Earlier last week, I had an Hour Glass battle with someone that took a little over an hour to complete. I was able to win, but in that time, my opponent and I were virtually stuck in a war of attrition. They were able to kill me with a cannonball three times and nearly sunk my ship on all three occasions. Likewise, I had a few opportunities to win, but my opponent was able to counteract my attempts. It was only after they had exhausted their supplies that I was able to finally sink their ship. (I was lucky because I only had three planks left in my inventory, and none were left in the barrel on my ship) Afterward, I didn't really feel like playing anymore due to how draining the battle was and sailed off to the nearest outpost.
As much as I personally enjoy these kinds of battles, I feel like this isn't necessarily healthy for the game overall. I don't think players should feel mentally exhausted or even disappointed after only one match in Hour Glass and decide enough is enough for the day. I know some others have suggested a Fortnite style ring that will gradually become smaller as the Hour Glass fight progresses, however, I think I have a different suggestion: "The Judge's Table."
If a match carries on for too long (for the sake of argument, let's say fifteen minutes), the Hour Glasses on the Captain's Table will start ticking like a clock. After another five minutes or so, the battle is called, and it goes to the "Judge." Maybe Sea of Thieves could judge a match based on shots landed and/or crewmates killed. (The crew with the most landed shots or the most crewmates killed on the opposing ship wins the battle. If one or the other is a tie, the winner could be declared based on the other category. If they are both tied, it could be called a "Draw," or the winner could be declared based on win percentage or something like that)
If you sink your opponent within the fifteen-minute timeframe, you win! (just like a normal Hourglass fight). The "Judge's Table" is just a way to prevent battles from dragging on for long periods of time and potentially driving people away from doing Hour Glass battles in the first place. Additionally, everyone knows that the match will be completed in twenty minutes or less; no one would have to worry about not having enough time to play Sea of Thieves and its PvP mode.
