Colorado Stripes

Ok i would love to see everyone chime in on this please.

My first overall thoughts of the stripes system was great, loved the idea...
Then i started to play for them, and noticed it is (in my opinion) horrible as is.

I would like to make a few suggestions, since the lack of a trophy hall is rather unmotivational.

First, i would like to point out the amount of stripes it takes to get the trophy hall. 500 stripes just to build a level 1? The way the system is setup it is next to impossible to gain this many, so i imagine lvl 2, 3, 4 etc will be completely impossible,

I did read a lot of the convos in the common about the stripes, and seen the convo about resources plundered being apart of stripes now. This is a better step in the direction i think as it will help gain more.

The overall idea for the stripes is a war victory, so yes, i agree, it should not be easy to obtain. However, it should even out more to at least be able to gain the trophy hall and motivate more to go for the war victory.
Maybe a more stripes per level after you obtain the trophy hall would be more of a motivation in my own thoughts.

Also, defending comes to mind. In the battles i have seen, the defenders get nothing. Regardless if it is collect or lead, shouldn't the defenders get something for beating a more advanced opponent? Same goes for reinforcements. If a player of an advanced age sends units to defend a lower age player and is defeated, shouldn't this count towards stripes? It is all war no matter how you look at it.

Last i would like to point out the stripes system only working on higher age tech than yourself, lead vs collect. It is very hard to do any type of damage to a collect player. I have seen damage on both sides.
A member of my alliance attacked a lead player dealing little over 30K damage, same player attacked a collect with no reinforcements or towers/walls at all and hardly hit 8K in damage. Collectivism is too powerful on this scale, and collectivism does not mean they are peaceful. So collectivism + higher age tech is almost impossible to do anything.

Sticks and stones vs guns. does not make sense.

I like your ideas. I really like the idea of sharing the ribbons if someone comes to help out and if I would get any by just being the attacked, that would be better. 

Also, defending comes to mind. In the battles i have seen, the defenders get nothing. Regardless if it is collect or lead, shouldn't the defenders get something for beating a more advanced opponent? Same goes for reinforcements. If a player of an advanced age sends units to defend a lower age player and is defeated, shouldn't this count towards stripes? It is all war no matter how you look at it.

As Bers said and I agree with his vision, War victory is about attacking, not defending. I agree though that it's painful to see that you get nothing when you defend from attacks from higher lv players.
Maybe a compromise would be to let the defenders earn stripes, but at maybe 1/10, 1/55 the rate you would by attacking would make us happier?

Last i would like to point out the stripes system only working on higher age tech than yourself, lead vs collect. It is very hard to do any type of damage to a collect player. I have seen damage on both sides.
A member of my alliance attacked a lead player dealing little over 30K damage, same player attacked a collect with no reinforcements or towers/walls at all and hardly hit 8K in damage. Collectivism is too powerful on this scale, and collectivism does not mean they are peaceful. So collectivism + higher age tech is almost impossible to do anything.

Collec players have no bonuses attacking either, so this is definitely a playstyle that discourages War victory (both for them and people attacking them). Just don't attack Collec players ? Also as a reminder, a collec player defending someone else won't have the 300% defense, so I don't see why this is a problem. Even if they are not "peaceful", they are not "dangerous" either :P. If you could just wreak havoc at a collectivist player's town too easily (that includes coordinating several armies), many people would leave the game, because I guess some people would abuse this.

Collec players have no bonuses attacking either, so this is definitely a playstyle that discourages War victory (both for them and people attacking them). Just don't attack Collec players ? Also as a reminder, a collec player defending someone else won't have the 300% defense, so I don't see why this is a problem. Even if they are not "peaceful", they are not "dangerous" either :P. If you could just wreak havoc at a collectivist player's town too easily (that includes coordinating several armies), many people would leave the game, because I guess some people would abuse this.

So, when this collect player builds on your borders to steal your globals you just let them be? Same concept :)

I agree that the current system leaves us with little or no motivation for a war victory. Maybe if we did not need stripes to build the trophy hall, but to win the victory, it would be more motivational.

I do think that the amount of stripes earned should be increased if you are attacking a collect player. We risk more and gain little in an attack on a collect player. So it should have some reward. I know this will not be popular with collect players, but it is my opinion.

It would be nice if ribbons could be shared by players doing joint attacks. Both had a hand in the attack and both should be rewarded. 

To attack an age higher than you makes no sense as a play strategy. You would have to hold back your research, putting you at a great disadvantageous with your neighbors. And often, a suicide mission. 

I would like to have worked towards a war victory, but feel that it is hopeless in its current form.

Like Dbarns and Mari , i also lost my motivation for a war victory :(  At the end of last alpha I started to fill my trophy hall and it was my main motivation in this alpha.

But , very fastly, I realised that getting stripes in order to built it is not practicable. Here are the reasons,  age by age, considering my own experience with my both heroes.

When we are in stone age, we have to think first of all to expand our country in order to avoid to be completelly squeezed by our neighbours and being able later to get global ressources. Building military buildings decrease culture and reduce the size of your country. Rising an decent army in stone age means to have at least 3 towns...ok, is doable but it will take time! Meanwhile, your neighbours collect are already in classical, building wall and towers and researching a lot of tech. Finally , the army is big enough to attack. Suicide mission :) if army completely destroyed, nobody can bring the stripes at home! If sometimes, some units survived, the amount of colorado stripes is so weak that it not worthing - most of the time the amount of plundered ressources is less that we need to retrain units.

I have tested also with Kenway, being in classical. Is worse! Towers and wall are really strong in medieval. And + 30% bonus defense for a collectivism is deadly for a leaderism's army. Tried 2 times, 100 units wiped and the 20 - 30 stripes were not in my inventory because nobody bring them at home! I gaved up! Collects are too strong. A solution is doing joints attacks and I agree that's a good idea to share the stripes by all players

The needed amount of stripes is too high. Bers, you said that we can get them on killing units and plundering ressources. Which ratio for units and for plundered ressources? As you said, collect has small armies but a lot of towers, so killing few units and plundering ressources wont gave us a lot of stripes . We must take in account also that sending big armies ask a lot of food. Considering all of this I think that the bonuses must be increased a lot in order to motivate us plus.

Now speaking about rennaisance. All of those who will enter in rennaissance will have a lot of oil towers. So, suicide mission once again and it will takes a lot of hours and ressources to retrain units. Plus , like Tuey said in cc, who gonna dare attack knowing that an entire rennaisance army will strike back? 

After 3 months of playing only 1 person built the trophy hall. My question is how we are supposed to test the war victory if we are not even able to start to built the trophy hall?

I know that the game is still in alpha version, so, i am still hoping that thoses colorado stripes wont be in the final version :) At least not on this current form. 

Like Dbarns and Mari , i also lost my motivation for a war victory :(  At the end of last alpha I started to fill my trophy hall and it was my main motivation in this alpha.

But , very fastly, I realised that getting stripes in order to built it is not practicable. Here are the reasons,  age by age, considering my own experience with my both heroes.

When we are in stone age, we have to think first of all to expand our country in order to avoid to be completelly squeezed by our neighbours and being able later to get global ressources. Building military buildings decrease culture and reduce the size of your country. Rising an decent army in stone age means to have at least 3 towns...ok, is doable but it will take time! Meanwhile, your neighbours collect are already in classical, building wall and towers and researching a lot of tech. Finally , the army is big enough to attack. Suicide mission :) if army completely destroyed, nobody can bring the stripes at home! If sometimes, some units survived, the amount of colorado stripes is so weak that it not worthing - most of the time the amount of plundered ressources is less that we need to retrain units.

I have tested also with Kenway, being in classical. Is worse! Towers and wall are really strong in medieval. And + 30% bonus defense for a collectivism is deadly for a leaderism's army. Tried 2 times, 100 units wiped and the 20 - 30 stripes were not in my inventory because nobody bring them at home! I gaved up! Collects are too strong. A solution is doing joints attacks and I agree that's a good idea to share the stripes by all players

The needed amount of stripes is too high. Bers, you said that we can get them on killing units and plundering ressources. Which ratio for units and for plundered ressources? As you said, collect has small armies but a lot of towers, so killing few units and plundering ressources wont gave us a lot of stripes . We must take in account also that sending big armies ask a lot of food. Considering all of this I think that the bonuses must be increased a lot in order to motivate us plus.

Now speaking about rennaisance. All of those who will enter in rennaissance will have a lot of oil towers. So, suicide mission once again and it will takes a lot of hours and ressources to retrain units. Plus , like Tuey said in cc, who gonna dare attack knowing that an entire rennaisance army will strike back? 

After 3 months of playing only 1 person built the trophy hall. My question is how we are supposed to test the war victory if we are not even able to start to built the trophy hall?

I know that the game is still in alpha version, so, i am still hoping that thoses colorado stripes wont be in the final version :) At least not on this current form. 

Very well stated, Arya.  Let us build the trophy hall and work towards the items inside of the hall. Maybe one of those could be stripes. 

I have seen the latest patch notes and I strongly disagree with some changes on stripes.

The "3X bonus VS collectivism" and "stripes for destroying buildings" will just encourage more leaderism players to group together to attack collec players, yet many of those players are totally against active war. Because they had no real gain in attacking them, those collecs would previously be left alone by aggressive players (or at least not attacked too often because they had no special gain and it's harder), but now you are encouraging leaderism players to go annihilate the collec players.

You can also earn stripes for destroying buildings from now on

I believe you should remove this for Collec players. The 3X bonus itself can be kept for destroying collec units, it is less controversial, but in conjunction* with destroying buildings (and especially supportives), it is most likely the best way to frustrate players into leaving the game. You are basically encouraging the war guild to bully the peaceful/easily offended collecs into leaving the game. Having their armies destroyed, they can probably deal with it. Having their buildings destroyed, that is enough reason to finish convincing someone leaving the game
(it will most likely not affect Alpha players who are too enthusiastic about the game to leave though).

Note : Playing as leaderism myself, I am only guessing what those peaceful collec guys would think/say, but my Ingame experience and chats with those guys don't seem to contradict what I wrote. I may have exaggerated a bit here,

If the leaderism players will be one age below, there is nothing bad if they do so. Also this is a good encouragement, as since the start of this alpha, there was not a single town destroyed by catapults completely (and there were quite a few during previous alpha) which means currently defense is too strong and will be revised in favor of agressive players. We have been helping peaceful players for quite a while back in the days, now its time to help the other side

Thanks a lot! This is really a very good news :))))

 since the start of this alpha, there was not a single town destroyed by catapults completely (and there were quite a few during previous alpha)

Well, as we discussed, this is not quite the case.  I know of several towns completely wiped off the map this stage.  :-)

since the start of this alpha, there was not a single town destroyed by catapults completely

Are you sure? :)

Destroyed my first town 58 days ago, and count is 4 now.

 We have been helping peaceful players for quite a while back in the days, now its time to help the other side.

Thank you!

Well, as we discussed, this is not quite the case.  I know of several towns completely wiped off the map this stage.  :-)

Ok, maybe I got the info wrong from the astor, but the conclusion still valid, level of attacks is lower than last alpha because this time everyone learned how to build towers.

I'll agree with that, lol.  And how did they learn?  lol

From experience >_<

I should think you would want more folks to build the trophy hall, spend money and want to advance to the next age. From what I have observed, folks are just staying in the lower ages cause they do not want the threat of an attack from the players wanting or trying to get 500 or 2500 or 5000 stripes. So they don't even think about a trophy hall. Since they are staying in the lower ages there is no real need to spend money on Enkord cash. Those that do go to the next ages, such as myself, have no option to build the trophy hall since I can't earn stripes. The Colorado stripes have to be reconsidered, in my little opinion.  

I should think you would want more folks to build the trophy hall, spend money and want to advance to the next age. From what I have observed, folks are just staying in the lower ages cause they do not want the threat of an attack from the players wanting or trying to get 500 or 2500 or 5000 stripes. So they don't even think about a trophy hall. Since they are staying in the lower ages there is no real need to spend money on Enkord cash. Those that do go to the next ages, such as myself, have no option to build the trophy hall since I can't earn stripes. The Colorado stripes have to be reconsidered, in my little opinion.  

I agree, everything you said is very true. A lot of players are refusing to move on to the next age in fear of being attacked because of the stripes system.

If i may, i would suggest that stripes are obtainable throughout all ages, just in lower amounts. Just like you get more for attacking a higher age than yours, you could get less for attacking lower ages, and a certain amount attacking the same level.

In my own opinion i think this will motivate a lot more action across the game, both in war and advancing.

I should think you would want more folks to build the trophy hall, spend money and want to advance to the next age. From what I have observed, folks are just staying in the lower ages cause they do not want the threat of an attack from the players wanting or trying to get 500 or 2500 or 5000 stripes. So they don't even think about a trophy hall. Since they are staying in the lower ages there is no real need to spend money on Enkord cash. Those that do go to the next ages, such as myself, have no option to build the trophy hall since I can't earn stripes. The Colorado stripes have to be reconsidered, in my little opinion.  

I agree, everything you said is very true. A lot of players are refusing to move on to the next age in fear of being attacked because of the stripes system.

If i may, i would suggest that stripes are obtainable throughout all ages, just in lower amounts. Just like you get more for attacking a higher age than yours, you could get less for attacking lower ages, and a certain amount attacking the same level.

In my own opinion i think this will motivate a lot more action across the game, both in war and advancing.

Yep like the idea