The solution to Ambush/Chest stealing/Safe zone discussion?

  • NorTig
    Marauder

    On this forum there has been a lot of discussions about Camping the Chest turn in point/outposts and how to potentially counter this; mostly the ideas have revolved around "Safe Zones" and/or NPC Guards of some kind. These have been opposed by many for various reasons, although I think that most of us can agree that fighting for loot is definitely part of the game. However, Ambushing players as they turn in chests they have worked for possibly hours on obtaining, turning around and selling them for full gold and xp/rep rewards (leaving the victims with nothing) before the victims even can respawn seems quite broken and makes life for griefers both easy and profitable.
    Now, you might make the argument that the victims should have been more careful, and you may even have a point. But if this becomes too common this game is definitely going to take some hits in how many people keep playing this game. There is a limit to how long players will keep going for no reward.

    Is there a way to make everyone happy? Probably not.
    My suggestion however involves just one small change that still lets PvP and ambushing still be a thing at outposts without making it too easy (and quick) to profit from.

    On to the solution then;
    Make it so that chests can't be sold on the Island the crew first picked it up on.
    Meaning the ambushers need to take the chest on their ship and sail to a different outpost in order to profit, while the crew who originally obtained the chest just has to take it back from the thieves in order to sell it. This gives the crew who was ambushed/stolen from at least a chance of taking back their treasure, while at the same time forcing the crew stealing treasure to leave the island sometime in order to cash in. As a bonus it seems simple/quick to implement, but then again I'm not a developer so I could be wrong on that point.

    Good/Bad Idea? Did I miss anything? Have a better Idea?
    If this has been suggested before, I'm sorry I missed it but I'm new to the forum and can't read every post out there.

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  • Dzeenk
    Marauder
    Founder

    Maybe a delay in time before they can sell it back or like you said another outpost. It could also be a special "thieves" outpost were only chests marked as stolen can be sold.
    The crew that steals in the "parley zone" of an outpost could be marked as truce breakers with a bounty and chased on the seas before they reach the thieves outpost..

  • StafyLocok

    @nortig Interesting idea though in my opinion incomplete.

    I think this wouldn't change anything if a well organised team decides to just ambush and wait until they have like 20 chest to move to the other island to deliver.
    The teams getting robbed would still be frustrated, probably even more because they would have to chase endlessly the enemy ship and then do the same again. So it would be like mice and cats running after each others back and forth.

    But to add to your idea:
    Progress could be linked to the quests. Reward linked to the chest. So if for some reason you lose your chest (or get your chest stolen), you would still keep your progress from the quest.

    I personally prefer my idea of a relative safe place with less rewards, given the fee you'd pay to the king of the island who authorises the business you're doing (until someone comes up with another idea that I'd prefer).

    Staf'

    Edit : @dzeenk said in The solution to Ambush/Chest stealing/Safe zone discussion?:

    The crew that steals in the "parley zone" of an outpost could be marked as truce breakers with a bounty and chased on the seas before they reach the thieves outpost..

    I like this idea!

  • M4TT3R4U
    Founder

    The solution is to just be a better Pirate... The name of the game is SEA OF THIEVES. Circle the island and make sure no ships are docked, and if no ships, look in the water for mermaids. If you get your chests stolen that's that's on you.

  • Capn Light9g
    Lord
    Insider
    Founder

    @m4tt3r4u I believe Rare has already provided an adequate solution: 6 different outposts. There is no reason whatsoever to allow yourself to be ambushed.

  • Deadeye Nomadic

    No point in chasing down a pirate if he can just crash into an outpost quick and be safe. It's a pirate game after all. You are safer in numbers, if you play alone you need to play much more tactically.

  • darkinz77
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    My idea is that u can buy whit 100 gold a Passive mode (white Flag) for like 1 hour (real time) like the passive mode in GTA online . You cant , Attack other pirate but u also can't be attack . It might be challenging to make but i'm pretty sure it possible .

  • Deadeye Nomadic

    @darkinz77 how would anyone go about pirating anyone in a pirating game if for only a small amount of gold they can loot stress free all day.

  • darkinz77
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @deadeye-nomadic you put a cooldown on it , maybe u can just buy 1-2 per day

  • Hauz20
    Founder

    @darkinz77 said in The solution to Ambush/Chest stealing/Safe zone discussion?:

    My idea is that u can buy whit 100 gold a Passive mode (white Flag) for like 1 hour (real time) like the passive mode in GTA online . You cant , Attack other pirate but u also can't be attack . It might be challenging to make but i'm pretty sure it possible .

    Is thinking something along this line as well. Or even just a white flag that's only cosmetic and spells out your peaceful intentions. No gameplay changes. Hopefully, people would adhere and pass you by.

    It could even play into some fun sneak attacks. Fly a white flag, get closer under peaceful pretenses and then blast away, lol.

  • Deadeye Nomadic

    @hauz20 totally down for a white flag but not something that makes you invincible in a game that's specifically about pirating and thieving from others.

  • darkinz77
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @hauz20 ya maybe ! i was just throwing an idea . the devs will probably figure out something for the people that aren't too good at pvp or just dont want pvp at the moment while making sure people can't exploit the system

  • Deadeye Nomadic

    You don't have to be good at pvp, just better at sailing a ship and being sneaky and observant. Sell when you can often and safely. Always safer in numbers.

  • NorTig
    Marauder

    @m4tt3r4u said in The solution to Ambush/Chest stealing/Safe zone discussion?:

    The solution is to just be a better Pirate... The name of the game is SEA OF THIEVES. Circle the island and make sure no ships are docked, and if no ships, look in the water for mermaids. If you get your chests stolen that's that's on you.

    True, And the name of the game is indeed SEA of Thieves, so it only seems fair that the thieves actually have to set out to sea sometime.
    And currently (from what I understand) there are 6 outposts and up to 90 players on one server/instance, meaning if 36/90 people (assuming 4-man crews) decide to camp on a server there are no safe outposts to deliver on. Now this is unlikely but I've learned never to underestimate the amount of d-bags out there.

    Besides, this is why we have discussions; to let people punch holes in our ideas, and hope that there aren't too many or we can fix the holes before it sinks ;)

  • Tufor C

    @dzeenk said in The solution to Ambush/Chest stealing/Safe zone discussion?:

    Maybe a delay in time before they can sell it back or like you said another outpost. It could also be a special "thieves" outpost were only chests marked as stolen can be sold.
    The crew that steals in the "parley zone" of an outpost could be marked as truce breakers with a bounty and chased on the seas before they reach the thieves outpost..

    And what about chests that get stolen from thieves outpost? :D

    The suspense of incoming attacks is what is making the game a rush. Everything else is pretty straight forward (but fine like this).

    But what about bountys on Crews? This should be a thing!

    "Black Sails at the horizon!! It's the [Insert Crew Name here]-Crew!"

    4th NPC voyage merchant: Bounty Hunt

  • Beauty4HisGlory

    @nortig I agree! This happened to me last night! I had two treasure chests to turn in. On my way to get the second chest, i saw another pirate take my treasure chest and run with it. I tried to catch him, but it was too late..... And then he killed me..... with his sword :(. I was shook! ~Becca

  • Th3 RebelV2
    Seafarer

    There is many ways you can prefent this .
    1.Dont store all the chest in a boat at once maybe take a few chests bring them back etc.

    2.Scout out a outpost before docking there .look for ship masts wich you cant miss.!

    3.If players are camping without a ship there always be mermaids in the water that gives away that there are players present.

    4.the game should not turn into a casual game where everything is just given .or made safe zones etc because people find a way to abuse this .

    5.so check out your surroundings and people should be fine!!
    You lost a fight or get ambushed whilst there are clear signs of players ...Then you deserve to lose it

  • Deadeye Nomadic

    If anything, you should be spawned on a random island if you sit on an outpost for too long. If anything. There are indicators that people are around like ships and if there around and they ditched there ship then there's mermaids around. Always look for them.

  • Cable0312

    so you are saying the chest have tagged outpost the need to go to?

  • NorTig
    Marauder

    @cable0312 No i mean the chest tags 1 outpost where it can't be sold by the thieving crew (basically the shopkeeper saying: "I saw you steal that, I'm not paying you for it" ), they can sell it at all others.

  • Cable0312

    mkay, seems ok

  • NorTig
    Marauder

    @th3-rebelv2
    1-3:
    All good advise. But at some point you have to land in order to sell your chests. (at least until they let you keep chests while logged out, and I have no idea how (or why) they would implement that)

    4: This was proposed as an alternative to the safe zones. Just camping and firing a few shots in order to cash in is somehow not "a casual game where everything is just given."?

  • Retto Elbaroda
    Master
    Founder

    This is pretty much what I posted twice already. Along with making it so that stolen chests could only be sold to a special thief guild trader with their own items and levels and all. So that a problem would become a fun feature. Sadly people just raged at me and sent nothing but hate saying it's not necessary and that it's not a big deal what is happening and that I'm making things up. So I deleted the post. It made me sad and made me question if I really want to be part of the forum community. This place became very toxic after the beta came out. :'c

  • TH3GHOST23
    Marauder
    Insider
    Founder

    @nortig This is actually a really good idea! I am 100% AGAINST safe zones, and as someone who enjoys killing and stealing from other crews, I find this to be a really good solution! It also prevents people from scuttling their ship and hiding their mermaid. Additionally it also makes them "earn" it. However; I would like to mention that I think when a ship is destroyed and players respawn they should have to wait longer on the ferry of the damned and they should spawn as far away as possible from any other crews.

  • TH3GHOST23
    Marauder
    Insider
    Founder

    @hauz20 I really like the idea of flying different flags and being able to swap them on the fly!

  • NorTig
    Marauder

    @retto-elbaroda Hmm, sorry to hear that. Yea people can be quite.. "salty" on these forums. Take solace in that there are at least a few like-minded individuals out there. And all our voices deserve to be heard; even if not agreed with.
    As for the "special thief guild trader" idea; it's not a bad one, more variety is good after all. I just see "my idea" as the simplest way to solve the problem, it can certainly be expanded upon.

    @TH3GHOST23 Thank you. Do remember that respawn mechanics need to apply to all players, and respawning "as far away as possible from any other crews." would be quite annoying if you are sunk while in a battle near a quest island or such. But I would agree with no mermaid respawns and the ship spawning 1-3 islands away. But that is perhaps a discussion best left for another thread.

  • Retto Elbaroda
    Master
    Founder

    @nortig You're completely right. What you say could be done rather easily for the team as a quick fix. And if they wanted to make it into a feature, there is a way. Thank you for your answer, made me feel better about this :)

  • gOht
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    I've got your solution, get out of my waters! Hahaha. You weaklings can't hack the pirate life.

  • Dzeenk
    Marauder
    Founder

    @tufor-c in thieves outpost you can sell it immediatly when you steal because these are lawless outposts. Yeah I'm kinda into the bounty on crews and a quest system eventually around that. this could work out mateyyy !

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