Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you for the comments. This is what these feedback threads are for and this is why I request feedback before changes like this are patched out.

I'd like to explain the goals behind the Trading Post and other upcoming building uses.

One of the biggest issues in game is the lack of active community locations. Trade and quest totems are too spread out and difficult for players to find and use. Global chat can make the game feel more alive, but without locations for players to actually run into each other, the game can feel quite deserted even during active times.

Large tribes are meant to be active community and trade centers that bring new and old players physically together.

My plan to make this happen includes the following:

- Add building uses including Trading Posts, Infirmaries, Hall of Fame and Hall of Legends (where you can view leader and achievement boards), Taverns (where you can ‘hear rumors’ of legendary creature locations) and other building uses. Larger tribes would be allowed more building uses and should become centers of activity.

- Allow tribes that meet specific minimum requirements in terms of active Trade Totems, Quest Totems and building uses to set up a Welcome Station for new players. Welcome Stations would replace the current new player spawn locations. New players would then have guaranteed easy access to both items they may need and quests.

- Allow players to have a homestead and an active tribe membership. This would allow current homesteaders to join together and create new tribal community centers or join existing tribes where they would use the additional facilities.
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Next I will clarify a few things:

1) There will be a maximum of one Trading Post per tribe. The limit needs to be set up correctly.

2) One main goal of the Trading Post is to give players a way to obtain recipes they want in a less tedious and random manner than scavenging. You will still not be guaranteed that traders will bring specific recipes, but there will be a much better chance than random scavenging.

3) Trading Posts are in no way intended to replace player trade. Items will be limited and prices will be high. They are intended for players willing to pay high prices to get schemes they want, rather than grind for them. It should give players an incentive to sell more regular items to afford these items.

4) Trading Posts are not intended solely for the tribe’s use.

5) I am open to allowing Trading Posts at homesteads, however:
- Visiting traders would come more often to trading posts at larger tribes.
- I would prefer to allow this after more building uses are in play. Then homesteads could be allowed one or two uses, while larger tribes could set up buildings with all uses. This would allow homesteaders to run a tavern or trading post (for example), while large tribes would still server as principal activity hubs.

6) I have been considering allowing tribes to invite individual allies (in addition to allied tribes). This might be redundant once tribes are allowed a homestead and a tribe membership.

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Next, I’ll respond to specific concerns and suggestions.

1) ‘Many players don’t use global chat and don’t want to interact with other players.’ Yes, I realize this. However, Xsyon is an MMO and there are also many more players that leave the game immediately because of the lack of player interaction. While solo play is welcome and should be unhindered, the real focus for most players should be building a community.

2) ‘Favoritism towards large tribes.’ There should be an incentive for players to join large tribe and to use their buildings! Without the incentive, we get what you’ve already said is happening – large tribes deserting the game. I believe that allowing players to have a homestead and a tribe membership will provide the ‘best of both worlds’ scenario and I am moving in that direction.

3) ‘Trading posts would kill current trade.’ I disagree. Thurgond’s comments bring up some very interesting issues that need to be addressed.

- Currently players only trade for blueprints. Why is this? What is stopping players from selling basic tools, materials and food to new players?

I know there is a high demand for these items.
I know that there is a high supply for these items. Veteran players could easily set up totems with the basic necessities that new players want and need.

So where is the disconnect? Why isn’t this happening? I think there are several underlying issues:

- Trade totems are too spread out and not easy to find for new players. New players need to start off at active community and trade centers.

- Dollar bills don’t have enough value for veteran players. I think that giving these players something special to buy from time to time (via Trading Posts) will create a demand for these long term players to sell more varied goods and collect cash.

4) ‘A money sink is not needed.’ This could be its own topic for discussion as I’ve received conflicting feedback regarding this. It’s interesting to hear this though.

5) ‘Mist traders should buy things.’ Sorry, but I disagree. I have two short term goals with the Trading Post feature: To provide a use for dollar bills and to provide a better alternative to scavenging for schemes to enter the game. There is no need to inject more dollar bills into circulation.

6) ‘Why not tie trade totems together?’ This is something I have considered before. However, this gives players even less incentive to come together and encourages them to sit at their homesteads and deal with everything remotely.

Once players have a homestead and tribe membership, hopefully they will sell their items at the tribe totem rather than their own personal totem. I could also allow players to remote place sales from their home totem so that those sales also appear at their tribe totem. We’ll see, but there are better solutions than having all trade totems together.

7) Thurgond’s concern about not being able afford upkeep. In your specific case, you have a large tribe, thus the large upkeep. You will be able to place a Trading Post. Rather than scavenging for schemes to sell, you will be able to influence the type of schemes you get through the Trading Post, buy them and sell them marked up to other players. With other building uses on the way, you could soon set up an activity center and welcome station and sell all kinds of desirable items to new players.

8) ‘There should be other incentives for players to grow tribes.’ Could you give some examples? I think that building uses are a good incentive with the focus being on building active community centers that players use physically.

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I hope that this answers everyone’s concerns and questions and changes some your perspectives. The Trading Post is just one small step towards encouraging active community centers in game, which is very much needed.

I would appreciate all feedback regarding amounts of items available and prices so that this is a well-balanced feature. I think prices should be high, but also could vary from time to time to assist traders who want to buy at the trading post in order to sell to other players at a profit.

Thanks!