Since we have a pretty even split, whether teleporting during realm tasks should stay or go with quite an active discussion about the Pros and Cons, here is my take on the mechanic and a suggestion to salvage it into a more dynamic system.
I think teleporting overall is good, because it enables fast instant action espacially for solo and smallmen players.
The downside is, its only fun when the three realms are somewhat evenly matched. The feature becomes obsolete, when...
1) One realm can not reach the NPC and turn in 2500 token first. Happens all the time in Hib, 30 of 60min waiting time before teleporting becomes available is not uncommon
2) One realm gets no teleports, because the domination points are heavily dominated by the other realms. At EU primetime that happens a lot when the Midgard Zerg is active. For Hib 20minutes waiting for another teleport becoming available because of that is also not uncommon.
Both absolutely defeat purpose.
Here is a somewhat more elaborate system I suggest:
1) No more 2500 token requirement
2) Defending realm gets teleport to all keeps and domination points they own
3) Attacking realms get one active portal (behaving somewhat like teleport now) nearby a random domination point (well away with alternating spawn locations), they do not own. The task then becomes to attack and conquer the domination point nearby. The defending realm gets the task to either defend the domination point for 10minutes or destroy the portal (portal behaves like a mob, can be buffed, healed and killed). If the portal gets destroyed the defending realm gets a reward, if the timer runs out the portal despawns and the defending realm gets a reward, if the attacking realm conquers the domination point the attackers get a reward and the portal stays until it is destroyed or the next escalation of the task is fulfilled.
4) If you conquer a domination point an npc appears for 5 minutes, where your realm can turn in token. If you destroy a portal the same happens.
5) If the attacking realm manages to conquer the domination point the realm task escalates and prompts the attacking realm to conquer the nearest keep (if owned by another realm), this task gets a 15 minutes timer. If successful the attacking realm gets rewarded, if unsuccessful the defending realm gets rewarded
6) The defending realm has the ongoing task to hold or reconquer all keeps of their realm. Reclaiming your own realms keeps gets higher instant RP rewards than normal and at the end of the 60minutes your realm gets bonus RP for every keep. The attacking realms also get bonus RP for every enemy keep in that realm they own at the end of 60minutes.
Obviously a few questions need to be adressed, for instance if you can teleport while an attack is already under way? The whole thing needs some consideration and finetuning along the way. All in all however I think this will create a more dynamic teleporting mechanic and also fit nicely with the RP element of DAoC while at the same time going back to the classic element of keep warfare.
Incursion of the realm, with the hostile wizards conjuring up portals for the invading forces.
I think teleporting overall is good, because it enables fast instant action espacially for solo and smallmen players.
The downside is, its only fun when the three realms are somewhat evenly matched. The feature becomes obsolete, when...
1) One realm can not reach the NPC and turn in 2500 token first. Happens all the time in Hib, 30 of 60min waiting time before teleporting becomes available is not uncommon
2) One realm gets no teleports, because the domination points are heavily dominated by the other realms. At EU primetime that happens a lot when the Midgard Zerg is active. For Hib 20minutes waiting for another teleport becoming available because of that is also not uncommon.
Both absolutely defeat purpose.
Here is a somewhat more elaborate system I suggest:
1) No more 2500 token requirement
2) Defending realm gets teleport to all keeps and domination points they own
3) Attacking realms get one active portal (behaving somewhat like teleport now) nearby a random domination point (well away with alternating spawn locations), they do not own. The task then becomes to attack and conquer the domination point nearby. The defending realm gets the task to either defend the domination point for 10minutes or destroy the portal (portal behaves like a mob, can be buffed, healed and killed). If the portal gets destroyed the defending realm gets a reward, if the timer runs out the portal despawns and the defending realm gets a reward, if the attacking realm conquers the domination point the attackers get a reward and the portal stays until it is destroyed or the next escalation of the task is fulfilled.
4) If you conquer a domination point an npc appears for 5 minutes, where your realm can turn in token. If you destroy a portal the same happens.
5) If the attacking realm manages to conquer the domination point the realm task escalates and prompts the attacking realm to conquer the nearest keep (if owned by another realm), this task gets a 15 minutes timer. If successful the attacking realm gets rewarded, if unsuccessful the defending realm gets rewarded
6) The defending realm has the ongoing task to hold or reconquer all keeps of their realm. Reclaiming your own realms keeps gets higher instant RP rewards than normal and at the end of the 60minutes your realm gets bonus RP for every keep. The attacking realms also get bonus RP for every enemy keep in that realm they own at the end of 60minutes.
Obviously a few questions need to be adressed, for instance if you can teleport while an attack is already under way? The whole thing needs some consideration and finetuning along the way. All in all however I think this will create a more dynamic teleporting mechanic and also fit nicely with the RP element of DAoC while at the same time going back to the classic element of keep warfare.
Incursion of the realm, with the hostile wizards conjuring up portals for the invading forces.
