Conquest 2.0 Working Document

[Cryptite]

Quite a bit late since the SotS was awhile ago, but here is a working document for Conquest 2.0. This is traditionally how we work out features and we're going to open it up as read-only so that those of you who are very active with Conquest can put forth ideas, concerns, etc.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s8x4W43C6AayRC2FUY_32cCrHwwaihnQgXhIJxB75CU/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Ajaxan]

Assuming everything gets approved and the idea can move forward, do you expect this to take weeks, a few months or even longer to implement?

Also, I'll go ahead and address some concerns I have as well as some things I really like. I've never been to involved in Conquests but I've always been very defensive of my town itself.

1st Topic:
"New grid-based territory system."

- Love this idea. One of the biggest headaches I've had with the current systems is proper spacing. I believe that in the long run a grid based system will be much more reliable and easier to understand.

- I assume that with this system limits on territory size will be removed?

• If so, how will you prevent one powerful alliance from simply taking over everything and then preventing new players from taking territory? You mentioned resets but is this fair or even enough?
• If not, what would the limits be (ballpark estimate is fine), and how would you incentivize invading other continents assuming you can't even control your entire continent?

2nd Topic:
"like town sieging in the future"

- Before I get myself too worked up over this one, it seems like this is still just an interesting idea and hasn't really been thought about fully.

- Some towns are literally air tight boxes located underground with virtually no way in or out for invaders. Even if their are specific structures inside the town that can be "attacked" how would you go about making them accessible to other towns?

3rd Topic:
"inhib times probably shouldn’t be 1 hour and as a result"

- I tend to disagree with this. Although quicker action is much better for getting people playing and in general it seems like more fun, I don't believe it'll work here. this one hour window allows defenders to have time to realize they are under attack. If you take this away, you're giving a huge advantage to the attackers.

Other Points:

"examine Planetside closely"
- Very interesting idea. I've never played planetside but I know about it.

"Towns can’t be placed near fortresses maybe? "
- Please let me build a fortress, I've done extensive building with massive castles.

"lockdown of that entire region’s unique resources."
- How does this effect capital's monopoly policies?

"How does claiming a TGen for a town work?
How does claiming a controlled TGen for a town work?
How do Inhibs/Inhib Pads work?"
- I wouldn't change the fights at all really. They have been balanced and the amount of fun to be had from them is insane. I wouldn't change it. Claiming a TGen is now a fight except their are just no players to defend it. Only golems fighting against the players.

Conclusion:
I've asked a bunch of questions so let me pose a few of my own answers now.

- Just as town size effects the shard consumption per day, so too should the amount of TGens you have. After all, a bigger town with more territory should be bringing in much more income right? This idea will work well because it stop towns from becoming too greedy and claiming territory they don't think they can maintain.

- The previous point leads into the next point. I believe biggest territory as strength can be tried again, but in addition to the above system. Now, you aren't rewarded for inactivity as you'll lose control of TGens if no one is collecting resources to keep them active. And in general, I believe having the largest territory is a large accomplishment and should be rewarded.



PS: I just want you to know that I'll now be treading through ever inch of ocean in the southwest corner of Kalros trying to figure out the meaning of that grid square being placed in the center of the ocean.

 

[Cryptite]

I'm pretty busy at work these days, so progress is slow but I'm hoping to have testable content on the PTS within a couple weeks.

how will you prevent one powerful alliance from simply taking over everything and then preventing new players from taking territory? You mentioned resets but is this fair or even enough?

Upkeep was the plan (like you posted at the end of your post). We'll probably have a fixed amount of town cost and then an additional cost for each territory you own. Otherwise have loose plans for some sort of auto-decay feature where the extents of your territory start to be claimed by both the wilds and neutral parties. Untowned players are able to attack nodes and neutralize them as well.

what would the limits be (ballpark estimate is fine), and how would you incentivize invading other continents assuming you can't even control your entire continent?

No limits are planned; it's just up to the towns whether they can finance extremely large territories. Incentives on invasion, other than greed and wanting to control foreign resources are up for suggestions.

Even if their are specific structures inside the town that can be "attacked" how would you go about making them accessible to other towns?

We'll talk about all that if/when sieging ever comes to pass.

"inhib times probably shouldn’t be 1 hour and as a result"

We may not change it, because it exists for a reason; that said, Vulnerability windows may also play a part in that you allow your territory to be attackable at a time you're at least viably around. A 1 hour wait time to do a 5-10 minute fight could be wonky, but might also just be fine.

Please let me build a fortress

If it's a fortress, talk to Magpie (build team lead) and he can hook you up.

How does this effect capital's monopoly policies?

This all affects the policies; we'll have to rethink them again.

I wouldn't change the fights at all really

There are some changes we already needed to do (mostly involving how overloading lamps works), but if you haven't fought lately, fights can take a very long time and continents have sometimes over 100 nodes. That's a lot of fights that take a long time and is what makes unseating incumbents difficult. New players/towns need to feel like they're able to make a dent, and it takes them forever to even start a fight, then get annihilated, they're immediately demoralized and usually just quit the server.

I picture the territories shifting pretty quickly and constantly. If it's slow work, given the average Minecraft player, they will be uninterested.

I'll now be treading through ever inch of ocean

I had a feeling somebody would do that, whoops.

 

[Ajaxan]

I'll definitely talk to magpie about that. I spent a good 6 months doing nothing but making castles with a build team. I'd love to put that experience to good use.

And yeah, seems like you've got things pretty well thought through. Conquest 2.0 gets my seal of approval.

 

[Skuhoo]

I know you somewhat addressed this in Discord, but I still think irregular shaped territories is worth figuring out. The same way you used a script to overlay a grid onto the map could be used to overlay hexagons:

Then its just a matter of combining groups of these hexagons into the actual territories:

And BAM! 100x better than a basic, square grid:

Hexagons allow for unique, interesting territories that follow the curve of the landscape much better than squares could.

Keep in mind that the regions I creates were pretty much random and this is just a very rough visual representation of the idea

Edit: These irregularly shaped territories also have the added bonus of being able to incorporate existing towns much better than squares.

 

[Ajaxan]

I can not express how much i love this idea Skuhoo.

 

[Leasaur]

Maybe we could have territory over specific geographic features, such as a mountain pass, a lake, a bay....
....and name those places something specific?

 

[Ajaxan]

Maybe we could have territory over specific geographic features, such as a mountain pass, a lake, a bay....
....and name those places something specific?

Too many good ideas... Can't handle it...

 

[Leasaur]

I just think this could be a really good way to enrich the custom world, and really make territory seem like something important worth fighting for, instead of just buildings placed randomly. Lore and Conquest don't have to be separate

 

[gabrosen]

worth fighting for

"What do we want? A girl worth fighting for!"

 

[Otvm]

Will this mean that large towns like Ibbish will be chopped up and the players will need to move their homes to the center?

 

[Cryptite]

Will this mean that large towns like Ibbish will be chopped up and the players will need to move their homes to the center?

No, new regions will 99% of the time fit the current boundaries of all existing towns. Further, there won't really be a 'center of the region' structure. TGens might be anywhere within the region, but the protection stays the same regardless of where the TGen is inside of it.

 

[Ajaxan]

new regions will 99% of the time fit the current boundaries of all existing towns.

RIP Auru. We are the 1%