That is a statement few would make, but lurking behind a lot of design choices is the truth that it tips the scales further toward becoming part of a mega-alliance.
People will always form mega alliances, just like people like me will never understand why and, in some ways, resent them while feeling like they are making a mockery of the game 'as intended.' This is a good dynamic to have. Oppositions are good. PK vs Anti-PK, zerg vs smallscale, but when things are as they are, it just becomes two sides of the same coin (with same sides.) Zerg A vs Zerg B, smallscale A vs smallscale B, Zerg A + smallscale B, etc.
The only content that is really GOOD in mortal for small scale is ratting, and that is mainly because you can split up so they cannot zerg you all and influence different parts of the map. The problem with that is there isn't a good way for said smallscale to influence without joining up due to SIEGE WINDOWS.
I would like to see more mechanics that allow people to shine personally. You can still be a part of a larger group, but the game is sorely lacking in the 'carve your niche' department, which is, despite what everyone says, somewhere I believe a sandbox should shine. You should benefit from organization and grouping up, but you should also have unique benefits for working on your own.
Like mining, assuming that people are not botting, the task of mining goes on over a period of time, on and off, it is a devotion. It isn't something you can do and hit a rock and gain 5x the ore with only 4 people. And, while we are on that subject, I wouldn't be opposed to crazy ideas like group mining or gathering (I think the game needs shake ups,) but I was simply saying not everything benefits from 'zerging.' Yet, it makes way more sense to mine for a zerg than it does for a small group because so much of the game is tilted in the favor of zergs.
It has become a true oppression simulator, and it's crazy the devs / player base cannot see it. People got mad at guys naked griefing their mounts, etc, and now we are in a game where certain groups are mostly untouchable, even when they siege it is rarely consequential, and they just play the game with their eyes closed half the time.
Another example is the issue everyone had with not being able to stop their character from going overweight. Haha. All these dudes wanted to be right on the cusp, max HP, but were not able to figure out how to stop eating fast enough. Was it glitchy, sure, but it was do-able. There was no zerg to help people stop eating. Maybe a zerg of people to hit you to help you lose weight. What happens, they remove it because it seems 'too hard' for people who wanna play without thinking.
There should be thoughtless gameplay, but there should be stuff you have to stop and think about, like managing your character's reserves. IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED. This is a tangent, kind of, but the point stands that the game caters to zergs, and I would argue that thoughtless gameplay loops are a huge contributing factor.
You get your mats from your outpost, you pay for your guild guards... then what do you even do, go farm mastery? haha. Go gank people for luls?
IF Mortal does not make a game that is FUN and ENGAGING for everyone, it will continue to decline, and this level of decline is something even I did not foresee, though I did low key want it to happen because I saw how horrible the design decisions were.
Do you want to clutch onto your zerg base or do you believe your game can be good regardless and are you willing to risk offending them by uncovering their vulnerabilities? It's a tough game. When you are 'on the top' you should have benefits, but I don't think the game should ever be something you sit back and chill on (if it's working,) unless you are just focused on passive gameplay where you just buy and sell, etc.
SO??
People will always form mega alliances, just like people like me will never understand why and, in some ways, resent them while feeling like they are making a mockery of the game 'as intended.' This is a good dynamic to have. Oppositions are good. PK vs Anti-PK, zerg vs smallscale, but when things are as they are, it just becomes two sides of the same coin (with same sides.) Zerg A vs Zerg B, smallscale A vs smallscale B, Zerg A + smallscale B, etc.
The only content that is really GOOD in mortal for small scale is ratting, and that is mainly because you can split up so they cannot zerg you all and influence different parts of the map. The problem with that is there isn't a good way for said smallscale to influence without joining up due to SIEGE WINDOWS.
I would like to see more mechanics that allow people to shine personally. You can still be a part of a larger group, but the game is sorely lacking in the 'carve your niche' department, which is, despite what everyone says, somewhere I believe a sandbox should shine. You should benefit from organization and grouping up, but you should also have unique benefits for working on your own.
Like mining, assuming that people are not botting, the task of mining goes on over a period of time, on and off, it is a devotion. It isn't something you can do and hit a rock and gain 5x the ore with only 4 people. And, while we are on that subject, I wouldn't be opposed to crazy ideas like group mining or gathering (I think the game needs shake ups,) but I was simply saying not everything benefits from 'zerging.' Yet, it makes way more sense to mine for a zerg than it does for a small group because so much of the game is tilted in the favor of zergs.
It has become a true oppression simulator, and it's crazy the devs / player base cannot see it. People got mad at guys naked griefing their mounts, etc, and now we are in a game where certain groups are mostly untouchable, even when they siege it is rarely consequential, and they just play the game with their eyes closed half the time.
Another example is the issue everyone had with not being able to stop their character from going overweight. Haha. All these dudes wanted to be right on the cusp, max HP, but were not able to figure out how to stop eating fast enough. Was it glitchy, sure, but it was do-able. There was no zerg to help people stop eating. Maybe a zerg of people to hit you to help you lose weight. What happens, they remove it because it seems 'too hard' for people who wanna play without thinking.
There should be thoughtless gameplay, but there should be stuff you have to stop and think about, like managing your character's reserves. IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED. This is a tangent, kind of, but the point stands that the game caters to zergs, and I would argue that thoughtless gameplay loops are a huge contributing factor.
You get your mats from your outpost, you pay for your guild guards... then what do you even do, go farm mastery? haha. Go gank people for luls?
IF Mortal does not make a game that is FUN and ENGAGING for everyone, it will continue to decline, and this level of decline is something even I did not foresee, though I did low key want it to happen because I saw how horrible the design decisions were.
Do you want to clutch onto your zerg base or do you believe your game can be good regardless and are you willing to risk offending them by uncovering their vulnerabilities? It's a tough game. When you are 'on the top' you should have benefits, but I don't think the game should ever be something you sit back and chill on (if it's working,) unless you are just focused on passive gameplay where you just buy and sell, etc.
SO??