Notice: This thread will be updated soon-ish with more specific realization ideas. Stay tuned! - 24th August 2019
The police content encouragement and discussion (mega-)thread
⇢ What is the point of this thread in a nutshell?The police content encouragement and discussion (mega-)thread
To encourage CDPR (or potential future modders) early to consider and implement police related content the player can actively take part in and to create potential affiliations or job opportunities. Ideally as part of a standard or full release or potential DLC. If all else fails, modders are called upon to make it a reality. In addition, add your thoughts here: Do you want to see it yourself? Do you not mind it at all? Are you against it? How could this look like later on if you are in favor of it?
⇢ Reasoning
Crime is part of the cyperpunk setting, which the recent gameplay trailer reaffirms as you walk past a crime scene investigation. Chances are you will at one point or another interact with police. In the GTA series, for example, police primarily serves as an antagonistic force and enemy of the player. But why not change the sides here and see it from the other perspective?
The cop role (in a dystopian setting) is liked by not just a few. And my name here might give away my preference there, if it wasn't obvious. Ever since the first trailer, many people likely imagined taking part in such roles and it was also kind of hinted at that the player could be able to pick such a role, with psychosquad and whatnot. However, the recent changes and statements which are mirrored in the community suggest the old idea of implementing roles and factions the players can pick and side with was changed in favor of a relatively independent main character that - the assumption so far anyway - merely works with them and various actors.
But you never get to formally join, it seems. And that would be a shame because it is wasted potential in a way. Now, we can't have it all of course and in a way, it would be additional work. There's pros and cons in the end to this.
The idea is to find perhaps common grounds even if the main statement of "You cannot join factions (formally)" remains. This is the purpose of this thread: to find supporters and to encourage CDPR (or future modders) to consider this popular angle in a way that doesn't require major work that a "main faction" could require. A compromise, of sorts.
Notice: While there are a few posts and perhaps threads about factions, it should be noted that this is solely dealing with police related interactions and perhaps affiliations.
⇢ Implementation of a compromise variant - how this could work for a vanilla or perhaps DLC
Alright. Let's assume formal factions are out of the picture and V relatively remains independent without signing up somewhere via blood, contract, vow, etc.
A bummer for hardcore cop fans who wanted to play such a role in CP2077.
But wait, there's more!
There's still a possibility to kind of salvage or utilize that "dream". If we cannot formally join factions, let us apply to NCPD what would (by the current info and looks of it) would be applied to all other factions you work with, like gangs or corps. You can build a reputation and work with factions. Should NCPD be an exception then? The idea here is to offer the player various missions and opportunities, in this case relating to NCPD. Crime is vital aspect and they surely have need for other people to do work. Instead of only serving as some kind of quest giver, the suggestion to cater to "cop fans" is that "V" can become something like an authorized agent or trusted contractor. Maybe not immediately and only after building some rep and doing some tasks. This would eventually lead to certain privileges or them turning a blind eye on things, perhaps you can then wear NCPD uniforms and gear, utilize such weapons, and use certain abilities, aka act like a cop, if not in general on the streets then for specific missions, while the ability to use their gear could overlap into your normal gameplay until you perhaps end up on their shitlist.
How is this a compromise, you could ask? Most notably, you avoid the expectations people might have when you formally join a faction, such as unique quest lines and faction specific content. It's not the ideal solution from the consumer POV, but is surely less work for the developer in the current frame while it would cater to players. If classic factions will not even be part of future DLCs, then I personally think that this would be a fair and good compromise that would not take too much time and resources in comparison. In turn with this approach you avoid potential conflicts in other missions if V were to be a full time or regular cop.
You'd in essence be a "part-time" or indirect cop as long as you do not anger NCPD and built up a soft rep for yourself with them. They start to trust you, they give you certain benefits and missions. Or let you join as kind of a "reservist" if that makes sense so you're not bound by their daily work and can opt in when you want.
How realistic this might be lore-wise I don't know. It would likely need an explanation or exposition in-game or in general, but it's better than "full factions or nothing" in that regard.
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