Maximum number of... docked boats?

[Surly]

What makes a city? Why do major cities emerge where they do? Natural resources, strategic positioning for military and economic purposes... and good ports.

With the growing number of boats in Cantr, and the supposed golden age of seafaring, I have been thinking about what makes a good port. In Cantr, if you access to the sea, then you pretty much equal to other ports. But the maximum number of resource gatherers change has me thinking that there could be an actual change, that could bring a new aspect to seafaring and a new use to harbours.

I would love to see this message:

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To stimulate the Cantr economy, I just introduced a significant new feature. From now on, each location has a maximum number of docked ship spaces. This will not affect any currently docked boats, but when you try to dock straight to town (not the harbour), there will be a check for how many ships are currently docked, and if the maximum is reached, you cannot continue. You can still dock to a harbour if there is one, but not the town proper. This should seriously increase the use of harbours and possibly multiple harbours. This is the kind of feature that is very simple to implement technically, but difficult to test with few players. So it`s somewhat `in testing`. If the game balance is badly damaged, we can still retract the change, or alter the limits.

This would also allow defence against pirates by filling you harbour, but the price is that nobody else can dock.

I would like to clarify that this would just limit the number of docked boats in the main town, not those in harbours. Currently building a harbour has limited use... but this change could affect how things are handled.

What do people think?

[Snake_byte]

I think it could work... I like it

[Pie]

coooooool. now i can charge people fore using a dock. Definatly a good idea. but.. does a harbor have only sertain amount of boats on it?

[Surly]

A way to control imports as well... Possibly even import duties?

I don't like the way that someone can beach their longboat and walk straight into town, even in large cities with multiple docks.

And I think there should be limit on boats in a harbour, if there isn't. But also a way to enlarge your harbour without building a seperate one.

[The Industriallist]

I don't like the cludgy method of preventing landings you'd provide. Blocking the shore with boats...
If you are going to be allowed to do that, you absolutely ought to be able to block it with something cheaper than boats.

I also think your sense of scale is way off. All landable ships are ones that can be pulled up on any reasonable beach...so if it were real, you could land dozens of 'ships' anywhere you could land one.

And I would point out that harbors are already essential for landing the large vessels...which would be the lifeblood of any maritime trade over signifigant distances because of their great speed. Unless some of the high-price beachable vessels are comparable?

Interesting, though.

[Pie]

well.. in realaty with most of the maps.. you only have one.. to 5 pixles of beach.. so you could land 5.. maby 10 boats on a beach without a harbore.. 9 boats with one harbore.. and you have 10 boats in the harbore you built.

[Snake_byte]

I don't like the way that someone can beach their longboat and walk straight into town

But that's what longboats are able to do. Larger ships are the ones that can't land on a shore because they're to big... Which is why it's a good idea to build a long boat with your galleon

[Surly]

On beaches, maybe.

I am only talking about cities... The harbour should take up part of that beach, reducing the number of ships that can dock straight on it... I have no problem with docking longboats on beaches. I am only talking about in cities.

As for blocking the shore with boats... it would be akin to blocking it with stone, no? Just more possible for Cantr.

[Anthony Roberts]

I would also like to point out that there is also a limit on the amount of Coaster-Harbours and Landing-Stages per location, that being three each.

[Surly]

So there is a limit to the number of harbours, but not ships that can dock?

That is pure crazy talk.

[The Industriallist]

If you can land at a city, it presumably has a beach to pull your boat up on.

I don't care what the location's name is...

[Snake_byte]

On beaches, maybe.

I am only talking about cities... The harbour should take up part of that beach, reducing the number of ships that can dock straight on it... I have no problem with docking longboats on beaches. I am only talking about in cities.

As for blocking the shore with boats... it would be akin to blocking it with stone, no? Just more possible for Cantr.

I like the idea of limiting boats in harbours but what is it that defines a "City" In cantr? Just because it's a city doesn't mean it doesn't have a beach...
A harbour doesn't have to built on the beach. It could begin where the sand ends and where talls grass begins. Why would any town want to reduce the size of their beaches by building harbours?
Unless the area is all beach. then yes it would take up some of the beach

[Pie]

hmm.. well.. you have to say that there is times were there is a cliff at the sea...

[Snake_byte]

There are none in Cantr

[Pie]

you have a point there.