Ashes
Been a while since I did one of these, but it was always fun to brainstorm so let's try it again.
The premises is as followed:
The map game is stagnant.
People might agree with the assertion, disagree with it, but this is the jumping point for this suggestion. What's the solution to it? I have seen some suggestions; map wipes, different mandates, things like that and I think they are nice options. But I don't think they will solve the inherent problem. First it's important to figure out why the map game is stagnant. I have a few reasons that keep popping up in my head:
Solutions:
No, of course not. It's human nature to not want to lose things that took work to gain. That's normal.
But what might make factions more enthusiastic about dropping the 'burn-out'-tactic and just focus on the story is the knowledge that if they lose? If they get killed? It won't take much time to get where they are. That it won't take them a year or more just to regain what they had.
In my ideal Chaos world (which might not be for everyone) a Major Faction should be able to build out their territory in a month. And they should be at risk of losing it all in half that time or less. Which might be a bit extreme, I concede, but I think it's the direction we should head towards if we can acknowledge that the system as it is designed right now are making a lot of people unhappy and just doing some patchwork won't fix that.
Haven't written a huge one like this in a while, so my apologies for the length!
Please discuss, if you got any thoughts.
The premises is as followed:
The map game is stagnant.
People might agree with the assertion, disagree with it, but this is the jumping point for this suggestion. What's the solution to it? I have seen some suggestions; map wipes, different mandates, things like that and I think they are nice options. But I don't think they will solve the inherent problem. First it's important to figure out why the map game is stagnant. I have a few reasons that keep popping up in my head:
- It's easy to gain territory. 50 posts a hex is nothing, compared to what we used to have.
- Correction: it's nothing for established factions with a big memberbase. Which buffs them to keep adding territory.
- It's hard to lose territory. One invasion thread that can number in 200+ posts might neutralize one hex, maybe two if you got the right mandate. Maybe a bit more, if you manage to corner your opposition with the right map snip.
- Correction: it's hard to lose substantial territory when you are a big faction. It takes 200+ posts to maybe take out a hex, it takes 50 to dom another hex. Big factions can get it done faster, have larger clouds that insulate them from catastrophic map loss.
Solutions:
- It should be easy to take out a hex. Just as easy as it is to win one.
- Suggestions: One invasion should standard influence multiple hexes. You are taking out a hex that often represents multiple systems. It should have a ripple effect during victory. Maybe it takes out multiple hexes around it.
- Alternative: tie it to the victory conditions. You win by one? You neutralize one hex. You win by two conditions? One more hex is neutralized, etc.
- Maybe a cap on the duration or post count. Turn them from endless grind slogs to more quick-paced skirmishes. Make them feel more light and breezy, rather than investments of time that can dominate a faction for a whole month.
- Any other options I am missing?
- It should be even easier to win hexes than it is right now.
- No caps on the amount of doms you can do each month. Half the current posting goal. Things like that, if you got more suggestions, drop them in!
No, of course not. It's human nature to not want to lose things that took work to gain. That's normal.
But what might make factions more enthusiastic about dropping the 'burn-out'-tactic and just focus on the story is the knowledge that if they lose? If they get killed? It won't take much time to get where they are. That it won't take them a year or more just to regain what they had.
In my ideal Chaos world (which might not be for everyone) a Major Faction should be able to build out their territory in a month. And they should be at risk of losing it all in half that time or less. Which might be a bit extreme, I concede, but I think it's the direction we should head towards if we can acknowledge that the system as it is designed right now are making a lot of people unhappy and just doing some patchwork won't fix that.
Haven't written a huge one like this in a while, so my apologies for the length!
Please discuss, if you got any thoughts.