Captured by req in ATS's #atriarch (irc.stratics.net) channel on January 27, 2002

Land Ownership

Area Hex-Tilesets
{Serafina} The land ownership in Atriarch hasn't been coded in yet. I've been working with Arc on this, because I didn't want to design it so it was really difficult to implement.
{Serafina} So, we agreed that we probably think using a basic tiled coordinate system will work.
{req} Serafina: Yeah, I think tiles are the way to go
{req} In fact, yeah ... hexes would probably be better for gameplay, even if they'd be far more annoying for programmers =P
{Serafina} req... yes... there are a lot of issues we've encountered in land ownership in a world that allows 6 degrees of freedom in movement.
{Serafina} Whatever, we decided to make the tiles (or whatever shapes) standard. It makes it a lot easier to calculate and track for both players and the program.
{Chizi|Mark2} Are there going to be other uses of these tiles?
{Serafina} Chizi|Mark2... no
{Chizi|Mark2} Good, good...scared me there for a sec
{Serafina} Chizi|Mark2... I am talking strictly about defining borders and land ownership
{Teru|KE} how large are these "tiles"?
{Serafina} Teru|KE... Arc and I were discussing it. We don't want to make them too big, but not too small either. We are still working out different scenarios that will work. I'm letting Arc tell me what would be easiest to program, because unfortunately, it is all difficult.
{Synon|FoA} Serafina, how do you claim one of those tiles?
{Serafina} Synon|FoA... as of right now, we have it so you will "condition" the ground
{Synon|FoA} condition?
{Serafina} I use the word condition, because we don't have a real term for it yet.
{Synon|FoA} like.. fence it up?
{Serafina} Basically, you will have to set a foundation and make your claim.
{Serafina} Some will be "land rush" style claims. Some you will buy.
{Serafina} Some land will not be available for cultivation.
{Serafina} This is how it is designed. I'm still waiting on Arc's feedback about whether it will be too complicated... hehe... because I got a lot in there.

Why Ownership?
{Synon|FoA} Why do you need land ownership at all?
{Serafina} Synon|FoA... it makes it a lot easier for a program to recognize official borders
{Serafina} besides, most wars, conflict, etc are all about borders of some sort or other
{Synon|FoA} yes, but they are lines that can be drawn on a map
{req} indeed, borders are artificial.
{req} look at West Africa ... it's nothing like what your pretty little globe delineates
{Synon|FoA} why make them a physical entity in the game?
{Serafina} yes, borders are artificial... sorta... they are real in our minds... we make them real
{req} but I think Serafina has a point. It'll probably make gameplay better to have coded borders
{Serafina} Synon|FoA... since building a structures in Atriarch will take time, I would think that it would be best to not allow another player to build up something in the middle of your half built structure
{Serafina} If we allowed that, we would have semi-built structures covering almost everywhere.
{Synon|FoA} so, once land is claimed, nobody else can build on it?
{Serafina} Synon|FoA... claiming land isn't as easy as you think.
{Serafina} We were grappling with the whole concept of not allowing land ownership. We could leave borders out completely, but there are many "real-life" solutions that we dont' have in "virtual life" Having borders was the only way I could think of making up for that.
{Speranza} Serafina wont it be easier to make it so big structure's foundations be an outline of no build zone?
{Serafina} Speranza... I'm sorry, but I did not understand your question.
{Serafina} Structures will require foundations.
{Serafina} And the way it is designed is that only certain foundations will work on certain soil and ground types.
{req} Serafina's: He's suggesting that one shouldn't be able to build upon another's foundation
{req} Instead of having a land ownership system...
{req} But then again, that's more of a "foundation claiming" system
{Serafina} req... right, they won't be able to

Faction Land Requirements
{Xaltaer} Serafina, are the major faction requirements for land and cities on multiple continents still in place?
{Serafina} Xaltaer... yes
{Xaltaer} ok
{Serafina} Xaltaer... but that is all subject to change... until we actually test the faction system. It is all theoretical.

Land Takeover
{Synon|FoA} How will you take over someone elses land?
{Synon|FoA} or building for that matter
{Serafina} Right now, we have the construction so that anyone can build anywhere.
{Serafina} In fact, you don't even have to gather resources... unlimited building resources. That definitely is not how it is going to stay.
{req} wow that's big news.
{Serafina} What's big news?
{req} oh, NOT how it's going to stay
{req} I thought you said, "That's definitely how it's going to stay."
{Serafina} No, it will NOT stay like that. hehe... we had it so you had to gather bricks from a quarry in order to gather enough resources to build. That got really annoying for testing purposes.

Skill HOC Serafina, Any chance we can convince you to do a HOC on skills within the next month or so?
{Serafina} DavidQuick... no, I'm not revealing anything about skills until we are certain about them. Reason we keep them under wraps is because we haven't implemented them yet... unlike building and combat.

Beta Servers
{Synon|FoA} Serafina, any ideas on when the servers are coming back?
{Serafina} Synon|FoA... ah yes... they were ready to come back up when I told Arc he couldn't bring them back up until he fixed that little itty bitty avatar freezing bug.
{Serafina} hehe
{Serafina} His response to me was... Are you sure you want to wait for that one? It is a biggy.
{Synon|FoA} eef, so, eta?
{Serafina} Well, the problem is that Arc can't work on it all waking moment, because he is also doubling his time with our client.
{Serafina} Poor guy is working 100 work-weeks.
{Serafina} So you won't see anything for at least a week

And now for something completely different...
{Xanvis} Serafina... what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
{Serafina} Xanvis... 5mph

Flying Range
{Xaltaer} Serafina, what is the maximum range a person could fly on a flying mount in Atriarch? Could you at least give an idea of how far flying mounts can go?
{Serafina} right now they fly at about 20 mph
{Xaltaer} 20mph for ahh...how long?
{Serafina} until they run out of energy... hehe.. but that speed is totally arbitrary. We can change it with a simple change of a number *evil grin*
{Serafina} So, ask me again tomorrow. Maybe you'll get a different answer.... muhahahahaha!

Imbibed Revelations
{Serafina} Anyway, they obviously put too much liquor in the cream I had on my dessert tonight.
{req} indeed, you've been spilling your guts to us with AT info. =P
{Serafina} req... I have? DAMN!

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