In a bigger towns moving around the area takes significant time. I would like to see a town transport which allows movement within town-claimed area.
As for historical justification, see wikipedia entry about horsebus or omnibus for the first public transport line ran by Blaise Pascal since 1662, though not on American soil.
The idea concerns a town-owned transport network that is is similar in it's structure and construction mechanics to walls, with corner posts being counterparts of 'tram' stops (waypoints) and wall segments being track segments counterparts.
Building of the network is started by placing a starting waypoint (stop). Extending the track is possible only from a stop or from existing track. Waypoints should be wider than the track in order to be accessible even if the track is built on all sides of it. Using the transport begins at one waypoint and ends in the neighbouring one. A stop offers a flower menu with options like 'Travel East', Travel South' and 'Extend North', 'Extend West' assuming that the particular waypoint has track connected at eastern and southern side.
Tracks must be passable for players, carts and animals. There is no such requirement for stops, but it would be convenient if they are at least passable in the way a bed is passable. Waypoints and tracks shall have a collision box versus other structures.
If the track is broken the travel ends at break point with % damage to biles.
Using travel shall consume small amount of black bile.
The tracks can be only operational on town claimed terrain. Tracks not covered by town claim count as break in the track.
Both tracks and stops drain authority from the bell at a constant rate per day. The transport is free for town members but not free for other players.
Alternatively, there could be an option to set fees separately for town members and non-members or by kin colour.
Fare is is paid at the moment of starting travel. Silver goes to the town mayor account, most likely after deducting hefty tax. This will allow towns to establish transport for general public and make silver from it.
Access management can be done by placing pclaims over waypoints.
Price per track segment should be around the price of brickwall in order to make longer lines viable. Perhaps 2 pig iron bars per segment.
Price of a waypoint can be significantly higher in the range of several thousands silver.
Features:
- on a longer line it is possible to TBF part of the line and break it without town members noticing and ambush travellers then.
(being able to place a smaller TBF, that is more stealthy, would be nice)
- it is possible that the traveller has no permissions to the claim at the other end of the track, it is possible that people would actively promote such lines.
- A single waypoint cannot be walled in. Only whole networks can be walled in. That may lead to creating vulnerabilities in towns.
- Staying on tracks when the transport is used should result in serious blood damage.