Increasing the Conflict

[Armaddict]

Now that's interesting.

What if business establishments were responsible for their own policing?  If they had a huge troublemaker who got away...he'd get reported to the authorities.  But within the tavern...the soldier would stay away.  The bouncer dictates when things are out of the control...it'd be more jobs for the common folk, so that not -everyone- is employed by the merchant/noble houses, and the people -trying- to play the commoner have more to resort to than the byn.

This reminds me of another thought I had...why do npc guards have to be so -buff-?  I mean...what's a PC guard good for if they're not even as good as your npc's?  And the PC guard you -do- have really doesn't have to worry...no one is insane enough to actually -try- something against that noble because his npc that's always with him is so damned good.  I think lowering the skills of your npc guards not only gives incentive to hire more PC's -and- gives those guards something to actually worry about, but opens up the way for -independent-, non-byn mercenary guards to hire themselves out.

Rich bastard says: "I'm a little worried things could get rowdy at the party...could you reach that fella I saw guarding so-and-so at the last one?  I've been hearing he's rather good, and his rates are not outrageous."  This also gives more value to house guards...they are a relatively sure bet on loyalty.  While this mercenary guard is very good, you worry about him being bought out by a competitor...but he's better than not having anyone.

Anyway, yeah.  This is all out of place, but I liked Creeper's idea

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

As did I. Creeper is odd, but at times, he poses great ideas. Adversely, I also like Rindan's view on things, and agree completely.

Here is another ticket to throw out into the hat. Wars are fought over something. I like the idea of the North and the South at war. What I would like to see is something that they are fighting for.

A great amount of water...perhaps the Northerners have a secret magick artifact that Tek has been searching for forever...whatever. There is something other than solely world-domination that these two have been fighting over for so fucking long.

[Supreme Allah]

As per the usual, I completely agree with Rindan and LoD. Unfortunately, very long and well-written posts like theirs tend to make mine redundant when I post after them. This leaves me with most of my GDB posts being, "Yeah, yeah, I agree with this guy".

But I'll give being productive a shot anyway:

I'd rather see more real commoners about than I do anybody from a House. As it is, it's kinda hard to even walk into a tavern without nearly every PC present being in a huge, powerful organization.

I'd write more, but frankly my opinions have already been stated by others.

[Edited after reading this quote:]

If you want to see the effect of a reduced crim-code, just try playing in the 'rinth. I've done it, when I come across another PC chances are about 10-1 that they will look at you (probably a quick eq buffness check) and then attack or backstab without a word. Sometimes they don't look first, maybe they mistook me for an NPC or used peek instead.

I'm not sure about your experiences in the 'rinth, but as someone who has played a few 'rinthers over the past year, I can only suggest that it may have just been a few poorly-played PCs, or just a passing trend of certain inexperienced players. Some of my experiences there have been absolutely amazing, which has quite easily kept me coming back for more. Try and give it a shot in more present times, AC. I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

LoD/Rindan yesman 4 life!

[EvilRoeSlade]

Dirr.  There is a derailment thread for a reason.  Use it or I will fuck you over with the chaotic insanity of Anarchy.

I think that Houses generally offer too little variety of conflict.  What we have is about ten clans that's differences from each other can be counted on one hand.  I want to see more regular commoners, who just don't have what it takes to be a noble's aide.  I think that a less severe crime-code would be a small step in the right direction.  I don't think that Allanak should become a duplicate of the rinth.  An analogy such as that is useless for what I'm trying to suggest.  I want something along the lines of having half as many NPC guards about the area from dusk to before dawn.  There's already a script in which NPC guards patrol a specific route.  Maybe some could be programmed to retreat to their barracks when night rolls around?  This wouldn't take away the need for stealth and skill, but it might just encourage a few people to prowl around and cause some havoc.  Maybe some people in favor of subtle plots that take months and years to see to fruition, but I'm not.  The only conflict that really hits the spot for me is the struggle to survive.  And I'd like a day to come where desert elves are just as reluctant to enter a city as city-dwellers are to enter the desert.

[Kalden]

The thing is that in Allanak, as the helpfile states, most commoners who are not in a house are trying to feed themselves through crime, and moving into the 'rinth. Maybe that's what the imms originally intended to happen, for Armageddon to have a real gritty feel to it, because right now, people live rich and easy in the Noble Houses and Merchant Houses.

And so it appeared to have been: with merchants murdered in the night and secret dealings in dark alleys, much of the Allanaki economy has moved underground, the result being that many more honest merchants have been driven out of business, and the general prosperity has declined. While the banning of spice was made many years ago now, its repercussions are still felt in the modern style of Allanaki trade.

I haven't really seen much of the Allanak economy moved underground, but if that's the intention, maybe there could be a bigger push towards it?

After all, how do you make money, if you're not from one of the Houses? You can either mine sid, hunt, or be a mercenary. Independent crafters get swallowed up, and they can't hardly afford to get off the ground, anyway.

[Delirium]

Independent crafters get swallowed up, and they can't hardly afford to get off the ground, anyway.

Or if they do, they're quickly assassinated by one of the Houses because suddenly, a small business run by one person is a major threat to the entire House. <snort>

Of course, if they're blatantly attempting to steal business.. that's another story.

[sacac]

so.. by those rules I should be dead in (Looking at watch)
5... 4... 3... oops.. they're early.. But That is pretty much how it is..