Federation Day 2018 (Discussion)

Events In Game Events
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Hello, Events!

We have been graced with a high honor! CCP Dragon personally reached out to me this morning as a result of our participation in Live Events and Live Actor Events, including Gallente Federation Day!

He wants our opinions, ideas, and contributions to discuss how CCP can best orchestrate a Seasonal Event (i.e., Event accessible in the Agency system) and a player-run Live Event for Gallente Federation Day!

Federation Day Seasonal Event, Summer Solstice, June 19 – 3rd July
Player-Run Live Event (June 23, 1500 EVE Time, Luminaire Battle of Caldari Prime Citadel)

Years ago, a pilot named “Alain Colcer” started observing Federation Day.

https://forums-archive.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=6498386
https://forums-archive.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=348801
https://community.eveonline.com/news/news-channels/world-news/federation-day-yc114/
https://community.eveonline.com/news/news-channels/world-news/federation-day-yc114-concludes

So, CCP wants us to discuss who players could fight and under what circumstances for the Seasonal Event Agency mission, as well as what trinkets and items players might like to receive during said missions and player-run events to coincide with Federation Day.

Seasonal Event Agency Mission

We’re looking at beacon mission sites, much like Guardians Gala.

So far, some ideas we discussed are:

-Serpentis pirates stirring up trouble
-Gallente nationalists disrupting the affairs of the Federation, preparing heavy weapons and arming militants
-a connection to Caldari black-ops, aggressors, or State-sponsored anti-Gallente terrorism (i.e., Caldari State Templis Dragonaurs) as revealed by site escalations

Out-Of-Character chat channel mentioned Caldari State Templis Dragonaurs might serve as appropriate opposing forces.

Federation Day, The Player-Run Live Event

Federation Day 2018
Location: Luminaire VII - Battle of Caldari Prime Citadel
Date: June 23
Time: 1500 EVE Time

We will host the following special events:

  • Ship Parade - show off your favorite ship, it doesn’t have to be Gallente, but if it looks pretty, allthebetter!
  • Mr. and Mrs. Federation - submit your character portrait during the event, to be judged on the best-looking male and female attendants to win prizes!

Dress in your best! Show off your best ships! Bring your fireworks, drones, lasers, and festival launchers!

I have reached out to our favorite radio stations to play music for us and run notices.

CCP Dragon discussed including theme-based items (like the Christmas gifts of the past).

Given enough time, CCP is willing to explore creating in-game items like trophies for winning Federation Day races, winning the Mr. and Mrs. Federation contests, and other trinkets based on what we discuss.

Please respond here so we can organize all of our thoughts! Let’s get started on this early to give CCP enough time to put all the pieces together!

-Commander A9
Live Events Marshal and Moderator

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Our discussion so far in Out-Of-Character channel has raised the point that sites pitting players against official Caldari State forces might cause a drop in standing, so we’d have to pick our opposing forces carefully.

Templis Dragonaurs might be a fitting opposing force to fight, as long as it doesn’t cause a negative standing impact.

https://community.eveonline.com/news/news-channels/world-news/cep-dissolves-state-executor-position-provists/

“The CEP has also reaffirmed the status of the Templis Dragonaurs as terrorists. Though they were never officially removed from the State’s list of terrorist organizations, they maintained a close affiliation with the Provists and were increasingly being used in official capacities by the Heth regime.”

That and standings could be positively adjusted in favor of the Gallente Federation depending upon the circumstances.

It also touched on the idea that Caldari State’s official forces or leadership might not have any interest in actually going forward to disrupt the Federation’s celebrations. One idea in Out-Of-Character was to have Templis Dragonaurs provoke hostilities, or Guristas to masquerade as official Caldari Navy ships to try to provoke an inter-empire conflict.

Live Events is pitching the idea that Mentas Blaque should present himself to make a speech, and Quafe should orchestrate a caravan of SKINned Obelisks to drop off Quafe Ultra Special Edition stockpiles.

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So, given that TD was disavowed by the CEP, it’d make sense for CCP to move TD to a different faction, or simply unfaction them…? At that point, we could fight Templis Dragonaur ships without State standings hits.

Also, it’s worth noting that the latest Dragonaur terrorism (the Kyonoke plot by the Pakeras/Kasarases) was done under-the-radar, funded by embezzlement that was probably being given a blind eye from Kaalakiota. State sponsorship of the Dragonaur is almost certainly not a thing as it was during the Heth years, where the TD were a de facto secret police loyal to Heth (who was himself a TD), likely in a way certain paramilitaries have been used in the past by extremist politicians.

That said, there are always spookier ideas for sites than ‘Caldari terrorists attack Federals!,’ which could be a component of a more mixed concept.

For instance, FIO black sites might be an interesting concept; have an event that both glorifies the Federation and shows its dark underside…? Relevant events might be the SnipeHunt story arc, or some of Mentas Blaque’s more interesting speeches.

Overall, mind, I’d love to see event arcs that allow players to influence world development, even if only in a fluff way, by allowing them to decide to support X or Y faction via an event structure.

I could dig a bit more into the concept if folk’d like…?

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Go for it! Everything is welcome!

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Hunt Diana Kim day.

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I’d definitely second the idea of Federation-based ultranationalist/extremist elements, such that even the Federation would want to quash.

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First off, let me say it’s great that an event such as Federation Day has been recognised as canon, this can be a great rallying point not only for Federal roleplayers but also for roleplayers of all stripes from the other empires of New Eden. The playerbase has been crying out for live events and hopefully we can deliver here something that wont disappoint the roleplaying community but also the wider community of the game that also take an interest in the lore.

I hope that CCP do not limit their involvement solely to an Agency event. Something as big as Federation Day would require planning and involvement along the lines of the Amarr events surrounding the coronation of Empress Catiz I. What I would suggest is some in-game news articles surrounding the history of Federation Day and maybe have some interesting lore tidbits within. Additionally, some LCOs could be placed around the Federal Administration station or perhaps a new arena area dedicated to Federation Day as it will be an annual event, can be reused. As well as this, CCP could explore the possibility of having some NPC actors showing up! Jacus Roden and Mentas Blaque spring to mind, we can also have Eman Autrech as a counterweight to the current administration speaking, as well as a Federation Navy character potentially. One could also explore the possibility of having a Caldari and Minmatar delegation present with their own actors, I would consider that Ishukone and Mens Reppola might be a likely candidate for the Caldari, Sanmatar Shakor for the Republic.

As for the event itself, I feel it should be focused around celebrating the values and achievements of the Federation since the founding of the Federated Union. Aforementioned with the Caldari, one could use the event as an attempt to recognise the co-operation in history with the Caldari and the Gallente such as the development of the Sotiyo-Urbaata warp drive developed by a joint Caldari-Gallente team and the founding of the union as both races were signatory partners, and a desire for future co-operation to reflect the growing sense of détente between the two nations since the Battle of Caldari Prime. As for the Minmatar, it could be used to strengthen the alliance between the Federation and the Republic as allies. Maybe turn on NPC invulnerability though to prevent suicide ganks.

The presence of these diplomatic delegations could also entice loyalist capsuleer organisations to attend Federation Day festivities in Federal high-security space, another bonus to participation and general awareness! Roleplay should be co-operative in nature and in the case of the Federation that fits the bill perfectly.

In regards to the Agency enemies, I think the usage of Caldari as foes of the Federation is beating a dead horse. I would suggest using the Serpentis Corporation as the belligerent party in this event, as Sarpati lore-wise absolutely despises the Federation for what they supposedly did to his father, and what better way to strike at the heart of his hated enemy than on Federation Day? That would make far more sense than using the Caldari, which do not have any vested interest in assaulting the Federation. It just wouldn’t make any sense and would come across as lazy and poor storywriting to me.

In any case, I foresee this event as a potential to develop greater ties between the Federation and the State and a vehicle to progress storyline development, which could be even greater if the players themselves could influence the outcome of the event in a meaningful way through interaction with the NPCs or through their actions at the event.

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I think there could be a standing hit for Caldari for those, who attack Dragonaurs NPC, but I think that players should have an opportunity to “pick sides”. I am pretty sure that a lot of players would love to have opportunity to fight actually against the Federation ships.

The standing drop can be I think compensated with higher standing increase to the faction you are helping, thus offering players to “pick sides”. Of course, since it is Federation-oriented event, the “rewards” should be better if you pick Federal side and fight off Dragonaurs, but it will be just awesome if players can pick Dragonaur side, and still get reward and standing “hit” (negative to Federation, positive to the State).

After all, yes, Dragonaurs might be terrorists, but the main idea is:

There is still war going on, miliions die on each side.

So if you kill some enemies, it doesn’t matter that there were Dragonaurs on your side. A kill is a kill, and the State shall reward you for that.

Please give us (who are against Federation) to participate too on the other side! If not for rewards - then for RP reason, just to show that there are Caldari and you shouldn’t forget that we do exist :wink:

As for PVP element to all this: obviously there will be PvP in low security space.
And my offer for PvP in high security space is like this: if you attack “wrong” side in their home space, you get suspect status.
If you fight on Dragonaur side in Federal space - you are suspect.
If you fight on Federal side in State space - you are suspect.

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Why have it be the Dragonaurs necessarily? A Federation-based ultranationalist/extremist element, making coordinated terrorist strikes, may yet be a convincing enemy for all sides.

Plus, the RP angle continues to work for those supporting the Federation (“This was not their fault; it was the one-armed man!”) as well as those who oppose (“See?! This is what they do when we turn our back!”).

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More seriously than my Diana Kim suggestion I like the idea of hunting an Ultra-Nationalist group. That way everyone can be involved.

In RP terms perhaps Ms Kim could uncover the plot ( freeing tortured PoW’s or some such).

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First of all, because it will give reason for Caldari aligned players to participate (against Federals, maybe bring some PvP).
And why exactly Dragonaurs (and, say, not Caldari Navy)? Because Dragonaurs are terrorists and will see opportunity to do something against the Federation. The rest of the State will just frown at Federals in disgust, but unlikely they will decide to act just on that.

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I can certainly agree with using TD over CalNav regulars, if that were the case; I just think a Federation-borne ultranationalist group might work out better storywise. The PvP would still potentially happen in low/null, most likely in existing FW zones, in either case - U-Nat or TD.

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That’s Federal Navy installations, not political bloc (U-nat) installations AFAIK.
If you want to include that - it will show whole Federation in bad light, and I don’t think that’s the best option for the event, right? After all, Federation should be “good” side in this… at least for the duration of the event :stuck_out_tongue:

I mean, that’s the Federation holiday, bringing that is… ugh.
We can certainly bring torture of PoWs when there will be Caldari even to show how Federals are “baddies” :wink:

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There will be no reason for Caldari-aligned players to jump into political squabbles inside the Federation then.

But if there will be Dragonaurs, Caldari could join on their side!

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Could; aren’t TD a bit of a sore spot on at least the Liberal bloc’s side? Not sure about the Practicals, and I know the Patriots would lean towards them.

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You don’t have to love TD to be on their side, when there’s Federals on the other :wink:

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I was thinking of some previously unknown faction that everybody would want to shoot. Not an official group as such. An uncovered plot against the Federation, trying to stir up more trouble.

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Eve is quite polarized game. And with system of standing hits, not every player can (or want) to be on the Federal side. There are severe standing hits for just doing missions for one side, and “Caldari/Amarr” only players - even pure PvE highsec ones might not like the idea.

Of course many mission runners just cycle factions to balance standing hits, but lore-wise (and with ability to make conflicts) I think it would be better to “take sides”.

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If it’s an in game event then it should be open to all no matter what, which is why it’s usually a pirate faction.

In that sense we’d be better with whichever faction is decided upon being declared pirates. They could be operating false flag attack on both sides, in Gallente and Caldari space. That way everyone should get a shot at them, even with individual bad Empire standings.

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The relevant thing here is that the politics aren’t monolithic. There are three major factions for Caldari political purposes, and likewise any number of political parties for the Federation. While it’s easy to paint everything with the, “WAAAR!” brush, it’s not anything like what we think of as war: it’s constrained within the Placid and Black Rise regions, and the states in question have open borders and trade going on even despite this. Indeed, this isn’t just black market trade, but major trade traffic between corporations, occurring publicly, with the approval of the majority of the actors involved, even the State’s Patriot bloc.

Read: things be weird.

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