I agree with the general approach of Killgore.
I am for a week without TC like Killgore, Sakin and others.
Otherwise, this is my approach that would, i think promote the RP without killing the TC, help those who wanna make something in the city after the TC time (I agree with Xaern among others) and those who are a little bit fan of diplomacy.
Timezone:
I am against it because it removes all suspense and it allows those who took control of the city from being present only for short periods during which they know they will be attacked. I'm also against it because we will also have to choose times zones during wich there will be more players online and those time zones are also the time that prefer those who would like to do some RP. And systematically, there will be battles...
Timer:
Dont suppress it but...
- I joined Berko on the idea of adding weapons. Is a 223 pistol more impressive than a rocket launcher?
- If the sheriff is not impressed by the players who want to take control of the town, he attacks with the militia the players trying to take control of the town.
Keeping control of the town:
- I agree with the fact that a minimum number of players should be presents in the city during a minimum of time and daily to keep the control.
Advantages:
- The maximum number of town which could be controlled by a team would be directly dependent of the number of players in that team
- It would encourage teams to recruit players
- It would avoids the empty cities (I take control of the city, I forget it, but I empty the chest). It is not normal that a player who starts the game and goes in a city never meet a player from the team that controls it).
Militia. General idea: you want a good militia ? There's a price and you've got to protect/help it
- The militia uses the stuff put in the chest by the team that control the city
- The militia is paid with the caps present in the chest
- When a militien is killed, it can be looted
- The longer a militian remains alive, the longer he fights without dying, the more experienced he is but the more expensive he is. His incomes are growing with him.
- If there is no caps in the chest when it's time to pay the militia, the militia resigns
Advantages
- The type of militia that spawns depends on what's in the chest (you want a gauss militian ?)
Other:
- I like the idea of Berko for the functions of the militia (attack the thieves, warn the victim, draw weapon and radio warning of the players having the control of the city)
Awards. General idea: the more the city is prosperous and secure, the more the team controling it receives gifts
The incomes and the number of volunteers for the militia could depend of:
- The time spend in the city by players of the team having the control
- The number of NPCs killed (bankers, doctors, sheriff, children, etc.).
- The number of players killed in the city
- The amount of purchases and sales with the NPC merchants
- The number of interactions with the characters involve in quests
Others:
- GMs could provide additional rewards if the team controlling the city organizes events in the city to attract people (melee fightings, public auctions, etc.)
- Contents of boxes suitable for cities and quantity depending on what is happening. Example: Redding / BH, high quality minerals/irons but the number depends on the number of deaths in the mine. If the mine is unsafe, the NPCs do not exploit it (or less) and there is nothing (less) in the chest. It will encourage those who control the city to protect the mine.
General effects on TC and on the game:
- If one team takes the control and leaves, quickly, there is no more money in the chest, no more militia, and those who wish to take the control of the city and wish to do something in it will do it easily. It joins the idea of RavenousRat.
- If the players are still in the city after taking the control of it, but kill everyone, same result.
- Players who are involved in diplomacy and get a peace treaty for their city will be rewarded
Other ideas:
- If the city incomes go below a certain level (lack of activity, too many deaths, etc.) for several days, the people could rebell and attack the team controlling the city and the team could lose the control (status none or a new rebel status). The next team who will try to take control of the city could have a bonus.
- The longer a team is controlling a city, the more the NPC and the militia are loyal, and the more difficult it is to take control of the town.