Dev Diary Update 11/20

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Originally Posted by robbyrotten

all these changes look great BUT FIX THE GAME FIRST before adding more stuff to it

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When I was just a wee lad my Mother kept telling me to chew my food before taking another bite. If you bite off more than you can chew, you might choke.

I am afraid that BB is taking another very large bite when they are still choking (the players are choking) on the last few bites. If they choke too much for too long the forecast for their health is not very good.

Please fix what you have before you go for another upgrade which I'll bet dollars to donuts screws things up evern worse than they are now.

I have had fun with this game since beta. The fun is slipping away.

Any chance we could get a timeline of when to expect some of these "Looking to the future" items? I can't wait, they look awesome.

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Originally Posted by beerdevil666

noooo i didnt want it too come too pvp coz it takes alot off time too build resources for someone to come and take it i think i will quit when pvp comes

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They've waiting to long for PvP to mess it up with resource looting. If they put that in, I'd be really surprised.

Farming noobs and ghosts is really lame -- just like all the other games out there.

I am curious to get more specifics about how the PVP system will be implemented. I have read through most of the entries in this thread and I am seeing many valid points being made on all sides. I am sure BB is aware that this game has attracted many of those who are pushed away by the cutthroat nature of many of the other PVP games out there. I am trusting them not to alter the game in a way that will drive away this significant portion of their clientele.
The one point that perhaps stands out most is the concern that the PVP system will disproportionally benefit the more competitive players. Maybe the economic adventures will balance this out...or maybe not. I don't think even BB can know for sure. I have a suggestion that may help (wannabe designer alert).

In addition to the PVP islands, there should also be PVE and resource islands.

PVP islands: not much to say beyond what has already been said. However, I would advise that safeguards be put in place to keep stronger players from bullying the weaker ones. Maybe have a restriction of 5 level difference between opponents.

PVE islands: Originally inhabited by 2 or 3 relatively easy bandit camps. Once they are defeated, you can set up harvesting. New bandits will periodically appear on the shores, each one slightly nastier than the last. Allow too many to build up and you will be forced off the island. Friends and guildies may be enlisted to help defend and harvest the island.

resource islands: No combat here, but the resources are non-renewable (i.e. when a mine is exhausted, it cannot be re-discovered). Eventually the island will become depleted and you will want to abandon it and find a new one.

There should be a restiction of 3 islands max per player (it would be difficult to hold more than this anyway). Competitive player will likely go for the PVP. The PVE is a good option for collaborative or solo players. Resource islands are good for the more passive, economy builder type players. Those that want a more balanced experience can mix and match.

YES!!! PvP!!! This will make the game so much more exciting.

why does everyone on here keep saying that pvp will cost them something???? it clearly says that home islands will be protected which means pvp will basically be optional, if you don't want to fight you won't have to and those who do won't be able to do anything to those who don't

If eliminating the saved XP is for the purpose of preventing players from jumping from 50 to a higher level right away, why not simply restrict the amount of saved xp they can turn in? For example, only let them turn in X amount of saved xp per day, or only allow them to turn in an amount of XP equal to the amount they have gained per day? ( So if a player completes an adventure and gets 35k xp, they could turn in another 35k saved xp) This would allow players that have been at cap for a while to still use their saved xp, but not at a rate that would allow them to jump right to a higher level. Or at the very least, give them the option of trading in their saved xp for gold coins or something. Eliminating the saved XP greatly reduces the motivation to continue playing once you reach cap.

i just want to attack the BBs islands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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Originally Posted by stormdrum

but if you think about it if they go this rout as you suggest then the non pvp players wont have to work as hard as the pvp players do to get said resources which wouldn't be fair to the pvp players... just saying.. its plain and simple if you dont want to play pvp you dont have to its a separate part of the game and to the people who decide they want to they are working for what they get!! so they earned it..

and one more point if you decide not to run adventures do you think that you should still get the same loot? and for what? just because you dont want to do a particular part of the game doesnt mean you should get the same rewards. if you decide not to build a gold mine should you get free gold? i could go on

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First off, I am a non-PvPer so I am not just trying to push PvP cause I'm craving blood. I have played Travian and anyone who has probably loathes PvP like me.

To everyone complaining about PvP. You say its not fair for the non-PvPrs however what you are suggesting is not fair the the people who do want PvP. Yes almost all games have PvP, that is because almost everyone likes to PvP. You only get turned off from PvP when you lose everything and all your hard work gets completely destroyed. I believe the reason BB spent so long making PvP is because they want to make it fair for all. And from what I see it is very fair compared to most PvP games. Your main island is safe so it cannot be destroyed. There will be new economic adventures which will be an advantage for non-PvPers because since you never concern yourself with a giant section of the game(troops and weapons), you have a greater knowledge of the merchanting and economic side of the game.

The PvPers will not pass you with free resources from the PvP islands. They will have to build tens of thousands of troops, everyone has experience pummeling bandit camps with massively one-sided troops battles for low troop losses. Imagine two equal armies controlled by smart tactical players, the losses will be quite extraordinary. Not only the constant input of resources into troop making, they also have to put in time and effort, place garrisons in tactical positions, calculate their win percentage via simulators, attacking and retreating strategically, and after conquering the island, they have to DEFEND IT ENDLESSLY. The islands will not just fall to anyone with a bloodlust and 200 recruits. I think this PvP will be very very bloody. I am sure all the high levels are well equipped and geared and will start pouring massive troops into the islands and start destroying each other. While you want to sit on your lily posterior and click twice to grow wheat and come out even with them.

Like I said above, BB has provided non-PvPers with economic adventures, which actually sounds a lot like a temporary island where you can gather resource to buy, sell, and use. When I read about these economic islands I was super excited! I disliked even the PvE adventures because fighting with garrisons and troop moving and a calculator was not my style. I am going to go all out and study these islands and squeeze out every drop I can as efficiently as I can. I can assure you most warmongers will be too busy fighting to do this. While I am calmly building up my resources, I will have no fear of being raided and I can sell my resources to those warmongers who are tossing troops at each other. The winning side will get extra resources, the loser will end up worse than he started. Perfect chance for smart peaceful merchants to strike!

From my point of view, I feel sorry for PvPers :P

Same here lol my points made perfectly once more

Whats the point of having a 24hr wait period to be able to trade new friends?
I do not like this and I'm sure many others agree with.
Please h please get rid of the feature it serves no purpose and is rather pointless.
Thank you,
Timalanjr

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Originally Posted by TwinBreaker

...I am sure all the high levels are well equipped and geared and will start pouring massive troops into the islands and start destroying each other. While you want to sit on your lily posterior and click twice to grow wheat and come out even with them.
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...The winning side will get extra resources, the loser will end up worse than he started. Perfect chance for smart peaceful merchants to strike!

From my point of view, I feel sorry for PvPers :P

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lol, 'sit on your lily posterior and click twice to grow wheat' =D i love tht lmao

depending on how exactly PvP is implemented, i may or may not participate in it. if the island im spposed to defend can be attacked while im offline, i most likely will not. even if it can be me and 2 other guildies going into it together, w a possibility of a max of 3 enemies attacking us, i probly still wont, as if just 1 of us is offline when they attack, my 2 allies probly wont stand a chance against 3. idk tho, will have to wait and see how it all gets done. so far i've been balancing between the merchant side of the game and building up my army to blow thru adventures quickly. so not too sure which side i'll fall on yet

Your island will not be attacked in PVP, no one's island is going to be under threat. PVP will be held on another island just like the adventures are run & you go to that island to attack another player.
More detail can be found here:
http://forum.thesettlersonline.net/t...y-Update-11-20

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Originally Posted by Lamosos

Come on, guild coins?
Aside from that, looking forward to kicking some аss.
Shame, of course, that other people's islands cannot be conquered, towns pillaged.
Oh well.

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I like that you can have a "safe" zone, that way competition for the controllable islands is increased, and the game doesn't degenerate into a who has the biggest credit card type bang fest, like in so many other "Empire" building MMO. I used to play a game back in the mid 90s called Airwarrior that used this scenario, and player competition for the controllable Areas was always high, and even casual players could compete. Player retention and loyalty was very high as well. In fact The game still exists although now it is called Aces High, and some of the players are still around from the earlier AW crews.

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Originally Posted by Grognard

Regarding the banking of XP for lv50 players, I'd suggest capping it, so they can't get too big a jump. Maybe 2-3 levels worth.

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I agree with this idea. Instead of penalizing the long time capped players by abolishing any accumulated although not awarded xp, then let it apply at a set rate. Something maybe along the lines of, they are allowed to go up in levels at 1.25 times the rate of a player that is growing naturally by doing quests, adventures, and /or PvPing. That way they don't feel slighted at all and the game still remains competitive, (i.e. no sudden level 90 players the day after the cap is lifted).

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Originally Posted by JimRat

I agree with this idea. Instead of penalizing the long time capped players by abolishing any accumulated although not awarded xp, then let it apply at a set rate. Something maybe along the lines of, they are allowed to go up in levels at 1.25 times the rate of a player that is growing naturally by doing quests, adventures, and /or PvPing. That way they don't feel slighted at all and the game still remains competitive, (i.e. no sudden level 90 players the day after the cap is lifted).

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I think 'capped' experience should be credited in other ways. Like every 5000 capped XP earned gains 1 gem -- or every 200 capped XP earned gains 1 granite -- or every 500 capped XP gains 1 map fragment.

Fix the current game before you add more problems!!!!!!!!!!!!

hmmm!