I agree 100% with the stuff in that thread, I just wanted to add the idea of a new map and changes to trade and PvP mechanics that would come with an integrated worldwide map.
Basic Concept: Regional server clusters (EU, NA, AS, AUS,SEA,etc.) are on one combined map and have to interact with each other for trading valuable resources to create more RP, PvE, and PvP daily.
Map:
Suggested Size: 5x5 or 6x6
Have map set up to somewhat resemble real life time zones so that people could reliably fight/trade more effectively with servers adjacent to themselves.
Servers on Left/Right borders of map should be crossable to allow for a pseudo-cylindrical map. Changes to render distance should be made to prevent a double mirrored effect. Top and bottom borders should be left as open water like current MMO map to allow for potential server expansions if needed.
Time Zones and Hosting:
Each server should have a JH/ IB primetime that matches the region. This would allow for essentially 24/7 IBs and JHs on the selected JH days for people if they were willing to go to other regional servers.
Servers should be hosted in the region that best suits the time zones (I.E. EU west servers in Germany/France, EU East in Russia, etc.)
Changes/Improvements:
Several non player controlled “Main Cities” like the ones on current servers, but with functionality/economy to allow solo players and small guilds to craft and sell to the market to make money/have fun without having to have to create a claim (will have rentable blacksmith shop, etc.). Each server cluster should have at least one city in it. Cities should have guildhouses for each major craft (someone help me with this idea). These cities will also be no PvP zones, ideal for those who don’t want to play the game for PvP.
Sample Map with Sample City Locations (indicated by stars).
Each server that doesn’t have a central city should have a small town/outpost. Functionality will be expanded on below.
Trade:
Instead of allowing players to build outposts, there will be several pre-built outposts per server with pre-made fortifications that can’t be destroyed. These outposts will be available to be captured for an hour every day during primetime.
Each regional server cluster will have 1 to 2 different material regions inside (I.E. Sleeper’s Forged). The outposts will be spread out to make it so that each material region will have 1-2 outposts of each kind in it (mines, etc.).
Regional materials CANNOT be transported over the border in players inventories. Instead, players have to go to their server’s NPC town/city and rent a merchants cart, which can then be driven across server borders to bring to different town/city trade posts. Trade posts will not be global, goods can be requested at tradeposts but must be manually transported over. This should encourage both trade players and PvP to interact more.
Regional Building requirements will have to be reworked to make essential buildings more reasonable with regional requirement changes.
Remove gathering regional mats from regular crafting actions to force people to trade and fight over outposts.
Each server tile will have 1 unique luxury resource that is controlled by the dominant guild. This resource isn’t a vital resource for production, but may be a niche commodity (I.E. Camels that move faster/have more stamina on sandy terrain and in deserts).
Guilds would be the dominant producers of goods, but solo players could be merchants shipping goods around the world and making profits.
The total amount of money would be controlled by the “crown” with prices of goods varying based on the value of coin and abundance/demand.
I dunno some economists help me out with this part.
Mercenaries and Worldwide PvP:
In order to deal with the increased amount of PvP, mercenaries would have to be a more defined mechanic. The basic idea is as follows:Mercenary system: Allow players to have “contracts” where they could set a price (base price, more for winning), specify if they need gear vs. bringing own gear, will loot totem at end, etc..
These Mercenaries could be hired to fight in IBs, castle/town raids and takeovers, and guard merchant carts when they are going server to server. Contracts would have defined win/loss conditions, and payment would be automatic to prevent stinginess. Clients can “tip” mercs if they think they did an exceptional job. Mercs will have stats for damage/kills/ff for the different PvP types to allow experienced mercs to be recognized. The client can either look for and contact mercs, or put up a contract and have mercs contact them. Mercs can be hired across servers if they wish and set up times when they are available to work/when they are online so that jobs are instant. Mercs don’t need to own a claim, a good merc can make enough money to buy and maintain gear and buy a bind spot in an NPC city.
Arenas would have to have the coin reward removed and be replaced with betting in order to remove money exploiting.
Outside of mercenary contracts, players can go assist in IBs, JHs, and raids in other server and regional clusters. With the varying primetime, this means a hardcore player could go to several JHs/IBs across regions in one day, although they would have to deal with increased ping.
Loot hotspots will pop up around the map randomly 24/7 with a 1hr timer after announce before they can be looted. The quality/type of gear depends on the population of the server they spawn in at that time. A high pop server could have a drop of t3/t4 armor or vost weapons/tools, high q regionals, royal warhorses, etc. while a low pop one might drop some high quality t2 armor and weapons or various regular crafting materials. The amount of loot should be balanced so it's worth committing about 10 people low pop or 50 people high pop to capturing, hopefully preventing zergs (although people will zerg anyhow).
Should be some other antizerg mechanics in place, I dunno.
Crusades:
Each regional server cluster will have its own pope/religion. This pope can declare crusades on a timer (should be weekly) on other regions t4 claims. The victor of these crusades gets a huge bonus to some aspect like outpost production, crop output, etc. so that people within regional clusters might put aside differences to work towards a common goal temporarily. Only one crusade can be dropped by one region on another (no stacking crusades on one region). Multiple crusades can exist in the world at any given time.
RP Stuff:
Add some traditional stuff that other MMOs have in the NPC cities like marketplaces, taverns, etc. I dunno.
Conclusion:
We all know this game is bleeding players due to a lack of enjoyment by crafters, PvPers, and RPers due to a lack of content. I tried to blend these playstyles so that those who want to go big and play hardcore could with real risk, while those casual players who just want to craft some stuff and talk to people in the the NPC city could with low to no risk. I know it isn’t true sandbox, but let's be honest LiF never was a true sandbox. TRUE Red world out in the wild, green world in the cities.
