Nations numbers controlled

[Scout]

Good day and hope this can be constructive post so please lets try to make it that way.

From the start of open world there is always one issue that is effecting the game in a negative way that´s overpopulation in few nations.

A way that can be done is if the admins can see what the population is on weekly basis or too and instead of handing out forge papers to all players this is a thing that needs to be done in controlled way.

Now i am not sure but i think the admins can see how many players each nation has and what players are active please tell me if that's not possible.

My idea is to revard the players that are willing to go over to a nation that is down to few active players to even out the game out on RvR scale.

The way i see this done is the dev´s or mod´s will only have the power to hand out forge papers to those who are asked to move that way the ripple effects and those who jump on the winning side will not be a issue.

This game has so much potential for top RvR my hope is that this post can be a start of good discussion on how to make things more even and better.  

[Hodo]

The hardest part of the national population balance discussion is the lack of in game information to let us know how many people are in any set nation at any time.

It could be as simple as a small number at the top of the chat tab for the nation... So it would show Nation(53), Global(250), Help(245), Clan(5).   

This would go along way to help give some idea as to how many are online in that chat at that time.  

 

But as for balancing them, some kind of xp boost or labor hour boost would be a good way to balance out the nations.

[Anolytic]

To acheive what you are looking for, the capitals of small nations could drop Forged Paper items, in the shop for instance, that are specific to that nation and can only be used to switch to that nation, whereas larger nations would have much fewer forged papers drop in their capital, if any. To switch nation you take a smuggler trader lynx into the capital of the nation you are looking to move to, buy nation specific forged papers and you can then go to a freetown and make the switch.

[CaptVonGunn]

7 minutes ago, Anolytic said:

To acheive what you are looking for, the capitals of small nations could drop Forged Paper items, in the shop for instance, that are specific to that nation and can only be used to switch to that nation, whereas larger nations would have much fewer forged papers drop in their capital, if any. To switch nation you take a smuggler trader lynx into the capital of the nation you are looking to move to, buy nation specific forged papers and you can then go to a freetown and make the switch.

I like this but they should drop in the Free Towns.. Since that is were you have to be to use one.

[Hethwill]

Dynamic resources.

Economic events.

Port towns upkeep/upgrade.

The more population the faster resources get depleted.

The more population using a certain town the more squalor, plague events with effect on prices/resources

etc etc etc

There's plenty of ideas from games not necessarily computer media that do act as a deterrent of snowballs and hoarding.

 

[Guest]

Nations simply need unique factors. Most importantly..unique ships. People are going to want to sail ships that fit their style and if a certain nation has a ship they love while the others dont then they will join it.

[Norfolk nChance]

I like @Scout idea of reward for joining the smaller Nation. The balance is the obvious problem, but I don’t think looking at the numbers as @Hodo suggests would make a difference, but would be interesting to see none the less. What @Flinch says again a good idea with the unique features. Restrict other Nations building or being able to use unique features, like Pirate Refit or British Re-load.

Two paths but which one…

 

Uniqueness…

The first is to actually put MORE work into developing each base Nation. This will be a balancing NIGHTMARE, but more unique traits but better and deeper. Think a US PC will be able to open up the Skill Knowledge slots with a lot lower XP than other nations on the Constitution. Spanish likewise with the Santisma.

The Pirate, may have a unique feature with XP being able to look at other Nation chats without an ALT? Maybe seeing who is docked in a particular port etc. There are countless scenarios you could diverse into here.  The balancing out or OFFSET-ing against 7 other nations will be hard work.

It would add spades loads of richness to the current game, where let’s face it they are all the same featureless except Pirate which carries its own problems as well…

 

Regardless…

Or we go the other way, regardless what Nation choice just start position is different. The NPC Nation as NO effect on your game play. Open PC, Clan Port, region and resource ownerships. Clan may align with anybody or war with anybody. The Civil War element would need some kind of preemptive warning and cool down. The threat of turning Pirate for unsolicited attacks on same nation players must be held accountable some way. The PC invests into the individual PORT, improvements.

 

…or maybe Open it further still…

Make the Nation more like a birth of the PC only. So, a clan maybe Mixed Nations GB, French, Pirate and so on. This with the first suggestion of a deeper Uniqueness of Nations works wonderfully. A Clan Pirate does the recon, The Spanish guy sails the Santi another Swede BUILDs you get the idea? The downside with this is we are favoring the Clan over Solo playing. The old Nation rivalry is not important. The FOCUS is the clan. Well what about the stopping of dominant SUPER Clan emerging?

 

Sort of got that now, that’s a weak game mechanic changed three times since May 24^th that’s caused that though.

Just an idea...

Norfolk

 

[Norfolk nChance]

well looks like someone is listening...