Gaudi could easily be close to raising a VA if people had not screwed around on the epic quest constantly. Don't underestimate the ability to generate power when motivated to do so. Illuminati could also very well have a 'cone' skill which means a lot more power income for those that want to do astral linking.

At the height of Serenwilde's power, 30-40 IG years ago, they could barely sustain 4 VAs at this rate. We'd need power contests and lots of sands, too. Three is the real cap, and even as we are, Seren can't really afford three.

Bit late for that, I think.

Yeah, that's where we are now in Glom. With these, we could barely support 4, if we really push for it. Nobody else is close, I'm sure.

Even if I am, there's plenty of unopposed "slots" to slide into! And of the two orgs listed above here? Thoros isn't even active for certain, haven't seen much of Sarra (though I know she's active), and "new VA" isn't selected yet is getting ahead of ourselves, considering the nature of the announcement.

Sarrasri claims she's active. She's certainly not going to vote herself out!

Thoros has been logging in for a bit over the last week and a half, even raided a few times.

You expect that Serenwilde just isn't going to raise anybody in order to "leave a slot open"? Uh huh...

And, finally, with the epic quest-- getting a million power really isn't that tough, as Gregori says. You're really underestimating long-term power income if people really want a specific goal.

Once those slots are filled, well, your entire theory goes *poof*. Then what? It certainly won't be RL years... especially if people are so gung-ho about getting it that they swap orgs!

Epic quest power income is incredibly finite in the long run. Cone is nice- I've idea'd for a cone arti, probably a few times. But its not going to have a really massive impact on power income. (It probably could potentially, but practical experience absolutely howls to the contrary). Like you said, gaudi can barely get more people to do our epic as is right now. Why would that change?

I realize I'm probably sticking my hand in the proverbial viper pit, but scathing sarcasm has caused me to skip over a few posts already - thankfully it doesn't particularly concern me, however I can't imagine it is terribly productive to having your point heard. At the point where someone feels a bit like the Sigourney Weaver in Aliens III, it's a bit too hot to handle, so to speak. So let's try to at least keep it at 'pyromancer demesne' level, and away from 'instantly boiling the flesh from your bones'.

As to the topic of some system of non-combat related benefits for non-combatants, I doubt we're against hearing ideas! I encourage (nae, suggest) starting a thread in Ideas! on it, and see where it leads you. Personally, I'm at a general sense of loss, so to speak, as to what might be 'obtained' from it, as it were - as well, I suppose I'm somewhat cynical on it remaining a non-combatant affair, and likely will become pervaded with combatants (and we will once again have the ages old argument) - because combatants do like to roleplay, too!

As a note when considering this, do consider every org has the opportunity to passively gain 1,000 power per RL day, without competing in anything at all.

Also as a secondary note, it gives VAs a reason to compete for TA (other than 'I can screw my org over now!'). You can consider it a good thing or a neutral thing, however you like.

How is it finite? You get someone to work on it repeatedly for power, give the final components to other org-members who aren't so interested in doing it themselves. People are remarkably happy to get nice rewards for absolutely no effort, for some reason...

Absolutely, I appreciate TA more now because of this. Whew.

This whole change is based on future speculations of what could end up happening. So you can't dismiss future speculations that counter it because they don't agree with your argument

They're the same thing >.>

Sadly, even though the player base has given a firm and resounding 'no, don't do this, it'd suck.', I can't see the admins not-implementing it.

With only one TA a RL year, let's be honest here, how many more TA's do you really expect to squeeze out of Lusternia? It's all fine and dandy to think "Lusternia will go on for-evah!", but that's just not realistic.

Empty slot is an empty slot. Will they fill it immediately? Will they hold off? Ask Seren.



Gaudi had a very attainable goal that people wanted far more than a VA. Guilds! And even with that, after I got the epic done in, I think, early february? It's just crawled.



Very simple.

There are a finite number of combatants at any given point in the game. This number of combatants may, or may not exceed the number of available VA slots total available in the game.

If the number of VA slots is greater than the number of combatants, then it is likely that a "down" org will have a slot that is "empty" by some definition of the word. This is the simplest case.

If the number of VA slots is less than the number of combatants who want them, then it is STILL far more likely that the easiest slot to "take" from some other player will exist in a down org. While it isn't impossible that the easiest slot to take would be in the strong org, strong orgs tend to have a greater number of strong combatants, ipso facto.

Thus, even in a scenario where all existing slots are filled, and the hypothetical combatant must and is willing to "take" one from another player, that same, again, and repeatededly stated by me, minor incentive to spread out exists.

This is, of course, as most things are, relative. As it happens, it is relative to the current situation, where the only real incentive for some new/willing to hop hypothetical combatant is to go to the org where the VA train is moving the fastest. This results in a minor incentive to continue the combatant-katamari.

Didn't read the whole thread, but I agree with this guy.

However, I do have to wonder: what is the point of making Vernal strippable for half the power returned, but making the org lose full power if the person decides to up and leave? That's just encouraging people to be assholes.

Play soft and they will find a way around it. No refunds for stripped VAs. No free demigod for anyone. Keeps getting better.
It was said here already, it will just be exploited, sarcasm or not, that is how the game will be played.

RP of being a demigod is good enough and if there is some extraordinary RP circumstances I am sure an org can bite down and give it out where needed. But not everyone needs to be 'rewarded' for services, that is what CR6 and guild ranks are for. Congrats, you reached end game. Not everyone needs Ascendant.

Also, I just want to point out the whining that has quickly steamrolled to 8 pages. We still have order affinity. People didn't leave the games in droves like they made it seem they will. Go ahead and flex these changes in too, people are just bawwing as usual.

If that was true, this forum would've cured cancer already.

I dunno, I think giving 500k back for stripping Vernal is fine, the city still loses a lot of power especially considering the new upkeep costs.

hey lots of this would be solved if VA didn't = auto demigod.

Depending on how you look at it things must be the most unpopular/popular thread ever.