New Faction: Royal Navy/Privateers

What would this faction do?

If it is hunt other players, that is sort of already done by the Reapers. If it is hunting Reapers specifically, I don't think I see the point honestly as everything is session based and one can already hunt Reapers (they are always visible on the map, so anyone can) and gain faction Rep with the faction based on hunting players (Reapers will happily take another Reaper flag - you don't even need to raise a Reaper flag yourself).

If they don't have something unique about them I don't see what the point would be.

I think we don't have enemies who are other humans because Rare wants to keep the game open to all ages. Otherwise I feel we would have seen some form of human NPC already.

@jack-hinson7536 We'll just have to wait until the Grand Maritime Union makes their way to the Sea of Thieves

@redeyesith said in New Faction: Royal Navy/Privateers:

What would this faction do?

If it is hunt other players, that is sort of already done by the Reapers. If it is hunting Reapers specifically, I don't think I see the point honestly as everything is session based and one can already hunt Reapers (they are always visible on the map, so anyone can) and gain faction Rep with the faction based on hunting players (Reapers will happily take another Reaper flag - you don't even need to raise a Reaper flag yourself).

If they don't have something unique about them I don't see what the point would be.

Well, if you're point is "Pirates already hunt other pirates" then it could just as easily be said that all factions are the same. "Go here. See a guy. Do a thing. Sell stuff."

If the goal is to make cash so you can buy stuff - and it seems to be - then literally all factions are interchangeable - though some can be exploited more than others. The only real question of merit is: "To what degree?"

If the goal is to create a game universe with story arcs, canon (not cannons), that somewhat follows along with the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean, then there would have to be a force opposing Pirates by default.

In real life, this was done by legitimate Royal Navy forces or, failing their presence, Privateers acting under Color of Law and formally sanctioned by the King, being issued a Letter of Marque.

Aside from this, in the most basic game terms - it would be a good excuse to implement another ship type, weapons, uniforms, hats, everything. Not just an excuse for micro-transactions.

It's interesting to see what people do when they are given the freedom - even encouraged - to act like Pirates. Let's see what happens when they are given the authority and protection of the King.

@wisdom-eternal said in New Faction: Royal Navy/Privateers:

@jack-hinson7536
I've mentioned similar in my post. However, I like your take on it as well. I mentioned simply that a royal navy would be present to hunt down pirates - much like the ghost ships and skeleton crew already do. But they would be more active in their task.

Becoming a privateer and receiving bounty could be interesting. Great aspect for PvP.

I would like to see a mechanic where you could get credit for sinking, burning or taking a prize any pirate ship.

Could you imagine capturing an entire ship and selling it at Outpost to the Royal Navy NPC? How that mechanic would work, I do not know. Perhaps some kind of flag raised combined with a time limit, etc. IF - and that's a mighty big IF - the Royal Navy/Privateers can keep it.

It should not be an easy thing to do, otherwise it can and will be abused. Some solo doing a treasure chest hunt on a big island - it's easy to slip onto his boat and sail away while he's busy. And that WILL happen if the boat is going to be sold for big money.

Because the first thing that happens in life, games, anything - is that a good percentage of people will find an easy way to game the system and exploit things in order to get over and gain advantage over others. Like camping an Outpost - no work is involved. No effort. Wait for a nicely appointed ship to arrive - obviously they have cash and are doing a turn-in - and then ambush them while they're turning in.

Which is the equivalent of shanking someone in the liver from behind with a sharpened toothbrush so you can steal his watch to support your crack habit. People who engage in this behavior are beneath contempt.

But I digress. It's just an idea - I don't have all the details hammered out. I just thought it would be a good idea.

@jack-hinson7536 said in New Faction: Royal Navy/Privateers:

@redeyesith said in New Faction: Royal Navy/Privateers:

What would this faction do?

If it is hunt other players, that is sort of already done by the Reapers. If it is hunting Reapers specifically, I don't think I see the point honestly as everything is session based and one can already hunt Reapers (they are always visible on the map, so anyone can) and gain faction Rep with the faction based on hunting players (Reapers will happily take another Reaper flag - you don't even need to raise a Reaper flag yourself).

If they don't have something unique about them I don't see what the point would be.

Well, if you're point is "Pirates already hunt other pirates" then it could just as easily be said that all factions are the same. "Go here. See a guy. Do a thing. Sell stuff."

If the goal is to make cash so you can buy stuff - and it seems to be - then literally all factions are interchangeable - though some can be exploited more than others. The only real question of merit is: "To what degree?"

If the goal is to create a game universe with story arcs, canon (not cannons), that somewhat follows along with the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean, then there would have to be a force opposing Pirates by default.

In real life, this was done by legitimate Royal Navy forces or, failing their presence, Privateers acting under Color of Law and formally sanctioned by the King, being issued a Letter of Marque.

Aside from this, in the most basic game terms - it would be a good excuse to implement another ship type, weapons, uniforms, hats, everything. Not just an excuse for micro-transactions.

It's interesting to see what people do when they are given the freedom - even encouraged - to act like Pirates. Let's see what happens when they are given the authority and protection of the King.

So, for this I would say the differences we see are in some of the general gameplay conceits.

Gold Horder = Find a location a dig up a treasure

Order of Sould = Go to specific islands and fight some AI enemies

Merchant Alliance = Acquire and deliver goods to specific delivery locations

Reapers Bones = Hunt down player ships and steal loot from other players

Hunters Call = Attempt to acquire/catch and cook food items in the world

Sea Dogs = Engage in competition based engagements with other pirates

My point was that each of these, while similar, focuses on a different facet of gameplay. I don't see the niche that this new proposal would fill other than either being NPCs (and thus this steps on the toes of OoS by just reskinning the NPCs we're killing, and defeats what the devs want of every pirate actually out on the seas is another player - thus why we got Skeleton Ships and not Privateers).

If we want it to be a player faction, what does it offer that isn't offered already. You suggest sinking ships, but this is the Reapers Bones (worse you've recommended it get something for sinking any kind of ship, which defeats the balance they were going for via the Emissary system).

If the argument is that the Privateers were what did stuff in the real world, I would argue why does that matter - Sea of Thieves call them something else. We also have the Merchant Alliance and not the East India Trading Company. Order of Souls and Gold Hoarders have no real world equivalent.

As for adding new weapons, ships, etc. - I must ask why we need a faction for these. We've never out and out needed one before to do these things (save maybe uniforms, and we can just expand them now rather than out and out needing a new faction to do more). We got a Brigantine just to give us a new ship - didn't need a faction.

Like I said, my overall point is I don't see anything here that isn't in the game already.

@redeyesith I don't see the niche that this new proposal would fill other than either being NPCs (and thus this steps on the toes of OoS by just reskinning the NPCs we're killing, and defeats what the devs want of every pirate actually out on the seas is another player - thus why we got Skeleton Ships and not Privateers).

I'm not talking about NPC's. There was another guy with another thread that suggested that. I'm not him.

If we want it to be a player faction, what does it offer that isn't offered already. You suggest sinking ships, but this is the Reapers Bones (worse you've recommended it get something for sinking any kind of ship, which defeats the balance they were going for via the Emissary system).

No, if you look at what I said, I said: "I would like to see a mechanic where you could get credit for sinking, burning or taking a prize any pirate ship."

Any PIRATE ship. You didn't read carefully enough or engaged in selective interpretation - seeing what you wanted to see.

An armed Merchantman delivering cargo is not a pirate ship. Neither is an OoS appointed ship. Reapers are, as is any unflagged ship. If they cannot be bothered to fly a flag, and they get sunk, then that's very much a Them Problem.

If they are flagged non-pirate faction like Merchants or OoS and engage in piracy - using neutral status in order to deceive their target and get close, then ambush them - then they should be treated as any other Reaper or mudkip. In other words, hunted down and shot.

As for adding new weapons, ships, etc. - I must ask why we need a faction for these. We've never out and out needed one before to do these things (save maybe uniforms, and we can just expand them now rather than out and out needing a new faction to do more). We got a Brigantine just to give us a new ship - didn't need a faction.

Like I said, my overall point is I don't see anything here that isn't in the game already.

You're acting like I made the argument that SoT NEEDS this. I never made such an argument. It's a suggestion - something I would like to see implemented in the game.

No idea where you're getting this "Need" stuff - arguing against and trying to disprove a point I never made and never entered into the conversation until you brought it up.

Sorry that you seem to be getting very defensive here, was simply pointing out counter thoughts to your own ideas. Discussion as it were. I'm saying I see flaws in the idea, and don't personally see a point in dedicating development effort and resources to such an idea.

I also did address multiple facets here, and mostly through questions. Not so much implying your thoughts but asking you for consideration.

I also pointed out why sinking non-emissary ships being given additional incentives is not great from a balancing standpoint of things, so I certainly wasn't cherry picking and directly did address facets you brought up yourself as well as additional considerations one must make when considering such an implementation.

But, I've said my piece here already with many factors left unaddressed with anything constructive or meaningful for me to really continue discussing the point further.

Carry on.

@redeyesith said in New Faction: Royal Navy/Privateers:

Sorry that you seem to be getting very defensive here, was simply pointing out counter thoughts to your own ideas. Discussion as it were. I'm saying I see flaws in the idea, and don't personally see a point in dedicating development effort and resources to such an idea.

I also did address multiple facets here, and mostly through questions. Not so much implying your thoughts but asking you for consideration.

I also pointed out why sinking non-emissary ships being given additional incentives is not great from a balancing standpoint of things, so I certainly wasn't cherry picking and directly did address facets you brought up yourself as well as additional considerations one must make when considering such an implementation.

But, I've said my piece here already with many factors left unaddressed with anything constructive or meaningful for me to really continue discussing the point further.

Carry on.

I tend to get defensive when people invent things and attribute them to me, misread what I write, read what they want into my posts, etc. You don't get to passive/aggressive your way into pretending you didn't instigate anything and that I'm being unreasonable for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

I really don't care about what you have to tell yourself to justify your strawmanning my posts, or reading what you want into them.

"address multiple facets" is word salad pish. As is "constructive or meaningful" - you've offered neither, so don't pretend like you have.

Stay off my thread. Goodbye.