Bilge Rats Weekender Feedback:

  • Rare Jumbie
    Lord
    Insider

    1. Focus ALL bilge rats events to be within the same region of the Smuggler Route: this encourages the delivering crews to see more nearby ships, be more wary, and perhaps be more prepared. It also makes the 200 crate delivery far more enjoyable if successful as we'd feel as if we're actually smuggling against the odds compared to simply moving goods from A-B with no risk.

    2. Encourage more skilled crews to fill the smaller doubloon crates: Those smaller 25 crates can be delivered immediately, or, if willing, take chances with them by giving extra points for doing both social (drinking grog, shooting fireworks) events and more risky emergent tasks (treasuries, sea forts, adjusted for difficulty). Again, most of these tasks should be around the given Route. It gives crews a reason to approach one another, to surmise, to ponder incentives, to plan, and to not make a dash for either hideout without careful consideration of other options.

    3. Worst case scenario: Disable voyage until there is a critical mass of ships on the server. I know many will disapprove, but at least one other ship should be along the route, or at least in the region, for the quest to feel somewhat worthy.

    I only had one steal the entire weekend and it happened at 10 am EST on Friday Morning—it was fantastic and felt like peak Sea of Thieves. Rest of the weekend was trying to chase that high, and while I understand that stealing crates are not a guarantee, and shouldn't be expected, the seas and islands were just FAR too empty around The Route for me to think that anyone was up to anything sneaky.

    Even without a steal. Handing in your own crate can feel like a great accomplishment if other crews are trying to steal yours. This scenario happened to us as well during the weekend, and the hand in was very very satisfying. Again, doesn't need to be like this for every hand in, but it should always feel somewhat tense.

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  • PC MonkFish
    Master
    Insider

    You're trying to encourage interactions while doing the Doubloon Smuggler voyage.
    Primary method of earning of doubloons should not be manipulated to encourage this as PvP is not balanced.
    Best to keep it organic and we can all accept the current risk.

  • Admiral Orca X
    Captain
    Insider

    To say there’s no risk just sailing from A to B would be a bit of a false statement. Yes, you could sail between both islands and never encounter anything. However, you could also encounter other players, skeleton ships, megs and the Kraken. So there is still risk. On one of my runs between Crescent Isle and Plunder Valley, I was chased by another sloop. I manage to sell the doubloon crate but it could have gone very differently.

    If this was a Reaper weekend, I’d agree that PvP should be enticed in some way. But it’s a Bilge Rat weekend, I don’t think there’s a need to force PvP into that. People know the route, if they want to hunt other players that may be smuggling doubloons, they can and they will.

  • Rare Jumbie
    Lord
    Insider

    @admiral-orca-x

    The risk is near zero if you spot zero ships on the nearby islands—the chances of you sinking to PvE are incredibly low. Obviously there is risk once you see other ships or you spot a mermaid. The point I’m trying to make is that too often the region was empty when we were ferrying goods and it completely took away the tension.

    Also, don’t conflate having more ships in the area with forcing PvP. If the other ships are gathering their own doubloons with the smaller crates there’s a chance they’re not going to want to fight either. Yes it increases the chance of PvP but it’s mainly about creating tension.

  • D3ADST1CK
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    I definitely wouldn't want a limited time voyage to be disabled at all.

    I think trying to force people to do something is almost always going to fail. Crews will just sail/dive away anyways. If the voyage was fun and unlimited, people would be in the area.

    Waiting around to hope for a steal is just wasting time because most players aren't going to risk a limited number voyage in a crowded area. If it was an unlimited run, you'd see a lot more action. However, Rare wants to control the amount of doubloons available otherwise the entire overhaul was pointless so I doubt they will open it up like that.

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