Railroading is bandied about as a purely negative term here too, and I just don't see it. For a good, strong narrative you need some events to go certain ways. A 'suppose to lose' fight is what it is for a reason. They happen all the time in singleplayer games in order to further the story.
Singleplayer game. Well then.
You talk about strong narrative.
When one side is supposed to lose, and that side's participation is voluntary, i.e. they're not CCP actors paid to be there and lose, then... why are they going to turn up? What's in it for them?
It's like a thing I saw on a forum somewhere, someone was asking for people to participate in a prisoner escape thing. To play the roles of the incompetent prison guards who are letting someone escape. There were no volunteers, because they had absolutely nothing to benefit from doing so.
When you have "supposed to lose", the players taking that side will be remembered as the ones that lost. Participation is going to be very, very low. It's recruiting from a minority of a minority.
And when there's "supposed to lose", and you're not being paid for your equipment, clones or implants, then... you're not going to use your best ships, you're not going to be particularly bothered about tactics, and you're just not going to care.
I don't see how that creates "good strong narrative".
