Chapter 7.6 Outpost Balancing

Outpost Balancing and Limitations

• The larger an outpost expands, the more tinder needs to be burned.

• Outposts have a max size.

• Culture skills only function if the individual building/construction has tinder

  • Buildings function individually with tinder, but a location doesn't get added bonuses from the construction unless they active the culture skill that the building unlocked

Example of Construction vs Culture Skills
A construction still works without its culture skill activated. But it doesn't give global bonuses unless it the skill is activated.

• An outpost forge still crafts metal items

• But it won’t give bonus smithing speed unless the skill effect is actively slotted

Culture Skill Slot Limitations
With limited culture skill slots, a location at max size, and limited space for construction (verticality is available to increase space,) each outpost is designed to do the following with their focus:

• All-in monster threats/grinding

• All-in crafting

• All-in ritual/faith (per type, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, keystone species, monster)

• All-in farming/ranching

• All-in fishing

• All-in NPC leveling

• All-in mining/smithing

• All-in login/out bonuses (rests)

• All-in cooking/food

• All-in nature ecosystem changes

• All-in festivals

• All-in scholarly (research/museum/libraries)

• All-in resurrection/recovery

• All-in war

• All-in piracy

• All-in trade/economics

• All-in law/bounty hunting/trials/prison

• All-in brutality (buffs to live sacrifices, expanded execution mechanics)

• OR a mix of some of the above

  • Which any form of mixing, while balanced, won't have as strong of an affect as an area that specializes in it

With the limited amount of culture skill slots, this ensures that one outpost cannot be a complete center hub for the entire world, and ensures players that multiple groups of players can seek outpost creation to find their own version streamlined outpost/guild setup among the others in the world.

Final Considerations
While it is likely a META will be uncovered, the required distance for full expansion, and to avoid collateral damage from monster threats, and terrain randomization between worlds, it is likely that each world will end up having their own META player/NPC ran hubs, based on travel distance, and player actions that activate world events. Also consider, that vehicle and nature based claims are mobile in different ways, which can affect a world's outpost META. For example, a vehicle outpost may be focused on resurrection and recovery, traveling across the lands and being a free spawn point if you happen to be in the radius, or attract monsters in their wake as they brutalize traveling or solo outpost NPC. Vehicles and mobility add a layer of strategy that players will need to consider.