Soapbox: Oh yeah? Ignore neutrals!

It was recently suggested in the developer chat that neutrals were being considered for special skills. This would effectively make neutrals their own kingdom. The response to this has been amazingly negative, amazing in that people act threatened by such a proposition. This seems so appropriate to me. Isn't that what a kingdom is for in AC2? They are the military or economic threats to each other. Neutrals can easily fill that role.

But first let's look at WHY they should fit that role. Thus far kingdoms have only seen any conflict in PvP. There are non-PvP factional mines as well but mines have not yet established their importance in the game. I suspect this will change as the game evolves. It is also possible that faction specific armor, weapons, mounts, housing, magic items, and quests could find their way into the game. The possibilities are many and it will make the game very rich this way. The problem with neutrals, then, is that they cannot be considered a non-faction without being left far behind.

What then is the point of neutrals that they should lose out on all this content? Many see neutrals as folks who don't want to participate in PvP. This is the first great myth of neutrals. I myself stick to the neutral faction and participated in PvP alongside my non-neutral clan-mates. While the tech exists to make neutrals able to heal and buff others in a KvK area, I have yet to see any such zones. On a FFA or KvK world, this ability will not be present at all. The potential for the neutrals to play a role in balancing the other factions is essentially non-existent.

So what is the point? On a FFA or KvK world, neutrals are like any other kingdom but without the special skills and potentially without the future faction specific content. On these worlds you will only see a neutral before level 10. After that there is no point to staying neutral. In fact, it will be harmful to do so. On the non-PvP worlds neutrals must participate in PvP combat zones like anyone else, again at a disadvantage. If one does not wish to PvP on these worlds, it is simply a matter of avoiding the limited combat zones. You don't need to be neutral to do that. If you really hate PvP enough then the potential release of an all-white server might be the place to go. Becoming neutral will not protect you.

One solution would be to take away all PvP from neutrals. They would then become the haven of faction for non-PvP fans. Of course, they might potentially miss out on some killer content as well down the road. While I could live with that, choosing another character to PvP with if I desired, the problem would remain that anyone could level up as a neutral, safe from harm, and pick a kingdom much later. This would be particularly harmful on the PvP worlds. It seems like an awkward solution.

So let's say that being neutral has nothing to do with PvP. It must have something to do with the ideologies. The next big complaint about neutrals as a kingdom is that they do not have an identifiable leader. While I would gladly volunteer for the position, a fictional NPC might be a better choice. Yes, I am saying it directly. Just because neutrals do not have a leader does not mean they are restricted forever from having one. In all honesty, I think Martine might fit the bill (after all these years, wherever he is). Or develop a new character. It is a fantasy world with an evolving story. Such things are not out of the ordinary.

Ah but what would this kingdom stand for? That is the final question. I like to take the chemistry analogy. Given a beaker containing several poisonous compounds, acids and bases, it is possible to mix them to a degree that renders them relatively harmless. They can balance out. Appropriately, this middle ground is termed neutral.

The neutrals can follow the ideology of balance. They needn't be the tree-hugging druids of Dungeons and Dragons. They can be the faction that balances the other factions. Their goal is not to gain power but to let none gain it. This, of course, works nicely as it goes strictly against the goals of the other three factions and remains a solid ideology itself.

The end result, I propose, is that the neutrals gain a solid identity and can finally equate themselves with the other factions. They can quest and wield Neutral swords and armor and battle the other factions in PvP. I find this the least invasive solution to the current problem, a problem that might leave the idea of neutrality far behind on any server, when neutrality has much to offer still in making AC2 a rich world to live in.