Caravans

[FantasyWriter]

There are virtual caravans that travel from Allanak to Tuluk by way of Luir's all the time.
I wish there were a coded caravan that made this trip at least once round trip during peak hours.

IF PCs were to do this it would become very much a "job" for them OOCly.
Do you guys see this a  reasonable possibility for a PC driven regularity?


If not, I offer another idea that would have to be coded to work:
Have a wagon set up in the wagon yard for each city.
In order to enter said wagon, you would have to 'rent self' for a fee. (prob 100-200 coins)
The wagon is driven by an NPCs from Nak to Tuluk and back again (or visa versa)
It would depart at the same time each night barring IC reasons that would be posted on a board in the wagonyard.


Thoughts, Ideas, the-staff-would-never-go-for-its?

[AmandaGreathouse]

I love this so, so much.

[Gimfalisette]

They're doing it in 2.ARM. Don't hope for it to be implemented in current ARM.

[FantasyWriter]

They're doing it in 2.ARM. Don't hope for it to be implemented in current ARM.

Most players consider the 7 month silence on 2.Arm to put its opening past the 3 year mark, since the staff won't mention anything close to a release date or even give us an update using the tool they created for such things.  Some even hope it doesn't come around.  None of my thoughts or hopes are wasted on it anymore.

I am concerned with the game that is currently being ran by the staff.

http://www.zalanthas.org/blogs/brideofson/

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,32532.0.html

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,31652.0.html

[Shiroi Tsuki]

As far as the NPC-coded caravans go, I'm also of the opinion you'd be holding your breath on waiting for such a thing to show up in 1.Arm.

I think the staff would be much more supportive of a player-run and organized caravan event.  That took place regularly or not, depending on the players organizing it, of course.

[Malken]

I think the staff would be much more supportive of a player-run and organized caravan event.  That took place regularly or not, depending on the players organizing it, of course.

The problem is that those who usually own a wagon, the last thing they need is extra money.

If you have a wagon, it's probably not worth your time starting a caravan business back and forth, with all the trouble it'd probably bring you.

Those who need the money but don't have a wagon? Yah, good luck getting yourself a wagon in Arm 1.

[Riev]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Byn is -supposed- to run caravans back and forth like every RL week. Perhaps if this were more well known, or if the Byn didn't charge like 300 coins per person to go one way (I don't know if they do, Just saying) then people could use them as a caravan service.

I mean, if its peak, and its... say... wednesday... and every wednesday the Byn caravans between the four major cities (Thats right, start at Red Storm damnit) and move through each city, it'd be a giant RPT for the members. The runners would get ride skill, and the Imms could potentially toss in a small gith attack to liven up the place.

Amirite?

[FantasyWriter]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Byn is -supposed- to run caravans back and forth like every RL week. Perhaps if this were more well known, or if the Byn didn't charge like 300 coins per person to go one way (I don't know if they do, Just saying) then people could use them as a caravan service.

I mean, if its peak, and its... say... wednesday... and every wednesday the Byn caravans between the four major cities (Thats right, start at Red Storm damnit) and move through each city, it'd be a giant RPT for the members. The runners would get ride skill, and the Imms could potentially toss in a small gith attack to liven up the place.

Amirite?

That would be awesome!

[Shiroi Tsuki]

Wagon stuff.

I realize the OP presents it with a wagon, but why would it have to be with a wagon?  I think a caravan of a bunch of people on kankback trying to ride from one place to another just because there's more safety in numbers, at a regularly scheduled time, would be just as fun.

I think it would be awesome if the Byn (or anyone else) had such a caravan service.  With or without wagons

[Malken]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Byn is -supposed- to run caravans back and forth like every RL week. Perhaps if this were more well known, or if the Byn didn't charge like 300 coins per person to go one way (I don't know if they do, Just saying) then people could use them as a caravan service.

I mean, if its peak, and its... say... wednesday... and every wednesday the Byn caravans between the four major cities (Thats right, start at Red Storm damnit) and move through each city, it'd be a giant RPT for the members. The runners would get ride skill, and the Imms could potentially toss in a small gith attack to liven up the place.

Amirite?

It's been tried often, but I think it always dies out after a while because no one really wants to take advantage of that caravan (again, because it's much easier to travel by yourself on a saturday five minutes after you decide that you need to travel, rather than to wait a few days for wednesday night.)

Then the Byn realizes that they do much better just taking the contract right on the spot rather than organize big caravans.

The high price being asked is because Byn Sergeant usually only have a contract or two once a week, and it's often by people who don't want to pay much for it, yet you have four-five runners with the Sergeant who are counting on those contracts to make a living.

Do you really want to be the Sergeant telling the runners that their share of the contracts for this week is a big 15 'sids?

[FantasyWriter]

Wagon stuff.

I realize the OP presents it with a wagon, but why would it have to be with a wagon?  I think a caravan of a bunch of people on kankback trying to ride from one place to another just because there's more safety in numbers, at a regularly scheduled time, would be just as fun.

I think it would be awesome if the Byn (or anyone else) had such a caravan service.  With or without wagons

It needs a wagon because not everyone than needs to travel can ride ICly.  
And Trader Silkypants would rather be in a moving shelter than in the hot sun (he'd pay more, too).

[Riev]

If you ask me, the runners don't even -need- to get a share of the sid. If they get enough to buy themselves a beer when they get back, they should count themselves lucky. Thats life in the Byn for a runner.

I guess, perhaps, the North Road would need a bit more danger to constitute people not running back and forth all willy nilly before the Byn would be needed to run a party back and forth.

But hell, if you're a Nakki Kadian, and you need to ship something to Tuluk, why not hire the Byn to do it on Wednesday? Give it a chance to have weekly deliveries. If you didn't get the order in time, too bad. Your client has to wait another half a month to get their items.

Wagon stuff.

I realize the OP presents it with a wagon, but why would it have to be with a wagon?  I think a caravan of a bunch of people on kankback trying to ride from one place to another just because there's more safety in numbers, at a regularly scheduled time, would be just as fun.

I think it would be awesome if the Byn (or anyone else) had such a caravan service.  With or without wagons

It needs a wagon because not everyone than needs to travel can ride ICly.  And Trader Silkypants would rather be in a moving shelter than in the hot sun(he'd pay more, too.

Then, don't have them ride. They have to walk it, and you have to take more rest stops. Where is the issue here?

[FantasyWriter]

Then, don't have them ride. They have to walk it, and you have to take more rest stops. Where is the issue here?

Good point.

[Melody]

But hell, if you're a Nakki Kadian, and you need to ship something to Tuluk, why not hire the Byn to do it on Wednesday? Give it a chance to have weekly deliveries. If you didn't get the order in time, too bad. Your client has to wait another half a month to get their items.

I think the ic reasons are pretty well known by now if you have ever been a citizen in Allanak and tried to buy from a Tuluki PC, or the other way round. They don't upset merchants in other cities. Also, Kadius, Kurac, and Salarr pretty much have their own wagons, argosy, delivery services and so on. And delays still happen often enough. It does not make sense for them to hire the even more unreliable Byn.

Some Merchant Houses, once in a bluemoon, actually offer caravan rides. It isn't exactly very popular. Maybe the Byn can build their own stable in the compound that costs less to cut down on contract fees. I don't think the caravan idea will be very catchy in Arm1 either.

[NoteworthyFellow]

Some Merchant Houses, once in a bluemoon, actually offer caravan rides. It isn't exactly very popular. Maybe the Byn can build their own stable in the compound that costs less to cut down on contract fees. I don't think the caravan idea will be very catchy in Arm1 either.

I think it'd be more popular with a more deadly wilderness... but there's another thread for that.

[AmandaGreathouse]

Maybe the Byn can build their own stable in the compound that costs less to cut down on contract fees.

I've never played in the Byn, but it seems like, after a relatively short IG time, the stables would more than pay for themselves, so I can't imagine why, with their own compound, they wouldn't have sunk some coin into this. Especially with the small of stable fees pointed out in one previous post, for a single escort.

[Rogerthat]

Well I put it this way, I dont think a -carvan should be ran IC by NPC's, Ya want a trip somewhere else ya take the risk of the roads or you reach the Tzai Byn...
If you cannot pay for the price of his Tzai Byn that means you prolly shouldn't even be traveling unless you wanna travel unsafe, Shrug..

[Clearsighted]

If you ask me, the runners don't even -need- to get a share of the sid. If they get enough to buy themselves a beer when they get back, they should count themselves lucky. Thats life in the Byn for a runner.

I guess, perhaps, the North Road would need a bit more danger to constitute people not running back and forth all willy nilly before the Byn would be needed to run a party back and forth.

But hell, if you're a Nakki Kadian, and you need to ship something to Tuluk, why not hire the Byn to do it on Wednesday? Give it a chance to have weekly deliveries. If you didn't get the order in time, too bad. Your client has to wait another half a month to get their items.

Wagon stuff.

I realize the OP presents it with a wagon, but why would it have to be with a wagon?  I think a caravan of a bunch of people on kankback trying to ride from one place to another just because there's more safety in numbers, at a regularly scheduled time, would be just as fun.

I think it would be awesome if the Byn (or anyone else) had such a caravan service.  With or without wagons

It needs a wagon because not everyone than needs to travel can ride ICly.  And Trader Silkypants would rather be in a moving shelter than in the hot sun(he'd pay more, too.

Then, don't have them ride. They have to walk it, and you have to take more rest stops. Where is the issue here?

It takes 20 sid for the stable ticket price to even get a runner out the gate.

[musashi]

Well I put it this way, I dont think a -carvan should be ran IC by NPC's, Ya want a trip somewhere else ya take the risk of the roads or you reach the Tzai Byn...
If you cannot pay for the price of his Tzai Byn that means you prolly shouldn't even be traveling unless you wanna travel unsafe, Shrug..

I would agree with that if we had 2,000 PC's online during peak, and maybe just a handful, say 250 ... online during down time. But ... since peak is like 65, and downtime is about 3 ... I feel like the "do everything through other PCs or never do it" arguement doesn't hold much weight.

I feel like, if we're supposed to treat NPCs like they're no different than a PC, lets do that, including possibly approaching them for travel services if no better PC alternatives can be found.

[Taven]

I think this sounds doable if people actually WANTED to do it.

Let's face it, you don't even NEED the Byn for this at all. Maybe a group of indies decides, hey, the wilderness is too dangerous. Let's make a set time to head back and fourth, for saftey in numbers.

If you WANT to do it, you can. It seems to me like it's just setting it all up IC that poses the biggest challange.

[Malken]

The tricky part is probably trying to find at least two characters at the same time that actually agree that the wilderness is too dangerous.

[Shiroi Tsuki]

If you WANT to do it, you can. It seems to me like it's just setting it all up IC that poses the biggest challange.

Clans like the Byn have an OOC board to announce the when and where, so that people can be gathered.  Unclanned folks who would want to start something like this up would have a lot harder time with OOC coordination without using a lot of really distracting OOCs back and forth, IMO.

Bob says, in sirihish: "How about in like three weeks?"

Bob says, OOCly: Would Saturday work for you?

Ted says, in sirihish: "No, I'll be... sleeping.  That week.  Yes, the whole week.  Sorry.  The week after?"

Bob says, in sirihish: "Sure.  Uh... when in the week?"

Bob says, OOCly: Alright, what time?

[Qzzrbl]

Maybe the Byn can build their own stable in the compound that costs less to cut down on contract fees.

I've never played in the Byn, but it seems like, after a relatively short IG time, the stables would more than pay for themselves, so I can't imagine why, with their own compound, they wouldn't have sunk some coin into this. Especially with the small of stable fees pointed out in one previous post, for a single escort.

Trust me, the 20 'sid stable fee per person is much cheaper than building a stable in the compound.

For one, the Byn has to buy more land from the templarate.

"But the Byn compounds are already pretty big!"

Sure, they are pretty big. And they're crowded with PC, NPC, and VNPC mercenaries. Now just imagine if a kank came with every mercenary?

Then they'd have to pay to keep the animals fed and watered....

Then they'd have to hire people to tend to the animals. There simply wouldn't be enough runners to clean up after that many mounts.

And if they made the mercenaries have to care for their own mounts, we'd have the same problem, as they'd need to buy food and water. And that would cost a wee bit more than 20 'sid. >_>

[Qzzrbl]

Aaand getting back on topic.

I'm not a big fan of having anything entirely NPC-driven.

And unless the prices of mounts suddenly shoot up, the prices to ride in one of these caravans would have to be pretty low. 300 'sid from 'Nak to Tuluk, you could buy a ridable for a little more.

Like was said earlier, something like this could be done by PCs. Wouldn't even need a wagon. And the Byn wouldn't charge so damn much if Mr. Solo McIndiemerchant didn't travel by himself. When you travel from point A to point B with the Byn, you're taking a sergeant out of action until the mission's done, so don't expect it to be cheap.

Now if Mr. Solo McIndiemerchant could get a few friends around to help foot the bill, it wouldn't be so bad. Get three or four people wanting to travel, or who were planning to head that way anyway, charge a small a piece, you get your 3-man Byn escort, and everyone's safe and happy.

[Betaal]

I'd actually been excited about providing a compromise between PC and NPC transportation.  I think it's important to provide several methods for PC's to travel between settlements, especially for off-peak players or individuals for whom a Byn-like organization/service wasn't available or perhaps wasn't an option. 

One of my potential solutions is a caravan that's planned to make bi-weekly trips between itself and Daja.  The caravan would be located in the wagon yard of Basal's Lower Market next to an adjoining caravan office, which would be staffed by a merchant, pilot, and guard contingent responsible for the operation.  The wagon would rest in the Basal wagon yard for 'x' days, then spend a day traveling to Daja, where it would rest for 'y' days, then return.

The schedule would vary to make it somewhat unpredictable (i.e. raiders might need to send in spies or check themselves on that week's departure time).

While the wagon was in each town, it would be conducting three services:

> Selling a related group of items it had purchased from PC's while in the previous settlement.
> Buying a related group of items it will be selling in the opposite settlement.
> Selling passage to the next settlement.

One week the caravan merchant may be asking for chorza related goods (i.e. grain, flour, breads, wine) whereas another week they might be asking for stone related products and goods.  These goods would be physically represented on the wagon when it traveled, which may or may not be rewarding to potential raiders based on the amount of commerce that took place prior to the trip.

I had also mentioned in a previous post that there would be a mercenary facility to which anyone could purchase membership and enjoy the shared benefits.  One possibility would be to offer a finite number of guard positions aboard the caravan for anyone who has a membership to this mercenary facility.  These guards would be positioned in certain areas of the caravan and expected to defend it against potential thieves and/or raiders for the duration of the trip, after which they would be paid some small stipend.

These are some of my personal ideas, and certainly not "set in stone".  I don't want to completely replace the PC element for providing transport and escort between locations, but I think that it's important to have options in place for people that would like to travel between the settlements and simply cannot make any other arrangements.

It would also provide a source of foreign goods in both Basal and Daja a few days out of every RL week where someone could potentially find some hard-to-get items.