The hourglass grind and why I find it problematic

If you don’t focus on the rewards. You’re gonna have a better time.

The tool is only for pvp on demand, the rewards are just there for goal making. If the curses are not your thing and you just wanna pvp regardless whom you fight, (as it should) your gonna have a better time.

It's all relative, the gap between 200 and 1000 is a lot bigger and the fact that there are titles, figureheads etc up to 100 I don't think that should be priority.

I agree, i think lvl 30,50,70,90 rewards consisting of for example a weapon set would solve much.

I would also have a daily, a weekly and a seasonal deed. Not to focus on more allegiance efficiency but just what it does to your mind. Knowing that a fight a day, a few a week and some during seasons makes a small difference cause the ball to start rolling.

Any form of checkpoint feeling or more presidence over your session would make the mode more enticing and player friendly.

@gameglarb This is because your obviously going up against more experienced players and that should not be the case.
I go through this once in a while and then the occasional player that types in the "Rolling on deck laughing" 10 times in a row along with a text message to your inbox making fun as well.
This is when it becomes a huge annoyance.

Even though once in a while i've been able to get back to them with swift revenge, if it were up to me i would have a special place for these players either banning them or some hardmode punishment where they have a one hit death for a period of time or just something to give them payback for their abusive attitude. 😂

@gameglarb I'm the opposite, fair at naval, terrible at pirate to pirate.

@gameglarb I found it easier to learn naval combat but pirate to pirate i've practiced and practiced but some players just have so much skill.
I think the best way i recommend to getting used to the cannon physics and how they are affected by variants such as waves, angles, movement, etc. is by fighting ghost ships but starting off by trying to be as close to it as possible that every cannon you fire hits it, then gradually start trying to be farther away so you understand exactly the trayectories of cannons and why they do what they do and how distance is sort of the same thing but with bigger angles that you need to calculate.
Anyways i think thats how i started out since in the beginning i used to miss a lot of cannons whenever ships were far because i did not know how cannons were affected by the physics.

@gameglarb This might not be the best strategy for that since everyone has their own opinion of what works for them but whenever i go up extremely skilled cannoneers, sunk and then go up against them again i try to stop my ship and turn it as quickly as possible so when they are approaching i have an angle but they don't and this gives me some time just so i can take their initial advantage away.

@d3adst1ck

Not to downvote your argument, but i think that wouldnt reach the audience in question. It sounds like a good idea, but i believe it will vanish into the numbers. I could be wrong here cuz we worked ahead on gold for longer periods and might be use to having a bit. im empty now though, and as a result i have been very happy on cashing out hourglass after a win for what it gives, and thats only 1 in streak. In other words, that reward already exist, thus i think it will vanish into the numbers.

As for renown, i dont think people who have trouble reaching renown 100 in a season are the same people that are trying to get lvl 100 in hourglass.

I think its has to be a happy punch with a stronger feeling of progress. I think the a weapon set like i mentioned would be a better example then.

Edit: saw what you wrote further down, could be great then actually, but still think its the wrong audience in the larger picture.

@gameglarb

There is actually some luck in the picture here. Riding a wave can dip or heighten your cannon shots both in aim and upon firing. The wave can then block your view, wich also blurrs where you fire aswell as confuse you as to how far away a boat is. Finaly i think whoever is on the side which the stream is coming from is at a disadvantage, or at least it looks like that in my head, with what i have mentioned in mind. Never heard of strategy around placement on waves.

@d3adst1ck said:

They could also use some of the tricks they use for seasons. Award gold, doubloons and season renown as you advance in allegiance levels.

Doing hourglass is actually pitiful seasonal progress, so I'm surprised they don't offer renown boosts at all.

What if HG had its own (free) "battle pass" type of progression?

Win or lose, as you participate more, you progress more on this new reward track. At each level, you unlock either gold, doubloons, seasonal rep, or throw in a cosmetic here and there.

I've seen a suggestion for "xp-boost vouchers" in another thread, which could be purchased once a month from Larinna - like Letters of Rec., except rather than granting full levels, they boost the allegiance earned (for a set amount of time) once used. Maybe these could also be awarded at various levels in this new battle pass.

@hiradc said in The hourglass grind and why I find it problematic:

It's all relative, the gap between 200 and 1000 is a lot bigger and the fact that there are titles, figureheads etc up to 100 I don't think that should be priority.

This. Massively this.
I would think that there would be rewards/milestones added from 200 to 1000 (such as cosmetics/titles every 50 or 100 levels) long before there are new additions to the 0-100 grind, and I hope to see more additions along that route in order to raise incentive for players who have all of their unlocks up to Level 200.