On reflection, I feel as if to a point, we were over-zealous on the S2K elements of WW3RP in fear of the consequences if that became all everybody did that we ended up losing people who were old WW3RPers that did roleplay, however enjoyed S2K and combat on the field, and the tense situations where you're critically wounded, your timer is on five minutes and you hear a different language coming towards you. There was definitely a sort of rush that you got back in the day.
What I believe should be changed is that faction warfare should be relatively similar to the old types. Basic weapon vendor for each faction. Soviets have detachments with specific assigned weapons while insurgency has to pay, but has free range. Civilians (non-combatants by choice, unless in life or death situations) get passive money as well as staff support in creating an establishment/home/setup that they're interested in having and roleplaying in. Either staff can be giving them options for stock for the sake of roleplay or there can be some sort of supplier flags. Civilians can either be extorted, robbed, or donated by/for the insurgent faction which will use those funds to pay for weapons/ammo. Their basic weapons will be relatively cheap. It will be encouraged that insurgents who pull off successful heists, schemes, etc. to make money also spread the wealth, weapons, gear to other insurgents to strengthen themselves as a whole, despite them not particularly being a sole entity like the Soviets.
This would more or less work like
- Soviet basic vendor, access to free basic AK. Ammo costs req to avoid hoarding/full pouches.
- Alternative weapons cost slightly more than the insurgent vendor, however, Soviets get passive income, plus rewards from COs after field ops.
- Ease of access to radio communications.
- Ease of access to artillery, armored vehicles, aircraft, etc. Limited by faction management discretion and an effort to fight 'even/retaliatory' fights.
- Orthodox hierarchy of Soviet military.
- Detachment of GDR state officials.
- Put a hold on the undercover Stasi operations and allow for solid structure to be build among insurgents, preferably naturally with PBGs.
- Insurgent basic vendor, access to free pistol, cheap pistol ammo.
- Alternative weapons are relatively cheap, however, insurgent earn money from either being given it by civilians or by extorting, scheming, robbing them (or Soviets for that matter, however, included in rules should be a max amount).
- Crafting materials should be purchaseable from a vendor in limited and refreshing quantities to give independence from the script spawner and admin intervention. If someone wants to roleplay this role, fine go ahead, but I doubt you do.
- Allow PBGs to determine the flow of their story. The server should be enjoyable with two insurgents, passive roleplaying and perhaps, taking potshots and then fleeing the scene as it is with an entire organized militia opposing the Soviets from their compound.
- Encourage their leaders to discuss ideas with staff of potential events, or scenarios they might want to 'script' for the sake of story, entertainment.
- Make insurgents a ridiculously stupid threat. Overwhelmingly so. Give their vendor access to RPGs, landmines and artillery pieces. Keep their ability to craft tanks and helicopters.
- Allow insurgents/civilians to pick a single crafting flag upon character creation and then have them apply if they want another.
- Push lore further in time and Eastward to justify the lack of NATO presence and a surging insurgent force.
If we want to really talk about a server that runs itself, lets talk about the necessity of vendors and a passive income, despite the 'sensibility' of it. If you want to make a server such as WW3RP sustainable, we have to look back at what worked and what didn't. Even militia had a basic income. What I can see working is taking the militia from old WW3RP and fleshing it out with crafting, crafting flags and weapon selection. Start off weak, but able to become extremely powerful if enough cash is made to buy the better equipment. I don't think we particularly want a 'BMD' that can have its own power structure and effect on the server, although, it could be nice. I don't know if that would create more problem than it would solve.
With militia being a unique faction in which, you can start your own cause, make your own money-making schemes to fund it and a basic starting set up that can get you 'in it', I think there's a definite fresh face to the server. I think it could work well.
