The distance requirement to be able to dive to a quest when another ship is nearby, must be shrunk.
It's absolutely absurd that my crew and I have to CONSTANTLY be chased around the map by Reapers because it won't allow us to dive, saying "player ships nearby" when sometimes the distance between the ships is quite alot.
Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced
@spower007 said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
The distance requirement to be able to dive to a quest when another ship is nearby, must be shrunk.
It's absolutely absurd that my crew and I have to CONSTANTLY be chased around the map by Reapers because it won't allow us to dive, saying "player ships nearby" when sometimes the distance between the ships is quite alot.Isn’t it only like a square or two? I’m thinking one square-ish.
The real challenge is not avoiding the range, but getting out of it once you’re within it. It’s pretty easy to avoid reapers since they’re visible on the map, if you allow them within the diving range as it is now, who’s to say that you wouldn’t allow them within any potentially future adjusted range? Be vigilant.
As I’m sure you’re already aware, your best bet is probably to jump off the back of your boat and try to board and anchor them. Not always an easy task, but doable. Also, if you’re willing to dive then you don’t have any loot, is fighting them to the death so bad? You could be on a new ship in no time.
@spower007 said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
It's absolutely absurd that my crew and I have to CONSTANTLY be chased around the map by Reapers because it won't allow us to dive, saying "player ships nearby" when sometimes the distance between the ships is quite alot.
And ruin the Reapers online experiance by diving... Don't let other boats close to yours or just kill them.
@spower007
if you don't want to defend your loot in High Seas and opt for the running option, you should pay better attention to your surroundings. Of all the factions reapers are the only one visible the moment they vote their emissary flag so there is not excuse to let them get this close.@gosva5434 said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
@spower007
you should pay better attention to your surroundings.This should be done all the time.
In a game we just finished before maintenance we rolled up to a Sloop doing a sea fort, they had no idea we were coming. We double kegged them and they had no chance. They were too busy focusing on doing the fort instead of popping up every now and then and checking the horizon.
It's not hard to look around and see what's coming.
@captdirtyoar
totally agree. Honestly this is the most important skill in SoT. You can be terrible at PvP, but if you know how to scan the horizon and do PvE activities quickly that's all you need. I understand that the game has a terrible onboarding process for new players (although they have done a lot of things to improve tbf), so they don't really grasp what's happening, therefore it makes sense why they become frustrated and immediatly jump to the conclusion that the game is unbalanced or toxic.My friends and I were a lvl 5 reaper galleon. We rolled up to some players finishing up a 4-stacked FotD, and took it. They never saw us coming.
After taking that, we decided to go to the FoF right away, since we didn't want it to despawn. We're sailing against wind towards the FoF with these giant ribbon-streamers from the reaper bounty crates on our bowsprit. It looked like a curtain of fireworks. We rolled up on the players doing the FoF, sunk them, and was able to take the fort for ourselves. They never saw us coming.May I ask you, at what point does the responsibility of being aware/observant stop, and Rare's responsiblity to come in and change things for those players, start?
the game has a terrible onboarding process for new players (although they have done a lot of things to improve tbf), so they don't really grasp what's happening, therefore it makes sense why they become frustrated and immediatly jump to the conclusion that the game is unbalanced or toxic.
This is a really refreshing take. It's so great to hear someone who's neither dismissing players' frustrations, but also not demanding the balance of the game be changed.
I think you're right and I think more could be done to bring new players into the PVP aspects of the game more gently, instead of throwing them in the deep end. No need to make any dramatic changes to the balance of the game, just introduce some stepping stones to help new players wrap their head around it a bit at a time. I think the health of the game would benefit and there would be less conflict in the forums.
This game has one of the steepest learning curves, and to get better at defending your ship against other players, you just have to go out and do it. Every experience teaches a lesson. What the OP's lesson here was, is to always be vigilant at what's on the map (I mean, you can see their reaper flag) and your surroundings. I doubt they realized this lesson however, because instead of thinking to himself, "Oh, I should've checked the map more often and been vigilant enough," he came to the forums instead and wants the distance to dive away to another server reduced, as he was getting chased by a reaper "all around the map" instead of learning to defend himself.
No idea what you mean by saying more can be done to bring new players into pvp aspects more gently. I mean, even if you start on a brand new ship with zero treasure, you can do hourglass and practice for free while earning rep, gold, experience, and have nothing to risk or lose. In order for players to "wrap their head around it", they have to start sitting back and asking themselves what they could've done differently, instead of coming to the forums demanding changes. When I was new to the game, hourglass and safer seas didn't exist at the time. I was sunk everyday because I wasn't being observant, and didn't practice defense. Now that those tools are in the game to help newer players, you're saying we need to bring them to experience pvp aspects more gently?
Ok.
Disagree.
The current distance is what....2 squares or so?
If you and your crew let a ship get that close and you are unwilling to combat then that is on you.
I sail solo and the current distance is acceptable.Reapers appear on the map. Guild V's can be sweaty also - similarly they appear on the map.
You and your crew need to monitor map, scan horizon(to see non-Reaper/Guild V hunters) and dive - or learn to combat.@europa4033 I don't disagree with anything you've said. Yes, if players want to learn to defend, they just need to go out and do it (get sunk, learn, come back better). Yes the lesson OP should be taking is to be more vigilant of what's on the map and run if a reaper gets too close (and when that doesn't work because someone attacks them while not running reaper emissary, the lesson will be to check the horizon more frequently etc. etc.).
I agree that people (of their own accord, with no prompting from anyone else) taking a different perspective and trying to learn from their mistakes absolutely would be a solution. The problem with offering "People just need to..." as a solution, is that it always comes up against the same problem which is simply: "... but they won't.". I agree that people SHOULD do that. But if they won't. If we've seen time and time again that they won't. Continuing to insist that they "just need to..." stops being a viable solution.
Sometimes people need to be helped to help themselves. Maybe something as simple as adding a function in this forum where experienced players can flag certain posts as a "skill issue" and moderators can move it to a different forum where they get constructive feedback on how to improve? I don't know, I haven't thought that through properly, just a random idea.
You asked above where the responsibility of the player stops and Rare's responsibility starts. I would say try to look at it differently. Instead of seeing helping these players to learn as a responsibility that Rare has, see it as a choice they can make which would improve the experience of new gamers and, by extension, improve the overall health of the game.
You've given some excellent examples (hourglass, safer seas) of where they've already started doing this. All I'm saying is: This is great and they should carry on in this endeavour.
@eligibleeel6171 said
I agree that people (of their own accord, with no prompting from anyone else) taking a different perspective and trying to learn from their mistakes absolutely would be a solution. The problem with offering "People just need to..." as a solution, is that it always comes up against the same problem which is simply: "... but they won't.". I agree that people SHOULD do that. But if they won't. If we've seen time and time again that they won't. Continuing to insist that they "just need to..." stops being a viable solution.
If they won't, that's on them, not on Rare to make changes because they take no accountability. Suggesting the game should cater to them by bringing them to the pvp aspects "gently" (still confused by this. So, if I fight against a newer player, am I only allowed to fire 3 cannonballs?) isn't going to help them. I hope OP has read these responses and learned some helpful advice. The questions they need to ask isn't, "Why can't Rare reduce the distance so we can dive and get away?" but needs to be, "What could I have done differently in that situation?" because that key question will come up again and again. "Gentle pvp" doesn't happen in this game.
@europa4033 again, I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just asking you to consider a different way of looking at things. You're still talking about it being "on" them, or "on" Rare. You're thinking in terms of who has responsibility, and accountability, and what's fair, and how things should be. There's nothing wrong with this, and it's an important line of thinking that has to be considered.
I'm just asking you to consider a different approach: Instead of only considering how things should be, instead consider A) What do we want to happen? and B) What can we do (or rather, what can Rare do) to help achieve that? For example I want more people to join and play the game; new players to embrace PVP; and fewer people getting angry in the forums and/ or quitting out of frustration. I don't want these things because I'm being nice to new players. I want these things because I think it will improve the overall health of the game, and I think I and everyone else will benefit from that.
Think of it this way. You came on this post and gave OP some very helpful feedback about being more vigilant and checking the map, as well as some more general advice about taking accountability for their own learning, and learning from their mistakes. What made you do that? Why didn't you just sit back and let them suffer? Was it "on" you to help them recognise their mistakes? Was it your responsibility to explain those things? Of course not. It wasn't about responsibility. You (I assume) wanted to help them learn and change their thinking, because that's what's best for everyone and the game overall.
All I'm suggesting is that we take that attitude, of wanting to support new players, help them recognise and learn from their mistakes, and found ways to work it into the game itself, rather than have them come to the forums and demand changes. Not because it's our (or Rare's) responsibility, but because it will make the experience better for everyone in the long run.
I feel like part of the problem is that when Rare introduced diving, they failed to appropriately consider a risk/reward element to it. Loot is so easy to come by that diving and giving up what you've collected is borderline a no-brainer...even if you've amassed a sizeable amount.
Imagine if (even for Tall Tale portals) when you dive to a voyage or to a Tall Tale, your Emissary Flag was sacrificed with your loot.
The fact that you don't lose your Emissary Flag has not only made server hopping for PvP much easier and even more rewarding, but it has also made PvE extremely cheesable.
I maintain that diving is one of the worst things they have done to the game. Not just because it has seemingly caused more bugs than it's been worth, but because it has really taken away from the special sauce of SOT.
@sweetsandman said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
I feel like part of the problem is that when Rare introduced diving, they failed to appropriately consider a risk/reward element to it. Loot is so easy to come by that diving and giving up what you've collected is borderline a no-brainer...even if you've amassed a sizeable amount.
Imagine if (even for Tall Tale portals) when you dive to a voyage or to a Tall Tale, your Emissary Flag was sacrificed with your loot.
The fact that you don't lose your Emissary Flag has not only made server hopping for PvP much easier and even more rewarding, but it has also made PvE extremely cheesable.
I maintain that diving is one of the worst things they have done to the game. Not just because it has seemingly caused more bugs than it's been worth, but because it has really taken away from the special sauce of SOT.
Indeed. I wonder what OP would have done, if diving was never a feature? If you feel you're going to get sunk and lose your loot anyway, why not try and fight? You might be surprised at the end result, you could also learn a bit more/get more experience, but if all you do is run to dive, you'll never know.
@europa4033 said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
Indeed. I wonder what OP would have done, if diving was never a feature? If you feel you're going to get sunk and lose your loot anyway, why not try and fight? You might be surprised at the end result, you could also learn a bit more/get more experience, but if all you do is run to dive, you'll never know.
Running is and should be a legitimate tactic whether we like it or not.
It's up to the runner to decide how much time they want to spend running. Likewise, it's up to the chaser to decide how long they want to chase.
What OP may have done was run to the red sea. Another bag fumbled by Rare. While the tactic of bailing to effectively clip loot into an un-retrievable state certainly needed to be fixed, they overcorrected and made it an easy collection to the would-be chaser. Nice for us PvPers, but it was obviously a negative change for a lot of folks.
I've made suggestions in the past on how they should have changed the mechanics of the red sea long before how they wound up changing it...
But the point is... they've made changes that have negatively impacted standard gameplay tactics, but also negatively impacted the organic experience on servers. The result has been an (observed) unsatisfied and diminishing playerbase.
@sweetsandman said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
I've made suggestions in the past on how they should have changed the mechanics of the red sea long before how they wound up changing it...
Issues I see with that suggestion is that the sunken ship will probably be closer to an outpost to get the map than the chaser (and a smart red-sea-runner would try to get their boat sunk as far away possible from a sea- or outpost).
Then the crew of the sunken ship can take their time and opportunity to dig the loot up, as I doubt the other crew would hang around the area for a long time.
IMHO this would even helped the red-sea-runner, as they would have a chance to recover their loot which would in the old days have been sunk.
A well-intentioned bump.
@spower007 said in Distance to nearby players preventing diving to quests must be reduced:
The distance requirement to be able to dive to a quest when another ship is nearby, must be shrunk.
It's absolutely absurd that my crew and I have to CONSTANTLY be chased around the map by Reapers because it won't allow us to dive, saying "player ships nearby" when sometimes the distance between the ships is quite alot.Disagree.
For reference, the distance is 2 squares.
Someone adamant about avoiding PVP should reconsider putting up an Emissary flag.
A personal anecdote: keeping a Guild flag equipped and getting it to Grade V while a Reaper ship is in the vicinity is not a good idea when you don't want to PVP. If you pay attention to the map table and possibly the horizon you may have had the time to dive or sail away rather than waiting for them to sail over from 4+ tiles away after they were in the Roar for over an hour with a Reaper emissary flag that is inching it's way to Grade V.
Going into the Roar may have meant less chance to be spotted by other crews in the past. However, the addition of Ashen Reaper Voyages gives a Reaper emissary ship a reason to go into the Roar. Those without the flag equipped will still be indicated by the Mark of the Reaper flag on the map table when doing these voyages.
These other ships may not even be aware that anyone else is in the area but if you are now a Grade V Guild ship that is a spotlight for everyone to see on the map table. There are several Commendations for selling Guild Emissary flags. Regardless, it's an indication that you are doing something to get to Grade V. If you dive into a server as Grade V Guild and saw a Reaper ship or any ship in the area then consider hopping back out of said server or sailing away.
Safer Seas exists for a reason despite the despair over the limits it has in place. They'll be expanding it to Safer Seas Fleets, possibly in 2026 so you can sail with other friends. You have a choice not to put up an Emissary flag which warns you with a popup that the flag can make you are target. Claiming you don't have any loot on board when you have a Grade V Guild flag equipped is not exactly a worthwhile strategy. The chasing ship may not believe you since you had to have gotten to Grade V somehow, you do have the flag and possibly some supplies. At the end of the day, they may just be in it for the PVP.
Keep an eye on the horizon and regularly check the map table. Ships may be hopping into the server or even simply sailing over from another Outpost such as Ancient Spire at which point you may see them on the map table or horizon from most areas. This is especially the case if they are a Reaper emissary or are doing a Reaper voyage with a forced Mark of the Reaper flag equipped.
A few suggestions:
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If you are going to simply run and cannot get more than 2 squares away then escape through a Tall Tale portal. You no longer have to go to an Outpost or have a checkpoint to vote on it at the Quest table.
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Board and anchor the chasing ship. A harpoon gun can help for boarding against larger ships.
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Keg the chasing ship. The new Black Powder Barrels are quite good for this and are less likely to explode on your own ship as they are armored. A volcano hit in the roar may be an issue as they will explode if the area of the ship is on fire for 10 seconds.
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Out maneuver the chasing ship using wind or the ship's harpoon's on the ocean floor when near an island or using rocks. Sailing into the wind may no longer work as a strategy as you still need to adjust sails.
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Horn of Fair Winds. These are much more prevalent due to the Smuggler caches and shipwrecks. The chasing ship may also have them.
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Use a Cannon of Rage to shoot at the chasing ship. Knock down their masts with chain shots if they are close enough.
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Hide any loot on an island and bury it if you have time. Swim it down to a Shrine or Treasury. Mermaid storage for non-sunken loot won't be an option in the future.
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Cut your losses and Scuttle / Scuttle and change seas. The amount of time running could be better spent starting over.
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Keep an eye on the horizon and map table. Ships may also be diving into your server or sailing over from somewhere else.
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Play during off peak hours.
Good luck.
https://www.seaofthieves.com/news/safer-seas
https://www.seaofthieves.com/community/forums/topic/161991/safer-seas-faq
https://www.playstationtrophies.org/news/sea-of-thieves-paid-custom-servers-2026/
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