The Newness - 18AUG10

GM Stormcrow wrote: Hi all, No plans for a new server atm; still lots to do with this one!  Our objective is for each server to be a  persistant world rather than one with resets. On the Faction AI, we're going to take it slow and in baby steps.  NPC Factions will, initially, be reactive and trade-based rather than proactive and aggressively militarised.  This will change over time as they bed in, but initially there won't be rampaging hordes of evil NPCs destroying everything in their wake (more's the pity !) Best, SC

So what happens when a player pisses them off and want to smooth relations?  How do you go about doing that?  Just send stuff? 
And that'll somehow register as +relation?  Is giving equipment more influential then resources/food/gold?
Is gold worth more then resources/food in their eyes?

What if the player attacks or whatever again after relations are smoothed?  And tries to game the system by doing that again and again?  (Maybe they gain more then they lose?  Maybe NPC are great EXP farms?)

iluvpie3 wrote:     you have to take it from a real-life perspective.In the middle ages,gold was everything.   and as for your last question about exp farms,they might have to put in more gold or whatever to make the relation the same,each time you attack they become less forgiving,maybe putting up more defence or hoarding resources more,thats an easy balance

I'm taking it from a Illyriad perspective.  Which can be up in the air due to game mechanics and balance decisions.

Heres the thing about getting 'more defense', if their mechanics work the same as players, which the GMs have said is likely...
Players can and will keep hitting the same faction/town/player to make sure that the NPC never ever recovers a big enough army to counter-attack.
I'm sure some of your alliance can tell you why and how that is a super effective tactic.

And hoarding more resources makes it easier for the player to take them...

As for the relation thing, rather hoping the Devs account for that sort of abuse...

With the development of an actual contiguous world map, you could then introduce regions upon it. Each region would only be able to hold X amount of cities within it and only 1 of any players cities could be in a region. Players would start in a non space. The Alliance leader would then choose his starting position on the real map. As players are then invited into the alliance they are then placed upon the map and in a region either within the existing region or regions already chosen or an adjacent region that already has an existing alliance city. You then begin the establishment of kingdoms, region and, area control.

There is much that can be expanded within the simple above outline. But this will suffice for now I believe.

Thanks
Vytek

I'm not comfortable with that idea.  Real players may become too invested in those "npc" accounts.  Real people become too emotional.  Many people get really mad when they feel unjustly targeted by another player (myself included).  The nice thing about a NPC faction is you can bully them and not feel guilty that you are ruining the play of another player like yourself.  A computer doesn't have any feelings to hurt.

Shrapnel wrote: I'm not comfortable with that idea.  Real players may become too invested in those "npc" accounts.  Real people become too emotional.  Many people get really mad when they feel unjustly targeted by another player (myself included).  The nice thing about a NPC faction is you can bully them and not feel guilty that you are ruining the play of another player like yourself.  A computer doesn't have any feelings to hurt.

Thats the best thing about MMO's. Every action has a reaction. And whats the fun in a game where your emotions are not part of it Why else do you think some people are addicted to gambling.. And Illyriad is just that, you can win... or lose   And here Its all about contacts and who you have to back you up in battle