So the whole idea of rowboats is so you can leave your ship at a safe distance and row ashore. Now that would be great if the row boats in question wasn't made out of paper mache. They don't survive an eruption and you're then just stuck on the island and have to either die or mermaid back to the ship.
Whilst I'm at it, eruptions are far too frequent and the range is probably a bit too much (but wouldn't be such an issue if the rowboats actually performed a function).
The volcano range is way too big - if you don't want your ship to get hit you need to park it at a range such that it would take you longer to row to the island than just waiting for the eruption to end and sailing there.
Your rowboat will likely get demolished on, or on the way to, the island by the same eruption requiring you to move your boat in anyways.
You’re reacting a little violently to this. It also sounds like you never used the Rowboat in any of the regular regions either.
True rowboats are fragile, and hopefully the frequency and intensity of eruptions is scaled back a bit. But they still perform their intended purpose. You can still use them to park your ship a bit farther from the island. And use it to round up all the loot and take it back in one trip.
Some people have even used them to sneakily board other ships and rob them blind. Sometimes you need to proactively look for ways to use them, and not just wait for a use to come to you.
@octopus-lime said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
@blam320 Violently? Are u ok h*n?
You said they’re useless in your title and that they’re made of paper. That’s quite an overreaction toward rowboats when it seems like your actual problem is the volcanic activity.
@blam320 well they're useless in the forsaken shores where they were primarily intended to be used which is true so it's not really an overreaction and it certainly isn't a violent one.
@octopus-lime said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
@blam320 well they're useless in the forsaken shores where they were primarily intended to be used which is true so it's not really an overreaction and it certainly isn't a violent one.
Navigating the Devil’s Roar wasn’t their only purpose by design, however. They can be used anywhere in the Sea of Thieves and still be effective. Meaning you’re objectively wrong.
I actually agree, I don't really see any valid use for them other than the novelty of having a row boat. Just about anything you might use one for, can be supplemented with better parking or a strategic approach to a volcanic island. In fact, I see them being more of a hindrance than of value in relation to the new zone. I had way more success just island hopping during a voyage with my sloop than using a rowboat. The added benefit was everything on my sloop was securely within reach, instead of an islands distance away. I get this was a highly requested thing within the game, but I feel there are times to react to feedback, and times when feedback doesn't provide the added value to justify the effort.
After finishing with Devil's Roar last night we wound down sailing to Sandy Shallows where we had a map for four chests. One of them was a Chest of Sorrows; my crew mate threw it in the rowboat and started rowing it to Sanctuary with it boo-hooing all the way. I finished loading a banana crate and dropped sail, he actually beat me there and had the CC turned in as I arrived with the sloop. Great fun, lots of laughs! I had my doubts when it was talked about earlier, but I really enjoyed playing with it last night and think it's a fine addition.
@blam320 they are better outside the devils roar than in it with the high tech targeting system the volcanoes have. Its better to shoot to the island. Use bananas to get through the vater get everything you need done then sail the ship over since the island will have probably calmed down by then speed load then go. Outside the roar they are better and do feel useful though.
@r3b3lspy Nope, it sure didn't sink with the Sorrows, and you can easily get to an outpost with them. With their low profile I can see them being useful in a number of situations. I think they are just plain fun to use and with more time and experience will be practical too.
@pollyoliverperk Thanks yes they are great, I would like a more zoomed out view when padding or a bigger field of view.
@r3b3lspy You can turn your view completely around to see where you're going, at least you can on PC. I had a little trouble at first getting everything to work, learning to row, store, and attach it to the ship. I fell off more than once, but it was really pretty easy after I figured it out. I wonder how long it will be before someone has rowboat races? :-D
@octopus-lime said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
So the whole idea of rowboats is so you can leave your ship at a safe distance and row ashore. Now that would be great if the row boats in question wasn't made out of paper mache. They don't survive an eruption and you're then just stuck on the island and have to either die or mermaid back to the ship.
Whilst I'm at it, eruptions are far too frequent and the range is probably a bit too much (but wouldn't be such an issue if the rowboats actually performed a function).
But a friend of mine just sailed past a galleon docked at an island...jumped off of the solo brig he is on (we can't login to Xbox...grr) and swam over to their ship letting his brig sail away. He loaded all of their loot into their rowboat, dropped it from the back of their ship, and is headed to an outpost now.
Still think they are useless?
@pollyoliverperk Yes I do this all the time at least you can see where you are going in you are solo but I'll like a bigger field of view or a view of our back but that could take a lot of work to do, maybe a bigger field of view while you are paddling.
@r3b3lspy Yeah, I see what you mean now, but I think you're right, probably a lot of difficulties to make that work.
@aod-fluid said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
@octopus-lime said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
So the whole idea of rowboats is so you can leave your ship at a safe distance and row ashore. Now that would be great if the row boats in question wasn't made out of paper mache. They don't survive an eruption and you're then just stuck on the island and have to either die or mermaid back to the ship.
Whilst I'm at it, eruptions are far too frequent and the range is probably a bit too much (but wouldn't be such an issue if the rowboats actually performed a function).
But a friend of mine just sailed past a galleon docked at an island...jumped off of the solo brig he is on (we can't login to Xbox...grr) and swam over to their ship letting his brig sail away. He loaded all of their loot into their rowboat, dropped it from the back of their ship, and is headed to an outpost now.
Still think they are useless?
haha I bet that galleon crew would say they're more than useless, they are a liability! that is pretty hilarious, though.
I do think that the volcanoes should not actively target rowboats...but they do need to still be destroyed by volcanoes if they get hit. I have made it to and from islands on a rowboat...but it is a total c***s-shoot (dice game, but I bet it gets censored...not intended).
I will add that rowboats also need to be destructible by powderkeg. We tried that on our own rowboat last night and all it did was shoot it across the water like it was a speedboat. Now if I could find a way to pull that off with a person in it...then I'd have something special.
I'm of the opinion that rowboats should be indestructible for gameplay reasons. You aren't going to beat a sloop on a rowboat let alone a galleon in a fight so who cares there. They wouldn't crumble when you park them on land or dock them to the boat. And who among us wouldn't like to stumble upon a rowboat loaded down with treasure adrift in the sea because a rock killed all onboard and they haven't made it back yet. Seems like a lot more fun than "Hey I got a rowboa..... oh. it sank."
@aod-fluid said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
I will add that rowboats also need to be destructible by powderkeg. We tried that on our own rowboat last night and all it did was shoot it across the water like it was a speedboat.
Now this confuses me.
Did you try using it after? Cause I've never been hit by eruptions while in a rowboat, and the only time I destroyed one was by accident when I shot a powder skellie too near it.
It didn't sink or anything, but it looked all battered and I could no longer use it.
The Devils Roar is absolutely spot on and does not require the awesome and vigorous volcanic eruptions reduced in size. That would be a real shame in my opinion.
I love this region. It is the shot in the arm the game needed for a solo player like myself. Sailing round is once again a nervy and exciting experience.
My view on the row boat is still out. It is too early to say for me. I do see some very fun scenarios for it use in future.
I was with another two dudes last night on a brigantine. Twice I survived doing order of souls on the volcanic islands, twice we lost our ship and twice we would have lost our loot had it not been for that paper rowboat!
I agree though, these boats need a little reinforcement...maybe they should let us harvest some materials to make rafts with. Crafting has become such a big part of modern gaming. I was surprised that getting marooned and having to survive on islands and build rafts wasn't a thing...
@v**a-hombre said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
@aod-fluid said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
I will add that rowboats also need to be destructible by powderkeg. We tried that on our own rowboat last night and all it did was shoot it across the water like it was a speedboat.
Now this confuses me.
Did you try using it after? Cause I've never been hit by eruptions while in a rowboat, and the only time I destroyed one was by accident when I shot a powder skellie too near it.
It didn't sink or anything, but it looked all battered and I could no longer use it.
hahaha... we have lost EVERY rowboat we have had to eruptions. they definitely die to them, and there is thread after thread here about it (including this one). We put a powderkeg IN the rowboat and shot it with a rifle...the rowboat took off like a speedboat, then stopped...but was fine.
@chitownsace3 said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
@r3b3lspy View of ur back ? Um just turn ur field of view around l**o you can see in front of you
I think he wants third-person view in the rowboat...which wouldn't be bad...but isn't really necessary.
@biter-wylie said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
The Devils Roar is absolutely spot on and does not require the awesome and vigorous volcanic eruptions reduced in size. That would be a real shame in my opinion.
I love this region. It is the shot in the arm the game needed for a solo player like myself. Sailing round is once again a nervy and exciting experience.
My view on the row boat is still out. It is too early to say for me. I do see some very fun scenarios for it use in future.
My points are this:
A) The rowboat and the player do not need to be targeted by volcanoes. If either gets hit randomly then fine...I am good with that, but the volcanoes actually target you like cannons do. I think the real problem is that the volcanoes target players...not technically the rowboat.
B) The radius that is used for skeleton cannons and the volcanoes around the sloop (and only the sloop) needs to be adjusted. You sail past a volcano in a brig or a galleon and you get tons of "close calls" with those rocks... the sloop just gets hit time and time again.
C) Volcanoes erupt way too often. I was not agreeing with what people were saying about this before, but then I saw one erupt...we waited for it to stop...went to the island and as soon as we raised our sails to stop it started again. That was within 1-2 minutes time. That should not happen and does nothing to "enhance the game" and only serves the purpose of wasting time in a game that is already nothing but a total time-sink.
@aod-fluid
Yeah, sounds like I've just been having good luck as far as eruptions go. =P
Powder keg IS strange though. Maybe cause it was inside the rowboat?
Huh, will have to do some testing. I'd also like to know if the red sea will damage a rowboat.
EDIT: Another question; does anyone else feel like they go faster when facing the back of the rowboat? Maybe it's just an optical illusion, but I often line myself up and then turn towards the rear to row just cause it seems like I'm going faster when I do.
@v**a-hombre said in Why did they make rowboats so useless?:
@aod-fluid
Yeah, sounds like I've just been having good luck as far as eruptions go. =P
Powder keg IS strange though. Maybe cause it was inside the rowboat?
Huh, will have to do some testing. I'd also like to know if the red sea will damage a rowboat.
EDIT: Another question; does anyone else feel like they go faster when facing the back of the rowboat? Maybe it's just an optical illusion, but I often line myself up and then turn towards the rear to row just cause it seems like I'm going faster when I do.
It is kind of like the brigantine. I do think the brigantine has some issues with it's speed that need to be resolved...but you are sitting lower to the water, and that does make it feel faster than it actually is. Kind of like when you ride in a car. The road right in front of you moves a lot faster than the trees off in the distance.
We only set off one powderkeg in the rowboat before deciding to hit it with a cannon to see if that would work...and boy did it work, which I got to use last night against another player.
We had a ship attack us, and all of their loot was being ferried away on a rowboat. I guess they thought the had a lower risk if they tried to hide their loot while they fought us to take ours?
They lost it all, and lost their ship, and then died. It was a sad experience for everyone involved... except for us, that was really fun!
