I absolutely love this idea. I wish I had caught back up fast enough to post some more thoughts, but at the moment they escape me. More or less, though, I'd love to see this come to fruition.
First off, let me say that I'm thief biased-- it's been my archetype in games since...forever! When I initially read the OP, I immediately thought of the Elder Scrolls' Thief Guilds (Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, take your pick!), especially at the mentioning of the shadowmarks, but depending on what the marks mean, or even how many there are, it's really not such a thief aspect. Grazing through your OP again, and looking at your latest post, I realize it's brotherhood, more than anything. And it's sorta hard to explain in real-life terms, but the closest thing I can relate it to is the feeling you get when you enter a new city, or a new town or heck, across the world-- wouldn't you want to be able to fall back on a family, or a group of people you know you can trust? Adding the marks, when you enter a new area you've never been, it allows you to know that someone /is/ there if you look hard enough. Adding the verbal signifiers definitely helps build that, as well. I just so happen to be part of a large (like...worldwide) fraternal organization, so while I cannot explain it completely, I can at least understand completely and relate.
So, for these markings. You mention that a single one person can create the mark, then someone else can finish it. Was there an idea behind that? At first I thought that wouldn't mean too much. Once the mark was fully completed, then what? But I reconsidered-- There was at least one adventurer nearby or in the area. Another comes by, sees it, and marks it. A third will come by and see it, and notice that there is at least a couple, if not more of his/her brethren in the area. Of course, where these marks are placed, what will be on them and what their actual meaning still has to be fleshed out, but I see a lot of potential. For example: building off the previous mentionings of the mark, what if there was a design or mark you could keep adding on to show "how many" of these people are actually in the area? But then, if they're wanderers, certainly they're not there for long, so perhaps there should be a specific mark outside a tavern if there's either known brotherhood influence, or if it's a safehaven (cheaper supplies, a roof over your head even at full capacity), or if it's a mixture of both and someone from the brotherhood OWNS the place? I'd hate to copy right from Skyrim, but it's a great idea, and at any rate I'm sure it's not the first time an organization made subtle markings outside of buildings to help the members out. But then again, with the correct vocal recognition, that may not be even needed, so it goes back to where should markings go, and what do they mean if you find one, and if they indicate the area has members, what if they...well...wander somewhere else?
As for the leadership thing, I'm mostly in agreeance. Other MMOs had permissions built in to designate who's allowed to recruit. Before those permissions were in place, I think only officers could invite. I'd say, let that be the only reason why there's an officer status, unless if there's a way to let everyone (or most everyone) invite. I like the idea of allowing only officers to invite, though. To me it's traditional, but also adds that sort of...approval needed to make sure the person receiving the invite should even get one. Not to make it sound elitist, but that's often necessary due to trolls and those who may have scorned their reputation in the RP community. The only problem I see is making sure there's always an officer on. In order to remedy that, there's gotta be a lot of officers...which means there's probably going to be less of a filter on the incoming people. Another option I guess would be to give new recruits an invisible 'probation' period and, if the permission allows it, let them have inviting status. I dunno, just throwing it all out there. >.<
The secrets sharing again reminded me of a Thieves Guild, but I can kinda see the wider use for it: Where's the best place to hunt? Where's a good place to stay? Which merchant is more likely to bend on his prices if you bake him a pie? It's about having a solid family or brotherhood behind your back, knowing the ins and outs of the world around you, giving you the lesser known secrets of the world to more or less help a member out to only ask you pay it forward. Am I at least close to thinking that's the right idea?
I think you'll be able to draw in a lot of players. Secrecy and personal identification via secret handshakes or phrases get ate up like a Moogle in a Kupo Nut store. Giving players the feel of being a part of an organization that, even if it's not secretive, is seclusive and less known about, and giving them organizational identifiers in any way is a great incentive to want to join.
But what is your idea of content? I think for sure this is an adventuring linkshell that players can definitely fall back on if they need assistance, but what about RP-wise? Do you plan for the LS to hold events? In a guild like this, I can kinda see the RP just...well, /happening/ regardless of anything planned, so I think that's something you may not even have to worry about, but how do you make it so that this isn't just the last RP ls on the list that people call on backup for for filling a hole in the group? Granted, this isn't to be a main shell, but having it on the back burner would allow the guild to collect a lot of dust from inactivity.
First off, let me say that I'm thief biased-- it's been my archetype in games since...forever! When I initially read the OP, I immediately thought of the Elder Scrolls' Thief Guilds (Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, take your pick!), especially at the mentioning of the shadowmarks, but depending on what the marks mean, or even how many there are, it's really not such a thief aspect. Grazing through your OP again, and looking at your latest post, I realize it's brotherhood, more than anything. And it's sorta hard to explain in real-life terms, but the closest thing I can relate it to is the feeling you get when you enter a new city, or a new town or heck, across the world-- wouldn't you want to be able to fall back on a family, or a group of people you know you can trust? Adding the marks, when you enter a new area you've never been, it allows you to know that someone /is/ there if you look hard enough. Adding the verbal signifiers definitely helps build that, as well. I just so happen to be part of a large (like...worldwide) fraternal organization, so while I cannot explain it completely, I can at least understand completely and relate.
So, for these markings. You mention that a single one person can create the mark, then someone else can finish it. Was there an idea behind that? At first I thought that wouldn't mean too much. Once the mark was fully completed, then what? But I reconsidered-- There was at least one adventurer nearby or in the area. Another comes by, sees it, and marks it. A third will come by and see it, and notice that there is at least a couple, if not more of his/her brethren in the area. Of course, where these marks are placed, what will be on them and what their actual meaning still has to be fleshed out, but I see a lot of potential. For example: building off the previous mentionings of the mark, what if there was a design or mark you could keep adding on to show "how many" of these people are actually in the area? But then, if they're wanderers, certainly they're not there for long, so perhaps there should be a specific mark outside a tavern if there's either known brotherhood influence, or if it's a safehaven (cheaper supplies, a roof over your head even at full capacity), or if it's a mixture of both and someone from the brotherhood OWNS the place? I'd hate to copy right from Skyrim, but it's a great idea, and at any rate I'm sure it's not the first time an organization made subtle markings outside of buildings to help the members out. But then again, with the correct vocal recognition, that may not be even needed, so it goes back to where should markings go, and what do they mean if you find one, and if they indicate the area has members, what if they...well...wander somewhere else?
As for the leadership thing, I'm mostly in agreeance. Other MMOs had permissions built in to designate who's allowed to recruit. Before those permissions were in place, I think only officers could invite. I'd say, let that be the only reason why there's an officer status, unless if there's a way to let everyone (or most everyone) invite. I like the idea of allowing only officers to invite, though. To me it's traditional, but also adds that sort of...approval needed to make sure the person receiving the invite should even get one. Not to make it sound elitist, but that's often necessary due to trolls and those who may have scorned their reputation in the RP community. The only problem I see is making sure there's always an officer on. In order to remedy that, there's gotta be a lot of officers...which means there's probably going to be less of a filter on the incoming people. Another option I guess would be to give new recruits an invisible 'probation' period and, if the permission allows it, let them have inviting status. I dunno, just throwing it all out there. >.<
The secrets sharing again reminded me of a Thieves Guild, but I can kinda see the wider use for it: Where's the best place to hunt? Where's a good place to stay? Which merchant is more likely to bend on his prices if you bake him a pie? It's about having a solid family or brotherhood behind your back, knowing the ins and outs of the world around you, giving you the lesser known secrets of the world to more or less help a member out to only ask you pay it forward. Am I at least close to thinking that's the right idea?
I think you'll be able to draw in a lot of players. Secrecy and personal identification via secret handshakes or phrases get ate up like a Moogle in a Kupo Nut store. Giving players the feel of being a part of an organization that, even if it's not secretive, is seclusive and less known about, and giving them organizational identifiers in any way is a great incentive to want to join.
But what is your idea of content? I think for sure this is an adventuring linkshell that players can definitely fall back on if they need assistance, but what about RP-wise? Do you plan for the LS to hold events? In a guild like this, I can kinda see the RP just...well, /happening/ regardless of anything planned, so I think that's something you may not even have to worry about, but how do you make it so that this isn't just the last RP ls on the list that people call on backup for for filling a hole in the group? Granted, this isn't to be a main shell, but having it on the back burner would allow the guild to collect a lot of dust from inactivity.
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F&AM, A&ASR 32°
