Martian Caste System

[FlyingSirkus]

A suggestion for leveling the playing field:  introduce rankings (castes) into the game based on number of moves made.  Rankings could be guessed, but not automatically stated.


FLEDGELING (0-2500 moves): Can only attack or be attacked by other Fledgelings.  If a higher ranked player hits a Fledgeling homestead, s/he drops a minimal amount of MD (less than 50 MD), credited to the Fledgeling's account.  Settlements only taken by other Fledgelings.


GROUNDLINGS: (2500-5000 moves) Face a small penalty if they attack Fledgelings (less than 50 MD), but can attack other Groundlings or higher ranked players.    A Cadet can successfully attack a Groundling, but if a Captain or Overlord hits a Groundling homestead, s/he drops a minimal amount of MD (less than 100 MD), credited to the Groundling's account.  



CADETS:  (5000-10000 moves)  Face a small penalty (less than 50 MD) if they attack Fledgelings, but can attack anyone higher than a Groundling.  


CAPTAINS:  (10,000-20.000 moves)  Face a small penalty (less than 100 MD) if they attack a Fledgeling or Groundling. Can attack anyone higher than a Cadet.  


OVERLORDS:  (20.000+ moves)  Face a small penalty (less than 100 MD) if they attack a Fledgeling or Groundling.  Can attack anyone higher than a Cadet.


There could be a text banner on the playing screen that says your rank and name, like Welcome, Cadet FlyingSirkus!, but no one would know your rank unless you told them.  

This way, noobs are protected from getting hit from all sides for the first ten days, then protected a little less for the next ten days, then they lose the protection after that.  The weapons and defense would still work the same way, but with an added layer of protection.

Let's say I'm a Cadet and I run across a homestead.  I attack, and it turns out to be a Fledgeling Homestead.  I'd get a message that says "Fledgeling Homestead!  You dropped 15 MD!"  It would still be worth it for me as a Cadet to hit homesteads looking for payolas, as a loss of 15 MD here and there is probably not going to break me.

If a Fledgeling or Groundling player accumulates some settlements, they would also be immune to attack, but would welcome joiners.

This might also encourage the bigger players to focus on hitting each other rather than scooping up every little settlement that comes into their path.  It also makes for nice little bonuses to hook the newer players with slightly faster upgrade ability.

What do you all think?

[Eric]

I like it.

[Chiaren]

What about broken homesteads? Those who are not active in the game anymore.

[toxichermit]

It might get pretty frustrating for the stronger players. They'll be bleeding everytime they hit a weak homestead. They'll need to keep away from homesteads completely. But it might induce a small amount of strategy in to the game, which is a good thing. I think I can see what you're getting at. Good idea.

[CSStriker]

this could get confusing...

I think if you put these ranks into play, then a successful scout should tell you thier rank

[Chris_UT]

I liek the idea of protecting newbies with a rank but not of having the rank a secret, it should be displayed in their name.

[Autumnleaves]

I like the idea except for the scouting . I think if you have the intelligence and security, then it should work the same as now. Do you mean above cadets or Do you mean cadets and above? (for Overlords)

[Jrobb]

This idea would be ok, but how would it work in conjunction with the current way of stoping hoarders?  Currently if they have hi MD reserves but no Defense and get hit by the more powerful players, they lose large amounts...possibly.  This is admins defense against inflated payouts each month for the non-contributers.

This would eliminate the ability of the stronger players (yes myself included) to "weed out" or "reprimand" the hoarders of lower Caste levels. Eventually they would rise to the Pro's playing field but only after close to a month if only using free moves.

Just a thought.

J

[FlyingSirkus]

I like the idea except for the scouting . I think if you have the intelligence and security, then it should work the same as now. Do you mean above cadets or Do you mean cadets and above? (for Overlords)

The whole idea behind the inability to scout is that it would distribute the MD from the older players to the newer players in amounts small to the older players but high to the newer players.  It is not enough of a loss of MD to be even a slight slap to the big players, but it is enough of a bonus to keep the newer players interested.  A loss of 20MD to a player saving for a 20,000MD upgrade is a loss of 1/1000 of the cost, whereas a gain of 20MD to a player saving for a 2,000MD upgrade is a gain of 1/100 of the cost.  Does that make sense?

Intelligence and Security should work ONLY for Intelligence and Security.  This would simply be a way to offer a little more protection to the really new noobs and a little more incentive for them to build up to be bigger dogs.  The way the game is currently set up, a couple of hits while they are figuring out how to play the game can wipe them out.
 

This idea would be ok, but how would it work in conjunction with the current way of stoping hoarders? Currently if they have hi MD reserves but no Defense and get hit by the more powerful players, they lose large amounts...possibly. This is admins defense against inflated payouts each month for the non-contributers.

This would eliminate the ability of the stronger players (yes myself included) to "weed out" or "reprimand" the hoarders of lower Caste levels. Eventually they would rise to the Pro's playing field but only after close to a month if only using free moves.
 
I think you're missing the point of the system being set up based on Number of Moves Made.  NO NOOB can hoard any amount worth sneezing at in 2500 moves.  That's only ten days of play.  After another ten days, they are open to attack by "older" noobs.  Then they are let loose after being given a little bit of protected time to build a minimum of defense, weapons, intel, and security.  If they start playing on the first of the month and play every day, then you as a stronger player have from the 20th to the last day of the month to find and attack them.  Consider it a challenge.  

This system gives strong protection to people in their first ten days of play, slightly weaker protection for the next ten days of play, and then they are pretty much on their own.  If you buy moves, you only go through your protection faster.  If you buy a radar, it means you emerge from the protection period a stronger player than someone who does not have the benefit of radar.

This doesn't hurt the stronger players in the least.    

This system could probably be simplified, but I still think it is a good way for noobs to get a little bit of protection and incentive to think this game is cool without hurting the stronger players.  

It might also be a way for Admin to track and eliminate dormant homesteads of players who play once or twice then decide this game isn't for them.  If a player stays a Fledgeling for a month, their homestead location could be programmed into a queue to be "recycled" and assigned to a new noob.

[Jrobb]

don't get me wrong, i dig the idea...I also dig hitting hoarders so I guess the implementation shouldn't affect my rock sollection too much :twisted:

J

[Anthraxus]

This would be a tricky thing to implement.  Anyone have any opinions?

[Anthraxus]

Is this idea still dead in the water to everyone?

[e76]

I don't like it.