Part 2: Interview with Charles Vane
Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 6:06 amSpecial thanks to Charles for providing these informative and articulate responses.
And now - Part 2: Interview with Charles Vane
Q: You've recently started a new guild specifically devoted to Piracy. Could you please tell us about the new guild, it's purpose / objectives, and what makes it different from other guilds.
A: First of the difference; there are no pure hardcore pirate guilds in Avonmora. Many will argue what a pirate is here based on their opinions and views. For me, there are a few key factors that make a pirate different from the most common thief in PG. Firstly, they need to sail under the black flag. Second, they need to run light. This means few ships and lighter vessels. I often prefer my members sail fewer than 10 ships and never anything beyond a frigate or Flag galleon. In SIN however, we will likely never go beyond a Brig of War and even then prefer to use simple sloops. And finally, they need to raid... hitting those on the plunder board is an opportunistic play done by privateers, raiding means finding a target, stalking them on the gossip page in order to plan and prep, then using voodoo to get the job done.
As far as its purpose or objectives... the first is always fun, most of us found a pirate game by looking for something we had an interest in, pirates and naval conflict. Why so many became merchants is beyond me and I would have thought they would have come across merchants tycoon or something else in their search. *Shrugs* Second purpose, to cost players, burn assets, and help reduce inflation of everything from Fame, influence, gold and voodoo up to credits, populations, and ships. Too much hoarding going on and too few willing to spend a dime in fear of losing more.
Q: In Part 1 of the interview you stated, " I have seen the map at times controlled entirely or mostly by one nation" and "Diversification of roles and nations allows competition and true engagement by the player base." In the wake of the recent UK / IoM merger we've see the Isle of Mann come to control no less than 8 ports and over a third of the map. What do you think this means for Avonmora, and where do you see this consolidation of power heading?
A: UK and IoM always held a solid friendship and alliance. It only makes sense when one is falling to join together in order to keep with friends and work together. UK was only standing so long due to a few very noble and respectful players who claimed to simply be "place holding" the nation in the event the original founders would return. IoM and UK both always supported new nations to join the map and often gave away ports to those eager to start something new. I believe they still feel this way, and when a worthy nation with the goal and drive to maintain a port steps up and discusses options of port transfer with them, they will support.
Q: One of the new game features currently in development, and a topic in forum discussion is New Tech: Ship Yard Hands - Dry Dock - Marina expansion via tech upgrade. What is your opinion of this proposed new tech? Do you feel it would be more beneficial to Pirates, or Merchants, or both equally? What kind of special ship upgrades would you like to see made available through researching this tech?
A: Based on my view of what a pirate is, they will have little need for this. Marina is large enough and spending turns on ship building or enhancement isn't the way. However anyone fleeting many ships, earning passive income and who has turns to burn will benefit for sure. Pirates would then benefit as a secondary source if they were to purchase ships upgraded from the market. All that said, I don't feel its a feature worth adding. Marina has already been given a boost to ship room with more levels added, gives less reason for players to bring out their prized vessels if they can upgrade and alter within. Techs can be managed in the academy. Other upgrades should then generally come from battle, traits etc.
What I would see being handy to add as an option within the marina, would be the ability to alter a ships design for better strategy. A good example would be a slide bar or two. One that allows you to sacrifice cargo room in place of adding more guns or hammocks and vice versa to gain more cargo room instead, always at the expense of the other. Another bar perhaps for Sails on one end and Hull on the other. One side adds to armor but reduces travel speed, while the other increases speed at the expense of a lighter hull prone to receive more damage.
And now - Part 2: Interview with Charles Vane
Q: You've recently started a new guild specifically devoted to Piracy. Could you please tell us about the new guild, it's purpose / objectives, and what makes it different from other guilds.
A: First of the difference; there are no pure hardcore pirate guilds in Avonmora. Many will argue what a pirate is here based on their opinions and views. For me, there are a few key factors that make a pirate different from the most common thief in PG. Firstly, they need to sail under the black flag. Second, they need to run light. This means few ships and lighter vessels. I often prefer my members sail fewer than 10 ships and never anything beyond a frigate or Flag galleon. In SIN however, we will likely never go beyond a Brig of War and even then prefer to use simple sloops. And finally, they need to raid... hitting those on the plunder board is an opportunistic play done by privateers, raiding means finding a target, stalking them on the gossip page in order to plan and prep, then using voodoo to get the job done.
As far as its purpose or objectives... the first is always fun, most of us found a pirate game by looking for something we had an interest in, pirates and naval conflict. Why so many became merchants is beyond me and I would have thought they would have come across merchants tycoon or something else in their search. *Shrugs* Second purpose, to cost players, burn assets, and help reduce inflation of everything from Fame, influence, gold and voodoo up to credits, populations, and ships. Too much hoarding going on and too few willing to spend a dime in fear of losing more.
Q: In Part 1 of the interview you stated, " I have seen the map at times controlled entirely or mostly by one nation" and "Diversification of roles and nations allows competition and true engagement by the player base." In the wake of the recent UK / IoM merger we've see the Isle of Mann come to control no less than 8 ports and over a third of the map. What do you think this means for Avonmora, and where do you see this consolidation of power heading?
A: UK and IoM always held a solid friendship and alliance. It only makes sense when one is falling to join together in order to keep with friends and work together. UK was only standing so long due to a few very noble and respectful players who claimed to simply be "place holding" the nation in the event the original founders would return. IoM and UK both always supported new nations to join the map and often gave away ports to those eager to start something new. I believe they still feel this way, and when a worthy nation with the goal and drive to maintain a port steps up and discusses options of port transfer with them, they will support.
Q: One of the new game features currently in development, and a topic in forum discussion is New Tech: Ship Yard Hands - Dry Dock - Marina expansion via tech upgrade. What is your opinion of this proposed new tech? Do you feel it would be more beneficial to Pirates, or Merchants, or both equally? What kind of special ship upgrades would you like to see made available through researching this tech?
A: Based on my view of what a pirate is, they will have little need for this. Marina is large enough and spending turns on ship building or enhancement isn't the way. However anyone fleeting many ships, earning passive income and who has turns to burn will benefit for sure. Pirates would then benefit as a secondary source if they were to purchase ships upgraded from the market. All that said, I don't feel its a feature worth adding. Marina has already been given a boost to ship room with more levels added, gives less reason for players to bring out their prized vessels if they can upgrade and alter within. Techs can be managed in the academy. Other upgrades should then generally come from battle, traits etc.
What I would see being handy to add as an option within the marina, would be the ability to alter a ships design for better strategy. A good example would be a slide bar or two. One that allows you to sacrifice cargo room in place of adding more guns or hammocks and vice versa to gain more cargo room instead, always at the expense of the other. Another bar perhaps for Sails on one end and Hull on the other. One side adds to armor but reduces travel speed, while the other increases speed at the expense of a lighter hull prone to receive more damage.
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