Factions within Factions

[TheMoneyMaker]

Why do players seem to be the only ones that can go back and forth between alignments when we know Longbow occasionally goes rogue in their vigilante operations or Frostfire trying to lead Outcasts to a more heroic calling? We know that some enemy groups can do double duty by showing up as a neutral color when you click on them and don't become hostile unless you attack them first (like Crey). Would be cool to see some Outcasts in Steel Canyon trying to be good guys or Longbow that have crossed the line often enough that they might start acting like bad guys given half a chance like maybe exercising borderline martial law tactics in Faultline by holding civilians at gunpoint while conducting "investigation" to see if they're useful or not.

 

This wouldn't suit every enemy group, but I feel like there's enough opportunity out there to make it worthwhile.

[Arbegla]

Some of this is explored in the alignment missions/tips you can do. As for having the mobs in the wild reflect this? Aside from the 'neutral' stance, which is used a lot in Praetoria and the Wharf, I'm not sure how this could be implemented.

[Chris24601]

Given the old Level = Time convention; how about instead of having that in Steel Canyon (which is in the level band before Frostfire reforms), instead add some leveled up Yellow-conning Outcasts spawns to Brickstown and/or Founders Falls (i.e. the 30-39 band where Frostfire is a Rogue trying to redeem himself) and some blue-conning Outcasts fighting the Freakalok, Warriors, and UPA to Kallisti Wharf (the 40+ range where Frostfire has firmly committed to being a hero)?

 

That would also open the door to a later 40+ Outcast-based story arc since it feels like the current development of late has been in reinvigorating various lower-tier factions for the high-level game… i.e. VahzFreakilok, Warriors, Skulls, and Wyvern.

 

I’m all for trying to present an advancing timeline in the higher level zones. One of the most notable things from the Dark Astoria arcs (and the New Praetorian and Mr. G arcs) was seeing how the older villan groups were adapting.

 

As an example, I think it would be interesting if level 50+ Malta had re-colored to blue Knives of Artemis (call them Knife/Blade/Hand of Malta) with an explanation that after the Knives were all-but obliterated during the Mot incident, the remaining Knives were recruited by Malta (and adding some nanotech particle effects and maybe beam weapons in place of rifles to the other units to represent Battle Maiden’s influence).

 

The really big ask in that regard would be to finally see the faction swap of Scirocco (and Ice Mistral) to Rogue (offering an alternative path to unlock patron power pools for heroes/rogues) and Manticore to Vigilante (offering the same but to Vigilantes and villains who don’t want to be part of Arachnos’ hierarchy) which had been been on the drawing board since the Dark Astoria arcs.

[Chance Jackson]

8 hours ago, Chris24601 said:

Given the old Level = Time convention; how about instead of having that in Steel Canyon (which is in the level band before Frostfire reforms), instead add some leveled up Yellow-conning Outcasts spawns to Brickstown and/or Founders Falls (i.e. the 30-39 band where Frostfire is a Rogue trying to redeem himself) and some blue-conning Outcasts fighting the Freakalok, Warriors, and UPA to Kallisti Wharf (the 40+ range where Frostfire has firmly committed to being a hero)?

 

That would also open the door to a later 40+ Outcast-based story arc since it feels like the current development of late has been in reinvigorating various lower-tier factions for the high-level game… i.e. VahzFreakilok, Warriors, Skulls, and Wyvern.

 

I’m all for trying to present an advancing timeline in the higher level zones. One of the most notable things from the Dark Astoria arcs (and the New Praetorian and Mr. G arcs) was seeing how the older villan groups were adapting.

 

As an example, I think it would be interesting if level 50+ Malta had re-colored to blue Knives of Artemis (call them Knife/Blade/Hand of Malta) with an explanation that after the Knives were all-but obliterated during the Mot incident, the remaining Knives were recruited by Malta (and adding some nanotech particle effects and maybe beam weapons in place of rifles to the other units to represent Battle Maiden’s influence).

 

The really big ask in that regard would be to finally see the faction swap of Scirocco (and Ice Mistral) to Rogue (offering an alternative path to unlock patron power pools for heroes/rogues) and Manticore to Vigilante (offering the same but to Vigilantes and villains who don’t want to be part of Arachnos’ hierarchy) which had been been on the drawing board since the Dark Astoria arcs.

I like all of that, DO WANT!