My idea for 'Ship in a bottle'

  • Greengrimz
    Marauder

    I was recently commenting in @MeinKraftin 's thread on Ship in a bottle, and during that time I kind of imagined how I'd like to see this system implemented.

    First, introduction:

    Some of the older dogs here probably remember when we were discussing for the ability to purchase storage crates be implemented, so that players who can spare the gold can simply log onto the server, puchase a few crates and fly off. Basically skip the initial loadup phase.

    For those of you who haven't read that discussion - the main flaw of such system would be the fact that it would be unfair towards newer players who prefer to spend their shinies on other stuff. It would put them at disadvantage, sort of.

    Next, I present to you: Ship in a bottle

    1. Players whose ships are anchored on any seapost, and within dock range (same range to change ship cosmetics), can now bottle their ships.
    2. Bottled ship - a snapshot of any given ship, which includes the cosmetics and provisions of the ship at the point it was bottled. Movable objects (treasures, crates, etc.) may not be stored, and instead despawn and float up, after the bottling process.
    3. Bottled ships can be selected just before setting sail.
    4. Upon loading into the game, the pre-selected bottled ship is already awaitig its crew on the dock.
    5. Each player may possess only one bottled ship. Not one per type - just one. (Communicate with your crew and choose wisely.)

    (Editted additions, thanks to @CotU42 's feedback:)
    6. Each ship may only be bottled by one player, after which it despawns.
    7. If a bottled ship sinks, or is not re-bottled after each session, that ship is lost.

    Finally, a few concluding words:

    • This system would provide players, both new and old, with the ability to skip the initial loadup process, which many people find needlessly long (my crew included).
    • This system would allow aggressive players who mostly look for worthy fights to migrate servers, instead of having to fully clear them, often killing mutliple fresh spawns/new players, in order to merge into another (my crew included).
    • The system does not put newer players into any kind of disadvantage.
    • The system answers another very common request around here: the ability to save your ship's cosmetic setup throughout sessions.

    So, what do you guys think? Please comment.

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  • CotU42
    Lord
    Insider

    @greengrimz

    The system is does not put newer players into any kind of disadvantage.

    Euhm.... yes it does:

    and provisions of the ship at the point it was bottled.

    Unless you believe that provisions are not useful: tons of cannonballs, food, planks, chain-shots, blunder bombs, fire bombs, cursed cannonballs and wraith balls.

    Also, the system is abusable: go on a collection tour, save a fully stocked ship X times for each crewmember, could even extend it by swapping out crew, and then go attack, sink, plunder... even if you lose; swap server, magic... all those supplies returned and a new try.

    The idea is to benefit those that stick to the same session, that each and every pirate starts the session at the same point. The benefit of being fully stocked comes to those that collect it and manage it (don't use it). The people that have more time invested into the session, server, are those with the benefit and that seems to me how it should work.

  • Greengrimz
    Marauder

    @cotu42

    Unless you believe that provisions are not useful: tons of cannonballs, food, planks, chain-shots, blunder bombs, fire bombs, cursed cannonballs and wraith balls.

    Higher amount of provisions is not a problem, as it happens eitherway throughout the natural game process. People (old and new) are at equal disadvantage when they freshly join a server on which another ship has already been bunching up supplies for X amount of time already.

    Also, the system is abusable: go on a collection tour, save a fully stocked ship X times for each crewmember, could even extend it by swapping out crew, and then go attack, sink, plunder... even if you lose; swap server, magic... all those supplies returned and a new try.

    Collection tours are a part of the game, how is that abuse?

    Each ship can only be stored by 1 player, after which it despawns. You cannot have the same ship stocked in multiple players. Probably my bad for not writing it with more details.

    Attack, sink, plunder are also a natural part of the game.

    If you lose, you lose your bottled ship. The whole point is to bottle a ship, not to copy-paste-paste-paste-infinity. This is also my bad, for not writing it detailed enough.

    I will edit my main post with the corrections/additions.

    The idea is to benefit those that stick to the same session, that each and every pirate starts the session at the same point. The benefit of being fully stocked comes to those that collect it and manage it (don't use it). The people that have more time invested into the session, server, are those with the benefit and that seems to me how it should work.

    I respect your opinion.

    But my standpoint is different. I often find myself feeling sorry for being forced into (figuratively speaking) cleaning the servers of new players/fresh spawns/tall tale voyagers, so that they can leave and we could be merged into another server. It's not fair, I know it, and I do feel bad for these people, but I don't want to lose the provisions I've farmed one+ hours.

  • CotU42
    Lord
    Insider

    @greengrimz said in My idea for 'Ship in a bottle':

    @cotu42

    Unless you believe that provisions are not useful: tons of cannonballs, food, planks, chain-shots, blunder bombs, fire bombs, cursed cannonballs and wraith balls.

    Higher amount of provisions is not a problem, as it happens eitherway throughout the natural game process. People (old and new) are at equal disadvantage when they freshly join a server on which another ship has already been bunching up supplies for X amount of time already.

    Yes, but the question is who joined the server first, not who joined the game first... that is the idea of the horizontal progression. New player can be in the advantage over the veteran player, instead of the veteran player always being ahead.

    Also, the system is abusable: go on a collection tour, save a fully stocked ship X times for each crewmember, could even extend it by swapping out crew, and then go attack, sink, plunder... even if you lose; swap server, magic... all those supplies returned and a new try.

    Collection tours are a part of the game, how is that abuse?

    Each ship can only be stored by 1 player, after which it despawns. You cannot have the same ship stocked in multiple players. Probably my bad for not writing it with more details.

    Right... so we get to the dock in a crew where I don't know people, I did most of the stocking usually and they nick the ship with a majority vote? You realize not every crew is a bunch of friends or people that will play again together? So... who gets to 'claim' the ship?

    The ship is a crew asset, you cannot limit it to one pirate because that means people can either grab it and leave... leaving who wants to continue with no ship or it will only be used in groups where people can agree upon who gets it as they will sail together, meaning pre-organized groups which are the strongest already get a buff?

    Attack, sink, plunder are also a natural part of the game.

    Yes, I have no issues with these actions.

    If you lose, you lose your bottled ship. The whole point is to bottle a ship, not to copy-paste-paste-paste-infinity. This is also my bad, for not writing it detailed enough.

    Yet if you cannot duplicate, the above issue arises with who 'owns' the ship?

    I will edit my main post with the corrections/additions.

    The idea is to benefit those that stick to the same session, that each and every pirate starts the session at the same point. The benefit of being fully stocked comes to those that collect it and manage it (don't use it). The people that have more time invested into the session, server, are those with the benefit and that seems to me how it should work.

    I respect your opinion.

    But my standpoint is different. I often find myself feeling sorry for being forced into (figuratively speaking) cleaning the servers of new players/fresh spawns/tall tale voyagers, so that they can leave and we could be merged into another server. It's not fair, I know it, and I do feel bad for these people, but I don't want to lose the provisions I've farmed one+ hours.

    I am a stock boy, I have no issues with losing provisions or regathering them. I get the 'annoying' aspect of it, but I believe the choice to swap servers should come with this little penalty. The lucky or unlucky aspect of joining an aggressive server is a perspective, maybe the fresh spawn likes a fight, maybe they don't... I been both the aggressor, as the receiver and have no issues with it, but then again I welcome a fight.

  • Greengrimz
    Marauder

    @cotu42

    Yet if you cannot duplicate, the above issue arises with who 'owns' the ship?

    You do have a point. I haven't thought about that. It's just an idea after all, only a seed.

    I guess, the person who creates the game?

  • CotU42
    Lord
    Insider

    @greengrimz said in My idea for 'Ship in a bottle':

    @cotu42

    Yet if you cannot duplicate, the above issue arises with who 'owns' the ship?

    You do have a point. I haven't thought about that. It's just an idea after all, only a seed.

    I guess, the person who creates the game?

    Someone created the crew, leaves it in the capable hands of the others while they leave to have a bite or get disconnected. They join later on... who is the ship belonging to now? Should open crews or joining a LFG not be desirable for those seeking a crew, as they want to be the 'captain' so they can take the ship at the end? How will you fill up ships if more people start a game as closed then open it up, to make sure the ship is theirs?

    In essence you are asking for a sort of Captaincy feature, which has a whole bunch of design problems that aren't easily solved. There is a reason why we haven't gotten that yet and as far as I can tell it has been put in the freezer.

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