The discovery of new Lunar Rifts!?

Maybe there could be a chaotic rift that sends you random places.. including inside of dungeons or other special areas.

 

Would it be possible to add the rifts to the overland map in the locations they exist to avoid extra screen loads?

This how all the shipping routes are currently done as well.

 

Actually, the actual map that shows lines for routes is SotaMap, no? I am sure it will be done there by the author.

But I actually like the idea of a "visual" on the overland map indicating where a rift is located, kind of how they have the orb in Owl's Head to indicate that tower thing.

 

Right, what I meant was to enable use on the overland map, like you can use boats now.

 

Yeah, but then how do you "read" them? I could see putting one on the overland to "indicate" the rift is in the zone. I see the problem you bring up - zoning. But @Chris said he'd fix that problem soon!

 

Currently you simply mouse over a rift to see where it goes just like you do for boats. Maybe that is good enough.

 

I approve this message. =)

 

Great idea, sounds like something Fun for a change

 

I'm glad to see more focus on the lunar rifts. They are such an iconic feature!

The rift system, though, while esoteric, still feels as though it is about .... ultimately predictable travel.

Could it also be about .... story?

I can't help but wonder if there are fun derivations on the rift theme that could be implemented on a *very limited* basis around story. For example, what if a lonely mountain had an old, 'malfunctioning' stone ring that rarely produced a rift, but when it did it was akin to Google's "I'm feeling lucky" feature? Sometimes a wayward Avatars seeing a portal may want to test their fate.... and oh the stories they could tell afterwards. Or what if a dungeon's partially fallen stone ring with a "split rift" caused an Avatar themselves to split into two, creating a mirror duplicate they have to somehow confront? (the game already has a chaos spell to duplicate avatars). Or what if a very rare conjunction of the planets and stars opened a rift to a scene in Novia's past at a time of historical significance? Could there be quests in game to discover how rifts were created and why they work? Etc. etc.

I totally understand not wanting to go hog wild with rifts. But the feature seems ripe for clever story telling use in some very selective locations. I bet this community could come up with some ideas better than those I just shared.

 

If they turned the Village Ring of Stones in my PoT into a functional Lunar Rift I'd be a lot more excited about this announcement.

 

An overwhelming thumbs up from me as I use them quite a lot esp to get in and out of Resolute from Ardoris.

 

So i guess that's the final end for the regional economy idea @Lord British @Lum the Mad ?
I mean it was long way coming with mobile banks and the new postal system.

 

^^^
This

I don't think that's out of the question from happening. I can imagine it operating much like a "bus stop" which then connected to the rest of the network, with maybe some regional boundaries where we would still need to walk our way through the regional passes.

So maybe not for now, but maybe for later. I know if they put it in the add-on store, I'd buy it I'm not much on using recall or teleport scrolls and enjoy walking everywhere. But catching a bus ride? <---<<< I'd do that ~Time Lord~

 

I'm not sure its all doom and gloom for the economy, in fact it may even help. Some areas are severely locked in and can benefit from some added traffic.

Also from someone who uses the lunar rifts a LOT to get around, If you want a specific target destination, you are still waiting ~hour from the last time it popped. I really think it won't be enough to harm terribly, but for those who know the system, you can take advantage of a few short cuts.

Just remember there is always a wait with these things, sometimes as much as 20min-30 min to get CLOSE to where you may want. It does not take *that* long to run the overworld so players will use scrolls and running just like before.

SO, what this really does is reward planning. If you know a Rift is opening in 20min, mine some ore, smelt some ingots, farm some bandits and THEN hit the Rift. Make use of the time you have and plan for your quick travel. That is exactly *WHY* I made the Chronometer. For Planning. So I know how long I can mine before I need to leave to get a quick ride home instead of spending my time running the overland.

For people who need to get to X, NOW... This will make no change at all unless its just a lucky timing.

 

Yeah, as soon as I understood this part, that it wasn't going to be a ring of always on portals, I lost interest. I'm not going to subject myself to the frustration of just missing the portal changeover due to an abnormally long load screen (or simply running too slowly).

 

I really like this!

 

Fairly confident I wont wait 20-30 min to run across a 10 min map but adding the complexity is great.

I think regional economies might mean episode 1 landmass and episode 2 landmass.

 

Then why bother with the controll points?

 

Not sure. Not my fight to fight. I'm with @Budner. Give me a runebook.

 

1. Maybe the control points will be compensated with better resources
2. Maybe the rifts will be a little time consuming like the one in owls head use to be as it rotated through the list of destinations.
3. Maybe the rifts will be really time consuming as they based the destination on the astronomy like sieges and etc.
4. Maybe the rift routes will be such that most travel would require travel between multiple rifts that are not close to each other. For example, rifts are only good for far travel, so going to a nearby town would be vastly more efficient via the control point.

PS: Please take away teleport scrolls or at least don't use friends as the requirement. Maybe just parties.