We had a huge discussion about the same topic in the german-speaking forum. However, the arguments over there where different: Instead of insulting each other and telling each other they are egoistic & incompetent, we were arguing about the actual DLC: How will the different types of players, especially "casuals", (ab)use it? Does it need a fix? And how could the devs fix it witout destroying the current gameplay?
The arguments were:
Contra fix:
- "You can decide yourself if you want to use it"
- There are other exploits in the game that won't be fixed; why should they fix this one?
- There was a simular discussion after "Seat of Power" was released. Although some people said that the palace completely ruins the game, but nothing happened: They are still playing it.
- You want to save the games balance? Which balance? The game is already totally out of balance, but still we all are enjoying it.
- The DLC actually doesn't change the game for casual players, because you have to get very far if you fully want to profit from the trade options. It takes you quite some time & effort to unlock all the goods, build & maintain docklands that are big enough and set up a trade route system that transports goods between the docklands on different islands (if you totally rely on trade, one docklands main wharf isn't enough). In the early game, building 'real' production chains is the better option. (Drake-1503, who reached 4 000 000 inhabitants before GU10, even started a new game to test how important Docklands is in the early game and came to that result)
- A fix that weakens docklands will also have a negative impact on some of the advantages of the DLC
- It is to late to fix it! Before the DLC was released, the Devs could have fixed it, but now it is to late! If you change it now, you destroy thousands of well-planned savegames who rely on docklands.
Pro Fix:
- A mistake is a mistake and has to be fixed! That there are also other mistakes in the game is not an excuse!
- In real-life it wouldn't be possible that you have the same ratio in both directions, because your business partners and Morris also want to earn money from that business.
- While all the other exploits are only important in high-level"record-building" (how is it called in english?), every player will get how easy it is to replce whole production chains by import/export.
- There isn't any challenge since you have docklands.
- What?? The DLC allows you to supply 5 700 000 people by only producing bicycles? And this game claims itself to be realistic??
- Different production chains are the main feature of Anno. Less production chains means less Anno. No production chains means no Anno.
- If you always build the same production chains, the game will soon get boring.
What shocked me when I read this thread, was that you divide the players in "percieved, skilled" players and the "idle-minded, low-skilled players; fools" who are only important because they pay the development. This is just arrogant; especially because you claim to know exactly how the "simple-minded" think: You say that most of the Anno players only want to build as many houses and ornaments as possible but do not enjoy building production or optimize things and that they would buy everything that makes the game easier. However, it is not that simple. I have never heard of anyone who considers building production nasty. The general opinion in the german-speaking forum was that every Anno player enjoys building production, but only few players - like us - realise that a needs bar in a house turning from blue to green is actually the thing they like about Anno. Only those players would decide not to over-use the docklands DLC. And the others? They (=the casuals) don't have the goal to reign over as many inhabitants as possible. When they finish the Worlds Fair, they just start a new game. What is there left to achieve? But only when you reach the endgame, you are able to really use the docklands exploits.
If people like Nightwolf instead of using docklands still fight for each additional farm they can place in the New World, something that is part of the human nature will keep asking them why they are doing this work instead of just importing the goods. It will always feel wrong to build real production and if you give up and import everything it will feel like a defeat. This is why "you don't have to use it" is no valid argument. Also, if you don't use it, you cannot unlock the docklands buildings. And with the "you should always decide yourself"-argument in mind, the devs will release the next Annogame anno8 where your residents will move in, work, pay taxes, be happy and can be upgraded without fulfilling any needs. There are still some needs, but it won't make a difference wether you fulfill them or not. The players should be given the freedom to decide themselves. And in anno9, they will cancel production completely because less players used that feature in anno8.
I do not agree that it is not possible to make both beginners and hardcore players happy. Look at Anno 1404: It is great for beginners because everything you did just felt logical and it gives hardcore-players endless challenges e.g. try to place as many farms on a tiny island with a river on it. It doesn't get boring botj on an easy level where you do not have to plan perfectly and mistakes will be forgiven and on Imperator-level.
The poll on Reddit shows that a majority
wants to change the balancing.
Personally I think that it needs a fix but I have accepted that there won't be a fix for docklands. I am not disappointed by that; it is just as it is. I support your idea that there should be the option to set at the beginning of a game whether Morris & the customs office keep 0%, 25% or 50% of the value you trade. Examples:
At the default 0%, everything will remain the same.
At the moment, you could trade 20t of A - 40t of B and 40t of B - 20t of A.
If you set it to 50%, you will trade 20t of A - 20t of B (half the amount you get now) and 40t of B - 10t of A. If they implement this, I will maybe also use the DLC.
/ Edit: I am NOT comparing "the German Forum" to "the English Forum". I am just comparing the two threads about Docklands ("Feedback Warentausch Speicherstadt" and "Docklands is AMAZING") and stating that the language here is more offensive. I am sorry that some of you felt offended.
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