I'll address only the second part. The work has been started approximately a year ago, quickly after the concept of the faction was more or less became stable with ideas being put into it. During that time many things were re-written, many were added by analyzing the feedback gathered and ideas the community members were posting over that period of time. There was a lot of research done into the stories that Discovery had already about that time, many things were taken into the account. Like I said already, it's not an easy task and there were many involved, not keepers and wilde members but actually players completely outside, for co-writing, reviewing and so on. And there were many interesting questions presented, wasn't easy but it's interesting to go through that process as you get to make the views more solid, sharpening them, forming into something that can be described to a certain level of accuracy to the very point of asking oneself "What are the Nomads" and having a comprehensible answer to that question.
But let's rewind back the history. Initially the Nomads were a huge gap, a blackhole in terms of the roleplay. There was very little to no information on them. The single player hasn't left us much with but many questions unanswered. Without official Freelancer sequel coming anywhere near in the foreseeable future there isn't much left than to build it from the leftovers, including those that were carefully collected over time from original game developers. The fact that there wasn't enough information you can see quite clearly from the various Freelancer mods out there that are based on Freelancer's story but having completely different views on the presentation of the Nomads, ranging from borg-like hive beings to many other ideas. I've seen those too, talked to some of the creators of those interpretations, listened to their views and theories, all in all it was interesting and we were able to gather more ideas that had eventually influenced our work. However this gap was never filled here. Needless to say that Discovery until nearly August-September '07 had pretty much nothing to offer as regards the Nomads. As such the interpretation of them varied much from person to person in the stories and views were severely contradicting each other. I'm not even talking about the stories that would be told from Nomad's perspective. You can dig archives trying to find any. Same name but totally different species described there. This still continues even nowadays, but the amount of conflicting keypoints have been dramatically lowered, certainly a positive sign there, slowly a consistency is coming to this aspect of the mod after all those years of uncertainty. From chaos more or less specific terms, new terminology and so forth. Not only that but also new ways experess oneself in boundaries of Discovery roleplaying. However back then, a year ago, as it's not that hard to guess, it was making hardly possible to play the Nomads due to all that conflicting information and ideas people had. Not only that but also risky - you could have been easily got sanctioned, in fact absolute majority were. Therefore a certain order had to be imposed onto this chaotic mess, starting with the work that has been done during that time. And like I said above some ideas eventually made as far as majority begining being quite familiar to them, exactly displaying that consistency can be brought into the area previously being nearly empty bar scarce points. The growing interest in this initially nearly forgotten part of the game. I don't think I need to explain that the roleplay requires a degree of consistency to make it work in multiplayer environment, building the roleplay basis and fundamentals is essential, it's like making a language, a communication protocol, a sequences of signals, call themwhatever you like, but that's making a common ground upon which there can be done stories, events and so on. Otherwise the community becomes like the builders of Babel - ending up speaking different languages and not understanding each other, thus no work together, no intellectual interaction and no roleplay either. This is no different to other factions here, be they Order, Corsairs, Outcasts, Liberty navy officers or any others. The only difference to others is that they are explained in detail already, the Nomads are still in the process of shaping the story, the lore and all the aspects related to. It's about putting things together, not separating them, not fragmenting them into incompatible pieces even further back, pushing into the stone age of nomad roleplay at Discovery. There is no way back, only way forward.
Try to understand all those factors that were there, I've only briefly explained them just so that you can see the complexity and importance, nothing came out of nothing. This isn't like the era of browerser wars of nineties.
I have to say it's painfully close-minded to immediately go: "No more Nomad factions! We were here first! Nomads can't attack Nomads!"
Anything is possible. Borg anyone? Remember the group that was disconnected and became rogue?
I find it extremely ignorant and rude to simply brand a "no" on these things. Why don't you awesome Keeper fella's fine tune it and add constructive criticism instead of labeling Tenacity a whiner since he couldn't get into the Keepers? You look more childish than him in these situations. Honestly.
And what Treewyrm said is true. The Nomad story is trying to be advanced on in a different direction, but it's awfully selfish to shun any other ideas.
Maybe, just maybe, one of these times we can get along and try to help eachother. Instead of putting up walls.:dry:
However, I query that after the whole nomad backstory and history has been explained, will there be less restrictions on people trying to be them? For example, I could go and make an Outcast character right now and roleplay as one of them, but this isn't possible with the nomads yet.
If going forward will lead to more freedoms for those wanting a piece of the nomad pie, so to speak, then im happy. Not to the extent of making a character on a whim, of course, but an in-between compared to what the nomad faction is now and the rest of the factions who've already been explained.
Progress is always good though. The way you put it has just about changed my thinking on this lore that is being written, aswell, so I can't wait to read it when its released publically.:)
EDIT: Orin makes the point that I was trying to make, in what I feel a slightly more tactful way, a few posts back...
And now, round two of the internet-no-gloves-boxing begins!
You can fragment Discovery further, establishing completely incompatible versions of Outcasts and Corsiars for instance. Anything is possible to the point that the environment being fragmented into strictly individual instances of the game universe interpretation, effectively rendering roleplay impossible, each one making own language to speak, no matter the reason why, good or not. But not everyone is welcome to the idea of speaking all different languages in the name of freedom of expression, that's where the initial purpose becomes irrelevant given the outcome, resulting in aforementioned Tower of Babel. Which is already there if you start to analyze the decisions taken for this half year. Connor, it's not possible to roleplay nomads with proper ID straight away due to it granting wide privileges as regards attacking (and being attacked by almost everything nearby as a consequence). I'm all for opening that in theory, but practice isn't a shining kingdom of flawless theories, it's gritty and it stinks. Has to be realistic.
Fragmentation's detrimental effect is by opinion, Treewyrm. What the hell are the Blood Dragons? What the hell are the Bundschuh? Groups that have outcasted themselves from their original family. In this case, the group may be outcasted against their will, but it's all the same.
It comes down to whether or not you want to contend with another RP, sadly. In my eyes, conflict brings greater opportunity for RP situations. In yours, it may just frak everything up.
In the end, you rule the Keepers, and you decide. I just wish we could open our minds and work things out, instead of letting our opinions reign supreme.
However to add onto what i said before, having another nomad faction wouldnt necessarily be bad. gives people a choice then, but the fact the 2 factions would have to co-operate and talk with each other, so that neither on of those rp conflicted with each other.
In otherwords, having essentially the same rp/goal but a different faction if you see what i mean. However im happy with just having the keepers, If you enjoy yourself and its decent rp while going with the story of the nomads, i dont see why not.
( But still a no-no for having a 'Rebel' Nomad faction, where the nomads fight each other. doesnt make sense.)
"Time is too precious to be idle." - Saigo Watanabe "Death is something that is inevitable, Something you cannot run away from." - Katharina Hildegard
Now going under the gaming name: Seraxia www.twitter.com/Seraxia
Orin Hasting, when the time comes right, but not now. I'll tell as far as saying that initially my plans were involving making a full nomad house, developing content and making complete system network with all the infrastructure they would require to function in self-sufficient manner, without all that mumbo-jumbo that exists right. Not sticking to one faction that is there right now. But it's idealistic. It hit the wall of realism fairly quickly. Not that it's thrown out of the window forever, but certainly not a goal to be archived right tomorrow. I can't even say how much time will have to pass before it gets slightly close to. There is massive amount of work to be done, simply enormous to comprehend. Feel free to interrupt the process, but don't tell that I didn't warn. Let's not start on the topic "if I were selfish". Because if I were - I would not be here, instead relaxing on a beach, not doing this job.
I have to add here that a compromise would be better. A Nomad faction that has lost the mindshare, and is no longer connected to their former family. Difference being, the Keepers look down on them, but a hostile relationship is not in place. These Nomads might be of the more curious type, branching out on a different road from the Keepers, due to the mindshare being severed. Perhaps they have no mindshare of their own either, and operate on a organizational level more than a collective level.
Just ideas, but this is what I wish you Keeper players would do. Put away the big "no" stamp and actually try and come to some kind of agreement.
All that said, I still think a rogue group could work. Anything can work. thinking otherwise is ignorant. I just think the idea above would be more refreshing, and plausible to get by the wall of shun that has been raised.
EDIT: I completely understand you, but your view is odd. You seem to think that an independantly operating group of disconnected Nomads would undermine your vision. How so? Please answer me that.
And in any case, I still think it's a tad selfish to say: "I already started this. It's gonna' take a long long time, then maybe you can try it too."
RP should not be limited by who decided to play what part first. The Slomon K'Hara are not the players' creation. They are Digital Anvil's. Anyone should have equal right to portray them if they have the ability.
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