A Way to Perhaps Reduce Alt Abuse

[Silent_Bob]

Now, I don't know for certain personally, but some of the folks on the forum seem to think that the amount of alt abuse is kind of problem. However, I believe I may have a way to limit this.

ONE ACCOUNT ONE CHARACTER BUAHAHAHA DERP DERP DERP .

No, not really. But basically, in order for an alt to be useful to someone, their alt has to be moved to their fort or settlement in the first place. In order to do this, you either need a lot of time on your hands (depending on where the fort/settlement is) or a map. Now, I'm not suggesting we take out the map mechanic; I love it to death. But everything in a game like Salem, all nice things will inevitably have something not-so-nice about them, and that something is stated above. However, what if you had to play a bit on your alt, alone like any other newbie, for a bit before you can use him?

The solution to this would be simple. Basically, two new skills would need to be added, 'The Road to Sleepy Hollow' and 'The Road to Providence'.
The Road to Sleepy Hollow would be fairly easy to get. Naturally, it'd work just like fast travel to Providence, only a much more watered down version of Providence, that being much like Limer's Front save for the fact that it would need to be heavily isolated, perhaps atop a high mountain that no outside could get to, and have an NPC stall that could sell nails and other newbie essentials. Maybe there could even be a few newbie-style player stalls as well. There would be no barrels in this town to prevent easy, risk-free trade.

However, The Road to Providence, and thus the ability to use the map guys and the nicer things in the city would have to be earned. Perhaps it would be as hard of a skill to learn (for newbies and less-experienced players, at least) as The Rights of Englishmen. Furthermore, to prevent people from simply running full speed towards this goal in order to use their alts, once they get the skill, perhaps have it so travelling to Providence would require a player to have at least 20 to 30 max biles (all four). Once the Road to Providence is studied, the ability to travel to Sleepy Hollow would need to be removed to prevent higher players from camping out there and giving their alts what they need to easily excel.

It's not a perfect idea (yet), though I'm hoping with the help of the 33 Superfriends Club and the Ideas Forum Crew we'll be able to narrow out the kinks. That is, if you like the idea in the first place.

[Dallane]

Retarded x2

[Silent_Bob]

Retarded x2

[TotalyMeow]

It's a nice try, but it would seriously cripple people's ability to join their friends right away and to start buying from player stalls immediately.

[lachlaan]

Could always sell out physical authentication devices. Rather than "ONE ACCOUNT ONE CHARACTER HURR DURR" , make it :

One account, one human, one DNA sample, one biometric fingerprint scan, one set of poligraf security questions, one stool sample, one character. It'll be revolutionary for gaming security protocols!

In all fairness anything short of having to buy a separate license of the game for a hefty amount of money is going to be at most a light deterrent. And even then there are people with say, a crapton of WoW accounts and chars botting resources on as many as possible, or simply multiboxing them, so that won't work. Most ideas for this would eventually be countered by either a client that spoofs a different computer, or an IP spoofer, or what have you. Short of asking people to provide ID card scans when creating a new account most stuff seems bypassable.

[Procne]

First, ask yourself which part of alt-spamming is the real problem for you. Then ask yourself if your solution really fixes the problem

[Silent_Bob]

Oh, there's plenty of things about alts that annoy me: from people using them to land the killing blow on someone another character knocked out in order to escape the justice system, to more established players being able to crank out literal alt armies in part due to the easiness there is when it comes to levelling up new characters due to balances originally intended to help actual newbies progress quicker (I of course don't mind the carebear part), to the very fact that people can basically use alts to escape the risk factor that Salem prides itself on. There's no risk for players when all they have to do is sit in some heavily fortified camp and use their jack-of-all-trades proficiency character to crank out alt battalions. I love the mechanics intended to make newbie advancement easier, but it also makes it possible for folks with an advanced fort and a set of feasting clothes to pump out 100 bile zerg alts in less than three days. If you have the amount of food you need, you could do this with any number of alts at a time. If you have the amount of potions you need, you could do this by the day. Trust me, there's plenty to complain about and JC hates alt-abuse just as much as I do.

However, nope, after with talking with a few people I've realized that this idea of mine won't solve the problem. Players who want to play with their friends should be able to. There might not even be a solution. We can't just give up on thinking of one, however . Ask any of my friends, when it comes to beating a dead horse, I'm the kind of guy who will keep on hitting it until its ghost comes back and tramples me for defiling its corpse .

[Procne]

Oh, there's plenty of things about alts that annoy me: from people using them to land the killing blow on someone another character knocked out in order to escape the justice system

This wouldn't be an issue if not the memento mori in the cash shop. In fact, there would be almost no murders if not for this item.

[Silent_Bob]

Oh, there's plenty of things about alts that annoy me: from people using them to land the killing blow on someone another character knocked out in order to escape the justice system

This wouldn't be an issue if not the memento mori in the cash shop. In fact, there would be almost no murders if not for this item.

Eh, I can't really ask of JC to remove something that could be generating revenue. I'm not being sarcastic either, the devs need to support themselves somehow . Perhaps they could make it a bit more expensive, however .

[Dandelionness]

Retarded x2

Rude x 2. Better option would be to let him know why you don't think it is a good idea, rather than make them feel bad for wanting to help improve a game they enjoy.