Safer Seas

@theeggoplant said in Safer Seas:

@gundy-the-shark said in Safer Seas:

@realstyli part of me also wonders if this move could potentially allow them to broaden the scope of future adventures and tall tales. Now that there’s a safe place to complete them, we could see more tales taking place in the main game world and not in the sea of the damned.

You know what else safer seas would greatly benefit?

Replaying past adventures

But if THATS where their focus lies than why have progression and gold? why add pve servers?

For the reasons I stated. These are for new players to get used to the seas in a more chill environment. You can tell that not only because of reduced rewards but also because on these safer seas they can't: sail a Captained Ship, they can't do Athena or Reapers, they can't sail for a Guild, they can't sail as an Emissary, and they can't earn extra rewards for Gold & Glory weekends... There's very little left for experienced players.

I don't know about the rest of the "PvE Lords" here, but personally I see very little appeal to these servers for me. I'll be sticking to PvPvE servers.

In my opinion, this is the best news they have been able to give the players in a long time.

I think the new PvP voyage is a great addition for all players who want to fight for loot, but I think the Safer Seas are a great way to attract new players, or just to chill fish in any area of the map.

I think this will revitalize the game and a lot of people who left SoT because of the problem with PvP, as well as new people. Even with the limitations they've put on these servers, it's a very good way to broaden the spectrum of players SoT can attract.

I understand that the griefers are angry, but their abuse had to end for the good and health of the game. Possibly, this new wave of players, attracted by the Safer Seas, will be seasonal, but it's better that they come from season to season than leave and never come back.

This time, I have to congratulate Rare for the work they have done, even without news of an Anticheat or server improvements, they are on the right track.

They're not even really 'splitting up the playerbase' in any meaningful way. Everyone's going ape-ship over the idea that the seas will be emptier, but all that's going to happen is that there will be fewer noobs on their first skull voyage to roll up on and sink while they're in the middle of Plunder Valley looking for a single Foul Bounty Skull. Or a random fisherman trying to catch their last Muddy Wildsplash. Or a Tall Taler on their fourth run through Wild Rose.

If your primary enjoyment in this game is to roll up on one of these guys and frak them sideways for an easy sink, no return combat, no loot and a handful of starter supps... I mean, no gains at all really except to ruin someone else's experience under the guise of 'SeA oF tHiEvEs, NoT fRiEnDs', you're actually just a Satchel of Richards.

They can't sail a Captained ship & progress Milestones, sail under an emissary & progress their monthly ledgers, sail for Athena's Fortune or Reaper's Bones at all, activate the Hourlgass, sail for a Guild, do live events like Gold & Glory or do the FotD in this mode. All to cap the main companies at lvl 40 at an excruciatingly slow 30% progression rate.

Either they stay in Safer Seas or they quit after getting bullied; they're not contributing to the ship count in Adventure Mode either way and you're not missing out on any 'organic PvP' on the seas no matter which way they swing.

But the liklihood that once they're gone through Safer Seas and gotten proficient at the game, they might move on to the normal mode is significantly higher than someone getting dumpstered a half-dozen times in their first session and staying in to keep having it happen over and over and over again until they 'git gud'.

What's your problem with other people doing that, really? how does that affect your play experience in any meaningful way at all?

Just because "WE had to do it that way, so they should too" or "It's always BEEN that way so it should always BE that way" is not an excuse or a reason.

Don't hate people on bicycles just because YOU had to walk to school.

(hate them for thinking they deserve a lane of the road when you're driving behind them)

@gundy-the-shark story content is part of the whole story of the game and embedded into all aspect of the game even then main gameplay loop. It is only natural that when players with opposing visions clash that there can be a negative experience for either side of that, this is bound to happen when you bring any amount of players together. I understand the argument that when there is an imbalance that this can be harmful for the game and players, this is what the devs have always prided themselves on, it has also always been the heart of SoT. The whole games philosophy is build on this balance.

I believe the devs have had plenty of feedback from their player base on how to solve issues around camping events, yet often they go unnoticed and turn into negative experiences for some. There are FAR better less invasive ways that devs could implement mechanics that would prevent those situations.

The game isn't only about tall tales and following a storyline. its always been about creating experiences in a open world sandbox with other players.

PvE servers will break away from the core gameplay loop that the entire game is build on. Adding gold and rep are enough of a sign that rares philosophy on the game has
changed, and I might be nihilistic but form some of the past changes this doesn't look good.

worst case scenario would be that because of the lack of attention placed on how to foster players interaction in less invasive ways and neglecting the current state of cheating in SoT people will flock to private PvE servers leaving the main game dried out of player interaction.

Good on you for trying to see the positive side but we've both been around long enough to know what sea of thieves is about and why we are still here?

I think it was done mostly right.

Players who just want a nice voyage with family can have that. I know I will be using it for playing Adventures with my family. (I hope there will still be reasons for the odd Sea of Friends work-together moments)

Newer players can have an introduction to the seas and players scared of PvP can have their voyages, though at some point, they will need to accept PvP if they want to continue progression. I think 40 is a little high, but that's going to be a massive grind already so I'm okay with it.

Players who aren't doing quests won't get disrupted by others. I like to take the odd screenshot or just fish, so I will get some use out of this way of play.

The only things I am apprehensive of are player count and commendations.

It's possible that the High Seas will feel more dead with the Safe Seas around. Or giving new players a chance to learn the game before having to fight sweats will increase new player counts + giving a place for current players to get off the heat will increase player retention. I hope that Safe Seas increases player counts!
Personally, I think that there will be less High Seas servers spun up, but they will be more interesting. No longer will there be servers clogged up with noobs, fishermen, and tall tale players. Now, the crews that fill the server have a higher chance of doing something meaningful/something worth sinking them for/world events.

Commendations, this one I think is a little off. If world events are turned on in Safer Seas, then you can do PvP-related commendations without having to fight anyone. You can grind for commendations like "sell 500 X for Y" because you don't really care about the gold, you just want the commendation/reward. I think that a big part of current PvE in Adventure is related to commendations. Especially at level 75: you usually do a voyage for that company only when you want commendation progress. If all of those commendation PvEers jump to Safer Seas, then that's a lot less targets for PvP in the High Seas.
So I think that certain commendations, such as tall tale progress, should be available in Safer Seas, while others, like clearing world events, should only be available in High Seas.

I also think that Captained ships should be available in Safer Seas without captaincy progression. Captaincy is primarily a quality of life feature and that part of it should remain in Safer Seas.

Ive been playing since launch, mostly solo, which has only gotten harder and more stressful the more mechanics they kept adding. I also dont commit my entire existence to playing this game when so many other games fight for your attention. I felt super alienated by the hourglass PvP update which has only gotten worse these days when its biggest contenders never stopped playing it let alone the cheaters. Ive been here for every tall tale, adventure, arena, etc and this is probably the best QoL update the game has gotten since adding captaincy. I know PvP players despise Alliance servers and now Safer Seas because they cant demolish fresh meat for their daily dopamine rush but even a veteran like me sees the value here.

Also you know maybe if PvP in this game wasnt the most toxic, bug ridden mess of any live service it would be more tolerable to the average player. But anytime you bring up the inconsistency in combat, questionable mechanics, cheating accusations or any other issues the PvP fans cry especially on this forum.

Why there isn't just a custom server with 0 gold to win, 0 reputation, nothing to gain, but with the possibility of discovering the entire game. instead of removing a pool of players?
Failing to have made a good tutorial which explains the mechanics of the game and that you have to know how to defend your loot, you will ruin the servers, because believe me, the pve players and their recommendation will remain on their SAFER SEAS

So we are getting a new server for who? Newbies? Ok…but what was the full list of things they can and can’t do?

Why would you as a vet go to the safer seas?

@burnbacon

why do pve players want alliance servers? chill with mates, farm ez

@devtryak remember you’ll only get to level 40 so if you want to continue further you’ll need to go back into the High Seas.

I'm down for it. It will bring new players to the game, provide a space to learn, and world events are disabled so a lot of the main commandations will be disabled. Hope they let us practice hand to hand with optional friendly fire.

Happy Sailing!

I've been away from SoT for quite a while and for one main reason: I wanted to come home from work and just sail through the beautiful world to an island, fight few skeletons and dig up a stupid chest with my kid or alone to relax without a ship full of sweatlords rolling up on me and annoying me for who knows how long, just because they can.

I grinded my way to PL long ago the hard way, and I've never been to an Alliance Server (seemed like way too many hoops to jump through to get in, imo) . I just wanted a way to relax in the world I'd grown to love, so I am very happy to hear that Rare is FINALLY going to somewhat allow me to do so.

Sea of Thieves isn't about leveling or grinding for me anymore; it's about ENJOYING myself in a game I bought, so when this update actually drops, my son and I are going sailing again.