Pre-T4 Feedback
This page aims to address issues that were perhaps overlooked in the implementation of changes in T3, and aims to suggest ways to resolve those issues.
Compounds
In Tale 3, compound costs were increased exponentially, with an aim to discourage the building of few, large compounds in favour of a higher number of smaller compounds.
However, no incentive was given, other than avoidance of rising costs (which won't affect the power gamers who are responsbible for such large compounds - they'll plough ahead regardless), for players to focus instead on multiple smaller buildings.
Cornerstones
The number of available cornerstones remains largely unchanged from T2. Given the increased work involved in maintaining multiple buildings, this is an instant killer for building and owning multiple smaller buildings, rather than fewer large ones.
Customization
One of the *big* pulls for new ATITD new players is the ability to build and customize their own unique 'house'. However, given the massive scaling costs of personalisation of compounds, it's almost a nescessity that compounds belonging to players who are new to the game (and as such find the prospect of gathering of, for example, 6,000 slate for a 'minor' change to the wall structures quite daunting and inaccessable) be square, gray boxes.
I firmly believe that the costs of paint, wall styles, compound flooring, etc, should be perhaps investigated and readdressed with the consideration that an investment of ownership and personalisation of property is a massive hook for players who are currently put off to the point of at best, 'not bothering', and at worst, feeling overwhealmed and unable simply to give their home a sloping wall or a nice pillar at the entrance, and thus reducing immersion and dampening thier desire to continue in game.
There's also something to be said for compound decorations that require marble (pillars, columns, marble flooring) in terms of gameplay mechanics. If these features were cheaper and more accessable, we'd likely see a lot more people squandering marble (as a non-renewable resource) on vanity projects. From the perspective of the ever-present double-sided blade that forms the heart of most ATITD mechanics, this would definately fit...
Changes to Cost of Production of Materials
The most basic reason for creating large compounds is the need to produce materials (Nails, Iron Bars, etc.) on a certain scale. Because of the mechanics of the game, you are either sacrifice more time each and everytime you need to produce materials like these, or make in investment in making a greater production capacity. Since it would be impractical to reduce the needs for materials, and thereby give a advantage to players who would have already produced on a massive scale, another alternative should be looked for. One possibility is the allowing for more technologies like the brick machines where people can load resources and walk away. If they are able to multiplex time between many tasks they might inclined to produce fewer of buidlings needed for the production.
- Specific Examples:
- Upgraded Nail Moulds (20 Medium Stone + 20 iron to make?) - allows you to make nails in batchs of 48.
- 'Large True Kiln' - simply scaled up from the current true kilns - 3* the space, %* the capacity, higher cost?