"The Booty Locker" - A potential PVP fix?

  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
    Insider

    Alright, so I'll state first off that I absolutely enjoy Sea of Thieves a whole lot, and I really admire the developers outlook on how they want fairness across the board and for everyone to have even chances and the like.

    With that said, I'm going to give a little constructive criticism in regards to PVP - A lot of people have issues with being robbed and whatnot with next to zero risk to the attacking side. Some have even suggested a "bounty" system of sorts, but to me, a bounty system doesn't quite fit the bill of "Sea of Thieves".

    The Main Problem:
    PVP is fine, but those who engage as attackers have zero risk involved and that's not terribly fair to the attackee, even if they succeed in their affair, they gain nothing out of it other than inconvenience.

    So what I raise you, is a little bit more of an advanced system than just a bounty system, that still encourages the spirit of "Sea of Thieves".

    "The Booty Locker":
    alt text
    Chest recognition: Enable chests dug up from islands to 'remember' what crew of players dug it up in the first place, and recognize who is actually handling the chest, or turning it in. (In this regard, the chest would know that once it was dug up, it 'belongs' to that crew, but it would also understand that if some other crew picked it up, it was stolen.)

    Mysterious Chest: Upon having a 'stolen' chest turned in to one of the merchant contractors, this would spawn a spectral, skull adorned chest on the robber's ship. This chest can be moved anywhere on the entire ship, however, some mysterious curse stops it from being removed from the ship itself, and it must stay on it somewhere. Greed stays with its owner.

    The Jackpot: Inside this chest contains half the amount of gold that the robber has obtained from turning in other player's chests. This is not the robber's gold itself, but just an amount of gold spawned from within the chest. The amount of gold inside corresponds to half of the amount that the robber has stolen and turned in.

    Sweet Revenge: This chest can be stolen from the ship from players who successfully fend off an attack from a pirate, and can turn it in to a vendor of their choice for gold. This will also increase their reputation with the given company they have turned in to.

    Blood Money: With the increasing amount of greed and blood attained from the attacker, this will also raise the spawn rate of sharks, mysteriously gaining a taste for the greedy, corresponding to every 1,000 gold stolen. It will not exceed the high spawn rates experienced by the "Hungering Deep" pre-update.

    In conclusion, this would actually create another reason for attackees to either fight back, or for other greedy pirates to hunt down other pirates. The "Booty Locker" would be tracked on a pirate to pirate basis, and cannot be removed until it is stolen, or the enemy ship is sunk, and the chest happens to sink with the wreckage. I understand this might be a whole lot of work to actually implement, but since they seemed so quick on the draw for the Hungering Deep update, I figure they can manage something smaller scale such as this. This does not hurt PvP (as far as I can think of, please mention such down below.) As it is neither a deterrent nor an added incentive at the same time. Pirates who attack others actually still have a fairly close to zero risk for this, and I believe that adding loot in such a manner will further push the whole "Thieves" part of "Sea of Thieves".

    If you fail to be the robber, you just might end up being the robbed.

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  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
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    Feel free: I am actually looking for feedback for this idea, as I do actually hope something like this can be implemented, but the devs clearly do look to see what players want the most. So feel free to post your thoughts, your approvals, your disapprovals, the whole nine yards!

  • RumHam636

    Bounty system where you get gold for sinking aggressive players. Would make PvPer's more likely to find PvP and would make less incentive to sink people with low bounty. Everyone wins.

  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
    Insider

    @rumham636 said in "The Booty Locker" - A potential PVP fix?:

    Bounty system where you get gold for sinking aggressive players. Would make PvPer's more likely to find PvP and would make less incentive to sink people with low bounty. Everyone wins.

    As aforementioned, I don't think a bounty system fits Sea of Thieves thematically. It's been brought up before, but I think that "gold earned" should be maintained in chests, because it can still be stolen by someone else until you actually manage to drop it off somewhere. Plus, having the "Booty Locker" adds a bit of lore to the game where the greedy accrue a price on their head from a mysterious ghostly chest that just appears on their ship.

    Are you saying that the bounty system should be "visible" so to speak? Like if say, a PVPer came across two ships, they could 'check' to see which one is worth more for being more aggressive, and then make a decision based on that?

  • RumHam636

    @thelostsentinel Yeah it needs to be something you can see real time. Take me for example...I'm an avid PvP'er. IF I saw two ships on the horizon and could tell that I would get more (insert whatever reward here) for taking on one over the other I'm going for the reward. You have to assume that ships with a high bounty are engaging in PvP and as such attacking them plays into their play style as well. Simultaneously, crews that want PvE would have no bounty and would provide little incentive to sink them. You would also need to implement a way to keep players with high bounties from scuttling or server hopping. Maybe give higher rep/gold for turning in items with a higher bounty. This would also make it so high bounty crews had to focus some of their effort on questing to reap the maximum benefits of their bounty.

  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
    Insider

    @rumham636 So - in terms of turning in items - You think they could use something like the bounty skulls, but for players? Cause I'd be for that, personally.

  • RumHam636

    @thelostsentinel Yeah maybe. I dunno man it needs to be done right otherwise people are just going to complain that its not fair. Personally I think it's fine as is but crybabies everywhere.

  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
    Insider

    @rumham636 said in "The Booty Locker" - A potential PVP fix?:

    @thelostsentinel Yeah maybe. I dunno man it needs to be done right otherwise people are just going to complain that its not fair. Personally I think it's fine as is but crybabies everywhere.

    Well, currently it isn't terribly fair. There is absolutely zero risk for the attacker, and there should at least be something there for the defender to take if they succeed in a proper defense. The only thing they'd be gaining (if any) is ship equipment.

  • Admiral RRRSole

    @thelostsentinel First let me say I love the look of the chest pictured.

    Although you've said that a bounty system isn't fitting for this game I think it really is and that with what you've proposed would really make it work even better.

    Besides that sweet looking chest and the ideas behind it, the only difference the bounty system I've mentioned numerous times is that you're placing the rewards at a gold value were as I've suggested a bounty rep similar to the three existing factions.
    However it might be better incorporating your suggested ideas.

    A bounty rep could be based on ship battles won / lost ratio. Work-out the averages of each crew member. Your "Booty Locker" chest could then hold a percentage of the maximum amount (say $5,000) based on the crew's rep average. The better your crew are at PvP the more booty they stand to lose.
    I feel it would have to be less than a skull fort haul but more than a completed voyage haul.

    The reason it would have to based on individual crew members (not the ship) due to crews that aren't always playing with the same friends and the possibility of randoms.
    If one member has to leave and / or is replaced with another then the bounty adjusts to represent their PvP rep.

    The game doesn't need to do any calculations until the ship has been sunk and the booty is then calculated on the rep of that current crew.... (minus that last sinking).
    The Booty Locker value is then worked out before each player of all crews involved have their win / loss ratios adjusted again, ready for the next encounter.

    Although the system is calculated on the rep of each player, the emphasis of claiming the booty is on the ship's booty chest. Sink the ship and the Booty Locker is yours.... if you are able grab it and cash it in.

    If both ships sink or if two ships sink out of a three-way ship battle, then two Booty Lockers would surface, one where each ship sank.
    If you are sunk with the Booty Locker(s) on board your vessel than the value of it (them) changes based on your crew's rep.

    They have already implemented coloured flags (finally), These should automatically indicate who is currently doing which mode.
    White should indicate a neutral vessel, perhaps docked after a fresh spawn while the crew gather supplies and / or purchase a voyage contract.
    Once a voyage is proposed the flag changes to represent that specific faction.
    If a vessel leaves the dock of an outpost without proposing a voyage then the flag changes to PvP.

    A specific faction flag for doing either of the three existing factions.
    A red flag or the Jolly Roger flag for PvP (not having any voyages or the loot / animals of any voyages on board).

    Only the ships with a flag that represents PvP mode will contain the "Booty Locker".

  • CardShark 360
    Commander
    Insider

    @rumham636 As per the Forum Rules we all must remain respectful towards all other community members when posting on the forums. Failure to remain respectful of all community members will result in a temporary ban from the forums.

    Please read and abide by the forum rules going forward.

    Thanks!

  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
    Insider

    @admiral-rrrsole I actually really like the idea of almost combining the two ideas like you suggested. I'm not entirely sure about locking people into PvE or PvP, because they said they don't want to split the playerbase. However, the idea of this is almost to give PvE players an actual reason to engage with PvPers rather than just keep running because they actively gain nothing by fighting off the pirates chasing them down.

  • Admiral RRRSole

    @thelostsentinel Hey I almost forgot about this suggestion. Thanks for the reminder. :o)

    Nobody would necessarily be locked into either PvP or PvE modes. The flags would simply display your intent.
    If a faction fetching crew hits another hull or kills another player then they would spawn their booty locker and their flag would change to represent their PvP intentions at least until they buy another voyage.

    So even trying to be a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing you stand to lose your crew's booty locker and would have nothing to gain, unless both ships are flying the PvP flag.

    The intention flag could be as simple as a coloured triangular flag that flies either above or below your chosen flag, above the sails.

  • TheLostSentinel
    Marauder
    Insider

    @admiral-rrrsole Solid. I like it. :)

    I hope the devs are looking, cause I think it would just not only fix a couple issues with the game, but it would add another fun layer to it.

  • Admiral RRRSole

    @thelostsentinel Exactly.
    Less unwarranted attacks on PvE inclined crews inciting scuttled ships, rage quitting or the typical "cat & mouse" chases lasting forever.
    &
    More PvP minded crews in unanimous PvP minded battles... actual battles and with an even greater reward.
    Everyone's a winner. :o)

    For those who would rather chase boats, enter a race. Otherwise you are just wasting time, both yours and theirs.

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    This is genius,way better than my idea. I truly hope they implement this, or something extremely similar.

  • norloc
    Marauder
    Insider

    what if a personal meter showed your notoriety on a similar base as the bounty skulls people who die that sink few ships leave behind a foul bounty skull, whereas a player who attacks a lot would register villainous. outwardly a player gains more aura that is visible to the rest of the player base. when they player is defeated that could be the skull they leave behind

    would give someone who attacks a lot self worth as a "look at me" thing, and those who take them out get a little reward. might also shift the attack to the aggressors a little more and give them more of the aspect of the game they love

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