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Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
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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.
[Feedback] Caravans
D3ATHSPARK
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
So my original impression of caravans was the transfer of materials from one node to another. This made sense given how limited storage is and a mass transfer of goods would be useful. However, to my surprise and many others that is not what the caravan system is. Instead, it is a way to print gold and wreck the economy in a week or two. I feel as if absolutely no thought went into this system, and I'm really hoping that this is just a placeholder system. This game will be dead on arrival if it remains in this state.
This system supports zerg guilds who will control all caravans if they choose to do so. If they control all caravans then they control all gold. How do you think that will play out? The only way this system would work in it's current form is if that attackers are restricted to the same number of defenders, with a minimum set of say 5. This would prevent a wave of zerg players from controlling them and allow for fair evenly numbered combat. Currently a guild can be both defenders and attackers completely manipulating the system without restriction.
If a smaller guild wants to run a caravan and they only have a single party to defend it, then only a single party of attackers should be allowed. Guilds should also not be allowed to be on both sides, because they would just sign up as defenders and idle while more attackers join in. This type of stuff is common sense... or at least it should be. Why there are not systems in place to prevent this is beyond me. I get that it is it's first stages, but that would not be a hard thing to implement. However, even with this you are inflating the economy daily.
Ultimately this is a very poor decision regardless of mechanics. Caravans should be a PvP activity players opt into, and the rewards should be useful but not decide the entire economy. I have an alternative suggestion that would not only help alleviate resource issues, but also keep players from feeling cheated if things go south with their caravan.
Instead of creating the caravan and choosing what goes inside, perhaps there is a list of caravans the caravan master has as jobs. They tell you how far you need to go, and generally the "type" (metals, stone, herbs, food, etc) that you would be transporting for them. The gamble part is you do not know exactly how many of that material is in the caravan and what type it will be exactly. This would prevent players from feeling horrible when they lose a caravan (since they don't know the exact contents) but also be a potential dopamine rush when opening it at the destination. The majority of these resources should be common/uncommon, but with a chance for bigger rewards like higher quality or higher tier resources. Thus it becomes a "gambling" system creating exciting repetition.
The caravans should also have higher risk/reward components. For example this could be the list of jobs:
Small Caravan --- Stone --- Transport to: Winstead --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 4/8)
Large Caravan --- Lumber --- Transport to: New Aela --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 16/32)
Medium Caravan --- Metal --- Transport to: Joeva --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 8/16)
Small Caravan --- Food --- Transport to: Halcyon --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 4/8)
Large Caravan --- Animals --- Transport to: Miraleth --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 16/32)
This system would also help with the drought of resources like copper/willow without directly damaging the economy with injected gold. Players still need to farm/sell glint to buy these resources on the marketplace if they are sold. Between crafting and node advancement, this will feel productive without damaging the economy the way the current system does. It also balances the odds while giving all sized guilds the opportunity to participate without feeling punished.
I personally hope to see something like this in the future. I hope the majority of players agree.
This system supports zerg guilds who will control all caravans if they choose to do so. If they control all caravans then they control all gold. How do you think that will play out? The only way this system would work in it's current form is if that attackers are restricted to the same number of defenders, with a minimum set of say 5. This would prevent a wave of zerg players from controlling them and allow for fair evenly numbered combat. Currently a guild can be both defenders and attackers completely manipulating the system without restriction.
If a smaller guild wants to run a caravan and they only have a single party to defend it, then only a single party of attackers should be allowed. Guilds should also not be allowed to be on both sides, because they would just sign up as defenders and idle while more attackers join in. This type of stuff is common sense... or at least it should be. Why there are not systems in place to prevent this is beyond me. I get that it is it's first stages, but that would not be a hard thing to implement. However, even with this you are inflating the economy daily.
Ultimately this is a very poor decision regardless of mechanics. Caravans should be a PvP activity players opt into, and the rewards should be useful but not decide the entire economy. I have an alternative suggestion that would not only help alleviate resource issues, but also keep players from feeling cheated if things go south with their caravan.
Instead of creating the caravan and choosing what goes inside, perhaps there is a list of caravans the caravan master has as jobs. They tell you how far you need to go, and generally the "type" (metals, stone, herbs, food, etc) that you would be transporting for them. The gamble part is you do not know exactly how many of that material is in the caravan and what type it will be exactly. This would prevent players from feeling horrible when they lose a caravan (since they don't know the exact contents) but also be a potential dopamine rush when opening it at the destination. The majority of these resources should be common/uncommon, but with a chance for bigger rewards like higher quality or higher tier resources. Thus it becomes a "gambling" system creating exciting repetition.
The caravans should also have higher risk/reward components. For example this could be the list of jobs:
Small Caravan --- Stone --- Transport to: Winstead --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 4/8)
Large Caravan --- Lumber --- Transport to: New Aela --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 16/32)
Medium Caravan --- Metal --- Transport to: Joeva --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 8/16)
Small Caravan --- Food --- Transport to: Halcyon --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 4/8)
Large Caravan --- Animals --- Transport to: Miraleth --- (Min/Max Defenders/Attackers 16/32)
This system would also help with the drought of resources like copper/willow without directly damaging the economy with injected gold. Players still need to farm/sell glint to buy these resources on the marketplace if they are sold. Between crafting and node advancement, this will feel productive without damaging the economy the way the current system does. It also balances the odds while giving all sized guilds the opportunity to participate without feeling punished.
I personally hope to see something like this in the future. I hope the majority of players agree.
0
Comments
Just about every system in the game is desgined to favor Zerg style guilds. Join an uber guild or don't bother playing the game.
That is the most unintelligent logic I've ever heard. The game would be dead in a month. PvP players are the most fickle and just looking for the next high. If they can't steal stuff from players willing to put in work they will leave, and players won't put in that work with toxic trolls running around zerg style.
Ill tell you what I was told when i brought this up "Your a fucking idiot and don't know what your talking about". Id say wait till phase 3 goes live at that point the Hardcore OWPvP crowd will be outnumbered 2 to 1 then we can have a discussion about changing things and people will actually listen.
PvP players are all the same. It's ego-based and usually the younger crowd. That's just a fact. Those who want to battle other players feel like they have something to prove, and when their ego is harmed that toxic behavior comes out. You can pretend you're not one, but there is no way around those players being the same.
I can tell you this from experience. In UO I was a menace and thrived off PvP. When you grow up and learn values you tend to favor teamwork-oriented actions. This is most common in PvE, and it's a natural shift.
You telling people to join the problem or not participate is pure ignorance.