Gameplay Idea: AIs to blackmail or to bribe player

[Raide]

Today I wrote some gameplay idea made into two mantis tickets. I figure it'd be nice to share my thoughts with the forum so that we can discuss and figure out whether it's good idea or not. Here's the link to the ticket and copypasta:


AIs should be able to blackmail or bribe the player. Quest pop-ups right now is limited to pre-spacefaring, so after everyone's in space then you won't receive any more quests. I argue it could be used for other purposes which should have impact on the state of the game, for example:

1. Acutians offering credit for you to raid tech or armada of Andors (bribe)
2. Burlusts offering leverage with primary warlord if you sabotage the space elevator of Skylaxians (bribe)
3. Evucks threatening to reveal your informant/spy in Peltian's planet and give considerable influence hit (like -20), unless if you pay credits (blackmail)
4. Thoraxian demanding your outpost or tech, or they'll give themselves negative (like -30) opinion on all races, which may trigger war or hamper your Federation effort (blackmail)
5. An rogue Acutians under one of the CEOs has run away with a planetcracker or toxic waste dump, its location is unknown but to one of the CEO, who will arrest the wannabe-terrorist but for a price... (blackmail)

[wwwhhattt]

I really like the idea of the races using you for their own ends.

It might be good to have the amount of bribes & blackmail depend on the players actions, so that they're only contacted if they've made themselves so noticeable - if they've got plenty of influence, maybe. In that case it would make sense to have the B&B aimed at misusing the players influence with a race.

[Kalpa]

Mmmh, I'm a bit so-so on this one, although I have to agree that more mechanics means more emergent gameplay and the related AARs, stories and such.

The bribes and blackmails should definitely be interracial relations and player influence related. If everyone likes everyone and the lone Hydral, no reason for any negative events sort of... although then again, there are always rogue members of the society. Perhaps in such a case a criminal could give bribe or blackmail, but refusal of such should clearly not bear race-wide relations penalty, at most the instigator would come after you personally in combat? Well, just a thought.

[Draco18s]

I will admit that I was disappointed when there were no more quests after everyone was spacefaring.