Xp sharing among allied factions

[Wolfarus]

Ok.. so if you go hostile on your ally by killing their guards, you can now raid their cradle as any other enemy, right?

If thats the case, then i guess ill plan on being an eventual enemy of NC, since there is apparnetly no real alliances when it comes to what really counts

[Blystos Re]

Good luck with that.

[mgrjebbo]

Being allies with your allies is more important than the relic bonus, if said allies conduct themseleves as allies when your alliance is needed.

[Chernobyl_Glow]

The logic is conflicted in my opinion. The sentiment seems to be that you as a player have a choice to truly be allies with your allied faction. Yet there is considerable benefit to raiding your ally and zero benefit to maintaining a friendly status. Why would I go to help my ally defend all the relics if I wasn’t getting the bonus anyway. What if I have all the relics except for my ally’s? It seems the system (if called that) encourages players to break alligences. If that is the case what is the point of having alligences? It was noted that we’ve all seen allies turn against each other. This is no surprise to me. This is not the way I would have expected it to operate.

It seems there is great concern over a "lazy" faction gaining unjust benefit from a hardworking faction. First I’d say that Lazy players won’t gain benefit anyway as they are Lazy and so lazy that they won’t take advantage anyway. Further, why don't you give the factions that choice. Just as the choice to “Betray” is open (or encouraged) as option give the relic capper the option to share bonus on the capture of a relic.

This could be as simple as choosing to cap the ally’s relic back to their cradle instead of my own. If this ally is inherently lazy and unwilling or unable to protect their relic then I’ll have to protect them both. If I feel they are unworthy or unappreciative then I’ll just cap the relic to my own cradle and make it easier to defend. If my ally does not have their own relic then they will gain no bonus. Isn’t this enough?

Another option might be this: If both factions have their own relic and two others each then full bonus applies to both factions i.e. 3 and 3. The challenge is then that one success raid results in partial bonus for both.

The game is about balance and choices yet in this instance there is only the option to betray an ally. And no benefit to the choice of a friendly alliance. Your logic seems to be biased toward Evil. It is restrictive for Good aligned factions and players and creates internal conflict. RK and AO are not alignment restricted and should have the option to become primarily good or lawful if that is the will of the inhabitants.

The folks of LA have been wondering how great it would be to have an Ally. Now we are forced to choose a new faction and the consolation prize was that we would finally have an ally. Now we finally see that it really meant nothing at all. Eventually we'll be fighting our ally for relics since they are “more precious” than any thing or any moral concept. Quite disappointing.

Someone please list the perks of having allies? The alliance might as well be broken entirely.

And could you also clarify, was it always like this or was this a change now that former LA players now have alliances in RK and AO?

Thanks

- Glow -

[Shamed Monkey]

The alliance is what you make it. NC had no problem helping TC win the relic event, so what's the difference between AO and RK?

[Blystos Re]

Boy, you LA'ers are having a real hard time wrapping your head around this whole "teamwork" thing, aren't you?

[Heeza]

My understanding (from an RP/gaming stand point) is this:

The relics are precious! In fact they're the most precious thing out there. I would kill my brother to get it (Smeegul and Deegul). I would kill someone I gave an oath to protect to get it (Boromir/Frodo). Just because Men and Halflings are allies.....doesn't mean you're not going to covet it to the point of killing someone to get it...factions and alliances be damned.

/shrug Maybe I missed the entire point of what the Designers of the relic system had/have in mind, but I think this is how its "supposed" to be viewed.

Theres my 2 gp's

[Blystos Re]

Ok, so don't cooperate, and we can have HNS killing brethren to take their relic. Like I said, good luck with that.

[mgrjebbo]

Well i personaly dont have a problem sharing a guild hall and having TLB come to AO and just be a tagged bunch of un-offical guilders. Besides who in their right mind plays in RK, i mean the jobs alone make you want to blow your computer up.

That all being said i am totaly down for a co-op alliance with RK. The more the merrier, but i spent time in both NC and TC so i am familiar with what a proper alliance should be like. However there are times that a TC raided for their relic when i was NC and visa versa. We will see how this turns out.

I will say that you shouldnt loose your faction for attacking an ally for the relics. It just doesnt make sense, why would you loose faction for bringing home this all important item.

Course this hole thing doesnt make sense.

[Chernobyl_Glow]

Blystos please trust that HNs and tLB will not be found killing each other over relics. We will find a way to succeed. We just thought that allies implied that we'd be working together as a team. It is disappointing that in the NS4 view an alliance is simply an agreement by both to suffer in lieu of a fight which breaks an alliance.

My issue is that since we will cooperate, we'll have to do so at a disadvantage to those who choose not to. Betrayers of allies win and that is unfortunate. I would like to see some scenarios where even Evil factions occasionally choose to begrudgingly ally for a mutual benefit. There is no encouragement to ally as "cooperation" and "win/win scenarios" do not exist.

Heeza's point of few exact alignment with the relic system as I understand it. It is also the same view an Evil character (or at least a chaotic one) would share. (no offense Heeza). Stab your ally in the back for an "item". This implies that the current relic system has an Evil bias. It rewards characters who betray their factional allies and does not reward "Good" characters that respect and uphold allies.

No one has answered this question. Was this a change or have you all been suffering without true alliances all this time? Again many of us thought that you shared the bonus which was the equalizer for LA being that we had no ally.

- Glow -

**FYI. All of my references regarding good and evil are not directed toward ANY players or board member. We are all friends whether we play Evil or Good characters. It makes sense to clarify that sometimes and this is one of those times. Best regards all.

[mgrjebbo]

Ok bottom line. Now that all factions have an alliance the same old argument of them being all important doesnt fly anymore.

There is no reason there shouldnt be a faction help bonus. Even if its only 15-20 percent for both factions there should be one. I have yet to read a good reason why there isnt one.

[Amoenotep]

because there isn't one...they weren't designed to have one.

you guys talk about relics like they are sacred artifacts of the world that bring an end to all things evil.....they are power..raw, unadulterated power. by possessing them your faction is complete. by possessing someone else's, your faction is superior.

by possessing them all your faction is the "best". they inspire great deeds and feats through greed. since when is greed not evil or chaotic...even the mighty Northern Coalition covets their power...everyone is susceptible to greed.

how many non greedy dragons have you met?
how many times have you passed dwarves not coveting shiny things?

allies don't get bonuses for your greed...they never have, they never will. the relic system wasn't based on the players ability to get along with the server. it was based on the players ability to rock someone's face and take whats theirs.

just because the server chooses to get along and party together and be friendly..doesn't mean thats the way the world is...its horrible, cruel, relentless for death...its war.

[mgrjebbo]

All right all right. I repeal my 2 cents.

Good day.

[cRaZy8or5e]

by possessing them all your faction is the "best". they inspire great deeds and feats through greed. since when is greed not evil or chaotic...even the mighty Northern Coalition covets their power...everyone is susceptible to greed.

*ahem* we in the north only take the relics so that no mischeif can be done with them. Its for everyone else's good that we hold them away from evil arcanists who might try something foolish, like use them. Who best to hold them but a bunch of Divinely inspired and just individuals intent on the promoting law for the greater good of all? Pay no attention to the bards their arcane knowledge is strictly forbidden to be used with the relics. They are tolerated only because someone must sing the sagas and the tales of Northern Greatness!

[mgrjebbo]

Good save.