Hourglass PvP is just an inferior replacement for Arena

  • CapnCammie
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    So, this is gonna be a hot take, 'cause I know a lot of people really really like Hourglass PvP, and that's VALID.

    But it's not as fun as Arena was, because it's JUST PvP. Some people like that, and that's cool, that's fair and valid. But I liked Arena because it was a test of more than just mechanical skill. It was a test of game knowledge that wasn't exclusive to PvP, and that was awesome. It was a game of wit just as much as raw mechanical skill.

    Not to mention its rewards were, in general, better. Like, Hourglass has the curses, those are the true draw of doing it, but that's about it. It doesn't have any cosmetics tied to being skilled with a specific weapon, or anything to show off other than the curses (which sometimes clash too much with someone's desired cosmetic load out to work it in - especially the skeleton curse not working with pre-existing cosmetics).

    Like, Hourglass is still fun, it's faster than an Arena game ever was, but it still requires more preparation to get the necessary supplies which are crucial to a fight. Not to mention, unlike Arena, you don't get do-overs with someone. It's more focused and condensed fights, which appeals to some people, but with Arena, you could use the other crews to your advantage. Got a crew you know is better than you? Instead of trying to fight a pointless fight that you know you'll lose, or scuttling to get it over with faster, you can lure them over to another ship who might start firing on them. I've done it multiple times in Arena to great effect, but it's not reliable in Hourglass.

    It's fine, and I do get why Rare got rid of Arena. It took more resources than Hourglass does for too small of a portion of the player base to be worth running those extra servers, but it's nonetheless frustrating to me as someone who really enjoyed taking a chill day to hop into Arena and burn 15-30 minutes.

    Some people are probably gonna hate my take, and that's valid, we've all got our own opinions. Mine is just that I don't really like Hourglass PvP. It's fine, but it's not as fun as the thing it essentially replaced.

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  • heslashthem
    Legend
    Insider

    @camellias4465 Hourglass is FAR superior to Arena. There’s no long lobby, no toxic babies blaring slurs and music at full blast, long load times waiting for everyone to be ready, it’s not timed so you can fight at your leisure, no stupid TDM, and the rewards are way better. Imagine getting a curse back in the arena days!? The community would have rebelled!

    Arena failed because it was never about true PvP but the mix of both, PvPvE, yes you could fight, but you could also just dig the chest and hand it in to win. Hourglass? You HAVE to fight to win. True, on demand PvP. That’s why it’s superior in my eyes.

  • PithyRumble
    Rogue
    Insider

    2% of total playtime wasn't valid enough for rare...

  • WolfManbush
    Champion
    1. Consent based combat in adventure
    2. significantly improved the negative effects of hopping for reapers/athenas
    3. Keeps some of the top of the food chain busy doing their own thing

    these 3 things not only significantly improve the environment by themselves they also support specific other qol changes and a lot of season 9 and allow for what happened, more consistent activity 5 years into a game and during a long season.

    Big picture it was worth it imo

    even if people don't enjoy playing it they benefit from the effects around it on both the pve and pvp side in the organic play style.

  • EVA1977
    Captain
    Insider

    The one thing i did like better from Arena was the multiple ship scenario were HG is just one vs one 99% of the time.
    Even though the other day i was playing HG and when i emerged in to my combat area there were 2 other ships right next to us fighting each other in HG mode as well. Eventually we all started fighting each other, to my luck i won! XD
    But this was the only time i've seen this happen.

  • CapnCammie
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @wolfmanbush oh 100% agree. Like, for the game as a whole, Hourglass was the better move. But just when it comes to what I personally preferred? Arena was leagues more fun than Hourglass has ever been.

  • CapnCammie
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @eva1977 yeah, it's sadly incredibly rare that moments like that occur.

  • CapnCammie
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @tesiccl and that's totally valid, but that's what makes it lesser in my eyes. I get some people want that on demand PvP, and Arena really didn't cater to that despite what the PvE crowd liked to say back in the day. But I liked the nuance of Arena over Hourglass since it wasn't strictly PvP. It was more PvP centric than Adventure for sure, but it was more than just PvP.

  • WolfManbush
    Champion

    @camellias4465 said in Hourglass PvP is just an inferior replacement for Arena:

    @wolfmanbush oh 100% agree. Like, for the game as a whole, Hourglass was the better move. But just when it comes to what I personally preferred? Arena was leagues more fun than Hourglass has ever been.

    I get it. I enjoyed arena a lot earlier on and it played a significant part in how I approached adventure. Didn't have enough random adventure pve/encounters for me but as far as fun pvp goes I def get it.

    I'm generally a big picture environmental/community impact kind of guy so that's where I stay focused but I understand completely why people miss it.

  • EVA1977
    Captain
    Insider

    @camellias4465 Yeah just wish there was a multiple ship combat mode not just 1 vs 1.

  • CapnCammie
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @eva1977 exactly! That alone would make Hourglass so much more fun, because at least then there's more room for shenanigans, even if it's still just PvP.

  • Scheneighnay
    Ship Mate

    @camellias4465
    A pure PVP mode in the open world except it's not open because you can't go outside your circle.

    It's just nonsensical.

  • BurnBacon
    Vanguard
    Insider

    If you want multiple ship combat. Go grab a FoF key, raise the reaper mark, and carry loot on your ship worth billions.

  • ManipulateHavoc
    Ship Mate

    As a former arena enthusiast and a filthy Legendary Sea Dog, I do love the new HG stuff. However, I miss the TDMs from arena. The style of fighting in SoT has always leaned toward naval advantage. Crews that only do naval usually fair better than crews that only do TDM (but doing both is the best of course). I wish TDM styles of fighting were more prominent and there was a place for people to hone that particular close-quarter skill. I would say HG is better overall, however.

  • heslashthem
    Legend
    Insider

    @manipulatehavoc LSD? Pffffff! try TSD. You filthy sea dog! 😜

  • ManipulateHavoc
    Ship Mate

    @tesiccl I have that too, I don’t flash it because it does not sound as cool. But yes, I am one those board lords from arena.

  • heslashthem
    Legend
    Insider

    @manipulatehavoc at least we still exist ;)

  • ManipulateHavoc
    Ship Mate

    @tesiccl Yes, never forget our true origins, my brother.

  • Ixxxoloff
    Captain
    Insider

    I like to get against arena players in HG pvp because 99% of the time they are only successful in TDM. And on a brigantine I get a very quick win because pvp players don't understand how to shoot at the ship, how to control the ship and what to do. :)

    So let me tell you that Arena PvP is just an inferior mode compared to Hourglass. Because HG pumps the player's skill not only in TDM, but also in all other aspects.

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