"Endgames"

[logahmmed]

I'm spitballing this as I type it, so bear with me:

Been thinking about what happens when worlds start to be consolidated amongst a few guilds/coalitions. The one typical trope of an MMO that isn't in Valor is that of NPC groups.

Yeah, we have Barbarians, but they don't do much if anything. (I certainly haven't seen them do anything.)

So let's say some conditions are met. I'll leave the math vague because PlayMesh has a much more extensive spreadsheet of stats than I ever would.

-- The world is consolidating its cities amongst a few coalitions.

-- The average guild score hits a certain threshold.

-- Number of active players drops to a certain threshold.


Combine those three elements, and it triggers "INVASION." (Well, maybe not triggers, but now there's a much higher percentage of it happening; I'd like the idea of having to deal with NPCs at any time. Maybe minor invasions throughout the game.)

Barbarian cities suddenly begin growing at a higher rate. They group up into their own clans. (I'd say call them "clans" as opposed to "guilds" so as to not confuse.) Once they have Scholars, or someone attacks them first, they begin attacking player-run cities above a certain threshold.

They're like the Mongols - pillage and burn. Ballistas/Rams used extensively - they'll capture some crown jewel cities, but more likely they're just trying to burn you down.

[TheGhost]

I'd prefer to see fresh blood enter some of the older worlds, maybe with an extended protection time so they don't get destroyed straight away

[Macewindow54]

I think that the origional idea is a good one

Also if the barbarians attacked throughout the game there would be more pressure to build and maintain defences

[Stark Bledfast]

I agree (with barbarians attacking). When I first created a city and saw the defensive score category, I figured that I would be attacked by barbarians. It sadly never happened.

[ramorocks]

I love this idea

[BewareOfPig]

Barbs attacking would make this game so much fun I'd prob wouldn't get off except for work and school

[logahmmed]

It would certainly keep the game from just being a race to join a coalition and then the worlds are just little more than a battle between a few players. It'd add a new dynamic that would, well, be FUN to play.

It'd also keep some of the stronger guilds NOT in a coalition in the game longer. When it comes time to start going after them, bigger coalitions may take pause. What if the Barbarians hit in the middle of a campaign? It wouldn't just be a wave of domination then. And, frankly, it'd be fun seeing guilds at war having to lay down their arms against one another to deal with the coming waves of NPCs.

EDIT: Plus, from a business standpoint it'd make sense, too -- if you reduce the speed at which players are knocked out, you increase the amount of time they're committed to the world. The longer they're committed, the more likely they'll be willing to spend gold to maintain their ability to continue with the world they've invested so much time in. It requires no trickery, no bait-and-switch, nothing that people would conceptually be upset about (you're always going to have someone complaining about X, Y and Z whenever their cities are getting decimated, but the game's the game).

Strong NPCs late in the game -- not just a temporary nuisance, see: EVE Online for inspiration on NPC invasions -- provide surprises, allow for the potential of unlikely alliances, and because they're NPCs, they're always on, so players are gonna have to remain on their toes or may wake up to find some of their cities have taken serious hits. When guilds can sense that their dominance is on the horizon, and then oh, snap, barbarian hordes, they're much more likely to do whatever needs to be done in order to salvage that dominance. I.e., spending gold.

[Destroyer75]

I really like this idea alot of people will play more so you'll get more money I'll be fighting barbarians and people at the same time so in the end every one benafits