New Game Features NPC villages in place of inactive players

[DeletedUser31]

This idea is in connection with several topics, and is about inactive villages. As many of you know, a solution is being worked on, but we don't know what will happen. I'd like to grab the opportunity and write about my idea. This is only an idea and I know that if a solution is almost done, they will not change it to a really different thing. And this might take up a bit of server-resources, but we are frre to dream, right?

So... After a player is inactive, their village would become a NPC village. This NPC village would simulate a player (a not too active player...). What does this mean?
Only 2 buildings/upgrades per day.
Only 10 KPs spent per day.
This village no longer explores the map.
The village is not visiting neighbors and cannot be visited to help it.
The village no longer offers trades BUT(!) its goods are now visible. So you can exchange goods directly with them (pre-determined rates, somewhere below wholesaler, but above normal sales).
All of the manufactories and workshops produce once a day and production is equal to a 3hr production.

This way these villages can still produce things and other players will not see them as "blank spots" on the map.

I understand that this would eat up a huge amount of time and resources, but I just want to get feedback on this idea. What do you guys think? Any more ideas or suggestions?

 

[DeletedUser580]

That really sounds interesting but as you said, it will consume lots of ressources. It would be easier to just replace inactive players with active ... based on scores. Like we had in FoE. Like a fluctuating neighborhood.

 

[DeletedUser503]

not a bad idea, but I don't think a closed beta is ready for that at this early point in time.
I would rather see a 'live' person replace the inactive players. Inactives have used up a
beta key that could have gone to someone who really really wanted to play, not just
have a look and leave again. So, give those real people who are still waiting the exciting
news that they are now a part of Elvenar!

 

[DeletedUser420]

Instead of NPC make it a ruin of a city. Ruins fit better with the narrative of Elvenar and this is way more easier to code than to have an AI run an empty city.
- city becomes a ruin after certain period of time (3-10 days, depending on owners progress) and it remains a ruin until the owner returns or that hex is reassigned to another player (that's what I imagine should happen with inactives, a.k.a. "merge").
- the ruin is defended by a number of units with strength similar to attackers other scouted sectors, maybe limited to race of the previous/currently absent owner (i.e. no bandits, mortars, war dogs, knights; but again this is a maybe)
- you can "explore" a ruin once every 23h (just like visiting other, active, neighbors)
- rewards for successfully "exploring" a ruin should be a random amount of coins and/or supplies (amount of neighborly help as a measure), or a number of that hex' boosted goods (I agree with Hoshi, 3h equivalent with your boost aplied, even if your boosts differ, and only the generation of goods you have researched)
- possible penalties for inactive players whose cities become ruined are outside the scope of this idea

 

[DeletedUser]

A good idea hoshie, you get a +1, but porfirio gets a +2

 

[DeletedUser]

The idea to replace inactive players with NPC villages is amazing.
How about this: After 2 weeks of inactivity a player's town turns to stone (human) or is overgrown by plants (elves).
In this state Gargoyles or Fairies could offer special trades or additional sidequests to "compensate" a missing neighbour.
The trades would be more beneficial and different from the ones at the Wholesaler and could be randomly offered in a certain timespan (like once a day) for a certain period of time.
Same could be done with sidequests that would have to be solved in a certain timespan.

I feel like inactive players still have to be respected in case they had to leave game for whatever reason and would like to come back.
If they do, the city would "awake from its sleep" and the player could go on from where it stopped.

But if they dont come back after maybe ~6 weeks of total inactivity the city would be removed to let a new player start on that spot.
Maybe the removed player could still "reactivate" its city even later but in a new neighbourhood or a "holiday mode" could be implemented.

What do you think? Is this still in progress or problem already solved?

 

[DeletedUser31]

I literally love your idea, Tiktoki.

 

[DeletedUser819]

find MustangK good idear

and please consider also :::
someone may have become ill ....
someone is in the hospital ...
someone is on vacation ...
someone had on business trip ...
someone had defective PC
these people are suddenly inactive
but they like the game ))

 

[DeletedUser252]

1 or 2 weeks is a bit fast I think. I like to go on vacation this summer and hope not to see my city gone by the time I come back

 

[DeletedUser819]

or there will be a holiday mode
where you can log out?

In my guild I always inactive had no Info
who were very sick
or had PC problems
or had an accident

 

[DeletedUser252]

When you are in a guild it's easy though: you can notify the leader.
But Inno has to know as well before they wipe your city out

 

[DeletedUser819]

yes, of course, but it is not always possible,
I had someone in my guild,
who had an accident and could not be modest,
He had my personal protection))

It would be good, I think,
man has the info before you start here,
that you lose the city when one is inactive over 3 weeks
because others want to play like this. -

 

[DeletedUser503]

I have total inactives on my map with only 1 residence and 1 workshop and nothing is ever
in process, that have been there since January. I doubt they are coming back.
Give someone a chance to play who will help test the game, provide feedback
and good ideas. It's been 'dead space' for 2 months.

 

[DeletedUser58]

Lots of +1's, one for each of the ideas mentioned in this thread.

 

[Amy Steele]

Not marking this one as Implemented, since Gold Mines were the direction the development team took in order to resolve the issue of empty spots on the map, and Gold Mines are significantly different to what was proposed here. However it's likely this thread was an option that was discussed in relation to empty spots on the map, although not the final solution chosen