Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties

@cp-felons

The release of POTC was the highest peak of players for something very obvious, it is the biggest IP based on pirate adventures to date.

It was announced at a Microsoft conference with a huge mistake, players were not warned about how SoT Works, so many users installed the game thinking it would be an AC Black Flag style pirate adventure.

The vast majority of players did the Tall Tales and when they wanted to try the adventure mode they realized that it was not a navigation simulator, but a real pirate adventure, with dangers, risk, combats against other crews...

People didn't like that, because this game has a very hard and very frustrating learning curve, so many decided to leave the same way they came, quietly.

Others tried to do the exact same thing we've been reading about for the last 24 hours, they tried to turn Sea of ​​Thieves into just "Sea."

Obviously, that didn't happen and those people left, many of them have now returned to the Safer Seas, thinking that they are PvE servers (Spoiler - They are not) and they have returned to the same dynamic of crying and crying to try to get what they want. They want to destroy the essence of SoT and turn it into a rubber duck simulator, floating in the sea without any danger.

If you want to play SoT, you will have to accept both existing ways.

Safer Seas - Extensive tutorial in which you get some gold to buy your captained ship and launch yourself into the High Seas.

High Seas - The place where there are neither PvP players nor PvE players, there are SoT players, who enjoy both aspects of the game, or at the very least, accept them.

PvE servers do not exist, nor should they ever exist because they go against the essence of the game. As a content creator, SoT Partner, has said

"Give an inch, take a mile"

That describes very well the users who have returned with Safer Seas and who are very wrong about how SoT works.

Captaincy is the biggest cosmetic update the game has ever had. IMO it feels petty to withhold ship decorations just because people don't want to play in the PvEvP mode. If they have to remove the ability to progress milestones, that's cool, I get it. But setting the rug on my ship and all the little trinkets isn't going to make me say "Well, alright, I guess I'm okay with being sunk during this tall tale, or making 1 person from my crew not participate in this activity and just watch the horizon."

And people say "Oh well safer seas is meant to be a tutorial". I think you should go back and watch the promos for it, Rare made it very clear in each one that while part of the appeal is for new players to learn the game without being hunted like cattle (I guess that's bad for player retention? Who knew!), the other main purpose is to literally enjoy the game without the pressures of PvP. There's no defensible reason to withhold cosmetics from it, in a game where the only rewards are cosmetic.

@foambreaker They are using PlayFab and I doubt spinning up a new instance is kind of a issue. It is Kubernetes-like system just for games. You can capture some initial state of the world, so its not necessary to recalculate it each time new instance is created.

Without exact facts its all just theories. Whats issue for sure is more instances being spawned for Safer Seas because its limited to singular crew only. However those instances at the same time will have lower workloads for the same reason. It' all about the balance and only Rare has statistics to analyze whether its worth or not.

@thedustybronco said in Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties:

Captaincy is the biggest cosmetic update the game has ever had. IMO it feels petty to withhold ship decorations just because people don't want to play in the PvEvP mode. If they have to remove the ability to progress milestones, that's cool, I get it. But setting the rug on my ship and all the little trinkets isn't going to make me say "Well, alright, I guess I'm okay with being sunk during this tall tale, or making 1 person from my crew not participate in this activity and just watch the horizon."

And people say "Oh well safer seas is meant to be a tutorial". I think you should go back and watch the promos for it, Rare made it very clear in each one that while part of the appeal is for new players to learn the game without being hunted like cattle (I guess that's bad for player retention? Who knew!), the other main purpose is to literally enjoy the game without the pressures of PvP. There's no defensible reason to withhold cosmetics from it, in a game where the only rewards are cosmetic.

It's important to point out that Rare has also been very clear that their intention is for people to make the transition from Safer Seas to High Seas. Just rewatch the video where Mike Chapman first talked about the mode. He says that almost verbatim at some point.

Keeping this ultimate goal in mind, withholding certain cosmetics is quite defensible in order to incentivize that transition, since (by your own admission) the only rewards in the game are cosmetic and therefore the only real leverage.

What I'm a bit disappointed by is that ship customization was removed.

I had to jump on SS to confirm and I am still able to Customize my ship. Maybe not "save it" but still customize, just like the OLD DAYS.

When a person wants to retire after working, they are allowed to return to the house they paid for.

Unless your renting...or sharing...or live with parents?

They are allowed to use the items they worked hard to earn.

You still can

When a pirate has spent their time on High Seas earning their trinkets and paintings, it should be fair that they recieve them when choosing safer seas as well.

Still can, with limitations. You are after all in SS, so why does a decorated ship matter, nobody is gonna see it.
But if you feel so Strongly about it....Come back to HS

then the dev(s) will respond with a rather short "Well you can sail on higher seas!

Pretty much saying "Play the full game"

This followed with "If you have an issue you can contact (insert support link here)," which in itself defeats the purpose of the threads and forum topics existence.

As you said, you havnt been on the forums and...you wont believe the amount of random Topics, all of which are the same thing. Dont need to be spread out, but contained in a simple place. "Contact Support"

An argument that is being spread to counter the demands of some is that when people buy/download the game, they are signing up for PvEvP. This is true, but I personally (and what seems a group also feels) play the game for the enjoyment of a PvE journey.

Then they are limited themselves. It like play Minecraft and refusing to explore the world but build a farm instead.

Sea of Thieves has a very unique PvE experience that has yet to be replicated by any other game for the xbox.

Do explain. I feel Fornite, Minecraft, Rust, or any MMO game that has both pvp and pve.

I don't understand how game developing works

9/10 many of the people on the forums Don't.

@pithyrumble

100% spot on. It's like how World if Warcraft only gives the best gear to mythic raiders. If you don't like that fact and wish to get better gear/higher ilvl, get some players and do mythic raids.

@xxl3g1txcatxx Not sure if you're aware or not, but you don't have to tolerate being cursed at or have derogatory terms thrown at you. Record and report them to Rare, and help clean up the toxicity from our seas.

Ngl it's uncanny seeing people say they actively avoid ships and succeed. I play the game with a very careful eye, and I almost always end up getting caught up in a 30 minute long sailing match with a brig who outmaneuvers me every time.

Xbox players who view the LFG posts will notice that on a regular basis there are posts openly explaining that they search and hunt ships, sink the server then server hop. Rinse and repeat.

This type of behavior isolates a group of players that openly play the game for what the advertisements themselves showcase; The PvE features. We've yet to see a video based solely on PvP from the SoT youtube, the closest feature they've implimented to actually garner PvP interraction has been the new Siren Song quest. Other than that, they update the game and add multiple encounters that are PvE based. It just seems like the brand is faced to be more PvE than PvP. Even the "pirate code" posted in the seas is worded to inspire community...something we seldom truly get to experience.

@burnbacon Does fortnite, rust, or minecraft have ANY sea sailing that involves digging buried treasure and diving into siren forts while eating pineapple? Let me know when any game accessible to xbox players gives us this feature without the chance of being sunk by other players. I'll gladly download it and give it a try :)

@xxl3g1txcatxx

You have Sea of ​​Thieves in its tutorial mode, Safer Seas.

Several of the games you mentioned have the same system as SoT, an open environment with PvE components and PvP components that work together to create situations and encounters between players.

They work wonderfully and the players who come to play know what they are risking, I don't understand why it is so difficult for Sea of ​​Thieves players to understand

If you like doing PvE, no one is stopping you, but this game carries a constant risk and that's what makes it so fun.

There are users on this forum who have been playing for years and avoid doing PvP, sometimes they sink and sometimes they don't, it's part of the game.

That's something you have to accept if you want to play SoT with access to all its content and 100% of the value of the loot you sell.

You can kill skeletons, conquer seaforts or skeleton forts, kill ashen lords, dig treasures, collect sunken treasures, nothing stops you, but you have to accept that everything you put on your ship is not yours until you sell it, It belongs to every user who is on the server and decides to go for that loot.

@xxl3g1txcatxx

I believe you're referring to me lol. I play on a series s, console/controller preferred, I'm in Florida, usually play between 6p and 2a. I solo sloop.

I really don't see the toxicity that is apparently running rampant all over the seas

I've maxed all but Reaper and that's at 60, all Passive Reap. I don't do HG unless I'm ending my session and giving away a flag and supps.

I do avoid ships when I can. I get attacked very rarely, and usually I just leave game when someone does manage to ambush me.

I don't do world events often and when I do I don't worry about loot, just the completion.

High Seas is very playable if you're pvp ( or human interaction) averse lol.

@cp-felons said in Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties:

@tossico94 said in Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties:

The game Is not pve only,not single player.

Why are you complaining,why are you crying,why are you feeling entitled to complain about a favor rare did to you? Why didnt you ask a refund?

Is It because you feeling entitled to change the game as you want; i May ask:

Who are you?

Play normal sot and there will be no limitations

Problem SOLVED.

And this class is why the game has been on a steep decline the last few years. Clearly this one is upset his crew doesn't get to harass the solo player fishing and doesn't have anything on their ship.

It's funny he thinks the people who are in SS that are frustrated with the petty restrictions will go back to HS. They won't they will do what they've done the last few years and leave the game again.

And they can leave. I agree with Rare on this. How can you JUST get a safer sea update, you were told what it would and would not be, and yet you are mad Rare didn’t pull out all the stops and give full blown PVE.

It’s honestly not about these so called toxic pvp players that seem to be one every server yet I can’t seem to find them everytime. Do toxic players exist? Yes, but PVE lords can be just as toxic. It’s not the style of play it’s THE PLAYER.

I am all for Safer Seas I’ll be making LFG posts here and there to help newer pirates figure the game out in there. I also agree with the limits, I’ve advocated for more limits I’d like to see the Gold Curse not obtained on SS, but that’s me.

Try to interact with other ships on the server, yea you may fight, but you may team up and have a blast. THIS is the point of the game, COMMUNITY, I live in the Midwest US, my main crewmate is from Amsterdam, the other was South Africa. Do you realize how amazing that is? To bring people a WORLD away together from a chance encounter on the seas! I have been sailing with my friend from Amsterdam for almost 2 years now. The game has horrible people playing it, but also some of the best friends you’ll ever meet if you just lean into the experience.

@thedustybronco said in Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties:

Rare made it very clear in each one that while part of the appeal is for new players to learn the game without being hunted like cattle (I guess that's bad for player retention? Who knew!), the other main purpose is to literally enjoy the game without the pressures of PvP. There's no defensible reason to withhold cosmetics from it, in a game where the only rewards are cosmetic.

False, this is what you WANTED to hear. No where did they say that this was a place to play SOT for crews that just wanted to PVE their days away.

It HAS ALWAYS been put out as an “extended maiden voyage” to help newer players have more time to master the fundamentals of the game prior to setting sail in High Seas.

Stop lying to yourself and then putting it out as Rare has lied to everyone and we’ve all been duped by this update. I wasn’t, came out to be what they said, hmmmm weird.

Also please stop attacking pvp play as it is toxic or wrong, it’s a very legitimate and fair way to play this game. Not everyone has the same play style or goals. Now before you say “Exactly! Lemme PVE server”, do you buy NBA 2023 and demand to play as Patrick Mahomes?”, understand the game, what it is designed to be and how the devs explain it and then decide if it’s worth your time to play it.

One other thought man, how fun is that 30000000000000 fort of the damn stack really with no opposition EVER? Like the game quickly becomes boring, you’ll never lose, EVER.

It’d be like you playing a BR game for a 40 min match, seeing no one, winning 1st place, and it’s like this EVERY GAME. Never losing, never any resistance, just log on and 1st place.

@pithyrumble
This is blatantly false. Halo Infinite has a single player campaign mode and you absolutely can earn customizations in it. In fact, the customizations found in the campaign are exclusively found in the campaign, yet can be taken into pvp. And all of that is ignoring the fact that you comparing two games that have literally nothing in common.

@silverwing-525 said in Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties:

@pithyrumble
This is blatantly false. Halo Infinite has a single player campaign mode and you absolutely can earn customizations in it. In fact, the customizations found in the campaign are exclusively found in the campaign, yet can be taken into pvp. And all of that is ignoring the fact that you comparing two games that have literally nothing in common.

I can't wear Meowjnir in the campaign unless they changed it babe.

@silverwing-525

I can't wear Meowjnir in the campaign.

@silverwing-525

Which I paid for and I'm not on the Bungie/343 forums demanding that the gane be fundamentally changed btw...

@wolfmanbush said in Safer Seas and Silenced Shanties:

Doesn't make much sense to spend all the time, money, and energy improving high seas like they have just to abandon it by putting in pve servers without serious restrictions but I dunno.

As a live service game, SoT will always be developed as though it will go another 5 years until it becomes apparent that it wont. That's just live service design. Many of those improvement also aren't necessarily exclusive to the PvP side of High Seas either. Sovereigns biggest bonus may seem to be the reduced threat of being attacked before you finish selling, but it's really just a QoL update to offset the obnoxiously long time it takes to constantly walk back to your ship for big hauls (how many times have you actually used sovereigns to avoid losing treasure when you were attacked?)

My biggest hope is that Safer Seas doesn't get the same treatment that Arena did. The slowed gold rate is fine, but the shear amount of things locked in Safer Seas that don't need other crews is a little absurd. The game basically screams at you in every menu that you shouldn't be playing that mode and should just switch to High Seas instead. I've never seen a game so adamantly tell the player that it DOESN'T want them to play the thing they added. The hard lock on progression, lack of Captaincy, and seasonal adventures (I may be wrong on this one but it tells me Adventure 12 is only High Seas when I look) is going to drive players away from the mode the same way players left Arena.

This seems to be the intention of locking so much away in Safer Seas, but I worry it's going to give Rare the wrong feedback. I left the game because my group stopped playing due to toxicity. Many of my other friends flat out refused to even try SoT because of the horror stories they saw online and several others quit after one session because they were instantly sunk and mocked for it (sinking is part of the game, but feeling like **** should not be). Finally, with Safer Seas, my friends are returning and willing to give the game a shot. Its only been a few sessions back, but we're having fun and enjoying the game just sailing around. I do not think they will stick around once we finish the tall tales and they start to get near rep 40. They want to be Pirate Legends, but PL just isn't worth dealing with other people for them. I've done some sailing on my own since returning and I feel that burn when I look at captaincy but can't try it out. I feel that desire to switch to High Seas so I can name my little sloop and start decking it out, but that desire is sunk when I remember why I left.

As it is designed, people WILL leave Safer Seas because they eventually hit a wall. I do not think many of them will leave for High Seas, however. Even those that do, I am not convinced it will be because they want to. Analytics WILL show that retention drops for Safer Seas and I worry Rare will read that as Safer Seas being at fault and not the restrictions to Safer Seas being at fault. In the same way that low Arena players told Rare not to bother updating Arena which led to lower Arena players, I worry the restrictions will cause Rare to see low numbers in SS and not give the mode a chance.

Restrictions ARE fine and warranted for a PvE mode. The 30% gold is harsher than I'd like, but completely justifiable. Having HS exclusive factions, emissaries, PvP commendations, and even certain voyages makes perfect sense. My group happily jumps into PvP potential scenarios when we want to, but only when WE want to. Being told that Safer Seas isn't the "real" game and that you're only a "real" player if you play in High Seas is just going to tell a lot of people that the game "really" isn't for them. That doesn't make Rare a bad developer, but I do argue that it is a bad decision.

@pithyrumble Are you in their forums arguing against it like here?