[Discuss] scalability in the tax system

[Jamie Cheyfetz]

Let me first say that I think the new tax system adds a great deal to
the game.  It makes the local lord positions actually useful and
enjoyable, though it does add overhead to them.

One major failing of the new tax system that I see is its lack of scalability.

If the region taxes are split up almost exclusively between the
knights (as has always seemed the intention of the system) and new
Nobles come to the realm, where do the new Nobles fit in?  If they
come in slowly, there can probably be room made for them as others
agree to smaller shares or leave the realm.  If they come in quickly,
though, then new people to the game suffer by not being able to find a
liege in their new realm.  Do they know they can move to another
realm?  Do they not care enough about a game they just started and
just drop it?  Perhaps.

Any arguments about "taking land from your neighbours" is bunk.  That
just moves the problem to another realm.  The noobs *somewhere* still
hurt.

This was rather easily solved by sending a largish percentage of the
taxes to the realm.  That leaves more "leeway" for new people to join
the game.  If you suddenly get 10 people join a realm in a week, you
still have room for them (though the room is finite).

With the recent addition of the "court expenses," sending a medium
percentage of tax to the realm has suddenly incurred a bad
consequence.

My suggestion follows:

Allow each region lord to assign a percentage of the taxes to be
distributed evenly among all of his knights.

This would be *in addition* to the set percentage that they normally
receive due to their oath.

This seems to have the best of both worlds.  Gold for the knights
comes from their lords (leading to whatever the devs are attempting to
achieve by pushing us in this direction).  There is still room for
quick expansion (which will hopefully allow us to keep the noobs that
come).

Thoughts?  Suggestions?

-- 
"...the Law of Unintended Consequences, stronger than any
written Law.  'Whether or not what you do has teh effect you
want, it will have three at least you never expected, and
one of those usually unpleasant.'"


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