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Caravans Mechanics/Balancing

ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
in Ashes of Creation Systems and Mechanics
I brought this up in Discord already and had a good conversation with a handful of people (especially Prophetwtf and Lucie), so now I bring it to the forum for more voices. Overall I'm very intrigued about this particular aspect of the game. I think the devs have made it clear that caravans will be an important aspect of the economy, which is an important aspect of node development, which is central to the game's design.

My main concern is balancing and the extent to which the devs will go to refine this particular player-driven system. If left solely up to the players, with a small amount of NPC help (as I've understood it), it could go in two extreme directions:
1. Players will find an easy way to take down caravans, thus causing many to gravitate to that playstyle in order to gain loot more easily. This would create a more insular world since caravans seem to be vital in inter-node interaction.
2. Players will only use caravans if they have a guild that can defend them, thus making it too difficult for banditry (and removing that flavor of gameplay). This could create unflappable power blocs, in the extreme.

These extremes would be more prevalent on servers with high populations and dependent upon each server's particular meta.

My questions then are: Do you think that the devs should create a system that is more dynamic (e.g. more NPCs guarding caravans if there is a lot of banditry)? Do you think that the devs should leave it mostly up to players to figure out?

Comments

  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    I would like to see the devs give us the tools to figure out the solution. I see it as a cat and mouse game. If bandits become too popular in game, bounty should increase on their heads and consequences greatly increased for multiple pking.
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    The world is reactive, so crafters will use the caravan less, and instead will carry their goods by themselves. this means the bandits will have to look for other places to loot. it's a negative feedback loop, bro.
  • ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    Speaking of caravans I have a few mechanic questions and how they would address them.

    1. Caravans present a static pvp area around them. Will a bandit healer be able to stand outside that area and heal the attackers inside the pvp area without repercussions?
    2. If someone goes into attack a caravan then goes outside the pvp area to leave combat and regain health/mana etc faster then heals up then comes back in does that mean that the people inside are stuck in combat and cant regain mana/stamina etc for more incoming attacks as that would seem to give the attackers all the advantage.
    3. Will I be able to pick the path the caravan goes from town to town?
    4. One of the major points in another game I had was that I could not tell the difference on who would attack me due to the flagging systems so someone friendly would come up kill me take my pack and run off. until reputations of guild came in. How can I tell this initially without knowing someone or a guild if they are hostile?
    5. Will there be guard levels in which you pay more for higher level guards for the caravan?
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