Port Blockades (Large)

[Captain Jack]

No, Blockades at own port are still possible. This will hurt your influence though. I find it fair.

[sXs]

I still do not see your point about blockades not controlling traffic. There are three options all with control over traffic. Pay a toll and pass, get issued a "free pass", or plunder which would automatically stop the port traffic. I agree that the blockading fleets need to remain until blockades is complete or broken. But this is complete control over port traffic.

[Captain Jack]

At the proposed changes, this is no longer possible. Instead you either pay or get danger.
Proposed changes should be temporal, till we can justify with other features the initially proposed full control. It's up to you lot though. For us, either version can work. New version is less intrusive though and as such, more suitable for the entry version.

All are on the table right now though. You get to choose.

[Shadowood]

Sometimes the squeaky wheel doesn’t necessarily need to get the grease.

While a few have argued against this feature and/or provided suggestions to “better” it. I disagree that “we get to choose”. I do love the fact that you take our feedback into consideration, but ultimately the decision is yours.

You purposed a pretty kick ass feature in my mind. You even approved your own suggestion. You have argued for it on its original merits.

I say move forward with this idea if you choose. If you think it needs more discussion then move forward with Plantations while this idea is being finalized. But both deserve to be in the game.

[sXs]

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.

That suggestion was not only for blockades but an addition for plantations. This could be offset with a "happy citizen" population index to affect port populations. I believe this suggestion was made in another thread at one time. I think others are against it at this time, but it deserves serious consideration in conjuction with other upgrades. I like the Idea because it brings the controlling nation into play of a blockade. They would have a direct and somewhat significant interest in defending their port against a blockade. That and your new structure of payouts could alleviate concerns on both sides.

[sXs]

Sometimes the squeaky wheel doesn’t necessarily need to get the grease.

While a few have argued against this feature and/or provided suggestions to “better” it. I disagree that “we get to choose”. I do love the fact that you take our feedback into consideration, but ultimately the decision is yours.

You purposed a pretty kick ass feature in my mind. You even approved your own suggestion. You have argued for it on its original merits.

I say move forward with this idea if you choose. If you think it needs more discussion then move forward with Plantations while this idea is being finalized. But both deserve to be in the game.

+1 both deserve to be in game and if they could be tied together in different ways they offer a completely new dynamic to the game.

If developers had made badchoices in the past, PG would not exist today. I believe you will decide what is best for present and future game play.

[Sir Henry Morgan]

Sometimes the squeaky wheel doesn’t necessarily need to get the grease.

While a few have argued against this feature and/or provided suggestions to “better” it. I disagree that “we get to choose”. I do love the fact that you take our feedback into consideration, but ultimately the decision is yours.

You purposed a pretty kick ass feature in my mind. You even approved your own suggestion. You have argued for it on its original merits.

I say move forward with this idea if you choose. If you think it needs more discussion then move forward with Plantations while this idea is being finalized. But both deserve to be in the game.

+1

I wholeheartedly agree - my contributions are not meant to be an end-all or supreme solution; they are meant to simply add my thoughts and ideas.

The game as to date has become a spendid work, and I see no reason why its developers won't keep it on track.

[Most Lee Harmless]

This is a tricky one, as so much is hypothetical : until we actually see it walk, we dont know if its a duck or a dog.

But a good starting point is to ask ' What is its purpose? What is the outcome we seek?' Only then should we be asking 'How do we achieve that?' Because that second answer depends so much on the first one.

Already the disparity in views as to that first question's answer is apparent : some see it as a means to get big ships into battle which is sufficient reason unto itself : others see a method to gain ports with little regard to plunder : others see a quick plunder opportunity with little regard to port matters : some see another financial hammer to beat port owners with : other see a bit of each with any outcome secondary to the fun of doing it : some see the outcome as the important thing, the means being secondary, if not irrelevant as long as its not too expensive.

And all those views, often opposing, mean a different mechanic is need to produce the desired outcome for each. In short, until we agree on the first question, we will never find a hint of consensus on the second.

CJ speaks of 'sleep' and the need to allow players to be online for this : But that raises another 'sleep' issue : Already a port owner faces several 'threats' to their control : voodoo attacks on populations : voodoo attacks on influence, both overall and personal : 'winnowing' raids on their citizens to reduce financial health prior to a direct move on a port : invasion and civil strife : direct influence raising to take a port.

All these threats need constant monitoring and, at times, pre-emption : and all can happen 24/7 already. This will add another level of threat, another level of harm and, it would seem, with every chance of costing the port if not dealt with promptly and without regard to cost. Aye, its 'only' 10% influence lost per day : but thats 10% PLUS any other damage being done with 'traditional' tools. So, I dont see how a port owner can sustain control when, even if successful in beating off a blockade, some severe damage and loss can be done, and hey what, here is another 24hrs later.

So, lots of port control shenanigans : but make it all too easy and we lose the point of it : why struggle to develop the resources to take a port when it slips away twice as quick? Well, its a gold-sinker, thats for sure. Let's hope there is enough left to build the plantations. Well, the top10 or 20 will manage it : the rest can dream.

Well, what do I want from blockades? I want to see big battles between big ships : In the usual run of events, battles between big ship fleets are way too predictable most of the time. A good SotL will always beat a lesser one, 2 average ones will beat a good one, but a well-stacked good one will beat two average ones.. and so on. Rather dull after a while, to the point I began to play with using lesser ships just to add some spice to such battles. Fact is, unless its for nation missions, I dont have any reason to bring my big ships out to play. And as nation missions became equally dull and predictable, I now play around seeing how far a frigate fleet will get me in them.

I dont really care what the outcome is, as far as the port is concerned : sure, a little skin in the game is good but not the whole carcass : then its not about the battles but about the result. If achieving the result of port control is the desired outcome, then why bother with the battles : stealing a port can be done half-a-dozen ways already.

Nope, I just want the battles, with some modest compensation in the form of plunder : no more than can be gained already : its the difference in the fights, the new thrill, the new uncertainty : that whets my appetite, not the 'honor', or the 'glory' or the extra coin.

[DezNutz]

No, Blockades at own port are still possible. This will hurt your influence though. I find it fair.

Why should it hurt your influence? If you are blockading players that are doing harm to the nation, how and why would that result in a negative outcome for you. Influence isn't something that is cheap either.

[Captain Jack]

No, Blockades at own port are still possible. This will hurt your influence though. I find it fair.

Why should it hurt your influence? If you are blockading players that are doing harm to the nation, how and why would that result in a negative outcome for you. Influence isn't something that is cheap either.

The NPC citizens do not necessarily have the same interests as the port owner. Even if you have won their influence at the first place. Blockading and implementing limits on port traffic, is natural to have a negative affect. A minimal one for sure as 10% is only a fraction of the total citizens you influence. Again, I find it fair.