Question Question Time: Factory Edition Part One

[John Locke]

We've seen a lot of interesting and thought-provoking suggestions coming up in the SWRP Rules thread so far, keep it up guys! One thing that I've noticed is that a lot of the rules and suggestions seem to be focused on the factory.

We do have some changes coming up that I think you all will love, but I wanted to reach out to ask a question.

What sort of changes in the Factory would encourage you to use it more often in your daily roleplay?

If there's something that seems daunting to you, or that you've always struggled with now's your chance to reach out and let me know.

As always I can't guarantee that suggestions will always be acted on but I do promise that I will read and consider every suggestion brought up here.

Required Dev Threads are not coming back.

SWRP Staff can not be held responsible for the crazy ideas that your suggestions might give us.

Legalese stuff…lawyer stuff…​

Thank you and enjoy!

 

[Taeli Raaf]

#Bringbackcorporatetiers

 

[Rara Gowisi]

Please please please make a tutorial for ship design. Every time I go to make a ship, I give up after about 15 minutes of reading because I have no clue where to start.

 

[Rik Perris]

Please please please make a tutorial for ship design. Every time I go to make a ship, I give up after about 15 minutes of reading because I have no clue where to start.

#Bringbackcorporatetiers

Seconding both of these.

Ship design: I've never even attempted vehicles or ships (most I've done, I think, is a dagger, and a holocron over the past nine years!) and part of it is as Rara said (The other part is just my squirrely brain, as always) - where do you even start? How do you really know what to write down, what to include? OR what questions to ask when you're stumped? Ship design is arguably the most complex part of the factory, so let's make it more accessible! Maybe lean on those people who make ships already? In any case, it couldn't hurt.

Corporate tiers: Corporate roleplay appeared to be a fuller experience - with more participants! - when there was something to work towards, and that also would have acted as kind of a guidebook in getting started in company RP. Having another option for people such as this one, which is a good example of the possibilities of non-faction roleplay, couldn't hurt, either.

And here's my own (unique?) thoughts - it could be different/better. If I recall, company RP has been 'think of something, build it, offer it' for the most part and yeah, that would continue to persist, but what about commissioning? I mean, I see people offer to make factory subs for others all the time, OOCly, but what if that was an active part of roleplay, an alternative to contracting with factions (which I think I recall was part of company tier RP, and still, I think, a valid way to level up)?

Whether tiers become a thing again or not, there's two ways I think 'contracting' could happen, with or without it:

1. A kind of matchmaking thread, prefix, or w/e where people could OOCly request assistance with their factory-based idea - kind of like LFGs, but for Factory. Not everyone is aware of who's good for what, and this is also good way for factory newbies to maybe also access a sort-of mentorship.
   1. That brings up another thought - this could also be a way people can do company things ICly, like a sort of apprenticeship.
2. An expansion of the ways in which the Contract Terminal can be used, or at least expansion of that idea - I didn't even know this existed until a couple minutes ago, and it's seen such little use. Opening it up to individuals who want to put out a commission for someone ICly to build something for them, and therefore providing a connecting link on the board between the need and the service, and quite possibly facilitating another avenue of IC roleplay!

 

[Eloise Dinn]

#Bringbackcorporatetiers

What are corporate tiers?

 

[Rik Perris]

What are corporate tiers?

Here's an example of what that involved.

You can search 'corporate tiers' or 'company tiers' on the site to find more examples/discussion around the subject.

 

[Orestyn Carda]

Usually I'd respond to these with a variation of: "Remove all restrictions, turn every section into the company section without any approvals and let the people be free." But I promised you I wouldn't do that, so here is a different suggestion.

I think one of the biggest stumbling blocks of the Factory is just how elaborate a submission can get.

If you as a newbie have this fun idea of "hey I want to wield my own sword" or "I want my own personal starship" you can't just slap on an image and write a cool description of what's in your head.

No, you need to think about metrics, ratings and all manner of details that throw roadblocks up between the image in your head and seeing the submission on your screen ready to play around with.

What's the solution? I don't know if there is one sure fire way (besides turning everything into the company section hint hint), but I did think of this:

What if you introduce a new set of templates for every section that is incredibly simplified? They could exist alongside the more elaborate ones for people who actually enjoy going into the details but you basically create a set of simplified templates with all the meat cut out.

Cut down on the time people need to spend thinking up the details and instead give them a quick way to draw out their concept and then get back to playing with it.

Starship example:

(Image)
Name:

Affiliation:
Availability:
Manufacturer:

Classification:

Strengths
Weaknesses

Description

Just as an example. But the main point is to think about the bare minimum a submission really needs to contain and make that the template.

 

[Srina Talon]

Please please please make a tutorial for ship design. Every time I go to make a ship, I give up after about 15 minutes of reading because I have no clue where to start.

This Mr. Locke^^

 

[Aurelian Sigismund]

The matter which had me put off the most, was the difference in judgement. The subjectivity by FJ (and CJ) of what flies and what doesn't. There are at times significant differences by what a judge perceives as good to go, strong, camouflage, weak, technological up to date and therefore that some things can go through as they are, completely fine - and others are to be edited to pieces.

Maybe even going hand in hand with that is the idea of using other submissions as justification why something should be allowed, in an appropriate timely manner. Like not 2014 subs, but those that at least adhere to the current rule and submission template setup. It creates a sense of equality in what is possible and what is not, leaving behind the subjective opinion of the FJ, more streamlining and standardizing the entire judging process.

 

[Srina Talon]

The matter which had me put off the most, was the difference in judgement. The subjectivity by FJ (and CJ) of what flies and what doesn't. There are at times significant differences by what a judge perceives as good to go, strong, camouflage, weak, technological up to date and therefore that some things can go through as they are, completely fine - and others are to be edited to pieces.

Maybe even going hand in hand with that is the idea of using other submissions as justification why something should be allowed, in an appropriate timely manner. Like not 2014 subs, but those that at least adhere to the current rule and submission template setup. It creates a sense of equality in what is possible and what is not, leaving behind the subjective opinion of the FJ, more streamlining and standardizing the entire judging process.

I can see your point but operating on precedent is a double-edged sword that we don't entertain for a heap ton of reasons. (Including, but not limited to the below.)

A.) Some level of subjectivity will always be a part of how we operate. There's got to be a line that we uphold and someone needs to decide what "Is" and "Isn't" Star Wars. That often falls on us, which understandably, can cause some hurt feelings - But it's never the intention.
B.) Rules change. You're right that we can't compare submissions from 2014 till today but even a submission from last year or last week shouldn't be in comparison. They should stand and be judged on their own merit. Otherwise...We're just slanting toward the opinion of a previous judge that may or may not be correct or necessary. That creates far more problems than solutions.
C.) The Judges have a ton of things to look through and on occasion, they may miss something. That's human error. So...This is where occasionally we might see something slip through that doesn't match "standardization".
D.) Submissions are also very rarely edited to pieces in that fashion. I'd rather deny something than put someone through 20 replies for something I know won't work. To do the opposite is disingenuous of the time of both Judges and Submitters.
E.) If you think something is off though...Reach out to John Locke for help with the Factory. I never mind questions for Codex, either. You may not get the answer you want but we'll always take a look.

To that end I am curious...Can you provide any recent examples where a judge has actually said "this value/weakness is perfectly fine" on another submission but one of yours states that the very same thing isn't? I don't mean on submissions where it could have been missed but on a submission where it was actually addressed.

If the Judges are misunderstanding something, and or, a rule is unclear and causing the issue - That's something we can look into.

If you've an example on the above feel free to reach out via PM

 

[Tefka]

Quick fun fact, questioneers. We can pull the rip cord at any time. The templates, subs, the whole thing is only as important as we choose to believe it is.

I’m very in favor of keeping the templates a bit more towards the “more complicated” side, but agree that the generic Judge can get caught up in their own bs from time to time. Its give and take, always has been, but if the guard rails go down I can still remember how bad of quality the majority of members will make it.

For the thousandth time, the strength and weaknesses are still in the character bio because it forces you to think. Same with every other template and why the bs you hate is in there, too. It’s forcing your noodle to work in ways you dont want it to, but I’m saying you should want it to.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

#Bringbackcorporatetiers