Just to throw a little perspective into all of your ideas (and maybe to help you come up with others!), the majority of the admin are not, in fact, coders at all. We have little to do with all of the coding of the overhaul, and would have little to do with the coding of any systems after it is completed as well.
The bug stomping, issue chasing, event running, area building, and roleplay you get is what the majority of us work towards, and even then, this is only a portion of our day (I myself work full time Monday through Friday, and then there is life outside of Lusternia that gets in the way of me stalking you all more than I'd like!)
While all of your coding ideas are great, and will surely be considered by the admin who do code, feel free to throw some other ideas into the mix! Just remember, each of us does something different, so try to diversify your ideas as well!
As for god realms, know that we are working towards them, but also know that it takes A LOT of work to get one, all of which is behind the scenes, and that is just to earn the right to make one. Then you have to put in all of the work to actually build and release it, which could take just as long as the work leading up to it. We want a god realm just as much as you want us to have one, and it is something we all strive for.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
Please balance PvP ._. I know the Knight overhaul is going on, but some classes just simply have ridiculous ease in incapacitating people and killing them without much effort (Celestines and certain Monks come to mind) and it makes me not want to fight certain people knowing there's no other way to fight back. Maybe it's just me being a knight myself and gimping myself with the difficulty of the class, but even with every preparation in effect (A system, every curative, enchantment, etc) some fights are simply unwinnable, and going over logs shows that I'm doing nothing wrong outside of fighting them in the first place.
Yeah, I feel like having spent what... nearly two years now on the combat overhaul (which feels like it won't truly be 'done" until there's been reviews of the classes after the completion) it's probably time to give other aspects of the game some love.
Sure competitive systems encourage people to buy combat artifacts, but the other aspects of the game also provide downtime activities, I really enjoy playing fate with random newbies, or vengeance when I get the chance. I like the identity that can come with families, and I like the ideal that they are meaningful. The library system offers some interesting aspects and often can be a good resource for rp ventures.
And well... these other activites provide a reason for me to spend a long amount of time in game, and are often time that I'm not just standing around influencing or trying to bash. Forming social connections that can help to encourage greater participation in the game.
Few things I would like to see besides what I voted for in the bullet point, is something that frustrated me from the first moment of spending time in learning more in combat skills: they are all meaningless for pvp. Basically, you can hunt as good with your basic combat skills (or that's my impression) as with a really high combat skill of your class. That did frustrate me a bit, as I personally love learning new stuff and then figuring out that they are 'only' pvp made me sad. Sure, pvp is a huge thing for many and I would deem it important, but still I wouldn't mind some love for people who enjoy the occasional hunt, though I think there might be more important parts needing attention, I don't have that great of an overview.
Simple and straightforward. For a conflict game, our war 'system' is very under-developed. 'Raiding' serves no purpose since, short of protecting an smob (which has happened once in the, what, past two RL years?), no one cares about pushing out a group on their territory when things functionally respawn. And this, compounded with the massive maluses/risks even stepping onto enemy territory incurs the raiders, functionally discourages this conflict mechanic all around.
Besides this, fixing trades to actually have value would be nice.
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Cyndarinused Flamethrower! It was super effective.
It's not as if the game came to a stand still during the Overhaul. We've continued to have events, new gods, and area releases the entire time.
The game booms when PK is booming. You need only look at this game's history and Achaea to know that. What's good for PKers ends up being more interaction, more resources, more population which are good things for everyone else. A cool family system makes things fun for the handful of people that care about family honor. Things like the family system are great and all, but they don't drive credit sales or attract players.
I was under the impression that the Overhaul was going to address PvP concerns, including the total disincentive to raid (in addition to things like over-the-top damage and vitals, which is already done, yay!)
As far as I am aware, the Overhaul does not officially include anything more than what has already been done. The plan was for an affliction overhaul, a vitals overhaul, a racial overhaul, and a defenses overhaul and nothing more. We're already mostly done with the vitals and affliction overhauls. The racial and defenses overhauls are done. The only reason that warriors are getting a special rewrite is so that the wounding mechanic can be revised to the vitals, as far as I have been told, no other special reports are planned as part of the overhaul.
I won't lie, the omerta like total silence on what's going to go on with monks has me paranoid. Granted, yeah, getting warriors fixed and squared away is important, don't get me wrong. But since three of the five specs have at least a basic implementation, the end feels like it may be somewhat near for warriors, so having an idea of what's going to change with monks would be nice.
I haven't heard anything about a monk overhaul, it may be left to envoys to sort out. In that case, it's probable that wound-dependent effects will be either disabled or have their wound-dependent effects made not so (or disabled). In other cases, an affliction conversion similar to that of the other affliction balances would go through.
There may be a large scale monk overhaul though, who knows. I've asked about having special reports/overhauls for other classes (like Nihilist or Druid) and been told that there were no plans to do so. That does not mean that it won't happen (especially as this was from an anomaly who has disappeared in the mean time), of course.
As far as I am aware, the Overhaul does not officially include anything more than what has already been done. The plan was for an affliction overhaul, a vitals overhaul, a racial overhaul, and a defenses overhaul and nothing more. We're already mostly done with the vitals and affliction overhauls. The racial and defenses overhauls are done. The only reason that warriors are getting a special rewrite is so that the wounding mechanic can be revised to the vitals, as far as I have been told, no other special reports are planned as part of the overhaul.
Make it part of the problem that the Overhaul needs to solve is what I'm saying.
I'd frankly prefer they work on the game's conflict system which is far too overbearing as it stands. There are too many things to do with not enough around to help maintain them, resulting in burnouts.
We have:
Domoths (every 1 to 2 days) Revolts (every week) Flares (every 12 days) Wildnodes (every 2 weeks) *Culture (every 12 days for rewards and totals) Politics (I put this in here because frankly it deserves to be from how far lusternia politics can go) Manifestation hunting (for those involved) (technically every 12 days, but people prepare beforehand) **Quest upkeeping (For things like Sea battle) (Every day, sometimes more than once) Raids (currently infrequent) Miscellaneous others
* Culture encompasses several things, including the writing of books, writing on plays, as well as daily (even sometimes hourly) bard/scholar runs.
** Quest upkeep is actually encompassing a lot and may wrongly be perceived as underwhelming. This includes things like Fae runs as well as attempts as epics.
With all that stated, I wouldnt mind some balancing factors put in place to make some things less overbearing, this includes making some things more fun to engage in and less of a sense of 'failed your org' if you dont help or achieve victory. I frankly wouldnt mind seeing the current domoth system scrapped for a more solo venture concept, or at least enhanced in some fashion. I also wouldnt mind seeing wildnodes deleted.
I would personally like to recommend not getting rid of more opportunities at fair combat.
Even with how often things happen, it is good that they do happen and happen at random times so different people can get involved if they would like to. Not everybody can or wants to play 24/7, but they might like to participate once in a while. If you don't want to help with everything your org is trying for... don't?
Combat seems to be missing in Lusternia unless you want to gank or be ganked. Unless, of course, you take into account these events like wildnodes and villages that nobody is -required- to participate within.
I would personally like to recommend not getting rid of more opportunities at fair combat.
Even with how often things happen, it is good that they do happen and happen at random times so different people can get involved if they would like to. Not everybody can or wants to play 24/7, but they might like to participate once in a while. If you don't want to help with everything your org is trying for... don't?
Combat seems to be missing in Lusternia unless you want to gank or be ganked. Unless, of course, you take into account these events like wildnodes and villages that nobody is -required- to participate within.
It isnt about being required or not, it is about feeling obliged. People will feel obliged to help in order to help their organizations, or they'll be seen as uncaring. This usually stems forward into a general negative outlook on your character. Even if they dont want to help, yes they can hide in their manses, but most -do- want to see their orgs flourish, but dont want to devote this much care and time to it. Pushing for domoths daily else your city loses it? Writing books and plays else you might lose culture centre?
Frankly there are -far- too many conflicts in place, and it is hard to keep up. Lusternia has the most conflict -mechanics- in place, however they dont exactly nurture as much for combat as they should. I think if anything, Achaea has the best system in place, with only 1 main conflict mechanic with everythine else surrounding it, and players devoting themselves to it specifically, rather than feeling split on so many fronts.
It's not like combat or culture is the only ways to help your org... You can also help your org by teaching, you can help them by keeping them stocked on cures, you can help them by sharing knowledge, you can help them by doing commodity quests, etc etc etc. I doubt anyone sees Ssaliss as being "uncaring" just because he never participates in conflicts, for instance.
There's too many, too much power tied up with the potential for abuse, and dead guilds just seem to cause issues.
Would love to see like.. guilds become branches off the collegiums, with just a few ranks (like five?), a GA to maintain them, with the group of GAs electing a single representative to put on the relative city council. Then like make a military version of the collegium that people can join and have the champion slots moved there as an elected thing with a similar representative on the council. And then give the option to create factions like Eventru suggested years ago where players could create factions around the aspects of their org that they want to focus their rp around, like a Scientist faction in Hallifax, or a Stag Cult in Serenwilde. Again with ways to get themselves onto the council.
Cause yeah, stuff from this last year has just made me feel even more strongly that the status quo just doesn't work.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
There's too many, too much power tied up with the potential for abuse, and dead guilds just seem to cause issues.
Would love to see like.. guilds become branches off the collegiums, with just a few ranks (like five?), a GA to maintain them, with the group of GAs electing a single representative to put on the relative city council. Then like make a military version of the collegium that people can join and have the champion slots moved there as an elected thing with a similar representative on the council. And then give the option to create factions like Eventru suggested years ago where players could create factions around the aspects of their org that they want to focus their rp around, like a Scientist faction in Hallifax, or a Stag Cult in Serenwilde. Again with ways to get themselves onto the council.
Cause yeah, stuff from this last year has just made me feel even more strongly that the status quo just doesn't work.
I like the idea but frankly I'd rather see council positions just be electable and contestable by players, or heck just trash the whole government system. I frankly never understood who thought it would be a good idea to give players power over others. That's just asking for trouble.
There's too many, too much power tied up with the potential for abuse, and dead guilds just seem to cause issues.
Would love to see like.. guilds become branches off the collegiums, with just a few ranks (like five?), a GA to maintain them, with the group of GAs electing a single representative to put on the relative city council. Then like make a military version of the collegium that people can join and have the champion slots moved there as an elected thing with a similar representative on the council. And then give the option to create factions like Eventru suggested years ago where players could create factions around the aspects of their org that they want to focus their rp around, like a Scientist faction in Hallifax, or a Stag Cult in Serenwilde. Again with ways to get themselves onto the council.
Cause yeah, stuff from this last year has just made me feel even more strongly that the status quo just doesn't work.
I like the idea but frankly I'd rather see council positions just be electable and contestable by players, or heck just trash the whole government system. I frankly never understood who thought it would be a good idea to give players power over others. That's just asking for trouble.
We shouldn't nuke the governments, but it would be nice if they were a little more customization to their nation. Players run different nations differently, it would be nice to be able to shift some of the mechanical considerations accordingly.
Having the council elected would also be fine, I just remember issues for years around GMs being on councils. Like strains where some are considered more than or less than others because their guilds are larger or smaller.
The thing I like though with the suggested set up is just that you reserve a seat for the people who are focused on taking care of younger players, another for your pk interests. How the rest of the council is made up can vary depending on the org (I imagine Serenwilde might have something where a Moon and Stag faction are incorporated into the council for example) but it gets complicated unfortunately.
While it's a lot of councils, I also wouldn't mind terribly if all families above a certain honour threshold joined a "family council", the council seat for families could be elected from the families in the council. With perhaps every x honour above the threshold could giving additional votes (I.E unknown families would not have much clout but a high prestige family could still be taken down by a group of lower prestige families.)
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Cyndarinused Flamethrower! It was super effective.
With classflexing becoming more pervasive (which is fine), I actually support dissolving guilds as they are and reforming them into faction type things. The Cult of Night, the Bathhouse of the Minstrels, the Celest Pool Party. IDK. I don't like the PK house, the culture house, the religious house as Achaea does it because I think it's more interesting to mix and match then stuff all the PKers in one guild and the RPers in another, but I think Lusternia has enough room for mini factions within each org to build up guild like groups of people that can mix and match classes. A Nekotai can worship Night too!
With classflexing becoming more pervasive (which is fine), I actually support dissolving guilds as they are and reforming them into faction type things. The Cult of Night, the Bathhouse of the Minstrels, the Celest Pool Party. IDK. I don't like the PK house, the culture house, the religious house as Achaea does it because I think it's more interesting to mix and match then stuff all the PKers in one guild and the RPers in another, but I think Lusternia has enough room for mini factions within each org to build up guild like groups of people that can mix and match classes. A Nekotai can worship Night too!
Agreed (shocking yes)
I think the best action to take is to dissolve the guild SYSTEM but not necessarily delete the guilds, since I believe Estarra believes them a cornerstone needed for the depth of each city. This meaning that the guild's themes could remain.
Suggestion 1:
Remove current 5 guilds and incorporate 3 each based on the current covenant system, I'll take Magnagora as an example.
Midnight Chantry: Devoted to teachings of the demon lords and power through them Ur'guard: Basically speaks for itself, I think perhaps the most flavorful of knight guilds, but can also incorporate the study of death magic Engineseers (couldnt come up with anything better): Construction and Industry are the age of tomorrow, and this guild seeks to bring about the Engine's evolution to the Basin.
People could simply pick their classes during collegium from one of the teachers.
Suggestion 2:
Remove guilds and make the collegium the only center for learning and advancement. Could add ways of advancement in the collegium as well as elections for a Headmaster, Disciplinarian or even Teacher positions. Make it that each class represents being as part of a 'society' dedicated to the city. Example, being a Shadowdancer makes you part of the Nightcoven of Glomdoring. The org wouldnt actually exist, but would be represented as such.
Quests could later be added related to each archetype.
Comments
I think it would be very shortsighted for people to vote for options that only affect a comparatively small subset of players.
If not pvp, trades.
You could live in the Traitor's Woods in Shikari's Realm!
Estarra the Eternal says, "Give Shevat the floor please."
I haven't heard anything about a monk overhaul, it may be left to envoys to sort out. In that case, it's probable that wound-dependent effects will be either disabled or have their wound-dependent effects made not so (or disabled). In other cases, an affliction conversion similar to that of the other affliction balances would go through.
We have:
Domoths (every 1 to 2 days)
Revolts (every week)
Flares (every 12 days)
Wildnodes (every 2 weeks)
*Culture (every 12 days for rewards and totals)
Politics (I put this in here because frankly it deserves to be from how far lusternia politics can go)
Manifestation hunting (for those involved) (technically every 12 days, but people prepare beforehand)
**Quest upkeeping (For things like Sea battle) (Every day, sometimes more than once)
Raids (currently infrequent)
Miscellaneous others
* Culture encompasses several things, including the writing of books, writing on plays, as well as daily (even sometimes hourly) bard/scholar runs.
** Quest upkeep is actually encompassing a lot and may wrongly be perceived as underwhelming. This includes things like Fae runs as well as attempts as epics.
With all that stated, I wouldnt mind some balancing factors put in place to make some things less overbearing, this includes making some things more fun to engage in and less of a sense of 'failed your org' if you dont help or achieve victory. I frankly wouldnt mind seeing the current domoth system scrapped for a more solo venture concept, or at least enhanced in some fashion. I also wouldnt mind seeing wildnodes deleted.
I would personally like to recommend not getting rid of more opportunities at fair combat.
Even with how often things happen, it is good that they do happen and happen at random times so different people can get involved if they would like to. Not everybody can or wants to play 24/7, but they might like to participate once in a while. If you don't want to help with everything your org is trying for... don't?
Combat seems to be missing in Lusternia unless you want to gank or be ganked. Unless, of course, you take into account these events like wildnodes and villages that nobody is -required- to participate within.
It isnt about being required or not, it is about feeling obliged. People will feel obliged to help in order to help their organizations, or they'll be seen as uncaring. This usually stems forward into a general negative outlook on your character. Even if they dont want to help, yes they can hide in their manses, but most -do- want to see their orgs flourish, but dont want to devote this much care and time to it. Pushing for domoths daily else your city loses it? Writing books and plays else you might lose culture centre?
Frankly there are -far- too many conflicts in place, and it is hard to keep up. Lusternia has the most conflict -mechanics- in place, however they dont exactly nurture as much for combat as they should. I think if anything, Achaea has the best system in place, with only 1 main conflict mechanic with everythine else surrounding it, and players devoting themselves to it specifically, rather than feeling split on so many fronts.
I like the idea but frankly I'd rather see council positions just be electable and contestable by players, or heck just trash the whole government system. I frankly never understood who thought it would be a good idea to give players power over others. That's just asking for trouble.
Agreed (shocking yes)
I think the best action to take is to dissolve the guild SYSTEM but not necessarily delete the guilds, since I believe Estarra believes them a cornerstone needed for the depth of each city. This meaning that the guild's themes could remain.
Suggestion 1:
Remove current 5 guilds and incorporate 3 each based on the current covenant system, I'll take Magnagora as an example.
Midnight Chantry: Devoted to teachings of the demon lords and power through them
Ur'guard: Basically speaks for itself, I think perhaps the most flavorful of knight guilds, but can also incorporate the study of death magic
Engineseers (couldnt come up with anything better): Construction and Industry are the age of tomorrow, and this guild seeks to bring about the Engine's evolution to the Basin.
People could simply pick their classes during collegium from one of the teachers.
Suggestion 2:
Remove guilds and make the collegium the only center for learning and advancement. Could add ways of advancement in the collegium as well as elections for a Headmaster, Disciplinarian or even Teacher positions. Make it that each class represents being as part of a 'society' dedicated to the city. Example, being a Shadowdancer makes you part of the Nightcoven of Glomdoring. The org wouldnt actually exist, but would be represented as such.
Quests could later be added related to each archetype.