Archived Gang Canonization

[Malvs]

The whole "Coven Canonization" process for the upcoming Vampire lore overhaul got me thinking... If vampire covens can be canonized, and noble houses can be canonized, why not gangs? Organizations like La Ganga and Usque Galenas are quite infamous in the RP community. Everyone knows who they are, and they've contributed immensely to roleplay in general. However, there's no way for them to become cemented in lore, unlike noble houses and (soon) vampire covens.

A large portion of crime RP isn't exactly done with skill. There are a lot of stereotypically evil "i'll kill u 4 no reason bcuz im crazy" characters. I think gang canonization would provide a great incentive for a higher level of crime RP. The concept is essentially the same as coven canonization. Gangs would serve as the epicenter of crime RP. Criminal RPers would be drawn to them, and a more organized structure would be created. Aside from that, gang canonization would provide quite a lot in terms of criminal/sewer plot progression. Gang wars could be made more official and have a larger impact on sewer RP as a whole, among other things.

Anyway. I suppose that about ties it up.

@LumosJared , being the new head of Lore Staff, I'd particularly like to hear your opinions on this.

Crime RPers: @Silent_Ruler @Khemostar @Sozzer @WaterDruppel @Manatee_ @Kibaa @SilentEndurance @Jadex224 @ChensSpaghetti @Eccetra @Caelamus (I KNOW THE NENYARINA AREN'T REALLY A GANG BUT OH WELL) @Nekoxo @YouMakeMeRaugh @CrescentLight @Squeaker555 @2001Pokemon2003 @Jouster @Jack_Castle SORRY IF I FORGOT ANYBODY

 

[Kleinfolk]

I personally think this a good idea..

 

[WildRoze]

Going to write my own personal non-biased option on this topic.
I play a noble, a 'gang' member and a vampire currently so I am seeing this from all angles.

From what I have seen canonization for noble houses has been used to write down and note things like wealth and backstory so it can be filed away and looked at when needed. It is a proper way to keep check on everything for staff and players alike. It never [at least to me] felt like this meant they were recognized into lore or given any special treatment. It was like a character application for your noble house I suppose.

Now using this for the upcoming noble vampire like families seems like a good choice as well. Not because these vampire families are doing a lot but to keep a check up on how many lord vampires there are and what there coven consists off. The lord vampires seem very over powered but them having to have a giant family to back them up seems like a big requirement and a good reason to not have that many. Of course this would be written down as well.

As for gangs... I don't really honestly see the reason why? They have already been accepted by most players as fact and giving them a page on the forums or be added to the lore feels to official. Gangs are suppose to be that thing you hear whispers about in the sewers and fear or cheer for when they come running in. I remember finding out in character the same time as out of character about Usque when they burned down the poor district and it was amazing. I don't see any benefit of being canonized. That does not mean they are being skipped over though. It won't do anything special to them they aren't already able to do. You can argue that is the same for the other options I listed above but I would still disagree that gangs just seem less important to be noted down and made 'official' then noble like families and groups.

This does not mean though Gangs don't deserve nothing. They have done an amazing job creating roleplay above and below ground and the players playing them and who know them know that.​

 

[Conflee]

IDEA:

How about, instead of canonization, creating a forums group like Resistances have to keep track of assets and such.

 

[Beetletoes]

IDEA:

How about, instead of canonization, creating a forums group like Resistances have to keep track of assets and such.

Click to shrink...

Like the resistance subforum thing?

 

[Kibaa]

Here are my two cents:

Having created and developed La Ganga since the beginning of 2013 with @Silent_Ruler , I'm not going to hide the fact that we often find ourselves wanting more than just a sewer reputation. It would seem that canonization is the literal gift to our calls, but for several reasons, I can't seem to get my head over to the +1 side.​

• By being canonized, a conflict on what certain gangs can and cannot do is created. There will undoubtedly be a qualm not only between gangs but between regular players and staffmembers alike regarding the privileges and lines of powergaming that needs to be adressed once anything is cemented into the lore.
• Gangs like Usque, ganga, and nenyas have worked hard for vast periods of time trying to achieve what they want. The fact that anyone could create a random group out of the blue and cement it into the lore to be granted the same privileges as everyone else is kind of unappealing to me. In my opinion, criminal and gang rp is all about progression; You earn what you worked for. Opening a canonization form for gangs just incites effortless groups to get whatever they want by writing their own lore instead of achieving things through IC means.
  
• It de-stabilizes the current power hold in the sewers. What if suddenly, a new gang uses their new found canonization privileges and becomes more powerful than Usque just like that?
  
• I acknowledge the fact that gang canonization grants roleplayers the motivation and resources needed to become something that operates outside of criminal and sewer roleplay, but doesn't that kind of seem like the easy way out? La Ganga is one of the gangs that has tried to incorporate themselves into political roleplay in order to become something bigger than just sewer criminals. Granted, we haven't done much, but it's an attempt nonetheless, and I know it's completely possible. To me, canonization is just kind of like a scapegoat for hard work. Do you think the nenyas and usque got so big by writing lore? Or was it by IG means?

 

[Saaber]

It seems cool, believe me -- I play only sewer characters as of now, but nonetheless... I don't see it being all too ideal of an idea. I certainly agree with @Kibaa in all the points they have made; canonization is like a way of asking for OOC fame, or some sort of "reward" for already being well-known in the first place. If a gang wants to get big, they should be doing that IC, not asking for staff to go through the work of writing entire wiki pages for them and their creations. It's more self-promotion that anything, and it'll further OOC saltiness in the idea of gangs being able to boast, "My gang is better because I'm canonized and you're not" and so on. Plus the fact that gangs are constantly changing, and that would never be something the wiki page would be able to keep up on. Kibaa couldn't have said it better, honestly. ​

 

[Conflee]

Like the resistance subforum thing?

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Exactly like that. List major locations, ie: Black Market, Noodle Shop, Sewer Tavern, etc. Who controls what. Gangs can post updates on their activities, etc

 

[Doc_Cantankerous]

Noodle Shop

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I will turn anyone who touches the noodle shop into tomorrow's special.

 

[Malvs]

The fact that anyone could create a random group out of the blue and cement it into the lore to be granted the same privileges as everyone else is kind of unappealing to me.

Click to shrink...

If a gang wants to get big, they should be doing that IC, not asking for staff to go through the work of writing entire wiki pages for them and their creations.

Click to shrink...

Canonization wouldn't be something that's wildly handed out to any gang that asks for it, so I really don't think that would be a problem. But after reading everyone's comments about a forum registry - while I still like the idea of canonization - I think that would actually be a much better idea. Still waiting on an official yes/no from the right staff though.

 

[Dardy]

I will turn anyone who touches the noodle shop into tomorrow's special.

Click to shrink...

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