Architect Archive

I agree with you for the most part Warguhl, but I would never say never. What I think we may see early on is

Happy PA with 20 members wants to make their current location their city. So they drop a city hall as quickly as possible and have a city. Mean PA, with 30 members,isn't as quick to get their city hall built, but really want to be on Naboo. They finally get a city hall built, but can't find a spot to drop it, entire planet is now unbuildable for player cities, since 10 have already been placed. Mean PA then starts looking at cities and counting structures and targets a city to takeover so they can be on naboo.

I doubt this happens very often, but I think it will happen now and again. Since the buildable space will be at a premium, you have to expect some people to get shafted. I wouldn't call any of this griefing, it is part of the game plan. Before I drop a city hall, I would make sure I have enough people to defend it.

Agree.... whatever the radius is of the city, no one should be able to build with out permission from the mayor.... or someone the mayor has given powers too (incase the mayor isnt on at a certain time)

Once the radius gets bigger than already placed structures would obviously be grandfathered in, but otherwise no new structures with out permission

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Knocky wrote:

I would kinda would like a private town...but what fun is KNOWING that you rule all you survey?

Free for all cities brings an element of adventure. Besides, as long as you keep a close watch on the new people moving in, they will not be able to stage a takeover of the Political leadership.

Also teh Devs already said no.

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A major goal of our PA is to build a small settlement and put our name on it. Not a major city - just a small outpost we can call our own. Maybe 50 houses, tops, plus a few civic structures. We do not wish to spend months working to make this happen, then to have it taken away from us.

The writer assumes that everyone is in the game to maximize adventure, intrugue, and risk so that life will be exciting. Good: how about mandatory PvP and Permadeath. That maximizes adventure, intigure, and risk.

All kidding aside, we have a strong aversion to conflict with other groups of players. We wish to live and let live, to live in peace and not have conflict and rivalry dominate our lives. If we can start a town then have to engage in politics (which inevitably gets nasty) to stay in power or risk getting chased out of town, No Thank You.

I predict that, if they go ahead with their current plan of all-open cities, we will discover just how nasty, mean, and unpleasant politics usually gets.

For example: mayors want to stay in power. How do they stay in power? More votes. How do they get more votes? Cross-server trading. This is inevitable. If I want to stay in power, I build 50 or 100 small houses, and trade votes: I'll create a character, set up a house in your town and vote for you if you do the same for me.

How are people going to feel when a pro-empire faction comes to power in a town (or pro-rebel) and starts banning and killing everyone having a different faction? The rules, as stated, permit this.

The developers had better be VERY careful about this. They might end up with placid, well-ruled cities, but they might also end up with a nightmare of crooked politics, vote-buying, death-squads, and griefing that quickly drives all the decent players out of the game.

Mkappus / Goliath

Your post is exactly what is going to happen... and it's what most of these people fear. Guild Leaders who are currently envisioning themselves as mayor ofa city areafraid that they will not control a city like they control their PA, but this is exactly what SOE intends. The city isn't something for a mayor to 'control', since the system is being created as a democracy. People whowere planning ona single-PA city are going to quickly learn that, unless they move to a location where buildable land is rare,controlling the future of a city is a game of politics.

Will it resemble real-world politics? Somewhat.Votes will be sold and traded cross-server andgriefing will take place. Will it be rampant? I'm not sure. But without it the system would be LESS like real-world politics.

What can you do to make sure you have a healthy city? Start making multi-guild alliances now. Good multi-guild alliances will make for a stronger and more stable voter base. Your party (guild) may not win many elections, but at least you'll know the people who will.

Which is why a mayor should never be able to control where other people place buildings.

exactly right.