Rebalance Safer Seas

  • M1KE DA 1KE
    Sailor
    Insider

    So I've been playing SOT for a long time now, but I do have many friends who have never played this game before. I have one friend in particular who suffers from epilepsy and is unable to play competitive PvP games because the extra stress caused by playing PvP causes them to have seizures. They still love gaming though and mostly play single player or PvE only games without any issues. SOT is one game they never played because for the longest time this game was strictly PvP only with no PvE only option. Well then Safer Seas got introduced and I suggested to my friend that they give SOT a try sometime since they don't have to engage in any form of PvP if they play in Safer Seas. My friend recently gave SOT a try and told me that they couldn't believe I even play this game at all. They said the amount of time it would take for them to earn enough gold to buy anything even half decent in the shops would take a year with how little gold the game gives you for selling loot. Then I explained to them that in Safer Seas you only earn 30% of the gold and reputation you would normally earn in High Seas and I explained how even the normal 100% amount is still not great and how you have to run an emissary if you want to be able to actually make any kind of money. They were very upset that rare cut the amount of gold and rep you earn in the PvE only mode by over half of what you'd get in the PvP mode and told me they wouldn't be playing SOT again until that changes and then uninstalled the game.

    So I'll be honest I agree with my friend. Cutting down the amount of gold and rep you earn in Safer Seas to only 30% of what you earn in High Seas while still charging the same amount for all of the cosmetic items is honestly pretty BS. This game WAS AWFUL before emissaries got added and made loot value actually decent. Selling without an emissary at 100% full value is already bad and only getting 30% of what's already not enough to begin with is absolutely outrageous. Rare needs to either GREATLY increase the base sell value of ALL loot in SOT both in High Seas and in Safer Seas, or they need to simply increase the amount of gold and rep you earn in Safer Seas to a more fair level that isn't so outrageously awful. In my opinion I'd say earning at least 50% of the gold and rep you'd earn in High Seas would be much more reasonable. But I honestly think it's ridiculous that they reduced it at all.

    Regardless, I think that Rare should address this issue and either significantly increase the base sell value of ALL loot across the entirety of SOT (both High Seas & Safer Seas) or just increase the amount you earn in Safer Seas to a more reasonable amount. Again 50% is the minimum I think it should be as even 50% of what you'd make in High Seas is still really bad with no emissary bonus.

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  • DerMasterBob
    Commander
    Insider

    If you can't play PvPvE than this game is not for you.
    PvPvE is the intended playstile so they try to get you there.
    If that is not possible that is sad, but if you would get the same reward for no risk that would cause 99% of the playerbase to play saver seas.
    That would destroy the meaning of the game.
    Even 50% would cause an outrage in the community.

  • R3vanNS
    Master
    Insider

    @dermasterbob

    If you can't play PvPvE than this game is not for you.

    Luckily, he has several "experts" like you to give him your expert opinion, lol. Also, SS is already in the game, and it's pure PvE... so come again?

    PvPvE is the intended playstile so they try to get you there.

    Yet there is no time limit or any other limit for how long you can play in SS. Obviously "they" (Rare) are not trying hard enough. Or I would rather say, not trying at all, and for a good reason - but that's some different topic involving Microsoft

    If that is not possible that is sad, but if you would get the same reward for no risk that would cause 99% of the playerbase to play saver seas.

    Yet at the same time you people say how boring it would be to play with no risk? That's rich. What's there to be afraid of? Only some portion would move then by that logic, and the majority would stay in your "fun PvPvE adventure mode".

    That would destroy the meaning of the game.

    It really wouldn't. Nonsense.

    Even 50% would cause an outrage in the community.

    It would cause an outrage with a handful of vocal griefers who play the PvP aspect of the adventure mode only against easy targets/new players. Rest of the community couldn't care less really lol. And neither should you.

  • ScurvyWoof
    Captain

    The core premise of Sea of Thieves is that it is a world filled with various player and AI threats (PvEvP). The current implementation of Safer Seas is an effective way for players to play the game without the risk of PvP; new players can learn the ropes and experienced PvE'ers can enjoy their quests. Unless, of course, the fun isn't what matters, but the gold and doubloons?

    I do not believe that increasing the value of loot in Safer Seas has much effect on the game at all, but I see the merit in both increasing it and leaving it the same. I personally believe it should stay as is.

    "Now our domination of the Seas is fading fast
    And out of the confusion the chance has come at last
    To build a better server from the ashes of the past
    In a brave new Sea
    With just a handful of pirates
    We'll grind all over again"

    No point to that...
    Sorry, but not really :)

  • R3vanNS
    Master
    Insider

    @scurvywoof

    Honestly, when it's about SS, gold rewards shouldn't even be cared about.

    The only thing that actually irritates most of the people is locked content, especially and mainly Captaincy (ships + decorations), then Sovereigns (but also stuff like FotD, etc). Because it really has nothing to do with risk-reward aspect of the game, and it makes no sense to be locked.

    Regarding Ship commendations? Sure, lock them away. Because many ARE related to the risk in the adventure mode. There is no debate in that. Just no sense in locking the pure cosmetic portion of it, especially when a player has already unlocked them in High Seas.

    I'm actually fine with both the gold and reputation nerfs in the current state.

    You wanna farm more gold/rep? Hop into HS and risk a bit to earn it faster. Then you can purchase your decorations and ships, and enjoy them while safely fishing, doing Tall Tales (or whatever) in SS when you feel doing so

  • Jon Sea Nah
    Master
    Insider

    I tend to agree that safer seas is fine as it stands and that making the game have PVE servers would ultimately be its demise. Not immediately but over a few months as players get board of the easy sail dig stack cash loop with no risk most will move on.

    Pvp pirates does not equal Toxic pirates or griefers as you put it. I play mostly in this style and I will fight any ship. I am primarily a duo sloop and we love to fight Galleons and cracked crews it’s what we like and pirates stole treasure. Are there toxic people in this game? Absolutely, in my experience it’s usually not the players fighting. I get called more “gamer words” by PVE crews running that we catch than anyone else.

  • iTz Majman
    Legend
    Insider
    Founder

    This topic have been discussed to the ground over and over again since it came out. Mods/devs has said multiple times nothing will change at this time since Safer Seas is for beginners, Tall Talers and families, mainly. This might sound rough but if your friend has some condition that makes the game hard to play as it's supposed to, then Sea of Thieves isn't the game for him if he is unwilling to take the penalty from Safer Seas.

    Side-note: Higher Seas really isn't bad at all, I play with my GF all the time there and it's very rarely we get attacked by people and even when it happens it's part of the experience to fight them. I think too many people are scared of the interaction with other players so they don't even give it a chance to begin with.

  • Lem0n Curry
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @r3vanns said in Rebalance Safer Seas:

    @scurvywoof

    Honestly, when it's about SS, gold rewards shouldn't even be cared about.

    That seems the be the only issue OP (or his friend) has with the restrictions though.

    The only thing that actually irritates most of the people is locked content, especially and mainly Captaincy (ships + decorations), then Sovereigns (but also stuff like FotD, etc). Because it really has nothing to do with risk-reward aspect of the game, and it makes no sense to be locked.

    From Rare talking about Safer Seas restrictions :

    Some of the late-game content has also been gated to encourage players to hone their skills, deepen their experience and make their way across to High Seas over time, so Trading Company progression is capped at rank 40 and Pirate Legend content stays in the domain of High Seas players only.

    In other words, they want to have more incentives for players to choose High Seas, besides possible more gold to be earned.

    So there is a reason why some content is exclusive to High Seas.

  • Lem0n Curry
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @r3vanns said in Rebalance Safer Seas:

    @dermasterbob

    If you can't play PvPvE than this game is not for you.

    Luckily, he has several "experts" like you to give him your expert opinion, lol. Also, SS is already in the game, and it's pure PvE... so come again?

    It's not pure PvE though; crewmates on Safer Seas are capable of fighting each other via blunder bombs, fire bombs and keg play.
    While it could be considered griefing your own crew, nothing is stopping two - four players to fight each other if they're all willing.

  • R3vanNS
    Master
    Insider

    @lem0n-curry

    It's not pure PvE though; crewmates on Safer Seas are capable of fighting each other via blunder bombs, fire bombs and keg play.
    While it could be considered griefing your own crew, nothing is stopping two - four players to fight each other if they're all willing.

    We can play semantics all day. It is still a PvE mode because it completely lacks actual PvP. With griefing involved or without.

    That seems the be the only issue OP (or his friend) has with the restrictions though.

    This reply was not to OP, but ScurvyWoof. But yea, I do agree with you on this, as they do not mention captaincy nor locked content at all, only rewards.

    In other words, they want to have more incentives for players to choose High Seas, besides possible more gold to be earned.

    I can understand the reasoning. Still, that doesn't mean I think it's a good idea, just because it's devs idea, nor that it shouldn't be changed because it's devs initial idea.

    TL:DR - Does it make sense? Yes. Is it REALLY necessary? I don't think so, as well as many other players. Even including other PvPvE and even PvP ones.

  • LordQulex
    Captain

    Anchors aweigh, my boys!

  • Habiki
    Captain
    Insider

    Still people come on here with this tired old ask.....

    The question has been answered ad naseum. They aren't going to do it.

  • GrumpyW01f
    Legend
    Insider

    @m1ke-da-1ke
    While I sympathize with your friend, I don't think this is the argument that's going to finally give you what you want.

    Back when I was a new player, my initial PvP 'progression' was just learning avoidance. I learned where players liked to be and stayed away from there. I knew the best hiding spots on the seas so I would have the highest amount of safety. After learning everything about avoiding PvP, I would almost never get attacked. To this day, I am mostly safe from attacks when I solo PvE. Five years after Forsaken Shores, I can count on my hands how many times I've been attacked in the Devil's Roar (except the original Molten Sands update).

    With Safer Seas at 30% without emissaries, you would have to sink a majority of the time in High Seas for it to be the worse option. If you and your friend learn avoidance, it's the better place to be. If your friend can't PvP for their reasons, they could close the game anytime someone fires at them and still earn more than in Safer Seas.

    Safer Seas is well-positioned as a training ground and a way to interact with content without worried about others ruining it. Not to progress through the game.

  • Kezmur
    Marauder
    Insider
    Founder

    There really needs to be, like, a pinned post about how Safer Seas will not have restrictions lifted/changed and will be locked. Cause this thread is just gonna get the same message as all the others and then locked. The threat of PvP at all times is what adds value to the PvE content and the loot. No risk, no reward. It's the core soul of the game design.

  • Aeorath
    Rogue

    You're going to get shot down pretty fast by the people who say "this is what game is supposed to be played, PvPvE, or go home". This post will also soon be locked. Good luck.

  • Look Behind You
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Moderator
    Founder
    Deckhand

    The game design and intent for Sea of Thieves is a shared world adventure, and it always will be. Those who wish to play in the confines of Safer Seas will always have the option but we will not bring the rewards and activities in line with those of High Seas when many of the restrictions are in place due to the risk vs reward factor that is inherent in Sea of Thieves - removing any risk means rewards must be balanced accordingly.

    Safer Seas will act not only as a safe space for our Tall Tale players but also for families with children who just want to pirate, for people who want to play the game but learn the ropes and it will organically feed into Adventure mode, keeping the player pool there healthy and upskilled as they've learned the mechanics.

    This is not only useful for new players but also families and players with accessibility needs - the whole game suddenly becomes available in a way it hasn't before, letting them naturally progress to High Seas and become a Pirate Legend. SoT has grown a huge amount in 5 years and it can be fairly overwhelming.

    The borders put in Safer Seas mean that to experience the full depth and breadth of the game you will have to hit the high seas BUT if you're playing with your family you don't have to, you can just enjoy the game and have fun as a family.

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