The "Modernisation" of Cantr

[Andy!]

I believe that Cantr has become over complicated! These is leading to many people leaving, even me in the near future if it gets any worse. Why has Cantr updated it, I think it has just got worse. Two things really are the main problem; all this modernising has lead to a slow server... which is dreadfully frustrating (before you moan about why don't you donate money, I am 14 so how am I ment to!) and secondly this modernisation has become to confusing that I don't know whether I am coming or going. Many people I know have left Cantr because of the "modernisation", I am nearly going to leave soon. But the people are keeping me there, which seems quite dramatic when the game should be addicting me like it used to one year ago.

Secondly I really think Cantr should be reset, because I think that would set everything up equally again and everyone can work together as a community (which is funner) and become prospherous instead of, depending on where you spawn you are probably a failed character if you are spawned somewhere sparse, but even if you are spawned in a city you are lucky to have fun because everyone has joined friends and bonds already. I remember the old Cantr, which I played with my brother and we had some fun but it got boring because we wern't able to do anything exciting, but when they reset Cantr I was very happy! Because I could joina community and work and get our town really fun.

Please vote in this pole just so I can see if people agree or disagree.

Andrew

[.::. MysticGötén .::.]

Andy,
I just posted a simular topic on the dutch forum.
I recently left because of all the changes in cantr...
I prefered the "old" cantr, easy and fun to play... but now to much things have to be considered when playing...

Besides of this, cantr is still (one of) the best text-based MMORPG out there.

[swymir]

A reset is the last thing Cantr needs. It is not any harder for a new character to rise up in a community than it was back in the day. If anything it's easier now. In 6 cantr years I had a character rise from newspawn to town leader. (Yes this does take a bit of luck, but if you roleplay well enough and people learn to like or even fear your character you will get ahead very fast) Now 6 years is faster then any other of my previous characters which spawned around day 360. The closest character I had to town leader was John Louts (spawned around day 500 I think) and the highest position he held was councilman in Quillinoi)

The new changes may make it harder, but I believe they are a strong improvement to the game. Item deterioration is needed. It's the only thing which is going to prevent the destruction of the game. Yes repairing things hasn't been implemeneted yet, but I'm sure it's coming. The other new addition people seem to be frustrated with is tiredness which works perfectly except for regaining energy which again I am sure will be improved soon. People were before complaining about a pirate being able to kill an entire town with minimal resistance. When this is fixed the same people are still complaining.

The problems are not too bad if you aren't one of those people who wishes to do everything themselves and buiild everything in the game, which if you haven't realized by now just can't be done. You need to work as a group to get things done now which is how it should be. This is not a resource management program it's a society simulator. If your only drive in the game is to collect resources and only roleplay when it helps you collect more resources. Then you are just a poor player and I am sure you will not be missed if you quit.

(EDIT: I haven't seen any differences in server speed except on my piece of shit Dell. But all processes take forever on Dell regardless of connection speed.)

[Sarah]

Cantr may be more complicated, but I really don't see why that makes it not worth playing. It's Cantr, not rocket science (no offense). It remains a great game, and I would never leave because of something so trivial. The point of Cantr is to be a society simulator, and it still is, isn't it? Farm yourself some food, talk, become active in a government. It's still quite possible.

And, please, no reset. That is what would make <i>me</i> leave, if anything would.

[Pirog]

I'm not sure what you mean with "modernising".

I think it is great that Cantr is getting more advanced, but I think the game would be better if kept in a medieval setting instead of the immense project of trying to create a text based RPG version of Civilizations. In my eyes it's a much too big project...

So I am for a reset if it would mean starting over with a pretty much constant medieval society...or one progressing very slowly from bronze again and forward. (But I would still like to keep the current Cantr though...because I would miss my characters )

[Sunni Daez]

I wouldn't want a reset. Life is full of changes, even for Cantrians. life changes direction when you least expect it, so hang in there!!! Never give up, And to all of those who work so hard to give us Cantr....THANKS

[wichita]

I can understand the appeal of the reset idea, but it just seems kind of counter intuitive as far a generating more fun. My characters that were spawned into the unicivilized areas aren't having nearly as much fun (aka starving to death) as the ones that spawned into places with something even slightly organized (can start trading and have some RP time).

Although some of the civs are really cliquish at times, so maybe it would be nice to be in the middle of nowhere and start from scratch.

Great...I just argued in a circle and caught my tail

Oh wait. No reset please! I like my characters, as insignificant as they may be to those around them.

[DylPickle]

I agree completly with Swymir on the thread topic. But this is more of a response/opinion to Pirog's post.

I don't see cantr as medival at all. Read His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass. It has ALMOST the exact same technology level. There's truck and engines, the clothes are oldish, and they fight with bows and swords alot. The point is, cantr is it's own little world, and can't be expected to advance like real life does. There's no bronze age in cantr. No bronze at all for that matter Technological progression is more like a Bone age, to a Wood age, to iron, steel etc.

Actualy this post going nowhere really. I'll just elave it at that.

[Andy!]

I do agree that a reset is a quite drastic move. But you shall meet new people as good as the others you know your character will be as prosperous or successful as they were before making it just as fun.

I don't mind some of the updates but the new stats things are completely manic what does any of it mean; I liked the old stats where it just had health on. But now there are too many factors. Also what has gone on with the attacking, I find when trying to catch a thief I only do about 14% damage with a Sabre and the thief isn't carrying a shield at all!

Maybe if someone explains the updates to me (because they haven't already), it might persuade me to get back into Cantr a little more.

Finally I do emphasize with all of you but, I just felt I needed to put my feelings forward.

[Surly]

I hate to say this... but I'm pretty sure you mean'empathise' not emphasize.

Anyway, no reset. If my 15 characters dropped dead, and I had to start again I'd struggle - I am very attached to them. Also, there really is no need. Currently Cantr has alot of history. A reset would be akin to destroying all off it, akin to destroying all the archaeology in the world. As a medieval historian and archaeologist I find that abhorrent.

I do think that the changes were necessary... but I think their implementaion was deeply flawed. For instance, the break down of weapons is important for repairing. But item deterioration is flawed - the times for them falling apart does not corellate with the time to make them. Either items become cheaper to make in terms of time, or they should last a hell of a long time... defeating the object of them deteriorating in the first place.

And then there is tiredness... I firmly believe that the amount of tiredness you incur for certain things should be increased... and a recovery rate of 50% when active and 100% when inactive per day should be implemented. I have to ask why nothing has been done about such a major issue. Do we seriously not have any programmers left? Not even Anthony?

Anyway the strain on the server is already apparent, so I'll just take what Cantr offers the same as always.

However I do think that Cantr has lost something... and I think that is good roleplayers. I didn't mind spending a lot of time on something if my characters were talking. However the lack of role-play frustrates me and my characters become poor (in role-playing) due to the lack of interaction for them. That's my view...

[Where are all the monkeys]

I think item deteriation waws a good idea, as it adds realism, as long as we can fix them. I would say tiredness is a problem though, The only effect it seems to have had is to slow down the pace of the game enormously and mess up operations where food is limited.I have one char who is at the point where he uses up as much food gathering food as he gains from the project!

Oh, and I'd never want a reset, i've spent too much time on my characters for that

[Jos Elkink]

However I do think that Cantr has lost something... and I think that is good roleplayers. I didn't mind spending a lot of time on something if my characters were talking. However the lack of role-play frustrates me and my characters become poor (in role-playing) due to the lack of interaction for them. That's my view...

I agree with most people arguing against the original post, so have little to add ... This last point is interesting, however - any suggestions how to get better roleplayers?

[Black Canyon]

My thought is that you get better role-players by keeping long-term players. I'm sure it doesn't apply to everyone.... but at least for me.... I think I become a better roleplayer with practice and observation of other good roleplayers in the game.

I know that there have been comments regarding the numbers of new players (many of whom are great!) as argument that the loss of older players is inconsequential. For me, however, it is the older players (and of course I'm not referring to age) who make the game fun and interesting through established and sophisticated characters with history and a network of relationships.

Many new players come and go, as evidenced by the numerous dead bodies of men and women in their twenties in most populated areas. My characters don't want to waste their time trying to interact with a character that will be dead in a few days or as long as it takes for them to starve to death.

[Doodle_Jack]

More role playing....

Well, the first step would ofcourse be a faster server. It's no fun talking to someone in game when you have to wait 15 minutes for each thing you say (Okay, I'm overexaggerating...). But hey, that will be solved in a few months according to plan, so that's okay.

Another thing is to make sure bad things happen. Earthquakes, floods, diseases. When bad things happen everybody clutters together. It's human nature.

Too bad the Cantr-program doesb't support big scale bad things....

[SekoETC]

I think there are two different questions. Has Cantr turned more difficult and should it be reset. It has become more complicated but also more realistic. In some cases it takes a part of the fun but life isn't always fun. And Cantr isn't a game but a society simulator. Ok I would like it to be nice to play but anything that forces people to act together is good since your charries can't express themselves if surrounded only by goats and other mindless beasts. The antisocial ones are in trouble but that's life.

And like everyone says, Cantr shouldn't be reset, no way man! If we would reset it at a time when lots of new things are added and nothing seems to work, destroying the current order and structures would kill the game totally. I don't think many of us would have the strenght to control all new characters in a world where no one knows each other and nothing is ready. I don't think it would work.