The lost train, persuasion and joining the Free Drones

[Crowley]

I'm trying to wrap my brain around the logic of what you need to do to join the Free Drones if you find the train but persuade them to leave because they are hurting people who have nothing to do with their battle. You need to go the Herve and tell him you couldn't find the train. Why? This course of action to me makes the player character seem like an asshole who comes across resources and then decides to deny everyone from obtaining them, just because. Also if you do this, the train will be gone just the same as if you left the Drones who captured it be and just told Herve you couldn't find the train. Did they suddenly decide that your reasoning isn't valid after thinking it over? Did some random group of scavengers come across the train precisely the in the time it took you to go to Rail Crossing and back? I am also not clear on the logic that would make the Free Drones decide you would be a valuable recruit if you first convince them that Rail Crossing should receive the shipment, but don't follow through on that. That makes the player character seem like he/she is just paying lip service to not hurting innocent bystanders but not following through with actions.

[harperfan7]

The Free Drones want to stop the protectorate from spreading, even if it means being terrorists in the process.  To them, keeping one village from getting resources is a small price to pay to keep the protectorate from turning that town into a fort or whatever.

[Sanger]

The OP's point was that it makes little sense for you to be able to persuade the Drones to leave the train alone, and then go tell Herve you couldn't find the train anyway, and still join the Drones later on. I agree with that, doesn't seem to make any sense.

I don't know why you would even be able to lie to Herve after sending the Drones on their way (what's the point of your character doing so?), nor what happens to the train after this, nor why the Drones would be interested in recruiting you after you stopped them. If anything it seems like following this route should lock you out of both factions.

[Fenix]

Anyhow, I think this is the only way to join Free Drones without dooming Rail Crossing.

I see.

[Megaost]

+1 To OP's point here. I remember this particular part of the questline bothered me as well.

[MirddinEmris]

And your way with words must've impressed someone in the drones.

Except they don't if you return the train to Protectorate. Doesn't make any sense.

[Sanger]

They wouldn't, but why would they take you in if you stopped their plans and then randomly lied to Herve after doing so? I can't think of why you'd do this except to be a dick for no reason. It's a weird sequence of events culminating in... I guess the Free Drones assuming you had a change of heart after convincing their agents?  But is it the Protectorate who reclaim the train in this scenario? If so why would the Drones want anything to do with you? You screwed their plans up.

[harperfan7]

Maybe it's because you talked some sense into them without fighting them or turning them in to the protectorate?

[PhrygianDominant]

Uh, it's a bug. IIRC You're not supposed to have the [Lie] option after persuading the Drones to hand over the train, and thus none of the weird "you messed up our plans real bad but we still really like you" gets to happen. However, I could leave the lie option for those players who want to be absolute jerks, as Sanger pointed out, but the Drones won't approach you after that, of course.

What do you guys think?

[Dieusama]

We should have a dedicated line during the persuation option to tell the Free Drone that we understand their fight against the protectorate but can't condone the fact that they doom Rail Crossing bye stealing the supplies, then let Rail Crossing have the supplies (ie : not lie to the mayor), and then have both choice offer to us.

[Crowley]

Uh, it's a bug. IIRC You're not supposed to have the [Lie] option after persuading the Drones to hand over the train, and thus none of the weird "you messed up our plans real bad but we still really like you" gets to happen. However, I could leave the lie option for those players who want to be absolute jerks, as Sanger pointed out, but the Drones won't approach you after that, of course.

What do you guys think?

Well, that certainly explains a lot. Perhaps there could be some additional incentive to not letting anyone have the shipment, like maybe telling some other party about it and you'll gain more money out of that, but no favour with any faction?

[Sanger]

Uh, it's a bug. IIRC You're not supposed to have the [Lie] option after persuading the Drones to hand over the train, and thus none of the weird "you messed up our plans real bad but we still really like you" gets to happen. However, I could leave the lie option for those players who want to be absolute jerks, as Sanger pointed out, but the Drones won't approach you after that, of course.

What do you guys think?

I would probably just remove the option, but I do see why you'd leave it in just to give the player the ability to make mistakes. In either case though, it definitely ought to lock you out of both factions.

[Sanger]

We should have a dedicated line during the persuation option to tell the Free Drone that we understand their fight against the protectorate but can't condone the fact that they doom Rail Crossing bye stealing the supplies, then let Rail Crossing have the supplies (ie : not lie to the mayor), and then have both choice offer to us.

So basically I'm in favor of this idea. Letting smooth talkers have an option to fix internal issues of the drones (mirroring how you can resolve the protectorate renegade situation) makes them more appealing faction and more impactful persuasion options are always welcome.

It seems like a bit of an ideological cop-out to me, but I can't deny that any measure to make Persuasion more attractive would be good.

[Black Angel]

Wait, let me reiterate what I get from what's being said. So, initially, IF we managed to persuade the FD to leave the train alone BECAUSE RC needs it badly.... and then we go to Herve and tell him about the truth about the train, but NOT report to SRO.... then we can still join FD? But that means.... RC can get the train by themselves without having to rely on Protectorate to recover it? What about the ending slides? Will RC get annexed by Protectorate, anyway?

[Megaost]

We should have a dedicated line during the persuation option to tell the Free Drone that we understand their fight against the protectorate but can't condone the fact that they doom Rail Crossing bye stealing the supplies, then let Rail Crossing have the supplies (ie : not lie to the mayor), and then have both choice offer to us.

Good solution right here. What bothers me as of right now is: Why should the Free Drones dislike/refuse to work with you if you persuaded them to leave the train? Persuasion implies influencing and changing their point of view to where it will now align with yours on this particular issue.

This is what had me frustrated, moreso than how lying to Herve could change things around(although this makes it even more nonsensical).