> The problem, in my opinion, is exponential growth of factions in both number
> of men and number of units. This is currently being done via the WORK
> command as well as other means of making money.
Yes. I don't think targeting WORK exclusively will solve the problem.
Next you'll have to make Prenola's slaves in the mines start to rebel
also. Before you know it, no one's units will want to work for them.
I can imagine the Times articles about Olympia being on strike...
> But many of the OTHER uses of money are not harmful. Among them are
> maintenance costs, studying, and buying equipment/trading items.
> What needs to be done is to limit increasing the size of factions (men and
> units) while allowing units to make enough money working to study, travel,
> and be equipped in a reasonable manner. The idea of 1 weeks worth of
> work can support 1 week of study or 2 weeks of travel is not unreasonable.
> The idea that units could use that same money to build up to 1600 men in
> less than a year is. I think it is on the unit building side of this
> that changes must be made.
Yah, I'd agree with that.
One solution is to simply impose limits on expansion or make it much
more expensive.
John proposes a Legends-style system where money can't be turned
directly into units. Instead, characters have to be hired or
persuaded from the ranks of the independents.
(I've actually heard this idea before. Scott?? Was it you?)
This would so radically change the flavor of the game that I have
a hard time imagining it.
o Game would change more for the empire builders than for others.
o You wouldn't be able to tailor your units as much.
Instead of starting with clay and making YOUR GUYS out
of them, with their own skills that you chose, you would
be much more likely to be reusing units that already have
skills and a history.
This can be seen as a good or a bad thing, but in any case,
it is very different than the way things are now in Olympia.
What about having both:
o Indep units may hang out waiting to be HIREd
o Indep units may hang out waiting to be PERSUADEd
o FORM is still available, but costs a fortune. Newbies get
five free FORMs.
-- Rich Skrenta <skrenta@rt.com> N2QAV