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The Secret World: The Secret World - Faction Fractions

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

The three faction set up of The Secret World is a very popular feature with most players. That is, it's popular until they realize that membership in a cabal (guild) means that all members of the group have to be of the same faction which can be disastrous for large guilds. In Isabelle Parsley's latest Player Perspectives, she discusses how cabal and faction membership don't necessarily go together. Read on!

But there is one small problem: cabals (guilds in TSW) are tied to a given faction and thus all the members of a cabal have to be of the same faction. I’ve already read arguments along the lines of “Well, make your friends choose your faction” or “Drop those friends that don’t want to do what you do” – but it’s not that simple, especially when it comes to guilds. Most especially when it comes to large guilds.

Read more of Isabelle Parsley's Player Perspectives: The Secret World - Faction Fractions.


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Comments

  • mesmerisemesmerise Member UncommonPosts: 200

    It's a good point to bring up! I am joining the game guild-less (cabal-less sounds too funny) so it is not an immediate issue for me though some members of the Templars' Alliance have been trying to recruit me (yeah, I like the Templars though I have been tempted and flirting with the Illuminati...).  I like that this game is trying to make its future players conscious of the choices that they make in regard to factions and cabals, so much so that I hope that it is server locked for factions, i.e. you choose Templars then all of your alts, if you are allowed alts, must be a member of the Templars as well.

    Good luck to your guild though. It's going to be some touch choices as the Secret War enters phase II.

     

    PS: I love the editor's note! :D

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  • UnshraUnshra Member UncommonPosts: 381

    Orginally I joined the Dragons but came to realize that the Templars are more fitting for my character after Funcom covered their view of "New Blood" as they put it. As for the Illuminati, they were never an option for my character do to their connections with the O.T.O. also the Templars already sent them packing with their tails between their legs. ;)

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    Because flying a Minmatar ship is like going down a flight of stairs on an office chair while firing an Uzi.

  • CaldrinCaldrin Member UncommonPosts: 4,505

    I think its a good thing really.. you wouldnt reall have guilds made up of all the factions.. so its somthing they have to do as part of the lroe in the game.. sure it might be hard to choose a faction for a guild esp if they are a big guild..but if the guild is big enough why not split the people into different guilds in game..

     

    So a really big guild could split into 3 smaller guilds in The Secret World

  • SenadinaSenadina Member UncommonPosts: 896

    I just watched an interview with Ragnar on GT TV and it confirmed my fear regarding factions. He says they still haven't decided whether to allow players to make alts in other secret societies. All the trailers so far have been pretty clear that you must choose wisely because it is a permanent choice. Which led me to fear they would not let you make alternate faction alts, and now Ragnar confirms they might not.

    Now I know some people have no problem with this, and will tell me one toon can do it all, a la FF. But I HATE that. I like my charaters to have a distinct personality, so my gun-toting psycho hillbilly would not be tossing out lightening strikes, for example. Besides, if I'm paying for a games content, I want it all. And the faction quests are different for each side, and I want to experience all of them, I need at least 3 toons, loyalty be damned. ( Spoken like a true Illuminati...heh.)

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  • KatrisaKatrisa Member UncommonPosts: 116

     

    I think they will allow alts in other factions but if not im ok with that too. TSW is RP heavy. You have to commit yourself to your char. Thats what I love about the game.

     

    /Meow

  • Cik_AsalinCik_Asalin Member Posts: 3,033

    Okay, so it's early for me, but this appears as something not so new.  So. . .seriously, this is an issue?  Just about every mainstream themepark mmorpg has at least 2 factions where players have to choose, and by choice, those players can not participate in organized PvP against their own same faction.

     

    So why is this an issue 10-years later with TSW specifically?

     

    And as an edit, most every large guild I've participated with has Guild groups for each faction.

  • Hekate27Hekate27 Member Posts: 47

    Originally posted by Caldrin



    I think its a good thing really.. you wouldnt reall have guilds made up of all the factions.. so its somthing they have to do as part of the lroe in the game.. sure it might be hard to choose a faction for a guild esp if they are a big guild..but if the guild is big enough why not split the people into different guilds in game..



     



    So a really big guild could split into 3 smaller guilds in The Secret World


     

     I agree.  I have been running a Gnome only Guild in Wow for 6 years now Back in the day this caused us concern as to how we would cope without healers (we all became most experienced with bandages, potions, foods and Jumper cables)  but when we started getting to the high end instances we decided to set up a sister guild for characters of different classes than we Gnomes could be and then we gave ourselves a joint chat channel this has proved to be a successful solution to the problem.  The Gnomish Rescue Squad may yet be reborn as the Guardians of Recovered Secrets.

    Illuminati - dangerous children involving themselves in things they do not truely understand in their greed for power.  Templars - they bring with them the fires of the Inquisition as they ever did, we do not forget the Burning Times.  Dragon - We western Pagans have found that there is a philosophy from the east that gives us the freedom we have always sought.  Tred lightly on the earth for who knows what listens to your footfall.

    Do what thou wilt, and harm ye none. - Witches Rede

  • mgilbrtsnmgilbrtsn Member EpicPosts: 3,430

    Originally posted by Cik_Asalin

    Okay, so it's early for me, but this appears as something not so new.  So. . .seriously, this is an issue?  Just about every mainstream themepark mmorpg has at least 2 factions where players have to choose, and by choice, those players can not participate in organized PvP against their own same faction.

     

    So why is this an issue 10-years later with TSW specifically?

     

    And as an edit, most every large guild I've participated with has Guild groups for each faction.

    This really.  In games with clear and distict factions, they can't even talk to one another let alone trade or otherwise interact with the other faction other than at the poiint of a sword.  I think its especially important in a game such as this where factions are particularly important and distinct.  The goals and objectives for the various factions will be so different, they wouldn't want to associate with the other.

    As far as guilds are concerned, you will definitely have to make a choice.  Who is your guild going to represent.  If its a very large guild that plays over multiple games, then you will probably want to have three guilds in the game, and you can then talk about it on your guild forums and what not.  But in game.... you'ze be the enemy.... hmmm having said that, I can think of instances where people have been able to sabotage that by having distinct naming conventions to denote guild.  This will potentially allow guildies from various factions colluding and sabotaging certain objectives for guild purposes (spoilers) and not for faction purposes.  Lets hope there aren't to many spoiler guilds out there.

    I self identify as a monkey.

  • AkruxAkrux Member UncommonPosts: 56

    In DAoC (3 sided PvP) you had to choose which realm your character would join and you were not allowed to have alts in other realms on the same server. If you started an Albion character and wanted to try Midgard then you had to go to a second different server. This cut down on the number of spies from "enemy" realms. Guilds were effectively broken down to realms. Some large guilds would have different realms on different servers and it worked fairly well.

    In TSW i have yet to hear about multiple servers. On a single server it would be hard to keep a large guild focused as alts from different societies can't be in the same guild.

    As many players know your alt sometimes becomes your main.

    Personally I have no problem with TSW as it stands. If I have to join a different guild to start an alt then its a chance to meet new people.

  • rwyanrwyan Member UncommonPosts: 468

    I think it would be interesting if guilds could be multi-faction but with faction specific sub-chat-channels.

    That could provide for some very fun guild play, especially if a guild progresses "together".  Not only are you fighting other factions on a server-wide basis, but now you have this internal struggle for power.  And because these are your guild mates, the struggle would be far more intimate.  

    Do you act on behalf of your faction or behalf of your guild? 

  • XzenXzen Member UncommonPosts: 2,607

    How about Cabals can have members from any faction but in PvP the Cabal has to pick which faction they work for and it is independant from character faction. Problem solved. Lets just hope the Devs can figure that one out.

  • BeezerbeezBeezerbeez Member UncommonPosts: 302

    Originally posted by Cik_Asalin

    Okay, so it's early for me, but this appears as something not so new.  So. . .seriously, this is an issue?  Just about every mainstream themepark mmorpg has at least 2 factions where players have to choose, and by choice, those players can not participate in organized PvP against their own same faction.

     

    So why is this an issue 10-years later with TSW specifically?

     

    And as an edit, most every large guild I've participated with has Guild groups for each faction.

    I imagine the topic came up in her guild, as such things often do before release.  I gather that just because an issue has come up before that its relevence isn't negated.  What you do point out is a good solution that a lot of guilds choose but what the author is emphasizing isn't the solution, it's in deciding how to decide.  Does your guild split?  Does your guild try to support three factions?  Are there enough people to do it without breaking the guild into too small of elements?  What if the guild or your BFF head off to another faction?  Should you change your RP persona and follow?  They are all good questions with different answers depending on the person.  She's not looking for an answer from us, she's letting us know about a path in her life.

    At least, that's how I took the editorial.

    edit: It's early for me too LOL

  • mesmerisemesmerise Member UncommonPosts: 200

    Originally posted by Xzen



    How about Cabals can have members from any faction but in PvP the Cabal has to pick which faction they work for and it is independant from character faction. Problem solved. Lets just hope the Devs can figure that one out.


     

    While the most obvious fighting between the factions for the player will be in PvP, there are still story missions which involve infiltrating other societies' HQs (NPC controlled).  It will be hard for a multi-faction group to justify attacking the hideout of a faction if somebody in your party is aligned with it.

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  • XzenXzen Member UncommonPosts: 2,607

    Originally posted by mesmerise



    Originally posted by Xzen





    How about Cabals can have members from any faction but in PvP the Cabal has to pick which faction they work for and it is independant from character faction. Problem solved. Lets just hope the Devs can figure that one out.






     

    While the most obvious fighting between the factions for the player will be in PvP, there are still story missions which involve infiltrating other societies' HQs (NPC controlled).  It will be hard for a multi-faction group to justify attacking the hideout of a faction if somebody in your party is aligned with it.

    Not really. Could make it so that they learn something shady about their own faction they might not have otherwise known.

  • RobbgobbRobbgobb Member UncommonPosts: 674

    Originally posted by Xzen



    How about Cabals can have members from any faction but in PvP the Cabal has to pick which faction they work for and it is independant from character faction. Problem solved. Lets just hope the Devs can figure that one out.


     

     

    I hate that idea. I think that there should be ways to have a neutral answer. I would much prefer that and if like the real world then just have internet boards (could be accessed in the game or when out) to keep up with each other. I like the idea of being tied to your faction but having ways to communicate (or possibly mislead your real life friends) while in the game. If not in a group and not same guild, getting an alert on your phone (I figure there will be something of the sort in game) would be a great thing. Would know need to call or check in with someone or read something.

  • FoomerangFoomerang Member UncommonPosts: 5,628

    The factions in this game are entrenched in the lore, content, game systems, and make up a cornerstone of how this game works. More so than any other mmo ive seen coming out. Keeping guilds in the same faction make sense for this game imo.

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910


    Originally posted by Foomerang
    The factions in this game are entrenched in the lore, content, game systems, and make up a cornerstone of how this game works. More so than any other mmo ive seen coming out. Keeping guilds in the same faction make sense for this game imo.

    It makes sense in pretty much any faction based games. The factions may have a common enemy, but they'd be happier if they could kill each other.

    I'm not sure why this is seen as an issue...lots of large guilds operate just fine in other games with faction based guilds.

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • FoomerangFoomerang Member UncommonPosts: 5,628


    Originally posted by lizardbones
    Originally posted by Foomerang
    The factions in this game are entrenched in the lore, content, game systems, and make up a cornerstone of how this game works. More so than any other mmo ive seen coming out. Keeping guilds in the same faction make sense for this game imo.

    It makes sense in pretty much any faction based games. The factions may have a common enemy, but they'd be happier if they could kill each other.

    I'm not sure why this is seen as an issue...lots of large guilds operate just fine in other games with faction based guilds.


    You know what, youre right. Come to think of it, i cant name a faction based mmo where opposing factions can be in a guild together. Am i missing something here?
  • ropeniceropenice Member UncommonPosts: 588

    Originally posted by Senadina



    I just watched an interview with Ragnar on GT TV and it confirmed my fear regarding factions. He says they still haven't decided whether to allow players to make alts in other secret societies. All the trailers so far have been pretty clear that you must choose wisely because it is a permanent choice. Which led me to fear they would not let you make alternate faction alts, and now Ragnar confirms they might not.



    Now I know some people have no problem with this, and will tell me one toon can do it all, a la FF. But I HATE that. I like my charaters to have a distinct personality, so my gun-toting psycho hillbilly would not be tossing out lightening strikes, for example. Besides, if I'm paying for a games content, I want it all. And the faction quests are different for each side, and I want to experience all of them, I need at least 3 toons, loyalty be damned. ( Spoken like a true Illuminati...heh.)


     

    Make your 3 characters on different servers.

  • DarkPonyDarkPony Member Posts: 5,566

    Actually I really like this faction restriction for guilds in a three faction game. Games with heavy faction focussed content yet with cross-faction guilds like Fallen Earth take away much of the lore infused supposed rivalries and potential cross faction player competition. Factions end up meaning nothing more than different npc content providers if you don't draw lines.

    It's much more RP worthy to keep them separated. That they occasionaly work together for mutual benefits in pve is fine.

  • karat76karat76 Member UncommonPosts: 1,000

    Originally posted by Elidien

    Having to make this choice and the choice being tied so close to your game experience, should introduce and reinforce realm pride, something I have sorely missed since DAOC. If it does, then I say great!

    This is true. Just have different servers for different factions I think this will help bring a sort of DAoC realm pride back .

  • Hopscotch73Hopscotch73 Member UncommonPosts: 971

    Hmm, if they did it the other way and allowed for cabals to be omni-factional they may run in to trouble down the road.

    Fallen Earth allowed omni-clans and the complaints about it ont he forums were never-ending (and they have six factions!). They ended up trying to incentivize people to pick a faction for their clan, while also allowing omni-clans to continue.

    In this situation, I think, as Isabelle points out  - the prevalence of vioce comms makes the matter a lot less contentious than it could be. You can have Parsley Illuminati, Sage Dragons and Paprika Templars as divisions of the Seasonings uber-Cabal. Everyone can chat in Vent, and guild activities can be co-ordinated that way. For those cabal members that like to stick to single faction and RP they can use guildchat in the game - the text version.

    I don't really see that being too much hassle or a roadblock to enjoyment of the game... but I suppose time will tell.

  • dreamscaperdreamscaper Member UncommonPosts: 1,592

    I'm sorry Isabelle, I've enjoyed all of your articles so far but this is a non-story. This is no different whatsoever than guilds being Horde or Alliance in WoW, or legions being restricted to either Elyos or Asmodian in Aion. It's the exact same situation.

    <3

  • DnomsedDnomsed Member UncommonPosts: 261

    I'm all for cabals being faction locked, that makes sense, but faction-locking accounts dilutes the server communities.  Far better to allow people to stay on their 'home' server with their friends, enemies, and frienemies.  :)  In Warhammer, you were faction locked per server so if you wanted to try classes from the opposite faction you ended up on another server with people you didn't know.  Servers can have thousands of players and it takes time to get to know them which is why Funcom needs to embrace community building within the servers.  Let's be honest here, spying on the other factions is a joke and doesn't really net much useful intel for the spy as most pvp encounters are designed to bring players together in conflict and not to have a bunch of shady activity happening outside of pwning face.

    Warhammer fanatic since '85.
    image

  • rpgalonrpgalon Member Posts: 430

    Originally posted by Dnomsed

    I'm all for cabals being faction locked, that makes sense, but faction-locking accounts dilutes the server communities.  Far better to allow people to stay on their 'home' server with their friends, enemies, and frienemies.  :)  In Warhammer, you were faction locked per server so if you wanted to try classes from the opposite faction you ended up on another server with people you didn't know.  Servers can have thousands of players and it takes time to get to know them which is why Funcom needs to embrace community building within the servers.  Let's be honest here, spying on the other factions is a joke and doesn't really net much useful intel for the spy as most pvp encounters are designed to bring players together in conflict and not to have a bunch of shady activity happening outside of pwning face.

    the problem is that the secret world is going to have some hardcore puzzles that are thrown every 2 weeks, when this hardcore puzzle is solved, it gives bonus to the first faction that solved it.

    and they have "sabotage missions", don't know what they meant with that

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