Private servers are needed

@lil-fokker I can see where you are coming from with this idea and so long as loot/rep earned in a private server doesn't carry over to Adventure I'd be fine with it.

I'm a PC player, one of the joys of this platform is modding, people getting creative with a game's systems and freedom to change things to extend the life or scope of a game. That's tricky with a game like SoT, but potentially could be achieved through Private servers.

I know I just picked up RDR2, and one of the main draws for me to double dip was the prospect of mods and/or RDR2 RP servers just like GTAV RP brought me back to GTA.

I'd be all over a SoT RP server for example, but there's currently no real way to achieve that easily in game. Private Servers would make this possible instantly.

There's definitely potential in the idea. There's still the issue of splitting the community, but seeing as it's 24 players max per server and we don't know the active player numbers, it's difficult to predict what impact it would have.

Rare might know though.

@boxcar-squidy
Glad to hear it. Thanks for actually taking the time to consider the idea.

Most of the rejection of this idea comes from...

1. the "all or nothing" mindset
2. the desire to misunderstand for the sake of argument
3. the belief that once someone plays on a PS, they'll never return to Adventure or Arena
4. unearned progression vs. earned progression

RDR2 had a very toxic online community.
We used to see other 'neutral' players as pink dots....if they aggressed against you, they'd turn red.
If you joined a posse; those in the posse would turn blue.

When you saw a 'pinkie', the odds that they would attack you was 80%-100%.
It was a constant bloodbath.

Whenever you approached a town, and there were 'pinkies' there, you could just go to another town or risk the never ending shootout that was bound to occur.

We would ride in hot, dismount and run into the general store to talk to the owner as quick as possible...the only way to avoid the maelstrom of bullets. (your horse would usually get slaughtered while you were talking to an NPC).

They made several changes recently and RDO is now AMAZING.
You still encounter players but they only show up on the map if they are within visual range....this cut down the aggression a lot!!
They instituted defensive/offensive modes (like GTA).
There's a report feature that actually works and has consequence.
There's plenty of PvE, bounties, Roles (trader, bounty hunter, collector) offering tons of things to do.
And tons of PvP based activities that you can opt in/out of....while always having the chance that another player could draw down on you.
But the odds of that happening are very low, realistically low.

Which is what SoT needs. We are still in the 70%-100% aggro phase.
If within range, shots will almost certainly be fired and/or a chase will occur; even if there be no booty.

I used to LOVE the anxious feeling of spotting sails.
But, even that feeling has faded as it's become a near certainty that the ship will turn and give chase.....30 minutes later, you've either sunk them or have been sunk and neither ship had any loot, wasted all resources and forgotten what you were WANTING to do in the first place.

Now, I'm on the other side of the map from my destination and I have only 20 minutes left before REAL LIFE forces me to quit out.
Oh well, I got some semblance of PvP and a chuckle or two....but maybe next time, I'll actually get to do what I wanted to do.

@schwammlgott
Yeah. An addition that has only minor effects on Adventure. Before Arena, there was only Adventure...no choice but to play PvEvP.

Arena was added to give focus to PvP and the esports style matches that could/would be used for promotional tournaments and events.

It can and has been argued that the only changes that Arena may have caused for Adventure...

1. increase in aggression and propensity for PvP.
2. any players currently battling in the Arena, would not be in Adventure.
   But beyond that, Adventure remains as it's always been.

Private Servers would have the same kinds of effects on Adventure and Arena.

1. Players on Private Servers would not be playing on Adventure or Arena servers; which would momentarily reduce the populations on those public servers by a max of 24 if a private server was full.
2. Will Private Servers increase/decrease aggression?
3. Will players coming from Private Servers be better or worse players compared to those who have never played on or avoided Private Servers?
4. Would any of the above reveal any consequential changes for Adventure or for Arena?!
   a. No! Not for the modes themselves. They'll remain and be tweaked as the devs choose to.
   b. Population? Sure, but not permanent as players can choose between modes at any time.
   c. Play Style? Unsure. We won't really know until Private Servers come on line.