So...we've got plenty of heroes...

[DR_Mechano]

I noticed a distinct lack of proper 'villain groups'. I've seen a few Arachnos Cells but no, what I'd call, heavy hitters. Villain groups that are server wide known amongst RPers. There's establishments like Joker's Wild which seems to be fairly well known but nothing truly villainous.

 

That's why, my plan is, to form an organized and actually villains Threat Group (seriously, that's what they're called Villainside...what a terrible name). Now I was thinking, something that most people are going to dislike but allows for a bit more nuance. So I settled on the idea of the Storm Korps Reborn. A home for all former members of the Reich or 5th column. Now this does allow a slide scaling. One villain could simply have been working under the Wehrmacht and joining the group to see and fight along side old friends, the cause doesn't matter so much, just to once again be back 'in the war' and a chance to reclaim lost glory.

 

While other villains could be more...extreme...ends of the philosophy, spewing hate speech and the like.

 

Now there are problems...some of these people are going to be genuinely horrible people with beliefs that are incredibly objectionable but that is what makes a villain a villain. They believe that America has been corrupted by [insert minority here] and that things need to change. Now playing someone who has beliefs which you find horrible is incredibly taxing to play, trust me, I've tried and playing someone who spews hate speech at every chance they get is just mentally exhausted, I could see burn out being an issue. There is also the problem that villains, whilst allowed small triumphs here and there, can't win...if they win, it finishes the story. This can upset quite a few people that their character never gets to 'triumph' at anything major.

 

Secondly, who would they fight? Who are the big name SGs on Everlast? They'd have to be involved with multiple SGs in order to come across as a credible threat. Now I've done this sort of storytelling back on Union but I get the feeling it wouldn't work on Everlasting.

 

So thoughts anyone?

[Steampunkette]

... I mean... there's also the issue that you'd be providing a safe space for people who actually hold such views to be emboldened behind a disingenuous mask of "It's just RP!"

 

Which under normal circumstances wouldn't be an issue, but these days holy cripes, Doc! White Supremacists marching in the streets, running their cars into protesters, being called very fine people by the President, and shooting up or burning down churches...

 

I gotta say, this villaingroup idea (I refuse to call them threat groups) is just begging for the 4chan brigade to storm on in.

[Leogunner]

On the other hand, a person who intentionally perpetuates lies and propaganda to brainwash the masses to remain in an angry incoherent uproar in the name of a bastardized mutation of justice could also be an interesting villain to play as. Some of the most sinister villains don't consider themselves villains, after all. 

[Moka]

Sinister Squad rules heroes drool.

[DR_Mechano]

15 minutes ago, Steampunkette said:

... I mean... there's also the issue that you'd be providing a safe space for people who actually hold such views to be emboldened behind a disingenuous mask of "It's just RP!"

 

Which under normal circumstances wouldn't be an issue, but these days holy cripes, Doc! White Supremacists marching in the streets, running their cars into protesters, being called very fine people by the President, and shooting up or burning down churches...

 

I gotta say, this villaingroup idea (I refuse to call them threat groups) is just begging for the 4chan brigade to storm on in.

This was going to be my other major problem. That I didn't want people who actually believed what their character believed. I'm British so the whole American political landscape is something that just confuses me but I understand how much of a problem this could become and what would start out as a villain group for heroes to bounce off of could become a tad...problematic...

[Moka]

If your villain group is including real life politics that's already a problem. I would say that's a problem for any group. 

[Waypoint]

Sinister Squad is where it's at. Good stories, fun characters, and cool people. 

[Moka]

 Villain groups should just be people doing things like making death rays and robbing banks. There's no room for "Let's all go say slurs in Atlas Park" because that's not only boring but really edgy and offensive. 

[DR_Mechano]

All fair points by people, it was a thought but I see now that it could be rather problematic and attract very much the wrong sort of attention. Thanks for the feedback.

[pesterchum]

Feel free to make a villain group, the game could always use more variety. Pick a better theme, though. You don't see americans making like, a boris johnson or brexit villain group. If you want an easy target, go after like... Mutants. Or kheldians or mages or whatever. At least then there's more layers of fictional hate.

[DR_Mechano]

1 minute ago, pesterchum said:

Feel free to make a villain group, the game could always use more variety. Pick a better theme, though. You don't see americans making like, a boris johnson or brexit villain group. If you want an easy target, go after like... Mutants. Or kheldians or mages or whatever. At least then there's more layers of fictional hate.

I would totally welcome a Brexit based villain group, it would be hilarious.

[pesterchum]

It's already a punchline

[Prime Elway]

One reason you may not notice any 'major villains' is SGs/VGs tend to like to handle those things in-group now (i.e. have their own members play villains to oppose them or heroes). It's kind of easy for that rivalry to spiral out of control with people you don't know well: as a villain, it isn't particularly fun to lose over and over again -- and as a hero, failing to prevent a catastrophe or deaths can literally be character-breaking. So sometimes it's easier to just play that out with friends that you trust rather than building one big server-wide thing.

 

There's also not a lot agreed upon. A lot of RPers here seem to abhor PVP to the highest degree and want it to have no place in conflict, but others prefer to build survivable characters that could thrive in an arena match. Some people like to RP more violent themes, others like to keep it lighter. Seems like bridging all those gaps can be a headache.

 

Just one perspective though!

 

#sinsquad#squadlyfe#blackwellbois#aimbotarmy

[justicebeliever]

1 hour ago, DR_Mechano said:

That's why, my plan is, to form an organized and actually villains Threat Group (seriously, that's what they're called Villainside...what a terrible name). Now I was thinking, something that most people are going to dislike but allows for a bit more nuance. So I settled on the idea of the Storm Korps Reborn. A home for all former members of the Reich or 5th column. Now this does allow a slide scaling. One villain could simply have been working under the Wehrmacht and joining the group to see and fight along side old friends, the cause doesn't matter so much, just to once again be back 'in the war' and a chance to reclaim lost glory.

 

While other villains could be more...extreme...ends of the philosophy, spewing hate speech and the like.

I'm not piling onto you DR_Mechano, since you've already moved off this idea, but I would imagine any group like this that does anything in a public chat, would violate the Code of Conduct...

[Leogunner]

31 minutes ago, @Charlie said:

One reason you may not notice any 'major villains' is SGs/VGs tend to like to handle those things in-group now (i.e. have their own members play villains to oppose them or heroes). It's kind of easy for that rivalry to spiral out of control with people you don't know well: as a villain, it isn't particularly fun to lose over and over again -- and as a hero, failing to prevent a catastrophe or deaths can literally be character-breaking. So sometimes it's easier to just play that out with friends that you trust rather than building one big server-wide thing.

 

There's also not a lot agreed upon. A lot of RPers here seem to abhor PVP to the highest degree and want it to have no place in conflict, but others prefer to build survivable characters that could thrive in an arena match. Some people like to RP more violent themes, others like to keep it lighter. Seems like bridging all those gaps can be a headache.

 

Just one perspective though!

That seems to be the most organic option, IMO.  But that might be because that's how I make all my heroes and villains and everything in between.  They all usually have some kind of history with another villain or hero.  

[Heraclea]

Back in i23 my villain mains on Victory all belonged to the Worshipful Company of Blackguards.  Think of a slightly posher version of the Guild of Calamitous Intent.  We had no ideology; we were purely mercenary.  There is a lot more ideology in my current hero SGs, especially Amazon Army and The Holy Office.  But their politics relate to Paragon City and only very tangentially to RL political ideas. 

 

 

[DR_Mechano]

It is just a shame that we can't build something more server wide. I do miss the huge group storytelling of Union but alas, it just isn't possible on Everlasting it seems since it does seem to take after the Virtue model of everything being self-contained. Still I guess I shall have to adapt.

[anubis]

I have a 5th column sympathizer villain who is working with the council just to try to bring back the column. As neat as a neo-nazi character is ( let's face it. Nazis have been the number 1 villain trope since the '40s), and I would kinda like to find a group of 5th column/council to plot with, I imediately get a tense feeling thinking about if I found said group. So he's forever alone in a Magneto kind of way... I would kinda like to make a fat clown with a red hat villain though...

[anubis]

Also..check out the Conclave. Eclectic villain RP group. Bit of everything. Even one peacebringer.

[MetaVileTerror]

I have over 100 characters (just counted today, heh), and only 1 of them is 5th Column'y.  Interestingly enough, the game seems to acknowledge that he's a joke, and he whiffs on most of his Assassin Strikes, despite having 95% To-Hit.  Somehow it's just too perfect.

 

But for other villain groups, I've got a wide variety.  Got a local-to-the-Etoile militia group who feel that Arachnos is dragging their feet on the whole "kicking Longbow out of the Isles" thing.  Got a PMC run by a raving lunatic who uses the mercenaries for her own whims as much as she uses them for actual mercenary work.  Got an evil mastermind group who (when I finally get around to building it or having someone build it) will have a Volcano Fortress base.  And then there's the prestigious academy for Arachnos-brats and other youths-of-well-off-ne'er-do-wells (which has a pretty nifty base built thanks to a very generous roleplayer!).

And that's before I get around to making the other half dozen villain groups which I have plans for.  If only bases were easier for me to make; I'd be slapping things together in a frenzy!

 

But do any of these strike your fancy?  Any you'd want more info on for your diabolical plans?

[Moka]

16 hours ago, DR_Mechano said:

It is just a shame that we can't build something more server wide. I do miss the huge group storytelling of Union but alas, it just isn't possible on Everlasting it seems since it does seem to take after the Virtue model of everything being self-contained. Still I guess I shall have to adapt.

You could post your villainous exploits in the "In the Papers!" Thread or run a few public RP AEs.

[Davy]

17 hours ago, DR_Mechano said:

It is just a shame that we can't build something more server wide. I do miss the huge group storytelling of Union but alas, it just isn't possible on Everlasting it seems since it does seem to take after the Virtue model of everything being self-contained. Still I guess I shall have to adapt.

You and I remember Union very differently.

 

You just need to carve out your own little slice of the RP community and establish yourself there. Pretty sure there is a remnant of UnionRP floating around somewhere unless they sneaked off to the EU server.

[Cyrickain13]

I love villains they are the best thing in the stories.

[Big Lunk]

On 9/4/2019 at 12:37 AM, DR_Mechano said:

It is just a shame that we can't build something more server wide. I do miss the huge group storytelling of Union but alas, it just isn't possible on Everlasting it seems since it does seem to take after the Virtue model of everything being self-contained. Still I guess I shall have to adapt.

I loved the multi-group and meta-plot stuff, but I also remember how much of a problem it caused with some parts of the community feeling they were excluded (despite it being generally open door). 

That being said, when I finally get the client installed and time to log in, I'm falling in line with anything you try to push, like a loyal henchman. 

[Kiken]

On 9/4/2019 at 6:02 PM, Davy said:

You and I remember Union very differently.

 

You just need to carve out your own little slice of the RP community and establish yourself there. Pretty sure there is a remnant of UnionRP floating around somewhere unless they sneaked off to the EU server.

There are some of us floating about on Everlasting.  Although I think there's currently a lot more levelling of alts than serious RPing going on.  (So many new power combos...)  There is a UnionOOC chat channel if anybody wants to join it.  Although again that's pretty quiet because not much RP going on beyond occasionally hanging around in bars or confusing team mates.  There is also a UnonOOC Discord, where a lot more chatting gets done.