02-16-2020, 10:47 AM
Guess I'll put my own two cents on this:
1) Maybe getting a bit off topic,but since it is connected to conflicts, I'll bring it here:
I believe that captures, and being jailed needs to have a better set of rules. As it stands, the only "legitimate" way to break out of jail, is through full frontal raids, which aren't always desired by both sides, with sometimes the captured person not even being important enough to motivate his side to act.
I am bringing this up, because when it comes to potential self-breakouts, it is generally impossible to get out by yourself. Speaking as both someone who was captured, and among those who held people captive on their side, I'll say this:
The rules about being jailed are vague and almost non existant, where it doesn't even matter if you have a collar on you or not (Such is the case of a demon getting the "cage is made of Tyrium" reasoning as to why she can't escape, or no answer at all, from my case).
I understand that being captured generally means game-over to many people, and being too forgiving can make the whole point of capturing people moot, but still: There should be strict laws about this.
When the rules are vague/unclear about such matters, we run the risk of making players feel their cases were done unfairly, with verdicts being given differently depending on the person and the admin handling it. Sure, there has been at least one attempt made by another that was proven successful, using witch hexes (which I am glad was allowed to happen, I should note). However, this brings up the problem of different verdicts being given: If the cages are made out Tyrium, wouldn't it make sense that the witch would have been unable to use her hex?
For the record: This isn't about critizing past verdicts involving captured people. This will just get us into debates that will lead nowhere. What I am suggesting is more clear, definite rules about captured people. Be they harsh, or lax, they'll at least be more standardized between each captive for all sides, and would be more fair overall.
With that out of the way, back to the others:
2+4)Mapping isn't really my area of expertise, so I can't say much. However, I should bring up your feedback about possibly bringing custom building back. If they do get added, then the map should be big. At least, big enough to allow multiple people to attempt building their own places, rather than end up not having enough space left for them all. That is at least my opinion on the matter.
3)First of, allowing people to fully respec a certain magic tree once they get a new one that needs an app like occult/holy sounds good to me. Needing to do events so that you can clear up the RPP needed for the new magic you attained is mostly just a hassle. They can't be blamed for wanting a full respec too, since unlike the other trees that are avaliable from the get go, you need to get the dev to unlock those magic trees, while potentially still be capable of fighting should conflict arrive. Meaning, you'll end up taking a different tree in the meantime until you get the tree you want.
On those occasions, I agree wholeheartly in giving people the ability to fully respec one tree.
As for those that want it, in an attempt to redo their build... I believe players should be allowed one full respec for their character throughout their life- Mainly to help the new players, who pick trees more out of thematic reasonings than build reasons, and end up having a build that doesn't suit them, or spread all over.
Still, I can't help but be hesistant about it. As someone noted, this might be abused by people to switch to a different tree, the moment theirs get either nerfed, or a different magic gets buffed in a way that makes them want it more. At least, if it is something that is only allowed once, it would be less abusable, and players generally will think hard on this decision before going through with it.
5)We are walking into controversial territory here
The way the situation is, as far as I can learn about hiddens, is that you need to "show an impact" on the story.
Before I continue, I should say that in my opinion, hiddens should indeed be an ability that should generally be more powerful than what you can normally get without an app, as a form of reward (Though, they shouldn't become OP incarnate), and I am going to treat hiddens like they are such abilities/buff when I discuss them. With that out of the way, let's continue.
There are two main obstacles for someone that hasn't made an impact yet to go through with it, in my opinion:
1. At the front line, generally it'll be those already on the high end in RPL, and with hiddens on their side as well (sometimes being two hiddens for a character, too). Unless you are in raids, where the battles are organized around the opposing side's RPLs, you'll generally end up fighting those same powerful fighters, who have gotten strong enoug to where only very few can match them (And among those, are people who have gotten their hiddens together with 100% RP rebirths/character apping).
Even in raid, though, there are two problems: 1.1. The battles are set around RPL, but not around hiddens, so someone without any hiddens can end up fighting someone with multiple ones. This is a problem that is much harder to resolve than some people might think. It is one thing to set people up according to their RPLs, is is another thing entirely to try and set them up according to hiddens as well. It is a much more grey area where, should hiddens be taken into account as well, you end up matching people based on their builds as well, which can just cause more problems.
1.2 Even if you two end up in raids, they could end up not being considered good enough to ''make an impact''. Unless you end up with a cap kill, raid battles seem to be looked at as more of "how many won", rather than who won. A victory or loss is looked at as more of a +1 to one side, rather than an impact made by those who fought. Could be wrong on this, but this is how it looks to me, when I notice that the fights that happened at the raids are generally forgotten and unspoken about, with only the result of numbers being the one that matters.
2. As someone pointed out, being unable to scene lock when fighting inside cities/settlements can make trying to do impact on the story much harder. You may be able to walk in to enemy territory, and find a match where you can actually win to make that impact, but then you'll end on the risk of getting chased by those on the stronger side as discussed at problem (1), making the attempt possibly trivial with you getting permed/captured/killed.
I should point out that while I am putting it as a problem, I still believe that fighting inside settlements shouldn't be scene locked to avoid such retaliation. It made sense back when it was a one-city RP, less so when the game changed to incorperate multiple factions. Fighting inside a settlement should be a much riskier endeavor, rather than ganking someone you know you can win, and then dip out.
One possible solution, is to help those who at least try: Even if they fail, that their losses should still be counted as an attempt to make a difference. As milly said, to reward those who do step up to the challenge, even if they might lose. There is a feeling in the community that I noticed, where one has to ''win'' to get stronger, but I do not think this should be the only way if this is indeed true. There should be growth from losses, as well, from all sides.
1) Maybe getting a bit off topic,but since it is connected to conflicts, I'll bring it here:
I believe that captures, and being jailed needs to have a better set of rules. As it stands, the only "legitimate" way to break out of jail, is through full frontal raids, which aren't always desired by both sides, with sometimes the captured person not even being important enough to motivate his side to act.
I am bringing this up, because when it comes to potential self-breakouts, it is generally impossible to get out by yourself. Speaking as both someone who was captured, and among those who held people captive on their side, I'll say this:
The rules about being jailed are vague and almost non existant, where it doesn't even matter if you have a collar on you or not (Such is the case of a demon getting the "cage is made of Tyrium" reasoning as to why she can't escape, or no answer at all, from my case).
I understand that being captured generally means game-over to many people, and being too forgiving can make the whole point of capturing people moot, but still: There should be strict laws about this.
When the rules are vague/unclear about such matters, we run the risk of making players feel their cases were done unfairly, with verdicts being given differently depending on the person and the admin handling it. Sure, there has been at least one attempt made by another that was proven successful, using witch hexes (which I am glad was allowed to happen, I should note). However, this brings up the problem of different verdicts being given: If the cages are made out Tyrium, wouldn't it make sense that the witch would have been unable to use her hex?
For the record: This isn't about critizing past verdicts involving captured people. This will just get us into debates that will lead nowhere. What I am suggesting is more clear, definite rules about captured people. Be they harsh, or lax, they'll at least be more standardized between each captive for all sides, and would be more fair overall.
With that out of the way, back to the others:
2+4)Mapping isn't really my area of expertise, so I can't say much. However, I should bring up your feedback about possibly bringing custom building back. If they do get added, then the map should be big. At least, big enough to allow multiple people to attempt building their own places, rather than end up not having enough space left for them all. That is at least my opinion on the matter.
3)First of, allowing people to fully respec a certain magic tree once they get a new one that needs an app like occult/holy sounds good to me. Needing to do events so that you can clear up the RPP needed for the new magic you attained is mostly just a hassle. They can't be blamed for wanting a full respec too, since unlike the other trees that are avaliable from the get go, you need to get the dev to unlock those magic trees, while potentially still be capable of fighting should conflict arrive. Meaning, you'll end up taking a different tree in the meantime until you get the tree you want.
On those occasions, I agree wholeheartly in giving people the ability to fully respec one tree.
As for those that want it, in an attempt to redo their build... I believe players should be allowed one full respec for their character throughout their life- Mainly to help the new players, who pick trees more out of thematic reasonings than build reasons, and end up having a build that doesn't suit them, or spread all over.
Still, I can't help but be hesistant about it. As someone noted, this might be abused by people to switch to a different tree, the moment theirs get either nerfed, or a different magic gets buffed in a way that makes them want it more. At least, if it is something that is only allowed once, it would be less abusable, and players generally will think hard on this decision before going through with it.
5)We are walking into controversial territory here
The way the situation is, as far as I can learn about hiddens, is that you need to "show an impact" on the story.
Before I continue, I should say that in my opinion, hiddens should indeed be an ability that should generally be more powerful than what you can normally get without an app, as a form of reward (Though, they shouldn't become OP incarnate), and I am going to treat hiddens like they are such abilities/buff when I discuss them. With that out of the way, let's continue.
There are two main obstacles for someone that hasn't made an impact yet to go through with it, in my opinion:
1. At the front line, generally it'll be those already on the high end in RPL, and with hiddens on their side as well (sometimes being two hiddens for a character, too). Unless you are in raids, where the battles are organized around the opposing side's RPLs, you'll generally end up fighting those same powerful fighters, who have gotten strong enoug to where only very few can match them (And among those, are people who have gotten their hiddens together with 100% RP rebirths/character apping).
Even in raid, though, there are two problems: 1.1. The battles are set around RPL, but not around hiddens, so someone without any hiddens can end up fighting someone with multiple ones. This is a problem that is much harder to resolve than some people might think. It is one thing to set people up according to their RPLs, is is another thing entirely to try and set them up according to hiddens as well. It is a much more grey area where, should hiddens be taken into account as well, you end up matching people based on their builds as well, which can just cause more problems.
1.2 Even if you two end up in raids, they could end up not being considered good enough to ''make an impact''. Unless you end up with a cap kill, raid battles seem to be looked at as more of "how many won", rather than who won. A victory or loss is looked at as more of a +1 to one side, rather than an impact made by those who fought. Could be wrong on this, but this is how it looks to me, when I notice that the fights that happened at the raids are generally forgotten and unspoken about, with only the result of numbers being the one that matters.
2. As someone pointed out, being unable to scene lock when fighting inside cities/settlements can make trying to do impact on the story much harder. You may be able to walk in to enemy territory, and find a match where you can actually win to make that impact, but then you'll end on the risk of getting chased by those on the stronger side as discussed at problem (1), making the attempt possibly trivial with you getting permed/captured/killed.
I should point out that while I am putting it as a problem, I still believe that fighting inside settlements shouldn't be scene locked to avoid such retaliation. It made sense back when it was a one-city RP, less so when the game changed to incorperate multiple factions. Fighting inside a settlement should be a much riskier endeavor, rather than ganking someone you know you can win, and then dip out.
One possible solution, is to help those who at least try: Even if they fail, that their losses should still be counted as an attempt to make a difference. As milly said, to reward those who do step up to the challenge, even if they might lose. There is a feeling in the community that I noticed, where one has to ''win'' to get stronger, but I do not think this should be the only way if this is indeed true. There should be growth from losses, as well, from all sides.