Could we potentially get retractable boat ladders? This would make players find a new way to board ships either via cannon shots to the deck, or grapple. This adds another strategy layer too: if I cannon launch, I can have 2 weapon slots of my choosing, but have to be accurate to get on the deck. I could go for the easier grapple, but sacrifice a weapon to do so. Also, like anchors, boarders should be able to lower an opponents ladder once boarded to make boarding easier for the rest of the crew. This would make spawn killing on boats less likely, but also make combat more balanced and entertaining / engaging.
Retractable ladders
@jaredbb1
Retractable ladders? That’s just overcomplicating stuff that doesn’t need fixing. Boarding is already a skill thing in Sea of Thieves — cannon shots, grapples, positioning — that’s what makes it fun. Adding ladders you have to pull up and down would just slow everything down and make fights clunky.Also, the idea that this somehow stops spawn killing is kinda laughable. If someone wants to spawn camp, they’re still gonna do it. This wouldn’t change anything meaningful, it’d just make new players get frustrated faster.
Combat’s already balanced around what’s in the game. Don’t fix something that isn’t broken by throwing in weird ladder mechanics.
Yeaahhh not really. "adds too much complexity" if you can board effectively already than tapping a button to lower a ladder isn't complex to you. Plus you'd lower it once already on so if you do cannon shots anyways, you aren't effected. No different than an anchor. And yeah I didn't say it'd get rid of spawn killing completely, it would help. @shadowfox327533
@jaredbb1
Man, I’m still not buying it.Just because you think tapping a button isn’t complex doesn’t mean it’s not adding pointless extra steps for everyone else. Boarding is already fine in Sea of Thieves — cannon, grapple, positioning — that’s the skill. Adding ladders that go up and down doesn’t make it more fun, it just slows stuff down and clutters the flow of fights.
And “it would help with spawn killing”? Sure, maybe a tiny bit, but it’s basically a bandaid for a problem that isn’t caused by ladders in the first place. It’s not a solution, it’s just more fiddly mechanics that don’t actually fix the real issue.
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
Oh and as far as new players go, this actually makes it easier on them. They can have an extra layer of piece of mind raising their ladder before taking off would limit boarders@shadowfox327533
I was a new player once, and had to learn from experience what it sounded like when a boarder grabbed the port/starboard ladder. A friend and I were on a sloop sinking a gally-crewed Burning Blade, and one tried boarding me. I heard him grab and just wait there hoping I didn't hear or was distracted, so I tossed a blunderbomb which knocked him off. Experience is the best teacher in this game. Preventing that by simply having new players pull ladders up, won't help them learn how to defend themselves.
"Boarders should be able to lower an opponent's ladder once boarded, to make boarding easier for the rest of the crew. This would make spawn killing less likely..." HOW do you figure? I get an insane cannon deck shot on your boat, kill you, drop anchor, lower your ladder for my crew to get on board your ship...and that's somehow going to make spawn-killing you less likely, and "make combat more balanced and entertaining"??? How would dropping a ladder "help" with spawn-killing?
I can also see new players pulling up both ladders, park at an island, forget about their ladders, shoot out via cannon, and now have no way to get back on their ship lol.
@jaredbb1 mmmmmm, I'm not too sure about this (imo)
I feel like they already tried combating spawnkilling in a way such as not being able to use enemy armouries (i.e. having to be strategic about what weapons to bring), but it still occurs.
Boarding in a way is still a skill. Same with guarding ladders in a way.
I feel like this isn't needed right now since boarding is the whole meta to actually get a ship sunk after putting pressure onto someone.
How would it help with the spawn killing? Because MOST of the time boarders do just that, come up the ladder. So yeah, you get lucky and land on and manage to drop it and over run, fair game. That wouldn't be the average experience. Now, you bring up a valid issue with a player getting off the boat without lowering first. There'd need to be a work around on that aspect. Maybe held up by a pin that a skilled shooter could also shoot to lower? Wouldn't defeat the purpose all together, since the average player isn't God tier in skills. As far as all the other stuff, it doesn't really affect it. The learning how to identify the sound of somebody coming up and all. Just leave it down if you wanna dial that in. @europa4033
This adds another strategy
Oh yeah..we cant have that being added. Players here like using the simple meta. Climb-Anchor-DG Cant be changing it up or they throw a fit.
boarders should be able to lower an opponents ladder once boarded
So, with that idea. IF you fall off your ship but you are within reach of the ladder, but its Up...you pretty much done yourself.
Here's a wild idea: come to the realization that this is a PvPvE game and that experience is the best teacher for new players, even if it means them getting sunk, time after time (I used to sink daily). The more a player learns, the better they get at the game. This idea will only limit their growth, and you're asking Rare to fix what isn't broken. Players who learn to listen for boarders, will never have to worry about them. Next thing you know, they're earning gold curse from hourglass.
Yeah it's truly wild how many people will screech if you mess with their meta. Yeah another user also mentioned how you'd be cooked if you fell off. And it's a very valid issue. I propose a shootable pin that holds it up. Can be shot to unlock and lower it. Kinda like those old bond games. @burnbacon
@kianonboard said in Retractable ladders:
@burnbacon ahahah true true, one blunder pellet hit and you're in space, no way to get back on XD
This is hilarious. Imagine being in an hourglass fight, and instead of keeping their ladders lowered, you raise them, preventing the opponent from boarding their own ship. Sail their ship near them so they can't grab a merm, omg I'd be laughing too hard. All this simply because guarding a ladder is just too difficult LOL.
@europa4033 at that point.. drowning or dying to a shark would be the quickest way to get back onto your own ship XD
Ah yes. The ol "I don't like your idea, git gud". Nobody said guarding was too hard, nobody said it's too much to learn. It's just an option. Has nothing to do with "realizing it's a pvpve game". @europa4033
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
Yeah it's truly wild how many people will screech if you mess with their meta. Yeah another user also mentioned how you'd be cooked if you fell off. And it's a very valid issue. I propose a shootable pin that holds it up. Can be shot to unlock and lower it. Kinda like those old bond games. @burnbacon
You shoot the pin, which lowers the ladder. Because I'm experienced, I blunder you off, and pull the ladder back up. You're running out of bullets. Your ship is engulfed in flames, taking on water, and you can't grab a merm. I feel bad for those hourglass players using a sword/blowpipe/throwing knives combo lol. "Hey, your ship seriously needs repair here, please come back to your boat!" omg players would be raging lol.
Simple. Hourglass is it's own separate mode anyway. Ladder raising doesn't need to be activated in that mode. @europa4033
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
Ah yes. The ol "I don't like your idea, git gud". Nobody said guarding was too hard, nobody said it's too much to learn. It's just an option. Has nothing to do with "realizing it's a pvpve game". @europa4033
Yes it is. You want to limit the growth of player's pvp skills, because this is all it would do. I never said "git gud". Those are your words. Players will never become better with this "option".
Limit pvp skills... Hmm. That actually doesn't do that at all? Do you really only know how to play one specific way and can't adapt? That's rough. @europa4033
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
Limit pvp skills... Hmm. That actually doesn't do that at all? Do you really only know how to play one specific way and can't adapt? That's rough. @europa4033
If players don't experience what it sounds like when someone grabs their ladder/are about to get boarded, how are they to defend themselves? On top of this, you now make the grapple gun useless and pointless in the game if your opponent can't grab onto your ladder. If it's not difficult to learn how to guard a ladder, than this option is pointless.
Don't fix what isn't broke man.
Single barrel pistols are useless since there's a double barrel option. Your arguments against it just flatout doesn't track logically. I understand some of the other people's arguments, but yours is based, well on nothing. @europa4033
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
Single barrel pistols are useless since there's a double barrel option. Your arguments against it just flatout doesn't track logically. I understand some of the other people's arguments, but yours is based, well on nothing. @europa4033
Just learn to listen for that ladder grab, and learn how to ladder guard man. I promise it's not difficult to do, you said so yourself. You have 8 days played. I promise you with enough experience and practice, you'll see.
Here's an example. I play a lot of racing games. Gran turismo being a goto. What you're saying is traction control and abs options like that are ruining people's ability to learn how to drive properly. Yet damn near every racing sim/simcade on the market gives them and let's you turn them off. That might be a better example to explain why your argument doesn't make that much sense. @europa4033
I've only played 8 days on my ps account, I've been playing for years on my Xbox. I'm familiar with guarding and boarding my man. @europa4033
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
Here's an example. I play a lot of racing games. Gran turismo being a goto. What you're saying is traction control and abs options like that are ruining people's ability to learn how to drive properly. Yet damn near every racing sim/simcade on the market gives them and let's you turn them off. That might be a better example to explain why your argument doesn't make that much sense. @europa4033
Yeah no, I've never played any racecar games, so I have no idea what the game mechanics....on other games.....are all about. This is Sea of Thieves. Raising a ladder would just hurt the player in the examples quoted above (some of which I've listed), become a nightmare for Rare to code when they're viable or not (November 2024 podcast-- James Thomas is going to be looking at the merchant-supply-crate bug we still experience today). If I'm a new player, and always keep my ladders raised, I'll never need to bother worrying about ladder guarding/defense, right? If they can't board my ship from my ladder, I'm completely safe. No need to bother with it.
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
I've only played 8 days on my ps account, I've been playing for years on my Xbox. I'm familiar with guarding and boarding my man. @europa4033
You ate your first banana July 20th, 2021, and since then, you've amassed the total hours to equal 8 days, 17hrs, and 10min., according to your Xbox profile.
Ladder guarding/defending isn't difficult, as you've said. This option isn't needed, and has the capability of hurting the player more than their opponent ever could....as they possibly get spawn-camped.
@jaredbb1 said in Retractable ladders:
This would make spawn killing on boats less likely
Unfortunately, if people really want to do this, they'll find a way around this. I'm all for boarding changes as it feels too easy right now, but doing so through this seems extreme. Not to mention, this seems more detrimental and annoying to yourself than to other players. I would rather be able to board my own boat relatively easily.
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