Here I'm trying to put together some of my loose ideas about NPC factions. Please don't treat it only as a suggestion for Slavers and Rangers, but rather as a theory how to expand NPC factions, make those factions more interesting and implement
a bit of rivalry between them without generating hundreds o exploits. Thanks.
What I would like to achieve is to make belonging to an NPC faction a different way of playing this game, just as belonging to town controlling gang is. I think it could be achieved by introducing an independant reputation counter for chars who have joined certain NPC factions. This reputation would be very flexible, would grow and fall over time depending on a number of variables. The bonuses that belonging to a faction gives will be based on this inner faction reputation. I'll give further explanations on that later. Now:
1.SlaversSlaving is quite cool already, maybe not a choice for a power builder, but it still gives a certain charm to the game. I think it can be more interesting if it would allow to capture better slaves than it is possible now. On the other hand it would be lousy to give people the opportunity to enslave 'leather armor+rifle' raider just like that. And that's when the Slaver reputation comes in. This allows a certain way of advancement of your 'Slavery abilities' which would allow in time to capture better slaves if a player manage to keep his reputation high.
It looks like this: At the beggining when you become a slaver your Slaver Reputation counter appears. It indicates how well known, fearsome (and hated) slaver you are. It would work like this:
-In the very beggining your slaves counter equals 0. This means you can catch almost all the 'enslavable' NPC, but most of them will run away the moment you look in other direction (if you leave them and go to another location, those with 'fear requirements' (stupid name, I know) higher than your slaver reputatioin will simply run away). To be able to keep better slaves you have to do things that will make you look as a better slaver and avoid doing things that will make you look as a lousy slaver. A table for determining reputation changes would look like this:
-for capturing an 'easy' slave +1
-for capturing a 'better' slave +2
-for selling a slave +1
-for succeding in a slave run +3
-for doing a slaver mission (whatever that would be:) +3
-for being in a gang with another slaver +1/+1
-for being in a gang with a slaver who has higher reputation than you +5/+5 (for every slaver better than you by at least 20 rep points, this and the former disappears when they/you leave the gang)
-for being in a gang composed solely of slavers +15/+15
-for killing your own slave -1 (if you like to kill them without a reason, they are more desperate and dying while trying to escape can seem better than dying without a reason)
-for killing your own 'better' slave -2
-for letting a slave die -1 (so that you cannot take a bunch od slaves and ask your friends to kill them so they won't escape and lower your reputation)
-for letting a 'better' slave die -2
-when a slave escapes -1 (also for leaving a slave in a random encounter)
-when a 'better' slave escapes -2
-for getting yourself killed -1
-for getting yourself killed and loosing slaves - 3 (slaves lost because of the death/respawn do not count as runaways)
-for getting yourself killed by an NC Ranger -10
-for being in a gang with an NC Ranger - *reputation drops to 0 and won't get higher as long as this situation continues*
EDIT: I added /+X variables. These would change the
minimum reputation for a slaver. (the base is 0 and it can NEVER get below it). So i.e. as long as a slaver is in a 'slavers only gang' his Slaver reputation cannot fall below 15, even if he is getting gunned down by Rangers 10 times a day.
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High reputation would determine which slaves you are able to catch and when certain slaves will fear you enough not to escape from you. I don't remember exactly ALL the enslavable NPCs, so let it be just an expample
(The first number is the reputation requirement for catching a slave/second number is the requirement to make slaves don't escape when you look away)
-slaves (cute slave, strong slave etc) - 0/0
-nomads - 0/5
-wanderers - 0/10
-ghoul scavengers 0/15
-ghoul crazies 0/20
-trappers 0/25
-cannibals 0/50
-bootleggers 10/20
-raiders (leaher jacket) 20/50
-raiders (leather armor) 40/60
(...)
-super mutants (?) 200/400 (why the hell not, if somebody is so crazy to catch 400 slaves maybe he deserves to have a mutant... or a rehab for internet addiction
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This way (I think) slaving would become more interesting, provide more possibilities over time, make a game a little more challangable for those who seek challanges (you cannot die 5 times a day if you want to become a great slaver) and allow players to have another, full-fledged occupation to choose from. Besides, this allows players to create an NPC-faction-allied gang and benefit from it. Lastly, this adds another little penalty for dying for certain characters so that they MAYBE will be a bit less willing to run around like idiots having themselves killed or blowing themselves up when they get bored (naive wishes, ain't it?)
Oh, and it would be nice to have a 'Metzeger's Pride and Joy Award' for the best slaver added too, as it would be possible to rank slavers by their reputation ;]
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EDIT:
2.NC Rangers factionThose guys are quite different from slavers. Rangers' aim is not to make profit, but too create a 'better wasteland', sometimes to the point of fanaticism. They focus on teamwork and have a certain code of honour (notice that in case of a slaver I didn't insert any reputation penalties for attacking other slavers - this was on purpose. Slavers can compete among each other and even kill one another and steal other slaver's slaves if they wan't to. Among Rangers such behaviour would be unthinkable). Rangers'
duty (do not mistake it with
a job) is to fight slavery and banditry, to wipe out the scum of humanity from the face of the earth. Their consider personal freedom as a highest and essential right of every human (or mutated) being. Joining the Rangers would mean accepting their morality and fighting for their goals.
To become a Ranger and get your own Ranger reputation counter a player must have at least 3CH and has to pass the testing period which would consist of two quest(which become repeatable after that).
When you finally become a Ranger, get the reputations modifiers (it's obvious who likes you less from that point, so I'll omit going into details on that) and your own NC Ranger reputation (0 at the beggining). It has two counters. One is your current reputation, second (need not to be visible) is your maximum reputation possible at this point (this level of 'initiation'). Advancing among Rangers would require a player to gain current maximum reputation possible and then fulfilling a certain quest (this quest then becomes repeatable, your maximum reputation raises and you get more bonuses from belonging to Rangers.)
So that a path of advancement among rangers would look like this:
1. Becoming a NC Ranger requires CH3 and:
- Proving that you are not befriended with Slavers and are willing to risk your life fighting them - you have to assist a team of rangers to ambush a group of slavers somewhere in the wasteland (looks like a random encounter with you accompanyung a group of 3-4 rangers against 7-8 poorly equipped slavers; you have to kill at least one of the slavers by yourself; leaving the encounter before the end of combat cancels the quest.
- Proving that you are willing to protect innocents' life and freedom - you have to escort a freed slave home. You get a female-nomad looking follower and have to lead her in one piece to Sulik in Klamath. There he thanks you, mentioning that unfortunately 'it's not her', gives you a bit of cash and a note to prove that you have to show back in NCR to fulfill the quest and become a NC Ranger. Or rather a freelancing Ranger, as this formation is to organised to make a believable simulation of belonging to them on terms that are equal for both NPCs and PCs
2. A 'newbie' Ranger: 0-20 rep. points
-gets the right to request basic ammo at the Rangers Headquarters once for an ingame day (100 pieces of 9mm, 10mm, .44, 12ga, leather jacket), but this means loosing a reputation point (two for a jacket; a Ranger should be self-dependant. Besides 'stationary' Rangers are quite touchy about Freelancers, as sometimes Freelancers prove to be only vultures who want to get free stuff by pretending a 'good guy'. This way as long as you keep doing the "Ranger duties", you can have some bonus equipment. This also makes the whole 'great being a Ranger quest' something more than a chain quest - you don't have to keep going up in the ladder if you don't feel like it, you can just play a slaver-hunter from time to time, get some additional profit for it and stay at the same level of 'initiation')
-rangers in random encounter treat him as an ally
-can become more respectable by gaining 20 reputation points and then fulfiling the 'Ambush 2' quest - similar to the first ambush quest but with 'better' slavers to deal with (this quest becomes repeatable when fulfilled for the first time)
3. A 'more respectable' Ranger: 0-50 rep. points
-gets the right to request better stuff at the HQ (.223, .45, small energy cells for 2 Rep. Points, leather armor for 4RP)
-can become more respectable by gaining 50 RP and fulfilling the 'Take care of the newbie' quest - you got a NC Ranger Trainee follower who needs training(he is - of course - weaker than ordinary NC Rangers). You need to get him to earn his first 10 RP (by doing Ranger quests together, hunting slavers etc.,) When he mentions that he has learned enough to get back you can escort him back to HQ - quest is fulfilled (if he dies you loose 5RP for that)
4. A 'experienced' Ranger 0-100 RP
as long as his reputation is above 50:
-gets the right to request 100 pieces of every possible ammo left for 3 rep points (excluding MFC) and a CLJ or LA MKII for 8 rep points
-gets the ability to headhunt certain PC slavers for money (I'll explain this later in Rangers vs. Slavers)
-gets the right to (once an ingame week) take a follower Trainee to asist him (loss of 5RP IF the trainee dies, and 3RP if you send him away) if you get him back in one piece after he says he has learned enough you get +5 RP.) You have to have over 50RP to take a trainee
-can become more respectable by gaining 100 RP and then fulfilling 'Raid the slave camp' quest. with 3 more rangers you attack a small slaver encampment and free captured slaves.
5. A 'veteran' Ranger 0-200 RP
as long as his reputation is above 100:
-gets the right to request 100 MFC and metal armor for 10 RP and MA MKII for 15 RP
-gets the right to (once a ingame week) take a follower NC Ranger as his assistance (works as a mercenary, but will leave if you do sth that is against the Rangers' law - that is if you loose reputation when having him in the team, if he dies you loose 10RP. He can also leave any at any moment if you tell him to do so - he'll just return to the HQ) This means that along with the trainee you can have now 2 Rangers followers at once. You have to have over 100RP to take the NC Ranger'
-can become more respectable by gaining 200RP anf fulfilling the 'Lost contact' quest (Rangers HQ lost contact with one of the teams stationing near the Den. You have to go there and check what's going on. When you get to location you'll se a cave surrounded by about 20-30 slavers and mercenaries. You have to kill them, then kill the ones already in the cave and speak to the one Ranger that survived the battle, then escort him to the Rangers HQ.
6. An 'Elite' Ranger (no RP limit)
as long as his reputation is above 200:
-gets the right to request combat armor for 30 RP
-can have two follower Rangers at a time if his RP is above 200 (+1 trainee, but the ordinary rangers still have to be taken in a week interval)
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a Rangers reputation changes as follows:
-for killing a (PC, NPC) slaver + 1
-for freeing a slave + 1 (you can free a non-hostile slave by ‘cutting his ropes’ – using a knife on him – if a slave is in the ‘wait’ mode, or by killing the ‘master’ and then cutting the ropes. In case of hostiles you can free a ‘waiting’ slave by knocking him uncouncious and then using a knife, in case of ‘following’ hostiles, you have to kill the master first). Freeing a slave belonging to the PC slaver would count as a Slave Escape for him
-for doing the ‘Ambush’ quest +2
-for doing the “Escort quest + 4
-for doing the ‘Ambush 2’ quest +5
-for teaching a trainee Ranger + 5
-for doing the ‘Raid the slave camp’ quest +10
-for doing the ‘Lost contact’ quest +20
-for being in a gang with another Ranger +1 for a Ranger
-for being in a gang with a better Ranger +5 for every Ranger with higher maximum reputation
-for being in a gang composed solely of Rangers +15
-for killing a slave – 0 (I know a penalty would be reasonable, but I think even without it trying to free the slaves in battle instead of killing them would be a pain in the ass)
-for getting yourself killed -1
-for leaving fellow Rangers in need -5 (if you leave a location in which there are Rangers in combat mode (both PC and NPC)
-for letting a follower trainee Ranger die -5
-for abandoning a follower trainee Ranger -5 (if you left him in a random encounter or die when having him in the team)
-for attacking a Ranger (also a PC Ranger or follower Rangers) –5 and getting temporaty suspended
-for getting yourself killed by a PC Slaver -10
-for letting a follower Ranger die -15
-for killing a Ranger (also a PC Ranger or follower Rangers) – getting suspended
-for fighting for Town Control – getting suspended (It will be a massacre if there would be Rangers on both sides, who start to shoot each other and those winning would get suspended for killing Rangers and those loosing would not.....)
There is a few karma perks involved with this:
-Ranger – means you are an active ranger, need not to be visible as the ranger reputation will show it already
-Temporary Suspended Ranger - you are not treated as a Ranger for the next 24 hours, your follower Rangers leave you. You cannot raise your reputation during this time, but it can still drop, i.e. because your Trainee left you. (included to omit the stupidity of a situation in which a Ranger couldn't kill another Ranger in self-defense (if he attacked you, you can cap his ass without any penalties)
-Suspended Ranger – you are not treated as a Ranger at all until you will have a (not) nice talk in the headquarters. Your Ranger followers leave you. After being suspended you loose your RP points, but your maximum RP stays (again, high speech could save some of the RP I think). You can get suspended 2 times (maybe 3 if your speech would be high enough). If you get expelled 3 rd time =getting expelled
-Expelled Ranger – you are no longer a Ranger and will never be able to join Rangers again. (NC Rangers karma – 100)
-Ex Ranger – you left the Rangers at your own request. You are not treated as a Ranger, but will be able to join in the future if you want to (and start anew)
Of course it wouldn't hurt to add the "Liberator of the Wasteland' award for the best Ranger.... ;]
pfew! That’s it I think. Only Rangers vs Slavers left.
