Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019

  • I’m pretty sure they said that all the exclusive cosmetics from pre order stuff would be added to the game for everyone anyway. It would just be a long time before it happened.

  • So for those who are upset about the mercenaries set don't be you pretty much look like your sailing around with this on your ship...

    If Rare goes and opens the flood gates for people to opt in for pioneers its an insanely stupid idea on their part. There are so many newer pioneers that were asked to join and all the whine about is " I want free stuff" or "why are we not testing the arena" And when you do go and look they have like four posts of feedback and its not even feedback. More equivalent to a child crying cause they can't get what they want. Now to turn around and say oh we are gonna start offering the pre order or time limited cosmetics is just a huge slap in the face to all those who had faith and pre order the game, controller, art book, hard drive, figures, shirts, cups and pretty much all the swag to went to support Rare in the first place.

  • @musicmee A few exclusives is fine, but you shouldn't be throwing them around years after launch. We all paid for this game, so we all should have to right to go out and get them. The way the mercenary cosmetics where given out specifically just felt dirty though. They got the players to do the work of recruiting players and they don't reward the players keeping the game alive but instead try to bribe the new players with free loot that even the player that invited them that's been playing for potentially hundreds of hours or more doesn't have. When I look at it, I see. "You guys are already playing the game so we don't need to waste exclusive cosmetics on you. We'll give it to these other people who are harder sells. Plus we might want to use these exclusive items on you at a later date to pad content droughts.". Who knows what they were actually thinking, but that's what it looks like to me. The best case scenario IMO is that they were careless and just really didn't think it through.

  • Reading through this thread, I'm discouraged by all the dissatisfaction, complaining, and attacks on Rare. Allow me a point each on the two major concerns I'm seeing here.

    A. Pioneers. Look guys, Rare makes mistakes, but they would literally destroy the definition of Pioneers if they opened it up to anyone -- and they know it. I totally trust them that there will still be a vetting system (and I pray that I pass it). Don't start forecasting doom and destruction until you know how they're doing it.

    B. Merc cosmetics. There are still a ton of exclusive, time-limited items in the game, ranging from Black Dog/Obsidian to Forsaken Ashes/Meg figurehead. They have taken one -- ONE -- exclusive set and opened it up to everyone. Honestly, it just feels like they realized they messed up earlier and they're trying to make peace by offering us all the Merc set. Only people with a right to be concerned/upset are those that already had the set and feel they're now shortchanged. Fear that Rare is handing out "exclusive" items left and right is misplaced imo. This is just one case, probably will not be repeated.

    TLDR; stop attacking every decision that Rare makes. Both of the contestable parts of this dev update make perfect sense to me, and I trust Rare to handle implementation well moving forward.

  • @vorondil1 said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    Fear that Rare is handing out "exclusive" items left and right is misplaced imo. This is just one case, probably will not be repeated.

    Sets a terrible precedent for all the people who complained and now essentially got exactly what they wanted.

    Misplaced? Hardly. If they'd have just stuck to the way they were initially re-releasing the "exclusive" set, then sure.

    But no..

  • @el-dth-taco said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    @musicmee I agree with @Schwammlgott ... Rare has said over and over that this game is horizontal progression. So whats the point if everyone can get it? People are crying that they didn't have access to it so they should be able to get it. They had the same access to it as I did, and guess what I got it. So should they bring back the day one patch, the glass bottle eye of reach, the meg drum?

    I enjoy seeing/finding rare sets on the seas. Seeing a ship with the meg figure head, seeing the banana sails but if everyone has everything it gets boring.

    For a game that Rare themselves have stated they wanted cosmetics to be the main source people can show off, they have very little cosmetics to show off.

    I thin what rare needs to do, is simply add way more cosmetics, and way less "exclusive" cosmetics. Along with a lot more customization of ships and your character. Sure, someone may have the same hat as you, but the rest of their outfit might be a huge mix and match that looks totally different! It still makes it unique, and thats what counts.

    Personally, I want way more options to customize our ships with. More skins, sails (cheaper sails) and WAY more cannons. Less "theme" based stuff, and more just, really cool looking stuff that doesn't have a set theme. Maybe lanterns? Custom bowsprits? More figure heads, and a way to fly more than one flag?

    Also, this is just a personal gripe, but I would like to see prices slowly reduced as more stuff is added for purchase. 49000 gold for a single ship hull is insane tbh. It took me FOREVER to finally get my first ship hull. I still want a figure head, and a new wheel. Cannons I'm not sure cause so far, there isn't a lot of options for cannons that I like. And all those things cost 49000 gold EACH! Its nuts!

  • @tre-oni I hear your concern. But even your wording was that they were setting a "precedent." I fully join you in asking Rare for this to be a one-time decision, made in a genuine attempt to make up for an error. But neither you nor I have the information to know if this will be repeated or not. As always, doing something once is an exception. Doing it twice is a pattern. Rare has done it once, and I'm not going to attack them as if they had started a pattern until it becomes clear that it is so. That got a bit muddled coming out -- what I'm trying to say is that we need to wait and see if Rare ever does this kind of thing again, and hold our criticisms and complaints until that time.

  • @vorondil1 said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    @tre-oni I hear your concern. But even your wording was that they were setting a "precedent." I fully join you in asking Rare for this to be a one-time decision, made in a genuine attempt to make up for an error. But neither you nor I have the information to know if this will be repeated or not. As always, doing something once is an exception. Doing it twice is a pattern. Rare has done it once, and I'm not going to attack them as if they had started a pattern until it becomes clear that it is so. That got a bit muddled coming out -- what I'm trying to say is that we need to wait and see if Rare ever does this kind of thing again, and hold our criticisms and complaints until that time.

    That makes no sense. If you don't like something then say something. The idea that you have to wait until they do something you don't like multiple times before you can criticize is nonsense. Call out bad stuff when it happens so that it DOESN'T happen again and so that the problem gets fixed the first time. Also, the FIRST time something is done set's a precedent, not the second or third.

  • Everyone wants to feel special. For some of those with exclusive items, it involves doing what they can to ensure no one else can have them. For some of those without, it's the exact opposite...

    That's why I try not to worry too much about being ”OG”/ special. I've gotten a few special items / item sets, but there are others I'm missing (in part or in whole), so I definitely appreciate the extra opportunities to snag them. I'm sure others feel the same way about items I have that they don't.

  • @kitsunelegend69 hahahaha...the price is already lowered...it was 75.000 each!

  • @kitsunelegend69 I agree. I want Rare to release a massive cosmetic patch. TONS and TONS of clothes, ships cosmetic ect. And they could introduce potion making with this. Think about hunting down rare flowers in the world to brew up a color dye to change your clothing set to hott pink!

    My biggest complaint is that instead of making new items they are just giving away exclusive items. Also, side note why did they release just the sails, hull and flag for the rum runner?! Stop drip feeding us!

  • @betsill they haven't yet done anything I don't like. That's what I'm trying to say, and saying it poorly :/

    I feel that there are arguably special circumstances around this case. Thus, I'm fine with them opening an exclusive item here -- as long as they don't make a habit of it. It's the habit that I would have a problem with.

    Anyway, this is still a little off-topic from where I was in my first post -- I just feel that Rare is trying to make a good game, and in this case trying to make amends for a previous mistake; and in response, we as a community are just actively looking for more opportunities to criticize and attack them. If I were a SoT developer or designer reading these forums, I would be pretty discouraged, and feel that no matter what I do, someone is going to hate my guts for it. So I try to give the benefit of the doubt to Rare where possible, which includes maintaining hope that this questionable decision is a one-off that will not be repeated.

  • So you remove the sluggish slowdown to the sword to make it feel better, and now it needs to be nerfed back? Encouraging sword play by punishing it back into the ground I can't see as a logical step.

    There is a punishment for missing. You can't combo.

  • @vorondil1 said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    @betsill they haven't yet done anything I don't like. That's what I'm trying to say, and saying it poorly :/

    I feel that there are arguably special circumstances around this case. Thus, I'm fine with them opening an exclusive item here -- as long as they don't make a habit of it. It's the habit that I would have a problem with.

    Anyway, this is still a little off-topic from where I was in my first post -- I just feel that Rare is trying to make a good game, and in this case trying to make amends for a previous mistake; and in response, we as a community are just actively looking for more opportunities to criticize and attack them. If I were a SoT developer or designer reading these forums, I would be pretty discouraged, and feel that no matter what I do, someone is going to hate my guts for it. So I try to give the benefit of the doubt to Rare where possible, which includes maintaining hope that this questionable decision is a one-off that will not be repeated.

    No matter what anyone does or say there will be people who love it or who hate it. No matter in game development, restaurant management, or sales. You can't make everyone happy.

    What you have to do is set a certain standard and follow by it. I love Rare, I think they are one of the best game developers out there, but saying something is exclusive and then re releasing is not a good practice.

  • @vorondil1 There's unfortunately no getting away from that. Someone will always criticize what you do especially online. The key is to detach from the personal and emotional aspect and take the criticism on it's merits. Completely ignore the "wow you guys suck and your game is trash" and listen to the "(insert topic here) is a problem and here's why" and try to decide whether the criticism is valid. I don't really understand why someone like you would be here on the forums. If you like everything about the game then why not just play the game and enjoy it to it's fullest? I can't see how coming onto the forums would do anything, but potential diminish your enjoyment of the game. In my mind game forums are for primarily criticism and feedback or support. I don't get on forums for games that I am completely satisfied with.

  • @el-dth-taco amen to that! I guess I'm just trying to find interpretations of all this where I can still believe that Rare is holding to a standard -- and trying to encourage/remind them that for every person on the forums that's screaming bloody murder, there's probably someone else who's quietly content and enjoying the game. But yes, I 100% agree with you that there will always be dissatisfied people, and that Rare is making it difficult (though not impossible) to be hopeful...

  • @betsill you make great points! On the forums, I often do make requests for changes. I guess I just read some of the feedback on this particular page and got really irritated that Rare seems to be trying so hard and no one is appreciating them :) And the forums aren't just for feedback! That's why we have the Outer Shores and Tavern Tales sections as well as Feedback & Suggestions, because this is just a place for people who play the game to come together in a more general sense. But yes, I hear you. And yes, I have been a bit stubbornly positive towards Rare in my posts -- mostly because I feel a counter-balance is needed for all the negativity. I 100% agree that Rare is treading on thin ice with some of their design decisions, and as I said just above, it is difficult (but not impossible) to trust them and give them the benefit of the doubt.

  • @mr-dragon-raaar They also said Gamemodes would never be a thing.
    That Crossplay would never be an option to turn off.
    That player ships would be the only masts you would see on the seas.
    That microtransactions would be added within 3 months of release.

    They change their plans based on feedback from the playerbase.

  • About the Mercenary set...I don't feel like it's right for those few people that got the set with the 3 month premium xbox thing. I don't personally own the set but I know what it feels like beign a collector of rare and exclusive items and then finding out that they won't be anymore because everyone will have it.

    Same thing happened to the Huntress figurehead, they said its exclusive to those who participated at Comic Con or whatever the event was, don't remember exactly, for those that can't go, we had a chance to get a code by purchasing something from Sea of Thieves shop in a small period of time and after a few days, they said that they are going to release it in game shop for everyone to get with in game money, so basically for free.

    Just my opinion on this subject. Happened to me a few times before and that feeling was so bad and demoralizing.

  • I am all for exclusives for the right reasons, such as the Alpha/Beta Sails, BlackDog Pre-Order, and the limited giveaways like the Banana and LoL Sails. Why? Because EVERYONE had the opportunity to partake in these, or they were hand picked by Rare for a specific reason.

    I am not in favor of hard limit exclusives like Controllers, HDD's, and Xbox Live purchases. These items were hard to find when released, and even more difficult to find as time went on. On top of that, the need for any of these items would deter or drive purchases. Things like this should be a timed exclusive like they are doing with Convention Giveaways.

    In the future, I wish Rare would announce these giveaways ahead of time. It seems more people are prone to negativity when things come as a surprise out of nowhere like the Over Achiever sails.

  • @biostructr It was announced from the start that the Huntress and Spinal items would be a timed exclusive. It even said so directly on the cards to deter people from getting ripped off on eBay.

    The store sales where just another way of getting people that extra month of exclusivity over others, but still timed.

  • What?
    Rare is going to make the exclusive Mercenary set available to everyone? Hold on while I prepare my rage!

    Wait for it...

    WAIT FOR IT.....

    Eeehhhh nope. Sorry. Not feeling it.

    https://media2.giphy.com/media/d5mI2F3MxCTJu/giphy.gif?cid=19f5b51a5c6dd60e57354f4a2e69dd37

  • About time I was waiting for joes update all day.

  • @el-dth-taco said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    @musicmee I agree with @Schwammlgott ... Rare has said over and over that this game is horizontal progression. So whats the point if everyone can get it? People are crying that they didn't have access to it so they should be able to get it. They had the same access to it as I did, and guess what I got it. So should they bring back the day one patch, the glass bottle eye of reach, the meg drum?

    I enjoy seeing/finding rare sets on the seas. Seeing a ship with the meg figure head, seeing the banana sails but if everyone has everything it gets boring.

    For a game that Rare themselves have stated they wanted cosmetics to be the main source people can show off, they have very little cosmetics to show off.

    They could also just use a different colour palette for the "widely available" version, so people who "earned" it proper can still make that clear. Lots of loot games do that with gear - you might have a "normal" version of a model with drab colours, and then you have the sparkly version of the same gear model, that can only be dropped in end-game content, or whatever.

  • @shakes-mcqueen yeah I actually stated that somewhere on here or reddit :p and that would be fine. League of legends did that with a couple of its rare skins.

  • @el-dth-taco said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    @shakes-mcqueen yeah I actually stated that somewhere on here or reddit :p and that would be fine. League of legends did that with a couple of its rare skins.

    I only quickly scanned the thread, my apologies.

  • @musicmee I also think those launch items should be tied to the account, not the character, to avoid any issue when a player resets their character or their character is reset (for any other circumstance). Would also think that the event items should also be treated as such.

  • @ghost-0f-dawn said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    So you remove the sluggish slowdown to the sword to make it feel better, and now it needs to be nerfed back? Encouraging sword play by punishing it back into the ground I can't see as a logical step.

    There is a punishment for missing. You can't combo.

    There is a way to avoid missing. Aim slightly down and hit the ground or swing and hit something which will then let the slash combo continue even when not hitting an actual player. So not being able to combo isnt a good enough punishment as i can avoid "missing" by hitting items/the ground.

    EDIT: i'll add a video here of me doing this that i explain above.
    "https://twitter.com/DerickMcAfee/status/1095766889597300736"[link text]

  • @musicmee here Joe neatee

  • German 3-Month Gold Mercenary Promo

    Here is a rough translation of the bottom, hope it helps everyone tone it down a bit.

    German:

    Sea of Thieves Spiel (separat erhaltlich) erforderlich. For Sea of Thieves ist Xbox Live Gold erforderlich. Das Mercenary DLC-Pack ist 3 monate lang exklusiv. Angebot gilt ab dem 12.03. und ist zeitiert limitiert. Bei teilnehmenden handlern, solange der vorrat reicht. Digitaler Download-code for Mercenary DLC-Pack wird beim kauf einer 3-monate-mitgliedschaft bei.

    English:

    Sea of Thieves game (sold separately) required. For Sea of Thieves, Xbox Live Gold is required. The Mercenary DLC pack is exclusive for 3 months. Offer valid from 12.03. and is limited in time. At participating dealers, as long as the stock lasts. Digital download code for Mercenary DLC pack will be included when purchasing a 3 month membership.

  • @vorondil1 sagte in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    @betsill they haven't yet done anything I don't like. That's what I'm trying to say, and saying it poorly :/

    I feel that there are arguably special circumstances around this case. Thus, I'm fine with them opening an exclusive item here -- as long as they don't make a habit of it. It's the habit that I would have a problem with.

    Anyway, this is still a little off-topic from where I was in my first post -- I just feel that Rare is trying to make a good game, and in this case trying to make amends for a previous mistake; and in response, we as a community are just actively looking for more opportunities to criticize and attack them. If I were a SoT developer or designer reading these forums, I would be pretty discouraged, and feel that no matter what I do, someone is going to hate my guts for it. So I try to give the benefit of the doubt to Rare where possible, which includes maintaining hope that this questionable decision is a one-off that will not be repeated.

    Yeah you’re right we have an whole thread with ppl complaining about that they’re wanting the Mercenary Clothing or better“ Give Mercenary Set for everyone“ now we have the opposite in this thread „Let’s Mercenary Set stay exclusive!“

    Sry it’s an little bit funny :D

  • @musicmee said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    I suppose that purchase gained us a year of advance exclusivity to the item? Plus three months of Xbox Live Gold.

    This is the approach I'd like to see from the devs when it comes to all the limited items - making them limited for certain period of time and then adding them back in the game for the rest of players to enjoy.

  • @je0rgie-p0rgie said in Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: February 20th 2019:

    I'm interested to see how Rare goes about Opt In Pioneer testing. Will they just open the floodgates, allow anyone and everyone to join, and then remove the NDA from the program? Or will they still require Pioneers to meet a specific requirement but just make the process of getting in easier? It's going to be interesting to see what route they decide to take.

    If they open the floodgates everyone will be able to join and there won't be a need for the NDA anymore. Which is fine, except there won't be a ton of new surprises when new updates are released. The majority of the excitement will no longer come on launch day but instead on the day the patch hits Pioneers. I suppose as always we'll have to wait and see what the future holds!

    As for the rest of the update I'm really glad to see that we'll all have a chance at purchasing the Mercenary outfit. I'm more of a ship guy so I already got the cosmetics I'm worried about but even still...my wardrobe could use more than just a few pairs of pants, two shirts, an a couple of hats...

    I couldn't agree more.
    I even said so in an earlier post about this yesterday:

    @sshteeve said in Sea of Thieves Weekly Stream: The More the Merrier - Noted Highlights, Questions, Comments:

    @theunionjames said in Sea of Thieves Weekly Stream: The More the Merrier - Noted Highlights, Questions, Comments:

    Glad to hear about plans to make Pioneers opt in. I always thought the Pioneer requirements were a little heavy handed and it's better to give people who actually want to join the opportunity to than to just select them randomly.

    So long as there is some vetting to the process.
    Whilst I have been very vocal about my desire to be a Pioneer, I wouldn't want some of the exclusivity to be lost with every Tom, Richard and Harry being able to take part if they choose to.

    I think a little trimming of the fat, culling of the heard, separating the wheat from the chaff is in order as well, as I know full well that there are "Pioneers" amongst the current 7700 that are either inactive, or duplicate accounts for folks.

  • @schwammlgott What do you mean paid with real money 3 month gold?
    And code for SOT you mean the game eh well you are playing the game and its not free to play but please explain the first thing that you said.

  • @king-deka Thank you for telling him JESUS!
    Someone have stole your sweetroll?
    He actually wants his money back?
    Wow humans have no boundries for being a fool.

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