[Mega post] New server system, claim system, sieges and territory war

[MRT 17]

After playing Atlas for many hours, visiting the official forum many times and seeing several posts about the game's claim system, with critical suggestions and etc, I decided to do this mega post to talk about this mechanic and give my suggestions to make it better , more competitive and satisfying for all kinds of players.
Unfortunately I am not fluent in English and I wrote all this in Portuguese and then with my knowledge and a help from Google Translator I translated into English, if any fluent in Portuguese and English want the original version that I wrote and make a better translation, I will be attaching the document in this post.
I really believe the Atlas has an big potential to become one of the best experience MMO Sandbox, and that's why I felt like I wanted to cooperate as much as I could, so that the game would become better and better.
The current game system  is practically traumatizing and not compensatory for those who take the game seriously and think about having a long term progression, you build, build, equip up, build your boat and then, after you logoff and go sleep, none of it is there, all stolen or broken by someone or a small group.
The current claim system has a very serious problem, there is no limit for people to put their flags, it's all a mess, play put their flags anywhere even knowing that they did not use that place at all, just to disrupt or mess the game.
Having said all this, I came to this conclusion of writing and thinking about this whole new system for the game!

Well let's get start:

The creation of a skill tree for claim

This skill tree is important because it would give progression in investing in the colonization project of your company and limits certain aspects in what is necessary for the competitiveness and progression of the game.

 

Pre-set places to place flags

I believe that the best way to stimulate competitiveness is to improve the end game  and avoid the mess that is the current claim system, by placing pre-established places where you can place the flags and limiting through the Tree skill the number of flags that a player can place, will bring organization, more spaces for other players to be able to put their houses and small companies to build their small or great empire.

* Proportionality and scale of area sizes may be incorrect
Full size images:
https://i.imgur.com/Nftdlya.png
https://i.imgur.com/OFvwymi.png
https://i.imgur.com/4dBGWJN.png

The purple circle is the limit line influence of that company, after being conquered an invisible wall (pressing H in the game you will be able to see that limit line) is established in that line for non members of the company. Laws within this area of influence can be imposed by the leader of the company that conquered the plot, such as: free movement of any player (company member or not, tax collection for players who have personal claim in that area and others.
In Red and Black zones these walls are undone when a company is suffering a Siege War attack (I will explain in more detail below).

Personal Claim

•  A small space (5x5?)
•  Solo Players Can Build Your Home
•  Within this house it is possible to place a limited number of workbenchs (due to space), hire an NPC, manage who can enter it and make use of their equipment, chests and etc.
•  Limited number according to player's Skill Tree
•  In pre-established areas in the Freeport Islands
•  In pre-established places on most of the islands in the "Blue Safe Zones" (I'll explain later)
  "Plots that are at the edge of the island allow the player to build a Tiny Shipyard"
•  Within the area of influence of a company.
  "Companys who are in Blue Safe Zones may assign these plots to non-members through payment of an amount of gold, appeal or what the company leader wants in return. In addition to the collection of taxes."

Full size images
https://i.imgur.com/GLnM15d.png
https://i.imgur.com/HJsFmLQ.png

Company Claim

•  A large area
•  In pre-established places in all areas (Blue, Red and Black)
•  Limited number according to the player's Skill Tree.
•  A base upgrade system (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4 and Tier 5) (A system that I am still having some ideas but still not defined at all)
•  System of maintenance of the bases (Payment of taxes and feeding)
  "A system in which the companys must pay the fees and manage the stock of food of the base to maintain the area of influence and plot"
  "At Blue Safe zone the fee is paid every 3 days IRL and the food stock is falling over time, if the fee is not paid or the stock of food ends up the company loses its base and plot."
  "In the Red Zone PVP the rate is paid every 3 days IRL and the food stock is falling over time if the fee is not paid or the stock of food ends up the company loses its base and the plot."
  "For the companys that are in the Black PVP Zone, the rate is regulated according to the interest of who dominates the territory. (who won Territory War)"
•  System of laws in the area of influence of that company
  "The company leader can define some laws for the area of influence of his company, some examples: free trade between any player, prohibited to kill players (Red PVP Zone), prohibited to rob (Red PVP Zone), application of taxes for members and etc."
•  Companys in the Red and Black zones can mark a siege for the base domination and area of influence of other companys (I will explain the Siege system further forward)
•  Companys in the Black zone can participate in Territory War, and so dictate the rules and obtain the profit of the fee payment of that territory. (I'll explain the War Territory system further along)

Full size images
https://i.imgur.com/ujx9jEU.png
https://i.imgur.com/kfvRHgp.png
https://i.imgur.com/DfUyTTg.png

Changes in the server system and creation of zones

The changes would be to extinguish the two types of server we have today in the Atlas for a single type that bears both PVE and PVP, creating zones in the global map that would have its own characteristics and mechanics of operation both economic, conquest and combat. It is also a way to facilitate and simplify the balancing of Skill Tree, thus:

Blue Safe Zone

• Simpler resources and less quantity among all areas
•  Low amount of treasures and World Boss (Ghost Ships and others) between all the zones
•  Higher amount of Freeports compared to Red PVP Zone
•  No fighting between players anywhere in the Blue Safe Zone
•  It is not possible to destroy/steal boats and houses of other players, loot belongings anywhere within the Blue Safe Zone
•  Without Siege war for the domination of the base of another company (I will explain more ahead)
•  Without Territory war (I'll explain later)
•  Islands with the highest number of plots for Company Flags among all zones
•  Players can respawn on their boat beds at any time

"The safes zones exist perfectly for those solo players or small groups to develop in the game without suffering retaliation from larger groups or troublemakers. The large amount of plots for Company Flags added to Siege's inability makes it easier for these players to build their own destiny. The sense of security prevails anywhere in this zone "

 

Red PVP Zone

 

• More advanced resoucers and more than Blue Safe Zones
•  More quantity and quality of treasures and quantity of World Boss (Ghost Ships and others) compared to Blue Safe Zones
•  Some islands in some territories that do not have plots of claim, but that have many resources for collection.
•  Less amount of Freeports compared to Blue Safe Zone
•  Combat between players allowed (except in the islands where Freeport has)
•  Allowed to destroy / steal boats and houses of other players and loot belongings (except in the islands where Freeport has)
•  Siege War for the domination of the base and conquest of the area of influence of another company (I will explain more ahead)
•  Without Territory War (I'll explain more ahead)
•  Islands with the least plots for Company Flags compared to Blue Safe Zones
•  Players can respawn in beds of their boats with a cooldown time (increasing exponentially according to the amount of deaths then)

 

"Red PVP Zones are for the larger, organized groups that know of the possibility of losing everything in a Siege but want to have a facility to get large amounts of resources, are also for those more adventurous players who are in search of better treasures and who knows how to steal some boat around! For those who are not members of a company that has a base on some island in that area, the sense of security in not having everything stolen or killed by a pirate only exists in Freeports "

 

 

Black PVP Zone

 

•  The best resources are here and in greater quantity than all other zones
•  The most valuable treasures and the most fearsome monsters (Dragon, Hydra, Kraken?) Must be in these areas.
•  Great monsters can randomly attack the base of a company, in case the company can not defeat the monster, it will destroy it.
•  Two territories focused only on the collection of resources, the islands that have the greatest amount of resources of the whole game.
•  There is no Freeport in this area
•  Combat between players and allowed theft without any punishment. (A criminal system for the game?)
•  Siege War for the domination of the base of another company (I will explain more ahead)
•  Territory War for the domination of an entire territory (I'll explain later)
•  Islands with the least amount of plots available between all zones
•  Players can respawn on the bed of their boat with a longer cooldown time than the Red PVP Zones
  "Players can not respawn in the bed of their boat when that territory in which they died is in Territory War, only in the base of their company or in the nearer Freeport"

"The Black PVP Zones are for the most hardcore and organized companies in the game, it's not a place for amateurs, the probability that you lose everything here is high, great risks big rewards is the dilemma of those who step on these lands and navigate these waters ."

 

 

Siege War

 

Siege was the only way I found that a group or company could conquer or destroy an established base and the area of influence of another group, fighting fairly and competitively for both sides.
 

•  Can only occur in Red and Black Zone
•  When a company first conquers a plot with its flag, it will choose 3 times in IRL that it can suffer an attack, the siege can happen on any day, but only at the times at which it chooses.
•  For a company to attack another base through siege, the company leader should go to a Freeport in the Red PVP Zone and choose a day (the attack can not occur on the same day it is being organized) in which he wants attack and one of the times established by the leader of the other company that will defend
•  At that time the invisible walls of the base being attacked will dismantle only to the members of the company and allies that marked the attack.
•  A company wins a siege when it manages to destroy the wall or gate, invade the base and destroy the flag of the other company.
•  A company can pay for gold to block sieges attacks for 3, 5 or 7 days, the leader must go to a Freeport in a Red PVP Zone and pay for the NPC.
•  A company loses the siege when it can not destroy the flag in the time of 1h and 30 minutes.
•  When the company leader marks the siege, he can request the help of up to 2 companys in the attack, consequently the company that is defending can also request up to 2 companys to help.
•  Only members of the company participating in this siege can damage the walls, gates and the flag.
•  Players from other companies that are not participating in the siege are still barred by the invisible wall of the base that is under attack.
  "Any player who dies a second time during the siege, can not enter that territory or respawn in a bed that is in the base or boat present in that territory. (This is to prevent the players from dying, they are going back to the war and the siege does not end)"
•  After dying twice players can only respawn in Freeports.

Full size images
https://i.imgur.com/8GcuhuW.png
https://i.imgur.com/YYxqKmO.png

Territory War

This is a system that I have not yet fully thought of, but I will leave here some ideas of what can be

•  Black PVP Zone only
•  It's a war on the high seas, much like a battle royale.
  "The war occurs in a region demarcated in the map of the territory, the company that manages to destroy the ship of all the others is the winner"
  "As soon as the event begins this demarcated area is closed with translucent walls and no one can enter or even leave to try to avoid fighting."
•  There is no limit on how many ships a company can take to war, in this battle it is where they can show all the strength they have.
•  Companys are not obliged to participate
•  The event takes place during 1 hour and 30 minutes, if there are still ships of all the participating companies, it will be up to you to have more ships and crew (players)
•  Occurs on a fixed day and time of the week
•  Only those companies that have a base in that territory can participate in this war
•  Players who die can not return to that territory until the event is over
•  The winning company will have full influence in the laws of the territory and will obtain all 40% of the profit of the whole system of rate that owns in that territory paid by the companys.

Conclusions

Well, if you have read so far thank you very much, leave a comment with more suggestions, critics, we will talk about this subject and encourage the developers to change this system that is.

I was already forgetting, developers put the option to edit the topic regardless of how long it takes 

@Jatheish

 

NOVOS SISTEMAS PARA ATLAS.docx

[Combo77 2]

Great post, thanks! Really good pve/pvp system that would make this game actually playable. I hope this gets attention from the developers.

 

[MRT 17]

Hey thanks dude, I hope so, It takes me a lot of work! 

[Tarvald 34]

I really like your Claim system. I agree the Claim system needs to be adjusted.

My only concern was this.

Your Red, Blue, Black zones should be flipped in my opinion.

 

Instead of Blue, Red, Black. It should be Black, Red, Blue (Blue interior). As an avid PvP player, if you put the best materials in the most central location then 1-2 groups will end up claiming them and having a gambit on the server. They'll not only have the best materials, but they'll be in a central location this is in rough waters, defensible and can strike out to anyone much more easily. Thus creating a balance issue. If the exterior zone is Black it keeps balance by spreading out larger Corps forcing them to defend, and strike out from odd angles, giving the smaller man a chance to build up and venture out.

Overall though, this post is a 10/10, exactly what we need!

[superstringman 2]

I've always liked the idea of safe limited resource areas and dangerous good resource areas.  Seems like it would give everybody the ability the play the way they like.  Good post.

[Nadiow 11]

Legal as ideias, inclusive ja pensei em algumas delas antes. O problema é que esses sistemas que você indicou nunca vão ser implementados pq Atras faz parte de uma modalidade de jogo que já está presa na cabeça dos DEVS, eles gostam dessa tipo de jogo onde vc tem que passar uma boa parte do seu dia se dedicando ao jogo e se vc ficar sem entrar por um dia vai ficar atrás dos seus inimigos em questão de recurso, level, etc.. Ark e Atlas foram desenvolvidos exatamente para essa modalidade. Digo isso pq muito deles jogam bastante o Rust e muita coisa que tem no Ark e Atlas eles se basearam no Rust. Outro detalhe é que o jogo vai contar com modo singleplayer e vc vai poder alugar servidores, então se vc reclamar do sistema quebrado de claim deles, eles vao simplesmente mandar vc jogar singleplayer ou jogar em servidor unnoficial. 

Sou jogador de Ark e abandonei o jogo com quase 1.000 horas. Achei que Atlas seria algo diferente mas é a mesma mecanica do Ark: Ou vc se dedica ou vc nao joga. Cheguei a tentar o modo PVE do Atlas mas so me deu mais dor de cabeça, acabei desinstalando o jogo e vou ficar no aguardo do modo singleplayer. Eu tbm queria que o jogo tivesse os mesmos sistemas que vc descreveu e espero que um dia chegue pelo menos perto disso.

[monstar 4]

Definitely a must the flag skill tree and the pre defined land claim plots, the zones too but first the pre defined plots as this would allow for more space. Great post!

[HectorC 0]

So in other words just take the territory system in Albion Online and put it into this game.

[Cpt. Peggy Leggy 20]

No thanks. Go host your own servers and make your own rules.

[MRT 17]

2 hours ago, Nadiow said:

Legal as ideias, inclusive ja pensei em algumas delas antes. O problema é que esses sistemas que você indicou nunca vão ser implementados pq Atras faz parte de uma modalidade de jogo que já está presa na cabeça dos DEVS, eles gostam dessa tipo de jogo onde vc tem que passar uma boa parte do seu dia se dedicando ao jogo e se vc ficar sem entrar por um dia vai ficar atrás dos seus inimigos em questão de recurso, level, etc.. Ark e Atlas foram desenvolvidos exatamente para essa modalidade. Digo isso pq muito deles jogam bastante o Rust e muita coisa que tem no Ark e Atlas eles se basearam no Rust. Outro detalhe é que o jogo vai contar com modo singleplayer e vc vai poder alugar servidores, então se vc reclamar do sistema quebrado de claim deles, eles vao simplesmente mandar vc jogar singleplayer ou jogar em servidor unnoficial. 

Sou jogador de Ark e abandonei o jogo com quase 1.000 horas. Achei que Atlas seria algo diferente mas é a mesma mecanica do Ark: Ou vc se dedica ou vc nao joga. Cheguei a tentar o modo PVE do Atlas mas so me deu mais dor de cabeça, acabei desinstalando o jogo e vou ficar no aguardo do modo singleplayer. Eu tbm queria que o jogo tivesse os mesmos sistemas que vc descreveu e espero que um dia chegue pelo menos perto disso.

Eu não conheço muito essa desenvolvedora e acreditei nas próprias frases deles sobre um novo jogo, uma nova ideia! Eu tmb não gosto desse sistema do Ark e Rust que você comentou, é muito frustrante e a longo prazo fica sem sentido e faz os jogadores perderem a vontade de querer progredir porque nada vale a pena. Espero que eles ouçam os jogadores, o sistema precisa mudar pois está impossível de jogar e ter uma progressão típica de um MMO. O jogo tem um potencial absurdamente alto em se tornar algo muito bom, a ideia base deles é boa, mas falta refino, foi isso que propus.|
Aguardo o modo single player também e a liberação do dev kit.

2 hours ago, monstar said:

Definitely a must the flag skill tree and the pre defined land claim plots, the zones too but first the pre defined plots as this would allow for more space. Great post!

I agree with you, the first thing they must to do is put a "civilization skill tree" and pre definined claim plots!

[MRT 17]

7 hours ago, Tarvald said:

I really like your Claim system. I agree the Claim system needs to be adjusted.

My only concern was this.

Your Red, Blue, Black zones should be flipped in my opinion.

 

Instead of Blue, Red, Black. It should be Black, Red, Blue (Blue interior). As an avid PvP player, if you put the best materials in the most central location then 1-2 groups will end up claiming them and having a gambit on the server. They'll not only have the best materials, but they'll be in a central location this is in rough waters, defensible and can strike out to anyone much more easily. Thus creating a balance issue. If the exterior zone is Black it keeps balance by spreading out larger Corps forcing them to defend, and strike out from odd angles, giving the smaller man a chance to build up and venture out.

Overall though, this post is a 10/10, exactly what we need!

Oh its a really good point, the only problem I see in flip is, the safe zone will be the smallest among all zones, will it have sufficient claim plots to supply the vast majority of companys who like to play safely?

[AdriaticWhisper 3]

If the developers don't hire you, or use your ideas. This game is doomed.

[TheSzerdi 79]

You know you can sail off the edge to go to the opposite edge, yes? Blue zone should be much smaller. Play on PvE server if you don't want to fight. I don't like hard coded world zones. My land claim idea (hyperlink).

[MRT 17]

8 hours ago, TheSzerdi said:

You know you can sail off the edge to go to the opposite edge, yes? Blue zone should be much smaller. Play on PvE server if you don't want to fight. I don't like hard coded world zones. My land claim idea (hyperlink).

Changes in the server system and creation of zones

"The changes would be to extinguish the two types of server we have today in the Atlas for a single type that bears both PVE and PVP (...)"

The creation of Safe zone is not for those who dont want pvp, it is for small companies dont be rekt by large groups, even before build their first galeon or walls!

The safe zone will enable for those small groups to progress (within the limits of resources that this zone offers of course), and have some fun when they wanna fight without lose you entire progress.

I'm rethinking how the size and distribution of the zones should still be, i agree with you and @Tarvald who commented about it too!

[BaldursThones 0]

The main problem I can see with this idea Is that the clans in the black zone would expand faster than the red and blue zone making it almost impossible for any outside clan to take land from people in the black zone. Obviously it would keep good players away from beginners but beginners would never have a chance at getting land from the advanced players. I feel there should be no zones. They should keep lawless zones but make them give more resources and make lawless zones a no pvp zone. This will allow for beginners to get the resources to claim and island for their own and also not let the advanced players kill beginners repeatedly.

The idea of making wars happen with set times was a great idea but what if you cannot show up because of school or something? I don't feel the idea of setting times, you should be able to attack when ever. To compensate for when your attacked offline, they should add npcs that can shoot cannons and attack the opposition. It should act like how the crew system works but on your base.

Having a territory war is a cool idea as well but there is a carbine in the game. It one shots you. If u die you should be able to respawn. The amount of spare armour or guns you have should determine how long you can stay in the fight, also, what if you make a raft or sloop and hide it somewhere, and how do fix ships running away? What if I spam make rafts and then spread them out. The way a winner should determined should be by the amount of kills each player in the company gets combined. This will encourage people to fight with each other instead of hide. But territory wars would be really fun and cool. Good idea!

Having set areas to put your flags does not allow for much creativity. Its better to let players choose where they want there flags cause it adds for creativity and a sense of you can what ever you want. Having them be set places would be pointless and annoying. I rather be able to chose to put my flag in an area that claims the most land and is the most practical spot when I am attacked.

Lastly, making the player have to pay a fee to keep land running would just be annoying. You already have to grind a lot to get enough stuff to build a base and get good guns. I play on x3 server and knowing that when an AU server comes out all the stuff I have done will take x3 the amount of time I've already spent is saddening. Making it so the player has to grind more to keep land is just annoying and not fun gameplay. It takes enough stuff to make a defendable base with cannons and walls or a ship.

To be honest, the best and only way I can see to fix the claiming problem is to add more islands. Add more claimable land without changing the map size. Boost the amount of islands from 800 to 2000. There is lots of empty space on the map in which an island can be.