Rebel Intel/Intel etc

Smarmy

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I know there was a some talk about this in the meeting, but it's important we all get really crucial feedback onto this part.

I think personally it would be good to open the ability for rebel characters to play as moles pretty seamlessly. Even if we don't go into the CCA counterpart it would be really rich for the setting to have rebels sign up to be moles.

On the CCA side internal intel, as well as the ability for normal cops to become part of some sort of role as that can make really good story progression. I notice when CCA players quit most is they languish at one stable consistent rank forever. You can have a seemingly normal character suddenly have new challenges and new perspectives on the world by how they're treated going from 03 to 02 etc. The more places they can wander the better.

I know there was further talk of ways there could be existent external intel. We'd have to be careful. I have experience playing intel in one of TnB's roleplay ruining death squads. The primary issues internally that people don't notice are the following. I probably forget a few.

- No solid direction from higher up.
- Long investment to get an intel character OOCly biases you to never do something really stupid and risky so you just sit there ruining roleplay forever.
- Your character's motivations are quickly divorced from in world ones to simply "go fuck with the rebels." If we do go this route we need to prioritize the individuality of a character and give them plenty of reasons to feel conflicted or defect.
- You needed insane authorizations to do any form or rogue related activities or face a ban from the CCA. So yet again no more risks at all.
- The means of information gathered is broad an expansive rather that individually goal oriented which makes better RP. There would need to be a means of giving them distinct goals from a likely admin controlled authority to lead them to make good roleplay choices.
- Instant black and white PKs for fucking up anything at all ever. Yet again discouraging fun nuanced roleplay.

I know pants mentioned earlier he'd like the idea of having handlers guide some sort of external intel. I think I could pull something like this off with help or alone even. Before hearing other people's ideas I briefly thought of making a character simply to act as a regretful double agent so they rebels get some counter play.

If we go this route, and for other intel it should follow a simple rule. "The high grand orders are always obscured, and the characters sent for this are overwhelming kept in the dark on a need to know basis. They are expendable and rarely know their own colleagues. This is to keep them subservient and incentivized to making good roleplay choices. This should be treated like how a monster is most scary and mysterious when it is not shown on screen."

This vague guideline creates good roleplay and can incentivize traditional pit falls.
 
I think if we go the route of spies and shit we should also make it very clear that you’re on PK watch constantly.

Obviously if someone metagames you then it’s voided but if you are expose yourself and get got for it then you should be PKed….However we need to make an incredibly STRONG pro to it that’ll help players make that decision to help out.



I do think having everything player controlled helps mask a spy too. Admin handlers imo work the best, and if we turn around and make some sort of PDA-like item that allows the spy to quietly and silently converse with their handler/higher ups then we can more easily create an RP connection web.




Intel is insanely touchy in all honesty but if we manage to pull it together and get it sorted in a FUN way then I believe we will have a powerhouse of a dynamic
 
  • Agree
Reactions: pants
I think moles/spies should have actual OBJECTIVES given to them by their commanders.

These objectives should be mandatory, but include a risk of being caught as well. This ensures that the spy's position is one

A cop undercover as a rebel might have objectives like
- Plant a bug in a room that you don't normally have access to
- Plant a tracker on another rebel
- Sabotage a rebel operation (either by making a quiet one go loud, or by leaving a vital route unguarded, something like that)
- Tip off the cops about an imminent Rebel operation

A rebel undercover as a cop might have objectives like
- Steal from the Armory
- Allow a rebel to move contraband through a checkpoint
- Tip off the rebels about an imminent CCA raid

A mafia/mob/criminal undercover with either faction might have objectives like
- Steal guns to sell
- Discover someone's secret identity to blackmail them later
- Meet with the enemy of the faction you're embedded with, to try and sell intel to them
 
I think moles/spies should have actual OBJECTIVES given to them by their commanders.

These objectives should be mandatory, but include a risk of being caught as well. This ensures that the spy's position is one

A cop undercover as a rebel might have objectives like
- Plant a bug in a room that you don't normally have access to
- Plant a tracker on another rebel
- Sabotage a rebel operation (either by making a quiet one go loud, or by leaving a vital route unguarded, something like that)
- Tip off the cops about an imminent Rebel operation

A rebel undercover as a cop might have objectives like
- Steal from the Armory
- Allow a rebel to move contraband through a checkpoint
- Tip off the rebels about an imminent CCA raid

A mafia/mob/criminal undercover with either faction might have objectives like
- Steal guns to sell
- Discover someone's secret identity to blackmail them later
- Meet with the enemy of the faction you're embedded with, to try and sell intel to them
One thing i've noticed is an issue is there is a strong need for a time scale in terms of "big threat is coming" when it comes to intel stuff

in tnb slop you could have some guy sitting in a skype call, gets the info something is about to happen, and immediately shift +w's there

a less extreme but still stupid example is you get immediately get important knowledge for your higher ups and within a brief window they have a crystal clear message from the outlands sever, through the canals server, and into the city server

a timescale chart or other metric would be good for people to consult

- Plant a bug in a room that you don't normally have access to
- Plant a tracker on another rebel

- Plant a bug in a room that you don't normally have access to
- Plant a tracker on another rebel

i think there's some already existing script means or mild script changes one could do to have "trackers" or "bugs" in certain places
i 100% think there needs to be clear rules on radio usage for undercover people and it would be fucking awesome for people to have to worry about random pat downs or disguise certain items in others

SOME of that stuff would be easiest with some mild script changes

- Steal from the Armory

this is really easy to do if we script out the process beforehand i think it's worthwhile scripting out an FAQ