Horde Caravans
Horde caravans are no longer a system being put to use. Most cities have completed their research (and thus do not require quartz), and our small playerbase makes it difficult to gather a group. They can be solo-ed or duo-ed if one has WAR powers to CALL SENTRIES, but that requires 1) building beacons with quartz and 2) the rewards simple do not make the juice worth the squeeze.
I think the system should be removed entirely via an RP horde event that stops their caravaning, or the system be revamped (preferred).
It would be cool if they acted similarly to shardfalls. Random caravans with three-four average guards appear throughout Aetherius with a chance for larger convoys to appear every few hours or so (this would require a team of two or three). The small caravans might net 5 plunders or so with rewards such as gold or commodities to be sold for gold or shards. The larger caravans might net temporary arties or stat soulstones (just something a little more worthwhile since it will be more difficult and require more gold). We might even add a quest for caravaning (i.e. kill the leader of a convoy of caravans and return his corpse for substantial gold, kill small caravans [receive gold after plundering so many].
Either way, the system is outdated and needs to be removed or changed considering current rewards and the resources needed to accomplish them.
I know there are other things in the works, but this is worth looking at as well. No sense in CT being spammed that caravans are crossing through when nobody uses them.
I think the system should be removed entirely via an RP horde event that stops their caravaning, or the system be revamped (preferred).
It would be cool if they acted similarly to shardfalls. Random caravans with three-four average guards appear throughout Aetherius with a chance for larger convoys to appear every few hours or so (this would require a team of two or three). The small caravans might net 5 plunders or so with rewards such as gold or commodities to be sold for gold or shards. The larger caravans might net temporary arties or stat soulstones (just something a little more worthwhile since it will be more difficult and require more gold). We might even add a quest for caravaning (i.e. kill the leader of a convoy of caravans and return his corpse for substantial gold, kill small caravans [receive gold after plundering so many].
Either way, the system is outdated and needs to be removed or changed considering current rewards and the resources needed to accomplish them.
I know there are other things in the works, but this is worth looking at as well. No sense in CT being spammed that caravans are crossing through when nobody uses them.
(Ring): Lartus says, "I heard Theophilus once threw a grenade and killed ten people."
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."
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Comments
Things haven't really worked out that way, due to a number of factors surrounding commodity production. The biggest issue that I see are the commodity rituals in the moon ritual trees. Because of that, I plan to remove them at some point in the near future (as soon as I come up with something to replace them with).
I don't want to derail this thread, so discussion of commodity production and replacements for those rituals will take place in this new thread.
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."
As for beacons, it was always my opinion that there should be a global sentry cooldown. That at least allows some fighting outside of fortified areas, but requiring some investment to get better at it is okay to me. I also definitely think sentries should be a War power, either way.
I hate getting rats.
If caravans are meant to be a conflict system, then please point us in that direction with any changes you make. I feel as if caravans should be automated for all cities, a la Horde caravans, and the conflict comes from protecting your trade routes. This would also play in to a territory control system like my suggestion for leylines, and also might eventually lead to a Towne conflict system after close to a decade (maybe more) of expecting something like that.
Oh, also, quartz needs to be used in more places. It's basically the uber city objective commodity at this point.
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."
Smaller bosses vs. bigger bosses, single caravan vs. convoy.
And I don't want the rewards to be quartz nobody needs anymore or for it to require special city privileges.
That's all I'm saying with this. Give us a way to generate income in the form of gold, temp arties, whatever without mindless bashing an area. Throw in a challenge, but make it soloable in some instances since our playerbase is small for less reward.
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."
The trader hits hard af..
(Ring): Lartus says, "Then it exploded."
(Ring): Zsetsu says, "Everyone's playing checkers, but Theophilus is playing chess."
Progressively harder caravans
I feel the current caravan system is limiting in that only very tanky people can attempt them. Even with a party it is mostly limited to a few people.
Solution:
Have caravans that are progressively harder (route specific). You kill the first one with just the trader, spawn a stronger one, and yet stronger one and so on. If you don't attempt a route for a few days, the horde becomes lax and sends fewer guards and lesser traders
At highest levels - you could have 30-50 guard parties with a boss-like but getting a caravan of that level would give rewards equivalent to say (decay-able artifacts/ rare shards/ minor assembly pieces/ tokens). Since it could take up to 20 RL days (assuming 20 levels of caravans) to 'build' a caravan to a 'legendary' level the rewards could be justified.
To me, it looks like most caravans run from Gongen/ Celidon/ Eastern Nolmine routes. Perhaps have more southern routes as well from Kenuba/ Eor'gahl/ Menanon.