Race Representation in a Node's Architecture

Like in any other MMO, some races will be more popular than others. In AoC this will have great repercussions because the number of players of a certain race that are active in a node's zone of influence, will determine that node's architectural style. There are also talks from Intrepid that a node of a certain race will give some kind of benefits to players of that same race. Regardless, the issue remains that certain races will be underrepresented and maybe even completely nonexistent. We might never see a Metropolis of some races.

A solution I would like to suggest to this issue would be to give races a bonus to their representation in a node’s architectural style decision based on the region/biome the node is in.

We know that each race has its starting zone and there are certain biomes that “belong” to certain races. So for example let’s say that we have 40 Dunir dwarves working on a node in their foothills in the northwest and 50 Ren’kai orcs are also working on that node, but the Dunir dwarves get a 50% bonus to their racial representation in that region because those foothills “belong” to their race. The 40 Dunir dwarves would now count as 60 Dunir dwarves and they would win the architectural representation over the 50 Ren’kai orcs.

The numbers would obviously need to be tested.

What are your thoughts on this topic or the proposed solution above?

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Comments

Cypher

Don’t like it. Your solution to “maybe we won’t see a metro with X racial aesthetic” is essentially “we will probably only see X racial aesthetic in this region because it has a disadvantage in the other regions”.

Just leave it alone and keep it totally free-market and unbiased. I guarantee you will see at least one node of each race on a server.

JustVine

I hope people consider architecture vote when picking their race. I don't like your solution. It soft locks locale to race.

Better solution IF we even think its a real problem. Let mayors optionally open a democratic vote on what style the node should be.

VmanGman

Cypher wrote: »

Don’t like it. Your solution to “maybe we won’t see a metro with X racial aesthetic” is essentially “we will probably only see X racial aesthetic in this region because it has a disadvantage in the other regions”.

Just leave it alone and keep it totally free-market and unbiased. I guarantee you will see at least one node of each race on a server.

You highly overestimate how many people will pick certain races. Even with this bonus that I'm suggesting, which is subject to change, the most popular races will still take over. For example, in WoW the difference between the most popular race, Blood Elf, and the least popular race, Goblin, is 16% to 3% (didn't include the races that require quests to unlock - allied races). That is a huge difference.

Yes, I agree that we will see a node of each race, but past a certain node level, some races will get completely obliterated. I am willing to bet that we will see close to 0 metropolis nodes of some of the less popular races.

Lastly, what is so wrong about races having the majority of node architectures in the regions/biomes that belonged to their ancestors long ago?

Dygz

9 races and 5 Metros.
It's very likely some servers will have race that never gets a Metro.
That's one of the great things about Ashes. Servers will be different.
To regain their ancestral homes, they are going to have to "fight" for it with population.
That is a key part of Ashes "PvP" conflict.

JustVine

Dygz wrote: »

9 races and 5 Metros.
It's very likely some servers will have race that never gets a Metro.
That's one of the great things about Ashes. Servers will be different.
To regain their ancestral homes, they are going to have to "fight" for it with population.
That is a key part of Ashes "PvP" conflict.

I think that is valid but I also think there is going to be a lot of kaelar players out there that preffer vek and empyrean architecture. A mayoral based democratic vote would fix this potential problem.

bloodprophet

It is not a problem it is a feature. One I look forward to.

JustVine

I see it as a problem only because of this. Choosing race is a personal identity thing. But if you dislike your races architectural style and move to a node to avoid it, you are now a vote against the very thing you moved there for. Get enough of these people and it could possibly tip the balance to ruin the very thing they moved there for. It's a feature yes. But a mayoral issued democratic vote is a more true 'free market' solution. It doesn't even need to be cost free to issue.

Dygz

*meh*
I am planning to play a Vek that is not a citizen of a Vek Metro.
You can be a Kaelar and live in a Vek or Empyrean Node if you prefer their architecture.
I don't understand what is meant by "a vote against the very thing you moved there for".

Different Mayors in different Node Types will have different governing styles.
I have a feeling Mayor choosing architectural style is not going to be an option - too challenging to code.
But... we shall see.

Noaani

VmanGman wrote: »

There are also talks from Intrepid that a node of a certain race will give some kind of benefits to players of that same race.

When pressed, Steven said that this benefit was going to take the form of an easier version of a quest that all other races still have access to do.

He did specifically say that players won't have access to anything unique (content, abilities, augments etc) due to racial dominance.

Sathrago

Dygz wrote: »

*meh*
I am planning to play a Vek that is not a citizen of a Vek Metro.
You can be a Kaelar and live in a Vek or Empyrean Node if you prefer their architecture.
I don't understand what is meant by "a vote against the very thing you moved there for".

Different Mayors in different Node Types will have different governing styles.
I have a feeling Mayor choosing architectural style is not going to be an option - too challenging to code.
But... we shall see.

If you become the citizen of a city your race choice adds to the tally of which racial aesthetic is applied to the city. Meaning your presence increases the chance of the city changing to your aesthetic that you dont prefer.

HumblePuffin

While I know this is a different direction than you are going, this made me have the idea that maybe we can have little parts of the metro that become influenced by lesser represented races. Example: the metro is primarily Vek, but a bunch of Tulnar get apartments in the west side of the metro and we end up with Tulnartown in that area. If you want those authentic fried grubs and mushrooms you head down to Tulnartown.

Dygz

Um. Architectural style is not based on Citizenship - as far as I know.
My presence does increase the chance of the city's aesthetic changing, so, it might behoove me to be diplomatic enough with racial style I desire to get the result I desire.
That's what allies are for.
Choose your friends wisely.

Sathrago

HumblePuffin wrote: »

While I know this is a different direction than you are going, this made me have the idea that maybe we can have little parts of the metro that become influenced by lesser represented races. Example: the metro is primarily Vek, but a bunch of Tulnar get apartments in the west side of the metro and we end up with Tulnartown in that area. If you want those authentic fried grubs and mushrooms you head down to Tulnartown.

This might be a low key great solution. Instead of the entire town being taken over, We can have districts for various races that are influenced by how many were in the contribution at the time of the zone leveling up.

HumblePuffin

Sathrago wrote: »

This might be a low key great solution. Instead of the entire town being taken over, We can have districts for various races that are influenced by how many were in the contribution at the time of the zone leveling up.

I def think there’s something here lol. The node levels up based off all actions within its zone of influence, but some buildings are built when the mayor sanctions a building being made and people donate materials for it. Could definitely leave some room for unique parts/buildings within the metro based off of what races donate the most to particular areas.

Unkempt Foliage

I like the idea that the race of the people contributing to the node determines the look of the node. As I understand it though it's an all or nothing as of right now. First place determines the entire look of the city with regardless if second place contributed 5% or 49% of the xp.

With that system I'm a bit worried about the two extremes: the servers most popular race will determine all 5 metros and the servers least popular race won't even get a city. Just do to sheer numbers or lack of numbers.

I think variety is important. Whether it be racial districts, a soft lock on starting areas, or letting players choose which node theme there quest xp contributes to separate from their character race.

Dygz

I guess you will just have to play to see for yourself, but...
Those extremes are highly unlikely. That's not the way the numbers work.

Azherae

Unkempt Foliage wrote: »

I think variety is important. Whether it be racial districts, a soft lock on starting areas, or letting players choose which node theme there quest xp contributes to separate from their character race.

I think this is good, but if people don't want exactly that, how about one simpler option for those who move to areas where their interest in the architecture is toward the architecture of the area. Just a toggle in either Character Creation or at some specific point that lets you give 'generic' or 'current' node exp?

e.g. if I live in a Vek node as an Empyrean and I want to 'respect their culture and not change it', then my efforts just go to 'Vek style' because it is a Vek node already. This way, players who just like 'the current look of an area' or are 'wandering drifters with no direct wish for input' can just have 'no effect'.

This would keep a strong enough incentive for people to play as a race if they wanted the architecture but otherwise didn't care that much (because you need at least some base of that race in the area, probably still quite a few of them) but for those who really want to be a specific race but don't want to interrupt anyone else, they can do this part.

Could even put it as a toggle or something within the Node once it gets to a certain level.

Either way, don't Tulnar already have a setup like this? I don't remember there being any plans for Tulnar Architecture, so Tulnar that live above ground might have this effect already?

VmanGman

Dygz wrote: »

9 races and 5 Metros.
It's very likely some servers will have race that never gets a Metro.
That's one of the great things about Ashes. Servers will be different.
To regain their ancestral homes, they are going to have to "fight" for it with population.
That is a key part of Ashes "PvP" conflict.

Yes, I am aware that some races won't get a metro because there are 9 races and 5 possible metros, but it goes beyond that. We might literally never see a specific race's metro structures, quests, NPCs etc. in game (across all servers) because there are so few players of that race.

Dygz wrote: »

I guess you will just have to play to see for yourself, but...
Those extremes are highly unlikely. That's not the way the numbers work.

That is exactly how these numbers work. Technically, since it is all based on percentages, if the races are spread out evenly, you will only see nodes with the most popular race's architecture. Of course that is an extreme example and it won't happen exactly like that, but it strengthens my point that some races might never be represented architecturally past a certain node level. The developers would literally create content that would simply never have the chance to be seen because a metropolis of a less popular race will never exist.

Dygz

Nothing strengthens your point.

VmanGman

Dygz wrote: »

Nothing strengthens your point.

Yes, it does. The fact that it's all based on percentages and that technically the most popular race could win the percentage fight in determining a node's architecture style for every single node absolutely strengthens my poiint. This clearly shows that it is possible (and highly likely) for some races to never be represented past certain node levels which would mean that some content would never become available.

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