New Class Idea: Consul

[HateSolstice]

I just want to apologize again for how verbose my posts have been. I swear I didn't mean to bludgeon you guys with so much to think about. I guess I got a little over-excited, seeing how you guys have responded and so far seem to like the idea.

Maybe I should do a happy dance!

[John Robinson]

This is becoming facinating. Designing a new character class should encourage detailed posts. Keep going, damn the length when creativity is at stake.

Negotiation I have always felt this to be a under powered skill. I think the Consul should be more of a purist character than a hybrid.
In other words there is a bigger payoff for this class with high numbers in the negotiation skill.

I like the idea of some deep space diplomatic immunity so the consul does not have to invest huge amount of points in combat skills just to stay alive.

The higher the rank of the Consul raises the percentage to avoid combat.

The consul is not about engageing in single ship combat, but causing peace or war among houses or factions. Have you ever watched the old Missson Impossible T.V. series?
They were constantly destabilzeing goverments or shored them up.

How about a double agent? Any ideas on how that could work?

Maybe the Consul could negotiate or bluff a pirate to not attack. Completing a mission to setup an embassy, results in a chance of avoiding search and seizure from planetary Naval forces during future visits.

[HateSolstice]

Double agent definitely could work, at as far as a kind of gameplay strategy goes. I've also been thinking about the idea of persuading your faction's ally into declaring war/peace with another target faction. I think it might be best to restrict that kind of manipulative power player to the player's faction and allies. It wouldn't really work, I think, to persuade Javat to go to war with Rychart just because a De Valtos senator said one called the other a meanie-head.

Your mention of an embassy actually fits perfectly with what I envisioned would occur at the palace. Adding a new location to planet settlements(faction worlds, at least)could work for all classes, not just our Consul. An embassy, or some other political building - senate, consulate, whatever fits best - would make more sense as the location for the special contracts and other intrigues. Non-political captains could, perhaps, also obtain some new contract types, such as political escort, top secret spy stuff, maybe even turn records in for some sort of bonus. Just throwing more ideas out.

Oh, and after doing a little more research, Consuls are apparently more specialized or designated in one area or
another, whereas the ideas we've had thus far certainly fall more in line with an ambassador. Personally, I think the term Consul sounds cooler, and kind of gives a little more of a mystique feel to it. But what do you guys think? There are plenty of different names to call the class: senator, councilor, advisor, viceroy(not exactly sure on this one's actual duties), magistrate to some extent....Really, it's ultimately up to the Super Trese Bros., but I still wouldn't mind hearing opinions on the class name. Me, I still like Consul. Or Jedi. =P

[John Robinson]

Consul has my vote too. At least in this thread we could use that name for clarity.

How about a new contract offered at the Palace only for those who choose Consul as captian?

Create Embassy For difficulty levels you can die in. If you don't have the skills or high enough rank. You can die or be imprisoned.
What whould be a good bonus if you succeed? This could be good offset to Consul's unique abilities. In my mind, I can see him standing
in the royal palace having not understood a custom, or accidentally used a phrase that was an exteme insult.

Off to jail or off with his head? What happens if stellar war breaks out between the two factions while you are on the planet?
This also allows for repeat contracts to restablish emabassies.

Terrific idea on the "Political Escort" Contract. We get offered the "take this important people to (x,y)" all the time.
Smuggler class captians can be very good at this espcially with the "Smuggler's Hold" ship addon.
Could a high level nogatiator, with high rank in Consul do this better?

The Consul seems a natural to trigger Trade Embargos between houses, and factions.
Lately in today's world embargo seems the weapon of choice before bullets fly.

The Consul might want to try and stop Trade Wars. Destroying merchant ships is just a step away from Solar War.

What do you think of making them actual Contracts? Haven't got a clue what determines success or failure. How about you?

The Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh is a must read, for space politics, and intrique. I've never read a series of 11 books twice before these.
Highly recommended. Tailor made for this discussion.

[HateSolstice]

I will put those books on my to-do list. It seems to be filling up quickly as of late.

Creating contracts...could be an interesting twist. Maybe it would require and consume a record for each contract you create, and the games runs the RNG dice to see if the NPC captain succeeds or fails. To make it even more intriguing - and a pain for Cory and Andrew to develope all this [insert evil laugh] - have there be a second check to see if it is discovered you were behind the contract.

I don't really have a good example at the moment, though. I'm writing this up when I should be unconscious in my comfy bed. Sleep be damned!

You know, it feels like this could almost be a new game. Granted, a vast majority of this would simply be in-game checks for success/failure, and the engine does tons of that already. And toasts.

@cory Trese and fallen, what are your thoughts on all this insanity we have created?

[HateSolstice]

Ok, how the heck do I tag Cory? Or anyone with a space in their name?

[Alex Fury]

HateSolstice - if you hover over Cory's name, it shows @ admin (just remove space between)

[Jamozk Ekhiss]

If you don't have a contract to (try to) cause an event with a particular faction, how about a small loss of rep with the faction you work for, even if it succeeds? That sounds bad, I know, but think of it this way: you personally want something to happen - an embargo, for example - so you go and make it happen at the embassy, and you benefit from it massively. Then you return to your faction palace, and they find out that you've suddenly got an embargo placed on the guys who your leaders were actually planning a trade alliance with - everyone would be pretty mad at you in that case, wouldn't they?

[HateSolstice]

Alex Fury - I am on a fairly underpowered hand-me-down smartphone, sadly. Maybe I should just start using my computer...

Jamozk Ekhiss - That actually sense. I like it.

The class should have a unique playstyle, and though has a lot of potential power, should also be double-edged.

[fallen]

HateSolstice - we are very interested in a Captain type who is more involved in Quadrant politics. We've been working on some of our own ideas in stride over the last few weeks, and looking at ways to build that life-style not only into the Profession and Contracts, but into capabilities, officers, and ship upgrades.

This thread has been great in terms of stirring up ideas and providing great new suggestions!

[HateSolstice]

fallen - Glad I could be of some assistance. I have no idea what the limitations are of game engine, but hopefully it can handle something like this. The ideas for this class are basically complete polar opposites of all the other captain types.

Regardless of what you and Cory produce, I know it'll be high quality and pretty awesome.

Now then, I need to take a break from the ass-kissing and eat some breakfast!

[slayernz]

The challenge would definitely be on the game engine itself because part of a Consul's function should be to help shorten wars, and lengthen alliances. The Consul is much less a spy/courier, and more of a chessmaster/zealot. The game mechanics have to be tweakable so that your captain has, for the first time, the ability to influence factional conflict.

Primary Skill obviously would be "negotiate", but secondarily, it should be Tactics and even Intimidate.
You need to know when to use the carrot ...


and when to use the whoppingly massive spike-encrusted stick




Special Consul only contracts from the Palace would be something like
* We have a diplomatic message we need delivered to faction XYZ on planet ABC. Successful delivery will help strengthen our relationship with faction XYZ. However, failure to deliver the message may result in a souring of relationships. You have x weeks.

* We need you to delay a consul from faction DEF en-route to planet QRS (faction ABC). If he were to deliver his message successfully, it would result in a new alliance that could change the balance of the quadrant. Attack the consul in a ship that displays the flag of ABC. Do NOT kill the consul, or destroy his ship. He needs to be able to report that he was attacked by an ABC flagged ship.

* We are concerned about an alliance between ABC and MNO. Blockade any planet of ABC with an MNO flagged ship for 20 turns. This should cause the faction alliance to break down



Oh the potential options become boggling - yes, the game engine is going to be sorely taxed, but if you can pull off a Consul type captain, it would add a whole new dimension to the game.

[HateSolstice]

slayernz - Best. Visual Aids. Ever.

[John Robinson]

slayernz

Reminds me of an old song chorus,

"Hit me with Your rhythm stick"
"Hit me hard hit me quick"
"Hit me!"

[zarachiel]

"Consul" makes me think of Hyperion/Endymion series by Dan Simmons. This is a good thing.