Intrigue and Empowerment: Let Merchant Houses Compete

[Kestria]

-Non-competition relegates GMH players to wandering vending machines with little political relevance or aims for their own houses.
Instead, they're here to socialize, sell things, and buy stuff from hunters. That's mostly all they do.

Ummmmmm....this is not the case.

It really isn't!    As someone that is currently playing in one of the Houses, it isn't this way at all anymore.  In the last 6 months staff over the GMH's have done A LOT to change the quality of life of those that work in/lead the GMH's and if anyone posting on this hasn't played in one in the last half a year, you really should! Purely so you can see how much staff have listened to peoples grumbles over the years about things that should/need changing and altering. 

There is constantly /always/ some kind of conflict going on, be it outside of the Houses, or inside.  Everywhere has their dramas and their plotlines. 

Such as I said in my last response, if those that are unhappy with what they are seeing, perhaps they could create characters that attempt to create the conflict they desire?  Even if it doesn't get the response you wish, or reaction you expected, you've still done something in the game that you feel strongly about, and had fun whilst you're doing it

[Tuannon]

I think on a Macro level the 'jobs' of each GMH shouldn't be altered, but I get that stories need to develop around doing them.

The houses have spent centuries getting to where they are an co-existing and all that, but that doesn't mean on a personal levels that grudges can happen, merchants making deals with demons (or beaurocrats) or whatever.

[Miradus]

-Non-competition relegates GMH players to wandering vending machines with little political relevance or aims for their own houses.
Instead, they're here to socialize, sell things, and buy stuff from hunters. That's mostly all they do.

Ummmmmm....this is not the case.

It's probably not the case ... but lemme throw out my two cents which doesn't just apply to merchants.

If the majority of the players don't know you're out there doing something ... then you're not really out there doing something.

[Riev]

Everytime I let one of you OTHER PLAYERS in on my plots, you kill me.

So. All my plots are behind closed doors and gates now with people I know OOCly because then we can plot and plan how we want things to go.

Tell me I'm wrong.

[Miradus]

Sometimes I suspect something is going on in this game, based on what I see. And then Riev will snarkily reveal that yes, that IS what is going on.

I've played with Riev, and seen what types he plays, and I know he hates that shit as much as I do.

[Riev]

My man.

And of course it happens. And will continue to happen.

All we can do is try and coax these players back into playing publically by trying to involve them in non-immediate-death PK plots.

ON TOPIC:

I have recently played in the GMHs and I can say that staff are INTERESTED in helping but neither they nor the players really know what to do to 'fix' it.

Merchants - public vending machines that can make TONS of coin, but are told by staff not to overcharge and have very few outlets for their coin.

Crafters - Tend to stay behind closed doors because thats where the materials are. Nobody wants the "regular" stuff you make and 80% of what is wanted can be ordered from "the warehouse", making your role flavor at best.

Hunters - Only allowed 2, and encouraged to work with others. None of the other Houses have hunters, so you have to contract with the Byn, who get told by staff to "not be hunters" and struggle with idea of an "escort a House Hunter" idea.


I don't have the answers, either, but I think part of the issue is that the GMH role isn't seen as "attractive" for the roles offered. And with no Falcons, no Steel Guard, and sponsored roles having to 'do it themselves without getting assassinated for being a name' I can imagine how hard it is to see conflict

[Norcal]

Playing in a GMH, be it in a sponsored roll or not, is going to be what you make of it. And I can attest, that at this point you can make great things happen and have a rich, dangerous, exciting and very rewarding roll. Our current staff  have done and are doing wonders to facilitate this generation of GMH players and the next. In addition to all of this, GMH have the opportunity to make the game fun for everyone around them. That is a rewarding thing in itself. GMH 4 life.

Kiss-kiss darlings!