After taking into the consideration all recent developments, as well as the proposed developments at hand and after taking in mind War and Blockades idea by Haron and all the discussion afterwards, we have came up with a Ports Blockade suggestion.
Like with most features that we introduce lately (ie Skirmish, Diplomacy) this implementation will be divided in versions. At version 1.0, we will create the basic functionality. Then, after we learn with experience this time, we will extend it with all the goodies our hearts desire. The same is valid for all metrics used in Version 1.0. All can be revised later.
This suggestion is a candidate to replace Plantations for the PG V2.0 (Plantations will be moved to 2.1)
Port Blockade
What is it?
A port blockade is an action that allows the total control of the naval traffic of a port. There can be no types of blockades. Every blockade, no matter who establishes it, allows naval traffic control.
Who can do it?
Anyone can start a Port Blockade by simply selecting the appropriate fleet action. Once a Blockade starts, no one else can start a blockade at the same port until it completely resolves. Aspiring marauders will be able to either wait or join the current blockade at either side.
Limitations on initiating a blockade
This is the very starting problem. We need to filter attempts in a way that they will be realistic and in a way where individual freedom will be kept. For this reason, we are suggesting the following limitations:
-To start a Blockade,a Man of War ship (MoW) must be used in the fleet that starts it.
-The starting fleet gets 36 danger points.
-It will cost 144 Turns to initiate a Blockade.
Choosing a side
There are two possible sides in every blockade: Those supporting the blockade and those who do not.
The blockade initiator will be the one who decides who can participate in the blockade attacking side. The options will be:
-Everyone
-No one
-Upon individual request (These will be sent through a message. Once approved, the one who requested it will be able to add his fleets on the offensive side)
-Specific targets (These will be specified with no limitations. They can be individuals or nations or guilds).
-Combinations of the above
For the defending side, anyone can join.
To choose a side, you simply add your fleets to your preferred side.
To add a fleet, this must be at the port where the blockade started and it must be full (5 ships).
-During all states of a blockade, fleets in blockades cannot lose Danger points hourly and Danger voodoo cannot affect them.
-Players under Fugitive of Justice cannot join Blockades.
-Fleets in Blockades, cannot be attacked (plundered or skirmished).
-Every participant, may use up to 5 ship damage cards during the blockade duration.
-Non participants will not be able to use voodoo with either a fleet or ship target on fleets inside a blockade.
-Swarm of Worms card will not effect ships in a blockade.
How the Port Blockade is established
There are 4 possible phases for a blockade:
- 1)Blockade Preparation Right after a blockade has started, there is a grace period before battle starts. This grace period will be 24hours at Port Blockades Version 1.0
- 2)Blockade Battle Once the Blockade Preparation ends, then the battle starts and lasts for 24 hours (version 1.0 metric)
- 3)Blockade Resolution During the resolution phase, all fleets are given a grace period (24hours, Version 1.0 Metric) where they can be removed manually from the Blockade area. After the grace period ends, the fleets are automatically removed from the blockade.
- 4)Active Blockade
This preparation period is important to keep the nature of the game less dependent on event occurrence time.
During Blockade Preparation, players can only add fleets.
An added fleet, no matter when it is added, cannot be removed before Blockade Resolution.
At the top of the hour, a round of battles take places (total max: 24 rounds).
During every round, every fleet of the attacking side, randomly engages a fleet on the defending side.
-Every fleet can fight one battle per hour.
-If there are not enough fleet match ups, then the fleets who do not fight (those able to fight, those not yet fully damaged) repair themselves at the rate of 15% per ship.
-The +15% repair bonus is not lost if a ship is already at perfect state (100%). Any excess repair percentage is added as extra bonus to the fleets that do not fight (this is the bonus they get for outnumbering, getting better position,etc)
-Ships at 99% damage do not receive this bonus as they are considered sunk in battle.
During the battle (the whole 24hours phase):
-All damage conducted is final (it will not depend on the winner of the battle). This means that all ships get damaged during battles.
-Repair voodoo on blockade fleets have no effect.
-Players cannot repair their ships.
-Once a fleet receives full damage, it can no longer fight.
-While a fleet is not fully damaged (at least one ship with less than 99% damage), it continues to fight.
-Attackers may still add new fleets up to the last minute while defenders may not add new fleets in the last 4 hours of the battle.
A new blockade may not be attempted at the same port for 48hours (Version 1.0 Metric) after the Blockade Resolution.
If the blockade is successful, only the initiator will be able to attempt a new blockade at the port.
In this case, the Blockade (if battle is successful for the attacker) will be extended (Extension will play a role in statistics and might be used to generate more perks later).
Once battle resolves, there can be two outcomes:
A)BLOCKADE SUCCESS
-All fleets on the attackers side, get a penalty of 18 danger points.
An active blockade is established for a total of 72hours (Version 1.0 Metric)
B)BLOCKADE FAIL
-The blockade initiator may not initiate any other blockade for a total of 14 days.
-The initiation fleet gets an extra penalty of 180 danger points.
-All fleets on the defenders side, get a penalty of 18 danger points.
Blockade is successful if attacking fleets are more than defending fleets and defenders have less than 5 fleets standing
The initiator of the Blockade is named as the Active Blockade Admiral. The admiral gets to manage the naval traffic during the duration of the Active Blockade.
The admiral will assemble 3 lists, which he will be able to setup before the Blockade Resolution and update anytime during the Blockade (active or not).
The three lists will be the following:
a)TOLL FEE list (Arriving fleets will pay a fee to enter the port - it will have a hard limit, most probably % based on cargo value - different percentage for gold bars).
b)Cargo Plunder list (All cargo carried by the incoming fleets will be sold back to the market for their gold coin equivalent. If the incoming resource is same as the port's, they will still be sold back to the market at half the price)
c)Free Pass
Automatic trade routes will pause in case of Cargo plunder.
The targets of each list will be the following:
i)Treaties (ie, countries that are at peace with your own)
ii)Guilds
More options will be avoided at version 1.0 to avoid making it too easy to avoid a blockade.
Individuals that find themselves in the TOLL FEE list, will pay this in order to pass the blockade (only arrivals count).
Every player will be able to set the maximum TOLL FEE he wants to pay, either globally and/or specifically for every blockade (since Preparation state).
In case for any reason the FEE is not paid, then targets of this list will automatically fall into the cargo plunder list.
If there is no cargo or the cargo is not full, then the incoming fleet will receive a +8 danger extra penalty (incomplete cargo will still be pillaged).
Earnings share
All earnings will be shared among all attackers in this way:
-Initiator gets to keep 25% of all income.
-The remaining 75% are distributed based on the damage their ships conducted.
The formula used will be the following:
Earnings Share (%) = ( Damage conducted by every participant * 100) / Total Damage Conducted by all attacking Ships
So, if the total damage is 10.000 and someone has conducted 1.000 dmg, he will receive 10% from the remaining 75%.
These earnings will be paid once the Blockade is over and will be collected in the same way Credits Exchange delivers its earnings; on next page to Plunder page.
-Every Blockade will be displayed on the map.
-Every Blockade will be mentioned in Global Events and all its details will be maintained for historic purposes (profits,participants,days,results are some of the entries that will be included).
Nations Role
Nations will play a significant supplementary role to blockades. After all, ports are controlled by nations.
Here are the initial suggestions (Wherever a number appears, it's a version 1.0 metric):
-Anyone who initiates or participates against a blockade owned by its own nation, is immediately declared as a Pirate except if this player is a declared Enemy of the Crown, either during the initiation or participation moment.
-Every Initiator is penalized with 150 Hostility Points with the Port Nation for their blockade attempt.
-Enemies of the Crown may initiate blockades against its nation ports at no hostility penalty. In case the initiator is an Enemy of the Crown AND the Blockade is Successful, the player who listed him as an Enemy of the Crown will lose 25% of his influence (note: this can only be the rightful King on the time of blockade initiation).
-Every participant, is penalized with 75 Hostility points on their participating moment.
-Every defender, is awarded with 75 Honor points with the Port's nation.
-If the blockade fails, every defender is awarded with influence points at the port. The number of points his receives, is his total damage dealt during the battle.
Treaties Role
Besides the role in Active Blockade Admirals list, Hostility Law can be extended to also include Hostility Penalty on Blockade against the target nation (btw, any value there can be 0, if the issuing nation does not want to penalize specific parts of it).
Or we could create No Blockade pacts, which could include tribute. Anyone violating such pact, could be named a Pirate by its nation.
Future Reference
-Specialization could allow some ships to keep their health bonus even outside the blockade.
-Nation that controls the port, loses influence (ie like as if 2 Conspiracies have been cast or more sophisticated)
Epilogue
This is a suggestion. All parts are under discussion. I might have missed parts - I will supply more details where needed. Please do not hesitate to ask or request more details.
Currently Proposed Changes
Captain Jack wrote:After reading through almost every post down to the last comma:
1.Different Post Battle Affects
There have been some suggestions. This part is crucial and should be discussed further.
Here is another approach although I am not officially supportive of this yet, just an idea:
If the winner is the Attacker, fully damaged fleets of the attacker get +18 danger
If the winner is the Defender, standing (non-fully damaged) fleets get +8 danger.
2.Different Bonuses
We could use less innovation and functionality for Version 1.0. If this also means that Blockades can be introduced with reduced severity till we get our first feedback from the first battles, so be it. We can always revise and improve a little later.
These will replace the proposed Toll Fee list, Cargo plunder and Free pass.
a)More influence bonus
i)2-4 Conspiracies worth cast against controlling nation that suffers a blockade
ii)Infuence gain for all attackers based on damage (we will work a fair number out of this, this most probably will be added right after a few blockades happen) on Blockade Success
b)Toll Fee
Toll Fee is equal to the 10% value of the tail ship.
Toll Fee will be charged at the following cases:
i)At all manual fleet moves, during port arrival.
ii)At all automatic trade routes that load from Warehouse, on Departure.
iii)At all Fishing routes, on arrival.
iv)At all Transport Immigrant routes on Departure
The fleet owner will be able to choose whether to pay or not through a global and/or blockade specific option. If he chooses not to pay, the fleet will get +1 danger instead (extra). The same will happen if the fleet owner cannot afford to pay.
c)All tax income will be paid to the Blockade instead
-Instead of the nation that is controlling the port.
We will assume that the locals make this sort of deal with the Blockade Owner in order for traffic to continue. This cannot stay forever though and will be changed later when more concepts are added. This is when we will move closer to the initial suggestion.
3.Tax Income Increase
We will increase tax income from 1% to 10% (No changes to Gold Bars)
This should rise port income from about 600k currently to about 6M
I am saying about, as this estimation is rough and slurpy. I can welcome any survey per port.
The only problem about this is that income of every port, will grow 10fold. Feniks suggested we should also decrease tax income from npc citizens but I am not sure which is the way to go. Population is different than influence and if we further decrease income from NPC citizens, we will have a shift of balance there, so close to a recent shift of balance at exactly the same point. This deserves to be discussed thoroughly.
Let's not forget, that the extra income paid will be otherwise leave the game. That's not exactly something that we like as we are always seeking ways to remove gold coins from the game.
Extra Ideas that could be added:
Participation Fee
During Fleet Add phase, the fleet owner also gets to pay an entering fee.
This will simulate real case scenarios where winners of a blockade also had plunder earnings.
This could be a fixed fee (ie 25k per fleet - debatable).
All gold collected, from both sides, form a Blockade Gold Coin Bounty
At the end of the blockade, the winning side wins the bounty.
It is divided among participants based on damaged conducted (so a winner could end up getting less than he paid, if his fleets did not do enough damage).
Clearing up points since they were asked:
-Classic bounty (fame/gold) is not valid for battles that take place during Blockades.
-There will be no level losses in blockades.
Population Affects
Depending on the Blockade result, we can affect population in many ways. I am only mentioning this for future reference.
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Constant Blockading
Due to the various special rules that come with Blockades, I feel that the only realistic way to implement them without having any upeavals to the rest of the gameplay, is the proposed period ways.
Remember, we also need to make the game less and less sleep-risky. You should all be able to sleep well without worrying what happens in the game when you sleep and the blockade proposal took this in mind.
Still, I am interested to see any full scenario idea with dynamic Blockades at a separate topic. As it was way too scattered for me to consider it.
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