Topic: Crypto Kingdom - 1991 Retro Virtual World(City) - page 226. (Read 632701 times)

The Centennary Jubilee: A.D. 1500

The Kingdom is at peace and in eager awaiting of Version 2, which will mark the change of age from Most Ancient to Ancient. The celebrations will take place officially tomorrow, and last months on end. Especially notable is the reception by Sir Riccardo in his marvellous sprawling palace that was recently constructed to fill his whole haw. Now that's the way haws should be used! Terraced vineyards and all!

8 pm GMT today is the deadline for:
- Architect competition votes
- Jubilee clothes
- TMA (the most ancient) gold items
- TMA building projects.

Marquess promotion

Our custom has been to create a new Marquess every 50 years, and this time we make a surprise promotion and give this title with its landed income (from V.4 onwards) to Lord Karl. Marquess Karl has been a pillar of society for decades and this leap-promotion underlines this fact. He has operated the notorious Hung, Drawn & Quartered for 50 years now, along with other businesses, has become the prominent gold and landholder, conducted many dealings with His Majesty and the Town, and shown generous heart in all issues. We are grateful to have such a new Marquess with us!

Marquess Karl is gifted with a Royal Suit containing 100 gold.

Church separation from Bishop David

This Earl David is quite a mysterious character and has again been on long travels. Now he has decided to give most of his fortune away to the newly-established Church (foundation), with many good aims, founded many Orders and initiatives. These developments would typically count towards promotion but they came a little late for the consideration this time. Also - frankly we had been suspicious of the influence of this great man who is both Bishop and Councillor at the same time. Now the situation is getting cleared and celebration can ensue free from anxiety.

The Church is gifted with golden items manufactured for this occasion, worth 500 gold (or more, let's see).
The Church is gifted with 250,000 stone, for constructing apartments for the poor, as they decreed.
Bishop David is gifted with a golden cup weighing 75 gold.

The University

The officer corps have had lectures in their new building and the Army has taken it as headquarters. Since the University also needs much stone, a gift is in order:

The University is gifted with 250,000 stone, for constructing new edifices.

Marquess of New Liberty

We have heard that in other lands people do become old, sick and die. This will happen in our land also soon (after 100 more years), so have we heard from the wise Dr. Choo and the Very Ancient Magus, Zenon. Our prayers are with the Marquess' father, may the Lord grant him health and years.

The Marquess is gifted with a Statue of New Liberty weighing 300 gold.

Baroness Roopatra

During the last 2 decades, Dame Roopatra has been an invaluable help in administrating the growing game. She has not always received adequate recognition from players, but we would do well to understand that the growth of our admin corps is essential for the continued success and enjoyment of all, and that the administration of the most ancient databases is indeed a chore.

Roopatra is created Baroness (address: Dame).
We call in recognition that Dame Roopatra is the only holder of AOK-S since 1490, and second only to His Majesty in admin hierarchy.
Roopatra is gifted with a Noble Suit containing 15 gold.

The Earl of Forte Spagnolo and sXpher

Without these two outstanding people, we would not be playing the online version in a few days.

Earl Riccardo is gifted with golden items manufactured for this occasion, worth 500 gold (or more, let's see).
sXpher is Knighted (L8) and may live in the King's castle until his palace is constructed right next to it.
Knight sXpher is gifted with golden items manufactured for this occasion, worth 500 gold (or more, let's see).

The Town Hall

This marvellous edifice has served the townspeople for 46 years, with ailing success financially. Do not lose heart! The city would not be the same without your marvellous great hall, the arcades and the roof gardens spanning over 12 quadrats!

The Town Hall Corporation is gifted with 100 small gold coins (5 g each) commemorating the 100-ary Jubilee, to be sold as souvenirs for profit.

The Grand Hotel

The restaurant is famous in the city, country and beyond.

The Grand Hotel Corporation is gifted with 4 sets of utensils (total: 20 pieces) to be used in $$$$$$ servings.

The Noble Palace

Since this is Zechariah's 50th anniversary of introduction, he gifts The Noble Palace Corp a medal of himself, weighing 50 gold.

All the PC

Everyone, great and small, gets a Centenary Jubilee commemoration coin (of which only 100 are made), weighing 10 gold.

Land Grant

Land Grant is back in another form! We will reveal our future plans a little bit:

Price of land has risen quite high, which is making life difficult for poorer characters and hindering the construction of NPC dwellings (in turn leading to lost business revenue etc. etc.). Our remedy is Land Discount Coupons (LDC)!

One coupon entitles to 10 mil discount when purchasing land from the initial holder. Coupons expire in 1550.

- The current characters whose LG is not used, will receive 1 coupon
- As part of the Centennary Jubilee, everyone gets coupons equal to how many votes they had in Arch. contest (1-5)
- In V.2, new characters get 1 coupon when they enter L3, to ease the acquisition of their own dwelling

We institute a Cashback, to be given to those who promptly develop their land purchased.

We already have the concept of a haw, land free of property tax. Now, the land's value correlates negatively with its tax rate, so the haw land is therefore higher in value than a non-haw land. We are planning to experiment with a land that has both the normal property tax (starting in 1600) and a special tax payable continuously. These lots are therefore cheaper and offer the opportunity for old and new players to acquire them with less initial cash. For new players whose labor pool is relatively high, this will be the final measure needed to enable them to their own property, (since renting is not coming any time soon).

Architectural Contest

Tentative vote count shows that Casino and Theatre seem to be in the lead. We feel that both are needed additions to the city, and should it happen that these indeed finish in the first 2 places, the winner will be built in C-A4, but we will make sure that a suitable lot will be assigned for the runner-up when new land is opened so that it can also be built.

I agree that often a simple elegant design can blow ones mind, and being complicated doesn't make something 'better', far from it. Originally I thought people were voting thinking of the utility of the buildings more than the design, but once I checked and saw that HM explicitly allowed this, then I amended my post as I could see I was in error to complain. Voting for 'function' was OK!

Obviously design preferences are highly subjective, but I think given that the competition is honouring a great and historic occasion (the Centenary Jubilee), and the location for the building is arguably one of the best spots in our City, IMO the competition is a chance to design and build something on a grand scale, that when built would leave people viewing it feeling awe struck. Something majestic & suitable for entertaining royal visitors in the year 1500, not just clever, but that's just my opinion, and not meant to sound critical of other entries. The Theatre design fits the location and the occasion very well, but so might some of the others too.

1. Marketplace
2. Theater
3. Auditorium

Lord Karl would like to point out that we are being asked to vote for the best *design*, not the building or facility we would enjoy having the most in our City. So which is the best design? That is what you need to ask yourself, which architectural design is the best, not which building you would use the most.

I fear some people are voting for their preferred 'type' of building, and forgetting this is an architectural design competition, and the end use of the building, or its value in our City should not really decide your vote.


edit:
HM did specifically allow 'function' to be taken into consideration, so maybe buildings like a brewery, casino etc are more desirable than a theatre, and more 'worthy' after all.


edit 2: I should disclose that I commissioned the design of the theatre, so I am obviously biased 

Master Saddam votes:

1. Monero Brewery (We could use a brewery and it is a nice tribute to Monero)
2. Theatre (the design is really nice and extravagant)
3. Casino (looks like fun!)

I would also like to order 1 festive orange suit for the Centennary Jubilee.

Hope to have the design for my palace completed tomorrow. 
 

It has come to my attention that Dame Roopatra also omitted the explanation from the theater's details, reading something like this:

"the sponsor pledges to not only erect the building but also pay the operating costs of the theatre for 100 years".

Lord Luigi also has a large organization to run and can easily calculate the great value of such a pledge.

This is rather informal, but is there any interest in me turning my giant building in F7 (the Lucky Lion building) into a corporation (where you could buy and sell shares like the Grand Hotel, Town Hall, etc.)?

Lord Luigi is saddened (after looking over the designs) that the Theater isn't getting more recognition. He feels it is easily the most impressive of the works (also costs the most by a huge margin, but who's counting? ), and that its purpose fits the location the best.

Therefore:
1. Theater
2. Casino
3. Marketplace

Ah. Got confused with my weight.

3. MoneroBrewery

Irma will be delighted to hear that new festive clothes are available to order again for the Jubilee. Surprise her.

Paulson, Esq. Votes:

1 Casino
2 Marketplace
3 Theater

He asked Mss. Irma but she is still upset for not having her festive clothes in time for the last celebration. The fiancee agreement seems weaker by the day...   

1. Theater
2. Casino

Dame Roopatra votes,

1. Casino
2. Theatre
3. Marketplace

Good luck for the competition everyone!

King votes (1-3):

Auditorium
Marketplace
Casino


Zechariah votes:

Casino
Brewery
Marketplace

Lord Ale votes:

1) Casino
2) Theatre
3) Auditorium

A bird's eye view of the Cathedral and the surrounding


Il also updated the Treatise of poliorcetics applied to Crypto-Kingdom.

Rhadamanthus votes: 1. Casino, 2. Auditorium, 3. Theatre

His Excellency the Right Honorary Earl David d'Armagnac announces that the duties of the Holy Church require it to become more independant from his own volition, for the betterment of the sould of any citizen and the glory of God.

As such, His Excellency announces the following:

• The creation of a formal Church, ran independantly from d'Armagnac. The ensuing legal person will pursue the same purposes of caritas and self-sufficiency as d'Armagnac envisionned. d'Armagnac will remain involved in bith the daily and the strategic considerations. This creation happened some time ago but was not formally announced before.
• d'Armagnac gives most of his belongings to the Church.
• the warrior-monks who served faithfully d'Armagnac will be now be under the authority of the Church.
• the Church itself will create several divisions focused on various activity. These divisions will be called Ecclesiastical Orders and several will be created as time and threats goes.
• Effective immediately, the following orders are being created:
  
  • The Pious Order of the Supplicants will comprise any donators to the Church - internal ranking will be announced later.
  • The Fellowship of Benedict will continue and extend the production of various kind of beers. Most beers will be of high to very-high quality, but there will also be a beer meant to be affordable even to the very lowest citizen, so that not even the most indigent has to suffer from poor health by drinking beer.
  • The Knights of the Temple will incorporate all the warrior-monks in a structure much more apt at defending the Kingdom, including the merchants travelling to outside locations.
  • The Poor Company of Theophany will spread knowledge of everything that the Churches cherishes outside of pure theological virtues. This means litteracy, academic knowledge and understanding of the world - for which the Company may organise or subsidise expeditions.
  • d'Armagnac received a vision from God for another order that will be created in dire times to come.
• Secular clergy in charge of churches, like priest and vicars, do not belong to an ecclesiastical order.

More details, especially, how to join any particular order, will follow.

I have a nice red suit on order for the celebrations and look forward to both my impending promotion to Master, and the outcome of the architecture competition.
Yours,
Quentin Moon

100-ary Jubilee Promotions

Several promotions have already been confirmed. Funnily enough, there are 10 characters (26% of all PCs!) that should promote according to other criteria but lack the minimum living conditions requirement.

Lord James (to Earl): Minimum 200 sqm/100% house needed.
Lord Ale (to Earl): Minimum 200 sqm/100% house needed.
Dame Roopatra (to Baroness): Minimum 100 sqm/60% house needed.
Master drfred (to Baron): Clothes needed, minimum 100 sqm/60% house needed.
Master Saddam (to Baron): Minimum 100 sqm/60% house needed.
Master binaryFate (to Baron): Minimum 100 sqm/60% house needed.
xulescu: Minimum 45 sqm/20% house needed.
dnaleor: Minimum 45 sqm/20% house needed.
Paulson: Minimum 45 sqm/20% house needed.
paradigmflux: Payment overdue, Minimum 18 sqm/0% house needed.

Now - it is possible to contact me or Roopatra for addition or new building. We still have some very little time so please be brief. Or contact smooth for RE brokering. We have a lot of 45-100 sqm places in town but you need to find them and contact the owners.

How to get a bigger house?

Zechariah is willing to develop a residential palace in the most prime lot of W-K6, with Karl, Monero House Gardens, University and Jousting Ground as neighbors. Fully developed and with maximum luxury and opulence, this land is sold as follows:
- With 300+ sqm palace turnkey solution: 780,000,000 m
- With 200+ sqm and commercial space in the basement: 680,000,000 m

The palace has much light, since apart from the south facade to the Jousting ground, we have secured the rights of windows toward Monero House gardens from e=4 upwards. Other features you may pick from the list (one or several):
- Raised entrance from 1st floor
- Golden room
- Other gold (specify - all gold comes from the buyer)
- Galleries
- Large Hall
- Hall with high ceiling
- Hall with dome
- Grand staircase
- Guest bedrooms
- Kitchen (not mandatory)
- Tavern in the base
- Viewing balcony
- Roof gardens
- An option is to negotiate the quadrat directly to the north from the Chancellor smooth to be a back garden. We know the University needs money and that is not immediately in the area that the University needs for its own buildings.

Also HM lot 1-N-C10 can be sold fully developed at the following prices:
- With 200+ sqm: 320,000,000 m
- With 150+ sqm: 270,000,000 m
- With 100+ sqm: 220,000,000 m

You can pick features similarly as in the previous case. There will be a small square in front of the house and a midsize grocery store just on the opposite side of the square.

Noble Palace residency counts as a temporary residency. So for promotion you cannot use it, but if you are between homes (eg. a Baron moving from townhouse to a palace in a haw) it is possible to use NP. Other rentals are not enabled for complexity reasons.

Concerning new land

New land of 500 quadrats will be opened once the Online Version 2: Ancients works properly. There is much stone in the Kingdom, and it will be accepted as payment for land, and used for constructing the defences in one swoop.

We also spent sleepless nights concerning how to delight our subjects in the Jubilee. The consideration was that land is what everybody wants. So this is a pre-announcement that gift cards for land will be given to each and every one equally (some are more equal etc. you know it already..)

Concerning new characters

No new characters will be admitted to the game before the online version functions properly. It will be launched this Sunday, but it does not necessarily mean that new characters can be created immediately.

Forced liquidation of current characters

There may be characters that both have had a negative balance for a long time, and are inactive/inaccessible in the game. These will be liquidated before Sunday unless contact can be established. The liquidation order is as follows:

- gold
- land (unless gold is enough to cover the debt)
- other assets.

Having 1,000 gold is not a requirement since Sunday, therefore they can resume play with having less gold. If the balance is still negative, they are revomed from game. If it is positive, they will continue play normally.

In Economy, the sickness will take care of inactive characters, because treating it properly, strongly favors characters that can log in weekly at least, and a few weeks of untreated sickness may be a cause of death.

About gold

Only one auction is left and it closes today. Price of gold has stabilized at around 100,000 m/CKG and already half of the gold is issued to the 39 characters, a fantastic premine if you dare to call it  

In the online version, HM Coinshop will operate with the maximum trade of 2,000 CKG or more. The accumulation or selling of gold will be fully automated soon.

If any of the large goldholders wants to undercut King's margins (currently spread is 12%), he should prepare to do it as trading in the taverns is very easy from then on.

About the Most Ancient Gold Items

There will be a tab in the Character DB soon showing what can be ordered and at what cost. To ease the handling, gold is now totally indestructible, meaning that when it is remolded, the non-recoverable part is added to  the labor cost (at the current price), and when the item expires, you always get the full amount back.

About Barbarian Uprising

We have held a summit with the leaders of the so-called Barbarians. It appeared that they are nice people after all and awestruck with both our civilian and military accomplishments, the Donjon of our Citadel that rises to 25 m height (with pedestal), our well trained army with Nobles as leaders, the new Shopping Centre etc., that they confirmed no willingness to attack us.

In turn, we gifted them 100,000,000 m as a 100-ary gift. They are coming to spend half of it during the celebrations, as well as all other foreign dignitaries do. They told that the foods we regard as exotic are common where they live.

All in all - peace is secured for the time of the Jubilee, as is fitting, and foreign cultures can live together if they just respect their differences. Our Army stands fully prepared to guard the security of all the visitors, while their own security troops are limited to a minimum.