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Mayoral Decisions Idea: Locking vendors to node citizens (and the conflicts it may create)

AsgerrAsgerr Member, Alpha Two
Could this be an option you would like for mayors of a node?

In my mind this creates a couple interesting dynamics:
1- People will need to decide if settling in that node and opening a store of any kind will prove beneficial for them
2- If certain goods can "only" be found in that node/area, other players will be pushed towards getting residency in said node

Point 1 is going to create a need for people who desire to open up a smithy, or a tavern, or any other store, to sell their crafted goods and materials, to make a conscious decision of risk-reward. Is this node important enough to attract the customers I need for me to put in the effort? Is the type of node, conducive to my business flourishing if only citizens can purchase from stores?

Point 2 can also serve as an interesting political tool. You have a metropolis or city, you are often attacked in node sieges. But you perhaps have some crucial resources being sold by your citizens that people still want. Forcing people to become citizens of your node to benefit from said goods, also automatically enlists them as defenders of the node, in case of a siege.
Through supply and demand, you have now steeled your defenses against future sieges. Your node survives and prospers.

However it also all creates the possibility for "back alley deals" which could cause a lot of soft conflicts and friction between players and create interesting stories in your server.
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Comments

  • Just for clarification, are you suggesting locking NPC vendors or player stall and shops too?
    Is the suggestion to lock buying and selling, both or which one?
  • clone63clone63 Member
    edited April 2021
    If you mean restricting vendors to being citizens of the node, I'd say it just limits what players can do. Limiting crafter's play options, possibly quite heavily depending what regions are like.. Just defeats the purpose of having the feature in the game. Doesn't make a lot of logical sense either, from an administrators POV... in my opinion, anyway
  • Maybe having citizens of nodes outside of the zone of influence having to pay a toll/tax to use the nodes buildings is about as far as I’d be comfortable with. Not full on lockouts
  • ChaosFactorChaosFactor Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    So here's what I would say.
    1. making it a default mechanic to lock vendors from outside citizens would just make far too much restriction, especially because normally people will choose to be citizens of nodes based off of WHO is in the node.
    2. Making it an option to restrict certain vendors according to the Mayor's judgement could be cool, to make an internal trading system, but would also decrease player interaction, as if you want to make in-trades like that you could simply open up trade with a player.
    3. Locking out vendors by NAME (Ie. Whitelisted shops) would ever MORESO restrict player interaction and just lead to weird 5 person trade hubs.
    Overall, I don't think it's a terrible idea, I think there is potential there. Do I think it will be a thing? Likely not, an open auction house and keeping one on one to group trades to the trade window is the most immersive and inclusive way to play the economy.
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  • tautautautau Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I think it would lead to smugglers and a black market, which would be fun.
  • maouwmaouw Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    If you mean locking NPC vendors, it allows your citizens to sell to outsiders with a markup.
    The blackmarket networks would become quite real.
    Lots of potential for in-game political conflict.

    It also means less trading for your node's NPC's and I wonder if this would affect the government treasury?

    Gotta say though, this sounds like a very frowned upon business practice from a certain country that may or may not be real :*
    I wish I were deep and tragic
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