Posts by skyhawk377

Quote from User12996

Quote from Killjoy

Quote from User12996

Quote from Killjoy

Quote from Morgoth_Bauglir

Bro, there are older servers where people can actually maintain million generals. So you are suggesting that the entire game mechanic should change because of something that isn't a part of the problem - but rather a solution to the problem. The multis will exist no mater what the rules are. If someone is smart enough with VPNs, or proxys and some other methods that can easily be set up/used by someone who knows a bit more about IT infrastructure etc - he will have multis within the rule scope no matter what. So if you are not that competent in the field of IT - you have an option to create multis of your own to counter that. That is precisely why they allowed multis to attack the same target as long as there is no direct contact. This is a huge deal if you know how to use it. But based on what you are saying, it would seem as if you are not that proficient in the art of war. There are numerous tactics that arise from just that simple rule - making it a powerful tool to fight against stronger opponents (be it because of sheer points, general banks or huge money investment). If you are good enough - and smart enough - you can wage war on several fronts at the same time - and that is just one scenario. Waving, specialized attacks, draining - you name it. The player base is no longer big enough to fill in the entire map as it used to be 10+ years ago either way, so this adds another level of challenges while keeping your playing field within the short range of travel. The only down side is that new players might be overwhelmed by it, and that is why you should step in and teach them how the things work and help them discover more complex ways of playing the game. You don't need to bring in friends necessarily, you can make new friends in the game, so you can cooperate even further.

Yeah, but that's the problem: no one's happy now. This is not the first time this topic is brought up. After talking to Draxo and Badidol, only coding seems to fix the problem. How can someone hack cooldown time, for example? You can have lots of alts and huge military score, you can't hack it. You need to wait. That's why I said that they wouldn't have to charge tax all the time. After two or three times, cooldown time can be longer for those who have ambrosia. If you want to have alts and join your friends, go ahead.

Changing the whole mechanic has already been mentioned, and it's not possible. The IT part has also been mentioned, and it's hard to find the cheaters. What I'm trying to say is that cheaters can get stuff that legit players can't. There's always a way to make their lives harder through coding, even if it doesn't completely eliminate them.

If we take into account all the things players have to do to have a chance to fight against the cheaters, we'll see this is nonsense.

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I'll say it again. The majority of the unhappiness is because of the merge and everything you're describing is a symptom of the merge.

Cheaters "hack" the cooldown problem by being the ones with the most accounts so they can run the most general banks and it's, at most, an inconvenience to them.

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The limit is 11. You can also have 11 accounts. Like you said, that's called playing optimally.

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If you are using 11 accounts at the same time, you are not cheating. You are playing by the rules. I get it; you don't like the rules, but that does not mean people are cheating by playing multiple accounts with the ip sharing treaty.

The ONLY people cheating are people using illegal multis. I do not understand why this is so hard for you to understand. I'm starting to believe you're being deliberately obtuse or intentionally trolling.

Anyone who doesn't play Killjoy's way is cheating. He declared it.

The most hilarious thing about this is that Killjoy doesn't know history.

LOST originally tried to get a server with 1 account per IP and it also got denied in a similar fashion by Draxo and badidol.

A new kind of new server.

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Since I started that thread, I suppose I should comment...

I learned from that, that while there are tech-related settings, there are non-tech established rules. And those non-tech established rules are Ikariam server-wide.

So reducing accounts to only 1, was apparently a non-starter.

But I still think they could look to reducing from 10/11. I think dropping to like 4 or 5 would go miles towards helping fix some things.

And I seem to recall also started a thread suggesting that we remove gold from trading. I still think that would be a good idea.

Imagine if the black market and tradepost only traded with resources, not gold.

Suddenly the purchasing of military takes more of a tradeship requirement.

I mean seriously - gold, you send 1 tradeship. When was the last time you heard of anyone trading resources for troops? (Using multiple tradeships.)

Maybe someday it might be worth revisiting some of these ideas.

Ok, so rather than just joining the throng and complaining about the "kk" update, here's a suggestion, somewhat based upon what others have said so far:

a.) Regardless of display format, eliminate the rounding. That is creating more confusion than I think was intended.

b.) if there is a legitimate display issue with the game that the large numbers are causing display issues, then just implement a single M if a numeric value is greater than 1 million, using a decimal point for thousands. Unlike the "G", the "kk", and other issues, I think it's fair to say that the "M" is universally (internationally) known and used. A simple google search can confirm this, I think.

For example:

529,425 = 529,425 (no change needed)

1,003,965 = 1.003M

3,854,945,623 = 3,854.945M

No rounding, just drop the hundreds.

Yes, this technically is only saving 2 character places/digits, but considering that the game was apparently handling billions just fine before this update, I think 2 digits is likely all that is needed to be addressed.

And I suppose I should note that this option is not one of the options listed on Discord.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

Edit: Here's a link explaining some of the issues with M, G, and K:

https://www.chicagomanualofsty…bbreviations/faq0094.html

Quote from Morphias

Quote from skyhawk377

Hi.

I was looking at the recent announcement about the server merges, and I was wondering, can the community vote on the server types? Or at least can they be changed?

For the worlds that get 4 server types, there are two that lean towards builders and 2 that lean towards fighters.

But worlds that only get 2 servers, both lean towards builders.

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Setting 1:

Production of Wood and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

Setting 2:

Production of Wood, Marble and Wine are 10% higher than normal. Buildings are constructed 10% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points.

====

====

Setting 1:

Production of Wood, Wine and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points. Troops and ships are built 25% slower. Troop units cost twice as much to produce.

Setting 2:

Production of Wood, Wine and Marble will be 10% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 75% more research points. Troops and ships are built 10% faster.

Setting 3:

Production of wine is 35% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points. Troops and ships are built 25% faster.

Setting 4:

Production of Wine is 50% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 75% more research points. Troops and ships are built 50% faster. Land units are 25% cheaper to build.

====

This seems very unfair to the fighter players.

Please fix this.

A simple solution might be to just swap setting #2 of the 2-world options and setting #2 or #3 of the 4-world options.

It would give the 4-world group to get another building-discount option, and it gives the 2-world group at least somewhat of a combat world option.

Whatever you do, please fix this.

Thank you.

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The community did get to vote/have a say -- before the "FINAL" server settings were posted - they did ask the community (on Discord I think) -- that is how "Server 1" with no special settings came about on the group with 4 servers

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Thanks.

But the post you quoted was from well before that.

And as I noted in another thread, I appreciated that they listened to our thoughts and concerns.

Quote from Starman

No worries. That server will learn soon enough Lost/WLS have leadership issues and its principles are a waste of pixels.

Starman

"leadership issues"

Is that why VNS went to 2, but you went to 1?

Asking for a friend...

I just wanted to say "Thank you" to badidol and the rest of the Ikariam team, for listening to the concerns of the community (regardless of which location opinions and ideas were shared).

As they mentioned, I don't think there will, or even can be, a "perfect" solution.

But in looking at the final info, one can tell they were listening.

There's really no good place for me to say this, so I chose this popular thread.

Thanks again.

Quote from badidol

It's actually quite simple.

Forum predates Discord. The community somewhat naturally gravitated towards Discord, as a result we also moved more and more towards Discord.

The forum is technically just a relic that we keep alive for a few that for whatever reason refuse to use Discord.

Main community focus, however, lies with Discord, so that's where we mainly post and react.

Then the requirements to join the discussion there, should be the same as the forum.

There's no reason to require a cell phone. that's merely an option in discord.

Quote from Reaver

The new settings posted on Discord sound more promising than the initial ones.

I'll post them here, for people that are not on Discord:

Smaller communities with 2 target servers will be able choose between these 2 target settings.

Setting 1

• Production of Wood and Marble will be 35% higher than normal.
• Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

Setting 2

• Production of Wood and Sulfur will be 50% higher than normal.
• Production of Wine is 10% higher than normal.
• Troops and ships are built 25% faster.
• Land units are 25% cheaper to build.
• Land units move 50% faster than normal.
• Priest conversion rate increased by 40% (7 conversions per priest instead of the normal 5).

Bigger communities with 4 target servers will be able choose between these 4 target settings.

Setting 1
Servers like they used to be back in the "good old days". No bonuses. Just plain old default values.

Setting 2

• Production of Wood and Marble will be 35% higher than normal.
• Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

Setting 3

• Production of Wood and Crystal will be 35% higher than normal.
• Scientists create 25% more research points.

Setting 4

• Production of Wood and Sulfur will be 50% higher than normal.
• Production of Wine is 10% higher than normal.
• Troops and ships are built 25% faster.
• Land units are 25% cheaper to build.
• Land units move 50% faster than normal.
• Priest conversion rate increased by 40% (7 conversions per priest instead of the normal 5).

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Let's take a look at new setting #4. One I think that most everyone has agreed is a decent choice

====

Setting 4

• Production of Wood and Sulfur will be 50% higher than normal.
• Production of Wine is 10% higher than normal.
• Troops and ships are built 25% faster.
• Land units are 25% cheaper to build.
• Land units move 50% faster than normal.
• Priest conversion rate increased by 40% (7 conversions per priest instead of the normal 5).
  

====

I think this could be used as a template for option #3.

====

(new) Setting 3

• Production of Wood and Crystal will be 50% higher than normal.
• Production of Wine is 10% higher than normal.
  
• Buildings are constructed 25% faster than normal.
• Tradeships move 50% faster than normal.
• Scientists create 40% more research points.

====

If the percentages need to be adjusted, down or up, so be it.

I think people would like this as an option.

And, by the by, swap crystal for marble, and I think people would like this for option #2 as well.

Also, I'm hearing from people that they are - let's say "uncomfortable" with the .us merges starting on September 11.

I understand that there's no way that you all are going to look at any date and see what events might have happened on that day, but, I think you probably understand people being uncomfortable about September 11 as a date.

Quote from User12996

You can participate on Discord with a browser.

Maybe I'm missing the ins and outs, but when I look, it says it requires a phone.

Quote from Reaver

The new settings posted on Discord sound more promising than the initial ones.

I'll post them here, for people that are not on Discord:

Smaller communities with 2 target servers will be able choose between these 2 target settings.

Setting 1

• Production of Wood and Marble will be 35% higher than normal.
• Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

Setting 2

• Production of Wood and Sulfur will be 50% higher than normal.
• Production of Wine is 10% higher than normal.
• Troops and ships are built 25% faster.
• Land units are 25% cheaper to build.
• Land units move 50% faster than normal.
• Priest conversion rate increased by 40% (7 conversions per priest instead of the normal 5).

Bigger communities with 4 target servers will be able choose between these 4 target settings.

Setting 1
Servers like they used to be back in the "good old days". No bonuses. Just plain old default values.

Setting 2

• Production of Wood and Marble will be 35% higher than normal.
• Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

Setting 3

• Production of Wood and Crystal will be 35% higher than normal.
• Scientists create 25% more research points.

Setting 4

• Production of Wood and Sulfur will be 50% higher than normal.
• Production of Wine is 10% higher than normal.
• Troops and ships are built 25% faster.
• Land units are 25% cheaper to build.
• Land units move 50% faster than normal.
• Priest conversion rate increased by 40% (7 conversions per priest instead of the normal 5).

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Like others who have posted, I think it's unfair in a browser game to require someone to own a cell phone to contribute to a discussion.

But as we have this thread, I'll just add my comments here in the hope that they will be counted.

First, I appreciate that both the 2-setting and 4-setting options have a pillager-friendly option.

Second, I think settings 2 and 3 "feel" far weaker than several of the options we were previously offered.

But I think having a research strong choice (#3) is interesting. Though I think it need some buffing up to bring it more on par with the other choices.

But my biggest concern is that the bonus to build buildings has been removed from all options.

I would prefer the old setting #1 for the 2-world setting #1 -

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Setting 1:

Production of Wood and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

====

building speed. full stop.

nothing else comes close to that.

this is a game of timers and time management.

resources can be pillaged. we now have freighters to go along with tradeships. and a bonus to scientists is reliant on how man levels of academies you have. None of those comes close to the value of the speed a building is built. especially at higher levels.

And for pillagers, military building speed is also important.

If we swap crystal for wine in the first choice, these two aren't bad:

=====

Setting 1:

Production of Wood, [Wine] Crystal, and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points. Troops and ships are built 25% slower. Troop units cost twice as much to produce.

=====

Setting 4:

Production of Wine is 50% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 75% more research points. Troops and ships are built 50% faster. Land units are 25% cheaper to build.

=====

Though, taking from several options I've seen, if I could pick, I'd like this one:

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Setting A:

Production of Wood, Marble, and Crystal will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 50% faster than normal.

=====

Quote from User12996

Quote from Duske

From what I understood merge could be postponed because players do not like bonuses? What is wrong with bonuses? Most playeres agreed that sever 1 and 4 are fine. Server 1 great for builders. Server 4 interesting for warriors. What is wrong with server 2? You have + + + + + +🤔Seems very fine and balanced for both builders and warriors.Maybe to add 10% on crystal and sulphar too. Server three seems the worst but still it has all +.

Settings seems fine to me. Maybe because my server is old and have 0 bonuses but I would not really make big changes to this. Lets not lose balance with 50% on everything as someone suggested. Who wants fast game he can go to Ares.

The biggest complain is that the settings in for the 2 server merge and the 4 server merge are so drastically different.

The 2 server merge should be a subset of the 4 server merge.

Not only that, the balancing of all the different options was poor.

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yes, yes, and yes.

Though I want to note that I appreciate that the powers-that-be came up with the initial ideas, and are now giving some thought to further developing those ideas, based upon community feedback.

Quote from Duske

From what I understood merge could be postponed because players do not like bonuses? What is wrong with bonuses? Most playeres agreed that sever 1 and 4 are fine. Server 1 great for builders. Server 4 interesting for warriors. What is wrong with server 2? You have + + + + + +🤔Seems very fine and balanced for both builders and warriors.Maybe to add 10% on crystal and sulphar too. Server three seems the worst but still it has all +.

Settings seems fine to me. Maybe because my server is old and have 0 bonuses but I would not really make big changes to this. Lets not lose balance with 50% on everything as someone suggested. Who wants fast game he can go to Ares.

change wine to crystal on choice #1, and I think options 1 and 4 balance each other nicely. (even you seem to agree that 2 and 3 probably need work.)

(As I mentioned in a different thread), as things stand right now, I'd like those 2 options for .us as well.

=====

Setting 1:

Production of Wood, [Wine] Crystal, and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points. Troops and ships are built 25% slower. Troop units cost twice as much to produce.

=====

Setting 4:

Production of Wine is 50% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 75% more research points. Troops and ships are built 50% faster. Land units are 25% cheaper to build.

=====

To me, I think the resource production bonuses for troop production bonus servers, is over-estimated, because a pillager can gain more than the bonus merely just by pillaging.

I think builders will want building production, and resource production. and pillagers would want troop benefits.

And everyone wanting research and ship speed.

For building, I think Zephyros is interesting - increases for: 25% ship speed and buillding; 40% wood and marble speed

or the variant on Herakles - increases for: 25% ship speed, marble and wood; 15% building and 40% crystal.

but if I'm looking at all the options, I think I'd like a 25% option:

25% ship speed, 25% building times, and 25% wood, marble, and crystal.

From a builder perspective, I think that would be great.

If they need to add negatives for military building to make that happen, I could accept that, I guess, but then it looks an awful lot like .en option #1 with crystal swapped for wine:

=====

Setting 1:

Production of Wood, [Wine] Crystal, and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points. Troops and ships are built 25% slower. Troop units cost twice as much to produce.

=====

And for pillagers, option #4 is just really nice. I thought about reducing wine, to give a sulphur bonus, but really, with the unit cost reduction, that's unnecessary

=====

Setting 4:

Production of Wine is 50% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 75% more research points. Troops and ships are built 50% faster. Land units are 25% cheaper to build.

=====

Anyway, those are the two options that I think I'd like to see for .us.

Everyone's mileage may vary, of course : )

Quote from User12996

Honestly, I'm indifferent about the troops because the slower build up, etc., likely doesn't mean much in most scenarios. But I did want the 50% extra scientist points and the extra wine.

If it was a brand new server, those additional penalties would be a lot more limiting.

Setting B would give you both Wine and research : )

Oh, you like the slower one.

That's an interesting option.

I just was thinking that some might not want negatives.

But I'll agree it's an interesting option.

So there's 3 very different choices : )

Quote from badidol

Quote from User12996

Quote from badidol

Quote from nosorog

Quote from badidol

We're not going to implement solutions that require manual adaptations to single servers when merging 200+ servers, sorry.

No, any solution will have to be an automated one. Like the soft merge.

As said many times before: the current approach is based on the feedback of the previous soft merges which was "gief new servers dammit".

Yes i understand the reason, but could you not save the first,the original, the oldest server. It doesn't have to be for every community. maybe you could make it global server just to save it.

It is shame losing the original server(s) where it all started over 16 years ago

Some lost the whole community they started with 16 years ago and simply merged into another.

Consolidation requires sacrifice, if you will.

And if we start there, where do we stop? Which extra is worth doing? Which isn't? Which "tradition" and "history" is worth saving, which isn't?

Starting to make excuses and making extras possible opens up pandora's box of never ending exceptions.

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Only servers that are over 5,000 days old at the time of the merge are kept, but they can be optionally merged off.

If that's too many, make it 6,000.

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Quote

And if we start there, where do we stop? Which extra is worth doing? Which isn't? Which "tradition" and "history" is worth saving, which isn't?

Starting to make excuses and making extras possible opens up pandora's box of never ending exceptions.

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I understand your point, and it's a good one. But I kinda agree that en.alpha is in a special category of its own.

And as I noted above, non-english language servers were merged to it last time around. So it kinda has become an international server, just without the title...

Quote from User12996

It was one of the original settings lol

which one? I don't think any had building % and troop % in the same setting

Quote from nosorog

Quote from badidol

Quote from nosorog

What about if instead of destroying those oldest worlds like "alpha" and "beta", you make a copy of then and then just have a clean merge. whit old and new players joining this "new" world. you could give them as one of the options - probably 1, since most players will choose it.

This way you could keep the spirit of those worlds alive, keep the same map with mine levels from by gone ages, and donations from now forgotten players would not be destroyed, there would remain inactive helios towers from players who dont play the game anymore.

It is something special exploring the world and seeing all those relics of a bygone era. it tells stories of now abandoned islands, developed by now forgotten players. it would be something special exploring the world looking for already developed islands to continue what other players have started over a decade ago.

We're not going to implement solutions that require manual adaptations to single servers when merging 200+ servers, sorry.

No, any solution will have to be an automated one. Like the soft merge.

As said many times before: the current approach is based on the feedback of the previous soft merges which was "gief new servers dammit".

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Yes i understand the reason, but could you not save the first,the original, the oldest server. It doesn't have to be for every community. maybe you could make it global server just to save it.

It is shame losing the original server(s) where it all started over 16 years ago

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Now, that's an interesting idea - making en.alpha a global server. Especially since it kinda was treated like one in the last set of server merges.

Quote from User12996

Quote from skyhawk377

Quote from skyhawk377

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Setting A: (old setting #1 from 2-world)

Production of Wood and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal.

Setting B: (old setting #4 from 4-world)

Production of Wine is 50% higher than normal. Trade Ships are 35% faster than normal. Scientists create 75% more research points. Troops and ships are built 50% faster. Land units are 25% cheaper to build.

====

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To be clear, I think everyone would agree that these are the best choices from all 6.

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I'd much rather have this for setting A.

Production of Wood, Wine and Marble will be 25% higher than normal. Buildings are built 25% faster than normal. Trade Ships are 25% faster than normal. Scientists create 50% more research points. Troops and ships are built 25% slower. Troop units cost twice as much to produce.

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lol "I want it all" : )