Removal of Automatic Locks

[Nick]

I have thought of other solutions. Build boats inside Coaster Harbours. Locked ones.

But having locks that we just have to "pretend" are wooden? That's stupid.

[Surly]

Then along the same lines, if more expensive boats can't dock with land, why should the cheap ones get to do it?

No, that is not the same lines. The point is that the cheap oness get some advantages, and some disadvantages. The more expensive ones similarly have advantages and disadvantages. Now, my point is that these should be balanced with cost. If the programmers want a variety of boats (and I question the progamming of some of these boats if they are not expected to be used), they need to be balanced. Otherwise it will not be long until soarers, skimmers and galleons are all but obsolete as people realise other combinations of boats are not only better, but cheaper. The whole system has to be balanced, otherwise there is no point in having the system. Why not just have dinghys, sloops and rakers because those ar the only boats a sensible person would build.

This isn't a game, its a society simulator. Life doesn't have balance, why should this game? You try something, it's not everything you hope for, you learn a lesson and move on. That's life. If you want to avoid more mistakes, do your research. In life that means talking to people, getting a support group of friends together, and sometime just diving in and giving it a shot. That's how we find things out. Sometimes we're right, sometime we get screwed. you built a skimmer and feel cheated, tough cookies.

You can take your 'society simulator' phrase and shove it up your a*s. You say Cantr isn't a game, then in your next sentence say "why should this game"? Anyway... Cantr is a game. Yes it is a game with the intent of simulating society. But you really think players enjoy it when they spend 10 years building a skimmer, only to find a sloop with 2 dinghys is better? And no matter what you say, life is balanced. You spend a lot of materials on a boat because you know it will be bigger, faster and better. If that is the attitude the programmers had to Cantr, Agar, then Cantr wouldn't even be around today. Cantr relies on its player base, and on its programming. And the programming must be balanced for the societies to truly emerge.

Balance isn't binary. You can't just flip things on or off and they'll be better. Free locks or no locks, neither one is a good option by itself. But either you're not upset about it enough to think of another soultion, or you're just not creative enough.

I haven't proposed another solution? I have suggested 2 soltuions in this thread alone. This isn't about creativity, Agar. This is about cold hard facts, as many of my recent posts have been. This is a classic example of an OOC solution to an IC problem, and as with many if not all of the other 'solutions' it screws up the balance of Cantr even more.

[SekoETC]

One thing to avoid boats being stolen even if they were made without a lock was to move the people working on the project automatically on the vehicle while it's finished. Though a problem is if it would also apply to bikes then there wouldn't be enough room for several people. But lets say vehicles that include iron would still come with a lock, wooden ones wouldn't. And at least the project starter, and preferably the people working on it would be "teleported" on the boat once it was finished.

Ok someone might go in and drag the person/people to the shore but most people are not strong enough to drag others alone and a theft would require some organization. Also if some newspawn would just wander in, they probably wouldn't notice that there are people on the boat and it would be easy to dock back once the real owner wakes up. I think most newbie thieves are not malicious, they just don't understand the concept of ownership.

[Surly]

*nods*

I'd go with that Seko. Sounds fair... and much better balanced...

[SekoETC]

Yayyy, I'm the best!

[Agar]

Hell, Seko's idea is simple briliance. I'd go for no locks if that were the case.

One thing though. I don't think it should be the people working on it. I think it should be the project initiator. If they're not present, then no one gets teleported.

Up the cost of boats that need metal to include the lock, keep all wooden boats all wooden, and remove the free locks.

Everyone happy now? Someone flyspray Seko's idea.

[Surly]

Up the cost of boats that need metal to include the lock, keep all wooden boats all wooden, and remove the free locks.

Er... why make the expesnive boats more expensive? Just make it that any boat that requires steel has a lock... (that is just to avoid the sloop issue. I hate that sloop...)

[Nick]

I like Seko's suggestion, pretty simple and solves the balance issues, as well as prevents some practical problems.

Once you finish building the galleon you've been working on for ages, you're not just going to watch someone walk on and steal it.