Thanks for bringing this to our attention. These are the type of discussions that used to be had more frequently on the d-list or earlier days of forum and which contributed to the community-nature of BattleMaster. Something I've recently wondered has been lost.
The main issue with all of this is that it does not allow us to play the game fully as we have to rush from region to region to do ''maintenance'' work more than anything else, against an enemy that has unlimited numbers, and that will keep coming. I decided to ask OOCly in my realm if it was just me who felt this way, and several have uttered that they are feeling the exact same way as I do. It is a shame as I have really enjoyed the game, but I find myself often logging on more out of duty than of wish to play, as there simply is little to do, but log in, check the military orders, and then start walking.
I'm sorry. This is not the experience you should have.
There is simply too many monsters that we can do anything about it in my realm, and this is despite having rather many nobles for continent standards, and relatively few regions to defend.
The density-rate for the spawn rates is based on island density, not realm density. We wanted island density, not realm density, because once the frontier stabilizes we wanted to avoid realms being isolated away from each other and unable to interact.
- The inability of players to play the game, or do anything but fighting monsters.
Unfortunately for D'Hara, it is on Dwilight's frontier. That reads much more unsympathetic that I intend, but I'm simply trying to explain why that is so.
- Players losing interest in the game because of this.
Our concern are the players lost from realms too silent, afraid, dead, or obsessed with peace to do anything. Thus, the focus on increasing player density last November/December, with island sinkings and density-based spawning for BT and DWI, in order to increase engagement between more tightly-packed players that provide a more welcoming and interesting experience for new players in not just one realm, but throughout the whole island. There has been a years-long unaddressed player loss that has given many years of the impression that everyone should become a lord, but players have kept the same land area despite losing the nobility to manage it.
But we did not want to repeat the western swarm overwhelming Asylon/Barca/West like it did, where they had no chance or time to react to events. That was a huge mistake and player loss. One of those moments in BM history I go 'ugh'. But it's done and can't be changed, we learn. And this is us trying to learning, by not repeating it. So the spawn rate was meant to be a gradual pressure, and why some portal events have cleared out rogues for humans lately. Hence why it is now just over four months since the density-spawn went live and minimal lands lost. Which I personally think might be a touch too slow.
- Hordes are too numerous and common.
As above, minimal lands have been lost, without a huge increase in Dwilight players, so the spawn rate is still spitting out new monsters to assert pressure on humanity.
- Region's fortifications are not possible to rebuild because the swarms keep coming, and you cannot rebuild within two turns of an attack.
You need to stop the swarms before they reach the fortification. This is the same code human realms had when expanding into Dwilight's frontier in the first place. And an element of the gradual pressure upon humanity that would be lost if humans could repair whenever, requiring much much larger hordes to overcome full fortifications instead of gradually wearing down the frontier bit by bit.
- Monsters crossing on ferries. Seems a bit strange that mindless evil can just take the ferry man across the water, and even more so that there is seemingly no defensive bonus trying to defend that way. IRL islands are often considered natural fortresses, but unless you use ships, it seems as if there is no difference. On an RP continent, it seems strange that these beasts can use ferries and boats, as well as our islands and shores not being more defendable.
Again, monsters have always crossed ferries for as long as I can remember. And preventing such would make it impossible for monsters to move east except through the northern bridges by Westgard/Arnor. As far as defendable, they are highly-fortified, even if hit by constant monster attacks. If it had not been for those island fortifications from north to south, I imagine the monsters would be further east now than they are.
- There is no end game to it, they will keep coming, and slowly whittle away at our fortifications.
Since the spawn rate was announced to be density-based last December, it should lower as either land is lost in BM or additional players found. The spawn rate does not care where the humans live on Dwilight, only that humanity lives a bit less spread out than it is. It should adjust naturally to the human-occupied regions and nobles/players on Dwilight. Effectively, the early Dwilight frontier has returned and will adjust its strength based on humanity.
- It is an evil spiral, as the lack of opportunity leads players to lose interest, effectively punishing those who fight monsters, by not only having them focus on their fighting, but also losing people who wish to actually play the game.
Again, this is concerning. But it is also concerning that there are so many players spread out through so many realms with so many regions that many realms will become places obsessed with avoiding war, failing to engage their players, and boring their nobility away into inactivity. And there aren't enough people at any given time to challenge that status quo in each realm, thus driving people from the game. Is there a middle solution?
having a death-stack of 50k CS of monsters sail up out of nowhere and attack is quite a worrying idea.
Fortifications and archers up the ying-yang! Stacks of that size have been defeated on walls in the recent past.
Another issue is the fact that a lot of these monster hordes just won't die, instead they're in a limbo of getting destroyed but having a few remaining so they rally and lock the region into combat, then another horde strolls through and repeats the process. In Westgard it is very rare that a region is completely cleared, despite winning. Alas, that is the world of PVE
I'm not sure on the monster-hunting mechanics, but that would be my most first attempt. Is monster-hunting not very effective? BM is a 15-year-old game, and with the player loss, there are areas that might need (and have been) adjusted to rebalance it for Today.
I fear this was perhaps more explanatory than solution-oriented, but I am open to solutions. We need to improve our player density (either players gained or land lost) to improve engagement to improve newbie retention. But players should not feel such a slog playing becomes a 'duty'. The middle ground is out there somewhere.
