A Brave New Salem

[JohnCarver]

I'm curious to know, provided you aren't actually the Tribe itself who has purchased this game, what is your stance regarding them and the Treaty? Is their overtake of the game and frankly the forum as well something as a development team you are content with happening, or is it your intention to change the mechanics to make this sort of scenario a less likely one?

I can tell you that I never paid the Treaty, as I saw it for the extortion racket that it was. I will also tell you that I never despised them for what they did as this game wouldn't have the potential that it has nor be a true sandbox without the theoretical possibility of such an occurrence. As for the Theory behind it. Too many were ruled by too few. And too few controlled too much for too little. I don't blame the freedom that allowed what happened nor do I blame a lack of developer intervention. I believe the solution rests in a system where the common folk have the tools to rise up to their oppressors. I find the solution to lessen the likely-hood of a single faction dominating the game to be rested in a balance we intend to find on scents being far more deadly to somebody who left them.

[Kaios]

I'm content with that answer.

[Vigilance]

I'm content with that answer.

Me too, yo.

[JohnCarver]

Also was wondering if you guys had a plan on new map generation? The current one was pretty saddening and pathetic, also I feel biomes should really be more unique, the new spider biome that was introduced really had little impact on gameplay. And maybe things like rare trees or bushes that would be worth building a base around to defend the resource, similar to how people do when they find a high purity spawn. Kind of like Silverwood Trees in minecraft Thraumcraft, usually building around them means the aura is fabulous and it is a good place to base.

Your ideas are awesome and grand. Unfortunately, we like to think we are realists and, therefore, at this juncture have identified what are our obvious limitations as both an indie-development company and the capabilities of Salem. For that reason, many ideas that start getting too large in scope we will just have to file into a bin with a fat 2015 label on it. New Map Gen I can comfortably throw in that bin right now. I can, however, spawn new objects into the world, I can also teleport around the world. I can also make a rare tree and bush. So to the extent that some of our team may find itself bored enough to port all around the world tossing a rare tree here and there......MAYBE. To the extent the map-gen gets re-wrote this year.... Sorry, I doubt it.

[Jalpha]

I find the solution to lessen the likely-hood of a single faction dominating the game to be rested in a balance we intend to find on scents being far more deadly to somebody who left them.

Is this a long-term plan involving witchcraft or something more short-term?

Is this the only way you will be enhancing the ability to resist?

[Vigilance]

I can, however, spawn new objects into the world, I can also teleport around the world. I can also make a rare tree and bush. So to the extent that some of our team may find itself board to port all around the world tossing a rare tree here and there......MAYBE.

Good luck, Loftar made the world ridiculously big. You'll be at it for days!

[cannibalkirby]

Also was wondering if you guys had a plan on new map generation? The current one was pretty saddening and pathetic, also I feel biomes should really be more unique, the new spider biome that was introduced really had little impact on gameplay. And maybe things like rare trees or bushes that would be worth building a base around to defend the resource, similar to how people do when they find a high purity spawn. Kind of like Silverwood Trees in minecraft Thraumcraft, usually building around them means the aura is fabulous and it is a good place to base.

Your ideas are awesome and grand. Unfortunately, we like to think we are realists and, therefore, at this juncture have identified what are our obvious limitations as both an indie-development company and the capabilities of Salem. For that reason, many ideas that start getting too large in scope we will just have to file into a bin with a fat 2015 label on it. New Map Gen I can comfortably throw in that bin right now. I can, however, spawn new objects into the world, I can also teleport around the world. I can also make a rare tree and bush. So to the extent that some of our team may find itself board to port all around the world tossing a rare tree here and there......MAYBE. To the extent the map-gen gets re-wrote this year.... Sorry, I doubt it.

Oh I did not intend for this idea to be at all in the near future, as a regular gamer I have waited years for games to just come out of closed beta. Time is not an issue ^_^ hell slap a 2016 on it and let it settle, this is still faster development then we ever got from seatribe ASSUMING you guys actually follow up with the promised future updates I'm willing to play again out of faith that the game can finally have a hand to nurture it once more and live up to it's real potential. I already gave vigi a list of ideas that could be implemented in the current world without a wipe. As for talk of a wipe, that should not even be on any board as long as the game remains in an obvious half assed state, though I do think as soon as it stands alone as a great game that is noob friendly a new map would be ideal to attract more players and give us a sense of real adventure on a map that wasn't smashed together like broken puzzle pieces

[JohnCarver]

Is this a long-term plan involving witchcraft or something more short-term?

Short Term. Witch-Craft is not being designed as a PvP-Harassment-type system if that makes sense. We have no intentions of seeing witches dropping ice comets and meteors down on 5 humour noobs. Their purpose is to instill fear, paranoia, and general disdain for their kind through various means of annoyance, but not necessarily direct PVP conflict and combat advantages.

And I should once again clarify that we consider any PVP balancing to fall short of our first patch. So Short Term could be better described not 2015.

Is this the only way you will be enhancing the ability to resist?

I hope not. But thus far its one of the only ways we can agree on. We make no claim that these waters are not tricky and treacherous. As most solutions to help the players get the bad guy have the nasty effect of simultaneously enabling him.

[Jalpha]

As most solutions to help the players get the bad guy have the nasty effect of simultaneously enabling him.

This has unfortunately been the result every attempt so far.

[Champie]

As most solutions to help the players get the bad guy have the nasty effect of simultaneously enabling him.

This has unfortunately been the result every attempt so far.

Which is what makes this whole drama that jorb has created into a Tragedy. The inevitable failure of a deluded amatuer "consulted" by the guys who gave up because they couldn't figure out the hard stuff. The hard stuff being ACTUALLY making a game instead of a grind simulator.