Why isn't captaincy in Safer Seas a thing already? I feel it should be a no-brainer.
I always play Safer Seas with my friend to wash away the exhaustion of the day; it's a very tranquil and enjoyable experience, but being able to use our own ships would be even better. I'd gladly spend a lot of money on all the trinkets, decorations, and such.
What do you think?
Safer Seas is meant to be a tutorial.
Theres a lot of things you dont get and cant do because the developers want you to play on high seas.
Captaincy is one of those things.
With captaincy you get milestons to buy trinkets and more importantly you can sell to the sovereigns.
So its meant to show your jurney in the game and since safer seas is not the main game, theres no reason for you to get something from playing there (besides the 100% gold and possibility to unlock most of the commendations).
So i would say its a no brainer to ceep captaincy locked behind high seas.
@dermasterbob a dit dans Captaincy in Safer Seas :
Safer Seas is meant to be a tutorial.
Theres a lot of things you dont get and cant do because the developers want you to play on high seas.
Captaincy is one of those things.
With captaincy you get milestons to buy trinkets and more importantly you can sell to the sovereigns.So its meant to show your jurney in the game and since safer seas is not the main game, theres no reason for you to get something from playing there (besides the 100% gold and possibility to unlock most of the commendations).
So i would say its a no brainer to ceep captaincy locked behind high seas.
Safers Seas is NOT meant to be ONLY a tutorial... Stop stopping at half a sentence said by the developers!
Listen to that last developer update. Really listen to it.
"...In December, we made some changes to better focus this mode as the best way to learn the ropes for new players...We're pleased to see how this mode has been used over the holiday period, with Safer Seas seeing more playtime as a result of our changes. We're specifically seeing players with under 30 hours of game time spend much more time in Safer Seas with the improved rewards now on offer. We'll continue to monitor how this goes over time, but we're real happy with what we're seeing so far."
Think about that highlighted bit there...It's all about $$$$$
If Safer Seas players start spending proportionally noticeable amounts of money as a result of changes in Safer Seas, they're going to invest more time/money into building that model out for those players.
They've already abandoned their original notions of never offering a PvE only mode by implementing Safer Seas in the first place. If the revenue follows it, I have no doubt they'll further abandon their new mantra surrounding Safer Seas that we see from the deck hands around here.
I have zero problem if they were to add limited Captaincy to Safer Seas - no Sovereigns, no Captain supplies, no Milestones, etc... but Shipname, cosmetics saving, trinket placement, decorations, and such, are not going to really harm the intentions of Safer Seas. And I would think having access to some cosmetics but not being able to unlock them would encourage players to jump to High Seas for Milestones (to unlock ship crests, trinkets, banners, for example). From a business point of view, there are also a ton of items in the Emporium that require a Captained ship to actually use. So I could see this happening.
@sweetsandman said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
Listen to that last developer update. Really listen to it.
"...In December, we made some changes to better focus this mode as the best way to learn the ropes for new players...We're pleased to see how this mode has been used over the holiday period, with Safer Seas seeing more playtime as a result of our changes. We're specifically seeing players with under 30 hours of game time spend much more time in Safer Seas with the improved rewards now on offer. We'll continue to monitor how this goes over time, but we're real happy with what we're seeing so far."
Think about that highlighted bit there...It's all about $$$$$
If Safer Seas players start spending proportionally noticeable amounts of money as a result of changes in Safer Seas, they're going to invest more time/money into building that model out for those players.
They've already abandoned their original notions of never offering a PvE only mode by implementing Safer Seas in the first place. If the revenue follows it, I have no doubt they'll further abandon their new mantra surrounding Safer Seas that we see from the deck hands around here.
Yeah that's what I focused on from the video too.
A lot of the casual player base is already confused when people attack their ship in SoT.
Only a matter of time before more dramatic changes show up lol
Personally I think they will start splitting up boat sizes first but eventually the cheesing is just gonna be full on pve, imo.
Before safer seas was announced it was obvious in how they started to change the wording in their messaging about pve servers that something was gonna show up eventually.
@realstyli said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
I have zero problem if they were to add limited Captaincy to Safer Seas - no Sovereigns, no Captain supplies, no Milestones, etc... but Shipname, cosmetics saving, trinket placement, decorations, and such, are not going to really harm the intentions of Safer Seas. And I would think having access to some cosmetics but not being able to unlock them would encourage players to jump to High Seas for Milestones (to unlock ship crests, trinkets, banners, for example). From a business point of view, there are also a ton of items in the Emporium that require a Captained ship to actually use. So I could see this happening.
I actually, word by word, 100% agree with this. Really nothing else to add. It's just logical and fair to/not hurting main player base (HS) at the same time, while giving some additional stuff for families and PvE players to have fun with.
@realstyli while I 100% agree with what you said, it's clear from not only their actions, but the way they've begun wording things, that their vision for the back half of the SOT lifespan are changing.
Safer Seas was a can of worms that was opened, and if it proves profitable, will only be expanded on in ways that further go against their original vision for the game and the magic that has kept long term players around for as long as it has.
@sweetsandman said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
@realstyli while I 100% agree with what you said, it's clear from not only their actions, but the way they've begun wording things, that their vision for the back half of the SOT lifespan are changing.
Safer Seas was a can of worms that was opened, and if it proves profitable, will only be expanded on in ways that further go against their original vision for the game and the magic that has kept long term players around for as long as it has.
Indeed, I think at the end of the day they're going to look at what makes the most business sense. If they're to expand the playerbase then enticing the PvE-only crowd is a safe bet - this will be especially important looking towards a potential port to the family-friendly Switch 2, maybe.
It doesn't mean the end for High Seas and PvPvE, as it can still be positioned as the high-risk, high-reward way to play and there is still a sizable market for it. And what I've always said is that if someone doesn't like PvP, you either give them a way to play that is appealing or you lose them entirely. I think there's a way for both styles of play to co-exist.
@realstyli said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
@sweetsandman said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
@realstyli while I 100% agree with what you said, it's clear from not only their actions, but the way they've begun wording things, that their vision for the back half of the SOT lifespan are changing.
Safer Seas was a can of worms that was opened, and if it proves profitable, will only be expanded on in ways that further go against their original vision for the game and the magic that has kept long term players around for as long as it has.
Indeed, I think at the end of the day they're going to look at what makes the most business sense. If they're to expand the playerbase then enticing the PvE-only crowd is a safe bet - this will be especially important looking towards a potential port to the family-friendly Switch 2, maybe.
It doesn't mean the end for High Seas and PvPvE, as it can still be positioned as the high-risk, high-reward way to play and there is still a sizable market for it. And what I've always said is that if someone doesn't like PvP, you either give them a way to play that is appealing or you lose them entirely. I think there's a way for both styles of play to co-exist.
They are going to find out that the only reason people want to farm this game beyond total casual levels is because people want to cheese numbers and then compare it to organic play numbers.
Once 200 million or 400+ million is just a number that anyone can easily have it no longer has significance and people move on earlier. We literally already have this in the game, there are multiple things that no longer have significance that people don't get excited about anymore. Anything from certain comms/cosmetics to certain treasures, to certain numbers, people are even tired of just selling the loot.
Once people can no longer shortcut flex there is no appeal to play this game more than just ultra-casually.
They only co-exist because there is still the illusion that this is a true risk/reward game. They can change the game, but they won't pull off both if they go much further into the 1:1 reward direction.
They've already cheapened everything with so many double-gold and reputation events. I don't disagree that gold is very much meaningless now but I still think the PvPvE aspect of High Seas has its appeal. Anything that can be "cheesed" on Safer Seas is not really a flex, in my opinion. I don't think you can have 1:1 when PvE is only half the experience.
One day or other, the Capitaincy will have its place in Safers Seas, I'm sure of that.
How long will it take? I've no idea, but you have to realise that it's taken them over 5 years to hear from a large number of players before they can release PvE servers (because yes, Safers Seas are single-player PvE servers, with ‘normal’ limitations, but they're still PvE servers), so it remains to be seen how long it will take them to release these features in Safers Seas.
What's more, I've read a comment in the comments that I don't really like: ‘so as not to harm the High Seas’, so despite the many requests: how would a potential presence of the captaincy in Safers Seas harm anything?
Two things: firstly (and this is something I'm convinced of), if the Capitaincy isn't present in Safers Seas at the moment, it's because of the guilds. I've already said this here, but don't forget that the SS came out almost at the same time as the guilds and that the Capitaincy is directly linked to the guilds, so I think it could be a problem.
And secondly, I also think they took advantage of the first thing to avoid a lot of players complaining here and there, but I figure that anyway: whatever the developers do with THEIR game, a noisy minority will do everything they can to complain and thus harm the game.
If ever the capitaincy came out, I'd be absolutely against the barons not being available. Why not? The real reason is that the developers wanted players to be able to play both long and short sessions (and this is also one of the reasons for the huge season 11 update). The fact that Sea of Thieves is overflowing with dozens and dozens of treasures of all kinds (much more than before) meant that they introduced barons to shorten selling time (and this doesn't really have anything to do with PvP).
On the other hand, I'd be in favor (just like reputation levels) of blocking / limiting milestones. This would avoid players having to navigate only in SS to climb milestones (although I personally think that milestone rewards hurt absolutely nobody, they only benefit the player who has them.)
@realstyli a dit dans Captaincy in Safer Seas :
They've already cheapened everything with so many double-gold and reputation events. I don't disagree that gold is very much meaningless now but I still think the PvPvE aspect of High Seas has its appeal. Anything that can be "cheesed" on Safer Seas is not really a flex, in my opinion. I don't think you can have 1:1 when PvE is only half the experience.
In reality, PvE far exceeds 50% of gameplay.
And it's a big problem for many players, which is one of the reasons why the developers brought out the arena and the hourglass.
You can't say that PvE and PvP are on an equal footing in High Seas, on a game that has a huge playing field with 6 littles ship on it...
Incidentally, it's often forgotten that PvP on SoT is mostly about giving a feeling of not knowing whether the ship you see on the horizon is friendly or enemy. PvP on this game, basically, plays on that feeling. Except that many have been clamoring to change the game's original thinking to make it competitive (something that's impossible on SoT, by the way)... and besides, it's only been requested by a fairly large minority of players (given the stats and the carnage in the arena). If the hourglass survives at present, it's mainly because it doesn't require as many resources as the arena, but how many regular players are there today, compared with ordinary players?
For all these reasons, SoT is not 50/50.
And here's a little hint: count how many recommendations are directly linked to PvP, and then to PvE...
And as for gold being meaningless today, let's just say that it's not as meaningful as it used to be. Just look at the recent decision on the SS gold rate. But that's not all: look at how much the new skins cost, look at how much the new loots available since season 11 are worth. Their price has gone up.
Before, getting 1 million was a feat, now you just have to make 2 golden trips to get them... So yes, gold isn't as important as it used to be.
It's quite simple: before the December update, you could see the difference between the game before and the game now (-70% gold received in SS). I did some research, and with a few exceptions, the price of loots was the same at the start of the game.
@zeyrniyx sagte in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
@dermasterbob a dit dans Captaincy in Safer Seas :
Safer Seas is meant to be a tutorial.
Theres a lot of things you dont get and cant do because the developers want you to play on high seas.
Captaincy is one of those things.
With captaincy you get milestons to buy trinkets and more importantly you can sell to the sovereigns.So its meant to show your jurney in the game and since safer seas is not the main game, theres no reason for you to get something from playing there (besides the 100% gold and possibility to unlock most of the commendations).
So i would say its a no brainer to ceep captaincy locked behind high seas.Safers Seas is NOT meant to be ONLY a tutorial... Stop stopping at half a sentence said by the developers!
Youre right, its not only meant to be a tutorial.
It can also be a safespace for younger or challenged players, but that doesnt change my point in the slightest.
Sea of thieves just isnt made for those people and therefore they cant/shouldnt participate in the high seas.
Safer seas is a way to play for them nontheless.
The big problem with Safer Seas though, is that the majority of players want to use it as pve servers and that is just not what it was made for.
Therefore certain things have to stay exclusive to high seas, so that players keep sailing there.
Captaincy is one thing that many players really want to use, so its a very good motivator to get people on high seas.
Thats why it should stay exclusive.
If we were only talking about people that cant play on high seas, then it would be a different story, but that is just not how this works (sadly).
@dermasterbob Very bad take imo, even Rare themselves said "it gives players who wants to play outside of the shared world an incredible amount of content to experience, either alone or with their friends. We want to give you as much choice as possible when it comes to how you choose to play Sea of Thieves, and we're excited for Safer Seas to help support that." In which they literally mean, Safer Seas is a distinct game mode while Higher Seas is the full experience.
@khazp said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
@dermasterbob Very bad take imo, even Rare themselves said "it gives players who wants to play outside of the shared world an incredible amount of content to experience, either alone or with their friends. We want to give you as much choice as possible when it comes to how you choose to play Sea of Thieves, and we're excited for Safer Seas to help support that." In which they literally mean, Safer Seas is a distinct game mode while Higher Seas is the full experience.
From a mental health and accessibility point of view I think a balanced safer seas is wonderful.
The true benefit for sea of thieves already exists in the current design of safer seas. What gets lost in the debate about rewards is how the mode already greatly benefits a vulnerable part of the consumer base.
Inclusion in sea of thieves is not inching towards 1:1 rewards. It's including more people in balanced risk/reward. That's true inclusion in a game with a foundation like this one.
That's why safer seas should never be mocked and people on high seas shouldn't be told "go play safer seas". It creates inclusion and allows people to play with less risk while still being a part of the same system as the rest of us.
In my view it cheapens its existence by trying to turn it into a way to get the same reward with less risk. Not everyone that uses safer seas regularly is just there to unlock rewards or have access to everything, many are there to be a part of the whole, just in their own way.
@zeyrniyx said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
In reality, PvE far exceeds 50% of gameplay.
And it's a big problem for many players, which is one of the reasons why the developers brought out the arena and the hourglass.
You can't say that PvE and PvP are on an equal footing in High Seas, on a game that has a huge playing field with 6 littles ship on it...
Incidentally, it's often forgotten that PvP on SoT is mostly about giving a feeling of not knowing whether the ship you see on the horizon is friendly or enemy. PvP on this game, basically, plays on that feeling. Except that many have been clamoring to change the game's original thinking to make it competitive (something that's impossible on SoT, by the way)... and besides, it's only been requested by a fairly large minority of players (given the stats and the carnage in the arena). If the hourglass survives at present, it's mainly because it doesn't require as many resources as the arena, but how many regular players are there today, compared with ordinary players?
For all these reasons, SoT is not 50/50.
And here's a little hint: count how many recommendations are directly linked to PvP, and then to PvE...And as for gold being meaningless today, let's just say that it's not as meaningful as it used to be. Just look at the recent decision on the SS gold rate. But that's not all: look at how much the new skins cost, look at how much the new loots available since season 11 are worth. Their price has gone up.
Before, getting 1 million was a feat, now you just have to make 2 golden trips to get them... So yes, gold isn't as important as it used to be.
It's quite simple: before the December update, you could see the difference between the game before and the game now (-70% gold received in SS). I did some research, and with a few exceptions, the price of loots was the same at the start of the game.
I mean, you @'ed someone (me) who is primarily a PvE player. I accept that PvP exists in the game, and I defend myself, but I don't see the game as balanced so I don't go seeking it outside of Hourglass and other instances where it's encouraged (SoSS, for example). And I would see the ever-looming threat of PvP as essential to the feel/atmosphere of the game, and that's what makes up the rest of PvP being 50%. Even when you're doing PvE, whether PvP is actively happening, it's always present as a potential and it impacts your activities and where you go. That's what keeps the game exciting, IMHO.
I've played on Safer Seas quite a bit and it's just not the same without the threat of PvP - In my opinion, it's kind of boring. But I acknowledge that there are many folk out there for whom PvP is just not their thing, they love playing the game without it, and that is why I think Rare will look to appeal to that demographic more.
@khazp said in Captaincy in Safer Seas:
Good points from everyone, but all in all I just want to spend money on one of my favorite games, and keep it going for a long time (hopefully). Also allowing captaincy in safer seas would for sure be a lucrative move for the developers.
This is the only thing that matters. $$$
I suspect that's what Rare is trying to prove out...if largely abandoning their vision for the game can somehow be lucrative this far into the game's lifecycle.
_
Will players in a single-crew world...?
A). Spend money to play the game (whether that's via gamepass or an outright purchase)
And then
B). Spend money in the Emporium after they've started playing the game
_
I find it hard to believe that the PvE content in this game alone is compelling enough for people to do more than the 'A' in that equation.
Maybe I'm wrong. But, I doubt it.
If they really wanted to introduce a PvE experience and maximize revenue from both A AND B, they'd have been better off figuring out how to do a 'Passive Mode' in the shared world.
I feel like safer seas should have everything the regular servers have without the PvP stuff. What possible advantage would someone have over a PvP player by sailing a captained ship in safer seas for six months straight? What advantage over a PvP player would they have being able to max out rep with every company, athena included, in safer seas? I'd get putting limitations on it if gold in game could be used to put advanced stats onto weapons. If this was like D&D where you could get a Blunderbuss of Fire for example that has a one second burn timer per pellet, sure grinding gold in safer seas would be bad. You could just load in, get ten quadrillion gold coins and buy +10 Trousers of Protection, a Cutlass of Player Slaying and a Flintlock of Petrification that freezes enemies in place for five seconds.
But all we can buy in game are cosmetics. The PvP sweats don't go for spiffy looking cannons, a slim profile makes aiming easier so someone buying expensive and garish cannons isn't going to help them fight better. You could have argued the deal about sails when the Dark Adventurer Sails had the cutout in them but that was removed. All sails are equal now. Not like it matters people who PvE aren't good at PvP because we spend all our time killing skellies, player movement in combat is a lot more chaotic.
A way cool flashy looking weapon isn't going to level the playing field any. If someone is dripping a week's worth of sweat a PvE player's Ancient Vault Sails aren't going to be any sort of equalizer. Only reason PvPers hate the idea of people playing the full game behind a private server is because they wont have anyone around to roll over. No easy peasy wins. It'll all just be public servers with PvP sweats on them. There wont be anymore easy battles.
As this is turning into a thread requesting limitations to be lifted from Safer Seas, I will leave the official response to that request and drop anchor here. The initial post suggestion has been noted.
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.
