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Swirve
Administrator Nov 29th 7:57 PM
This thread will be used to post updates on the development process for Utopia for the next age. The end of the age has been scheduled for several days after my current school semester ends, so I will have more time to work on changes in the last week or so before the game ends.
Our current plans include updating the science system to function more similarly to the current Genesis server system. We're not looking at transferring the Elite changes from that server, though.
We're also hoping to implement a new relations system. In the past, this system hasn't been possible due to server processing constraints, but I think we have enough server capability to handle it now. More information will be posted shortly on our general ideas for this system.
Mehul
Swirve
Administrator Nov 29th 8:27 PM
The new relations system we envision involves no actual declarations up-front. All hostilities will be recorded between all kingdoms.
Once hostilities reach a certain level, a natural hostility status would take place. This would involve various offensive bonuses.
If the hostilities continue and reach a certain level on both sides, war could either automatically take place, or it could then be declared by one of the parties.
The questions still remaining include:
(1) What bonuses should there be for hostilities and wars? Should they be balanced, or should the declaree get more bonuses? We're hoping to simplify the # of bonuses/drawbacks that are currently in the war system.
(2) How to deal with alliances? In this setup, there would be no real limit on Hostile relations.
(3) Should wars be one-on-one as in the current system? If so, how can fake wars be curtailed?
(4) Should wars end based on monarch choices (as in the current system) or by achieving some pre-set goal? I think we're leaning toward the former, but we are open to ideas.
One option for curtailing fake wars - instead of the random mix of bonuses/penalties currently in place - is to reduce science production at times of war. Since science is now something that will require time to build up, this would also serve as an impetus for kingdoms to end wars quickly. Swirve
Administrator Nov 29th 8:40 PM
More possible changes:
* Cheaper exploring; more land available in the pool? Maybe also a way to steal another kingdom's explorable land during Hostile or War.
* With the new science system, Universities would increase the rate of production of other buildings' science rather than lowering prices.
* A possible change to the economic system - more likely a Genesis change - would be to reward long-term economic health. Provinces would have a daily Per Capita Income - that would not be flat. Kingdoms with consistently healthy and large economies would find their daily tax income raise over time as compared to a province that had a weaker / smaller economy. This creates additional rewards for an economically strong province.
* We're looking at ways to find more things to spend money on. With science becoming produced more than bought, there will likely be excess capital available. We're hoping to find some new options in this area - but this may also be a Genesis thing.
Swirve
Administrator Dec 1st 11:56 PM
Listed below is a set of possible changes designed to accomplish three primary goals:
(1) Reduce the appeal of Fake Wars, while simultaneously limiting the danger of alliances (conflicting goals).
(2) Open up more strategic choices in gameplay.
(3) Curtail the effectiveness of suiciders.
The changes below are simply one possible strategic framework - there are certainly other ways to accomplish these goals, and these ideas are not set in stone. I present them all together as the synergies between the ideas are what makes them work.
SCIENCE
The general science system from the Genesis Server would be implemented. Various buildings would produce science points; purchasing science would be extremely expensive. It would be very difficult to maintain maximum sciences in all major areas. The purpose here is to make science less mandatory and more of a strategic choice. While building a decent amount of science would be relatively easy through buildings, maxing out would be far more costly and not always worth it.
MILITARY UNITS
There would be a number of changes to Elites. First, the price would be dropped notably to make them more easily purchasable; simultaneously, conversion rates from combat would be raised. The goal here is to make Elites easier to acquire.
However, Specialists would simultaneously be made more valuable. In addition to high maintenance costs, Elites would now die much more quickly in combat - perhaps at rates as high as twice that of Specialists. Specialists would also function at 6/0 / 0/6 in non-land attacks (Learn, Plunder, etc). The purpose here is to make clear advantages to both Elites (raw power) and Specialists (cost, stability, special attacks). This allows more of a mix in unit choices rather than a standard setup for any given race.
AMBUSH ATTACK
A new attack type would be added: The Ambush. This is a retaliatory strike against someone who currently has an army out recovering from attacking you. This attack would direct your army at the opponent's army away from home, occupying land captured from you. On defense, the away army's Offensive Specialists would function as Defensive Specialists, and the army would function at 50-70% strength. A win by your troops would re-capture 50-70% of the land taken from you.
The numbers here still need to be worked out, and Anonymity (a relatively useless spell now) would protect an army from Ambush. The purpose here is to create retaliation options - especially useful against suiciders - without allowing abuse. This also gives Elites a new disadvantage in that offensive elites would have to be used defensively.
MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES
The explore pool would be expanded to create more plentiful land growth in the game.
Barracks would probably be weakened to devalue the benefit of logging in 3 to 4 times a day. We want to ensure that players that can't login as often can remain as competitive as possible with those who can.
RELATIONS
I think there were some misunderstandings about the relations system presented above. The changes listed above were simply to change the underlying design of relations from being declarations-based to actions-based. They did not attempt to solve the fake war / alliance problems in themselves - those questions were still left open-ended. For this particular set of ideas, I will assume the current system stays in place. None of the ideas listed below require a change to the core of the relations system.
WAR
The current mix of war bonuses would be completely scrapped. New bonuses would include:
- 1 on 1 war protections as currently exist
- No science production from buildings
- Reduced attack times
- Offensive military strength bonus
- Attack gains include explore pool land
The science change is designed to reduce the appeal of fake wars for science production. The value of fake war Elite production was dealt with above. Including explore pool land in attack gains offers the opportunity for both sides to grow in war, taking away some of the destructive nature and making war a possible option for legitimate growth. The various other bonuses (lower attack time, higher gains) are designed to simply make war a more fun experience.
CONCLUSIONS
In regards to Fake Wars, these solutions certainly do not eliminate them. However, they limit their appeal from the standpoint of elite and science production, and add some strategic value to real wars.
In regards to Alliances, we hope these changes do nothing to enhance the power of alliances; these changes do not work to curtail them in any direct way, however.
In regards to strategic choices, we hope these changes will allow more variety in science levels and military structures, while also rewarding strong economies with the ability to more effectively supplement science and replenish militaries. In addition, the science changes allows the possibility of real value in the Learn Attack.
In regards to suiciders, the Ambush Attack is designed to provide more gameplay options and curtail the effectiveness of a suicide. If successful, this type of attack may allow us to widen the level of available targets both upward and downward.
As noted above, this is one possible solution to the problems we are looking to deal with. There are certainly others, and other changes are still in the works to deal with other gameplay issues as well.
Feel free to post your comments, suggestions, and criticism on these boards. Much of the major work on finalizing changes will not begin until next week.
Mehul
Swirve
Administrator Dec 2nd 12:16 AM
Another option in regards to expanded strategic gameplay options.
When both attacking and defending, players could select a battle strategy:
(1) Standard - as-is
(2) Aggressive - Your army would have a higher chance of winning, but suffer more military losses. On defense, if you still lose, you would lose more land.
(3) Soft - You'd hae a smaller chance of winning, but suffer much lower military losses. On defense, if you lose, you would lose less land.
We haven't really looked at this in detail yet. Not sure if we'd implement something like this - it may be a Genesis server experiment.
- Eто ме.
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