Poll: How should the developers address the need for increased troop production capacity?

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Thread: We want more than 25 troop units - now what?

  1. #1
    Retired Community Leader
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    We want more than 25 troop units - now what?

    By now, everyone who has been following the discussion concerning the ability of users to make more than 25 units at a time should have heard that the current Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the production buildings is fixed with a constant of 25 units. This is the reason they had to place larger units of the fish food and deer musk in the Rarity Provision House, allowing players to make larger total size. Another limit of the game is that once production on an item is started, it cannot be stopped, which applies to every process in the game, from production to building upgrades. It is not feasible to not allow people to make troops numbering less than 25, as it would prevent lower level players from reasonably making troops.

    However, just because the current barracks setup cannot be changed, there may be other solutions that may be possible. There are pros and cons for each of the possible solutions, from both the developer and player standpoint. One of the issues is obviously going to be what the player community as a whole is willing to accept, which is where we can make a difference. Rather than simply repeating the fact that people would like the ability to make larger troop units at one time, something that is know, we would be better posting how we feel such a change would best be added to the game.

    One method of doing this is to create another building that works like the barracks to create troops. The benefit of this would be that there would not have to be any change in the existing code for the current barracks. I would suggest that each quantum of production be either 10 or 25, giving an overall production of either 250 or 625. While it still would not be possible to interrupt troops in progress, having it as a secondary option would still allow people to use the regular barracks at the same time if something occurred where other troops were needed more promptly. The downside is that it is unlikely that this building will be free. For those who have packed islands, it will mean making room for another building footprint, although one that should not be need to be placed relative to a storage node.

    Another method would be to add additional tabs to the current barracks, as used in the provision house currently. The tabs could be set different quanta, allowing for both 10 and 25 count units, and theoretically could be level locked, to prevent lower level players from making large groups of troops accidentally and freezing their barracks. It would not require an additional building space and it is unlikely that it would be able to be purchasable, as it would be part of the existing barracks. The downside is that it would be more complex to code the change to the building than make a new one. It would also lock production into the active production type, preventing players from reacting to changes in adventures.

    There may be other ways this could be addressed that would be possible in the current game environment. This is the opportunity for people to make their voices heard in a constructive way, and one that is much more likely to produce reasonable results. Please feel free to express your own ideas on how increasing troop production could be accomplished, including the pros and cons you can initially foresee. I would ask that we critique the ideas being shared, rather than the people sharing them, and show that the player community is able to work with the developers to improve game play.

  2. #2
    Noble MM3Lee's Avatar
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    My suggestion would be:

    Rather than messing with the current set-up or making a rarity for gems, I would suggest creating a Draft Office (accessible after level up somewhere between level 35 and 40) that produces recruits only and does so in in 100, 200 400 and 800 unit blocks, similar to ph's "bread men". This would free up the original barracks for more advanced units while allowing for rapid production of "cannon fodder."

    Pros:
    Won't tie up the original barracks
    Allows for slightly faster recruit production when both are used for recruits
    Should be possible without creating a bug in the barracks

    Cons:
    Takes up another building footprint
    Would require new artwork (may delay update slightly)
    Last edited by MM3Lee; 03-30-14 at 12:31 pm. Reason: To add (my) Pros and Cons lists

  3. #3
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    While I would've liked new tabs in the barracks, I think maybe a new building would be better in general, if it solves the issues more easily than recoding what already exists.

    I would suggest that, while it may not be free, that it would be available for purchase during some future event, preferably perhaps the event after Easter, whatever that might be. Or if not, perhaps the next one. Then making it available for gems.

    I like the idea, of having groups of 10, 25, 50, 100 so perhaps maybe even four tabs in this new building.

    So you can create troops between 250 to 2500, and sure even add level limitations to the various groups as well.

    Pros:
    -Would allow you to use the original barracks as it was intended for units of 25 each for purposes of making it so you can use all your resources as best as possible. I mean after all, if you only have enough for 17 Calvary it isn't like you can use the new barracks.
    -Would allow great troop production to be created.

    Cons:
    -Such a building would likely exclude any possible new troop creations to be made. Like a Calvary Long Bowmen or something. Unless of course the nine different military units you can create are the only ones that will continue to exist throughout the Settler's lifetime. In which case you can ignore this completely.
    -As mentioned it would take a space, and ignoring events, would be extremely expensive most likely like the Rarity Provision House.

    I can't think of anything else at this moment.

  4. #4
    Recruit
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    I agree. Love thee Idea of a recruiting station or Draft Office. I feel thats the way of it. I just hope it wont be to much on the wallet to purchase this item or hard on our supplies.

  5. #5
    Mayor
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    then make new upgrades for the current barracks have the it go up by the 25 unit increments

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by CL_Aurboth View Post
    By now, everyone who has been following the discussion concerning the ability of users to make more than 25 units at a time should have heard that the current Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the production buildings is fixed with a constant of 25 units. This is the reason they had to place larger units of the fish food and deer musk in the Rarity Provision House, allowing players to make larger total size.
    Prov II still makes sets of 25, it's more like for deposits it just makes the 'retired bandits' of fishfood and musk. More or less. It seems more likely those were bumped to Prov II to make it more appealing and possibly because of:

    Quote Originally Posted by CL_Aurboth View Post
    Another limit of the game is that once production on an item is started, it cannot be stopped, which applies to every process in the game, from production to building upgrades.
    Time is a real issue. The Barracks already has quite a lot to do and if a few [any troops] are needed while a stack of 1k Recs is building that's a lot of thumb twiddling till they're done.

    Quote Originally Posted by CL_Aurboth View Post
    the current barracks setup cannot be changed
    This is still puzzling, it's been said repeatedly, see this conversation, but where is it coming from? The setup in Prov has been changed several times, with very few hiccups player-side and Collections in the Mayor were also recently changed with no apparent problem. Bugginess is a very reasonable concern but it is worth remembering Prov II was deeply buggy originally and carried some of those bugs live. Based purely on the time issue a second building really does seem the better idea but some of the arguments for a new building and against changes to the current barracks don't quite hold up.

    Not sure those popular though rather shaky arguments are really needed regardless, for me at least the time and probable greater flexibilty of a second building make it the way to go. Assuming it's not ginormous. Don't let's have a Behemoth Jr.

    Kinda loving this idea:

    Quote Originally Posted by MM3Lee View Post
    My suggestion would be:

    Rather than messing with the current set-up or making a rarity for gems, I would suggest creating a Draft Office

  7. #7
    Veteran General
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    this change will never come

  8. #8
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    I still want multiple tabs, for future implementation for this new possible Barracks (like new military type units).

    But I change my mind on something.

    If possible, there should be one tab with all these military units in. It does it in groups of 10 for 25 units, for a total of 250. On top of that there should be lots, that go to 10. So 2500 units can be made, like if it was 100 groups of 25 units, like my four tab suggestion.

    This would reduce the number of tabs and make it less clunky. Again for this new barracks, I still want tabs or possibility to add tabs, so I can still hope for new military type units.

  9. #9
    Noble
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    Thank you for starting this poll and trying to explain how things work.
    However, being an IT guy with almost 30 years experience in coding, I don't like taking BS. Saying is not possible is pretty close to a lie. If you say - it costs too much to change, or we don't know how do it it, I understand 100%. I am assuming your production class has certain properties and methods, and what you'd have to do is add more properties/methods and assign/use them in the barracks (replacing the old ones). All the other production will still use the old set-up, so not harm done.
    Having said that, I fully agree that we should keep the current unit base (as 1) and either add more tabs or bring a new building. Question is - more tabs? or a second building?
    In my opinion the answer should be driven by - what option is best for BlueByte. Before somebody punch me in the face for saying "best for BlueByte", take a step back and think; if you really like this game and you want to play if for long time, you certainly have to wish BlueByte is making money on this game, enough money to keep them hooked up on development and maintenance.
    As an economic model, I like the inkjet printers model - where they give you the printer almost free, but you'll spend through the nose on ink cartridges. In this case the ink cartridges are...the barracks buffs.
    Now, having two barracks, it means 2 parallel production chains which is equivalent of having a 2x buffs applied 24/7 (side note: the skunk buff destroyed the old Improved Drill plan and Over time buffs...that's a fact)
    Solution:
    a) make the second barrack slower than current barrack (~ 2x times slower ?)
    b) new Barrack will accept only the Improved Drill plan or Overtime buff (they sell for gems) and allow the Skunk buff only for the current barrack.
    Assuming hard core players will drop 1 OT/week on the new barrack, that means 189gems x 52 ~ almost 10,000 gems /year spent on barrack buffs.

    Players happy with less clicks in the barrack, BB happy when players will start buying again IDPs and OT buffs.

  10. #10
    Mayor Wimpy's Avatar
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    Fuscus. At last some clear thinking. I have given up on asking for this to be changed.
    If something can go wrong, it will.

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