Alternate arena mode?

  • I love playing arena, but I often find opponents just want to do a team death-match at the main island and ignore the chest. I assume this is because they are working towards getting the Triumphant Sea Dog weapons. I don't have a problem with this, and it's far preferable to spawn-campers (the lowest forms of life).

    So why not make an arena mode specifically for team death-match? Players teams could spawn in at dedicated spots around the edges of a large island and go at it. I'm thinking these could be some sort of new feature (floating docks, huts, towers, whatever), but the spawn points should be inaccessible to opposing teams. To make things even more interesting, all teams start with an X marks the spot treasure map with 10 treasures and a turn-in spot at the center of the island.

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  • Not enough interest and commitment within the arena system to split players up any more

    new modes and new ships isn't sustainable

    people already struggle to get matches made with 1 mode and only 2 types of ships

  • @wolfmanbush said in Alternate arena mode?:

    Not enough interest and commitment within the arena system to split players up any more

    new modes and new ships isn't sustainable

    people already struggle to get matches made with 1 mode and only 2 types of ships

    Yeah - I had considered that. I was thinking the mode would be randomized, not selected. Might not be viable. I agree there isn't much interest in arena right now and that's what I'd like to see improved.

    Honestly, the best way to do this is by addressing the spawn campers (I made another post after this one). I've seen several people rage quit on arena after being spawn camped, and few of my friends are willing to play because of it.

  • @realdccowboy said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @wolfmanbush said in Alternate arena mode?:

    Not enough interest and commitment within the arena system to split players up any more

    new modes and new ships isn't sustainable

    people already struggle to get matches made with 1 mode and only 2 types of ships

    Yeah - I had considered that. I was thinking the mode would be randomized, not selected. Might not be viable. I agree there isn't much interest in arena right now and that's what I'd like to see improved.

    Honestly, the best way to do this is by addressing the spawn campers (I made another post after this one). I've seen several people rage quit on arena after being spawn camped, and few of my friends are willing to play because of it.

    It's just a part of pirating. It's not something I enjoy or engage in but that's my choice and others should be able to play how they want to play. It's not a spawn camping problem it's a people not being able to handle losing problem.

    People just need to handle loss in a more productive way which would be to get better at prevention. Not all of us are going to be awesome at pvp but pretty much anyone can get better at preventing pirates from getting themselves into a situation where they can spawn camp

  • IMO the issue with not getting games is a matchmaking issue. Its pretty easy for me to find games in Sloop Arena, but in Galleon the matchmaking keeps servers full of players just waiting around.

    Also i'm also of the opinion that more game modes and better matchmaking would increase the player population by drawing in folks who want to play arena, but got sick of waiting, sick of playing with an empty crew, or bored of only one mode.

    I actually posted something a while back like this where it has players duke it out over an active fort. So not only do players have to play around the waves of skeletons, but also the other players trying to do the same. When the fort is finished, players would have to lug the treasure from the vault to a nearby Sea Dog Outpost before they get intercepted or time runs out. Gotta choose between harassing teams from afar and waiting out the fort to hopefully intercept the loot haul, or getting down and dirty by scoring points from kills and skeletons so you have first dibs at the treasure.

  • @wolfmanbush said in Alternate arena mode?:

    People just need to handle loss in a more productive way which would be to get better at prevention. Not all of us are going to be awesome at pvp but pretty much anyone can get better at preventing pirates from getting themselves into a situation where they can spawn camp

    Spawn campers aren't playing to win, so I don't really think it's about how someone handles losing. It's one thing to lose because you were outplayed by someone with better skills - it's entirely different when you don't even get to play just because someone with better skills wants a commendation.

  • @realdccowboy said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @wolfmanbush said in Alternate arena mode?:

    People just need to handle loss in a more productive way which would be to get better at prevention. Not all of us are going to be awesome at pvp but pretty much anyone can get better at preventing pirates from getting themselves into a situation where they can spawn camp

    Spawn campers aren't playing to win, so I don't really think it's about how someone handles losing. It's one thing to lose because you were outplayed by someone with better skills - it's entirely different when you don't even get to play just because someone with better skills wants a commendation.

    You can play
    you can scuttle you can improve at close combat you can improve at boarding prevention

    As long as a player isn't cheating they play however they want. That's what is awesome and unique about this game. Whether a pirate is passive or enthusiastically hostile one isn't any better or worse than the other in the grand scheme of the game.

    They are playing to win. They are selfish sea-creatures just like the rest of us. They serve themselves just like the rest of us. Their vision of glory isn't the same as yours but it's as real as yours and their gameplay is as valid as yours.

  • @wolfmanbush said in Alternate arena mode?:

    You can play
    you can scuttle you can improve at close combat you can improve at boarding prevention

    As long as a player isn't cheating they play however they want. That's what is awesome and unique about this game. Whether a pirate is passive or enthusiastically hostile one isn't any better or worse than the other in the grand scheme of the game.

    They are playing to win. They are selfish sea-creatures just like the rest of us. They serve themselves just like the rest of us. Their vision of glory isn't the same as yours but it's as real as yours and their gameplay is as valid as yours.

    I don't dispute any of this. I just feel like Arena is dying. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe I'm placing the blame in the wrong place. And I don't know if alternate modes would fix anything. I just know that arena isn't very fulfilling but holds so much promise.

  • @realdccowboy said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @wolfmanbush said in Alternate arena mode?:

    You can play
    you can scuttle you can improve at close combat you can improve at boarding prevention

    As long as a player isn't cheating they play however they want. That's what is awesome and unique about this game. Whether a pirate is passive or enthusiastically hostile one isn't any better or worse than the other in the grand scheme of the game.

    They are playing to win. They are selfish sea-creatures just like the rest of us. They serve themselves just like the rest of us. Their vision of glory isn't the same as yours but it's as real as yours and their gameplay is as valid as yours.

    I don't dispute any of this. I just feel like Arena is dying. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe I'm placing the blame in the wrong place. And I don't know if alternate modes would fix anything. I just know that arena isn't very fulfilling but holds so much promise.

    pvers and pvpers would rather play adventure if they have the time

    arena is just condensed action that doesn't require half a day+ like adventure does. It's really never going to be able to compete with the freedom of play that adventure provides

  • I have heard too many bad things already from Arena mode(only my 1st month) and as a new player, im not gonna bother with arena, i would rather waste time for 30-60 minutes in Adventure mode even if i cant get much done, then get spawn camped or waiting around for an open crew.

    The bad reputation over Arena keeps new players from bothering. if i only got 30-45 minutes at most to play for whatever reason, im not wasting it on spawn campers, commendation farmers who dont even play the mode the normal way or sitting around waiting for the crew roster to fill up. thats not playing the game either and i dont have time for it.

    I am sure other new people feel the same and keep away from it or as the poster said, his friends try it, play with the wrong set of people and never bother with it again.

    If the mode is dying, Rare can revamp it and do something else cuz no one cares to play Arena mode the way it was intended and just want the commendations and all upgrades in this game are cosmetics, so i could care less about bothering with it.

  • Not sure how the arena came to pass anyhow, not that I advocate for a PVE only server but this is literally the exact opposite it's a PVP only server lol seems odd, I enjoy practicing my PVP skills in arena but much like how I never expected PVE servers this was also not expected.

    I my opinion the whole arena should be scrapped, adventure mode is what SoT is a PVE/P hybrid where sailors make their own destiny weighing their skill and knowlage. Anyhow the mode is still fun.

  • @realdccowboy

    The reason why this hasn't become a thing is because Arena was and is not meant to be the PvP server. This is the equivalent of PvE'ers asking for PvE servers.

    Arena was created because playing SoT takes time to set up and to get going. Most voyages or game sessions take upto 1 and half hours to 2 hours minimum. Not a lot of players have time for that. So the devs created the Arena as a way for players to get a very condensed version of the game in 15 minute match timers.

    If you stop thinking of Arena as the PvP server which it isn't and start thinking of Arena as a way for players to get a quick session in real quick, you'll understand why there is no TDM server.

  • @xultanis-dragon

    All of this makes sense. I’m more interested in a custom games option.

  • @xultanis-dragon I can see your point, but the arena promotes, rewards, and makes the clear objective to be PvP. Regardless of how you look at it it is a PvP server. What PvE element is there? Dig up a chest and give it to the guy, your only threat is other players. It's basically Capture the flag.

  • @expsnailer

    It has both commendations. Turning in chests, killing players, digging chests, using certain weapons.

    We can say the same thing with Adventure. Reaper commendations, the athena chest steals.

    Trust me, I know how Arena feels and the fact that Rare has competitive play for the Arena, its still just condensed version of adventure and shouldn't be looked at as the PvP server. It might walk like a duck and quack like a duck but it looks like a moose. Basically Rare made some kind frankenstien's monster type deal and we have Arena.

  • @xultanis-dragon unlocking commodations and turning in chest dosn't make it PvE tho. Commodations are the equivalent to calling cards in CoD and the chest mechanic in arena is literally just capture the flag. It's not a frankenstein mode. It's ARENA. The name even suggest what it is. It's actually funny how people keep trying to say "it's not PvP" then what's competitive about it? The competition is to see who can sail, fight, sink, and survive longer. With a particular focus on the fight and sink aspects. As I stated before the chest is literally just capture the flag. The only difference is it's a chest not a flag but the same rules apply, first team to grab it and turn it in gets point tword victory. The idea is to fight to get it. I don't mean to be rude, it just really is funny how people are saying it's not PvP and are trying to make it out to be that it's a smaller version of SoT, it's not, its the PvP aspect of SoT with hardly any reward. A smaller version of SoT would be a significantly smaller map with all the mechanics of adventure available. Arena is meant to be an ARENA.

  • @expsnailer said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @xultanis-dragon unlocking commodations and turning in chest dosn't make it PvE tho. Commodations are the equivalent to calling cards in CoD and the chest mechanic in arena is literally just capture the flag. It's not a frankenstein mode. It's ARENA. The name even suggest what it is. It's actually funny how people keep trying to say "it's not PvP" then what's competitive about it? The competition is to see who can sail, fight, sink, and survive longer. With a particular focus on the fight and sink aspects. As I stated before the chest is literally just capture the flag. The only difference is it's a chest not a flag but the same rules apply, first team to grab it and turn it in gets point tword victory. The idea is to fight to get it. I don't mean to be rude, it just really is funny how people are saying it's not PvP and are trying to make it out to be that it's a smaller version of SoT, it's not, its the PvP aspect of SoT with hardly any reward. A smaller version of SoT would be a significantly smaller map with all the mechanics of adventure available. Arena is meant to be an ARENA.

    The commendation don't make it PvP and the commendations don't make it PvE. Its suppose to be a condensed version of Adventure.

    The name might suggest what you "THINK" it is but its not the PvP server. Adventure is literally the same thing but with out the point system. You find a crew that is doing an event or has loot, you sink them, or you could just find a crew to fight and sink. They could fight and run away.

    If you look at the mechanics for Adventure and Arena they are literally the same exact thing. Except one has a timer and a point system.

    You could win Arena matches without fighting anyone. Especially in the old Arena. I had matches where I didn't fire a single cannon ball and we won by a huge margin. Can still do it in this one as well. The idea is to fight in Adventure to protect your stuff as well.

    If you haven't realized it both adventure and arena are PvPvE. They are both and not one or the other.

    Arena is not meant to be ARENA. Arena is meant to be a condensed version of adventure. The creators of the Arena stated what their wish for the Arena was and repeated MULTIPLE times that it was NOT the PvP server nor was it ever intended or will be intended to be the PvP server.

    Regardless of how poorly implemented it is and the fact that they need to rework it I don't care what the word or the event in your head means to you, but I go with the meaning the creators used for the event.

    Hell, they could call it the PvP Arena competition fighting super deluxe PvP combat Galore - and if the dev's still came out to say it was not meant to be the PvP server then its not meant to be the PvP server.

  • @xultanis-dragon the idea that the developers say it's not PvP is silly, that's the same as when tobacco companys used to say cigarettes were good for you. It's just not true, just because you can win without fighting dosn't make it not PvP the objective is to compete versus other players, it's a mode to make a player be agents other players, it's PvP. It's not a condensed version of adventure their is no adventure involved, it's and objective based game mode, again is just capture the flag. Nothing in arena allowed you to avoid the player vs player competitive ideal, however in adventure you can easily avoid conflict and enjoy a PvE experience. In many games that are PvP focused you can win by simply playing the objective and not fighting players, it's still PvP. However I think this discussion should be moved to my post about arena and pve servers. We are moving away from the OPs discussion and hijacking it essentially, so if you'd like to debate further I'd ask let's do it in the appropriate forum :)

  • Why not let Arena die insted?

  • @reapinglegion I'm not apposed to that, it dosn't feel like SoT and I think the developers would benefit more from focusing on the core experience.

  • @expsnailer

    implying that they ever focused on arena in the first place

  • @expsnailer said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @xultanis-dragon the idea that the developers say it's not PvP is silly, that's the same as when tobacco companys used to say cigarettes were good for you. It's just not true, just because you can win without fighting dosn't make it not PvP the objective is to compete versus other players, it's a mode to make a player be agents other players, it's PvP. It's not a condensed version of adventure their is no adventure involved, it's and objective based game mode, again is just capture the flag. Nothing in arena allowed you to avoid the player vs player competitive ideal, however in adventure you can easily avoid conflict and enjoy a PvE experience. In many games that are PvP focused you can win by simply playing the objective and not fighting players, it's still PvP. However I think this discussion should be moved to my post about arena and pve servers. We are moving away from the OPs discussion and hijacking it essentially, so if you'd like to debate further I'd ask let's do it in the appropriate forum :)

    Not trying to hijack, its just not matter what you feel it should be called, the devs have said that Arena is just a condensed form of Adventure. Its to let players get a little bit of everything and play sea of thieves and thats exactly what it does.

    Arena is just literally Adventure but in a very smaller circle of the map. Just because Adventure it spread out doesn't mean anything. Honestly players will still argue with you that adventure isn't for PvE players because those some players argue that adventure is just flooded with "toxic" PvP players.

    The game does both PvPvE and so does arena albeit very poorly.

  • @xultanis-dragon there is not PvE in arena. It is a dedicated PvP mode. The only thing it has from adventure is the PvP.

  • @expsnailer said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @xultanis-dragon the idea that the developers say it's not PvP is silly, that's the same as when tobacco companys used to say cigarettes were good for you. It's just not true, just because you can win without fighting dosn't make it not PvP the objective is to compete versus other players, it's a mode to make a player be agents other players, it's PvP. It's not a condensed version of adventure their is no adventure involved, it's and objective based game mode, again is just capture the flag. Nothing in arena allowed you to avoid the player vs player competitive ideal, however in adventure you can easily avoid conflict and enjoy a PvE experience. In many games that are PvP focused you can win by simply playing the objective and not fighting players, it's still PvP. However I think this discussion should be moved to my post about arena and pve servers. We are moving away from the OPs discussion and hijacking it essentially, so if you'd like to debate further I'd ask let's do it in the appropriate forum :)

    actually tobaco companies told people that smoking was good same as parents then told their kids its good because back then the risk of getting cancer was all but unknown our medical fields of study has advanced and today (as a smoker) its the complete opposite if you smoke in today's time people will think you are lower than low but long story short the reason why tobaco smoking was considered "good" for you was because we had no idea it was actually bad at the time for all we knew the people who got cancer got it out of pure chance or they got it hereditarily

    anywho alot of my friends was excited for the arena until they found out the goal was still to dig chests

    truth of arena isn't that it died it just never lived

    it was never the thing alot of people wanted which was an "arena" a traditional kill people deathmatch style

    then arena dropped and my friends was disapointed and decided not to bother with it and this is their words "arena is just a race to the chest and back to turn in and im already doing this in adventure whats the point"

    while it may seem like a pvp mode its really not

    its more or less designed to solve the issue with the people who cannot play 2 hours or more

    so the people who don't have the time still can enjoy some of the things sea of thieves offers all in a 15 min game

  • @jollyolsteamed I made that comparison because much like how they didn't know it was bad for you, the PvP community and apparently the developers don't know that when you make a mode that centers around players fighting echouther over an objective it's considered PvP. People are clueless, go play CoD capture the flag and please tell me that PvE hahaha

  • @expsnailer said in Alternate arena mode?:

    @jollyolsteamed I made that comparison because much like how they didn't know it was bad for you, the PvP community and apparently the developers don't know that when you make a mode that centers around players fighting echouther over an objective it's considered PvP. People are clueless, go play CoD capture the flag and please tell me that PvE hahaha

    so are you saying adventure is pvp mode aswell?

    as it is the same thing dig up chests run into enemy pirate race to the outposts and turn in and profit

    the only difference is the 15 min time limit and smaller map size and the point system which you can win by purely digging up chests

  • @realdccowboy said in Alternate arena mode?:

    I love playing arena, but I often find opponents just want to do a team death-match at the main island and ignore the chest. I assume this is because they are working towards getting the Triumphant Sea Dog weapons. I don't have a problem with this, and it's far preferable to spawn-campers (the lowest forms of life).

    So why not make an arena mode specifically for team death-match? Players teams could spawn in at dedicated spots around the edges of a large island and go at it. I'm thinking these could be some sort of new feature (floating docks, huts, towers, whatever), but the spawn points should be inaccessible to opposing teams. To make things even more interesting, all teams start with an X marks the spot treasure map with 10 treasures and a turn-in spot at the center of the island.

    the spawn points should have a gate on them that can be only opened from the inside and yes I like this idea

  • @jollyolsteamed adventure modes objective isn't to steal chest from other players tho. It's an option. GH, OoS, MA, and PL all are focused on giving you PvE quest to obtain some item and turn it in, the objective isn't to steal them. Only Reapers have this as an objective. The only option in arena is to fight for the chest and fight echouther.

    The chest has a beacon over it, I feel like a broken record but this isn't a "dig up the chest and turn it in" deal, it's a SoT skinned game of capture the flag. The chest soly represents something to fight over, an objective for the mode, however you can win by not collecting the chest.

    When you collect a chest in adventure and turn it in you don't win. You progress. If someone pirates that chest you don't progress and they do.

    There are zero PvE elements within arena besides fishing. Every other mechanic that is in arena is there to encourage, reward, and focus on PvP. The only way arena is a condensed version of adventure is that it is a condensed version of adventures PvP elements. Calling it a condensed version of adventure is misleading, because it is indeed a PvP mode, a majority of adventure objectives do not encourage, reward, or focus on PvP.

    PvP in adventure is and option that you can participate in along with may other options for earning and progressing. In arena PvP is the only option.

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