Let me try like... one more time...
This thread is NOT about shark skin hulls or sails or even the masthead.
What this thread has been about and is about (please RARE tell me you understand what I'm saying...) - is RARE has missed the boat (still love this pun) on the little things.
When I refer to the little things I mean this...
The "Big Picture" RARE has down - beautiful artwork - really lovely world to play in.
However, the things that make or break this fantasy are always an afterthought.
The DLC added features - added a small adventure. Great! What it did NOT do is add value to the world by adjusting what they have done in the past. They did not change their course (oh another pun!) on how they deliver and price cosmetics.
They built a game based on cosmetics as progression yet there has not been and there is no in-game perception of the value of the cosmetics.
I don't care what the skins are for - or what they said they were for - That is not my point. They are doing things wrong with this game. They have not restructured the progression system for new players to experience any kind of feeling of progression. (SEE THREADS ABOUT PROGRESSION) - This would make a big difference to new players.
Back to the DLC - they released flags with no base meaning of use. It's a little thing but it puts the online gameplaying community on the same page because it directly says what these BASE flags mean in the game. It's a little thing - but it makes a difference.
The argument of it's what the players agree on - doesn't work - we're not living all together on one server. So yes RARE making an initial statement in the game of what the BASE flags mean (in case they add a flag editor) does make a difference in gameplay to a small extent.
Back to the Hull/Sail Skins.
I get it - you like new stuff - you like unlocked stuff - with each patch. I get it. What I am saying and have been saying - if everything is the game is unlocked or free right off when you log in - there is no motivation for many players to play. It is psychological that people want to earn and work for something in games. They also like to feel as if they are progressing - since this game is cosmetics - the structure of unlocking items has to be implemented properly. It hasn't been - and it still isn't implemented.
More On Hull / Sail Skins
Event / Campaign / Mission-based skins matter in this game more than any other game because they are the perceived progression. They are the visual representation of moving forward aka through this game.
Again in case, you didn't read it "I don't care why or what kind of skin was released in this DLC"
What I am saying (again) is because this game is based on cosmetic progression and to some extent roleplaying - the items in the game that can be seen clearly (mainly ships - sails - flags - cannons - etc) matter to create the perception of in-game value. In the mind of the player if a skin stands out unique and the players have to work for it to unlock it (not grind gold!!!) it becomes valuable in the game. It becomes wanted - sought out.
And when such items are unlocked and rewarded to the player - that skin - that hull - that golden cannon - that required the players to go through a journy to get it - becomes something in the game that people can see - and they may not see it often at first and that adds value to the game - it adds a direction to set sail for (pun again!).
This game has not had that implemented. It has not had it with the 3 traders and the grind to pirate legend.
I can't say it any more than I already have. RARE continues NOT to regroup and restructure the cosmetic and game system so that there is in-game value of cosmetics.
The DLC is an example of that lack of detail to understand earning cosmetic creates value in this game - Missions that send you off in a quest to find a sail or a hull - is what makes value in t his game. One more time "I don't care about the shark skin and why they made it available to purchase"
There should have been a skin sail or whatever - that is large and in your face that says this CREW this SHIP beat the MEG.
And expand on that same concept that when you see a ship you know exactly what the crew has done by the story told through the Items on their ship.
The cosmetics for people matter much less than the ships. I can't tell you what the pirate had on that killed me (unless he's a shirtless idiot with ghost pants) - But I CAN TELL YOU that a galleon with black sails just attacked us.
I should be able to tell you - that a Galleon with the RARE (pun) skin that takes a month to acquire attacked us and I hope we don't see it again!
Let me end with this... Gold Grind is not progression - In other games maybe it is because you upgrade weapons. In this one - What is on your ship - what is on your person is the progression. And if you grind for that progression - you're simply wasting your time in this game. In this game the focus of earning cosmetics is more important that the grind. If the game tracks how many people you give chests to (we know it has an achievement for one) than you can earn your way to a Sail that represents Robinhood or whatever. That SAIL tells the story of you and your crew. Not the 140,000 black sail with c**p on it that means nothing.
Please tell me you understand what I'm trying to say. I'm not attacking you if you think New unlocked items for gold is a great thing to have - I'm saying that while it may be cool short term. Long-term RARE is missing the boat (fun pun still!) on creating the perception of value in game. And of creating items that tell the story and progression of the crew.
Sigh... I give up..
@urihamrayne said in Another Example Of RARE being Clueless The Little Things:
-1 iq posting strikes again
the skins for the ship help people know what that ship wants, this works best during events so people with shark hull sails and flags are on a higher chanse of trying to fight the meg, also there are unlockables by defeating the new threat so calm your bobs
