History of Religion

[Glaumring the Fox]

Is it possible to do a history of Dwilight showing the spread of religions?

[Anaris]

This data has never been saved. It's not impossible that we would start saving it at some point; however, there's no way to go back in time.

Furthermore, bear in mind that religion spread is something that's not public—you have to be in the religion (and a priest of it) to be able to see it. In general, we do not make publicly available information that you cannot get IC without membership in a specific group.

[Glaumring the Fox]

Yes, good point but it would still be so cool to see the rise and fall of some many faiths.

[Indirik]

As a player, I agree. Seeing how religions grew and spread, gained and lost temples, etc., would be pretty neat. But I can totally agree with why it should not be done.

[Gustav Kuriga]

I don't see why it shouldn't be done. Just don't include the last month of data and you'll be fine, since anything outside of a month is mostly obsolete and unreliable.

[Anaris]

I don't see why it shouldn't be done. Just don't include the last month of data and you'll be fine, since anything outside of a month is mostly obsolete and unreliable.

Not if it lets you know that the religion you've been trying to destroy for months has had a hidden temple halfway across the continent.

The other problem is, how do you make the map? Do you make a separate map for every religion? Religions aren't like realms, where each region is owned by one and only one. Any given region could potentially have followers from every single religion on a continent, in varying proportions. How do you represent that?

[Indirik]

Religion spread, and the building of temples, mostly does not change all that fast. A month old religion spread is actually pretty accurate for most religions. And for a religion involved in an active conflict, even month old data is way too current. I wouldn't want anyone to see a 6 month old religion spread. Obscurity and secrecy is way too important.

[vonGenf]

The other problem is, how do you make the map? Do you make a separate map for every religion? Religions aren't like realms, where each region is owned by one and only one. Any given region could potentially have followers from every single religion on a continent, in varying proportions. How do you represent that?

Make a color map. Each religion is represented by a pure (high excitation purity) color. It's very clear when you have three religions and you only have primary colors; it can be quite clear up to seven religions where you pick the rainbow colors. Of course, at 28 religions it's not clear at all, but you could argue outsider's don't make much of a difference anyway.

The regions where many religions are present are represented by a lower-saturation mix. Pagan regions are black. Regions where all religions are present are white.

But, this only mean that it could be done, not that it should be done....

[Perth]

A simple pie chart of the Total Peasant Population of a given island divided into the percentage owned by each Religion would be really cool. It wouldn't divulge any valuable information, per se. No locations or anything. But would give you an idea, over time, of how each religion waxed and waned relative to the others. Even put a time delay on it if you want.

[Chenier]

Not if it lets you know that the religion you've been trying to destroy for months has had a hidden temple halfway across the continent.

The other problem is, how do you make the map? Do you make a separate map for every religion? Religions aren't like realms, where each region is owned by one and only one. Any given region could potentially have followers from every single religion on a continent, in varying proportions. How do you represent that?

When someone joined The Blood Cult with the sole purpose of getting a temple list in order to target their attacks, you guys were perfectly fine with this and kept saying how religion isn't a secret and is public by nature.

I don't see why it wasn't true with that griefer but would apply for archival reasons.

[Tom]

When someone joined The Blood Cult with the sole purpose of getting a temple list in order to target their attacks, you guys were perfectly fine with this and kept saying how religion isn't a secret and is public by nature.

I don't see why it wasn't true with that griefer but would apply for archival reasons.

Because he was an identifiable culprit. There is still quite a difference between "not secret" and "public".

[Glaumring the Fox]

Having thought about it a piechart or graph would best represent the religions flux.

[Vellos]

A simple pie chart of the Total Peasant Population of a given island divided into the percentage owned by each Religion would be really cool. It wouldn't divulge any valuable information, per se. No locations or anything. But would give you an idea, over time, of how each religion waxed and waned relative to the others. Even put a time delay on it if you want.

% of population in each religion on a 1-month time delay.

Is there any problem with this?

[fodder]

When someone joined The Blood Cult with the sole purpose of getting a temple list in order to target their attacks, you guys were perfectly fine with this and kept saying how religion isn't a secret and is public by nature.

I don't see why it wasn't true with that griefer but would apply for archival reasons.

technically.. temple location is not much of a secret. all you need is a noble friend in every realm looking up all their regions.  (obviously you have to visit rogue regions)

[Tom]

% of population in each religion on a 1-month time delay.

Is there any problem with this?

Yes. It doesn't mean a thing. It will drive people towards increasing numbers. A religion with 90%+ control in one corner of the map is more powerful than one with 10% across the board. But the total numbers could be the same.