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Plundering and the Prisoner’s Dilemna

DeletedUser

I'm a newb here and I totally get the plundering thing. It happens in real life too. What I don't get is that this game is set up by "ages" and even in the tournaments, the players have to fight that age. How is it then, that one can bring tanks back to the Bronze age to attack and plunder? I get the technology advancements guns verses knives or "cowboys and indians" mentality thing too but shouldn't it be set up so that any technological advancement can only go back one age? Like Iron Age can attack Bronze Age but Progressive Age can't attack Bronze? This would make plundering more realistic and maybe stop many newbie departures.
 

DeletedUser10517

I'm a newb here and I totally get the plundering thing. It happens in real life too. What I don't get is that this game is set up by "ages" and even in the tournaments, the players have to fight that age. How is it then, that one can bring tanks back to the Bronze age to attack and plunder? I get the technology advancements guns verses knives or "cowboys and indians" mentality thing too but shouldn't it be set up so that any technological advancement can only go back one age? Like Iron Age can attack Bronze Age but Progressive Age can't attack Bronze? This would make plundering more realistic and maybe stop many newbie departures.

What does it matter what troops someone attacks with? Your defending army doesnt get killed off, they are there, ready for the next attack. People attacking you doesnt do you or your city any harm.

But......if what youre really talking about is being Plundered......thats a different thing altogether............and being plundered can happen no matter what age troops attack you.

If you were Iron Age, I could attack you with my Iron Age troops and still win, and still plunder you.

Forget the attacks.......most players are only attacking for points. One or two will plunder...........so stop THAT from happening by collecting your stuff on time.
 

Mustapha00

Well-Known Member
I'm a newb here and I totally get the plundering thing. It happens in real life too. What I don't get is that this game is set up by "ages" and even in the tournaments, the players have to fight that age. How is it then, that one can bring tanks back to the Bronze age to attack and plunder? I get the technology advancements guns verses knives or "cowboys and indians" mentality thing too but shouldn't it be set up so that any technological advancement can only go back one age? Like Iron Age can attack Bronze Age but Progressive Age can't attack Bronze? This would make plundering more realistic and maybe stop many newbie departures.

I read somewhere that, once you get to the Modern Ear (think that's the one), the way Goods work changes.
From that point in the game on, you have "raw" goods and "refined" goods. It takes multiple "raw" goods to produce "refined" goods, and the "refined" goods have a set recipe combination of "raw" goods that go into producing them. What I do not know is whether the "raw" goods in the recipes come from earlier eras in the game, in which case an advanced player might attack and plunder an early age player in order to obtain the goods he needs to complete his recipes rather than go through the hassle of trading or building those earlier era goods factories himself. Not being anywhere near that far in the game, I don't know if I have that right or not.
But to your main point, when the disparity in ages is that great, there's zero way you can adequately defend yourself. All you can do is set up your goods productions so that you have the highest chance to be there to collect when production is finished. That, really, is the only advantage you have over the advanced player: only you know for sure when your productions are completed.
 

planetofthehumans2

Well-Known Member
I read somewhere that, once you get to the Modern Ear (think that's the one), the way Goods work changes.
From that point in the game on, you have "raw" goods and "refined" goods. It takes multiple "raw" goods to produce "refined" goods, and the "refined" goods have a set recipe combination of "raw" goods that go into producing them. What I do not know is whether the "raw" goods in the recipes come from earlier eras in the game, in which case an advanced player might attack and plunder an early age player in order to obtain the goods he needs to complete his recipes rather than go through the hassle of trading or building those earlier era goods factories himself. Not being anywhere near that far in the game, I don't know if I have that right or not.
When you get to ME, you need 5 CA goods to make 5 ME goods.
In PME, you need 5 Indy goods to make 5 PME.
5 Prog goods for 5 CE goods.
5 ME goods for 5 TE goods. (And 5 CA goods to make the 5 ME)
5 PME goods for 5 FE goods. (And 5 Indy goods to make the 5 PME)

But what also hurts is that you need those lower age goods for tech, as well as for new goods. Which means you practically need double the goods in that one age. And your GB's will make the lower age goods, so if you have enough level on your GB you may not need to keep making those lower age goods.

On topic though, some people do plunder lower age goods, sometimes just to inconvenience the player so they're unable to make higher age goods. A lot of people admit to producing goods when they're unable to come back on time to collect, and still get mad about the plunder.
 

DeletedUser17265

Original poster,
well explained. Plunder reduces goods over time. Left out is the fact that Goods are on sale for "real" money. (the Bail Out factor). So an other way to look at it would be that Plunder increases FOE sales.
ironic or opposite of ironic : foe meaning fake as opposed to forge of empires. ;)
 

DeletedUser23206

Reducto ad absurdum: If everyone plunders, then no one would build goods buildings, so there would be no goods to plunder.

Useless Maxim: The maximum amount of goods in a neighborhood is based on the number of people comfortable producing goods.

Misdirection via Distraction: This analysis does not discuss the waste of space, time, and resources used to maintain a large effective army capable of plundering scores of times per day.

The following assumes facts not in evidence:

Plundering is a classic example of the Prisoner’s Dilemna. While plundering is individually beneficial, collectively it is horribly inefficient.

Consider a neighborhood where no one plunders. Each player will feel confident in producing a maximum amount of goods. Ability to trade for needed goods is maximized.

Consider a neighborhood with only 10% plunderers. The plunderers will have a steady stram of goods to plunder. Some of those plunderers may be profitable enough to forego their own goods production. Some habitual whiners will complain about being plundered, Most will adopt their goods schedule to timely collection, incidentally slightly reducing their goods production.

Note that as plundering increases, some ‘victims’ will be upset enough to quit. This of course lowers total goods production.

Consider a neighborhood with 50% plunderers. The plunderers will have to work hard to beat other plunderers to the goods producers. Some of those plunderers may be profitable enough to forego their own goods production. Other less successful plunderers will need to rely on their own goods production, becoming targets for other plunderers. Some habitual whiners will complain about being plundered. Most will adopt their goods schedule to timely collection, incidentally slightly reducing their goods production.

Consider a neighborhood with 100% plunderers. Good news is nobody whines about being plundered. (Note this applies to a relatively balanced neighborhood, an unbalanced neighborhood will always produce whiners.) Otherwise there is little to no production of goods because any uncollected goods are immediately plundered.

Unjustifiable Conclusion: It’s better for everybody if no one plunders. But since that ain’t gonna happen you should be plundering.

The oddity of this is that people who understand plundering is highly effective keep arguing with players who do not plunder. Since the fewer people who plunder, the more successful plundering is, recruiting more plunderers is counterproductive.

So when yet again some whiny poor thinking do-gooder posts about how plundering is an evil atrocity against the spirit of the game, just like Hitler and Nazis, or some other fallacy, instead of arguing with the yutz, agree with him. Then go plunder his ass.


Sounds like your strategy of playing is being a good's producer which is fine. This is such a great game for so many different strategic ways FOE can be played. You might be a Trader, Good's Producer, PVP Fighter, GVG Fighter or both we all have our place in this Society either working as a collective in a Guild or being a transient trying to do it on their own it's the players choice on their role in the game! Just because you don't approve that someone else plays the game different than you, that the whole game should be redesigned. I just don't understand your logic. This is a game HAVE FUN change your role, find what works for you instead of ranting about how others are playing as long as the game rules are followed!
 

DeletedUser14634

well for me I am a very aggresive player and I plunder any time I win if there is anything to take noramlly I dont return to there city be there times I do to see if there anything to take before the 24 hours clock runs out. And if they are much lower then my level that greats because I use lower era troops to try to win those towers. And I cant tell you how many other are like that in my hoods but I am sure there a few of us. Its good times.

But this coming new year I figured I be a more freindly hood mate and aid from my event log those that aid me instead of just taking every single person I know i can defeat. And use gvg to score tower points instead.

I don't really even need the goods but if I am not going to plunder then to me why bother attacking they go hand in hand. But also by the same token of i try to go thru my hoods gb's at least one a week so if I see someone got one in the mug I drop in 10 FP. And if I can score some fp for my time I be sure to give then what I got. If they need a trade i be happy to post it for them if they drop the dime.

So I think people confuse plundering with bad people or not nice players. Its a part of the game and a choice of style to play nothing more watch your timers and you not need worry about your goods being plunedred.
 

Mustapha00

Well-Known Member
What might be interesting would be for an aggressive player to go passive or a passive player to go aggressive for a long enough period of time to see how that affects game progress as well as personal enjoyment.
I've tried the aggressive thing on one world and I'm just not comfortable playing that way. The heck of it is, that server might be the one on which I am most efficient, didn't rush through what Eras I've completed (not many) and I know for a fact that I have a much higher score, to the extent that measures anything, at this point in the game than I did on the other three worlds on which I play.
 

DeletedUser10415

I'm a passive aggressive player. :confused: I aid everyone in my 'hood for a while and see who reciprocates. Those who do I continue to aid. Those who don't get attacked and justifiably plundered. It usually works out to around half of any given 'hood, which works out quite well for me.
 

DeletedUser17558

I'm a passive aggressive player. :confused: I aid everyone in my 'hood for a while and see who reciprocates. Those who do I continue to aid. Those who don't get attacked and justifiably plundered. It usually works out to around half of any given 'hood, which works out quite well for me.

All plunder is justified.
 

DeletedUser

To plunder or not to plunder, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of producing goods or by plundering steal them.....

Sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity for some Shakespeare parody. Seriously,though, I don't really care one way or the other. Plunder or don't. Whatever.
 
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