Gangs on RP? What's your thoughts on it?

[freedo5]

I have an extremely probably hot take view that gangs might be at their very best if they were executed in more specialized round. A true "Time for crime" round.

-Security isn't there, they're on holiday. Or they're essentially operating like another gang.
-Crew are told this is the case and the expectation is that we're truly doing a frontier-style thing. Laws are at the barrel of a gang gun.
-Gang interaction with crew is far more about getting them to cooperate with them in-territory.

Obviously, this is a terrible idea, but I swear if someone bashes at it enough we could get something really great out of it. Super promise.

I was thinking something along these lines too, NT instead of using its own security actually allows a sort of "militia/neighborhood watch" to form to cut the costs, multiple end up forming and competing for control of the station.

One issue I see though is the security department, which would just become empty rooms full of loot.

[Lefinch]

I have an extremely probably hot take view that gangs might be at their very best if they were executed in more specialized round. A true "Time for crime" round.

-Security isn't there, they're on holiday. Or they're essentially operating like another gang.
-Crew are told this is the case and the expectation is that we're truly doing a frontier-style thing. Laws are at the barrel of a gang gun.
-Gang interaction with crew is far more about getting them to cooperate with them in-territory.

Obviously, this is a terrible idea, but I swear if someone bashes at it enough we could get something really great out of it. Super promise.

I was thinking something along these lines too, NT instead of using its own security actually allows a sort of "militia/neighborhood watch" to form to cut the costs, multiple end up forming and competing for control of the station.

One issue I see though is the security department, which would just become empty rooms full of loot.

It's a point, and kept like that, it would kind of end up being the Route One roost to take. That might or might not work/be dynamic enough, I'd probably go with not. So you either empty it out (HoPs shiny new office for extra paperwork) or turn it into some kind of target maybe? Maybe some automated turrets and robots. Not sure. They key aspect of what I'm thinking is that there seems to be a general view of "It's not always that fun for security, it feels weird for security to constantly ignore petty crime, and there's a lot of added pressure to either intervene or not interevene" and in my head I sort of go "well, take the pressure off, make it really about that gang lifestyle, change the expectation for a gang round"

But then again, you instantly know what a gang round is because security has mysteriously evaporated. So you maybe do it differently, keep security but change their scope. Are they on strike? Do we let them go a little loose and evil and they're given carte blanche to "only act as the law in security-held-territory" or something? I don't know, I just feel like we might be missing the potential trick here of suspending the standard security expectation during a round. You could even just make a true security breakdown less common, so that gangs and the crew don't know what to expect too. Can they rely on security if they put a call out? Or would they be better off paying their local gang some respect for issues? It just feels a little more involving to do something like this.

[Silent Majority]

I really think gangs shouldn't spawn under 40 players readied.

[Kotlol]

At this point you might as well turn it into a "JAIL STATION SESSION"

Where the three gangs are sent to do jobs and "live" under NT's buck for profit.

4 teams basically, 3 gangs and Security/Command/Heads/Borgs & AI that keep the station running. (Medical is also part of it but can be comprimized of gang members)

Insted of "crimes happening" each gang has to do their job so "Money comes in" but they also have to smuggle or do hidden objectives to gain extra bucks to gain weapons and such to gain an advantage.

But what I describe is basically a whole "special game mode" far removed from the standard shift. Would be fun for a "Pace changer" like "CRASH" or "APOCYLPSE"

I'd say this game mode the "Security/command" wants to hit X amount of targets. And each gang has their own profits to outdo other gangs but at the same time take control of the station or some other objective that is "bad for security"
But again.. this requires some special station with special jobs.

[NanoDano]

Had a gang round on rp not too long ago and it went great, two of the gangs tried discussing a truce and miscommunication turned it into a bloodbath. Then one of the gang members tried being somewhat of an informant for security to get the larger gang off their back.

[Spyritdragon]

This is largely going to mirror what I said in the similar thread in Ideas & Suggestions, but

I acknowledge there are a lot of frustrations around gangs. Both security and the gangs themselves can be frustrating to play, and I have been frustrated in both positions.
But at the same time, I can't help but find that gangs offer so many varied and fun things that other antags dont as much.
Their interaction with the entire crew is easily the most visible and obvious bar none - everyone but the most secluded of geneticists is going to see the tags, is going to know that gangs are fighting over the station. Everyone gets pulled in, and I think that's a wonderful thing.
It's one of only two team-based antags in regular rotation, and even if it means I sometimes get saddled with clueless people with no idea what to do, I absolutely love antagging in a group more than alone, regardless of whether or not I lose. It just leads to so much more RP between the members for me.
I also think their interaction with security is great and unique. Almost every other antag type needs to rely on subtlety and subterfuge, and among the regular rotations there are none that are quite as in-your-face as gangs. Even those that are, usually stand alone, and need to be careful not to get stunned and done in immediately. Comparing this to gangs, where I've had round upon round of intense negotitations, of treaties being made, of deals being struck between security and gangs to take out a domineering other gang. The power dynamic where security needs to be careful because the station is a dangerous place and cant just threaten the antags however they want is also super interesting to me. It really brings out character personalities, in my experience, when two sides each with something to lose meet and negotiate.

As mentioned before, while gangs can definitely be frustrating, they've also produced some of my best and favourite RPs, and to this day my characters have connections I never would've made without the gamemode creating these meetings. I definitely think there's improvements that can be done, that there's ways forward to go, but I for one can't deny I'd be incredibly sad to see gangs go from RP.

[BioFrequency]

I generally view gangs as a positive RP experience.

When playing a general crew: how gangs interact with you is always interesting. For example, when a gang member asks to see my PDA or spray my workspace, I tend to demand bribes. And let the RP build from there.

While playing Security: Gangs are a LOT of work to deal with. When you have a skilled and effect security team - the problem is manageable. But in shifts where Security is understaffed, or some members undertrained. You FEEL control of the station slipping thru your fingers. Frankly, I can understand why for many that is a upsetting experience in and of itself. But I have thankfully have a relationship with the game where that doesn't bother me too much.

And lastly- as a gang member: As a gang member you can be very open about your status. So you get do to a any X or Y RP but with a large douse of aggression. Starting a catering business? Now you're a catering business that gets violent when they don't pay for the food. Working on the engine today? Let Security know that if they don't meet YOUR needs. The stations power supply might not get ITS needs.

Overall - more positive memories from gang rounds then negative.