Hello!
I know there is active PTR server engagement at the moment, but thought I would bring up a topic that's on a lot of folks minds: Caravans.
I am not going to come in and try to Product Design/Project Manage this part of the game, but thought I would offer some suggestions for a way to improve the current iteration.
Current Problem:
Mules are 'too safe' and allow for relatively frictionless gold generation. Though not the pinnacle of gold income, it is a close #2 and accessible by everyone(unfortunately, bots included). In a true PvX game, we'd love to see a return to some variation of P1/2's caravan systems.
I'm also aware that the new 'turn materials into crates' function is not going away. So, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, let me offer a few ideas on ways to improve the wheel:
- All crates should require Glint, regardless of Mule or Caravan.
- Caravans should have special 'basic' crates that require only glint, and can only be carried in a caravan
- There should be another crate type that combines the GLINT version and the CURRENT materials version. This will serve as the highest risk/highest reward crate. It requires both glint and mats, and can ONLY be carried in a caravan
- Making caravans great will relieve pressure of carpenters and animal husbandry artisans having half their profession being useless
What these improvements would ultimately help with would be twofold:
1) The playerbase would finally have a true PvX system that is enjoyable and engaging, while also balancing risk vs reward.
&
2) The glint required for EVERY type of crate would make it so glint finally has a use besides vendoring and citizen taxes.
2. (b) - The glint requirement would also force 'bots'(we all know they exist) to farm mobs as well. This could allow for healthy competition for player, while also reducing the bots' code to killing mobs effectively.
There's always going to be holes in any idea, so I am welcome to feedback. Please let me know your thoughts!
Thanks :)
As a possible, additional, side note that I thought of, but didn't want to take away from main caravan conversation:
**Possibility of a new crate type: buy order crates. These could be strictly materials + commodity tickets(like right now) + a potential unique ingredient related to a specific buy order(think slate, bluebell, etc.), but can be traded to other settlements on behalf of your current settlement for citizen experience, citizen tickets, and would act as a 'buy order' to that node. This could help both mayors, players, and build some initial 'settlement to settlement trading' that will come to the game later on.
