@bunkymoo I feel like at the end of the game there's going to be a competition or some sort of point tally thing that will put both sides at war. I feel like the tallying of points might be most realistic though, adding up everyones points from each side and whoever has the most receives extra credit or something like that. Guess we will have to wait and see!

I think what would be interesting though is if we were all paired up with someone from the opposite group at the same level at us and given an assignment to compete on. Whoever received more points on the assignment would get a point towards their team, and whichever team ended up with the most points won in the end. I don't know if that would be the most realistic in consideration of the game, I just think it would be fun. 

@a2m0n2 I've been noticing this as well! Does one group have an advantage due to their standing? Does one have access to more points, or easier assignments? I too wonder if I made the right choice. Is anyone pretty sure that they've made the wrong choice and are thinking of switching? I think as we approach second semester this is definitely a possibility for many...something to think about...

@delphine I feel like the assignments are worth the same amount of points, but have different meaning or context to them. I feel like it would be unfair to have more point values allocated to one side over the other. At least all I can do is hope that this is the case. Also, is there a thing where we can switch sides. Not that I want to, but I think that could be a feature going into the second semester.

@bunkymoo  I feel like it is only fair to have all of the same assignments for each side other than just the ones that are about who to attack and such.  I think that the workload is the same for each side other than these slight differences.  If I had to guess I'd say that the point totals are the same with a few different assignments in there. 

@a2m0n2 - I really like this idea. I think that would be a really cool way to compare the factions if people were paired up with another person from the opposite faction. The only problem is that the ratios would need to be the same. Also, I feel like this way of doing it would just stress me out more. There are just so many game related things to look out for that while this is would be something cool to do, would add some stress.

@snowyyeti I agree. I don't think that the quality of work, opportunity, or points available would differ between the marginalia and guardians, or even now the Noemata. There definitely has to be differences in some of the assignments, though, I would imagine. But I wonder what assignments the other factions receive

@username27  I think so too. There are so many factors of the game that I still haven't worked with. For example I haven't challenged or fought with anyone, or gotten any points from that, so I still haven't really experienced that. I think there are a lot of aspects of the game that have been introduced like that one that i haven't focused on, so introducing something like that would complicate it even more, I'd probably feel even more lost with the game

Adding on to my last point, though, I think another aspect to the game is coming. Someone mentioned a war-type ending to the year, and I really agree. I think it would make a lot of sense. Plus, there needs to be a final point to why we're doing all this, right? Like maybe extra credit for winning factions? Or a final plot twist lesson? Im not sure but there has to be something lol

I agree with @savhoisington , there for sure will be some kind of endpoint to this whole thing. Not to mention with there being no attacks on either side, I'm sure Chisnell will bring that feature of the game in. That being said, what would the Noemata faction do if this were the case? Would they be forced to pick a side or would it just be a sort of free for all? Lots of questions for me going forward...

@savhoisington I think so too! Knowing this class, there will absolutely be a lesson or message that will come out of this. Maybe even some clarity as we look back on what we experienced through the year that may have not made much sense at the time? I am also interested to see how the Noemata faction fits into all of this, and if they can indeed rejoin the other two factions, which they would choose.

I can clarify at last one thing:

Regardless of your faction choice (or even death), the exam preparation and essential content learned is the same. The order of learning may differ, the framing of the issues, even a few supplemental or extended supports might, but the exercises and opportunities for scores and grades are identical. Anything else would clearly be highly unfair.

What is different? The game offers an understanding of theory and meaning-making which extends fairly far beyond the curriculum. Those who participate actively in it will learn something new (maybe several somethings) that non-participants will not. And the faction choice will determine the amount offered and the kind offered. For instance, Marginalia agents had a job offer from the Ninja in Ch 6: their choices and results would have resulted in a range of additional storylines/videos and information about what was happening behind the scenes. Guardians had an opportunity to learn more from Joseph Campbell than others did. Noemata will spend more time with Fish than other factions. . . (This was all described in the blur of September, but who can remember that?)

And is there "something" this leads to?  Of course. And does it follow the archetypal storyline of the Canonical works? Well, . . . 

@username27 I love the idea of pairing people from opposite factions together. In my opinion, changing of opinions is so so so important when new knowledge is learned. This pairing could allow both sides to make a case for each other and possibly even switch people to the other side. But I do agree, it would definitely add to the stress level that we currently have.

@savhoisington I totally agree, we must have some sort of significant end to the whole game. I don't know if it would necessarily be a war, but I think it's a possibility. All that I can say is I personally think it will be a complicated and significant end point, maybe ending with some sort of large project ending in character discovery and some big literary epiphany? Anyone have more ideas on what the final point could be?

@delphine - I think there will be a significant end, however I don't think we will have a large epiphany. Chisnell tells us to not end our essays with a nice neat bow, but to have a conclusion that brings about more questions. I think that will be how he ends his class.