Factions & Empire

[Achriel]

The point of a multiplayer game is people playing together.. give them a weapon and they start playing against each other (in groups or alone) but also for groups, alliance and faction.

To that end I want to propose a future development to allow AI an expanded role in players affairs. We have NPC in the works but I was thinking more in the lines of creating larger empires over time. Allowing the AI to patrol designated areas either as pirates or traders but also as members of the player factions. A key part of this is the control of 'space' or at least the definition of a factions territory. I'll lay it out in point form to simplify the idea:

1. Allow factions to control sectors or 'claim' them, larger groups can claim larger areas, best if they are contiguous.
2. Let individual players claim world/bases in those areas and to allow some level of autonomy, greater freedom on their own holdings but still under faction control.
3. Allow faction AI ship to operating within the claimed space (Traders, fleet etc.. faction designated)
4. Create a method to display these boundaries for players, after all, entering the neutral zone shouldn't be an accident.

The point of my post is to create a larger 'arc' in the rise and falls of empire on servers. If recruitment becomes active and factions more focused it will make the game more enjoyable.. which is the point.