I was having a discussion in the OOC about Wars and I was thinking why don't we have a Wars Archive? We could put in the Comm fourm and such as.

Advantages:

You can past wars

Can give some names to some wars.

Review the past crews and members

Why they were fought

Disavantages:

Can't really think of any.

I'm not posting to be a butt, just hear me out.

First, I'm not really understanding what you're trying to say. Are you talking about an automatic archive of wars? How would that work? If Godfather A decides to shoot Crewleader 2 in the face and protect the rest of Crewleader 2's members, I would assume its still considered a war, but with only one death. What would be the trigger for this automatic archival? And when would it post? And how would anyone know why they were fought? There are the given reasons in the street threads following the war, but those aren't always the REAL reasons.

I honestly think the best way to do this is to just have someone who writes provide a historical account once the war is over. It would be hard for the system to automatically chronicle wars, though it would be objective, but just like real life history is subjective and written by the winners, so should (in my opinion) mafia wars.
UNLESS, you're talking about having a separate forum for writings on the game's history and major events... in which case I'd argue we already have a forum for that. The Streets.

Pretty much a major shift of power could be considered a war.

I like this idea because it amplifies the fact that history is made by the victor, and only CLs or GFs could post on it describing the wars and such. I really like it. Not necesarrilly like EvilClown's demise, but more Detroits wipeout would be considered a war.

Glad you actually posted this here.

Like Alex has stated I think it would not be possible to coe up with something automated in logging each war to happen. I also think history is written by the victors.

However I think there is definately some merit in the idea. I would love to find a place were all previous wars (takedowns etc) are logged in their entirety in some way.

Maybe the job could be given to someone like the HelpDesk accounts have been given users. The 'Logger' or what ever was then responsible for gathering all information on the war and then writing a conclusion and posting it all in a dedicated area under a name they find suitable for the war.

Obviously the streets holds all information posted there about previous wars and yes, you can search for them but if you just wanted to have a general look around at what's happened while you've been away or were not part of the war it's nearly impossible or well, just damned tedious. The streets older threads are also deleted periodically, losing what info was ever left about previous wars.

Personally I think a one stop shop for MR History would be great idea. Finding the people to be 'MR Historians' might be a little more difficult. Although i'd throw my name in the hat.

Eh, I'm at split-ends with this. People need to use the streets more, and this would certainly enable them to get their info elsewhere... However, it would be nice to have all "war" specific things in one place. The only thing I see wrong with the idea is that even if historians are hired, and write a synapses of the war... Won't their description be bias in some way, and effect their description of it?

That's why Historians should be hired on the same basis as HelpDeskers. People who are trust worthy enough to not be biased on their conclusion.

Also, If all other information is collected and then read by the user, it is up to the user to make their own opinion on the outcome and what happened.

What if there was a historian appointed from each city, so that at the end of the war when the tale is written out it won't be completely biased? There would be the description from both the winning and losing sides of the war, and put together it would form a pretty general idea of the war?

I agree with blazers.

Like if there is a war forum.

Per se:

War forum---

       new thread --- Ny v DT   (example)

the thread is a blank intro but a historian from NY and DT can post on that thread to describe the war.

It goes back to the same cycle. You can't automate it (at least not in any way I can think of) other than saying XXXX shot XXXX at 4:45. XXXX BG Wacked XXXX at 4:46. And me personally, I don't feel like reading a bunch of logs. PLUS, when would you post it, once every person involved was dead? Otherwise a lot of people could get in trouble after the fact when information was published known only by the gods and not players.

You can't have a person write it because whenever you introduce human emotion into anything, you create a bias. You can't get objectivity from a person. And how would they go about researching? By talking to the winners and the losers? The people involved in the war would never be able to agree on why/how the war started. It would be he said/she said, and even the he said she said could be absolute fabricated bullshit. "So and so was planning an attack on us. We got wind of it." "No we weren't! You're just making that up to justify killing me."

And when you can't get to the bottom of it, you'll have one person telling their side, the dead people telling their side... and we already have that. In the streets. Why do we need a new forum for something that gives the streets most of the quality posts that go in there. You can do the history forum, but you might as well delete the streets forum. That's the only reason I read the streets, is after wars or after someone is removed, because USUALLY, that's the only good debate/read there.

To be fair, yes USUALLY the only good reads on the streets are during after wars. Though, you have overlooked a part of what I was saying or maybe I did not express it properly.

Let me put it like this,

I have just come back from a stint away from MR, I do this every now and again as it keeps me fresh. One of the things I enjoy most about coming back is hearing about what has happened since, who has died, who was in power, how etc etc. But, a lot of the time this isn't possible as people don't remember this or that or it is extremely bias. I would like a place that I could come back to and read up about the history I have missed simply. Rather than rooting through the streets. Part of what I am trying to convey is taking the threads that were posted in the streets and sticking them under the one topic in a History file somewhere. So, The new area does not do anything to hinder game play or take anything away from the streets. The streets will still be the place to read and enjoy while earning expieriance etc, this other place would just be an Archive.

Kind of like the old Mafia Tribune. That was brought out weekly and stored to read over at leisure.

Nah all we need is a weekly news paper

One that is archived for future reading would be perfect, Tommy.

An active newspaper with an archive of previous issues would be perfect. My apologies for not understanding what you said the first time PJ. But yes, a newspaper with a dedicated staff (being optimistic here) and regular issues with an archive would be great.

I agree with the newspaper idea as well, and if staff are needed I can fill a spot if necessary.

It's achievable. .org had the exact thing. Not sure where the archives are now. I think tiggy has it. All it would need is a dedicated editor. I'd even go for Chuckle's Knuckle (or what ever he calls that drivel these days) being archived.

Yea I'd help with the news paper also there could even be one daily sOmethig is always happening

The argument I see used most often against this Idea is that it would be biased. I'd like to point out that history is mostly biased seeing that only the winners are around to give their side of the story. Shit even if the losers were around it'd still be biased because they Lost and would probably embelish or try to paint themselves in a better light.

PoisnousJelly has a framed copy in his bedroom of every issue of the Chuckle Knuckle. Archiving it as well would just be duplication of effort.

~C~

*full of stains of a 'particular nature'

At this point i would like to add this to the discussion --> http://mafiareturns.com/comm/thread/168851 . Isn't this archive like? I tried my best to stay neutral and only give a timeline of events. Since there seems to be a lot of interest i think i will continue the series. Help me out there, cheers.