Well, it's largely unnecessary here. We already have bars on the contacts which serve essentially this function, but there's really nothing for reputation with whole factions to do because our game isn't laid out in a setting which has travel between various nations (like another you may be thinking of). The only nations we have are Paragon City (part of the US) and the Rogue Isles, and we can't travel between them except in instances. So we really don't need this.
That said, developing a grudge against a certain group or a close working relationship with another, with in-game effects, might be an interesting addition.
Iscariot's Guide to the Tri-Form Warshade, version 2.1
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P.E.R.C. Rep for Liberty server
We don't need a reputation bar, we already have badges. Badges for defeating certain number of members of certain groups, badges for completing stories about certain groups, badges for going places that are significant to certain groups.
Now, if we could have certain enemies have different dialogue based on what badges we have, or have contacts give us different missions or have enemies behave slightly differently, that would be awesome.
Always remember, we were Heroes.
There's also the issue that, really - even playing normally, there are few groups you don't outlevel. The only groups it would matter with would be Longbow, Arachnos, the Council and Circle of Thorns. And even then - you fight against them. I mean, as a level 35 Blaster (for instance,) say I go help with a fire in Steel Canyon. Lots of hellions there - that cap otu at level 15. (They literally do not exist past that level.) What are they going to do as I nuke them, generating "grudge" or "hate" - send an ambush of -20s?
It would work, I suppose, if this were more of a sandbox game. And really, if it were introduced, I'd see it working better on villainside (choose to work for or against Darrin Wade in the Shard, or choose between the Traditionalists and the Restructurists.) I can't actually think of a place that choice would make sense heroside with the groups and storylines we have. 5th column vs Council? They're both a threat to the city and you want to stop them both. Rikti? Protect the ones working for peaceful relations, stop the ones who want to overrun the planet. It's far more cut-and-dried blueside with what we have right now.
If done right I think it could be a good addition to a future issue. Just about every group in COX has some other group they fight with. But it would tend to villain side better then Hero side because of the nature of villainy imo.
But perhaps a global type rep system, for example playing as a hero;
At lvl 1 you get to pick from 1 of say 2 different contacts. A Freedom Corps contact, or a vanguard contact, or some other such major faction hero side (legacy, wyvern, hero corps etc.). And have an over arcing story based on what faction you pick at the start of your character, like the Heat's/Veat's have.
Depending on which side you choose have some obvious pros and cons. Say if you went vanguard then you can earn random vanguard merit drops when fighting other things then rikti, or a few merits at the end of every mission you do for them. As well you can have a certain number of unique costume options based on what side you choose that will only be available to you based on what side you pick. That way when people see that you have the giant "x" hat then they can see that you helped side "X". Perhaps have your choice culminate in a Taskforce, that depending on which side you picked, it ends with you fighting big boss "x" over big boss "y".
Also depending on which side you choose perhaps have different villain groups hate you more so then others. So if I choose vanguard then the Rikti would have more of a hatred towards me then say if I picked Freedom corps and would have Arachnos hate me more. Even more so you could have within each faction, a chance to concentrate on sub factions within. For example maybe you choose to fight only the rikti as a member of vanguard and only them, or perhaps you *spoiler* want to help fight against the renegade vanguard faction*/endspoiler*, or some combination of the two.
The same thing can be done villain side. Let the player choose to work with Arachnos, or to try and take over/destroy Arachnos. Or conversely if they dont want to have anything to do with the faction system they can just ignore both of the new contacts and just do missions as they normally would.
But thats just off the top of my head 
lol
QR
This would work if the factions all spanned from 1-50.
With the way villain groups currently work, there just aren't enough groups that you experience game wide for reputation to really matter.
Unlike, WoW, the xp curve has been bumped up so much in the last issue or two that players don't spend nearly enough time in lvl ranges (say, 1-20, 30-40, or even 40-50) that reputation would matter.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
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If done right I think it could be a good addition to a future issue. Just about every group in COX has some other group they fight with. But it would tend to villain side better then Hero side because of the nature of villainy imo.
But perhaps a global type rep system, for example playing as a hero;
At lvl 1 you get to pick from 1 of say 2 different contacts. A Freedom Corps contact, or a vanguard contact, or some other such major faction hero side (legacy, wyvern, hero corps etc.). And have an over arcing story based on what faction you pick at the start of your character, like the Heat's/Veat's have.
Depending on which side you choose have some obvious pros and cons. Say if you went vanguard then you can earn random vanguard merit drops when fighting other things then rikti, or a few merits at the end of every mission you do for them. As well you can have a certain number of unique costume options based on what side you choose that will only be available to you based on what side you pick. That way when people see that you have the giant "x" hat then they can see that you helped side "X". Perhaps have your choice culminate in a Taskforce, that depending on which side you picked, it ends with you fighting big boss "x" over big boss "y".
Also depending on which side you choose perhaps have different villain groups hate you more so then others. So if I choose vanguard then the Rikti would have more of a hatred towards me then say if I picked Freedom corps and would have Arachnos hate me more. Even more so you could have within each faction, a chance to concentrate on sub factions within. For example maybe you choose to fight only the rikti as a member of vanguard and only them, or perhaps you *spoiler* want to help fight against the renegade vanguard faction*/endspoiler*, or some combination of the two.
The same thing can be done villain side. Let the player choose to work with Arachnos, or to try and take over/destroy Arachnos. Or conversely if they dont want to have anything to do with the faction system they can just ignore both of the new contacts and just do missions as they normally would.
But thats just off the top of my head lol
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Yeah this would require MASSIVE content to have to introduced to both sides of the game, especially arachnos. They pretty much have their hand in just about EVERY regular contact. Especially when you get to the later levels. For instance if you choose to OPENLY work against Arachnos how would a villain get lvl 41 epic powers?
EDIT: Basically the Patrons would never talk to you if you could build faction against them.
The idea in general sounds fine but with the rate with which dev created alternative content is created (read nearly NON-existant and slooooowwww) i don't think this could practically work well.
If they introduced all NEW alternate factions for every level range sure. The chance of that happening in anyway reasonable amount of time for a faction system to actually work as a major part of the game . . . ummm, well .. .
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
story wise the patron thing would be easy to get around. Just say go to a contact rebel side and have them say " hey we just stole some tech from "insert patron name". If you do some stuff for me i can give you access to them.".
And ya it would take forever and a day to get the content needed to make it worth while. But with the new mission maker UI they should/might be able to streamline mission production now. Never said it would be easy, but if they put the timei nto it i think it could be done. That said idk if it would add anything to the game.
For me i don't think i would bother with it because it would split the player base even more. Because u couldn't have people who work for one over the other teaming doing the content. It just wouldn't make sense. Hero side maybe but def not villain side. MY OP was just a suggestion on how it could be done. But i think it would add too little re-playability for the amount of work needed to implement. And as some one who has pretty much lost all interest in coh since i14:Farmers delight i mean AE Edition i think they need to add some thing's that add replayability asap.
I could see it working well if the Reputations and factions in question can only be built up. Have them start at the floor and build up to awesome.
For Heroes, you could easily have Hero Corps, Freedom Phalanx, Vindicators, and I'm sure there could be a few others. Easiest way to have them in game would be to simply nab factions that you don't see actively involved in game and "say" they have a presence.
For Villains, Aeon Corp, the various Arachnos Patrons, and all of the other sub groups within Arachnos. Arachnos is such a large organization that you could easily have to curry favor with all of them.
As for rewards, I see it as a logical extension of the invention and badge systems. Each faction rewards a badge upon getting to the upper echelons. The non-badge reward would be the ability to buy/learn better enhancements, recipes, and possibly unlockable content (restricted TFs and story arcs anyone?).
We already have some "factions" in game anyway. Vanguard acts almost exactly like a faction in other games, except, rather than increasing your reputation by running arcs and doing content, you get the merits. The only thing needed to make it more "faction-like" would be to create tiers of rewards that you have to unlock through various means.
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story wise the patron thing would be easy to get around. Just say go to a contact rebel side and have them say " hey we just stole some tech from "insert patron name". If you do some stuff for me i can give you access to them.".
And ya it would take forever and a day to get the content needed to make it worth while. But with the new mission maker UI they should/might be able to streamline mission production now. Never said it would be easy, but if they put the timei nto it i think it could be done. That said idk if it would add anything to the game.
For me i don't think i would bother with it because it would split the player base even more. Because u couldn't have people who work for one over the other teaming doing the content. It just wouldn't make sense. Hero side maybe but def not villain side. MY OP was just a suggestion on how it could be done. But i think it would add too little re-playability for the amount of work needed to implement. And as some one who has pretty much lost all interest in coh since i14:Farmers delight i mean AE Edition i think they need to add some thing's that add replayability asap.
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I don't think it would do jack to help replayability.
The devs just don't add content that fast.
I'd rather they focus on NEW content, finishing up the dangling plot points and offer more proliferation than this.
Also your idea for the patrons would seem like a half-[censored] hack to many players.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
Other MMOrpgs have this so how about this game? In addition to Heroes having friendship with groups like Vindicators and Longbow, or Villains with Arachnos, how about also a grudge bar.
This might be interesting for some players who like to play their toons as having a grudge against certain villain groups like Nemesis or the Circle of Thorns. The more missions you do, or certain mobs you kill, or certain actions you take will build hate up with that group and cause you to have bonus missions against them, some of which might give you unique prizes.
Maybe Villain characters through certain actions can "befriend" certain villain groups like the Carnies, Tsoo or Family and get their own unique missions or prizes.