Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Caravans - General Mechanic Suggestions
MythGS
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
While caravans are a good source of money, I also love seeing the aesthetic of them travelling on the roads bringing more life to the world.
However, with my experience with the mechanics from both a caravan owner, a defender and an attacker, attacking a caravan doesn't make much sense compared to the player PvP mechanics.
How it currently works, it is 'legal' for players to join as attackers and attack a caravan with no repercussions; you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. While running a caravan is all risk as there is no additional benefits for defending a caravan successfully either for the caravan owner or the defenders which have no incentive to defend a caravan.
Suggested Options/Changes:
Consistency - Make Caravan attacks follow the same PvP mechanics and attacking a caravan flags you and defeating/taking anything from the caravan or defenders will add to your corruption. Just as in player PvP, caravan attackers should be considered as much a villain as PvP players. Considering a caravan as automatically consensual PvP doesn't make sense.
Town Imports/Exports - Add commodities that a town requires for leveling the node and for upkeep of its needs and citizen lifestyle. This would add a mechanic where caravans are needed to help support nodes by trading with their neighbors. Which then makes defense of caravans much more important to nodes and they develop a policing system where they organize protection of caravans. Include a notification to a mayor where the destination of the caravan is going so they can help mount a defense of the caravan as it will be carrying goods their town needs.
Caravan Defenses - Militia - Add a contract system when starting a caravan and add coin to a pool that is shared with all Defenders who sign the contract and see the caravan to its destination (which should be listed in the contract) and scales based on how far a defender joins the contract (i.e. a defender should not get a full share if they join half way or the last few feet of reaching the destination).
Caravan Defenses - Mounted Weapons - Add the option to add mounted weapons or riding slots where defenders can ride on the caravan and debark to engage in melee or attack ranged from the caravan's protection (limited, less than the rider gets). Also have a caravan slot for mounted weapons that can be manned such as arbalests or magic weapons like a flame thrower. At which point you could actually use a caravan to attack other caravans.
Caravan Markers - Add a marking system for caravans so you know which ones you have contracted to defend. Especially if you are the owner. There seems to be a lot of confusion when caravan trains get raided, and people lose which caravan is which. Make sure the Caravan Event notifications identify who the owner is, so you are choosing to attack or defend the caravan you are specifically wanting to partake in.
Caravan Event Caps - Set a maximum number of attackers and defenders for a caravan event to reduce zerging and abuse of some mechanics used for griefing. This could be managed by Raid Group mechanics; any player choosing Attack or Defend will automatically be put into a Raid Group of their contracted peers.
TLDR; Caravan mechanics need more love in keeping the world lively and making the caravan fair and fun on both sides.
However, with my experience with the mechanics from both a caravan owner, a defender and an attacker, attacking a caravan doesn't make much sense compared to the player PvP mechanics.
How it currently works, it is 'legal' for players to join as attackers and attack a caravan with no repercussions; you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. While running a caravan is all risk as there is no additional benefits for defending a caravan successfully either for the caravan owner or the defenders which have no incentive to defend a caravan.
Suggested Options/Changes:
Consistency - Make Caravan attacks follow the same PvP mechanics and attacking a caravan flags you and defeating/taking anything from the caravan or defenders will add to your corruption. Just as in player PvP, caravan attackers should be considered as much a villain as PvP players. Considering a caravan as automatically consensual PvP doesn't make sense.
Town Imports/Exports - Add commodities that a town requires for leveling the node and for upkeep of its needs and citizen lifestyle. This would add a mechanic where caravans are needed to help support nodes by trading with their neighbors. Which then makes defense of caravans much more important to nodes and they develop a policing system where they organize protection of caravans. Include a notification to a mayor where the destination of the caravan is going so they can help mount a defense of the caravan as it will be carrying goods their town needs.
Caravan Defenses - Militia - Add a contract system when starting a caravan and add coin to a pool that is shared with all Defenders who sign the contract and see the caravan to its destination (which should be listed in the contract) and scales based on how far a defender joins the contract (i.e. a defender should not get a full share if they join half way or the last few feet of reaching the destination).
Caravan Defenses - Mounted Weapons - Add the option to add mounted weapons or riding slots where defenders can ride on the caravan and debark to engage in melee or attack ranged from the caravan's protection (limited, less than the rider gets). Also have a caravan slot for mounted weapons that can be manned such as arbalests or magic weapons like a flame thrower. At which point you could actually use a caravan to attack other caravans.
Caravan Markers - Add a marking system for caravans so you know which ones you have contracted to defend. Especially if you are the owner. There seems to be a lot of confusion when caravan trains get raided, and people lose which caravan is which. Make sure the Caravan Event notifications identify who the owner is, so you are choosing to attack or defend the caravan you are specifically wanting to partake in.
Caravan Event Caps - Set a maximum number of attackers and defenders for a caravan event to reduce zerging and abuse of some mechanics used for griefing. This could be managed by Raid Group mechanics; any player choosing Attack or Defend will automatically be put into a Raid Group of their contracted peers.
TLDR; Caravan mechanics need more love in keeping the world lively and making the caravan fair and fun on both sides.
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