ravensfire
Member of the Opposition
Correct - I didn't follow up on your response. To be honest - it had minimal details and specifics, just the broad generalities that were in the platform. I really didn't consider it much of an answer to my question. Hey - if you don't worry about answering a question in detail, I'm not going to worry about pushing you for that answer.
<pulls out the Soapbox>
YOU (not you specifically, KWP, but you meaning anyone in an election) are trying to convince me to support you. I'm not going to keep trying to pull answers out of people - I did that last term and the Triad Cartel kept calling foul. If a Faction wants to run things, they need to convince me to support them. And after the Triad, that's not going to be easy.
The DG has two parts that need to be balanced - the Giv IV game (game play), and the DG (metagame), with each part having RP and "real" aspects. In order for everything to really work, the leadership of the game (at any given point) needs to organize, lead and coordinate all major aspects. The Triad focused a lot of effort on RP, but virtually none on organization or leadership. We had the most active RP going since Civ3 DGII. Except all of that RP was disorganized and mostly fluff. Toss in the Triad's method of ignoring people (and even worse bluntly saying exactly that), and the result was the worst 1st term ever in the DG. And we've had some ugly, ugly first terms.
<pulls cover off of the handy rock next to him>
Here's what I think needs to happen for the DG to get rolling again.
1. Organization
Our soon to be new Prime Faction needs to make certain people in charge of certain gameplay aspects. Member A runs area 1, Member B runs area 2, etc. ALL decisions about that area are made by that person. If they're smart, they'll use discussions/polls for the basis of those decisisons.
As much as possible, that person should work to keep discussion somewhat in RP terms. It's easier than you think, and can add some neat aspects to the game. Instead of "Hey, Ravensfire - build a cottage here", try "Milord Ravensfire, people have begun to congregate near the turn of the river, south of town. Might I suggest that we establish a market there, and encourage a small village to develop? In time, it should develop into a nice town, providing us with steady revenue." Same thing - but which one looks better?
2. Leadership
People respond to leadership in good ways. We got scattered leadership mixed with dictators. Oh, yeah - they were just "roleplaying" a "Despotism". Yeah - real good for the game. There's lots of ways to roleplay things, and the worst was chosen. Don't fall into that same mistake!
Work on making the long term plans, then figure out how to implement those plans. If the plan is to "Conquer country Y", then all areas should work towards that plan. Get that national goal(s) in place, prioritize and start figuring out how to make them happen.
3. Involve everyone.
There's a fair number of lurkers around - see the vote totals? Much higher than active participants. Lurkers - people that like to read and follow along, but not post - are citizens as well AND the best source of new posters! Polls WILL keep them involved, because it does give them a say. Don't expect them to post, and for the love of Pete, don't require them to post - it won't happen.
Involve ALL citizens in the decision making process and governing process. That should be fairly obvious.
4. Focus the RP on a few things
Random threads of RP are good - people create a new idea and see where it goes. When possible, try to work those into the gameplay aspects though. Building a new cottage for a town? Got a RP joust tournament starting up? Hmmm, maybe have one happen in the other, and include aspects of that new market being built in the middle of the story. Planning an attack? RP an archery competition? Sounds like some military training, with a competition between the different units preparing for the attack ...
5. Don't be afraid to try
Try new stuff, see if it works. If it doesn't, say it failed and go on. Can't do on-line game sessions? No problem - run one off-line. Whatever - take a new idea, examine it for flaws, fix them and try it. Listen to the feedback of others - lots of ideas HAVE been tried and either succeeded or failed.
6. Most important - keep the game going
More than anything else, you've got to keep the game going. Long delays between game sessions without activity KILL the DG. As long as there are significant planning discussions, some delay is okay. If you go too long though, people lose interest.
My personal suggestions for the APR (assuming the trend continues) ...
-- Create 2-3 areas (offices, for the vets) and put someone in charge of each. This should happen the day the elections are finalized.
-- Create and post a short-term goals thread - 10-15 turns of plans. Run 3 game sessions of 5 turns each, 1 day apart (play, off, play, off, play). This is to get the game going again. On-line for the first if possible, and RP the transition! The rest - on-line or off-line, it doesn't matter.
-- Get the national goal(s) established while this is happening. 1-3 goals for you to accomplish in your term. Discussions and polling - but have it done in a week. This should be coordinated by the Faction leader and reps.
-- Once the goals are established, each person in charge of an area should work on getting their area focused on those goals.
Once things are up and running again, try to contact everyone that's stopped participating, and invite them back. A short note, but tell them what's going on, how things are running and some links to various threads. You CAN get people back, but you've got to give them a reason to come back.
Good luck!
-- Ravensfire
EDIT: Holy <blankety blank blank>! Did I really type that much? Sorry for the mini-dissertation!
. I think that is the best DGame 101 I've ever read. With players like you still here I now have a little faith the system may survive. KWP we need organization and leadership if we are to save this game. Make back up plans for your backup plans.
. I thought we decided to make the PF Election polls public. I was just trying to get the game rolling. It was obvious APR was going to be the next PF and everyone was asking who's gonna do the poll. So I just did it, sorry for the mishaps 
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) to post announcements and news whenever there is news to post. However, you really don't want me writing the actual article, someone with more creativity should do it.
and don't get all French and tell me to eat cake. In other words, please don't get too tyranical ok?
![[party]](/images/smilies/partytime.gif "Party [party]")
We won 
