Looking to the Future

With the PvP server 0.2 beta launch (i.e. actual fighting) just a handful of days away I'd like to take the chance to pop a few questions to you all about the actual status of a PvP server.

A. First off, what is the benefit of joining this kind of server early, as opposed to later?
B. How will you anticipate alliances/diplomacy to function? At all?
C. Is there any interest in a permanently friendly/permanently hostile zone? For example, a specific portal in a corner of the map leads to a forever angry undead army and their indomitable castle, and upon reaching said zone all players and their respective npcs are tagged "allied" allowing for a kind of PvE "zone" in a PvP world. The benefits of doing this kind of thing being specific item/loot drops and balance checks for "losing" factions (say you keep losing large fights and need an edge, then the skelly-lord's castle is for you, noob!).


My Thoughts on point A. I would totally be interested in a kind of "lordling" system where new players have the option of founding their own kingdom/region (like we have done thus far) or join an existing faction with the potential of gathering more loyal soldiers than the current lord and eventually staging an uprising. A la Baron's Revolt circa the Crusades. Something to think about, where if the the current lord is absent too often and the incumbent lordling is oh so valorous in combat the tables can get turned.
Also I feel it is the duty of early members to organize and brainstorm possible events and/or group days where everyone's army gets thrown into the mix (a little like a grab bag day where there's no loser per se but the winner gets something fancy, like a magic sword or something). A little like game of thrones with a chess clock.

Point B. I think multiplayer servers really benefit from open world relationships. For example, let's say I (faction Radlev) am always at war with the moderator (Valgor) and forever and always these two kingdoms could never seem to overlook their differences. Well, that would be fairly predictable and after like two days I think everyone involved would become bored. So I suggest, nay, predict, that alliances are going to be incredibly tenuous, fractious agreements that will ALWAYS end in betrayal. And since it would appear as though castles can never be destroyed (only sacked, or something, which sounds fairly devastating), I wonder if there shouldn't be additional "control points" other than villages and castles. Since you can pretty much guarantee the protection of a village by building a giant honking castle next to it, and they both give you the moneys, I think mercenary camps which would spawn soldiers, or druid huts which would spawn potions or something could be really awesome and give armies a reason to fight somewhere other than a fortified location. I mean, who doesn't love a good field battle. Come on.

Point C. I like the idea of a PvE zone. I think that it might be quite a few "patches" away, but I'm interested.

I just spent like 20 minutes writing an in depth response, and it deleted it. SO, sorry if this is a bit abrupt


A.
So far there is no intention of allowing players to join late. This is more of an "in-house" Beta, and as such it will just be us.

The lording system. I have thought about this and I really like the idea, but where no new players will be joining for the duration of the Beta, this may not happen. Of course, if one of us declares Vassalship to another, then it obviously will happen.

As for the "All Fights Day", I like the idea but I am unsure as to how well the server will handle that kind of load. So in other words, we will have to test it out during the Beta some time


B.
I am working my hardest to bring official wars and alliances into the game. For now it is only word of mouth. My biggest reason for wanting this feature, is so that NPC's can recognize allies and enemies alike, rather than everyone just being enemies.

I am 100% set on adding more control points to the world (not just villages or castles), however this is more of a content update and as such will not be implemented until I feel that the base game is running properly. Thanks for the good control point ideas though, I will probably use some (or most) of them

"Since you can pretty much guarantee the protection of a village by building a giant honking castle next to it,"
The current plan is to only allow One Castle per player at most. However, I may allow the expanding of that same castle later.


C.
I like the idea but unfortunately due to the "server engine" it is currently nearly impossible.
The only two options are:
1. Create a place for all players that is PvE only (no NPC's allowed)
2. Create a place for a single player to take his NPC's to fight PvE[/i]

lol at the in depth response being deleted. Life. She is a cruel one. But that's good news on all fronts in my opinion, even the pve seems reasonable in some places! Also, I really can't wait for more "control points." I feel like that will really set this server head and shoulders above age of empires two. I mean... other servers...