Architect Archive

As I get farther up the Architect tree I have been wondering more and more about one very important question to me...

Is it considered within the intended vision of the profession that an Architect will need to borrow or buy lots from other players to function well?

I haven't noticed a clear answer on this yet, and I feel that I need one. If it's going to continue to be the norm that an Architect will need other players lots then I doubt that I'll continue with the profession. I'll skip the various reasons why I feel this way, but I just don't want to play an Architect if I'm going to need other people's lots to get along.

If there's been a clear answer that I missed, someone please post it for me. If no answer yet, then devs can we hear your thoughts about this please?

Here are my thoughts...

How our profession is setup, if you intend to maintain even one house you will probably not be able to go it alone (at least not if you want a consistent supply of resources)...

Now, that said, I do not (nor do I plan) to use another player's lots. I do not believe that is the intent, and question the fairness to some degree (not that I believe everything should be fair, but the only reason I can see to limit the lots in the first place is so that one player can obtain an unfair advantage and squash all his/her competition). Instead, I have worked out a deal with a couple resource suppliers. When I run low on a particular resource I simply place an order for more. This does rely on others, but it helps the economy at the same time, and face it, if no one relyed on us what fun would that be?

Bottom-line you will probably not be a totally solo act, but that is not a reason to give up, nor try and bypass the game system...

Tartuffe

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Tartuffe wrote:
but the only reason I can see to limit the lots in the first place is so that one player can obtain an unfair advantage and squash all his/her competition).

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I'm not quite so cynical. There are several reasons to limit personal lots, one of the first that occurs to me is it prevents the vastly wealthy from simply placing sturctures on every available level piece of land in a region.

So unlimited lot space would lead to the squashing of all other competition, while limiting lots prevents that sort of abuse. I believe you have it exactly backwards.

Secondly, lot limits helps the designers control the database consumption, which is probably a very good thing with regards to real and perceived lag.

My house requires 8 maintenance, or about 2700 credits a week. My Architect has rarely used more than his ten lots, although there have been a couple times he's used two or three of my main character's lots when particularly excellent resources were available.

I've stockpiled quite a load of good resources this way, and have never had to purchase a resource. I've sold quite a bit of energy for cash. If you're patient and spend time surveying carefully, you should be able to easily support your desire to become an Architect.

I cant afford to buy from resource dealers, but thats cause im running a fleet of heavies, although soon i will actually have to sell for the cheap rates =(.

Recruit a novice artisan.

Equip them over time with solars and mediums.

Do this for free.

While you are doing this they bring you 4 parts ore 1 part copper 1 part steel 1 part allum.

You pat 2creds per and start them off with some solar.

Later when they qualify and start their own craft, offer them a vendor in your shop.

You

a) make friends

b) dont have to manage their lots

c) help the new crafters grow up...a steady nightly income of 40k can help anyone grind anything.

d) end up with 5 vendors always stocked and a bunch of folks who you can share a house with

Trickle down economics.

Oh and for those who say I am exploiting. I sell for 3cr per, shift 40 items a day and probably dont make more than 100k a week (and Im a master of two professions and 4004 on merchant).

Cheers, Bob'the Builder

can I add thet dont need to be an artisan...scouts, ch, be...anyone who roams around in their early stages is happy to have a guaranteed income every night and as they trapse from mining machine to mining machine they can do whatever those rufty tufty fighter types do !

Bob'the Builder

I agree with Tartuffe's view of things.

I hope I'm not sounding as if I'm against inter-dependency. Really I'm all for it, but only within the framework of the game's systems and hopefully balanced with some means of controlling it.

However, I can only conclude that sharing lots actually is within the system because otherwise why would the devs allow players to give unlimited administration rights to other players? It's an idea that I'm hesitant to totally oppose because I'm sure it's great for those with groups of friends in PAs who wish to work together. In that fashion it's probably a great idea.

But, how can this be balanced against those who aren't in PAs and either have no opportunity or desire to do so?

Well, maybe it's a problem that will solve itself over time. Or, maybe it's not really a problem. It's just been on my mind and I was wondering what the Architect community and the dev teammight have to say on the subject.

Thanks for the replies.