Live and Let Die

[El_Camino]

O.K.  I'm losing in the pre-election poles badly, so I decide to send my opponent to "sleep with the fishes".  I zoom in to watch the deed, figuring that if I'm gonna get ousted, I at least want some 7th grader to hear about me in history class!  When what to my wandering eye should appear, not one, but two different soldiers walking side by side with the condemned!!!!  What gives!  After a while they eventually parted ways and the guys walks!  I ended up rigging the election (which I won by 2 votes).  And the dude was eventually taken out by another soldier two months after the election.  Oh well, maybe this turn of events will give me more print in that history book!

[Poptop Brent]

Soldiers won't get the order until they check in at the guard station / palace. If they  don't get the order, they won't go after the target.

They may also have been off duty. You don't expect to have your soldiers chasing people around when they're off duty do you?

[El_Camino]

That's true.  Hadn't thought of that.  It was just a little disturbing to see.  I fully expected them to enter the pub together and break into a chorus of Alice's Restaurant!

[Joaquin_Stick]

I had the same problem with a rebel who was traipsing through the middle of town, beret and AK brandished... I watched 2 soldiers stroll right by him without so much as making a rude gesture.

I checked their mood towards the current government, and they both strongly supported the wise and benevolent dictator... what gives?

I don't buy this "off duty" stuff, heh. If one of my guys spots someone strolling by the palace toting weapons, I want them to retire him on the spot.

Sighs all around... still can't stop playing the game.

[Avaunt]

Employment satisfaction might also be a factor. I have had times when police/soldiers are not working too hard, but after a raise they get alot more active in their jobs for awhile.

Also, with the rebels I have only seen them being attacked when they are actually commiting a raid. When they are just leaving the city or on the rare occasions they wander out of the jungle my soldiers ignore them. I guess we can assume they are in disguise even though their character model is dressed to kill.

And now in the spirit of the posters subject...

Bond trivia:

What is Mr BIG's real name? Hint: his initials inspired his name along with his rather large stature.  

Avaunt

[skot]

there really needs to be a "round up" option with soldiers or the police (for eliminating or detaining all people of a certain type or faction), and maybe the police need an "arrest on site" order for individuals or faction members.  These seem to be the kind of orders one could issue as a dictator, and it's much more efficient than going after each person individually ... and i remember someone somewhere said something about police dont arrest rebels (is that true?), and i think they said the reason was because the rebels were armed, well if the soldiers ignore them (possibly because when not doing raids, they are "in disguise"), then the police should be able to arrest them (unless the disguise also confuses them).  i realize not all people wear their beliefs on their sleeves, but it seems there should be some kind of order to eliminate or detain rebels on sight, as well as a similar faction-wide order for the police.  i suppose a possible downside, though, would be if one soldier spotted a superior number of rebels, but went after them anyway.  perhaps the soldiers/police could alert you when they are about to carry out the general order, and you could confirm or belay the order.


-skot

[Coconut Kid]

Here is the
Definitive Statement
by the PopTop representative.

Soldiers won't get the order until they check in at the guard station / palace. If they don't get the order, they won't go after the target. They may also have been off duty. ...

And the players refuse to accept
that the game world is not
their world.

I had the same problem with a rebel who was traipsing through the middle of town, beret and AK brandished. I watched 2 soldiers stroll right by him without so much as making a rude gesture. ...

I don't buy this "off duty" stuff, heh. If one of my guys spots someone strolling by the palace toting weapons, I want them to retire him on the spot. ...

Employment satisfaction might also be a factor. I have had times when police/soldiers are not working too hard, but after a raise they get a lot more active in their jobs for awhile.

Also, with the rebels I have only seen them being attacked when they are actually committing a raid. When they are just leaving the city or on the rare occasions they wander out of the jungle my soldiers ignore them. I guess we can assume they are in disguise even though their character model is dressed to kill. ...

Job satisfaction has nothing to do with it, but Avaunt did catch the drift of PopTop's design intent. Only the players see the Rebels as 'rebels' - and s\he doesn't see them all the time (they are invisible in the jungle). The other NPCs "see" the Rebels as 'rebels' only during a raid, otherwise they are 'seen' as ordinary citizens.

The 'off duty' status is real for all Tropicans; capturing the idea that Tropicans are not multitasking, but rather live their lives in a series of single task 'modes', is essential to understanding gameplay.

There really needs to be a "round up" [dragnet] option with soldiers or the police ..., and maybe the police need an "arrest on sight" order for individuals or faction members. ... and I remember someone said police don't arrest rebels ..., and I think they said the reason was because the rebels were armed, well if the soldiers ignore them (possibly because when not doing raids, they are "in disguise"), then the police should be able to arrest them (unless the disguise also confuses them).  I realize not all people wear their beliefs on their sleeves, but it seems there should be some kind of order to eliminate or detain rebels on sight, as well as a similar faction-wide order for the police.  ...

Skot at least recognized the concept although the "disguise" term may not be precisely what is intended.

The limitations of the game 'engine' dictate that no matter the title or concept of an edict, the NPCs would act on it only while they are in work (on duty) mode and after they reported to their work building. If the edict were structured to cover a group, it still would be put into effect one NPC at a time. The player can do his\her thing with faction members with the current edicts - but it's picky work searching out and clicking on them one at a time.

Not being able to be proactive in finding and shooting or arresting Rebels is a design feature -- the other citizens favor them over you in all cases. Learn to live with it, and deal with them with the other tools you have.