The state of infusion

[oath2order]

Yeah, there's no benefit for Good (or Unaligned) in holding territory, except denying it to Evil and making their lives slightly easier. We need some kind of end-game content there for the other alignments to actually provide an incentive.

Just while we're on the topic of infusion more generally though - to the extent it's retained in its current form, please can we make it a grindable thing? I'm sure some limits would have to be put in place, but it would make it at least a little more appealing if there was some long term benefit.

"Denying it to Evil" is literally what I've been doing for my faction in our current battle.

[Alkasyn]

Considering how ussually it's more fun to get something, even small, ourselves, than it is to make so that omeone else doesn't get anything, I think this should definitely be revamped.

[oath2order]

As long as this badge counts passive infusion (and thus can be earned by playing normally), I'm 100% on-board with it.

Disagree. Lots of badges require a skill to be bought and actioned to grind them, this is the same.
Including passive infusion would mean getting the infusion badge incidentally, which doesn't make sense.

Lots of badges are bad design, so, argument negated.

That's like, your opinion, man.

[Klapaucius]

I have a couple of thoughts and reflections to add to this discussion. Firstly, a brief response to some comments by others:

incentivize more interesting gameplay and strategies as already described above and remove some of the 'gaminess' right now

Keep tile flipping XP, given to the passive infuser. This further incentivizes claiming and boots on the ground. Not sure if infusion would still bounce but if it does and that flips no XP for that.

Yes exactly, and really like the second idea! XP and grind stats - make being part of the war something people are properly encouraged to do. Successful hiding in enemy territory -> infusion, xp, and grind stats. Hiding in home territory -> less of all the above. Hanging out in the SH -> much safer, but much less bonus, particularly once the surrounding tiles get fully infused.

This would have the secondary benefit of fairly regularly reminding people about the war, and keeping that aspect of the game slightly more present in players minds which I think is cool.

If this is supposed to be a meta-goal everyone is invested in, then everyone should be able to meaningfully engage with it.

This is eloquently captures the crux of the topic IMO. I have a corollary: it should be rewarding for both the groups and individuals who choose to do so.

Secondly, some comments on specific skills, interactions and recent developments:

Nerf to dingus of conquest
I think this is unfortunate, because it significantly reduces the power of the nice little accuracy bonus/malus part of the skill, to the point where it's not going to be doing a lot of work as a combat buff, without stopping the skill being used to absolutely wreck enemy infusion on raids by spamming it. I appreciate the direction, but I still think the paradigm needs to be reconsidered (obviously when and if there's development motivation to work on things in that direction).

Wizard claim dominion
Literally gives wizards 4x the infusion power of 'normal' classes when doing active infusion. I know it's not usually voted in by the council, but that's totally cooked. One character shouldn't be worth 4 other characters in this space. Double from greater infusion is already huge, this seems a excessive to me. Also 10 XP/AP without even having to think about working for it, if an archmage needs ranks/wants to refund skills.
Edit: I have been informed that active infusion is only doubled, so x4 instead of x7. Reduced the numbers here commensurately.

Also 5x when doing random grinding activities like target shooting is excessive, and the combo with conquest remains totally usable (though I acknowledge that it means the EH is now spending a fair bit of AP and MP to get that extra infusion).

Purg forcing transcended infusion
The way this works is beyond punishing for non transcended groups trying to move into purg. I agree it should be an uphill battle (it already absolutely is for anyone trying to move into ely/styg), but this basically means your transcended characters in the SH are actively hurting you. At the very least it would be nice to stop characters from counterinfusing their own SH tile.

[Lychwood]

Here are some very rough concepts I've been noodling on. Just as a warning, I'm bad with numbers and balance. I'm not attempting to have all the math work out on the first go. This is more of a concept pitch to see if the ideas sound interesting in the first place. Ok, so with that said:

Outposts

Goal:
To create a raid-like territory conflict system that encourages live multiplayer activity. It would essentially take the form of a prolonged raid defense in enemy territory, provoked by an invading faction.

Premise:
The aggressor team sets up an “outpost” in a disputed territory. This outpost functions similarly to a Stronghold, but without a ward. Once placed, the Outpost begins a countdown timer (6h, maybe? 12h?). The tile must be actively defended during this time period—if there are no players of appropriate alignment alive on-tile before the countdown finishes, the Outpost will be destroyed. If the Outpost survives, it begins to automatically passive infuse the tiles around it within a certain radius. Once constructed, the Outpost will remain standing unless the tile is defused from its controlling alignment.

This would work like a base defense game. While the countdown is still active, the Outpost is still being built and only thing different about the tile is the ability for same-aligned players to build and benefit from fortifications. This would mean that the defenders would have the upper hand in any live combat, however they would be vulnerable any time they weren't actively watching the game. This would naturally lend itself toward alliance-level participation. Guarding a wardless tile for that long would ultimately require multiple factions to keep watch over the space.

Outpost Function:

• The outpost may only be placed on lightly infused (<100) territory. This would mean that your deeply infused heartlands would generally be safe, but tenuously held claims would be at risk.

• The ability to set an Outpost is bought by factions using hefty sums of renown, calculated as a limiter to prevent spamming. The Outpost must then be activated by a leader-level member of the faction.

• Each neighborhood would have a maximum number of outposts that may be placed in its borders, corresponding with the size of the neighborhood.

During the countdown:

• Generates a “status” visible to all players on tile, indicating the amount of time left in the countdown.

• No ward

• The outpost may be fortified in the same manner as a stronghold

• Will collapse if no players of the corresponding alignment are on-tile during a game tick.

• Lightly infuses the target tile over time: (2 infusion per tick? Just something to show for your time spent, even if you ultimately lose)

After the countdown

• No ward

• Outpost now permanent unless the tile is defused

• Allows fortification

• Allows local safe storage with 300 space, accessible to all players of the appropriate alignment (or maybe just the initiating faction?)

• Infuses tiles within a 2-tile radius:
  (This may be wildly out of whack in either direction. Please consider all numbers placeholders for the sake of discussion).
  -3 infusion/tick on the Outpost tile
  -2 infusion/tick in all adjacent tiles
  -1 infusion/tick in all tiles on the outer radius.

Comments:
I see these outposts as infusion content the whole faction/alliance can play together, and sort of the unit-level conflict in the territory battle. It would be an alternative to raiding that can be played in a broader timespan with participation from players who might not be able to align their schedules to be online concurrently with the bulk of their faction. With forts, an outpost should be able to withstand a lot of aggression once it has been spotted. That being said, with a long enough countdown there will naturally be periods of high vulnerability as the defenders can’t spend the entire time watching Nexus. This would mean counterplay is still possible if the defenders don’t have enough brute force to clear the tile. Once established, an Outpost would be a little more stubborn to be rid of, but manageable—it doesn’t take too much effort to defuse down a single tile. It would also serve as a utility hub for allied players looking for shelter or gear.

[Lychwood]

Neighborhood Cults

Goals:
-Bring back planar guilds in a more organized format
-Design territory-related boons for players who aren't DOs or friends with DOs

Premise:
When a neighborhood is controlled in majority by one of the three Alignments, they may consecrate the ground to one of the EPs in their alignment. While inside the boundaries of that neighborhood, all members of the corresponding alignment would benefit from a boon associated with the chosen Elder Power.

Function:
Selection
The boon selection process would be performed by factions with a Stronghold in the neighborhood. Without a faction in the neighborhood, the boon is assigned randomly amongst the eligible Elder Powers. In the event that there is one or more eligible faction in the neighborhood, all players of those factions will be given the option to vote using a similar interface to the Archmage policy vote. The cult dedication would be confirmed every day on the Day Tick while the neighborhood is still claimed >60%.

The Boons
I know that former Planar guilds were dedicated to many different entities and concepts. I think for the sake of balance and simplicity, it would be easiest to start with three options for each alignment: Alonai/Baraas/Namm, Marquai/Goros/Hashaa, Tlac/Thol/Ahg.

Frankly, I'm not going to try and come up with a full array of balanced boons for every side. It would be bad. A mess. I'm just going to leave the concept framework for sharper minds to consider.

Ex:
Hashaa - While it is consecrated to Hashaa, all players killed in this neighborhood have a 10% chance to rise as an aggressive zombie. Players of (or factioned with) the corresponding Alignment will not be targeted.

[oath2order]

Yeah, there's no benefit for Good (or Unaligned) in holding territory, except denying it to Evil and making their lives slightly easier. We need some kind of end-game content there for the other alignments to actually provide an incentive.

Just while we're on the topic of infusion more generally though - to the extent it's retained in its current form, please can we make it a grindable thing? I'm sure some limits would have to be put in place, but it would make it at least a little more appealing if there was some long term benefit.

"Denying it to Evil" is literally what I've been doing for my faction in our current battle.

Building off my previous statement.

The Port Hope Good factions have recently been dealing with their home bases being infused upon. Which, okay, that's fair. Infusion wars are a thing.

Here's a conversation I had, global announcements edited out.

- You have sent 1 credits to magical energy along with the message: So like, what's your alls goal then? Is it just troll the good factions of Port Hope or are you trying to infuse the entire neighborhood? (2022-12-07 03:46:16).
- magical energy said, "Y'all should jump on NCG and complain about how dumb infusion is. It's not balanced, it's bad for the game, and it's purely up to players to decide how much of a jerk they want to be with it, which is dumb, because there is basically no counter play." (2022-12-07 06:52:43).
- magical energy said, "I mean as it is, obviously with tweeking it could be more interesting and engaging, but right active infusion deserves a nerf, and we will keep infusion squares until it gets nerfed (though we won't keep infusing yours, we are just doing the rounds on different SHs)" (2022-12-07 06:53:54).
- magical energy said, "So yeah, until then, feel free to kill me, get some infusion back." (2022-12-07 06:54:37).
- Violet Ultra attacked magical energy with a Shocking Dart spell , killing her! (2022-12-07 08:24:07).
- Violet Ultra said, "Dunno if you wanted a tiger or not. I don't have the MP for it now anyway, actually. My shocking dart is not the most shocking, shockingly." (2022-12-07 08:29:08).
- Violet Ultra said, "Oh wait! I LOST a few MOR from that. That's not fair! ...Although your Lightspeaker isn't such a zealot, so maybe it'll work out okay anyway." (2022-12-07 08:32:25).
- magical energy said, "well to be fair, that wasn't supposed to happen, Violet Ultra just infused it to Moral freedom more, good job!" (2022-12-07 08:49:02).
- Violet Ultra said, "This location is infused and aligned to the forces of Moral Freedom to a depth of 413 points. By the smell of it, that wizhole I just tazed infused this place for 20 points, repeated 4 times in a row. ...I dunno much about the Golden Bold, but I think that might make it rather difficult to plant your stronghold here again anytime soon. Have you decided on which of the nearby restaurants or even bars you might want to open up at instead? Waitressing can't be any worse than returning items to shelves." (2022-12-07 08:49:14).
- magical energy said, "actually that infusion is 24 hours old, you read it from the bottom up" (2022-12-07 08:49:56).
- magical energy has joined your faction. (2022-12-07 08:50:37).
- magical energy said, "I joined your faction and started infusing to good. Shouldn't take long, cos active infusion is dumb broken!" (2022-12-07 08:52:19).
- You feel invigorated. You regain an extra Action Point. (2022-12-07 09:00:14).
- Violet Ultra said, "Now magical energy has joined your faction and infused the place 48 points to Good. I'm curious now; what's going on?" (2022-12-07 09:03:49).
- magical energy said, "i felt bad that you were infusing to moral freedom, and stopping them from putting their SH down" (2022-12-07 09:54:05).
- You say, "Oh so it's an infusion moment to make a point" (2022-12-07 13:13:24).
- You say, "Huh" (2022-12-07 13:13:26).
- You say, "I mean you're not *wrong*." (2022-12-07 13:15:57).
- You say, "I just have to find a place to post it" (2022-12-07 13:16:08).
- You say, "On NCG *and* the forums" (2022-12-07 13:16:40).
- You say, "Like it is a really good point, we likely would not have been able to fight back against the infusion if the pressure was kept up" (2022-12-07 13:18:13).

They're right, infusion is very heavily in favor for a Wizard build like the WIZHOLES faction uses. With the insane MP gain/regain, and Mystic Vigor, people are able to basically bulldoze infusion. I'm honestly surprised the entire Nexus hasn't been taken over by Moral Freedom Wizards.

I don't have a suggestion on what to fix, if anything can be fixed.

[Thenixon]

Infusion, Greater Infusion, Mystic vigor - those are skills you choose. But that won't make you a master infuser. To effectively pursue infusing goals, you need to be born into the tedium, the simple-mindeness, the stubborn refusal to play, grind, or do anything at all interactive. You must deny the prevailing wisdom of the community that infusion is worthless at best, more likely harmful. And still you somehow conjure the resolve to log in every day and dump your AP in a few clicks to change large numbers most players can't see by small amounts.

[Thenixon]

Oh and above all you need to remember to keep your alts out of the neighborhood, one slip-up and you're ceding days worth of uncountered infusion to the enemy.

[Wassail]

This isn't even their final form (claim dominion).