Ministry of Research

Makai

So with the addition of Timequakes and the required upkeep, funneling of gold and commodities, I'd like to propose a new Ministry be added to organizations. It would alleviate the stress of guild members overall and instead make it something that can be done by the entire organization, rather than just a few individuals and absolutely depending on them to do upkeep. They would have very simple powers and here are my ideas for those thus far:

CITY/COMMUNE ALLOCATE <amount> <anomaly/gold/commodity> TO <guild>

This would achieve allowing the Ministry to directly deposit anomalies, gold sovereigns, and commodities to the research item for any guild as if they were standing there to do it themselves. Can make it only done in the council room.

CITY/COMMUNE RESEARCH STATUS

Just like the guild's version, but shows the status of all three research projects for the organization, allowing them to allocate as necessary.

CITY/COMMUNE RESEARCH ADVANCE

Same as guild's version, but allows anybody from the Ministry to advance the research from the council room.

These powers would add a dependency on the Trade and Treasury ministries to supply commodities and gold. So with that being said, Trade would need the following:

CITY/COMMUNE COMM <amount> <commodity> TO RESEARCH

Allows the Trade ministry to grant commodities from the stash to the newly formed Ministry of Research.

Saran

Seems counter to the intention of research increasing the importance of guilds themselves. (Not saying whether or not the current set up achieves that either)

I guess the question for me is why would guilds manage their projects with this ministry available? Beyond starting them up.

Pysynne

No thanks.

Makai

@Saran it does definitely seem that way, but placing the requirement on the guilds probably wasn't the best thing we could've done either. Sure it grants some importance to them, but that could be achieved in other avenues as well. Now, if research powers were guild-only, then I would fully understand the need to keep them ran and kept up by the guilds, but they're org-wide powers, so if Guild A falters and fails upkeep, it effects their entire org. The point of the suggestion is to minimize that from happening, because this isn't like being charged interest for a late payment, you're making the full payment again if you miss it.

Kalnid

Makai said:

Sure it grants some importance to them, but that could be achieved in other avenues as well.

Feel free to cover these.

Makai

Ideas are just that, but sure:

1) Incentivize membership with experience bonuses
2) Perhaps bonus lessons
3) Reaching a certain rank could award wondercrystals are bonus credits

I mean, ideas can exist to incentivize joining guilds. It should be enough that RP is the point that draws people in, but with some guilds lacking that or others that just seek mechanical benefits, it becomes difficult to pin down. Though this probably could become it's own topic and how to make people want to join guilds.

Saran

Alternatively, if Guild A falters then other members of their org are incentivised to help them out if there's a real loss for them.

There's also a difference between rewarding/incentivising guild membership and increasing their importance because it's not just about getting people to join them, you need to also be getting people to want to actively engage with them.

For example, XIV guilds (FCs) generally make things easier, there’s a system that gives the guild rare comms to craft powerful items or cool skins but it’s not really scaling off member size so a smaller guild gets more rewards per member but it’s also harder

Kagato

I'm a bit iffy about having a ministry to dish out anomalies - eventually we will get to the point where research will become less of a focus and people will start wanting anomalies for the purpose of generating archpower - Having such a thing be restricted by a minister/council is going to open it's own can of worms, since chances are quite likely that the council will likely want to focus on giving archpower focussing on the typical people (VA's/TA's/Domoth holders/etc).  I don't fancy participating in a timequake down the track and getting an anomaly only to be told "Hand it in or be punished/charged for stealing!" (Ok, it might be a bit hyperbole, but it's not far from the truth.)

Kistan

Can anyone put stuff in the Projects? (just realised I can check that tonight)

The Revelry guildhall is fairly open to all so it would not matter then if we were away as long as someone picked up on it.

Makai

@Saran Yeah, I play FFXIV and have ran FCs. The entire point of joining one is because of the buffs they can grant, convenience of specific vendors so you don't have to run around, the voyages that get the materials only obtainable through them, and of course the loveable (laughable) Diadem. People often join those FCs for one of two things, either the buffs or the people they want to hang out with.

@Kagato As for how the Ministry would work in the future, that would be up to the org itself. If research is complete, which by the way I calculated to be 14 game years if you averaged 3 anomalies of your 3 types every game month, then the Ministry would probably be less important, only making sure to dole out the required upkeep. Even when everyone finishes their research eventually, that Ministry would have the same level of 'activity' as any other Ministry does. Heck, most ministries are extremely low activity and yet, we see them as necessary. An example is Steward/Treasury could be the same Ministry, Trade and Chancellor could be the same, Power and Security could be the same. That's just a tangent, but my point is that just because it would be less needed as time progresses, isn't really a good argument against it. If you're worried about your player government demanding anomalies or being punished, that's more on your player government than this proposal.

Saran

Sure, for some of the buffs the buffs are an incentive, but the list is pretty long and a lot just doesn't really apply to lusternia. Also some of the noted benefits are a bit out of date.

The Lusternia issue, afaik, is not getting people to join though, it's keeping and engaging people with guilds. If you gave guilds an xp buff they'd likely be running it 24/7 at which point it just becomes part of the baseline xp gain, not a bonus.

What you could do with guild unique comms, skins/base patterns,  and mounts/beasts may be more effective on retention. Could even do stuff like voyages and diadem. They're all ways you could increase the relevance of guilds because you can set it up so that guilds have a lot of cool rewards to dole out to their members or unique things that they provide to the game. (Sowers might have life essence or something that lets you describe a pattern as still alive and growing, for example)

Deichtine

I'd honestly prefer if it was manged by the city/commune instead of the guilds.

Some guilds are pretty much dead and it can be a pain to poke people to join the guilds to do stuff.