A common practice in Illyriad™ is to ship caravans loaded down with basic resources (iron,clay, wood, stone, food, gold) to new players that ask for these shipments, or even just say they are new to Illyriad™. While this is the first time I have ever seen such active dedication to supply new players in a game, I wonder if it's an actual aid to player growth, or a deterrent.
I have thought about this practice for a decent amount of time, indeed I can honestly say that I started having negative thoughts about shipping new players building resources since the fall of 2011. Since the fall of 2011, I started to notice *or perhaps I started talking more in chat which lead to me noticing* more new players begging in global chat for resources. It could be as obvious as XXX asking "Hello I'm new and I would appreciate my resources from the Fantastic Community! Thank you!", I noticed that established players would then usually respond in a standard response "Care a vans in bound good buddy!", usually without even looking at the beggars population or alliance status.
Upon closer investigation I noticed a growing chain of players ranging from "five to six hundred" population begging in GC for resources, this shocks me because there seems to be a complete abandonment, an encouraged abandonment among new players to build your own resource production up for your city needs and to instead expect established players who did the work to supply you. When I was at three hundred population, I had a personal resource income ranging from one thousand to two thousand building resource *iron, stone, clay, wood* per hour, yet sometimes when I ask the beggar I get a horrifying answer *oh 28, 32, 25, 30 p/h*.
It makes me wonder, why are these resource shipments continuing to be sent to new players? Some claim that they encourage new players to stay in Illyriad™, though it's obvious that others liked the game for what it was and stayed long enough to establish themselves in the game without the need to beg, a simple thousand minimum stayed long enough for that. Besides, is this how you really want players to stay in the game? Reeling them in by offering *tribute* instead of getting players to stay for the *game*?
Is this a recruitment tactic? Do you bestow new players with dozens of resource shipments in hopes they will join your alliance, then lie and say "nah I'm sending this because I care, not because I want them to think my alliance is friendly and a good fit"? I have no idea...
I honestly take no part in these actions, I may send a shipment or two to members that accidentally ques too many cows and are in danger of running out of food, but I don't encourage reliance on others to progress through Illyriad™. I have personally spend months working on increasing output for resource production in all my cities, even now the majority of my cities have an average of 6k p/h on building resources, I look on to that with a sense of pride and achievement. I highly doubt those that require shipments from others to advance in this game get the same sense of accomplishment, so are they cheating themselves? Should shipments be banned? What do you think?
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
What to do with the *Criminals* in Illyriad™..
Recently I have begun thinking of what one, or the community can do about the undesirables in the game. What is most common is that the undesirables will be baited into a ferocious rage and bring about their own destruction, when those that they took the bait from rise up and crush them. Other undesirables are people who are on the receiving end of large wars, players that the community may not want around for the *danger* they caused them. What to do what to do..
I suggested long ago that some players or an alliance or two take up responsibility to construct a penal colony of sorts, force the undesirables to move their cities to a largely unsettable area with poor resources and require the prisoners to stay within the area with limited military/diplomatic units for a previously set period of time. Once the sentence is up, those previously prisoners would be free to move out of the colony and back into the mainlands of Illyriad™, much like our Undesirables of Society today.
Some players have criticized this project, over how the *Guards* would be able to keep a tight hold of the * Prisoners*, as well as voicing that forcing movement into a penal colony is cruel, though is it more merciful to crush years of work so that the *Critics* can sleep better at night?
I suppose in the end it will fall on those who have the firepower to orchestrate to the other players of what the outcome of the *undesirables* will be. For even if the alliance"s" in a war win, that doesn't mean the vast community will follow them in their penal colony, another case of might makes right.
Just an idea of mine, but with the community and human nature against it I fear it will not take off. Perhaps when another enemy of TLR™ surfaces, I can test out the process..
I suggested long ago that some players or an alliance or two take up responsibility to construct a penal colony of sorts, force the undesirables to move their cities to a largely unsettable area with poor resources and require the prisoners to stay within the area with limited military/diplomatic units for a previously set period of time. Once the sentence is up, those previously prisoners would be free to move out of the colony and back into the mainlands of Illyriad™, much like our Undesirables of Society today.
Some players have criticized this project, over how the *Guards* would be able to keep a tight hold of the * Prisoners*, as well as voicing that forcing movement into a penal colony is cruel, though is it more merciful to crush years of work so that the *Critics* can sleep better at night?
I suppose in the end it will fall on those who have the firepower to orchestrate to the other players of what the outcome of the *undesirables* will be. For even if the alliance"s" in a war win, that doesn't mean the vast community will follow them in their penal colony, another case of might makes right.
Just an idea of mine, but with the community and human nature against it I fear it will not take off. Perhaps when another enemy of TLR™ surfaces, I can test out the process..
Friday, April 27, 2012
Warfare in Illyriad™
Warfare, as I have found in the MMO Illyriad™ is scarce from a new player level and is only somewhat active on a PvP scale when you are a more *along* in the game. So in a sense, warfare as a player can be either experienced at the *Stone Age* level of experience and damage to other players or at the *Nuclear Age* where siege capability is commonly researched on both conflicting sides, capable of destroying months or years worth of work in a short week. Is this a problem? perhaps, but can one really make warfare easier PvP wise?
Warfare, as a new player is fought only because the new players is eager to fight. These players come from other war games like Evony™ or Astro Empire™ where armies are critical to your survival. And so these players come pouring into Illyriad™ with the same desire to conqueror their neighbors before they in turn are conquered, but wait..this is Illyriad™.
There is no immediate threat for new players in Illyriad, in fact bullying is highly discouraged and bullied will be dealt with by the GP's if found guilty in their kangaroo court (though we'll continue with that later). If a player(either new or around 10% lower population then the aggressor) is under attack and comes onto global, you will see an instant frenzy of activity! You will find players instantly ship out resources to the *victim* (could easily be the original aggressor but no one does much investigation in the beginning), weapons, basic resources are shipped. Players give out advice to the *victim* to join an alliance for added protection, conveniently advertising their own alliances while doing so. Others race to gather their forces to attack the bully, or hastily igm the other newb who attacked the victim and get the attacks to stop. Conflict ceased, or is it?
What happens if you encourage peace, in a war game? You encourage players to build up, to house armies, to secure good sov so you can get more population to fund more soldiers..then what? Do we honestly believe that those we teach will just lose the blood-lust over time? No..we can't expect that, what we instead are expecting all new players to stop conflict, to grow, to build armies, to research the techs then..kill npc critters. How can we believe this helps the game play? Someone may stick around to grow the army because *they are expecting to do something with it*, when they finally reach the ability to house a Legion-sized force, they are told simply to harvest npcs. This will then cause some people to leave the game in a fit of glory, such as simply attacking an alliance in a bid to use their military for something other then pest control.
Of course there are times when people can actually use their armies against other players, one such occasion is when a player is found guilty by the GP's of bullying, usual punishment is execution. At this point a thousand and one armies appear and kill the players cities, often driving him out of the game while the GP's congratulate themselves on their victory against bullying, though wouldn't you say that is bullying in itself? You are punishing someone..for attacking someone smaller.. by killing his cities..through vast majority of firepower.. Who punishes the GP bullies?
In time there will be updates that unleash AI's that *should* increases PvP in the community, but who is to say when that will be released? How many more players will be sucked into the pacifism that is taking over Illyriad, how many more will simply wait for another kangaroo court case so they can actually use their military?
Too many..
Warfare, as a new player is fought only because the new players is eager to fight. These players come from other war games like Evony™ or Astro Empire™ where armies are critical to your survival. And so these players come pouring into Illyriad™ with the same desire to conqueror their neighbors before they in turn are conquered, but wait..this is Illyriad™.
There is no immediate threat for new players in Illyriad, in fact bullying is highly discouraged and bullied will be dealt with by the GP's if found guilty in their kangaroo court (though we'll continue with that later). If a player(either new or around 10% lower population then the aggressor) is under attack and comes onto global, you will see an instant frenzy of activity! You will find players instantly ship out resources to the *victim* (could easily be the original aggressor but no one does much investigation in the beginning), weapons, basic resources are shipped. Players give out advice to the *victim* to join an alliance for added protection, conveniently advertising their own alliances while doing so. Others race to gather their forces to attack the bully, or hastily igm the other newb who attacked the victim and get the attacks to stop. Conflict ceased, or is it?
What happens if you encourage peace, in a war game? You encourage players to build up, to house armies, to secure good sov so you can get more population to fund more soldiers..then what? Do we honestly believe that those we teach will just lose the blood-lust over time? No..we can't expect that, what we instead are expecting all new players to stop conflict, to grow, to build armies, to research the techs then..kill npc critters. How can we believe this helps the game play? Someone may stick around to grow the army because *they are expecting to do something with it*, when they finally reach the ability to house a Legion-sized force, they are told simply to harvest npcs. This will then cause some people to leave the game in a fit of glory, such as simply attacking an alliance in a bid to use their military for something other then pest control.
Of course there are times when people can actually use their armies against other players, one such occasion is when a player is found guilty by the GP's of bullying, usual punishment is execution. At this point a thousand and one armies appear and kill the players cities, often driving him out of the game while the GP's congratulate themselves on their victory against bullying, though wouldn't you say that is bullying in itself? You are punishing someone..for attacking someone smaller.. by killing his cities..through vast majority of firepower.. Who punishes the GP bullies?
In time there will be updates that unleash AI's that *should* increases PvP in the community, but who is to say when that will be released? How many more players will be sucked into the pacifism that is taking over Illyriad, how many more will simply wait for another kangaroo court case so they can actually use their military?
Too many..
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Alliance Encampments
Recently there has been a lot of talk about alliances claiming land in the MMO Illyriad™ for use of their alliances, or for their own personal gain. These alliances that are issuing these land claims are doing so to procure a land for future alliance cities, a place for members to group together as a massed defense. What will end up happening, to all these alliances is that someone will leave their alliance *after* entering their Stronghold, what then? What then indeed..
A purpose of a Stronghold is a Bastion of the alliance. A haven for the alliance's cities, for in times of hostilities, a shield world that one can produce units and items without too much fear of waking up to sieges destroying your city, for your allies would notice and send aid once spotted, the reinforcement times would be speedy, compared to being halfway across the map and being two days away.
Since it is for the alliance, it would be ideal to have it occupied with only alliance members or allies of the alliance, however that as I can see is not the case. You will always have players leaving your alliance, which leaves the question of *what now?*. Your defenses have been compromised, a potential enemy right in the heart of your empire. A simple answer might be seen as a *siege* or *forced relocation* however Illyriad™ is not so easy. The GP's (Global Politics/Global Police) will be more then willing to help out a *victim* if under military pressure.
Since your Bastion/Stronghold is designed to withhold against war, it would be stupid to force someone out at the risk of open warfare with the GP's, so alliances will withdraw their threats and live somewhat side by side. Is this fair? Subject to interpretation. To the GP's it would be seen as fair, both parties living side by side city wise, growing *peacefully*, however to the alliance that dominates the area of the Stronghold, they might see it as a *leech*, taking great city positions that should be going to alliance members, which brings to the land claims.
It was thought out that since the Global Community enjoys being told of the going-ons of the Illyriad™ world, that issuing a public statement of a land claim would be will perceived, however it is not. There is an old saying "Might Makes Right", in this case it is more then true. Your land claims will be scoffed and ignored by the majority of the community if you do not have the strength to back it up, indeed some players may even settle in the area specified in your Claims, just to prove a point that you don't have the means to remove them.
So one asks, what is the point of issuing out land claims if others will attempt to push their weight around in attempts to discredit your claims? The reason we all should strive to issue out claims for our alliance is to let ti be known that we will not allow these..tyrants to throw their weight around. We need to show we will fight them for that land, for the good of our members. If they are willing to risk their cities and their alliances just to irritate you because of your claim, what kind of person are they? These people should be eliminated as quickly as possible so that the Illyriad™ world can continue moving without their petty efforts to antagonize those they fear.
A purpose of a Stronghold is a Bastion of the alliance. A haven for the alliance's cities, for in times of hostilities, a shield world that one can produce units and items without too much fear of waking up to sieges destroying your city, for your allies would notice and send aid once spotted, the reinforcement times would be speedy, compared to being halfway across the map and being two days away.
Since it is for the alliance, it would be ideal to have it occupied with only alliance members or allies of the alliance, however that as I can see is not the case. You will always have players leaving your alliance, which leaves the question of *what now?*. Your defenses have been compromised, a potential enemy right in the heart of your empire. A simple answer might be seen as a *siege* or *forced relocation* however Illyriad™ is not so easy. The GP's (Global Politics/Global Police) will be more then willing to help out a *victim* if under military pressure.
Since your Bastion/Stronghold is designed to withhold against war, it would be stupid to force someone out at the risk of open warfare with the GP's, so alliances will withdraw their threats and live somewhat side by side. Is this fair? Subject to interpretation. To the GP's it would be seen as fair, both parties living side by side city wise, growing *peacefully*, however to the alliance that dominates the area of the Stronghold, they might see it as a *leech*, taking great city positions that should be going to alliance members, which brings to the land claims.
It was thought out that since the Global Community enjoys being told of the going-ons of the Illyriad™ world, that issuing a public statement of a land claim would be will perceived, however it is not. There is an old saying "Might Makes Right", in this case it is more then true. Your land claims will be scoffed and ignored by the majority of the community if you do not have the strength to back it up, indeed some players may even settle in the area specified in your Claims, just to prove a point that you don't have the means to remove them.
So one asks, what is the point of issuing out land claims if others will attempt to push their weight around in attempts to discredit your claims? The reason we all should strive to issue out claims for our alliance is to let ti be known that we will not allow these..tyrants to throw their weight around. We need to show we will fight them for that land, for the good of our members. If they are willing to risk their cities and their alliances just to irritate you because of your claim, what kind of person are they? These people should be eliminated as quickly as possible so that the Illyriad™ world can continue moving without their petty efforts to antagonize those they fear.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Introduction
To all that stumble upon this blog, this is owned and operated by the Illyriad™ player Subatoi. I have begun this blog to record my thoughts and enlighten a few to my ambition in the mmo Illyriad™.
I am the leader of the Northern alliance The Long Road, as I write this I am aware more and more Illyriad™ players are taking note of our growing presence in the North. I am proud, that all of my hard work, of my officers hard work and the hard work of our original leader Iofilip has been paid off. We are finally known and respected to a degree, by the community.
If you dislike me as a player, feel free to leave a comment so I can gauge how much you dislike my being and know which side of a war to fight on when *you* get involved into one. If you approve of me as a player, leave a comment so that I may recognize your name and offer a handshake in chat. If you respect me as a player, leave a comment so that I may pick up arms with you and help fight your battles to keep our dreams alive.
I am the leader of the Northern alliance The Long Road, as I write this I am aware more and more Illyriad™ players are taking note of our growing presence in the North. I am proud, that all of my hard work, of my officers hard work and the hard work of our original leader Iofilip has been paid off. We are finally known and respected to a degree, by the community.
If you dislike me as a player, feel free to leave a comment so I can gauge how much you dislike my being and know which side of a war to fight on when *you* get involved into one. If you approve of me as a player, leave a comment so that I may recognize your name and offer a handshake in chat. If you respect me as a player, leave a comment so that I may pick up arms with you and help fight your battles to keep our dreams alive.
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