Gridden’s Challenge Server Plan PREFACE: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No one here knows me, because I’ve never made a forum account before, and my ingame name is not Gridden. I don’t want to give my ingame name, so forum politics don’t affect people’s opinion of me ingame. Hope that makes sense. Up until now, I’ve had serious doubts about this game. I don’t agree with how many things in the game are designed, and I feel that they can be changed to be much better. I knew though, that most of these changes would not be liked by the community, because it would mean an end to many of the things that veterans have grown used to. Now that the developers have announced a new upcoming server type that aims to be different than the older servers, I think it’s time for me to explain what I want to see. THE PLAN: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Caps indicates a major point. If you want to skim read this, at least read the stuff in caps. Please make sure you understand what this is trying to say before you make a comment. I know this is complicated and long, but it’s kinda hard to explain what I’m trying to say without it being complicated. In my plan, first there are TWO MAJOR POINTS. These points work together to create a fluid ingame economy with lots of trade and player-to-player interaction: 1. IMPLEMENT A SINGLE CURRENCY THAT IS NOT RELIANT ON MICRO-TRANSACTIONS. Explanation: Economic value should be gained by individuals not when they invest with external currency, but when they actually put effort into the game and barter with other players. This change would improve competitiveness in the game, because the economy will be based more on ingame actions than out of game payments. This is common sense, really. 2. IMPLEMENT A CLASS SYSTEM, AND REMOVE SKILL GRIND ENTIRELY. Explanation: The current skill system in Wurm has its flaws. Since accounts can easily be bought and sold, and skills gained by an account are never lost, the result is that over time, the game gets full of super accounts. Since skill becomes available at a surplus, SKILL LOSES ITS VALUE, and even high skilled accounts become inexpensive (Which many players are currently complaining about). SKILL RESSETS ARE NOT A GOOD SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE in order for grind to be enjoyable, it needs to give a since of accomplishment. Instead, I recommend a class system, where players can choose from a variety of classes that incorporate different skills and combat abilities. I propose that players should be given the option to CHANGE CLASS ONCE EVERY MONTH OR SO, in case they get bored with one loadout and want to try something different. The idea is that the classes will keep a constant ratio of skills to players, so skill keeps a constant value. This creates a system, in which trade is not only encouraged, it is necessary. While you can no longer be a jack of all trades, YOU CAN BUY WHAT YOU NEED BY SELLING WHAT YOU CAN MAKE. This means grind is replaced by player interaction.* Besides the two major points, there are also SEVERAL MINOR POINTS: 3. IMPLEMENT NO DEFAULT KINGDOMS, SO NO HUNTED SYSTEM IS NECESSARY. Explanation: The hunted system just creates headache for a kingdom, and is not very helpful. Before forming a kingdom, players could be kingdomless. 4. IMPLEMENT A DEED OWNERSHIP SYSTEM THAT IS NOT BASED ON ANY FORM OF INGAME OR OUT OF GAME CURRENCY, BUT INSTEAD BASED ON THE ABILITY OF THE FACTION TO HOLD THE LAND FROM ITS ENEMIES. Explanation: This would encourage more ingame conflict, and less conflict of people’s wallets, if you get what I’m saying. This also applies to kingdom formation. 5. IMPLEMENT DEED TIMERS, LIKE THOSE PRESENT IN EVE ONLINE OR LIFE IS FEUDAL Explanation: PvP sieges are a lot more fun when you have a chance to defend your town yourself, which rarely happens in Wurm since it’s easy for enemies to attack your lands when you are offline. This is one of the major reasons why most Freedom players do not play on PvP servers. 6. REMOVE NPC GUARDS. 7. REMOVE COC AND MIND STEALER, OR GIVE THESE ENCHANTMENTS A NEW EFFECT 8. BALANCE COMBAT WITH DIFFERENT CLASSES THAT BALANCE OUT. 9. BALANCE PRIESTS. 10. BALANCE MEDITATION PATHSSO THEY ALL ARE EQUALLY USEFUL FOR PVP AND PVE. 11. IMPLEMENT NO BONUSES FOR KINGDOM TITLES, SO KINGDOM ALLIANCES CANNOT BE USED FOR UNFAIR IMBALANCING. * Of course, alt accounts will exist no matter what the scenario is, and some people will replace economic interaction with alts. This still does not harm the economy, when you view it from a PER ACCOUNT STANDPOINT instead of a PER PLAYER STANDPOINT. You can choose to have multiple accounts and be on your own, or have one account and be in a group with the same results.
