I would like to make this post as a counterpoint to the people who love to build Dubai-style buildings on the official PVE servers. These people complain that Funcom comes along and prohibits them and that the rules are not clear about what can and cannot be done in terms of base building in this game.
Excuse me for the word I’m going to use; after all, it’s a bit harsh, but there’s no way not to use it. But the complaints from these people are, most of the time, lies. Yes, it is a lie, because the rules are very clear: don’t build more than necessary, don’t close paths, don’t fence off resources, bosses and other game content. Keep in mind that the official servers are shared spaces and, therefore, a player or group of players cannot interfere with the experience of other players.
Look, just because Funcom makes new building pieces, new decoration items, etc. available, it doesn’t mean you have to build a new mansion in a new style on the official server. After all, the goal is not to collect mansions. You can build as much as you want in single player mode or on private servers that allow it (maybe the Property Brothers play on a private server focused on renovating their old base, or building new bases in a better neighborhood in the exiled lands, lol).
In addition, it is completely possible to play the game by building smaller, functional bases, whose purpose is to allow the player to evolve to face the challenges of the game. This does not mean that smaller bases are “poor”, or “uglier bases”. What’s wrong with small bases? There are countless videos teaching how to build small, functional bases (and beautiful ones, by the way).
I always played this game in single player mode and recently went on an adventure on an Official PVE server and I’m still playing. And, by Crom! There are areas of the map that really look like Dubai, full of huge buildings next to each other. The game even freezes in some places. So they’re talking about Dubais in slow motion, which is very sad.
In addition to the insane constructions that cause FPS drops, there are also those players who block paths, forcing detours between points of interest.
I noticed that there are also many players who create paths and bridges in their gigantic bases, but this is also not allowed by Funcom’s rules (which are clear): it turns out that these bridges, roads, etc. are a way of abusing the game’s land claims and are constructions that are on a path used by other players: after all, I’m playing a survival game to survive and be forced to face the challenges that the game’s “nature” offers, not to cross a signposted and illuminated avenue that takes me from one side of a mountain, a lake or a cliff to the other.
So, while the “let me build Dubai without getting banned” crowd complains on their side, I think the other side’s complaint is also super valid: I want to play on the online server without having to put up with FPS drops or encounter megalomaniacal buildings that are there simply to “show how big they are”.
Honestly, no one cares how big these buildings are: anyone can turn on creative mode and build big, beautiful, and mind-boggling bases in single player, so those looking for online servers are looking to explore the game in partnership with other players.
It’s no wonder that the server I joined was pretty empty (most of the server list is). There are rarely more than 6 players there, and I met a few of them once (a nice bunch, by the way). But I don’t know if they were there to build condos in the Exile lands or to venture into their dungeons (I didn’t spend much time with them to find out).
I honestly understand the desire to build from players who complain about getting banned or having their beloved castles destroyed, but the online server is not for building insane castles. Still, it’s possible to have fun building there, as long as the base isn’t (unnecessarily) huge, doesn’t block paths, resources, etc.
For example: focus on making more optimized bases that are beautiful, functional and that blend in with the game’s scenery.
I played for a few days on the online server and with a simple camp and two or three huts located in strategic points (and as far away from view as possible) I managed to evolve to level 60 and still obtain great resources (weapons and armor). You have to look carefully to find my bases in the landscape.
I can already survive in the far north (although it still has difficulty).
As I progress in the game, I intend to destroy some of these huts and invest in a small fort and one or two more huts in strategic areas.
When the new update comes out soon, I intend to start from scratch in the single player and, who knows, in the online server as well, in the hope of finding a server with less absurd bases.