Faction Training and Ranks

[Epicjester]

Less about getting stronger (since from what I've seen strength is mostly down to writing skill and logic here) more about showing how your character has grown in experience and personality and also how much they have contributed to their faction.

....At least I think that's how it goes.

 

[Tsunami]

Wait, so how would people rank up? Would we have to show a bunch of threads that prove our character has gotten stronger or something?

Yeah it's about how your character has grown on a personal level, as well as there part they have played in the growth of their chosen faction.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Wait, so how would people rank up? Would we have to show a bunch of threads that prove our character has gotten stronger or something?

It's not about power, it's about experience. Take the Jedi for instance. There are going to be three ranks, which we'll talk about more in depth in an announcement soon. Jedi Knight, which is where everyone starts by default unless they choose to be a Padawan, is the first one. The next available one is Jedi General. After that is Jedi Lord, which is the faction leader. So the only rank that you can rank up to without being the FL is Jedi General. That will be consistent across all factions, though of course each faction has different rank names.

Also consistent across all factions is that the middle rank is more combat-based. So if you want to rank up, it's not about power. It's about demonstrating that you've made a difference in the war and a big contribution to the faction, and that your character has the experience and skill to be a leader in the war.

 

[Tsunami]

JEDI LORD CONFIRMED?!

*Pokes With Microphone*

 

[Rev]

Wait, so how would people rank up? Would we have to show a bunch of threads that prove our character has gotten stronger or something?

You'd have to petition the Faction Leader of your faction. Get approval from them as guidelines will more or less be set up and once you complete them or come close see where you stand.

Just because you do 20 stories doesnt mean you'll be a Jedi Master; it certainly helps. But for instance you may have to assist a Jedi Temple with something and help civilians. If your character has a big back story only involving wandering the Galaxy in search of Sith they may not allow you to increase rank.

Basic rule to live by: show your character's growth and your rank will grow. You can be just as powerful a Knight as a Master and vice versa.

 

[Saul]

Wait, so how would people rank up? Would we have to show a bunch of threads that prove our character has gotten stronger or something?

Unlearn what you have learned. In DOTR, Rank =/= power. Rank = prestige.

 

[Korvo]

It's not about power, it's about experience. Take the Jedi for instance. There are going to be three ranks, which we'll talk about more in depth in an announcement soon. Jedi Knight, which is where everyone starts by default unless they choose to be a Padawan, is the first one. The next available one is Jedi General. After that is Jedi Lord, which is the faction leader. So the only rank that you can rank up to without being the FL is Jedi General. That will be consistent across all factions, though of course each faction has different rank names.

Also consistent across all factions is that the middle rank is more combat-based. So if you want to rank up, it's not about power. It's about demonstrating that you've made a difference in the war and a big contribution to the faction, and that your character has the experience and skill to be a leader in the war.

Ah, very good to know. So Jedi Lord is a singular title then?

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Ah, very good to know. So Jedi Lord is a singular title then?

Yes.

 

[Tsunami]

Shotgun!

 

[Korvo]

Yes.

Time fer some history changes then!

 

[vamp]

Unlearn what you have learned. In DOTR, Rank =/= power. Rank = prestige.

Oh, by Jove

 

[Saul]

So, this came up in the Lords of the Sith faction workshop thread, and I'd figure I'd ask for a direct answer rather than inferences from other posts. So, disregarding my own opinion, for a point of clarification here's the question:

If I have never played a Jedi or Sith before, and am brand new to the site, can I create an Indie character and use Force powers and call myself a Knight-equivalent?

 

[Korvo]

So, this came up in the Lords of the Sith faction workshop thread, and I'd figure I'd ask for a direct answer rather than inferences from other posts. So, disregarding my own opinion, for a point of clarification here's the question:

If I have never played a Jedi or Sith before, and am brand new to the site, can I create an Indie character and use Force powers and call myself a Knight-equivalent?

Saw this asked before, Brandon said yes you can

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Yeah we're not going to handicap indie characters, so the same standards apply.

 

[Lucid]

Is advancement in ranks still possible or have you capped everything at knight?

 

[Lucid]

Annnd my question was answered at the top of this page. Nvm.

 

[Rev]

I am a bit curious as to if there will be any requirements to new members upon registering to the site then? For a couple of the years I focused on training new members and veteran members alike and got a lot of positive feedback that not just the training experience but character development was rewarding. I know it can be hard at times for Padawan/Acolyte to get a trainer which I believe is the core of this being implemented but on the same note I think this will cause some characters to be developed by new members that don't understand the site's guidelines/structure to stay within them. This in particular for the Force and Force powers.

I only say this because a lot of the announcement discussions have turned into 5/10+ page retorts from current members and some new that have questions that in part are very important. Like the Force Powers thread reading through all of that could take an hour or two just to get caught up. I bring this up because the training process is a way to show these new members how PvP works, how the Force works, and how the RP in general works on the website as well as introducing a new player to a veteran. I actually always found that aspect of this site to be really amazing, where it fell short was as I stated not finding Knights/Masters to train especially when I was FL of the Jedi.

I think having everyone be a Knight takes a huge part of the Star Wars story away from the Jedi as everyone will have a basic backstory of "I was a youngling, then a Padawan (probably an exceptional one at that) and became a Knight very young." I've already encountered a few profiles where the character has a Knight below the age of 25 when in Legacy standpoint one of the youngest Jedi Master's was Mace Windu. I think we'll see a lot of very young very powerful Jedi and Sith alike coming from this which takes away from the period (granted I'm basing this off KotOR which was strict in terms of Jedi.)

I'm not trying to say veteran members should get a free pass to make any character they want and new members be tied down to being a low spot on the totem pole until they earn it; but, I think they also need to understand the site and get some guidance before being thrown into the deep end. I always saw the Indy side of things to be a way of getting around starting off as a Padawan/Recruit/Acolyte/Private/etc. I'm glad to see some people are doing Diverse as Padawans and Acolytes to figure out their past/history, but come start of the timeline I foresee that being cut out for the most part and you won't ever see Padawans working alongside Knights/Masters. As much as it is a training/learning process for the person with the Padawan it is just as much a learning experience and growth point for a veteran. I also think it sort of weens off the people that stay for a week/month and bail on the site; nothing is more aggravating than starting something and it never finishing as it leaves a hole in your own character's development for a time period and someone working through that "bootcamp" is in a sense a way to prove themself.

Just my thoughts on it, I'm sure it won't change the ruling but at least hope it's an outside perspective worth mentioning.

 

[Saul]

Oh god, @Rev brings up the point of age and hits the nail on the head. How many 18 year old Knights who were Knighted at 15 will there be? During the Clone Wars it made sense - they were at war and the Jedi were upheld to the rigorous standards they had been prior to the Clone Wars. This is peacetime, supposedly. I hope that the community is as proactive creative content after the timeline release as they are now, but like Rev I also feels its a product of people's impatience, and that aside from a surge of activity come release date, we'll fall back into the "I don't really know anyone to RP with" stuff.

We have some great work going on like the Six Degrees of the Force which might encourage people to do more. I also feel that the training phase of being a Padawan/Acolyte was probably the most rewarding experience on this site. I'm glad to note that a lot of Sith are going for the Acolyte experience, rather than going straight to Vader, but I do have reason for concern. Also, there will always be the troll accounts and 8 year olds exploring the net feeling they can make what is absolute garbage, like this Dark Vador and this absolute drivel, or @Nor'baal with "Darth Furus" and this crap. I'm absolutely sure there's more of this brain-draining garbage that our traumatized minds selectively ignore. Just imagine. You not just empower your ordinary Joe's, but this guy too. Call me a prick for pointing fingers, but if I can keep people like that off this site, I'm helping us all. Without some sort of barrier or rite of initation, these guys can really do some damage.

EDIT: I'll say I've felt since this announcement that the best way to prevent this is Admins smacking people. But the proper policy should be preventative rather than reactive. Although, this problem isn't so pervasive as to be a real problem to the site, it is something to be aware of.

 

[Green Ranger]

I can't really respond in full to everything stated above right now, but I will say this - the whole Jedi/Sith/Force users being too young thing? You'll want to talk with the respective FLs about that (when we've gone through the selection process, that is), since it's not really the province of admins or anything - it's more something that FLs and AFLs will handle when they check over the profiles of new applicants.

 

[Rev]

I can't really respond in full to everything stated above right now, but I will say this - the whole Jedi/Sith/Force users being too young thing? You'll want to talk with the respective FLs about that (when we've gone through the selection process, that is), since it's not really the province of admins or anything - it's more something that FLs and AFLs will handle when they check over the profiles of new applicants.

I think a general baseline for Force Power use on age should be used to be honest. Anakin was the most powerful Jedi on record, albeit a guardian, but the strongest none-the-less and had barely tapped into his potential by early 20s. If the Jedi history/archives didn't note a strong Jedi under a respective age I think we should follow a guideline as well.

I just dont want to see a bunch of 30 year old badasses that have barely scratched the surface. Especially with the Force Ghost ideas being able to be done now.