The unfortunate thing is that rare sees all pirates as equals. They obviously do not have testers that play hours on end do everything and anything to see what bugs are happening first hand and what its like to have randoms on board. There has never been a pirate story/film that did not have a captain. Even the ghost ships/skelly ships have captains. Even in order of souls you have to defeat CAPTAINS to recieve a skull to sell. The captain should not have the only authority to pilot the ship but should have all ability to kick players out of their ship or even be able to leave them forsaken on an island where they can choose to swim/rowboat to another ship and try to join or leave the server. I am a pirate legend and I have put it way too much work/hours to keep having afk players that are free looting in my quests that I have to pay for to have my ship sunk during a 1v2/3/4 battle with another crew. All pirates are not equal. Many of us have put in hundreds of real time hours to become legends throughout the past 2 years and for anyone to say a brand new player/free looter is equal to us is ignorant at best. Thats like telling a jet pilot to let you take over when you have no experience. This needs to be addressed by only the fact that all environmental characters have captains needless to repeat what has already been said.
Make captains for ships
Many of us have put in hundreds of real time hours to become legends throughout the past 2 years and for anyone to say a brand new player/free looter is equal to us is ignorant at best.
So just to be clear, if they added captains into the game and you had the ability to kick people freely and whenever you want, you would kick someone who just got the game? Open crew is not known to have the best of the best, you know the risks when joining open crew. Just because you CHOOSE not to post an LFC on the Sea of Thieves Discord (Over 150,000 members btw) doesn't mean you need to punish players that are new to the game.
Why are you blaming NEW players for being bad? They're NEW. Do an LFC in the discord, play with friends, do an LFC in xbox, you have resources available to you that you can use to find better players. Just because you choose not to use them is ignorant at best
@kaijoi I am fine with playing with new players. I have played with many new player and taught them many tips and tricks. Its the AFK players and the free looters that EVERYONE has a problem with. When you have a solid crew you can all vote to close the crew (which is currently in place) that tool belongs with another tool that should be in place which allows the CAPTAIN to kick specific people. How difficult is it to accept that a "captain" who VOLUNTARILY opens the crew to find solid team to then close the crew is ok but kicking afk players is not?
@kaijoi I'm also a pc player not Xbox player with only 1 monitor that forces me to minimize sea of thieves to post on lfg as I'm currently playing in hopes to find a good team which is just as likely as having random people join my team in game. So why would I spend that much extra time trying to do that? Pc players do not receive in game notifications when replied to through the xbox assistant.
@kaijoi on top of my replies brand new people don't even know how to DROP THE SAILS. So why would you want them piloting your ship? I highly doubt that you (assuming you've been playing for some time) allows a brand new person to pilot your ship mid athena quest. If a new person wants to join me in said scenario I will gladly accept the responsibilities that come along with it BUT if they go afk often during said scenario I should have the right to kick them.
@thetruthhz432
I don't mind a vote to kick system much like the vote in brig, just for kicking. The way you introduced it was there is 1 person who gets all the power and what they say goes. That shouldn't happen, but a vote to kick would be wonderful.I'm also a pc player not Xbox player with only 1 monitor that forces me to minimize sea of thieves to post on lfg as I'm currently playing in hopes to find a good team which is just as likely as having random people join my team in game. So why would I spend that much extra time trying to do that? Pc players do not receive in game notifications when replied to through the xbox assistant.
If you're talking about xbox LFG, that's fine, but the SOT discord pings you when you get mentioned. As well as you are WAY more likely to find good players in the SOT discord, because you can ask for requirements, being PL, decent at PVP, 18+ and people will usually meet those requirements before they join you.
Again SOT has given you plenty of tools to assist you so you don't play with random players who are new to the game, if you don't want to use it that's fine, but don't complain that you get people who don't know how to drop the sail, because you are choosing to roll the dice with open crew, rather than look for people with requirements in the SOT discord.
@kaijoi the bottom line though is that i had no clue there was a discord. I hardly even use social media. So for people like me who don't know of such exterior tools, but understand the fundamentals of customer retention management, knows that if you just add one little utility such as a kick button, they would retain a higher volume of customer satisfaction and returning customers.
@kaijoi With that being said, games are meant to be for fun but no game is fun when there are no updates. Updates cannot be made if developers are not getting paid to do so. This is the back end of the entertainment industry. Sales must be made to continue the entertainment for their customers. CRM is vital to stay alive in any business.
@thetruthhz432 said in Make captains for ships:
@kaijoi I'm also a pc player not Xbox player with only 1 monitor that forces me to minimize sea of thieves to post on lfg as I'm currently playing in hopes to find a good team which is just as likely as having random people join my team in game. So why would I spend that much extra time trying to do that? Pc players do not receive in game notifications when replied to through the xbox assistant.
Wait ill bring the violin for the sad melody.........
Guess what? i have one screen as well and if i dont want to deal with randos i go to discord and find a crew if i dont sail with mine.
Kicking option is going to get abused alot and thats why it will never be in the game.
The only thing i see fit is the first player on a sloop can bring the last one who arrived because if someone starts to cause problems there is a way to stop it.@kaijoi what could be fair is if they created a captain scenario, if the captain decides that someone isn't worthy to be on their crew he can initiate a fight. They both get 60 seconds to load up on ammo and food and then the fight begins. It wouldn't matter where they are or what they are doing. If the mate wins they get to stay on the ship as part of the crew rightfully earned, if they lose they are kicked from the crew.
@faceyourdemon said in Make captains for ships:
@thetruthhz432 said in Make captains for ships:
@kaijoi I'm also a pc player not Xbox player with only 1 monitor that forces me to minimize sea of thieves to post on lfg as I'm currently playing in hopes to find a good team which is just as likely as having random people join my team in game. So why would I spend that much extra time trying to do that? Pc players do not receive in game notifications when replied to through the xbox assistant.
Wait ill bring the violin for the sad melody.........
Guess what? i have one screen as well and if i dont want to deal with randos i go to discord and find a crew if i dont sail with mine.
Kicking option is going to get abused alot and thats why it will never be in the game.
The only thing i see fit is the first player on a sloop can bring the last one who arrived because if someone starts to cause problems there is a way to stop it.Did you not see this? Or the rest?
@kaijoi the bottom line though is that i had no clue there was a discord. I hardly even use social media. So for people like me who don't know of such exterior tools, but understand the fundamentals of customer retention management, knows that if you just add one little utility such as a kick button, they would retain a higher volume of customer satisfaction and returning customers.
@faceyourdemon Why do you think fortnite, apex legends, call of duty, halo, valorant, etc work so well? Because your not stuck with the same person for hours with the only options being to never open up the party in the first place or surrender all the hours spent that day for nothing in return due to being the games algorithm deciding that your in a full crew so optimally the crew should be merged with a server of other full crews, pve gaining more strength against you and your ship, etc. I would rather CHOOSE to join an open crew and for some ungodly reason be kicked by the captain at the end of a long quest than the 150% more chances to be wrecked be pve/pvp with an afk crew.
@TheTruthHz432 seems to want Rare to appoint Captains based on their time on the Sea of Thieves and or rank or experience. This simply won't work. Either you will have ships full of qualified Captains, or crews of newbies, where no one is qualified. But, historically, pirate crews were models of democracy, and Captains were elected by the crew.
I wrote a post on this, many months ago...
Electing a Captain
Under this scheme, a majority vote would be needed to elect - or depose - a captain. So if you create a closed (solo) sloop, you could vote yourself the captain before opening the crew to allow a stranger on board. They would have to accept your autocratic rule, or leave. The captaincy could not be changed unless the captain voted himself out of it: Which he might do if he wants to leave the game, but allow his crewmate to take over.
On a galleon, a majority of those on board (one alone, two of a crew of two, or three of a larger crew) could elect the captain. But also a majority could stage an effective mutiny and vote their captain of the job.
Powers of the Captain
Firstly, a captain could brig any member of the crew, without a vote being needed. This could make it quicker and easier to handle griefers that come on board; and allow the sloop's brig to become useful! On a galleon, he could even brig two or three crew members; albeit at the risk of losing the confidence of his crew, and his job. :-)
Captains should also have a overpowering vote on quests, eliminating the need for everyone to vote each time, and then vote to cancel it if not liked, etc.
Captains may be the only one allowed to set a ship's cosmetics, or raise a flag, although this might not be convenient.
I honestly can't think of any other game mechanics that might be changed by having an official captain (brigging was the main one), but there would be, of course, a moral authority in a well disciplined crew. He would be the one that shouts "Nor-Nor-East, helmsman" and "Adjust those sails, you scurvy idlers!"
What the Captain is Not!
The Captain is not the helmsman. Well, he can be if he wants to; but do not assume he has to be. But he should give direction to the helmsman.
Finally, I suggest having captains is optional. Crews may continue to sail as a self-governing autonomous collective, if they prefer to.
My wife and I were literally talking about most of what you stated. Though what you say is true, people (like me) start a closed crew and deem themselves captain and sail as much as they please alone until they decide to open the crew but since the person who has already been sailing and has loot on the ship they are automatically assumed captain (this goes for 2 player scenarios, 3-4 is much more chaotic and most of the time people run around not knowing what to do because theres no communication happening and people are stepping on each other's toes) A lot of people have anxiety and are afraid to reach out to find good crews because of whatever past or present mental or emotional road blocks they may have and those people enjoy having a structure of authority that allows them to feel part of the crew instead of wondering and hoping every move they make is making a positive impact towards their team. I feel like it would be good to have both options for people to be able to play it like it is or have a captain but the voting system does not work. I also understand that any person could have a full crew and be able to complete a quest then kick every to force the environment to reduce the difficulty of any encounter but they could keep the environment the same difficulty as a full crew which would force the captain to decide whether its worth it to kick people or not. If you have a format with a captain it would allow new people to be taught how to play and have role models to look up to (which in turn could increase sales for skins, pets, cosmetics etc). At least create a beta side that allows pirate to have captains and see where it goes and how many people actually enjoy playing that way.
@thetruthhz432 what could work as a voting system would be to have sections that others could vote individually ie good captain, good treasure hunter, good fighter, good all around etc. But when it comes to voting to kick, voting to brig, voting to be captain etc it just does not work nor would it work at all. Another (as mentioned previously) would be to allow the captain to vote a fight (which would not need a vote of the crew) against the person he wants to kick. If the captain wins the other player is kicked if the other player wins they stay without a chance of another fight unless the rest of the crew agrees to kick.
@thetruthhz432 I dont use social media as well, i dont see your point ive deleted my Facebook more then 10 years ago.
Sometimes i dont mind to play with noobs but when i do want to play with someone with a mic and someone who want to do the same thing Discord is a great way (as much as i hate Discord) its that easy.Yes the games that you have mentioned do have faster rounds so you get to play with diffrent players more often but thats not Sea of Thieves and you want a feature that in the hands of bad players they will abuse it left and right.
I hate social media too, deleted my facebook account 10 years ago as well and wouldn't touch twatter with a barge pole. Discord is the nearest thing to SM I use. I joined Hitcrew on discord too which is another good friendly SoT community with a really good lfc section for anybody interested. Between the official SoT discord and Hitcrew you're sorted..
@thetruthhz432 said in Make captains for ships:
@kaijoi the bottom line though is that i had no clue there was a discord. I hardly even use social media. So for people like me who don't know of such exterior tools
OMG, the irony! You're such a noob! 🤣
You just need to learn how to let it go - either start a new session or leave and try again later. We all have bad or imperfect days. Chalk it up to that and move on, or forward. Heck, report them if you want!
Feel free to follow me on Facebook, everyone! 😅
@galactic-geek Let me ask you this. What are the skeletons called that when killed drop a skull to sell? Who pilots ghost ships and skelly ships? Who are most of the tall tales about? Is the answer to all of these CAPTAINS? It seems inconsistent to make players not have captains when the entire environment is full of captains. Also advertising your Facebook account on here isn't going to get you the followers you're looking for. Make some yourtube videos, post videos on tiktok, Instagram, etc. Good luck with your marketing capabilities.
@galactic-geek Just wondering where the fun is in that. Is like just selling the fun part? I dont want judge or anything, just wanna know :)
@nabberwar thats why they could have both, those who choose to be in a non structured vessel and those who chose to have a captain.
@cap-j-findlater ALL of it is fun until your crew goes afk and/or sits around for free loot, trys to intentionally blow up/catch the ship of fire, and/or cant even vote them in the brig because the sloop only carries 2 people. The pve becomes more difficult against the crew, you become merged with full crews who are most likely created through discord, and quests take twice as long to complete due to having to dig more as well the the previously stated reasons.
@surveyorpete And to add on that, if the player is in the brig when they go to turn in, the brigged player gets 50% of the rep and golds original value.
@nabberwar what you say is contradictive to the game itself. Crews sail around power tripping to steal others loot. So having a captain who can't even FORCE any to do anything but has the power to kick people from their crew is less of a power trip than a crew sailing to sink you and steal your loot. Which is part of the game correct?
It's funny that the most of the replies I'm seeing are people basically saying I don't want that so you can deal with it or do something else. Where are the examples of how having a captain would be bad? Where are you experiences where someone was captain of your ship and you had a bad time? Is that example of a player that was just trolling you? If so wouldnt that fit with agreeing with this topic?
@nabberwar what you say is contradictive to the game itself. Crews sail around power tripping to steal others loot. So having a captain who can't even FORCE any to do anything but has the power to kick people from their crew is less of a power trip than a crew sailing to sink you and steal your loot. Which is part of the game correct?
No, your example blows. Being able to physically kick someone from the game is more power than anyone else has in the server. If I lose my loot, I have the possibility to get it back. How can I even contest getting booted? Rhetorical question. The motto is all crewmembers are equal, but guess what? Every other crew on the server isn't apart of my crew. Can't power trip over people not within your command.
I do not want a single person to have the authority to govern whether I remain on the ship or not. I am their equal, not their inferior. I will state it again, if you can't cooperate with strangers then solo it. There, you are now your own captain.
I will even throw you a bone here, a compromise if you will. I am all for a system to vote kick, but its democratic that requires a majority. Galleon requires 3 and the Brig requires 2. Sloop is S.O.L. because no one has a majority.
TL;DR at bottom btw
I think captain votes would be a good addition to the game, and my main reason is quest votes. It is a bother when everyone can agree on a goal, but over half have to stay at the quest table, which in practice, takes time to assemble even the best of crews to vote.
The main problem with Sea of Thieves votes is because crew sizes capping at 4 means it takes a lot of votes to do anything (with a vote to brig, it must be everyone against 1 person, and anyone not with the program ruins the endeavor).
It would make sense, not if there was an official "captain," but if crewmembers could temporarily "surrender" their vote to another person to make things easier. Besides this, there is no reason to give someone a title they can hold over others in the crew. What says that a captain can't get angry at their crew and just scuttle in the middle of a voyage without needing to convince anyone?
In many of my crew interactions, one person ends up being a captain of sorts, where they are the loudest voice in the crew, giving "orders." This is especially prevalent in the Arena, and there need be no vote to make this happen.
You've brought up afk people and they are definitely annoying. I would say that they should be kicked, but not even surrendering your vote should be enough to give 1 person the power over the right to be on a crew.
I agree that there should be a "walk the plank" system, but I don't agree that we should allow for self-righteous players to be able to kick someone because they've been voted captain. I don't think they should be able to start a server alone, vote themselves captain, and then control everything without a democratic system.
Even this watered-down view of player control introduces problems, namely, vote holders brigging a player for no reason, 2-3 people trolling the last person out of loot, and needing to reverse the actions of a vote holder if they do something out of turn (if they brig someone and then get their extra votes taken away, they would still be needed as a majority vote to unbrig someone)
I don't think a system could be implemented that doesn't have exploitable problems, to the point that I'm not surprised they haven't been a part of Sea of Thieves for its whole lifetime.
There are going to be incompetent and afk players. It sucks but most people have friends and LFC to rely on.
TL;DR - I agree with many of the OP's ideas, but the downfalls of implementing official captains in their way are high. Even making a captain have less and less power don't easily mitigate the problems, and at the point when they do the change would be small enough to wonder why it exists if only to get rid of a few minor annoyances with how votes work.
@grumpywolf1106 So my response would be that in terms of a solar system planets can exists but can't evolve without a sun. Microorganisms won't obtain radiation that carries positive and negative traits such as vitamins, photosynthesis, visual perception (which can be argued but it wouldn't be vision without light, it would be more like sonar), and even death. With that being said a crew can exist but for crew members to evolve a captain would be their sun. Yes the captain could kick everyone or scuttle the ship but the captain would also lose all progress earned (this could be avoided by having a rowboat that people could load floating loot into and sail to an outpost, which would take forever to do but I've done it a plethora of times). The way the pve works is difficulty increases when the size of the crew increases so they could make the environments difficulty not change if a captain kicks everyone and no one would be willing to fight a kraken on a galeon by themselves to repair, bucket, and attack all by themselves. The format doesn't have to be changed completely but adding a choice at the home screen to join a server with or without captain could level out the playing field and increase customer satisfaction.
