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How will AoC incentivize the development and colonization of distant nodes?

ClintHardwoodClintHardwood Member
edited June 2022 in General Discussion
From with I understand, as players train in nodes and level them up, they obtain loftier benefits to all those who call the parent node their home: auction houses, shops, higher-tiered resources, and so on. However, what incentive is there for people to leave one of the first few max-level nodes to form, abandoning the many utilities made available to them and relocate across the map and begin from nothing in a level one node? Will we see metropolises boasting massive populations surrounded by sparsely populated dead zones, or will guilds/alliances become nomads in hopes of leveling a distant node for themselves and farming all the resources produced therein? What do you think?

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    NiKrNiKr Member
    From what I know, some guilds are already planning to take over some of the distant nodes right on release. On top of that, not everyone will have enough money to be a citizen of the first big nodes so they'll have to go out further and further until they can afford it. And they'll be doing that because the incentive you're asking about is all those citizenship benefits.
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    AquaticmouseAquaticmouse Member
    One of my goals in any MMO is to have a character that goes through the usual fantasy story where a main character comes from some backwood village and moves into the big city seeking glory.

    The AOC wiki from what I understand tells us that nodes develop around starting areas to incentivize people to return to the starting areas to populate them, so I'm hoping that we can get the choice to have new characters start from distant lands :D
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    NoaaniNoaani Member, Intrepid Pack
    There are a few specific reasons some people may want to be in smaller nodes, or nodes further away from a metropolis.

    One is that they may simply want fewer people around. Another is that they may want to set up next to a specific resource - if you make a living cutting down trees, you probably want to live near a forest.

    Then there is the fact that some people would rather be a big fish in a small pond, as opposed to a small fish in a big pond. Then there is the fact that tax is probably cheaper in a smaller node, even if space in the larger ones is available.

    All up, I think there is enough of an incentive for some people to want to stay out of the larger nodes.
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    DygzDygz Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
    edited June 2022
    You go to distant Nodes if you want to eventually have your own Metro that is different than others.
    If I want to eventuall be a cittizen of a Scientific Metro, why would I be trying to be a citizen of a Military Village?
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    PercimesPercimes Member
    What Noaani said.

    It might sound silly or superficial, but some people could also elect to live in a less developed region only because they prefer that biome. Maybe they like scenery, maybe it gives them an easy access to some gameplay they enjoy. A metropolis in the desert is a poor home for a ship owner needing access to the sea.
    Be bold. Be brave. Roll a Tulnar !
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    PenguinPaladinPenguinPaladin Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    Im just waiting for the youtube video showing what every node looks like as a metropolis 20 years after ashes releases
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    BalanzBalanz Member
    I expect a Node Rush at opening. In that case, the only low level nodes will be the grandchildren or great grandchildren of the larger nodes, not remote nodes.
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    TyranthraxusTyranthraxus Member
    What other incentive is needed? TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!

    ....Just kidding, obviously.

    Scenery is often something people overlook; Some folks will want to live in a specific type of biome, or even find a geological feature they will want to see in their normal surroundings. I.e. a cool-looking crater from the Harbingers, a lava flow coming off the volcano, a certain arrangement/pattern made by a nearby copse of trees.
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    darthadendarthaden Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
    The answer to your question is resources. All they need to do is make sure each node has unique resources. This will never happen but for arguments sake say your guild is the only one to ever visit a specific node you'd have a monopoly on the unique resources there. You could gather/farm mobs, transport those goods, and make a killing as anyone who needs your resource has no choice but to pay your price if they're unwilling to go farm it themselves.
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    PenguinPaladinPenguinPaladin Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    I mean also if you just look at how the node system creates the content in the game..... the reason for wanting to work on nodes in "undesirable places" is to potentially see content no one else has.
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    superhero6785superhero6785 Member
    -Better chance of being elected mayor
    -Available resources
    -Lower taxes
    -Limited in node housing
    -Preferred climate/region/pretty view
    -Freehold placement
    -Guild takeover
    -Play the "underdog"
    -Want to build up and wage wars against others
    -Uninterrupted gathering and then Caravan to the "big city" for $$
    -Could probably come up with 20 more reasons if I kept thinking
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    SweatycupSweatycup Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    I'd say find yourself a guild before launch that already has agreed alliances and figure it out from there. It's just a matter of politics like in the real world. "I don't want to live there because *Insert what you disagree with*". If you were not in a guild at launch in a game that supposedly revolves around interaction with others i think your going to have a very very very hard time keeping pace and this may push you away from the node. Not saying you are without a guild or group, just a thought. For some being a unknown city peasant may be ok i suppose...
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    neuroguyneuroguy Member
    Slightly tangential, but I hope that for a long time (several months after release), there will be world events that the player-base as a whole is simply not strong enough to repel leading to the destruction of the early high level nodes. So if a node levels up 'too fast' such that the players in that area are not well equipped enough to defend it from the dragon it spawns, it would create a cool dynamic where it highlights the threat of PvE to nodes as well as PvP. If the first few cities/metros get decimated (or only 1 or 2 survive), that would create an interesting dynamic early on imo.
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    PenguinPaladinPenguinPaladin Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    neuroguy wrote: »
    Slightly tangential, but I hope that for a long time (several months after release), there will be world events that the player-base as a whole is simply not strong enough to repel leading to the destruction of the early high level nodes. So if a node levels up 'too fast' such that the players in that area are not well equipped enough to defend it from the dragon it spawns, it would create a cool dynamic where it highlights the threat of PvE to nodes as well as PvP. If the first few cities/metros get decimated (or only 1 or 2 survive), that would create an interesting dynamic early on imo.

    Every time a node level to metropolis, there should be a world boss that says "no." Interesting idea
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