Last Alliance War

[Dolgil]

The alliance war between Absalom and Covenant is now history, more or less.

I've been thinking about what it means to the Utopian community. While Covenant disbanded in this war, they may have at least achieved something of their aims. Absalom offered long term NAPs to several other kds that have the potential to be top ten in land and net worth. This would seem to give Covenant something of what it wanted, a top ten list not dominated by Absalom.

Question here is, will Absalom honor those NAPs if it means giving up dominance of the top ten?

Opinions?

[MorbidAngel]

I don't think they gave NAP to anyone that can go into top10...

[Striker073]

Covenant's goal wasn't just to keep Absalom out of the top ten, they wanted Cov kingdoms in the top 10. Cov doesn't want Absalom friendly kingdom in the top 10 anymore than they want Absalom kingdoms there. To Cov, those kingdoms are merely detestable Absalom "lapdogs."

You're mistaken if you think Cov had some sort of noble higher purpose in mind when they fought this war. So no, Cov did not manage to achieve its aims.

[Jube]

they may have at least achieved something of their aims. Absalom offered long term NAPs to several other kds that have the potential to be top ten in land and net worth. This would seem to give Covenant something of what it wanted, a top ten list not dominated by Absalom.
Opinions?

There are 4 absalom kingdoms in the top 10.

[MorbidAngel]

4+1 actually

[clarey]

Absalom offered long term NAPs to several other kds that have the potential to be top ten in land and net worth. This would seem to give Covenant something of what it wanted, a top ten list not dominated by Absalom

The top 10 list is still dominated by Absalom, nothing has changed actually. They may not be as high as they would have been without the awar, but they're still there.

[Cheese]

Mr. Striker, you know I love you, but I don't think you are in a position to speak for what was our beliefs or aims.

Rainbow FTW!

[Spliff]

ABS had to ask my permission to be in top 10. Without that, they are harmless.

[Dolgil]

I do doubt that Cov fought the war with any "higher purpose." They wanted to knock Absalom down a peg or two. It's just the result of Absalom doing what it did to win the war. And by Cov taking on that war they created the necessity of Absalom doing what it did.

[stoffi]

Lapdogs are even worse than the actual absalomites. And since when did ABS start taking in xlogging, mediocre kds? :) (grace)
There's plenty of ghettoes who also wants to join.

The problem with utopia now, is what I and others predicted long ago. There is one extremely dominant faction and no real opponents. In reality, ABS decides who gets to be top 10 and who shouldn't.

I wouldn't be surprised if ABS dominance has caused several thousand players to quit over the years.

[Dolgil]

Personally, going off topic here, I doubt 70% of Utopia players even care as most can not get much more than 1.5k acres big, far too small to get bottom fed on.

The thing I see that chases players away is the 4+ day pounding kds sometimes get when trying to get a CF. Players go inactive, delete, or move/trade out. It breaks up kds. It tends to destroy the social fabric.

From the above, you get the high activity requirements and the new player bashing. You can not be "competitive" if you allow such.

Even at the top, it's a problem. That's why there are soooooo many fake wars. Only way to protect yourself when any type of diplomacy fails (and it does fail now and then).

My solution to this problem is to give what amounts to a one sided fake war so many times an age. We have legalized trading, why not change our attitude toward fake wars?

Whenever I have taken a hiatus from this game, it's because of the above.

I also think this would help diplomacy as the weaker kd has a reasonable option out. And the weaker kd is encouraged to use diplomacy because the number of these fake wars is limited.

Mehul's vision for this game was for people around the world, connected by the internet, to come together and form a team known as a kingdom. However, the game presented problems that could not be solved on a kingdom level. Hence, the growth of alliances. While Mehul never liked alliances, either official or unofficial, it did create a much more free form diplomacy game than any other game out there. It's this free form diplomacy between kingdoms and alliances that creates the ultimate in role playing in this game.

Strengthen that and encourage that and you will have a game that will outlast any "eye candy" game by decades.

[Striker073]

Feel free to try and back that claim up Stoffi.
I spent quite a while in Grace's private during the awar as did others, and none of us saw any evidence whatsoever to hint at improper play, xlogging or otherwise.

[TheMistressOfBaal]

I doubt the same could be said for Fixxer's KD, which was, oh, on Stoffi's side.

[stoffi]

I doubt the same could be said for Fixxer's KD, which was, oh, on Stoffi's side.

I wasn't on any side, I didn't play. :) And fixxxer was just as legit as any other kd on the server. :)

[MorbidAngel]

My friend was playing in grace for one or two ages. What they were doing was epic.. They swapped accounts (fresh told my mate "hey you can play x acc now, person B will play y acc.. my mate logged on wrong one :p). They also xlogged w/o proxies which I also have confirmation from my friend.

Not to mention that they were close to collapsing last age and that activity was pretty weak actually... But yes, grace is clean, just as every other Absalom kd