So what do we do about trading?

[ramones]

Mailboxes with COD

[LadyV]

Mailboxes with COD

Somehow I think you already have a dozen people already working on road networks

[Sevenless]

Mailboxes with COD

Somehow I think you already have a dozen people already working on road networks

Road networks will be interesting, but highly griefable. They're completely undefendable, it takes less time to knock them down than it does to put them up.

[Yasgur]

it takes less time to knock them down than it does to put them up

True for most everything, no?

[Sevenless]

it takes less time to knock them down than it does to put them up

True for most everything, no?

Not particularly, namely walls/claims stop that. A wall is much harder to break than it is to make, and claims give a cost to doing such an action.

Roads can't take advantage of either of these defenses.

[Yasgur]

Well, people can have more than one claim, so the mechanic is there. Make every road sign like a 1X1 claim.
Sadly, the harder they are to destroy, the more likely they will become a griefing tool.

[MightySheep]

Sure roads are griefable but I would imagine it is similar to Wurm in that griefing roads just feels completely pointless, even the most hardcore griefer would probably have better things to do.

Road networks just don't seem very feasible given the size of the map, I could picture a highway in a highly condensed area like the start zone (not that theres even any stone to use there) but the proper villages are probably much further out and I've explored and mapped my area for miles and found no sign of civilization.

Trading is obviously just going to be a matter of walking really far, but essentially the same as it always was. Stick to trading with the big traders and there's little chance of getting screwed.

[burgingham]

I am not sure about that. Blocking a road leading away from a bigger city might be very profitable. And roads are just something cities need...walking sucks.

[jorb]

What would be needed to make roads feasible?

[burgingham]

I think they are very feaible to be honest. I mean I have no experience yet with long distance travelling through them and all, but for a decent city infrastructure especially to access different biomes and such around you they work wonders.

One thing bugging me a little is that vilage gates block you. Maybe having the key to a gate sitting in the way of a road would let you travel without disruption? I mean the buff you get of course helps, but it is still a little annoying