Theory crafting: Removing the Galleon?

  • Mrat13
    Marauder
    Insider

    Now obviously, this would never happen, but I hear a lot of complaints about the Galleon, which got me thinking:

    How would the game play without the Galleon around? Would it be better or worse? Would other unforseen problems arise? How would it effect playing with friends? Do many people even play the Galleon currently, such that no one would really notice it gone?

    Honestly, I have no clue, and I doubt we'll ever have concrete answers, but I'd still like to hear anyone who has any of their own thoughts about this scenario, thanks.

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  • WolfManbush
    Champion

    I don't play on galleons.

    The biggest struggle in the game other than performance is retention. Galleons are on the front lines of giving players with many gaming friends an opportunity to play together.

    Getting rid of the galleon is going to make retention even more difficult.

    They range from open crews which tends to not make them dangerous through naval but they will always have those numbers for other combat, to skilled players playing easy mode with their friends.

    The galleon is the least common, so uncommon it rarely has a risk/reward presence/impact on an organic server but still very very necessary to help with retention issues.

    Separating more friends means more people will do other things where they can play with their friends.

  • Sn0kanon
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @wolfmanbush in my extremely unscientific, poorly-documented experience I’d say out of every 5 encounters, I see 3 sloops, 1 brig, and 1 galleon. Now, I spend as much time as possible avoiding other ships, and tend to play during quiet times (10 PM Eastern), so no idea how representative that sample size is, but that seems like galleons get more play than you suggest.

    I agree that galleons fill a necessary role in attracting and retaining an important player population. I’d love to run a gally with a regular crew just for the social aspect, though right now that doesn’t really work for my typical play environment.

  • WolfManbush
    Champion

    @sn0kanon said in Theory crafting: Removing the Galleon?:

    but that seems like galleons get more play than you suggest.

    People don't always have the whole crew around and available and sometimes people are doing different things. All that is important from a retention perspective is having it available.

    Having it used less (than sloops and brigs) naturally creates more balance in the organic risk/reward environment. Minimal harm with maximum available reward makes it valuable to exist as an option.

    Being used on an given day isn't too relevant as the work has already been done, galleons already fit into the environment.

    It's like having a tool that doesn't get used for many things but it does one important thing very well and when it's needed it's valuable so having it readily available is also valuable.

    Even if it takes up some room in the shop.

  • Lem0n Curry
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @sn0kanon said in Theory crafting: Removing the Galleon?:

    @wolfmanbush in my extremely unscientific, poorly-documented experience I’d say out of every 5 encounters, I see 3 sloops, 1 brig, and 1 galleon. Now, I spend as much time as possible avoiding other ships, and tend to play during quiet times (10 PM Eastern), so no idea how representative that sample size is, but that seems like galleons get more play than you suggest.

    That probably has something to do with the maximum number of players on a server (15), not much Galleons fit on a server with 5 ships (2 at most).

  • FishyJoeSalt
    Captain

    So there ain't no fat bottom girls out there for me to sink? No thanks, I like my Treasure Galleons.

  • BurnBacon
    Vanguard
    Insider

    The brig would take over the galleon.
    (But let’s be real. How many sloops players have seen a galleon recently? And it came at you)

  • Sn0kanon
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @burnbacon Saw one two days ago while doing a skelly fleet. Open mic. “Hey guys, don’t shoot at the sloop.” Sailed right past. Incredible but true…

  • WolfManbush
    Champion

    @burnbacon said in Theory crafting: Removing the Galleon?:

    The brig would take over the galleon.
    (But let’s be real. How many sloops players have seen a galleon recently? And it came at you)

    I had a unique experience today.

    One sailed up behind me and crashed into me.

    3 boarded and brought a chest of rage to burn me down. I was able to dispatch the threats and I sold their chest of rage right in front of them at galleon's grave.

    As someone that does a lot of reaper play I see tdm crews using them from time to time.

  • Scheneighnay
    Ship Mate

    I have a pretty big group for SoT- sometimes we can have 8 players playing at a time. Ideally we would love an even bigger ship, but performance and balance wise we've accepted that likely won't happen.

    So as far as playing with friends, losing the galleon would be a big issue.

    @burnbacon said in Theory crafting: Removing the Galleon?:

    (But let’s be real. How many sloops players have seen a galleon recently? And it came at you)

    Other gallies are uncommon but far from unheard of.
    And as far as fighting sloops while in a galley, 9 times out of 10 the sloop decided it was a good idea to attack us for some reason, and the other 1 time out of 10, we've initiated because the sloop was in the wrong place at the wrong time anchored at our destination.

  • Unleet1
    Lord
    Insider

    @burnbacon Three this week. ;) Not including galleons I attacked, they came for me. Two reaper 5 galleon portal hoppers, actually.

  • VaughnSilver
    Master
    Insider

    Would be interesting to see a world where instead of a galleon we got a large ship that sits low in the water like a large Junk.

    No mid deck to soak up hits so the fights are not so different from a sloop or brig and maybe only 3 cannons.

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