Seasonal Drought

  • Nex Stargaze
    Commander
    Insider

    I don't know if people have noticed this over the past 5 seasons, but it seems as though for those that may frequent the game often suffer from unnecessary stagnation of activity. Every dedicated player has completed their Season's Renown between the day the Season launches to about a month after the Season launches, with the content related to the season cleared within a month after the Season launches, and lastly, with the emissary ledger rewards being grinded and dished out the month (or month after) the new rewards are ready and available. Afterwards we have in-game events, or the now and new "Adventures" that last for a few weeks, but can be cleared within 1 session very effortlessly.

    A lot of people start falling off of the game like a month or two into the season and that's very concerning. Player numbers might be getting higher, but the retention is utterly terrible. Other dedicated pirates complain that there is no one sailing out there for piratical interaction and that's cause it's swabbies that have just installed the game and have no clue what they're doing.

    For those trying to find life on the seas and have been failing have been questioning about how the content flow for the seasons are. People aren't out trying to stir trouble on every server, nothing is really giving [veteran] people more stuff to do, and then they get swallowed by the increasing notice of server issues and bugs and wind up leaving, while [non-veterans] others still have to deal with nothing but tough pirates that don't believe in mercy should you have anything worth a gold coin on board and leaving because you feel false advertised in an attempt to "chill and have fun".

    Like I really want to point this out because, and while it's tacky to use only Steam's player metrics, more people stopped playing the game 1-2 months after they started, most noticeably with Season 3, which saw one of the largest increases in player numbers on Steam, but by August, dropped to nearly 1,5x less than the people that played.

    That may be steam, but I reckon the same issue happens on Xbox/MS Store as well, people lose interest in the game too soon and there's not enough enticing them to come back on and do the same thing all over again, or get caught in the same frustrations all over again.

    I would really like to just see if there are any other thoughts about this, cause I know I'm not the only one that's noticed this for 5 seasons in a row. Surely.

  • Login To Reply
    11
    Posts
    8.6k
    Views
  • WolfManbush
    Champion

    I think the main cause is not really something that the devs can fix.

    People struggle to create and or maintain regular crews on a game that can be stressful at times and very time consuming to get some of the grinds done.

    It's difficult for most in this game to keep a regular crew going and many aren't into investing the time personality testing pirates over and over to try to find compatibility.

    Crews fall apart because of time and interest conflicts but also from the consequences of frustrations from battle. So many crews (whether they admit it or not) get snappy with each other when things don't go well and when they get frustrated, even crews that are sailing around with a 90% win record still clash personalities when they are losing. The drama grows and that breaks up crews and dwindles interest as well.

    It is my belief that retention will always be a struggle here, not at the fault of devs or the community but simply because it's a lottery win to find a long term crew in this game where everyone can have compatible schedules, interests, and can go to piratical war together without building up resentment towards each other over time. For retention to significantly improve a significant amount of pirates would need to change their attitude and how they approach the game and how they treat others and that isn't likely to happen.

    Performance is a significant issue here as well but I think the above is truly what does the most damage to pirate retention.

    I don't think content is much of an issue at all event though it takes a lot of the blame.
    In a game like this there isn't really any way to keep content interesting long term it's just a loot source for the interactions and the interactions are the key to exciting experiences which keep people around.

    In my open crew adventures the number 1 reason I heard for people quitting once or multiple times is that their friends weren't around to play/ they didn't have people to play with/ their crew fell apart from frustrations of combat/loss. Which all boil down to not being able to maintain a regular crew. Something the devs can try to help out with their social stuff on the road map but ultimately it's pirates that have to put the effort in on that or it's unlikely to work out.

  • D3ADST1CK
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    This is likely why they've moved the new Athena voyages to the last part of the next season. People will be busy with renown, the forts and the adventure for the first bit and then once that excitement starts to wane - it's new Athena voyage time.

  • KommodoreYenser
    Lord
    Insider

    As an adult who only gets to play most weeks at 1-3 hours on a single day and some weeks none, along with having other games of interest, I welcome the pace.

    I also do not strive to get 100 in each season unless it is a cosmetic I will actually use/like. This season was a prime example. Didn’t really care for most of it and will finish at level 67. Mostly through just getting the season emissary ledgers (something I do because you never know when something cool will release and you need all the previous seasons to get the next one unlocked in order)

  • BurnBacon
    Vanguard
    Insider

    those that may frequent the game often suffer from unnecessary stagnation of activity. Every dedicated player has completed their Season's Renown between the day the Season launches to about a month after the Season launches, with the content related to the season cleared within a month after the Season launches, and lastly, with the emissary ledger rewards being grinded and dished out the month (or month after) the new rewards are ready and available. Afterwards we have in-game events, or the now and new "Adventures" that last for a few weeks, but can be cleared within 1 session very effortlessly.

    This went from Game problem to Player issue.
    The seasons were generally made for "newer" and less experience players so they could get gold and such even if they dont turn anything in. That and still earn rewards for Just playing the game.

    For us "Vets" it becomes quickly done because we know the ways around it and can finish it off. Players want to finish everything and have everything before others. They will do it just so they dont have to fight over it. Or in some cases, they have limited time to play and believe if they dont have it before the season ends...it never come back which is wrong since they been said to return in the pirate shop.

    So bottom line, Its the players problem. They run the game so quickly and complete every task instead of just...Playing for Fun.

    noticeably with Season 3, which saw one of the largest increases in player numbers on Steam

    Season three...hmmm why would the numbers grow...Oh Right. Jack Sparrow. Like with any major game event or dlc (free) if it gives players something awesome, they will flood it. Once the event is done or they finished it...They leave.
    Again, Player issue.

  • Valor Omega
    Champion
    Insider

    @d3adst1ck I have to agree. It will definitely be interesting to see how this plays out. I know if the new voyage was shipped at the start, people would probably play it a couple times, get all the commendations done, then complain that there's no content again.

    Staggering content isn't always a bad thing.

  • PithyRumble
    Rogue
    Insider

    I burn through the seasonal rep then go back to whatever messing around I was doing before. I can also take a break from SoT afterwards so I don't get burned out constantly grinding. TBH, I might wait for the new Athena voyages before I bother with this season.

    Besides....everyone knows it's gonna be sketchy until the first hot fix 😆

  • Vaca Hombre
    Champion
    Boatswain
    Founder

    I get more excited once I'm done with the Season stuff cause then I can go back to fooling around doing whatever I want.

    I enjoy the Seasons and the unlocks, but for me the game is best when I can relax and come up with weird or amusing things to do with my game time.

  • Rare Jumbie
    Commander
    Insider

    @aca-hombre

    the game is best when I can relax and come up with weird or amusing things to do with my game time.

    Pretty much this.

    What I hoped to see mid-season was people picking up and using the new tools that were made available to them in interesting ways. Sadly, I don't see many players utilizing cannon rowboats, fireworks, or the burying mechanic in any fashion that really enhances the sandbox.

    I can recall once where an enemy crew actually sunk us in spectacular fashion using chainshots, a cannon rowie with anchorballs, and an excellent follow up board.

    I can recall once where we actually buried a chest of legends after sinking a crew and had to come back for it when the coast was clear.

    I can recall twice where I was able to successfully approach a crew using fireworks without them getting spooked and running away.

    That's just not many instances where I'm actually feeling the benefit of these new tools. I know that they've got lots of potential but I'm just not seeing it happen on the seas between myself and other crews.

  • Liberance
    Master

    If interacting with other players is a must for you every time you play Sea of Thieves, then you know what to do based on all this: play right at the beginning of each season. Then find something else to play until the next season.

    The way I understand the game, sometimes you have encounters with others, sometimes you don't. I've avoided peak season at times because I didn't feel like having to deal with other ships. Some other times though I've deliberately looked for times where it was more likely to run into others.

  • WDW1011971
    Marauder
    Insider

    I have so little time each week to play is mostly why I am not on for hours each day I am sure others are in a similar situation.

Login To Reply
11
Posts
8.6k
Views
1 out of 11