On PVP servers there’s a problem where one clan becomes Alpha, ends up ruling over a dead server with nothing to do but stockpile raiding materials for the next person/clan dumb enough to join their server. They might let the clan build up for a few weeks but then inevitably, even with that clan trying their best to make a good defendable base, that alpha clan has so many munitions stockpiled that they can blow through any base in a matter of minutes, and it’s no big deal how many resources they cost, because they spent the last month or so with nothing else to do anyway but stockpile. Nobody can challenge these clans, it’s virtually impossible because of the stockpiling, any new clans won’t have the munitions necessary to put a dent in their many bases spread across the map while their couple bases they’ve managed to throw together get razed to the ground in less than an hour. How do you solve this?
Decay timers on explosives and some of their more important components. Demonfire Orbs decay after a few days to a week, volatile glands after a week, Explosives destabilize after a day, dragonfire powder after a few days, demon blood coagulates into worthless gunk after a week. Now everyone has to build their explosives from scratch shortly before a raid, the alpha clans still have an advantage in having a more developed production facilities, but at least other clans have a fighting chance
While I like the idea for game balance purposes, here’s my problem with it: it’s 2018. Every once in awhile, in Europe (especially the UK and Germany), unexploded ordnance from WWII is unearthed. World War 2 ended in 1945, and these things can still explode.
I certainly sympathize with the need to solve the problem of “once you become alpha the game is essentially over”. I think the core problem is that this game was not (I believe) designed to be perpetual. That’s why there’s so relatively little end-game, whether in PVP or PVE. I believe PVE as a game type was a bit of an afterthought as well - another reason there’s some nearly unsolvable, core problems with that ruleset.
The intended game-mode was the Blitz servers, with faster building and frequent wipes. It just turned out most people don’t want that.
That’s obviously just IMO. Note that I personally like perpetual, laid-back, casual PVE gameplay (I have a family - playtime is limited) - so I’m definitely not advocating that PVP Blitz is “the only right way to play”. Are there even any of those servers still active? Officials I mean, anything can of course be found in the private sphere.
