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Thoughts on Nodes and Civilizations
I thought I would just throw some of my thoughts on the node system just to see if the developers have any further plans for them. After reading <a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/a-reactive-world-nodes/">this article</a> I saw this:
<blockquote>Stage Rough Development Time
Expedition Few Hours
Encampment Many Hours
Village Few Days
Town Many Days
City Few Weeks
Metropolis Many Weeks</blockquote>
This gave me a few thoughts on how they are currently developing this node system revolving around the size, progression, and competition.
While I really enjoy the nodes and civilization development, one thing that gets to me is the fact that there can only be 5. While I would totally understand limiting the Metropolis' to 5, I would think that it would allow for more lower tier civilizations to develop. It also makes me feel that these civilizations will be large, but the overall world will be small if there are only 5 in existence. There are 6 tiers, maybe by allowing 6 Expeditions, 5 Encampments, 4 Villages, 3 Towns, 2 Cities, and 1 Metropolis to develop in a node or neighboring nodes it could develop a more diverse and more interesting kingdom allowing the world to feel larger and more alive.
From there, the progression seems extremely fast to me. I am sure this is something that a lot of people will feel differently about but I think it should take months to get a Metropolis, not weeks. Even scaling down to the expedition, I feel like that should take a few days. I also think that instead of just popping the entire civilization up to the next tier, individual buildings should upgrade to the next tier or added as it progresses. This can help show what type of focus it is having, and feel more progressive. Not all buildings should have to hit the next tier level for it to level up either, it should add building around the focus it is having and have the buildings not in use disappear.
With those thoughts out there, I think it really helps add a bit of internal competition. If the game allowed up to 6 Expeditions to appear in a node or neighboring nodes, while the people might be together in the kingdom they are developing they would also be trying to compete for their own civilization's growth. They might pillage or stop selling items to one of the other civilizations to try and reduce the rate it can grow. This would also mean that even after the Metropolis has formed, if it does go to war and falls, the other lower rank civilizations will compete to try and become the next Metropolis. These civilizations should also be able to drop levels. If a city stops seeing activity like it used to, the buildings will slowly drop down a tier as it looses XP until it drops enough to completely downgrade. This would allow for some kingdoms to be unified or completely in chaos over who is in control and what is happening around them.
These would also allow other kingdoms to cause issues with each other. It would all help balance the game to feel like a much more dynamic and always changing world. I know, I know! This game is just being developed and who knows how it will end up, but I thought it would be good to push an idea out there about the nodes and civilizations to enlighten my dream that the developers like my idea and make me feel warm inside.
<blockquote>Stage Rough Development Time
Expedition Few Hours
Encampment Many Hours
Village Few Days
Town Many Days
City Few Weeks
Metropolis Many Weeks</blockquote>
This gave me a few thoughts on how they are currently developing this node system revolving around the size, progression, and competition.
While I really enjoy the nodes and civilization development, one thing that gets to me is the fact that there can only be 5. While I would totally understand limiting the Metropolis' to 5, I would think that it would allow for more lower tier civilizations to develop. It also makes me feel that these civilizations will be large, but the overall world will be small if there are only 5 in existence. There are 6 tiers, maybe by allowing 6 Expeditions, 5 Encampments, 4 Villages, 3 Towns, 2 Cities, and 1 Metropolis to develop in a node or neighboring nodes it could develop a more diverse and more interesting kingdom allowing the world to feel larger and more alive.
From there, the progression seems extremely fast to me. I am sure this is something that a lot of people will feel differently about but I think it should take months to get a Metropolis, not weeks. Even scaling down to the expedition, I feel like that should take a few days. I also think that instead of just popping the entire civilization up to the next tier, individual buildings should upgrade to the next tier or added as it progresses. This can help show what type of focus it is having, and feel more progressive. Not all buildings should have to hit the next tier level for it to level up either, it should add building around the focus it is having and have the buildings not in use disappear.
With those thoughts out there, I think it really helps add a bit of internal competition. If the game allowed up to 6 Expeditions to appear in a node or neighboring nodes, while the people might be together in the kingdom they are developing they would also be trying to compete for their own civilization's growth. They might pillage or stop selling items to one of the other civilizations to try and reduce the rate it can grow. This would also mean that even after the Metropolis has formed, if it does go to war and falls, the other lower rank civilizations will compete to try and become the next Metropolis. These civilizations should also be able to drop levels. If a city stops seeing activity like it used to, the buildings will slowly drop down a tier as it looses XP until it drops enough to completely downgrade. This would allow for some kingdoms to be unified or completely in chaos over who is in control and what is happening around them.
These would also allow other kingdoms to cause issues with each other. It would all help balance the game to feel like a much more dynamic and always changing world. I know, I know! This game is just being developed and who knows how it will end up, but I thought it would be good to push an idea out there about the nodes and civilizations to enlighten my dream that the developers like my idea and make me feel warm inside.
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