertaking
• probably other things

How 'bout it?

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For those familiar with Sundren, I'm blatantly plagiarizing their faction stipend system, although without the corresponding faction points part. I figured a NPC should handle it instead of the automated version.

---

We had a few odd little NWNX mechanisms powering it , but I think this suits the CLR side, and would be fairly easily implemented from that scope. I agree with an on-demand action from an NPC than an automated iteration as we had in that PW.

If this is tackled, I'd expect it fully hashed out on the forum first with the community before we put in something that presents future issues.

[Blackman D]

we dont even have a normal faction system yet, how is this suppose to work till that is done?

[TarnishedSoul]

Some questions I've been asked / told:

What would count as a faction versus a guild?

I think if a NPC is used, then that NPC should be in a guild area. Thus, guilds that have guild areas get the NPC. IC, it's a representation that this guild now has the ability to do off-screen things that generate the money for guild upkeep and payment to members.

Different amount of gold per rank seems like it might cause drama.

IC drama, perhaps. OOC drama, I hope not. To me, advancing in the ranks in order to earn more money seems like a great incentive to do more faction-related things.

I've considered the fact that there might be guild leaders who try to make all of their members the same rank to earn maximum pay, but I think that's easily thwarted with a few checks and balances.

we dont even have a normal faction system yet, how is this suppose to work till that is done?

This idea is independent of a faction system. I'm using 'faction' as a word that is interchangeable with 'guild.' I can adjust the title if it's proving problematic to understand.

[JCVD1]

100% for that.

I mean, good god, we Thayans pay to to work for our great nation. Union workers are about to go on strike!

[Ariella]

I like the idea but i don't think it should be entirely free, A large payment to establish the system at the start i think. Rp wise the gold goes towards setting up constant streams of revenue. It gives guildy's another thing to work towards.

[JCVD1]

I'd agree to the above if we were all newbies to the server (factionwise) and worked for nothing for years, burning hard earned coins.

[Ariella]

So use it as an excuse to get all your guildys together to go exploring and coin gathering together. It often makes for good RP.

[Ambaryerno]

I think it would be great if PCs could have IG jobs in general. IE, the main character I played on Legacy: Dark Age of Britain spent some time as a barmaid at the server's main tavern (until it burned down, was bought, and the new owner never responded to her inquiries if she still had a job). Spent some IG time behind the bar and RPed serving drinks to other PCs and got a little coin from the DMs for it. There were plans to even give her access to an actual drink inventory so I could ACTUALLY sell stuff, but the inn burned down before anything could come of it.

[Flasmix]

This is a pretty good idea.

[Tsidkenu]

Does this suggestion actually draw from stored gold in the guild's virtual coffers, meaning that the guild is also responsible for putting money into it to pay their members in the first place, or is it just creating gold from thin air to reward players for guild RP?

Not a criticism, just a curiosity.

[TarnishedSoul]

The latter.

The stipends are pulled from the coffers that are filled by all the day-to-day things that guilds do off-screen to generate income for upkeep.