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  1. #1

    Where are the real New Yorkers?

    I wasn't sure if I should include is in the Story section, but I thought I'd play it safe and post here in Off Topic.

    The topic: New Yorkers

    Caveat 1: I haven't finished the game yet, but what I've seen so far has prompted me to write this post.

    They're portrayed as either criminals or whimpy wanderers that run like roaches at sound of distant gun fire. For all the cool architecture, geographical accuracy and voice-acted accents, Massive failed to portray the best of the regular citizenry of New York. Faye Lau is a New Yorker determined to take her city back. I like her take charge attitude although severely injured. She's even a bit annoying. Hey, New Yorkers can be like that. LOVE IT!

    But she's a trained agent. Anyone with a weapon is either and Agent/JTF or a criminal. In a city still full of people, this binary categorization is a little hard to swallow.

    Of course many will be scared. You'll see the scavengers and the injured wandering the streets. But what about those that would be proactive? I will guarantee you that many of us would fall under this category. We would, to the best of our ability, arm ourselves to protect each other. Those of us that feel more ambitious will even openly fight the Rioters/Cleaners/Rikers. This isn't even a maybe. It's a guarantee.

    Roy Benitez totally ignored the obvious when he said there weren't enough Agents to provide security. Did he even mention possibly organizing and training the community to self-police? We do that in other countries. It's mind-boggling that this wasn't an option. We're more than just rude people yelling at Agents from second story windows.

    I propose a couple things:
    1. New character models that have armed locals fighting alongside the JTF side against the bad guys, or as volunteers walking with JTF patrols.
    2. A new faction made up of locals with Faye Lau's passion that want to take action. Heck, make it a mini-expansion that runs parallel to the original Agent story arc. New opportunities for brand new intel. Missions that Agents are too busy to take care of. Missions that aid Agents. We could see story arcs criss cross so we see the events of the original game from a different perspective. Weapons and gear would be purchased from black market vendors.


    Am I alone in this thinking? Are my concerns already addressed in parts of the game I haven't played yet?

    Caveat 2: Despite my complaint, I'm really enjoying the game. I won't weep into my pillow at night if nothing changes. I thought I'd just put this out into the universe and see what happens.
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  2. #2
    #1 90% death rate for the Dollar Bug.

    #2 NYC has some stupid tough firearms laws.

    #3 Even the toughest person could be made a mouse by watching an unseen, unkillable enemy decimate their city with a 90% death rate.

    #4 Having been in hostile situations where guns are being shot at each other... The LAST thing I want is some civilian running up with a firearm to assist. I don't know who they are or what their intentions are and shooting them would prove tragic. The exception to this is if I am down and nobody else to help. Cover me, help me to safety, get first aid going. That's OK. But generally speaking when bullets are flying, stay out of the way. Nobody needs to get needlessly hurt.

    That said, in real life I'd personally avoid a shootout. Especially if I know that there will be NO medical help should I get hit. Shoot when you have to, avoid it otherwise.

    New Yorkers are tough. I agree with that, but there comes a point where tough just doesn't cut it. It's like being tortured for information... You're going to talk. It's just a matter of when and the info given will probably not be correct. Afterwards, the person tortured will be scarred for life. The same goes with such a catastrophe as the Green Poison in The Division. Besides, likely everyone healthy already got out.
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  3. #3
    Yes, there are tough gun laws. But with all the weapon drops in the game, you're bound to stumble on one and work your way up. There are dead rioters and JTF lying in the street. Heck, even civilians, when you give them a soda or bottle water, they may drop a worn pistol instead of a trendy mesh cap. This already happens. And that's just speaking in terms of game mechanics that could support this new character type and their journey through the game.

    The rest is just the law of averages at work. Even with a 90% death rate, it's a statistical improbability that there would be no one wanting to fight back. There are 1.7 million people on Manhattan alone. Accounting for the limited geographical area of the game, even a 90% death rate would still leave alot of people.

    SHD doesn't hold a copyright on Extremis Malis, Extrema Remedia. The civilians will feel as much of the dire effects of the world as the SHD, if not more since it's their homes at stake.

    What I'm saying is that there wouldn't be zero citizens that would want to fight back. There would be some. Their absence just seems odd to me. This is the one thing I think Ubisoft Massive got wrong about New Yorkers.
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