Gang initiation
Get beat in a lil' corner

As of the current state, the new gang policy supports gang RP, but I think it's still a bit hard to actually join a gang. The current prerequisites seem a bit daunting to new, or low UE characters, especially without actually having any gang support.

I'd like to propose some kind of initiation, something like having to get beat up for thirty seconds/a minute/whatever period, by a couple of gangers, or having to do a sewer run, a heaven run, a park run, heck, it could even differ from gang to gang, but something that allows you to become a rookie member, so you'll have some limited backup so you can do the other stuff like tag turf, or get in fights with other gangs, and climb the ranks that way.

Absolutely agree with initiations. Getting 'jumped in' to the gangs is something I always wanted to see. If these are going to be newbie-friendly factions, this is a better way to prove their loyalty without asking them to do some badass stuff they haven't quite figured out yet.

Generally joining a gang is months of blowing money on gearing up NPCs, buying and selling things to them, eating into your weekly earning cap and making little to no profit while you're at it. Meaning your income stagnates. And fighting other gangers. As a newbie character, without atleast a couple months under your belt, I don't see it really being possible to join a gang, especially not as a new one, without leaving yourself in some seriously dire straits for long periods of time.

I think one of the things lacking in the gangs, is the character of the individuals. Meeting the individual gangers. Short of going up to the gang, and attempting to get each individual talking to you in some manner, really it's going to be a long time before it would feel like you have any reasonable relationship with a gang.

I mean, I'm sure all the gangers have their backstories, motivations, their own character. But how do you as an outsider interact with that? What makes JoeBaka2013 different from JoeBaka3102, aside one likes to wear their pants low? And 2013 was a cunt that time when he mugged you, while 3102 was business like?

I think there needs to be some process whereas an outsider, you get a chance to learn the difference between the Sinners, and the Snakes, and the Arteries. Outside of just. "Choose a gang you like the theme of, and run with it." As I don't imagine a new player is going to know very much the difference in the gangs.

Maybe have a 'campfire' nights. Gangs gather around their trash-cans, stoking the pieces of burning furniture and garbage that they pulled off the street. Gangers coming forward to tell stories, about how they became legends. You could script this up much the way one scripts a TV show.

It doesn't even have to be a formal thing, just script a ganger here or there to spontaneous ramble off something about themselves, or the gang to a group of urchins, or bragging to a fellow snake or something.

I can type up an example of what I mean if you like.

But yeah, have the gangers chatting, or A ganger showing off to prospects as he makes them clean the street out front of one of the local businesses. Adding ambience and explaining some of the gang, and gangers character(s).

Which is something you can tie in later if you want a gang initiation.

Put in true and false rumours about what the initiation is. Have people say they had to fight park dogs. Bring a dead judge. Slap their mothers, whatever.

This doesn't solely have to be scripted events, or solely NPCs. Organize the players for a day a month to go out and brag to those that pass by, tell stories. Puppet an NPC, a lieutenant or gang leader. "This is why the other group's a bitch. Because this one time we did this."

Sorry if I ranted a bit, or if the ideas are rubbish, he.