Things Just Got Real: The New Settlement Mechanics

wmmarcellino

GW just released the details on the new Settlement Mechanics, coming in on the next EE release, EE v.10.  It's big stuff, and I'm very excited.  Some of the major points:

The destruction of the existing settlements will be a server-wide RP event: the Wrath of Nhur Athemon.  Nhur Athemon is an Arch-Lich of dreadful power (pretty cool artwork on the model), and his wrath will level the existing settlements(except for Thornkeep).

Building Custom Replacement Settlements: we initially got to pick from a set of templates (Fighter, Wizard, Rogue, Cleric, and Crafter).  Everyone that opted for Crafter got the same crafter template, everyone that opted for Fighter/Cleric got the same Fighter/Cleric Template, etc.

In place of that, we will get building slots: two large, six medium, and ten small slots.  So it will be up to us to come up with a custom mix.  The buildings are:

Large Slot Buildings: Auction House, Cathedral (trains Clerics of multiple gods and acts as a Seminary), University (trains Wizards and acts as a War Wizard and Occultist), Garrison (trains Fighters and acts as a Dreadnaught and Skirmisher), Guild House (trains Rogues, Experts, and Freeholders and acts as a Skirmisher)

Medium Slot Buildings: Seminary, Occultist School, Skirmisher School, Dreadnaught School, War Wizard Academy, Fighter College, Thieves Guild, Temple (each supports a single god), Expert Workshop, Freeholder Workhouse, Smith (Armorsmith and Weaponsmith), Spellwright (Artificer, Iconographer, and Spellcraft), Cooperative (Leatherworker, Woodworker), Boutique (Tailor, Jeweler), Lab (Alchemist, Engineer).

Small Slot Buildings: Geologist, Arcanist’s Workshop, Apothecary, Sawmill, Smeltmill, Tannery, Loom, Woodshop, Alchemist’s Lab, Armorer, Weaponmaster, Institute (Engineering), Iconographer, Jeweler, Leatherworker, Tailor, Artificer’s Workshop, Library.

So for example, since our settlement, Ozem's Vigil is a Paladin settlement, we will have a Cathedral and a Garrison as large buildings.  Figuring out the remaining slots is going to be fun/challenging.  Note: out of the box, we'll be able to train to level 12 in our buildings.

They've Changed Training Support for the Better:  All settlements now support prior training up to level 20.  There is no longer a limit on training support—if you train up to any level in say, Wizard, you don't have to worry if your Fighter/Rogue settlement will support it.

Infrastructure Items: Like Sim-City?  Then you'll like this—we'll have 10 slots to build infrastructure items, like statues or fountains, which will contribute to Development Index, which in turn can be devoted to boosting training levels.

Very jazzed to see the game moving into a substantive part of the Kingmaker game!

Audoucet

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Originally posted by wmmarcellino The destruction of the existing settlements will be a server-wide RP event: the Wrath of Nhur Athemon.  Nhur Athemon is an Arch-Lich of dreadful power (pretty cool artwork on the model), and his wrath will level the existing settlements(except for Thornkeep).

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Like a month ago, Ryan specifically told me that there would be no great catastrophe.

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Originally posted by rsdancey  

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Originally posted by Audoucet PFO is still supposed to be wiped at OE at the settlement level, isn't it ? People will only keep their XP.

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  Negative. There will be a transition period where the current Settlements are able to replace the prefabs they're using now with self-selected buildings and options. A mechanism to take control of a Settlement will also be implemented so that Settlements that cannot maintain minimum level of activity can be recycled by groups who wish to do so. (This is not full-blown Settlement warfare, but an interim mostly manual process). Companies and the Holdings & Outposts Companies have built will remain persistent.

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They changed it again ?

wmmarcellino

"We have plans to tear those towers down in a server-wide event called the Wrath of Nhur Athemon, and when that event ends, Settlements will no longer depend on Towers to determine their power levels. Instead, those levels will be derived from the structures built in the Settlement by its leadership."

and

"Our existing player settlements are going to undergo a transformation when the player managed Settlement features are deployed. With substantial prior notice the prefab Settlement structures that we've been using so far in Early Enrollment will be removed, and the Settlements will replace them with structures of their own choosing.  Each settlement will get +0 and +1 kits for all of its structures, including its keep, so if it deploys all of these kits the settlement will have level 12 training for everything it had previously."

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rsdancey

The Settlements themselves will continue to exist, as will the Companies in them. The vaults will continue to exist as will all the stuff in them.

What will happen is that people will have the opportunity to replace the prefab Settlement structures with structures they choose to build and upgrade, and during the transition it will be faster to do that than it will be after the transition because we don't want to interrupt the play of the game while people wait for buildings to get rebuilt. From the standpoint of the characters there may be some disruption but it will be brief and should not affect people's ability to play as they expect.

Slapshot1188

Can you attack and conquer settlements yet?

 

If not, then IMHO you have yet to achieve one of the key parts required for a Minimal Viable Product.  If your game is based around territory control you need to actually be able to conquer the settlements... at a minimum.

 

(Most of even the diehards will admit that the "Towers" are pointless.)

 

Also, the OP refers to his "paladin settlement".  Is this just an RP attempt or have the game mechanics developed to actually support Paladins?  When last I played there were no Paladin classes and there wasn't even an alignment system. So no lawful Good etc...   I admittedly have not played in a few updates so if that has changed then that would be good progress.  If not, well...   whatever floats your boat I guess.

 

 

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wmmarcellino

1. To the best of my understanding, EE10 will have the ability to raid other settlement's holdings for bulk goods.  We will not be able to conquer/destroy other settlements however--there's no timeline on that.

2. The Paladin class is not in yet, nor is the alignment system.  Religious factions, and feats for the religious factions and gods are in however.  Currently, all religious faction feats are in every Temple trainer--at our settlement, you can train LG longswod attacks from Iomedae, but also LE mace(?) attacks from Asmodeus.  In EE10, you have to pick your buildings, and the religious buildings include:

Justice	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Abadar=10, Iomedae=10, Saranrae=10
Law	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Abadar=10, Iomedae=10, Asmodeus=10
Efficiency	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Abadar=10, Norgorber=10, Asmodeus=10
Good	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Iomedae=10, Saranrae=10, Desna=10
Nature	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Gozreh=10, Saranrae=10
Freedom	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Saranrae=10, Gorum=10, Desna=10
Chaos	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Gorum=10, Lamashtu=10
Depravity	Cleric=10, Seminary=10, Lamashtu=10, Norgorber=10, Gorum=10

 

So the Paladin class isn't in yet, but the decision on whether to put in a Cathedral is about to go in, and whether you you pick one that will support Paladin training is about to go in.  We're putting in a Justice (LG, LN, NG) Cathedral.  Until the class is in, LG religious sword attacks, and a Cleric/Fighter mix is the best we can do.

So right now, it's aspirational.  Next patch, it'll be 80% aspirational and 20% mechanical.  Very excited about that step.

 

wmmarcellino

Some additional insight from Lee Hammock, the lead designer.

1. A War of Towers/Tower holdings metric is what determines if you get any of the higher level building kits.   "We've got a record of tower numbers, general activity, etc, through the War of Towers. Settlements will get 0-3 +2 building kits selected by the settlement leader/contact of record from the buildings currently in their settlement, the exact number of kits being based on towers held, activity levels, etc. If your settlement ever held a tower you will get at least one +2 building kit."

2. Every settlement gets a bank, tavern, and +0 keep for free, and they do not take up one of the building plots. "Every settlement gets a keep at +0 when the settlement is founded. All player settlements will get the base +0 keep and a +1 keep kit. Unlike the bank, which cannot be upgraded (a bank is a bank is a bank) a keep can be upgraded. In addition to the training and crafting facilities present in the keep, long term when we get to attack settlements the defensive strength of a settlement is going to be heavily influenced by the keep. It does not take up one of your two large lots. Each settlement effectively has an extra large slot that has to go to the keep."

3. For settlements that want Paladin training, Catherdrals can be cleric/paladin combos, or you can have a 3-god Cathedral and a medium building Paladin building. "If you want to keep your paladins in your cathedral you will have to tear it down and build a new one most likely. Alternately you could keep your cathedral and build a middle size slot Paladin training building and get both.  Alternately we could make a cathedral of Iomedae that is just weaker until paladins come out.