The Next FGC...

[Daemonknight]

Also Marlin, in looking at one of your previous posts, you said something about choosing the Marik Civil War because it's a smaller game: that start date is still a full IS game, it's just that the Marik Civil War is the only major cannonical war that year. It's not limited to the FWL.

[Avatar Zero]

Hmm... guess I'm going to have to re-read BT history and put some considerable thought about whether or not I'm going to be able to commit to a game...

I mean, I've been thinking about jumping in for a while, and a restart is the perfect place to do so, I'm just uncertain if I'd be able to reliably commit the creative and intellectual resources for it. On the other hand, I haven't had any gaming opportunities in quite a while...

Hmm...

[Daemonknight]

Well thats the beauty of being 2nd or 3rd player in a faction, you can afford to be inconsistent in your posting without being detrimental to your faction.

[Daemonknight]

Okay, let me ask you guys this: for those players who have voted otherwise, are you willing to accept the 3048 Pre-Revival Era as the start date, or would you, if forced, choose one of the other popular options(67/Jihad, 3039), or Crunch's requested 3085 RotS Era? Because if we're locked into 3048, I see no reason to wait untill Monday/Wensday to open registration and let people start RP while I continue building the faction sheets and get Chaos to work on the map.

[Ian Sharpe]

Re-posting what I posted at CBT...other thoughts on it?

Revival era just seems so massive and I fear one or two players per faction.  It might be better to focus on the LC, FRR and DC v Clans rather than everything.  Still allows for foreign units to play, say volunteers to fight the clans.  Things like Davion units inLyran space would be triggered by events or loss of key worlds.  To expound on that, FWL and CC units can assist the FRR and DC, but their numbers and the like are determined by the GMs, just like Davion units in Lyran space would be.  That way, if players want to RP a brigade or regimental CO from their favourite faction, they still have the chance, but it keeps the action on the Invasion, removes the FC superstate to some extent and still allows for GM intervention/fickleness.  It might also work well with the Clans, keep the JF/Wolf/GB/SJ corridors, but change up the Nova Cats/Vipers/Sharks to different Clans if players would rather have those.

[Marlin]

I share Ian's sentiments. And understood, DK. I just think its too massive for our playerbase. :/

Anyway, if I get a faction with some players, I shall like it.

[Daemonknight]

Ironiclly enough, in terms of the 2nd wave of Clans, I was fully intending that when they showed up, players could change which Clans got the call to be activated.

As for restricting the FWL, CC and FS factions, I will have to think about it. I don't see dropping 3 playable factions as changing much in the game. But I'll think about it, depending on if we continue to gain players over the next few days before I open up registration.

[Daemonknight]

After careful consideration, I'm going to move ahead with Ian's idea, and make the FWL, Davion half of the FedCom, Confederation, and the St Ives Compact off limits as playable factions. They will act as GM factions and will be fully capable of having diplomatic interactions, and there is the ability to negotiate deals with them as normal. Any forces deployed by their military will be either GM controlled, or else seconded to the senior officer present from a player faction.

[Ian Sharpe]

I apologize if my suggestion ends up being unpopular, but IMO its best to have a focus on the action.  Especially as we have only 9 votes; the three IS states directly involved and four Clans already require seven players.  As more players come into the game, we can open up the other IS/Clan factions as needed/desired.  It also prevents the de rigeur Davion/Liao fight and allows for the fear and uncertainty in the realms not directly involved.  'We're not sending help, they're just making it up!' 

[GreyJaeger]

The small player base is why I voted for 3039. We would easily cover the Five Houses, then have the FRR, St. Ives Compact, and then the Periphery. Granted no Clans, but if the base was big enough after a while, a small time-jump and we could then go into Revival.

[Avatar Zero]

The small player base is why I voted for 3039. We would easily cover the Five Houses, then have the FRR, St. Ives Compact, and then the Periphery. Granted no Clans, but if the base was big enough after a while, a small time-jump and we could then go into Revival.

Gotta say, this makes the most sense to me out of every position that's been posted so far.  Enough so that I think I'm going to go ahead and vote for 3039 (also because I've never had a particularly strong interest in the Clans).  I'll warn you guys, though, that I'm going to be quite in-and-out through to the end of the summer (my schedule is rather busy until the start of September), but, if you'll have me, I'd feel comfortable acting subordinate under an experienced player.

[Daemonknight]

Well either way, the Era will be selected by Monday, barring a tied vote. I'd like to see the last remaining votes be moved into either 3048 or 3039 before then if possible, so we can get a finalize idea of the map and faction situation.

[Cannonshop]

changed my vote.

[Daemonknight]

Barring another suprise swing of voting, it looks like 3039 is our new starting date. As previously stated, if and when the population increases enough to support it, and if there is enough interest in doing so, a minor timejump to the pre-REVIVAL era can easily be accomplished.

As it is, I am currently building the faction sheets, and will be getting with Chaos ASAP to get the map done up. The new list of playable factions are as follows:

Federated Suns
Lyran Commonwealth
Draconis Combine
Capellan Confederation
Free Worlds Leauge
Free Rasalhauge Republic
St Ives Compact

Once a minimum of 3 players for each faction is reached(obviously not enough people here for this yet), I'll open up the Taurian Concordat, Marian Hegemony, Outworlds Alliance and Magistracy of Canopus to players, one at a time and only if we can get 2 players per faction, without dropping any of the other factions below 2 players. I don't want to run single-player factions, especially not in the Great Houses.

[Daemonknight]

I'm opening up Registration now, as it seems unlikely to have another major shift in Era. Please head to the Registration thread to post your faction choices.