New Faction

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

Ahoy

Was wondering what the logistics would be to have a faction in opposition to reapers/PvP crews - In that, crews who are doing PvE can 'hire' them to protect them while they are on their quests and would take a cut of the loot. If there are Reapers or pvp threats, this new faction would engage.

It's different to an alliance in that the focus would be to protect the crew which hired them rather than doing their own thing and splitting gold.

I think this could help out new players because they wouldn't feel as exposed on the seas in their early days and also give veteran players looking for PvP the chance to play a more positive role in the game instead of hunting. There is even opportunity to swap crew members: a more experienced crew member could captain the PvE ship, while some of the PvE crew could join the PvP ship and learn the ropes so-to-speak.

It could be implemented the same as alliance, with a certain flag offering / connection.

Open to ideas to develop this so it can't be exploited etc :)

[I've tried to search this idea so apologies if it's been posted before in some iteration]

Firstly, alliances don't "split" gold. Trust me, the majority of this forum wishes they did so alliance servers wouldn't be so OP in the gold department.

Secondly, what you actually want is the alliance system coupled with a speaking trumpet and using your microphone to communicate. The Sea is a place for battle or collaboration. Crews decide what they want to do, not some artificial guard rails built into game mechanics. There needs to be no more incentive than a bonus 50% of gold on loot turned in which already exists. The original way also still works of handing over some loot to the other crew by hand so they get 100% and you get 50% extra.

@kommodoreyenser Nope - you've completely missed the point there dude.

Apologies for the semantics of 'split' but again - not the point of the post.

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

@kommodoreyenser Nope - you've completely missed the point there dude.

Apologies for the semantics of 'split' but again - not the point of the post.

You also have missed mine. The point is to work out something with another crew on your own. Create your own adventure. Also, the counter faction to a Reaper ship is actually another Reaper ship. Try to befriend one if there are two on the server is your best option.

Lore-wise it should technically be Athena's Fortune to oppose Reapers but Rare decided not to opt for this potentially for gameplay reasons currently.

@kommodoreyenser This idea does allow people to 'work it out on their own' - there's nothing forcing anyone to run any faction, including this new one.

The main point being - this would allow new players to interact with experienced players, passing knowledge and skills on. The experienced players would be rewarded for doing so. Both of those can help with player retention for the longevity of the game. The newbies don't get dunked as much and the vets can choose to play a positive role and still get the PvP without having to run Reapers.

It would add new dynamics to content creation rather than hunting too. So streamers could use this as a way to generate new and interesting narratives.

It's not about gold or lore, it's about nurturing a self-sustaining community in the long-term.

How is this different/better than the alliance system today? Or how does it build upon it? What's in it for either party outside of one getting a bodyguard and the other getting potentially engage in some PvP? What's to stop the bodyguards from just turning on the crew they were hired to protect and just take the loot for themselves and get the PvP they were after in the first place? What happens if the bodyguard does a terrible job of protecting the other crew and just goes off and does their own thing? What's going to make them do the task they were hired to do?

It's not a bad thought, it just needs some further development to differentiate it from the alliance structure.

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

@kommodoreyenser This idea does allow people to 'work it out on their own' - there's nothing forcing anyone to run any faction, including this new one.

The main point being - this would allow new players to interact with experienced players, passing knowledge and skills on. The experienced players would be rewarded for doing so. Both of those can help with player retention for the longevity of the game. The newbies don't get dunked as much and the vets can choose to play a positive role and still get the PvP without having to run Reapers.

It would add new dynamics to content creation rather than hunting too. So streamers could use this as a way to generate new and interesting narratives.

It's not about gold or lore, it's about nurturing a self-sustaining community in the long-term.

A new faction won't change certain player's playstyle at all. No matter how much you reward them. The evidence was in Arena. They created an entire faction, separate from Adventure mode, filled it with unique cosmetics, commendations, and even tied in some Legendary set cosmetics that are only achievable there.

It failed. You know why? The PvE-centric crowd refused to cross over regardless of the lure of awards only available there, and after a few months, left only the smallest and most hardcore of tight knit PvP crowds using the mode.

The only reason for a system you are suggesting being implemented is to bodyguard players who otherwise can't defend themselves from even a solo player. This will not help new players learn to defend themselves because they will never be given the chances to do so without a huge amount of help. If you are never put in the position of defending yourself alone, how would you ever be able to learn to do so?

Also, unless you are suggesting that the bodyguard crew can unlock all commendations and cosmetics from treasure turned in by the guarded crew AND receive full treasure value, I fail to see the lure of this new "system" you are suggesting. Further more, the vague description of your idea is almost identical to some form of "bounty" or the "NPC enforcement fleet" system which has been brought up at least 60 times this year alone on the forum.

I think the creation of a faction whose goal is to hunt reapers is a waste of creativity and would become a poor and empty faction. It has been talked about playing a positive role, but what happens if the reaper is a PvE reaper who is just doing his thing? Or if there are reapers on the server?
As has already been said, the biggest opponent to a reaper is another reaper. Besides, nothing prevents them from teaming up to hunt down the other ships on the server. Things develop naturally, and organically, there is no way to control what people will do in the game. What's more, any faction can solve the problem of a reaper on the server.
You can offer an agreement with other emissaries on the server to face the threat of a reaper together if you wish. After all, you can't control what people are going to do in the game

@maironds88 yep.. missed the point again there dude.

The goal isn't to hunt reapers. All the info is there in my previous posts. You either can't understand what I'm trying to explain or you're being deliberately obstuse.

This theoretical faction can solve the gap between only finding newbies trying the game out or sweats. Once ppl have millions of gold and ran reapers enough times they could try a different approach and still get the pvp.

I can't keep running round in circles with you on this. We'll just have to agree to disagree

If I may give you an example: last week we were playing as a reaper and started a FotD because the server was empty and we didn't want to do a Hop server.
We spotted a sloop anchored in snake island and went to investigate. We found out he was a novice solo player who was a little lost with his maps, so we helped him solve the puzzle. Was it a positive attitude? Perhaps.
We went back to FotD to continue. At the end of it, we heard cannon shots coming from Snake Island, and there was a gally attacking that same sloop I talked about earlier. One detail, gally didn't even have an emissary flag. Was that a negative attitude on gally's part? I'm not sure, or is it just part of the game?
Could we have done our business and gone there to help the sloop? Perhaps. But we decided to continue our loot collection and set sail to sell. Was it a negative or positive attitude? Or just things happening organically, where people decide what to do or get involved in the issues of other pirates?
Positive or negative attitudes are not determined by a faction, but by people, regardless of any mechanics that exist in the game. Besides that one should pay attention when labeling behaviors as negative or positive when people are just playing the game

@mrtmcfly1541

Don't be so literal when you see the word hunt, We can interpret it as contrary. But it's in the first paragraph of your post. A faction opposing reapers/ PvP threats.
But apparently you don't feel like discussing your idea, only if we're agreeing with it. In that case, I also agree to disagree.

@maironds88

Wat XD

"Here is a very nuanced and anecdotal story about one time this thing happened" still does not address the core point I'm making.

I've never said 'hunt' - your interpretation of a crew who could be helping newbies is that they are actively hunting other ships. It's not that either.

If anyone is running Reapers then they above pretty much all else are saying to the server 'We are here for PvP' regardless of their intentions.

Positive behaviour = helping people. I didn't label Reapers a negative behaviour so you've jumped to conclusions there too.

Feel like I'm bikeshedding with this idea. Best to forget it.

No one person is deserving of protections over their peers. If we want to get literal, the Code in of itself states, we are of equal standing in this game. To create a defense faction goes against that tenet by implying some are more deserving of safety than others. We were all newbies at some point, plenty of us made it without body-guards, if we can so can they.

The other problem is it just won't work out in the way you think. The game prides itself more on a "tools not rules" philosophy. Nothing will enforce this faction to work in the way you intend it. Factions aren't held to any standard. A Merchant Emissary can sink and rob whomever and not be penalized whatsoever. The same can be said about Reapers, nothing states they need to sink ships at all. What will happen guaranteed is people will join this faction only to use it as a cover to attack whomever they want. In practice this won't work at all.

If the goal is to protect newbies encourage apprenticeship or be willing to teach. I've done more than my share already of that. Newbies aren't remotely as incompetent as you think. As time goes on in any game, so does the resources to ensure newbies don't stay newbies for longer than their predecessors. There is more resources than ever to teach new players than there ever was. A faction isn't needed in this regard.

TLDR: Won't work the way you think.

@nabberwar I'm just suggesting a new dynamic that could stop newbies being stomped and leaving the game without a fair crack at it. A way to increase in-game knowledge in real time with demonstrations and interactions with real people rather than searching for and watching YouTube tutorials.

It also sets up potential wars with this new faction versus Reapers who should be there for PvP. Gives vets the chance to get involved in that.

I know there'll be ways people will find ways to mess with the mechanic. Just like when people run an alliance offer then betray - running with this logic the devs may as well not add anything new?

I've also helped my fair share of folks out - that's why I think developing a reward system for it actually helps the community. Instead of it being brutal for the most part and then wonder why the servers and maybe eventually game will die out as all it'll be is sweats and newbies. Which it's very much like at the minute.

@mrtmcfly1541

It also sets up potential wars with this new faction versus Reapers who should be there for PvP. Gives vets the chance to get involved in that.

Again, there isn't a should for any faction. No faction is held to a standard. Nothing stops Reapers currently to play the role of protectorate. Nothing stops Reapers Alliancing and working together. The only way you can get the faction you want to work in the way you want is to penalize players for playing in an antithetical way. However, that won't happen because again, Tools not Rules is the motto. No faction currently gets penalized for playing in a way contrary to how their faction is written.

There isn't a way to implement this faction without micro-managing nearly every aspect of it while heavily penalizing 'wrong play.' What you want won't be achieved through a faction. I think what you would want is to encourage apprenticeships. Another route is more of a personal change. Change Alliances to ensure players actually get invested with whom they Alliance with. Make them share quests, essentially encourage them to get invested in the safety of their Alliance.

A faction isn't the route here, in my opinion.

@sweetsandman said in New Faction:

How is this different/better than the alliance system today? Or how does it build upon it? What's in it for either party outside of one getting a bodyguard and the other getting potentially engage in some PvP? What's to stop the bodyguards from just turning on the crew they were hired to protect and just take the loot for themselves and get the PvP they were after in the first place? What happens if the bodyguard does a terrible job of protecting the other crew and just goes off and does their own thing? What's going to make them do the task they were hired to do?

It's not a bad thought, it just needs some further development to differentiate it from the alliance structure.

Sorry dude - just seen this.. I think most of what you say is exactly why it'll be an interesting addition :)

It would be different to the alliance system as it would be a faction - with potential rep, commendations and cosmetics etc to unlock.

You could have a system like the emissary voting at the outposts - where one member of each crew votes to signify the job is done / crew is safe - this then unlocks any gold/loot/rep etc to the new faction.

It's more about building knowledge over the entire community, creating new dynamics and interactions and rewarding those who help.

@nabberwar When I say 'should' be there for PvP - I mean it in a sense that anyone running an emmisary is marked for PvP. Especially reapers. It's a risk and reward system. If anyone chooses to run Reapers - they should expect PvP. Not play a certain way.

You don't need to micro-manage anything - some people will use it to betray folks, but people use loads of other mechanics for that reason too.

That's why you can implement a system like emissary voting at outposts - one member of each crew votes to signify the job is done / crew is safe. Only then will it unlock rep / gold / commendations etc. If people want to use it to screw people over, they won't advance their progress, short of forcing a crew to vote/confirm the job was done.

@marr-t-mcfly
Not trying to be ugly but who wants to be paid to "Babysit"? That is what your are suggesting. Not only Newbies get dumped on but us veterans do as well. I don't think that being forced to "protect" someone is in the spirit of this game. Here we are all Pirates of all walks of life. From simple thieves, tuckers or merchants to bloody thirsty deviant trolls. This faction is a forced hand faction to how the game will be played. My crew and I have done this organically already but it was due to us deciding that the sloop doing the tall tale shall live and the others will die that attacked him.

@inboundbomb Nobody is being forced to protect anyone dude - I'm talking about folks who most likely already have millions of gold, have ran reapers a million times and want another approach to PvP. Some people may actually choose to do this.

If you have done this kind of thing organically - it basically just adds a rewards system to that.

Let's say call the new faction 'Privateers' - and they are marked on the map like Reapers are... so when ppl load into a server they would normally log out of because of the Reapers - they now have a options

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

@inboundbomb Nobody is being forced to protect anyone dude - I'm talking about folks who most likely already have millions of gold, have ran reapers a million times and want another approach to PvP. Some people may actually choose to do this.

If you have done this kind of thing organically - it basically just adds a rewards system to that.

I am one of those with the millions of gold and doubloons and my crew and I are avid PvEvPers. I just feel in my opinion that this forces me to protect someone rather than being a pirate. It seems more like a military situation. Just my opinion.

@inboundbomb No, I get what you are saying dude - for sure. But you aren't obligated to do anything if this was an option. Only if you wanted to rank another faction up :)

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

Ahoy

Was wondering what the logistics would be to have a faction in opposition to reapers/PvP crews

So the way to deal with violence is with violence? There are already factors encourage people to fight reapers. there're two options: One, you attack them had you emissary flag to prevent them from reaching G5 or two, reapers can hunt down other reapers.

• In that, crews who are doing PvE can 'hire' them to protect them while they are on their quests and would take a cut of the loot. If there are Reapers or pvp threats, this new faction would engage.

Would the hired "emissaries" be players or NPC's?

If they were NPC's they would hardly be any challenge or unbeatable as AI hasn't advanced far enough to mimic real humans "gameplay"-

If they were players it would bring up questions:

1. Who would benefit from this? only the player who hires the mercenaries.

2. How would mercenaries benefit from this? You already answered this one with "crews who are doing PvE can 'hire' them to protect them while they are on their quests "
   but that mechanic would have issues as well. Firstly if it's gold you want then the price should be "close" to average hourly payout (100-150k iirc?) but as this feature is aimed towards newer players they might not have enough money to pay for couple hour session, or at least make any profit.
   If hirer only had to pay fraction of the price then this could (and would) be used in alliance servers to generate more money. Plus feature of paying other pirates (in form of hiring) would make black market for SoT gold possible without account transactions.

I think this could help out new players because they wouldn't feel as exposed on the seas in their early days and also give veteran players looking for PvP the chance to play a more positive role in the game instead of hunting

The "sad" fact is that players can play as they want and most of the people who run reapers emissary do it for the gold bonus & grade 5 bonus of seeing all emissary boats on the server which again they do for bigger haul and greater loot.

. There is even opportunity to swap crew members: a more experienced crew member could captain the PvE ship, while some of the PvE crew could join the PvP ship and learn the ropes so-to-speak.

You can already try to find more experienced players who would be willing to teach you the game, for example in countless discord servers or Xbox'es LFG.

---

Open to ideas to develop this so it can't be exploited etc :)

Well preventing exploitation would be extremely difficult. If the "Guardians" were NPC's then they would oppose no threat at all or be to powerful. If they were to powerful there wouldn't be a reason for not to hire them as it could protect you from everything. But if they were to week there wouldn't be a reason to use them.

If they were players instead it would bring out questions for "why would anyone do this instead of playing normally, was it as GH or Reaper."
If the answer was to help people this feature wouldn't get much use and wouldn't be worth the development time.
If it was for gold it could (and would) be exploited like I've brought up before, and to limit the exploitation of gold duplication the price payed by the client could be to high for the target audience.

If the motivator was leveling up a brand new faction I don't see what would be the point? Yes they would offer a new way to play the game but would it be profitable or enjoyable enough to justify it?

@marr-t-mcfly It would be good idea for those friendlier pirates that do want to help but if you get a troll crew it will burn worse than just being normally attacked. Keep working on ideas that can make this work.

@limend

I don’t know how to quote reply you have so I’ll have to do it this way:

So the way to deal with violence is with violence?

Yep. It creates another route for vets to approach PvP

Would the hired "emissaries" be players or NPC's?

Players. This is an opt-in faction where experienced players can help newer players and potentially engage in PvP

How would mercenaries benefit from this?

If gold and farming would be a problem – make it purely rep, commendations and cosmetics. It’s more about helping the community grow and giving newer players real-time guidance. They can then choose what they do with the knowledge themselves. They may become Reapers or they may want to become the pirate who inspired and protected them when they were new. That’s the beauty of the game 😊

The "sad" fact is that players can play as they want and most of the people who run reapers emissary do it for the gold bonus & grade 5 bonus of seeing all emissary boats on the server which again they do for bigger haul and greater loot.

I agree – this isn’t so much about the gold. This is about developing the community as a whole. Hopefully increasing knowledge and skill and also player retention. Newbies have a little help while they try the game out – Vets have another way to PvP or create content etc

If the motivator was leveling up a brand new faction I don't see what would be the point? Yes they would offer a new way to play the game but would it be profitable or enjoyable enough to justify it?

Again, it would only be certain types of player who would probably run this – Just like I’ll never rank up Hunter’s Call. But I like helping folks out so would be interested in a reward system for it. And truly believe it would help the game’s longevity and player retention 😊

@inboundbomb Yeah I agree - it can be used to screw people over.

That's an occurrence in the game already.

That's why I think a mechanic likethe emissary vote at the outpost could be used.

Once the crew who needed help have handed loot in and are safe - one person from that crew and one from the new crew both vote at a table to signify the job is done. Only then will the rep/commendations be unlocked.

Anyone using it to screw people over would not rank up at all if something like that was used I think?

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

@inboundbomb Yeah I agree - it can be used to screw people over.

That's an occurrence in the game already.

That's why I think a mechanic likethe emissary vote at the outpost could be used.

Once the crew who needed help have handed loot in and are safe - one person from that crew and one from the new crew both vote at a table to signify the job is done. Only then will the rep/commendations be unlocked.

Anyone using it to screw people over would not rank up at all if something like that was used I think?

Now you also got to make sure that the crew protecting doesn't get screwed over as well. Say the protected ship comes in to the poet and sells the loot, get the rep due to our existing system and then just leaves. It drops the contract/mission and the protector gets nothing. Also if this is going there can be no portal tall tales that can activate as this removes missions or contracts on the captains table as well.

@inboundbomb

Those are all definitely valid issues that would need looking at before this could be implemented. Even if it's through inexperience rather than malice, a new crew could log out without voting.

Guess that is where communication is key - theoretically, this new faction would be on a quest with or in the vicinity of the newbies for a little while- so hopefully enough time to explain once the job is done - they need one favour of a vote at the end.

@inboundbomb even picking a piece of loot up and standing where the vote is and hitting the sword on the table could work haha

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

@limend

I don’t know how to quote reply you have so I’ll have to do it this way:

Use arrow pointing to the right mark, it will replace with this mark (>).

So the way to deal with violence is with violence?

Yep. It creates another route for vets to approach PvP

If this would be just another way to fight then it wouldn't be efficient enough. There're sessions during which you might not encounter ships for hours or if you do they won't mind you. If it's PvP you were looking for babysitting a ship with the change of other players coming to you might not be the best way. Not to mention having two ships in sturdier alliance than regular one shoulder to shoulder would lessen the reapers daring to attack you in the first place.
If the "guard ship" was allowed to leave the side of hirer then it could eliminate their entire purpose as sailing across the server might take longer than the fight between new crew and even a "casual" one.

Would the hired "emissaries" be players or NPC's?

Players. This is an opt-in faction where experienced players can help newer players and potentially engage in PvP

I think I pointed this out in my previous post but people can already help newer players to "pick up the tricks".

How would mercenaries benefit from this?

If gold and farming would be a problem – make it purely rep, commendations and cosmetics. It’s more about helping the community grow and giving newer players real-time guidance. They can then choose what they do with the knowledge themselves. They may become Reapers or they may want to become the pirate who inspired and protected them when they were new. That’s the beauty of the game 😊

So rewarding players with cosmetics would be all this gets? If there were commendations tided to this then people would grind them out, did they like the "job" or not. We've seen this with insider rewards Cough afk spinners and people grinding the legendary hunter of hunters call. If the player doesn't do it out of his own will but is purely motivated by cosmetics he might not take in seriously and end up AFK'ng on the ship or troll the ones they were supposed to protect.

The "sad" fact is that players can play as they want and most of the people who run reapers emissary do it for the gold bonus & grade 5 bonus of seeing all emissary boats on the server which again they do for bigger haul and greater loot.

I agree – this isn’t so much about the gold. This is about developing the community as a whole. Hopefully increasing knowledge and skill and also player retention. Newbies have a little help while they try the game out – Vets have another way to PvP or create content etc

I pointed out the problem with "another way to PvP" in this reply and there's already a way for more experienced players to teach newer ones, that being by playing with them. If the experienced "guard" ship kept all incoming attacks away from the new comer then the only way they could learn would be by listening tips which isn't as good way of teaching as having them in the same crew, but then having another boat guarding yours for teaching purposes would be pointless?

If the motivator was leveling up a brand new faction I don't see what would be the point? Yes they would offer a new way to play the game but would it be profitable or enjoyable enough to justify it?

Again, it would only be certain types of player who would probably run this – Just like I’ll never rank up Hunter’s Call. But I like helping folks out so would be interested in a reward system for it. And truly believe it would help the game’s longevity and player retention 😊

Like I brought up luring players into certain ways of playing for cosmetics isn't the best way to do it.

PS. sorry if I appear to look at everything with negativity but it's just that creating this would take plenty of resources and wouldn't be used by as many people or be as popular as PL or even Hunter's call expansion would be.

@limend

If this would be just another way to fight then it wouldn't be efficient enough

I see what you are saying there – there’s many ways it could play out – but the main focus of this faction would be to increase knowledge and skill of the community as a whole. Not necessarily to PvP. The faction could be hands on and helping with a quest, they could be patrolling etc. It would just encourage experienced players and new players to interact with a common, short-term goal.

I think I pointed this out in my previous post but people can already help newer players to "pick up the tricks".

I agree – there’s lots of ways this can happen. But this faction would be a way to facilitate it more actively. It doesn’t mean everyone will want to do it, but it would reward those who do.

If there were commendations tided to this then people would grind them out, did they like the "job" or not. We've seen this with insider rewards Cough afk spinners and people grinding the legendary hunter of hunters call.

I agree with this too – that’s why I think a mechanic similar to emissary voting at the outposts would combat a lot of that. A member of each crew votes to signify the job is done – that means anyone AFK or doesn’t actively help will have a hard time persuading a crew they were meant to help to vote so they can unlock the rep and commendations etc..

If the experienced "guard" ship kept all incoming attacks away from the new comer then the only way they could learn would be by listening tips which isn't as good way of teaching as having them in the same crew, but then having another boat guarding yours for teaching purposes would be pointless?

I said in an earlier post – there is opportunity for crew swapping. An experienced player helps with the quest / or a newer player can join the ‘pvp’ ship. This would generate situations where ppl can ask questions / share knowledge. I understand this happens organically, but it’s another way for it to come about + a rewards system on helping others.

luring players into certain ways of playing for cosmetics isn't the best way to do it.

It would only seem that way if people were doing it for the cosmetics, I’ve met plenty of experienced players who would like this opportunity, and would have loved to use this faction when I was new. I learned so much from the random open crews I joined, this kinda attempts to remove some of that randomness (albeit in the midst of the chaos of the game)

PS. sorry if I appear to look at everything with negativity but it's just that creating this would take plenty of resources and wouldn't be used by as many people or be as popular as PL or even Hunter's call expansion would be.

I totally appreciate your points dude – again, this is by no means a fully-formed idea so it’s good to get other perspectives to see if this is even a viable option for the future of the game 😊

@marr-t-mcfly said in New Faction:

@limend

If this would be just another way to fight then it wouldn't be efficient enough

I see what you are saying there – there’s many ways it could play out – but the main focus of this faction would be to increase knowledge and skill of the community as a whole. Not necessarily to PvP. The faction could be hands on and helping with a quest, they could be patrolling etc. It would just encourage experienced players and new players to interact with a common, short-term goal.

If its point is just to educate newer players I think that creating a new program like "creator crew" would be far better option for it. Cosmetic rewards for easy commendations and titles for getting more dedicated in it. Even though it wouldn't be any easier to create I think this would work far better if it was voluntary. + I bet it would take way less resources if created this way :D

@limend

If its point is just to educate newer players I think that creating a new program like "creator crew" would be far better option for it. Cosmetic rewards for easy commendations and titles for getting more dedicated in it. Even though it wouldn't be any easier to create I think this would work far better if it was voluntary. + I bet it would take way less resources if created this way :D

I mean - the main focus would be to share knowledge and skills which would in turn, improve the skill set of the community as a whole, but I don't think a kind of 'pirate school' would be as engaging. This would still allow the chaos of the game to unfold around it and everything that entails

It would be voluntary as nobody 'needs' to do it - just those who want to help / or at least think helping others is an investment in the longevity of the game :)