Gates, Guards, Wildlife and so much more.

[Cerelum]

So we all know that certain civilizations and settlements close their gates come dusk and open them come dawn and others don't.

Now I understand thematically why they would do this, but have never seen it in REALITY in the game.

What I mean is that I think the gates should close on Allanak at dusk to protect folks, to keep all those scary scrabs and spiders away from the city folk.  But in reality unless someone leads them back to town, you almost will never see anything TRULY frightening near a gate.

I wonder if it wouldn't be to the games benefit to have scary shit pop into the world with more regularity at night.  And have it move towards the cities full of soft little people to eat?

Now I'm not saying "Invasions" as many games have done, which are piss poor and just result in having people end up getting killed on their way to the tavern they sit in throughout the night (Not that there is anything wrong with tavern sitters).

But I think that the world should be much scarier at night, and I mean more scary than simply not being able to see the critter three rooms away and do a wide circle to stop his aggro from a room away.  I mean scary as in if you get caught on your back to town and the gate closes in your face, critters will be coming to hunt, creepy crawlies will be moving towards the lights of the city etc.

This would be beneficial in many ways, the city guardsman could actually have the job to go scare away or kill the critters that gathered during the night, the gates would actually serve a purpose instead of just being an arbitrary barrier to get into the town that literally does nothing to stop you from sitting your happy ass at the gate and waiting till it opens.

Hunters would be benefited to head out at dawn, because the critters hadn't yet retreated to their dens.  Ripe for the picking, similar to how deer hunters head out at the crack of dawn.  Or the daring hunters could go out at night, braving the darkness.

It's just one of those things about the game that I feel can be improved upon, so what do you think?

[Veselka]

There are definitely regular threats near both the east and west gates of Allanak. Mekillots and Spiders.

[Cerelum]

There are definitely regular threats near both the east and west gates of Allanak. Mekillots and Spiders.

Trust me, as a guy who plays outdoors ALL the time, there isn't.

Only time one of those pops near the gate is when someone leads it back, either through it hunting them down or following as they run away.

[th3kaiser]

I mean, it's an interesting idea but come morning the gates are going to open and then it's going to be free (whatever) corpse every morning. Would I play Tower Defense Armageddon with waves of mean shit? Sure. Does it necessarily work for the regular game? Eh. I'd much prefer regions that big-ass carnivores claim as territory. So if you go in those zones, you're now prey. Enjoy the ambush scripts.

[Cerelum]

Hey, I get it, this isn't like the perfect idea, but my aim was to start a conversation and maybe some staff member would be interested in running with it.

I don't think it should be like a Zerg rush at dusk, but I do think that night time needs to be more dangerous and/or different critters coming out at night.

[th3kaiser]

Oh I'd love a noctural update to the wilderness survival code. Sleepy beasts, some rodents coming out to forage, and the occasional scary night-time predator you don't see until it's jaws are wrapped around your throat suffocating you.

All for that.

[Jihelu]

Both spiders and Mekillots are only a threat if a player is OOC stupid or OOC a cunt and luring beasts near the gates.

Spiders are more likely to do this cause I think they follow people.

I've yet to hear about a mek getting in the gate within the past IRL year (Unless that last time was in the past year) so I wouldn't consider rare occurrences 'threats'

[mansa]

As a game...

I would expect that mobs closest to the gates would be the "easiest" mobs to kill.  And as you leave the neighbourhood the mobs would become more and more dangerous.
This would have some progression in combat skill as you get further and further away from your friends.  If you wanted a challenge, you would have to prepare for a journey far away.  You shouldn't be killed immediately on the first mob you encounter outside the city.


As a world...

Since there are farms outside the main city gates, you would think the land outside Allanak is pretty tame.  People make their living trying to grow enough food in the desert for the population of the city.  I can see the city doing regular patrols to make sure raiders and the 'tough' creatures who wander into an area are taken care of.  I would assume that large beasts would try and stick to a hunting area where they are the largest animal, or at least have a quick way to hide and survive.

[Veselka]

Both spiders and Mekillots are only a threat if a player is OOC stupid or OOC a cunt and luring beasts near the gates.

Spiders are more likely to do this cause I think they follow people.

I've yet to hear about a mek getting in the gate within the past IRL year (Unless that last time was in the past year) so I wouldn't consider rare occurrences 'threats'

Twice in the past 3 RL months, but sure.

[Cerelum]

Really they aren't a danger if they hit the outside area of the gates because I've had scary shit follow me back and game animated arrows shoot down at them and the soldiers charge from the gate.

The danger is when they get close to there, because Joe Grebber goes out to find some stones and WHAM a Mekillot reel locks him and kills him.

Now back on the subject of it being a safe area due to it being farm land and patrolled by the soldiers to keep dangerous things away.

Why aren't there soldier npcs riding some war beetles around doing rounds like there are soldiers that walk through the city? Or better yet why aren't there outdoor rangers of the militia?  If they are supposed to protect their territory, why not make a role outta it?

I never join the Byn due to the don't leave the city rule, or the militia because of the exact same rule.  If they had outdoor rangers, I don't think I'd ever play any other clan.

[Vex]

AoD don't have pc or npc patrols, because people would religiously kill them, for fun and profit.

I know, I sure would.

[th3kaiser]

I'm not really seeing a downside there, Vex. How about, AoD should have PC and NPC patrols, so people can try to kill them for fun and profit.

[PriestlySiren]

Staff gets bored: A ruddy-brown mekillot arrives from the west.

[Cerelum]

I don't think people killing npcs is a problem, provided they understand that they are killing a person the same as if they ran up and murdered another player.

Now I do think that if you murder the npcs that you get wanted by the militia in town, that alone would stop most novice hack and slashers because they would get owned by gate guards upon entering the city.

But this is all spitballing honestly, someone with some serious juice would need to code it and make it happen and I don't think staff would, no matter how cool it would be.

[Cerelum]

Both of you stop measuring your cocks in this post.  You're gonna get it locked.

[Shabago]

Seriously? You're better then this, guys.

[Riev]

I don't think people killing npcs is a problem, provided they understand that they are killing a person the same as if they ran up and murdered another player.

Now I do think that if you murder the npcs that you get wanted by the militia in town, that alone would stop most novice hack and slashers because they would get owned by gate guards upon entering the city.

I don't know how much it would take to fix the crime code, but I'd think that from the tall walls of Allanak, you could at least see the outskirts of the farm villages. So if one of the mounted AoD patrols got attacked, it would be seen from the city. I would think AoD would patrol in no less than a Corporal and 2 privates, so their skill would be sufficient to fend off simple raiders. It would be feasible that one of them got a Way off to some AoD officer.

[PriestlySiren]

AoD don't have pc or npc patrols

Incorrect.

[Vex]

AoD don't have pc or npc patrols

Incorrect.

No.

[Veselka]

AoD don't have pc or npc patrols

Incorrect.

No.

Oui.

[th3kaiser]

Well, this is fun.

I think he meant very regular patrols which they simply don't do. We get infrequent ones, it's not part of a schedule. Possibly we get a vNPC patrol presence but that's simply no fun.

[Namino]

Any patrol presence is based on the leadership/players. Some leadership really emphasize patrolling. Some do not. I used to run into AoD patrols relatively frequently out in the wastes depending on who their Sergeant was. I don't know what the status quo is now, but legitimately a simple changing of leadership can be all it takes to 150% reverse that. It helps if you have a staffer who throws things at you to deal with so you're not constantly just stomping scorpions.

[Cerelum]

Any patrol presence is based on the leadership/players. Some leadership really emphasize patrolling. Some do not. I used to run into AoD patrols relatively frequently out in the wastes depending on who their Sergeant was. I don't know what the status quo is now, but legitimately a simple changing of leadership can be all it takes to 150% reverse that. It helps if you have a staffer who throws things at you to deal with so you're not constantly just stomping scorpions.

Ahh, IC info, I don't wanna know that the militia is beating up Tor Scorpions!

Just kidding.

[gotdamnmiracle]

How would people feel about npc patrols of the Alanaki territory?

Like four mounted soldiers (if NPCs can be mounted). Two privates (maybe one of which is a half-giant or dwarf), a corporal, and a sergeant. They respawn with reboots and patrol a circuit around the outer walls, and resting on and off in the city, in New Minos, and in Yaroch. They are fairly slow, but are direct in their circuit so there's less chance for them to leave a trail of scrab bodies behind them. Will attack if they see casting in an adjacent room, will attack if shot at from an adjacent room, etc.

Their armor and weapons are all branded as militia gear and they're a racial mix, thus you won't have a zillion raiders easily knocking them out and turning their haubarks into coins. Not easily at least.

[Jihelu]

Dwarves can't be soldiers tho so IDK what racial mix you expect except humans + the rare HG

[gotdamnmiracle]

Dwarves can't be soldiers tho so IDK what racial mix you expect except humans + the rare HG

Lolwhat? This is incorrect. Ever hear about Meso?

[Medena]

Meso was a Tor Scorpion.

[gotdamnmiracle]

Meso was a Tor Scorpion.

Then when house Tor closed he was a soldier. I recall this because I was there when they made the offer for us to be Sabers.

Dwarves just can't be sergeants or something because who would want that? They're disgusting bald-bodied stumps.

[Medena]

Meso was a Tor Scorpion.

Then when house Tor closed he was a soldier. I recall this because I was there when they made the offer for us to be Sabers.

Maybe it was a one-off thing then due to the special circumstances of House Tor being closed.  I am quite certain that dwarves are not permitted in the AoD.

[gotdamnmiracle]

Meso was a Tor Scorpion.

Then when house Tor closed he was a soldier. I recall this because I was there when they made the offer for us to be Sabers.

Maybe it was a one-off thing then due to the special circumstances of House Tor being closed.  I am quite certain that dwarves are not permitted in the AoD.

Okay. I don't really give a shit if there are dwarves in this cadre or not.

[Grapes]

There have been dwarven PC AoD soldiers before, it's just exceedingly rare and requires an exceptionally talented dwarf with a solid rep... and even then they can't get past a certain rank. Also, what others said, the AoD PCs DO go on patrol if they have permission and/or orders. I've had them ride up to me in the wastes and hassle me with questions, though this was many years ago.

Granted, you can't just roll a dwarf out of chargen and expect to get in, and without special orders or having the authority to make those orders, you shouldn't be patrolling outside. There are reasons for this. It's dangerous out there, people die all the time (which cuts down on available troops), and if the enemy gets your uniform it creates the opportunity for some really bad mischief. This is why your commanding officer will flay the skin from your bones for it, both for endangering the unit, and to make an example to anyone else considering doing so.

That said, I like the idea of some outer circle/farming village patrols with real presence, even if most times it's NPCs. It makes sense the routes between city resources would be at least a little secured.

[gotdamnmiracle]

That said, I like the idea of some outer circle/farming village patrols with real presence, even if most times it's NPCs. It makes sense the routes between city resources would be at least a little secured.

Yeah. And since certain raider organizations exist it'd give them a challenging thing to run into or even attack if they were interested.

There are troops of units on the North road too that have a similar purpose and, while they stand still, are still interesting to fight.