This is how you play Banker

[Solari]

This is maybe the coolest synthesis of of IC, OOC, and "personalization" I've seen from a banker, ever, and from anyone in very recent memory. Michael, I don't know if you're on the forums, but I hope you don't mind me sharing it. Even if you do, I kind of don't care, because you should be cheered for this. ;-P

Report from Brant Everland   (9 hours, 24 minutes ago)
Message sent to: Dunbor, Enzo, Fingolfin, Immanuel, Jaeger, Outo Olavi
My King, Dukes of Thalmarkin, Baron of Jedinchel and Margrave of Sandefur,

I'm afraid while collecting information for the last report, all indications are that Thalmarkin's future is a bit more tight than we've become accustomed to.  (OOC the rebalance)

Unger:  Taxes have every indication of increasing, our investments have paid off and it looks as though some of the tradesmen have decided to stay. Unfortunately, they've built homes atop what was some of Unger's last farms.  (Gold +40%, Food -24%)

Sandefur: The fishermen report finding some great crabbing grounds, I suggest a claw excise, to take advantage of it.  The citizens have been taken with my plans for them to plant victory gardens... it won't feed them entirely, but should provide a little more support.
(Gold +15%, Food +95%)

Vore:  I'm sorry to report, Duke Outo, that Vore's distance from the trade routes are slightly reducing the amount of income available from trade fees.  Farmers have left their farms fallow, in search of better markets.
(Gold -19%, Food -24%)
 
Jedinchel:  As my representative was touring the mines, your workers struck a new vein of gold.  I expect that as soon as the area around it is cleared, excavations there should yield a considerable revenue source.  This means more men will be pressed into service at the mine, and away from the goat herding. I suspect this new richness will put your region on par with Sandefur in terms of gold revenue.
(Gold +42%, Food +37%)

Though these four regions support the most change, overall Thalmarkin will lose 22% of it's food production and 2.5% of our revenue.  Even without 22% of our food, we will be self sufficient but will not have much to spare.  The winters will see your regions starve if you do not start stocking up on food now.

Duke Dunbor, please enlighten us how you manage such a magnificent tax rate?  I'm sure the lords of Jedichel and Sandefur would love to emulate that.  If those regions were able to manage Unger's tax rate, we would easily offset any revenue loss from the rural regions.

My scribe has attached the full report:   https://rapidshare.com/files/1450063128/Thalmarkin.xlsx

Report from Brant Everland   (9 hours, 15 minutes ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (47 recipients)
Knights looking for estates,

The following regions have estates open with what I estimate to be acceptable revenue:
Lastfell
Mouzl
Orde
Qual
Unger

The following regions have estates open with limited revenue:
Affkat
Kannoktet
Luhgrethen
Yermon


The following regions lords should strongly consider opening an additional estate and taking on a knight:
Pomatim
Ukh

Report from Brant Everland   (9 hours, 10 minutes ago)
Message sent to everyone in message group "Royal Advisors" (26 recipients)
Lords,

Region tax rates:  If you have a 10% tax rate and are making gold requests, you're doing it wrong.  This is how your tax rates compare against those of your peers.  Keep in mind, that if your tax rate is much lower than your neighbor's then you are making the management of his region more difficult.  A 14-15% rate can easily be sustained without maintenance.  Again, this is informational, to know how you measure against the other lords.  I am not ordering you to maintain any tax rate.

Affkat 10%
Bessimir 15%
Coness 12%
Crim 10%
Jedinchel 15%
Kannoktet 18%
Lastfell 10%
Luhgrethen 16%
Mouzl 15%
Orde 14%
Pellan 14%
Pomatim 15%
Qual 14%
Rafferty 10%
Sandefur 9%
Ukh 16%
Unger 24%
Vore 17%
Wailing Wood 17%
Winifael 16%
Yermon 15%

[Miriam Ics]

I did not see the first one IG, only the two others and they all  are great.

[Woelfy]

A reaffirmation in my faith in mankind! Good form!

Easily the best blend of mechanics and personalization I have ever had the good fortune of witnessing. Positively spectacular mate.

[Ender]

That is wonderful and actually interesting to read!

This makes me want to play Banker all of a sudden and I've never had any interest in the position.

[egamma]

My bankers always use Excel. Excel, of course, is the name of my idiot savant servant.

[Kai]

I don't really see how copying and pasting information you uniquely receive is "playing" the game. If an entire position could be removed with a universally accessible region dashboard, I don't see the purpose of it.

[Anaris]

Thing is, Kai, a lot of Lords don't want to pay any attention to the state of their region.

If the game sent them a message every day telling them how much food they should buy for their region that day, they'd probably ignore it.

Having a person do it for them? That gets them to do it.

Well, some of them. Others just bitch and moan about their Lordly sovereignty and still won't sell or buy food.

[Shizzle]

Well, some of them. Others just bitch and moan about their Lordly sovereignty and still won't sell or buy food.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIVHNylH1Mk

[Penchant]

I don't really see how copying and pasting information you uniquely receive is "playing" the game. If an entire position could be removed with a universally accessible region dashboard, I don't see the purpose of it.

Only the last letter was from reports he only receives, the rest everyone else could do themselves but he is actually doing as banker in a matter that integrates greatly into the game instead of giving gamey answers. Btw, whats the point of General? They only really get a report about the total CS of the armies which any lord gets anyways? Because of the command and authority they have despite not having many mechanics.

[egamma]

And why have rulers? If my lord orders me to go attack some other region, I'm going to go attack the other region. I don't need a ruler to handle diplomacy.

And judges--why have them? I can just put money on the bounty board until an infiltrator whacks the guy who I don't like.

[Kai]

Only the last letter was from reports he only receives, the rest everyone else could do themselves but he is actually doing as banker in a matter that integrates greatly into the game instead of giving gamey answers. Btw, whats the point of General? They only really get a report about the total CS of the armies which any lord gets anyways? Because of the command and authority they have despite not having many mechanics.

Everyone acknowledges that in order to not get annihilated, an army must be organised such that only one person has final call on any order. Regions might run inefficiently without a proactive banker, but the same thing could be accomplished by a region lord dashboard and group yelling at inefficient region lords. I suppose they deserve to be called bankers.

And why have rulers? If my lord orders me to go attack some other region, I'm going to go attack the other region. I don't need a ruler to handle diplomacy.

You would get crushed by the defending army or just militia obviously.

And judges--why have them? I can just put money on the bounty board until an infiltrator whacks the guy who I don't like.

To negotiate with other judges for prisoner trades in a war, to take money from captured enemy nobles, to fine people.

[Telamon]

Excellent form! Very impressive.

Our banker might need to find his own "Excel".

[Miriam Ics]

He did even more:

Report from Brant Everland   (4 days, 7 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (50 recipients)

Welcome to all the new knights.  If you are still in need of an estate I have compiled a list for you... please check with the region lord prior to moving into an estate, to ensure he hasn't promised it to another knight.

Estates
Luhgrethen:
Bone Yard:  This estate draws it's name from a nearby length of sand, where whales nearing the ends of their lifespans choose to beach themselves.  The income of this estate comes from tallow and meat harvested from these ancient creatures.
Frozen Woods:  One of the only, and certainly the largest farming operation in the far north.  Loggers will build fires around the frozen bases of the ironwood trees causing them to rapidly heat and explode with a very memorable sound, which of course fells the tree for export or use.  The Knight of this estate manages the forests and draws his income from this operation.

Mouzl:
Hinterland:  Nestled Between the permafrozen far north and the rich farms of Thalmarkin's south, this estate draws income from a tax levied against goods travelling between the two.

Affkat:
Highlands Home:   Built on the northern cliffs of the region, nearly inaccessable save by a tretourous cliff-side path, this estate is home to the finest healer's guild in Thalmarkin.  The difficult location helps keep their trade secrets, while the knight draws a decent income from managing the production of new healers.
Brant Everland
Chancellor of Thalmarkin
Count of Winifael

[Solari]

Only the last letter was from reports he only receives, the rest everyone else could do themselves but he is actually doing as banker in a matter that integrates greatly into the game instead of giving gamey answers. Btw, whats the point of General? They only really get a report about the total CS of the armies which any lord gets anyways? Because of the command and authority they have despite not having many mechanics.

^^^^

This. The game is what you make it. I dont think this particular player spends THAT much time each other doing his his characters' jobs, but when he does it's superb.

[Miriam Ics]

I still read this wehn anyone ask me about the banker role.
I still think its a awesome way to play.