To use it we must spend a noble point to get a noble, and a noble
point to teach him scrying, and a noble point to teach him magic (for
meditation). Such an investment needs to be protected; most people
will want him to be oath-1, so that's another noble point.
Under the new scheme of NPs, and in the 'real' game with probably
slower turns, just think how long a player will have to wait to earn
that much!
If you explore with scrying, you learn terrain faster that one man with a
horse. You only know about cities in 1/5 of the squares you map, and you
can't 'explore' at all. Therefore, scry-exploring is different from
going there, but not really 'better'.
But wait - that's comparing it with ONE noble. Remember how many NPs
that mage cost? What if we spent them on many explorers instead?
NOW which option looks better?
I've been trying to find trading routes. I've been 'explorer' since I joined,
and have mapped a lot of land one way and another. I've found little of
real use (although I like making maps anyway, so that's not _too_ bad).
I've explored heavily with foot, horse and crystal ball and find that
all have their uses. I still haven't found enough trade to be a full-time
trader, alas. If we take away scry-exploring we weaken trading a tiny
bit, I think. This is bad.
I also (2nd choice) wanted to be a Magician. I have yet to find
a spell that does very much, except for scrying. I have yet to
find a spell that lets me earn money, so 'Magician' is not a valid
career for me (yet?).
I am building a castle. I don't want a castle. I'm recruiting an army
to defend it. I don't want an army. I want mages, I want explorers, I
want trading ships plying the oceans. The trouble is, I haven't
succeeded at any of them very much, so to get money - I'm building a
castle.
I want to build just a tower. I want to sell magical services for
a living. I want to pay traders to go and find rare elements I need.
I imagine them paying explorers for details of gates and trade routes.
Has anyone managed to do any of the above? If not, perhaps we should stop
making castles better and better, and look at trade and magic. The
'peasant mobs' are a good move to inprove trade as they make pillaging
less attractive. Can we think of some more? Do people agree that we should?
Hmmm..this note sounds a bit sharp. I think I'm just upset at my favorite
spell being weakened. If anyone can reassure me that my newly-built tower
will lead to some worthwhile spells, or that there _are_ rich
trade routes out there, I'll be happy. Otherwise I suppose it's back
to castles and armies again, just like Atlantis (sigh).....
Chris
-- Chris Yearsley cmy@cs.keele.ac.uk