Vague Fantasy: Pre-Consolidation

[BlackSoul566]

Recently the fantasy of a version of TI where magery is a much more accepted and embraced thing, even more needed, socially, for combatting the "true" threat has struck me. In a place and a time where mages could work along side of the order to track down and slay an invading army of demons and demon summoners, who have taken over one half of a crucial city.

In this fantasy of mine, the player base would be more focused on working together to bring down the demonic army who exists in the other half of the city. Or, if they might choose to play on the other side, maybe. Demons could take shape as staff managed entities, as well as mobiles,

Bonus points, if there are some lesser demons that are vulnerable to only physical damage, and if the Knights bring a slew of antimagic abilities to the mix to help combat the demons, while some of the demons are vulnerable to magic, and different elements thereof. Essentially, ideally the idea would be to help cement some of that need for everyone to work together.

Now, ideally this would take place more than likely somewhere in either Vavard, or Farin. More than likely, far, far in the past, Pre-Consolidation, though sometime in the distant future is viable, perhaps as well. Perhaps it could occur in Edessa, as one player suggested to me. (Feel free to claim credit)

In this fantasy of mine, this version of the game would take place as a separate, sub-grid for TI. Whether a temporary ST sort of event, maybe, or as a permanent option for players to make effectively a third alt on, to play around with...

[mystry]

As I said in discord, I would greatly, greatly, GREATLY like this. But, due to the sheer effort that would be involved in making a new grid and coding, not to mention that it shifts the focus of conflict between players to a more 'pve' type deal and all that... I don't really see it happening. As for setting, I'd prefer Vavard if Lithmore is off the table, but that's just me. Point is, I would definitely like to see a demons vs everyone else type thing where magic was hesitantly accepted. Feared by the population perhaps, with mages being shunned if they aren't needed right then and there, but a sort of 'fight fire with fire' type deal. I'd definitely play it in a heartbeat.

[BlackSoul566]

Personally, I would be willing to make a pass at at least building the map, if that would help. And yes, Vavard would be amazing. Perhaps the enemy in question could be a brave collection of demon summoning Charli?

[Geras]

I don't think we have a large enough pbase to support another MUD unfortunately. There's already one sister game out there and there aren't that many of us.

Maybe some sort of magic Southside (ie Orkin?) could work...? I dunno.

[BlackSoul566]

I don't fully disagree with concerns about the pbase being small, currently, though a small part of me considers if a sub-grid like this might help expand the pbase? And to be clear, I'm not suggesting a full separate game... In my head it would be an option in the current game, where a players account is still connected to the main grid. Basically, during character creation, you would have an option to be on main grid, or the sub grid.

[mystry]

I'm of the opinion that the sister game has a larger population primarily because it is, for lack of a better word, 'softer' on the PK. The big secret bad guys that try to hide from everyone else aren't immediately killed when they are found out. In fact there's not really any hard 'you must kill the big secret bad guys when you find one' custom there.

Taking a more 'pve' approach with magery being accepted would, in my mind, probably attract more players. But that's just my opinion.

[BlackSoul566]

I one hundred percent agree with being softer on the PKing, personally. Which is part of origins of this thought. My very first scene with one of my characters was an aggressive, PvP situation where I was at a sincere risk of losing my brand new character because of a misunderstanding/miscommunication, etc. It's fine of that's what some players are after and want to be involved in, but that doesn't work for me. PvP should be a much slower, more calculated buildup, if it happens at all. And not just a... Random whim.

[mystry]

Speaking from personal experience, it's usually not a random whim. Most of the time, the aggressor will appear and blitz whoever he's targeting with overwhelming force and/or numbers to ensure that he doesn't lose. Most of the story and buildup happens before hand, and in the case of authorities looking for criminals/mages, usually not with any direct involvement from the criminals/mages themselves at all. Like this: criminal/mage does <thing>, moods and rumors are made. Reeves/order make plot and talk to bystanders to get information, identifying criminal/mage. Criminal/mage gets surprise visit from reeves/order, if they can find him. All the RP takes place afterwards in the cells, which may or may not end in character death.

On the sister game, criminal acts almost never end in a character's death unless they violate one specific law. And the secret bad guys who hide from everyone don't have a kill on sight flag so they're usually treated like everyone else.

Basically what I'm saying is that TI is more hardcore than AE. And it's admittedly not for everyone.

[Staub]

I don't fully disagree with concerns about the pbase being small, currently, though a small part of me considers if a sub-grid like this might help expand the pbase? And to be clear, I'm not suggesting a full separate game... In my head it would be an option in the current game, where a players account is still connected to the main grid. Basically, during character creation, you would have an option to be on main grid, or the sub grid.

Splitting the playerbase between grids is still splitting the playerbase, and the low player numbers are already affecting the gameplay. Think of how few physicians we have, how long we only had one Knight... the Troub doesn't have enough people to have a play either. Now imagine if half of the characters just don't play anymore because the players are on another grid.

In the Future, when we have a bigger player base? Maybe. Right now? Nah.

EDIT: We don't even have a single Knight Guild Leader because of said low player number.

[BlackSoul566]

From my experience, at first, it will be the sub-grid that doesn't have enough players involved with it. Though over time, if executed effectively, and since xp is shared between characters, you would see that the pbase grows because of the variety of options. And if nothing else, you could announce this as something that is a tentative temporary experience.