06-21-2020, 12:29 AM
Osrona: Has to figure out what it wants to be. Right now it feels like a 'catch-all' for people from all over. Occultists, Teraphim, Holy Faithfuls, sewer criminals turned revolutionaries, and Rhoynish who chose it all call it home, and while that's great in terms of inclusion, it's not so great in terms of trying to figure out what New Osrona is all about. It was left standing so we could see an occupation arc play out, and while that sort of, worked, I often find myself believing that leaving it in a smaller and far more ruined state for people to visit but not live within would have been better. That's only in retrospect, and now the castle that housed the king, the massive housing districts, sewer/cave system, and everything else that once provided a large RP environment for its playerbase to exist within has been minimized to the small park in the center area and the surrounding pavilion.
Solution: Decrease it in size. Treat Osrona as if it had been wiped from the map and only recently rebuilt (which it was). Keep some of the walls, the gates, the outer area but make it appear unmanned/untended to. New Osrona should feel like a village built within the shell of what it once was, and I believe the map could be made to express this idea. It no longer needs an unused castle, it no longer needs a massive market district or huge houses that outnumber any other cities.
Nysea: Nysea shouldn't exist to the extent it does now. The refugees were given a new place to live, new homes to work within, and their own private mine, AND a spawnpoint. It was a lot to hand over to the losing side in a war. A large fraction of the playerbase spawned in and made it one of the two popular factions. At this point it's too late to argue for it to be taken back, but I have a suspicious feeling that someday soon we'll have this very same conversation about Nysea once it is empty as well, especially if Osrona is ever won back.
Solution: Stop allowing it to expand/upgrade itself so quickly. Nysea was a small rural town that received an influx of refugees, and it should remain a place that may or may not ever feel like home to those who fled there. Allow the IC to play out and if it maintains what it is as a "Revivalist Osrona" then expand.
Myllenoris: I am biased on this one. I'd love to see it stick around and try to see a new wave come in, but it has been me and 2-3 other people logging on everyday in our empty city. I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with it and believe that both it and Theria could easily both see a revival once the Nysea-New Osrona craze dies down, but maybe we don't want to wait that long. Myllenoris DID win it's big war, and to see it go while the losing side gets to thrive is awkward for IC, even if the OOC has created that situation.
Solution: Should Myllenoris continue to stay empty, it could easily 'mysteriously' vanish into the Vale via some IC means (Roanoke Colony style). Teraphim could become a rarer race, and if someone someday wants to bring Myllenoris back, they could event to find it. Save its map off to the side and let others know this is possible, though it will take a effort and enough numbers to promise to populate the city should it return. Also remove Vale properties...
Theria: Kind of the same thoughts I have about Myllenoris though less biased. I truly think the original three factions were great and the arc we got out of it was because of that, and it's a shame that two of them have been reduced to such low popularity. Unfortunately while I can attest that Myllenoris still has it's small handful of characters, and even 1-2 new spawns, AFAIK Theria is empty outside of one guild and its hideout?
Solution: Same concept as Myllenoris though perhaps it should be offered less time given it has been inactive a bit longer. Some IC event (angry dragons, Barsburg) could push the main part of Theria down the mountain and out of the snow. If a small village at the foot of the mountains isn't provided, allow for the idea that someday a large enough and dedicated playerbase could try to retake the city. Once again, save the map to the side, and should this happen, it can be placed back in.
Alabastre: Sorry Bog but being king of two factions that have low populations isn't cutting it. Alabastre has one of the better maps in the game, but its identity isn't widely known. I believe it has a population of one guild that remains there however, making it at least more successful that current Ilburg.
Solution: Have Alabastre absorb Ilburg or wipe it.
Ilburg: Same thoughts as Myllenoris and Theria, sad to see a day one faction that has a lot of lore and IC going for it along with a pretty map fall by the wayside due to flavor of the month population shifts, but it has been empty the longest of all of the now 'inactive' settlements.
Solution: Leave behind the cave system for some to explore, but allow some IC means to wipe it away (Barsburg, Big Sandstorm, anything really). If Alabastre stays, Ilburg shouldn't really be given a chance to come back like I mentioned for Theria/Myllenoris. Njorun worshipers could flee to Myllenoris to practice their religion, given he's a primordial/spirit, or they could go to Alabastre to follow their current leaders.
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Overall I think the important thing is to ensure these factions aren't forgotten if they're wiped away. Each one has contributed in their own style to the game and while their continued and competing presence harms the environment by allowing for only 2 to be active at the same time, it would suck for them to vanish in the blink of an map update.
Solution: Decrease it in size. Treat Osrona as if it had been wiped from the map and only recently rebuilt (which it was). Keep some of the walls, the gates, the outer area but make it appear unmanned/untended to. New Osrona should feel like a village built within the shell of what it once was, and I believe the map could be made to express this idea. It no longer needs an unused castle, it no longer needs a massive market district or huge houses that outnumber any other cities.
Nysea: Nysea shouldn't exist to the extent it does now. The refugees were given a new place to live, new homes to work within, and their own private mine, AND a spawnpoint. It was a lot to hand over to the losing side in a war. A large fraction of the playerbase spawned in and made it one of the two popular factions. At this point it's too late to argue for it to be taken back, but I have a suspicious feeling that someday soon we'll have this very same conversation about Nysea once it is empty as well, especially if Osrona is ever won back.
Solution: Stop allowing it to expand/upgrade itself so quickly. Nysea was a small rural town that received an influx of refugees, and it should remain a place that may or may not ever feel like home to those who fled there. Allow the IC to play out and if it maintains what it is as a "Revivalist Osrona" then expand.
Myllenoris: I am biased on this one. I'd love to see it stick around and try to see a new wave come in, but it has been me and 2-3 other people logging on everyday in our empty city. I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with it and believe that both it and Theria could easily both see a revival once the Nysea-New Osrona craze dies down, but maybe we don't want to wait that long. Myllenoris DID win it's big war, and to see it go while the losing side gets to thrive is awkward for IC, even if the OOC has created that situation.
Solution: Should Myllenoris continue to stay empty, it could easily 'mysteriously' vanish into the Vale via some IC means (Roanoke Colony style). Teraphim could become a rarer race, and if someone someday wants to bring Myllenoris back, they could event to find it. Save its map off to the side and let others know this is possible, though it will take a effort and enough numbers to promise to populate the city should it return. Also remove Vale properties...
Theria: Kind of the same thoughts I have about Myllenoris though less biased. I truly think the original three factions were great and the arc we got out of it was because of that, and it's a shame that two of them have been reduced to such low popularity. Unfortunately while I can attest that Myllenoris still has it's small handful of characters, and even 1-2 new spawns, AFAIK Theria is empty outside of one guild and its hideout?
Solution: Same concept as Myllenoris though perhaps it should be offered less time given it has been inactive a bit longer. Some IC event (angry dragons, Barsburg) could push the main part of Theria down the mountain and out of the snow. If a small village at the foot of the mountains isn't provided, allow for the idea that someday a large enough and dedicated playerbase could try to retake the city. Once again, save the map to the side, and should this happen, it can be placed back in.
Alabastre: Sorry Bog but being king of two factions that have low populations isn't cutting it. Alabastre has one of the better maps in the game, but its identity isn't widely known. I believe it has a population of one guild that remains there however, making it at least more successful that current Ilburg.
Solution: Have Alabastre absorb Ilburg or wipe it.
Ilburg: Same thoughts as Myllenoris and Theria, sad to see a day one faction that has a lot of lore and IC going for it along with a pretty map fall by the wayside due to flavor of the month population shifts, but it has been empty the longest of all of the now 'inactive' settlements.
Solution: Leave behind the cave system for some to explore, but allow some IC means to wipe it away (Barsburg, Big Sandstorm, anything really). If Alabastre stays, Ilburg shouldn't really be given a chance to come back like I mentioned for Theria/Myllenoris. Njorun worshipers could flee to Myllenoris to practice their religion, given he's a primordial/spirit, or they could go to Alabastre to follow their current leaders.
--
Overall I think the important thing is to ensure these factions aren't forgotten if they're wiped away. Each one has contributed in their own style to the game and while their continued and competing presence harms the environment by allowing for only 2 to be active at the same time, it would suck for them to vanish in the blink of an map update.