I know we should not expect anything from RARE at this point.
But that doesn't mean that putting forth new and old ideas is a bad idea.
The Trading Companies have been in the game since launch, but they have been pretty neglected lately.
RARE even chose to add a completely new, widely disliked new faction into the game while all we got for the old Trading Companies were increasing amounts of Rings.
I find this a huge wasted opportunity frankly, as the old companies gave the game a lot of charme.
By adding onto these companies in a meaningful way, one could hope to recapture some of that feeling.
1. Displeasing Trading Companies
It is pretty odd how all Trading Companies are just fine with anything. Especially considering that you can work directly for their enemies and they still happily provide goods and services.
Let's fix that.
The penalty for displeasing a Trading Company would be losing access to that Companies Voyages and services for a while. You also can't sell to them.
That also requires that the Merchant Alliance isn't the only Company with Services so:
1.1 Services for other Trading Companies:
Gold Hoarder: You can buy Empty Treasure Chests and Rowboats.
Order of Souls: Cursed Cannonballs and Skeleton Bombs
Hunters Call: Hunting Spears and Meat
Reapers: Skeleton in a Barrel (Spawns a Skeleton Mercenary when destroyed on Land)
Right then, back to making them angy.
Displeasing the Gold Hoarders:
Burying precious Treasure! You should be selling that Treasure to the Gold Hoarders instead!
Displeasing the Order of Souls:
Breaking a Breakable Skull (Ashen Winds, Winds Skull, etc).
Displeasing the Merchant Alliance:
Sinking another Player Ship with the Merchant Alliance Emissary up. It's only this faction since Alliance is literally in the name.
Displeasing the Hunters Call:
Running from a Sea Monster. You should either kill it or Sink trying.
Displeasing the Reapers:
Running from a PvP fight. The way this could work is that there is an invisible timer that begins after an enemy player shoots your ship (or you).
If the timer runs out (10 Minutes?) and there has been no PvP interaction on your side for that time, the Reapers are displeased.
In essence if you just run without fighting or at least attempting to fight back, the Reapers will not be happy, as they will see you as a coward.
This one would be the most tricky to balance admittedly.
Sinking the Burning Blade would also make the Reapers mad.
The Timer on the Displeased Faction could be 30 Minutes to an Hour, I'm not a game designer. Decreasing Rank in the faction would be horrible though.
2. Faction infighting
I'm sick and tired of everything being hunky dory in the Sea of Thieves when half of the factions should be actively waging war against each other.
Some conflict could easily be simulated by adding a couple quests based around conflicts between the three main factions.
2.1: Gold Hoarder vs. Order of Souls:
The Order of Souls has discovered that the Gold Hoarders are also hoarding gold covered Skulls of Ancient Skeletons. This won't do.
You'll have to retrieve these Skulls by finding the three Keys to the Gold Hoarder Vault (Carried by Gold Skeleton Captains) and getting the Skulls out of the Trap filled Vault.
Naturally the Gold Hoarders want these Skulls back. Too bad for them that the OoS has summoned a Ghost Fleet to protect them.
You'll have to vanquish the Ghost ships and retrieve the Golden Skulls from the Waters before they sink to the Bottom of the Ocean.
The best Part about these Voyages is that you can sell the Items to either side, no matter on whose side you started the Quest.
Whoever you sell them to will be very happy, giving you Lots of Emissary Rank.
The Other side will naturally be displeased and refuse to talk to you for a while.
2.2 Gold Hoarders vs. Merchant Alliance:
The Gold Hoarders have caught wind that the Merchant Alliance is Trading with Diamonds and have decided to diversify.
Luckily a Ship with a large Diamond Shipment has recently sunk and the Diamonds are yours for the taking (Shipwreck Voyage).
The Merchant Alliance is mad and wants those Diamonds back. Unfortunately the Gold Hoarders hid them across multiple Islands, and the Merchants don't have time for stupid Riddles.
Get those Diamonds back and you will be richly rewarded. Don't you dare sell them to the Gold Hoarders though!
2.3 Order of Souls vs. Merchant Alliance
The Merchant Alliance agreed to transport some Cargo for the Order of Souls. Unfortunately the Cargo Ship got sunk by a Skeleton Fleet.
The Order still needs those supplies though. Kindly dispatch the Skeleton Fleet and bring us the Cargo?
Hey wait, They did not pay for that yet! By Order 252b of the Merchant Alliance, we will seize this cargo until you cough up the dough.
Or at least, you will do it. They stored the Cargo in one of the Old Sea Forts. Unfortunately, Ghosts. Please get that Cargo back.
Nothing Groundbreaking here, just old events recycled in a new Context. It would be very fun though.
3. Other stuff
3.1 The Sovereigns:
Despite being added to the game 4 years ago, there is basically nothing about the Sovereigns that warrants discussion.
And that is pretty boring. I'm also not holding out hope for Season 20 introducing the GMU. Given RARE's track record this won't be anything short of a Desaster.
And even if they do, then you should still be able to work for the Sovereigns.
- Add a Sovereign Emissary Flag. Raising the Flag displeases every other faction for a short while (15 -30 Minutes) but is required if you want to sell to the Sovereigns.
- The Sovereign Emissary Bonus works on EVERY ITEM but is only half as strong as the other factions.
3.2 The Smugglers:
No.
3.3 Athena:
I got nothing. You come up with something.
