Olan, I just copy/pasted from the game to the forums, since we can see the votes on the thread just fine I even left the "Choices" bit in so it'd be easier to tell where it came from! As a side note, you don't have to apologize for not reading my mind... I sorta prefer not having anyone read it

So, just to compare the results with the current forum votes:

I like it how it is. Just fix bugs.
Forum: 21 (22.3%)
Game: 36 (25.9%)

I hate violence, make it all peaceful.
Forum: 11 (11.7%)
Game: 18 (12.9%)

I want a middle ground, make it peaceful sometimes.
Forum: 36 (38.3%)
Game: 60 (43.2%)

Change demesnes, they really are the root cause.
Forum: 26 (27.7%)
Game: 25 (18.0%)


Total Forum: 94
Total Game: 139

It is all fairly closely aligned, which is nice to know.

But note that people from the forums are more likely to exhibit groupthink and have demonized demesnes...

We can't really say why the ratios differ.

But we can make random unfounded conjectures!

I blame the cheese.

Do alts voting IG count?

Well, since the majority seem to be aiming at "balance" let's see how we can supply it.

I believe a good way to that it would be to have the villagers notice a group being peaceful/violent and responding. HOW they respond depends on the village. Say, a village into one of four types:

Diplomatic (for lack of a better term: I didn't want to say 'average' or 'typical'): Villagers dislike blood shed in their village but know that fighting must happen at times. If a fight happens, the village will see or hear it and will be repulsed by the hostility, thus being slightly influenced against the aggressor. If the defender kills the aggressor the village will trust in the defender's ability to protect their village lean heavily towards the defender. If the aggressor kills the defender, the villager will greatly fear the aggressor and heavily lean against them.

(the 'default' as I see it. It should be less combative than right now but still fighting is a viable option IF it's well controled)

Peaceloving: Violence is hated.. period! Every..single.. attack done in the village will anger the community and draw them away from the agressor. The aggressor takes the heaviest beating in this regard.

(attempt: make fighting a very, VERY bad idea)

Aggressive: What's the point of following a nation if they shun violence? Aggression is ignored (any novice can start a fight) but killing though, and especialy if the enemy is stronger (killing someone with more might than you brings extra respect and influence). (optional: A demense killing someone adds minimum influence no matter the kill: slaughtering an army with it helps but it's better for the mage or another to get the final blow).

(I can see this turning into a bloodbath here, with influencing done mostly when there's no one to kill. In fact, the way I see it, a well organized underdog should be able to claim the city without normal Influencing at all here, though high might groups would still need to talk to the villagers)

Commercial: They will listen to nations, and accept displays of combat because such is life. However, they care mostly for their resources. The fastest way to claim them is through bulking up their commerse. Meanwhile, hurting their commerse (or the denizens that aid it) is an unforgiveable sin.

(rules similar to how the villages are now, but any quests that add commodities give a major boost to influencing. You CAN sit and Influence the jeweler but your better off giving them rockeaters (or doing both). Killing a denizen, while it always hurts you in any village type, can easily ruin any chance you have of claiming the village here. Same goes for hurting their commers: taking Dairuchi spiders for example)

God, not ANOTHER long post. Someone who actualy READS these things able to paraphrase: I'm horrible in keeping my posts short, sorry.

I like that, actually. The Commercial one ESPECIALLY.

Yes, I actually like this idea too. I'm sure there are loopholes, however, that need to be identified and closed.

Peaceloving is in conflict with the spirit of Magnagora's influencing skills I think (terrorizing, threatening).

Also, I don't see a reason why Commercial shouldn't be applied to every NPC trader in every village.

Ankrag is currently in conflict with the spirit of New Celest's influencing skills, is it not?

Valid point, Vesar.


And, actually, I'd like to see if the Administration would be willing to make the next or one of the coming villages entirely peaced, and see how a non-violent influencing would go.

Those would could influence will. Those who cannot influence would be left to debating - and for those of us without the ego/equilibrium/ability to debate (well), can do commodity quests.

Because, bluntly, no one is happy. Give it a try, and see if it works. I'm really curious as to the results - besides, who's to say if we'll like it or not. We might all hate it, and I'd hate to see peaced villages added into the influencing process if none of us actually like it.

For Comercial... I like that idea, slightly modified.

For all villages, during the year the nations that do commodity quests get a collective boos to thier influencing skills when they revolt.

So if Mag gave them 100 commodites from quests, and so did Celest, it would be even. But if Mag them 100 and Celest gave 0, then Mag it would be as if Mag had allready influenced 100 points worth when the village revolts. This means that if Celest gets there first, once they influence 100 points worth of people (assuming mag isn't there yet) the bonus from the commodity quests goes away.

YAY, people like my idea. (and read the long thing)!

I don't see peaceloving and Mag's method of influence as something that can't work out. Mag is generaly using the threat of violence, making people imagine seing their kids disembowled.

When you hear that, then look at your child playing happily, then imagine that sword plunging in... oh GODS NO!!!!! I'll do anything! Please don't hurt my child! Then, when they smile and go "See, everything will be alright." you realize it's follow or die.

Now, when that same person floods your village in blood anyway (who's blood, who knows, who cares), you'll listen to anyone who can help STOP it.

Thus how Mag influence can work, but not Mag killings.

And the village settings are to split up the different types of playing among different villages. You can already help influence any village with comm quests. However, in Commercial villages, the group using influence skills or killing the competition should lose out to the group bringing in cows, sheep, and rockeaters.

By the way, would the optional aspect of Demenses in the Aggressive village take too much from demensers?

Also, what villages would be what? ALSO, should a village be capable of changing types via RP events (definatly not by quest/mechanics)?

edit: also should this be in a new topic in Ideas?

Why do you keep posting like everyone absolutely hates influencing with a strong passion. Mag loves it! From what I've seen, most people just want a few tweaks here and there, and perhaps a friendly village or two. You keep making it sound like the world is collapsing around influencing, which I don't believe is the case.

Personally, as a Mag, I'd love to just go with Gregori's idea and give Serenwilde Estelbar and let them not influence anymore *g*. But I know we'd never be able to hold anyone to that...*sigh*.

What about something that gives specific cities a major advantage in one village each..so they are pretty much allowed to have one unless they really blow it. (Estelbar - Seren, Ankrag - Mag, Stewartsville - Glom, Delport - Celest) Don't get me wrong, I love having a ton of villages and Celest with none, but perhaps a way to even the playing field a bit.

I'd be happy with Rockholm, Estelbar and Stewartsville permanently. But the Mags are greedy!

I am posting like everyone absolutely hates it for the very same reason you think everyone loves it. You would be hard pressed to find a Seren who is content with influencing as it is RIGHT now. On the other hand, what Mag can complain?

Honestly. Let's nerf lich a bit, nerf putre, nerf geodemesnes, upgrade Hartstone demesnes (since any fresh-out-of-novicehood newb can break them), and give us 1,000 power for every demonlord we kill, and we'll be happy. Honest.

And as an aside, I cannot wait for the day when Magnagora loses Angkrag. Honestly.