Starting Factions - What would they be and how would they work?

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    So, I've recently watched a few reviews for the Sea of Thieves. For the most part, many say the game has the potential to be so much more, but it lacks the content. It's safe to say that the content is coming, but what of it? How could Sea of Thieves punch through the roof and suprise its players, both old and new alike? Well, I think I have an idea!

    1. Prologue

    In Sea of Thieves, there are three base trading companies. These companies (Merchant Alliance, Order of Souls and Gold Hoarders) are very creative and extremely pirate-like. It's great! The problem is, and I believe the majority of the fanbase can agree, is that, other than the gold and even the experience of doing the missions, there's no substance. I believe that if these three companies were starting factions, this game could truly show its players just how unique it is.

    2. What would the factions be?

    The factions could simply be based straight off of the original three companies. Upon creating a pirate, the player will choose their faction prior to choosing the appearence of their pirate, for the appearences of the pirates would change depending on the faction, i.e. one who joins the Order of Souls Faction could have the option of selecting a pirate that has the dark marks underneath the eyes, or one who joins the Gold Hoarders could have golden teeth, etc. in-game, the factions would provide a better experience for players who are seeking other pirate ships to destroy.

    3. How would the factions work?

    PvP Example -
    If Player A (Order of Souls) destroys Player B's Ship (Merchant Alliance), they will immediately receive X amount of gold, depending on how many people are both in Player A's group and Player B's group.
    But what if both players are in the same faction? Well, one of two things could happen (whichever works the best).

    1. The Ship who wins simply receives nothing, as they attacked an ally ship. No penalty, as that would be unfair (unless you can tell what faction the other ship belongs to, then there could possibly be a penalty).
    2. The Ship who wins receives a reward depending on A. How many people were in both groups and B. What faction they belong to. I.e., Order of Souls v Order of Souls receives X's skull in the Captain's Quarters, or Merchant Alliance v Merchant Alliance receives X animal in the basement of the Ship. Either of which, Player A must still travel to an Outpost to turn in their reward and receive X amount of gold.

    PvE Example -
    This is much more simple. If Player A is a part of the Gold Hoarders, and does a Quest for the Gold Hoarders, they receive the same amount of XP and gold. If Player A does a Quest for the Order of Souls, they get X amount of reduction for both the XP and the gold.

    Extra ideas:

    • If Player A (Merchant Alliance) destroys player B's Ship (Gold Hoarders), Player A's team receives a special Gold Hoarder Voyage, allowing them to receive the normal amount of gold and XP as if they were a part of the Gold Hoarders.
    • The veteran members (those who have attained the highest level within the faction) are granted unique "skins." Order of Souls VetMems are granted a Skeleton skin, Gold Hoarders VetMems are granted a Landlord skin, and Merchant Alliance VetMems are granted a General skin. All skins are given alternate variations.
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  • NACmine
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    Why would we want more players killing each other. This would remove more from the game than it would introduce. We shouldn’t be reduced to one trading company.

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    @nacmine said in Starting Factions - What would they be and how would they work?:

    Why would we want more players killing each other. This would remove more from the game than it would introduce. We shouldn’t be reduced to one trading company.

    You mean why would we want more PvP?
    As of right now, the only reward for destroying another ship is to gain their loot, if they have any. What with the recent additions to the game, cooperation between crews is becoming more and more of a necessity (which isn't a bad thing, I'm simply refuting your point). Implementing something similar to what I've stated would allow for more tension and more rewards within the game. Furthermore, you would not be limited to one trading company. You could still do other trading company's missions.
    Here, read:
    "PvE Example -
    This is much more simple. If Player A is a part of the Gold Hoarders, and does a Quest for the Gold Hoarders, they receive the same amount of XP and gold. If Player A does a Quest for the Order of Souls, they get X amount of reduction for both the XP and the gold." ...
    "If Player A (Merchant Alliance) destroys player B's Ship (Gold Hoarders), Player A's team receives a special Gold Hoarder Voyage, allowing them to receive the normal amount of gold and XP as if they were a part of the Gold Hoarders."
    Hope this helped. :)

  • NACmine
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @sg-bishop I’m having a little trouble understanding. So you Johns faction right. But you can still do others missions. Why not if you accept a mission for a faction you work for them until it is complete.

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    @nacmine I'm lost on what you're trying to ask lol. Would you mind rephrasing?

  • NACmine
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    Sorry. So instead of permanently joining one faction why not you are working for them until the mission they give you is complete.

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    @nacmine ... I'm still at a complete loss of what you're trying to convey lol

  • NACmine
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    So you said before you chose a pirate you chose a faction. Why not skip the faction choosing part and if you really want factions and stuff whenever you pick up a voyage for a faction you join their side until the voyage is over. Overall I still think there shouldn’t be factions like this but I do agree that people should get something for destroying other ships and stuff.

  • Admiral RRRSole

    @SG-Bishop and @NACmine
    May I suggest a look into this thread?
    https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/61195/the-booty-locker-a-potential-pvp-fix

    I think the joint / merged ideas that have evolved in the conversation between @TheLostSentinel and myself would add so much more to the game for both PvP and PvE minded players.

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    @nacmine ah! I understand, now lol. I see what you mean... I, personally, just feel as if the game does not have enough substance. The game is great, but there can be so much more and, in my opinion, implementing factions make the game perfect.

  • NACmine
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    I think it’s an interesting idea but this is not a factions game. Factions games are things like planetside 2 where factions are very very important. This is more of a social game and factions take away from that. Also from the other link, also interesting ideas but it’s still a pirate game. Pirates didn’t have much to lose in real life so why should they in a game.

  • Program 024
    Founder

    @sg-bishop I don't know if having rigid factions would be the best solution here. Personally I wouldn't want to be tied to a faction for the entirety of my pirate's career. I personally like the idea of the freelance work as it stands right now. At least a permanent alliance to a given company is implied in the OP.

    I also posted this elsewhere where someone was suggesting something similar. The current trade companies are set up in such a way that faction warfare (as implied by PvP between crews of different factions) doesn't make any sense. There is no competition for goods or services. The Gold Hoarders and Merchant Alliance don't simply care about occult secrets extracted from cursed skulls. The Merchant Alliance and Order of Souls don't care a lick about, well, hoarding gold like the Gold Hoarders. The Merchant Alliance is all about moving goods and freight around and on time and that alone.

    Encouraging warfare between the existing companies makes no sense in my opinion. If they add say a competing group to the Bilge Rats or an alternative to the Order of Souls to compete against then PvP between crews of different factions makes sense.

    Adding separate factions for PvP would be better in my opinion for your proposed system. These added factions are trying to establish close ties to the existing trading companies for whatever benefits the company offers: ancient magic from the Order of Souls, currency from the Gold Hoarders, and goods and supplies from the Merchant Alliance. It would be natural for each of these new factions would try to shoulder the others out of the way. That could be something as making sure a shipment 'disappears' or running sabotage missions of some kind. That makes more sense to me in my mind.

    But trying to shoehorn such mechanics onto the existing companies doesn't seem to be a wise idea in my opinion.

  • Opunaat
    Ship Mate

    @program-024 That's a very good point, I didn't think of it that way. I just really love the idea ofthe Order of Souls lol

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