Gem Stones

[Haron]

Well, I think this sums up the latest suggestions:

1) Gems appear randomly, and rarely, in NPC battles (perhaps only in treasure fleets, to promote attacking those? New suggestion; not part of previous discussion)
2) Gems are used to research legendary voodoo recipies and make legendary voodoo cards
3) Gems can be traded for credits on a PvP stock market

I think this sounds very nice, indeed. The only drawback is that people don't gain danger from NPC attacks, so I can't target the players who are gem mining

[Haron]

You asked for more uses for the gems, Captain Jack.

I can think of several options, but the problem is that these options are either covered by existing voodoo cards (like spend 1 gem to gain 1 point on a ship, or spend 1 gem to gain 5% more profit in a specific port for 24 hours, or spend one gem to increase the population in a specific port), or it isn't in the EXISTING voodoo deck, but would better be covered by a new voodoo card (like spend 1 gem to make your next voodoo card gain the "undercover" ability, or spend 1 gem to see the danger on an enemy fleet, or spend one gem to be allowed to have 6 ships in a specific fleet for 24 hours).

You could, of course, demand gems to level up the top tier ships (SoL and MoW), but that would make them too expensive, I think. Or buildings could cost gems, but that won't increase the demand much, as a building level is built only once, and that's that.

Basically, I think gems fits better in with new features. The witches hut is one. If other new features are implemented, then they, too, might require gems. For instance, if players can start producing goods (in addition to food), then perhaps a "Craft Master" is required to keep it running, and he requires one gem pr week as payment - or a number of gems, depening on your production? What use they may have in a new feature is hard to tell, of course, since we don't know the details so such new features.

[Captain Jack]

An extra way to MINE gems sounds too attractive to overlook.

I agree with you that gems usages should mostly be directed in new features.
Perhaps they can be used in diplomacy. In countries to countries treaties. Just brainstorming.

[Haron]

I thought about usages for diplomacy, but I failed to see how they could be used there. If such diplomacy is implemented, I have a whole RANGE of different suggestions, but that belongs in another post.

How would they be used in diplomacy? Need gems to start a war? Seems wrong. Use gems to gain influence in a port? That's already achieved with gold. Offer gems as part of a peace offer after a war? Possible, of course, but not really a "use" for gems, as they just change hands. Besides, one could use gcs or gold bars for this with basically the same result.

Ah yes, now I DO see one possibility, but that's for a feature I haven't even discussed yet: Spend 1 gem to enter a fleet into a blockade. THAT could be a use for gems, if such a feature were ever implemented. It would rise the bar for entering blockades, which would be good. Of course, without having discussed what a blockade is, this is just me rambling...

Perhaps a new post for wars and blockades is in order soon.

[Sebena]

As it was discussed before about port based buildings it can find place with diplomacy like X ammount of gems is needed if country wants to build port building to raise it's players income in allied port. For example egypt and spain are allies and egypt needs X ammount of gems to build its building which will grant players with egypt flag X% of bonus for resources sold in that port

[Grimrock Litless]

I thought about usages for diplomacy, but I failed to see how they could be used there. If such diplomacy is implemented, I have a whole RANGE of different suggestions, but that belongs in another post.

How would they be used in diplomacy? Need gems to start a war? Seems wrong. Use gems to gain influence in a port? That's already achieved with gold. Offer gems as part of a peace offer after a war? Possible, of course, but not really a "use" for gems, as they just change hands. Besides, one could use gcs or gold bars for this with basically the same result.

Ah yes, now I DO see one possibility, but that's for a feature I haven't even discussed yet: Spend 1 gem to enter a fleet into a blockade. THAT could be a use for gems, if such a feature were ever implemented. It would rise the bar for entering blockades, which would be good. Of course, without having discussed what a blockade is, this is just me rambling...

Perhaps a new post for wars and blockades is in order soon.

Maybe you can store gems in nation treasury. Sounds neat.

[Grimrock Litless]

Gems should be found as a random, and rare, booty bonus when attacking NPC's : I disagree with any gradation of quality : gems is gems and their value should be high, perhaps 10-1 relative to gold bars and they should be tradable in exchange for such gold bars : I think gems should not be 'stored' anywhere, being small and transportable, they will be considered to be kept on your person and thus are not affected by voodoo such as OLOD or Rotten Food : they are also not lost in skirmish attacks.

I find grading a resource good so one can be extremely rich in a short time, some not so.

[DezNutz]

Gems should be found as a random, and rare, booty bonus when attacking NPC's : I disagree with any gradation of quality : gems is gems and their value should be high, perhaps 10-1 relative to gold bars and they should be tradable in exchange for such gold bars : I think gems should not be 'stored' anywhere, being small and transportable, they will be considered to be kept on your person and thus are not affected by voodoo such as OLOD or Rotten Food : they are also not lost in skirmish attacks.

I find grading a resource good so one can be extremely rich in a short time, some not so.

The rarity of the gems could be based on number of turns a player has used. The more turns used by a player, the smaller the chance of finding one is. Gives a benefit to younger players but makes it significantly harder (but not impossible) for older more developed players to acquire them.

[Grimrock Litless]

Let's say if a treasure NPC fleet has a chance to have gem let's say, 10% from the original point that finding a treasure fleet is already low, and after u get a gem, and let's say a flawless gem is 2.5%, the chances to get a flawless gem is already extremely low, and you need turns to find NPC fleets, because of all this combined, one can be sold to other in dark market for a mighty lot of money.

And also, new market called dark market will be made for this, for people to both buying and selling gems.

[Ziggfried]

Gems could be used as a guild bonus stat system. Everyone in the guild contributes gems to lvl up bonuses. Make guilds more team oriented to work for a goal then the leader cast a vote on what bonuses to lvl up. I'll leave the bonus making ideas to you guys if you like this idea.