Topic

Idea/Suggestion for Bureaucratic Arts

I am really just sort of tossing this out there, so no flames if you dislike the idea, please.  I mention this now, because I see this idea as something that would rub folks the wrong way because *gasp* it would change game play a little bit.  Any way, moving on:

BA, at the moment seems pretty useless.  It lets you get papers to get on the trains and buy a house, which is great, but that's about it.  I think it would be interesting to give it more play.  The basic idea behind this suggestion would be to coat the world in red tape, more or less.  You want to mine those rocks?  You are gonna need a mining license.  You want to take that public tree's goods?  You'll be needing this here 'Official Certified Public Produce Picker Pass'(OCPPPP, if you will).  And just so you know, all those animals are public property, and by public property, I mean the bureaucracy's property.  Line up, file up, sign here, initial there, wait please, whoopsie error on page 773, try again.

Sounds like a pain, right?  Enter the professionals!  Not only does it take levels of training in the Bureaucratic Arts to reach such a prestigious position, but nerves of steel, patience of wrought iron, and morals of questionable value.  Not only can they wrangle basic and advanced passes for themselves, but for every glitch everywhere, for the right price.

The way I see it, more or less everything would require a license or pass of some kind that expires after so many applications of its use.  Say you get a basic miners pass, worth 300 charges(just for example), and you mine 300 times.  Now you have a worthless expired license that needs recharging, so now you either have to renew it or get a new one.  You could go through the renewal process yourself, but the new mechanics would assure a steady stream of glitches coming in for their renewals as well.  That means a long line with nothing to be done but wait.  Not to mention having to stop what you are doing and traveling all the way to the nearest 'conveniently located' bureau office.

"But that sounds so boring!" you say?  I agree.  That is why there would be enterprising fellows doing the waiting work for us.  They go in, do the waiting, request renewal rights for their non-existent license, slip the clerk some currants so they don't ask to many questions and speed up the process a bit, and sell them on the open market for others to buy.  Higher level Bureaucrats can even wrangle Silver, Gold, and the coveted Platinum level license from those lizards; why buy those renewal papers every 300 charges when you could get a license that lasts 2, 3, or even 5 times as long?  Sure, that Platinum-level license may seem exuberantly priced now, but imagine the savings down the line!

Also, to help newer players along, licenses would not be required for anyone below level 12.  That would give newer players enough time to learn enough about the game to feel like they are established, and to have some idea of what they want to do.

Posted 14 months ago by Kaobel Subscriber! | Permalink