Hunting

[Eldargard]

My main problem with the feature request is that it doesn't create character interaction. We need more features that bring people together, not stat-grinds that keep people from talking.

I agree. the ability for multiple PC nobles to hunt together would be much better than solo hunts. I even suggested it an an optional piece but did not make it a part of the base as I had no idea if it would make things too complicated for the devs. I would prefer for hunts to be available to any and all knights regardless of income, H/P, skills or whatnot but that is just my opinion.

[Chenier]

While some of the code could certainly be reused, because it would most definitely not be a continent-wide event—and thus also not be exclusive; that is, more than one Lord could be running a Hunting Party at one time—there would be significant differences in the code from how tournaments are handled.

However, we have had a plan on the drawing board for a while of making tournaments no longer exclusive, and this would serve as a good trial run for that, too.

The ability to prolong a tournament ought to be considered as well. In continents where population is stretched in a more linear than diffused manner, even if you put the highest delay, many would be too far to attend. Being able to keep the tournament grounds ready for an additional week before the actual tournament takes places, possibly for an added cost, would help boost participation, now that density is lower than what it once was and tournament cancellations are more likely.

[Eirikr]

The ability to prolong a tournament ought to be considered as well. In continents where population is stretched in a more linear than diffused manner, even if you put the highest delay, many would be too far to attend. Being able to keep the tournament grounds ready for an additional week before the actual tournament takes places, possibly for an added cost, would help boost participation, now that density is lower than what it once was and tournament cancellations are more likely.

There would need to be some modification that allows you to maintain your unit for longer, though. The current span is already long enough to where you can lose your unit quite easily, even if you pay them beforehand.

[Chenier]

There would need to be some modification that allows you to maintain your unit for longer, though. The current span is already long enough to where you can lose your unit quite easily, even if you pay them beforehand.

Right, that's also something to consider, but even without this it would at least allow for TLs to drop their units and attend if they want to, when far away.

[Charles]

Perhaps just faster travel.  Afterall, it is just a noble and a small honour guard that is traveling, they should be able to travel much faster than the troops. 
If this is already the case, just increase the speed.
In any case, the hunts would only be local so would not require the travel times.  I would think that hunts should only last for two or at most three days.
Also, I have completely disregarded the single hunt idea.  If that is the part that people are interested in and want to develop, then I have lost interest and would not use the feature.
Increasing the food does not make much sense, perhaps a bunch of people are fed for that feast, but they are over eating and are not the lowly peasants.

[Eldargard]

One aspect of the original idea I proposed was that this should be something a lowly knight should be able to initiate on his own. Just about every knight and noble enjoyed hunting and were capable of organizing and engaging in a hunt. I would prefer to avoid having hunts becoming as expensive, time consuming and restrictive as tournaments.

All that being said, multiple nobles being able to join a hunt is just plain awesome and I would prefer that over single pc-noble hunts.

Perhaps it can go like this:

1. Any noble holding an estate, region, duchy or nation can announce a hunt.
2. A noble can only announce a hunt in a region his domain.
    a. a knight can only announce a hunt in the region his estate is in - his estate is his domain but mechanically it ends up being the region.
    b. a lord can only announce a hunt in his region -  his region is his domain
    c. a duke can announce a hunt in any region within his duchy - his duchy is his domain
    d. a leader can announce a hunt in any region in his nation - the nation is his domain
3. When a noble announces a hunt he selects the game of choice, the type of hunt, additions to bring (dogs, falcons, ect...) and nobles to invite.
    a. the noble can invite any nobles within his domain when the hunt is started.
    b. once announced the hunt will begin in 2 turns
4. Invited nobles receive the invitation and either accept, deny it or ignore it.
    a. ignore acts like deny but the response message is something like "Sir X never responded" instead "Sir X declined to join the hunt"
    b. when accepting, the noble can chose a weapon, bring dogs, falcons, horses, and all that as they are able and the hunt allows.
5. when the time of the hunt arrives, all nobles that chose to partake in the hunt go hunting.
    a. the hunt lasts one turn
    b. only nobles who joined the hunt and who are in the hunt domain participate.
    c. region type affects how likely a given hunt is to succeed.
    d. if the hunt organizer is outside the hunt domain but other joined nobles are present, they hunt without the organizer
    e. if no one accepts the hunt, the hunt organizer hunts on their own.
6. estate additions (kennels, mews, stables, etc...) allow knights to bring extras to a hunt or plain participate in certain hunts
    a. kennels allow dogs and dogs aid every hunt type.
    b. stables allow hunting horses and help every hunt type.
    c. mews allow falcons and allow one to join hunts with falcons.

[Charles]

Hunts should not be possible in Cities, Towns or Strongholds. Animals that are worth hunting usually avoid those areas.  So any knight or lord of one of those regions should not be able to host one.  I would also say, there is no need for leaders or dukes to host, let the lords host them. 
I also don't think that knights should be able to host.  It should only be lords.

[vonGenf]

 
I also don't think that knights should be able to host.  It should only be lords.

*Benefits*
Nobles where well known for hunting in the middle ages and hunting was, indeed, considered a noble pastime. This brings that aspect of nobility into the game. Further, this provides knights with something to do during peaceful times. It also gives new knights a way of earning H/P and increase skills.

Giving a separate and somewhat exclusive way for the knights to make themselves known is pretty much the rationale behind this request. It's pointless if it's only for Lords.

[Zakilevo]

Why not just make it simple like tournaments?

But smaller in size? Maybe up to 10-25 people?

Also, keep it short as well like maximum of three days or something.

Allow the host to put prizes up to 3rd place and as for how to decide who is going to be the winner, maybe make it completely random since we don't really have skill for archery?

[Antonine]

Maybe restrict the number of participants in a hunt based on the rank of the person who calls it?

I don't see why a knight couldn't organise a hunt but it should realistically only be big enough for him and up to four friends whereas a baron should be able to organise a hunt big enough for the whole realm to attend.

[Stabbity]

A Duke, or a particularly well off Earl maybe could set up one for the whole realm, but if a Knight can only invite 4 nobles, a Baron shouldn't be inviting five times that. It isn't that big a step up. I know Knights with estates larger than some Baronies.

[Indirik]

Pfft.. they're still knights. The Baron has the title!

[De-Legro]

A Duke, or a particularly well off Earl maybe could set up one for the whole realm, but if a Knight can only invite 4 nobles, a Baron shouldn't be inviting five times that. It isn't that big a step up. I know Knights with estates larger than some Baronies.

And there are (and historically were) Dukes with larger estates and far more wealth than many of our rulers. A Baron is a Lord no matter their income, and titles matter when talking about hierarchy and appearances far more then wealth. The jump from a vassal knight with regards to their position/rights/privileges to a Lord whom is able to have such as vassals should be reasonably significant. I do agree though that making all Lords able to invite the whole realm leaves a hole at the top of the scale.

[Antonine]

Perhaps make it five nobles for a regular knight, ten nobles for a region lord and the whole realm for a duke - that should give a nice gradiation between them and only in the smallest realms would a duke not have a greater privilege than a region lord does in terms of organising hunts.

[vonGenf]

Margraves already have the option to launch a tournament and invite everyone. We don't need to have a hunt option for everyone. It can be nice to have this as a specific option for lower positions - in the same way that some options are reserved for new characters.