dudusierra







Joined: Jan 30, 2006

Posts: 67

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Re: Dark Seas: Obsidian map Reply to this Post

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Heya everyone,

it's been a while.

I saw so many interesting things to comment about that I couldn't simply lurk around (this time). So here we go.





"Sorry for the confusion, that wasn't what I meant. By "automatic", I mean that crews/flags from different factions are automatically considered to be "at war". They don't have to declare it, and there will never be a truce. But no one is ever forced to attack another ship." - Forculus



Thank god.

One of the doubts I had about getting really into the new ocean was that part. And that is way more interesting.



To the north lies two mysterious and untamed areas in the Wild Seas. While the islands themselves are not suitable for colonization, there have been reports of incredibly valuable commodities, a tempting prize for any faction that can secure access to one or both archipelagos.

Which returns us to a point that was brought up a few times, but never addressed, to the best of my knowledge: if one faction or the other gains the upper hand, they gain access to more valuable booty, as well as the reputation for being the 'winning' team. If that happens, is there any plan in place to give players ready to choose a faction an incentive to join the weaker one?



That is a problem, for sure. Some games such as RFO always had issues about this (one faction is more "loved" and it makes it stronger due higher numbers). One way to solve that is to lower the reward for consecutive wins, making it reset over time (Victory bonus: 1000K (1 win), 750K (2nd win), 400K (3rd win), and on). That would make victory less interesting for the winning side, turning the other side to victorious aswell. Although, that's a weak excuse for an answer. I mean like, winning a battle just because your opponent doesn't want to win is quite... dissapointing. Applying modifiers to their income based on that is also not THE answer. I'm really hoping for a good solution for that. It's not an easy problem and it can really matter.





Will there be any reason/incentive for more experienced players to enter the Greywaters? (Flotillas, SMH spawns, economic incentive, etc.) I can't decide if having these waters empty of experienced pirates would be a good thing or a bad thing...



I believe that many of the experienced players will enter the greywaters for the same reason. Recruiting. I don't see any special economic incentive on the greywaters especially because its an area for newcomers. Although, because of that, I can see couple merchants making stalls and shops around there focused on the newcomers. I wouldn't call that an economic incentive, but that's something. Recruiting would be the focus, I believe xD





Are the faction areas under permanent control, or only initially? Phrased another way, would it be possible for a Shadow Fleet flag to take control of even a single island in the eastern archipelago?





I really hope it won't. The idea is to bring the fight to the middle of the map and keep the rest (a.k.a. your own arch) peaceful and safe. Allowing the enemy side to take islands inside the faction arch goes against that idea. Or at least is what I think. =x







Will pirates traveling in this area have to get the goods "home" to the faction area? Or will it be like SMH's, where arriving at any port insures (and ensures) the booty's safety?





To me, it would have to get the goods "home". Somehow like gems, but in a better way. The problem about gems is that they're not quite worth it when you have them in small portions. Imagine if we had commodities that were valuable enough to make you stop what you're doing to make a journey back to your home arch and sell it (and that would lose value overtime, perhaps, not just dissapear, maybe per hour, and would have a special place in the item creation). THAT would be interesting.





Traditionally, there is only a single route to get from one archipelago to its neighbor. Will this remain true here, where there is only a single route from each faction's area to the central archipelago? If so, the islands at the end of each route will be very strategically important.





Fantasy Earth Zero had a system that was quite close to this one and I believe it would solve what you're saying. You could only attack an area if the areas around it were dominated by you. It's like, you can't take the strategic point until you conquer the islands around it (because that would make a cut in the supply line). You have to move your conquer line to get the islands (without being able to ignore all islands around and going straight to the strategic point, thus giving them more value aswell).







Will there be an incentive for pillages to take place in the central area?





I remember this being discussed before and the answer is yes. Higher payouts and all that.







Overall...

After being tied to this game for so freaking long... I can't believe I'm actually hyped for this. I can imagine myself losing my sleep while pillaging and managing my crew/flag once again.

Damn you, guys. You're making it right.



Can't wait until the tests. Really.

It would be a pleasure and a honor to join it and make it the best.

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Shiaku of Obsidian

Dudusierra of Viridian

Captain of Kroengard

King of Alria

