I've read quite a few posts from people, that want to PvE rather than PvP and get frustrated with people camping the quest areas. Well how about having an outpost building where crews can rent escorting services at a cost?
I believe, once upon a time there was a galleon that did this out of the kindness of their heart. The thing is, as new content is created, people are going to be less creative with their time.
So, someone goes to an outpost building and requests a chaperone. Whoever has signed up to act as one, gets a horn blast like that on an skull fort, and the requesting ship becomes visible on their map.
They would get a reducing doubloon reward equivalent to the number of times their charge was sunk. The crew requesting help could also choose to respawn on their boat or the boat of their protectors.
The link between the two boats would be denoted though their flag. This would give bored pirate legends a new area to gain reputation through and build co-operation as well as a new player dynamic.
There could also be achievements for sinking an escorting crew... Hell, we don't wanna make it too easy
Mercs for Hire and Quest Escorts
I don't agree with this. It goes against several designs of the game.
First and foremost, no safe zones. Sure it's not completely safe but it's safer.
Second it would have human characters that aren't players, I love how currently you can at a glance see if there's a player of an NPC running about because the NPC's are skeletons (and thus completely different form players) having NPC's in any form on a ship or land be other then stationary objects would kind of defeat this clean gameplay feature. I know that to many it sounds boring but it's intentional.Third: It's not needed, with the draw distance you don't need extra protection, either you choose to dock at a contested outpost or you sail on to another.
@hynieth Oh I agree, there would be no safe zones. Also No NPC's would be required. The escorting ship would be piloted by other players. The idea was essentially an update to the alliance functionality.
So one human crew signs up as a "merc for hire" and can be hired for protection. There's nothing stopping that crew that's decided to be a "merc for hire" stabbing the hiring crew in the back. (same as there's nothing stopping the same thing in an alliance)@guybrush3pwood2 But the freedom the game offers already does that. You just have to do it yourselves.
I'm baffled by the ammount of people who request things they can already do, the game gives you the tools, what you do with them is up to you. It's what makes this game great as opposed to games that will force you into certain playstyles.
@Hynieth is right - the answer you are seeking is already in the game - the Alliance system. I use it all of the time for this very thing. Simply make 1 with another crew. They get either 50% or 100% of your loot (as agreed upon by both parties) in exchange for their protection, while you go on an adventure. It's far simpler than what you have already proposed, and is already in place.
HI, I actually agree, I hardly ever use the alliance system and I've not actually had any issue with people camping out on the Tall Tale quest islands. You are also right, you can organise protection manually through the existing alliance system.
Having said that, I believe the whole Alliance functionality came about because Rare witnessed alliances being formed and thought they'd make it easier for us and that's akin to what I was suggesting above. You've always been able to manually make alliances through game chat, but adding something to make something easier isn't always a bad thing
From reading through some of the suggestions made within this category, I can tell some people would like something extra and if you could act as a defence escort for someone it would be cool to receive recognition progression for it. I was trying to think of something that wasn't the "We want a safe place/PvE Only mode" whine.
@guybrush3pwood2
While i think its a cool idea, its a bad one too. Whats gonna happen when i see you requesting an escort and i come to the outpost and sink you instead of helping you? Most pvpers would use this as a way to see easy targetsI'm with @Hynieth on this one. The functionality is already in the game. Players need to organize their protection organically rather than have the game essentially do it for them. The recognition is from your charge praising or rewarding you for a job well done. If they aren't recognizing you sufficiently, then maybe you should stop protecting them. If they're not recognizing you at all, then maybe you should do the opposite of protect them.
Meh, that's the game. Loads of people fly the alliance flag to lure friendly pirates and then sink them too. It's just the nature of the game. We're pirates, we cheat, we sink people, we shout "WE'RE FREIDNLY" whilst pounding our new found friends with "friendly fire"
As I said it's not functionality I would really use, but looking back through the suggestions, there's nearly always a couple to each page complaining about being griefed. Yeah, "Get gud" is always an option, but perhaps there's something else that could be cool and add to the game@guybrush3pwood2
But those pirates are not actually being griefed. The only griefing that can be done in this game is to your own crew.
Pvp is not griefing. Players have all the tools to avoid EVERY encounter with others if they know how to use them. And they have scuttle as a last resort.Oh yeah, I agree. It is possible to scuttle the ship from the safety of the Ferry and then return to safer waters where your free from your attackers. You can sail away from your attackers until they grow old and give up.
I also get the game is a PvEvP game or PvPvE if you see it that way too. I am happy with the game. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the thrill of the chase and the lessons to be learnt when you get sunk...
But I ain't everyone and just from looking on the suggestion boards I can see some people would like some more help and perhaps a way to put out an SOS to friendly pirates could help.
If not this then perhaps coloured flares? I was just thinking, that telling people to "Get Gud" or "If you don't like it, play another game" aren't really solutions if you're playing with your family and looking for a less PvP experience. I for one would quite enjoy taking on a protection kind of role for someone trying to complete a tall tale.There will be private servers sometime in the future. This has already been confirmed. Just dont expect to be able to gain rep or gold. But if u just wanna sail and play around it might be for u.
But if you are looking for a way to make the game have less pvp than you might not wanna get your hopes up.
Player interaction is one of the foundations of the game. Good and bad ones.Such typical “its already good enough, dont ask the devs to work!” Posts.....
No, almost everything in this game is way to simple and not fleshed out in any satisfying ways...
Whats the issue with having more systems to encourage more diverse gameplay? Not wanting to do the work??? Because i dont see any real reason stated here.
@nwo-azcrack said in Mercs for Hire and Quest Escorts:
@guybrush3pwood2
While i think its a cool idea, its a bad one too. Whats gonna happen when i see you requesting an escort and i come to the outpost and sink you instead of helping you? Most pvpers would use this as a way to see easy targetsThey could have some sort of rep system attached that prevents players with bad rep from hearing/seeing a ping. But that would require thought and design from the devs, better scratch that idea.
@galactic-geek said in Mercs for Hire and Quest Escorts:
@guybrush3pwood2 This is not that. That was genious; this is just unnecessary.
Adding a system that duplicates and teleports gold
And does nothing else but show players on map is “genius” lol? which can be abused already, this new idea just changes how that can occur to happen from a distance... still the same decision as a crew to try to ally, just safer than alliances are now if you try to parley because of said distance, and again your argument that it could already be done could be said about them adding the alliance system as is, its a null point.Encouraging pvpers to take on protection roles of the presumably least pvp inclined just sounds like it improves the game for all parties while adding in new goals and commendations and incentives to go along with an alliance update.
If they want to keep thinking small just delete the game now...
I agree. As much as i love this game, i dont expect anything from Rare. They already take forever for the smallest content. Fixing bugs is also something that takes ages for them.
I think its hard to come up with a system that doesnt push the Pvpve balance on way or the other. Or thats not easily exploitable.
And thats a job for someone who has the time and gets paid for it.@nwo-azcrack said in Mercs for Hire and Quest Escorts:
I agree. As much as i love this game, i dont expect anything from Rare. They already take forever for the smallest content. Fixing bugs is also something that takes ages for them.
I think its hard to come up with a system that doesnt push the Pvpve balance on way or the other. Or thats not easily exploitable.
And thats a job for someone who has the time and gets paid for it.Its almost like they wanted it to end up this way, because i never saw any leading by example within the company or real effort having been here the entire time.
I have the time to help them rig up everything from a basic item economy to factions to rep systems, about that pay though, oh wait ive already tested for thousands of hours and given tons of actionable feedback for free, and this is what they did with it, would paying anyone help at this point? Maybe just one of those booths they have in futurama...
@nwo-azcrack oh no, I'm quite happy with the level of PvP. Finally made it to Legend 2 weeks back, so I've done my fair share of persevering.
But for some, having the option to ask for help from afar may help them. AS a pirate Legend without loads to do but grind out achievements and Athena, having the option to help others, give them advice and help protect them as they slowly inprove would be pretty fulfilling (at a price)
Perhaps just an alliance shop you can join alliances from rather than seek out people in the hope they are friendly. Then each alliance could have a unique flair you could shoot into the air to request assistance.@guybrush3pwood2 I actually found a galleon protecting a sloop while it was doing a gilded athena we stalked them the entire time sank both of them and took the three athenas not sure how well mercs are going to work out lol we were on a brig aswell
@guybrush3pwood2
The way alliances work now forces ppl to go out and be social. Being unsure of the players you approach or if they will betray you is what keeps alliances from being to overpowered. The idea you just mentioned just now will only make it easier for ppl to make pve farming servers or entirely pvp servers. The whole unknown about betrayal would be out the window. And i know players already do this with discord but they still have to approach the players on the servers and convince them to leave.
I wouldnt mind being paid to help protect ppl. And have had players ask me to do thst very thing by offering me loot.
But i feel like your way just tips the balance to far. Doesnt mean im right. Its just my opinion@nwo-azcrack i just dont see why you think this affects social interaction and possible betrayals in any way besides adding more variables and game based reasons to do so, without players needing to offer chests, and how does this stop people from doing this?
They could literally encourage this stuff with dialogue at the same npc’s used to hire mercenaries.
“Its always nice to give a crew that protects you a little of anything extra you find!” And on loading screens and stuff.
Less isnt more in this case, and less is usually just less in any case.
Less being more is a rarity, and less incentives in this game isnt on the list of being better without further additions.
For a game all about social interaction and freedom they sure have a wierd mess of no reason to interact besides RP ing which most dont do, and no decision making with any purpose, just things like deciding which turn in to avoid pvp.
This game needs to expand and the attitude in this thread dosnt help, and if anything works against that.
All the social stuff will just be better with this type of update. The players who lack imagination will appear to have some, and the rest of us will just have more variables and things to change the way we interact.
There are no negatives to adding ideas like this in the right way, imo.
@a-cranky-eskimo
His first idea i was mearly pointing out how it could be abused.
If he hires us to protect him at an outpost, everyone on the server would know where he is. Allowing pvp players to show up and sink him. The exact opposite of what he wants. Now i like that the idea could work both ways and actually harm the person hiring more than it helps. It kinda fits with the game.
His second idea off allowing players an alliance shop is the one i meant will mess with the social interactions. Like i said right now you have to actually go out and make the alliance. You have to deal with a chance of ppl saying no or attacking you.
If alliances were so easy as a click of a button at an outpost, there is no need to socialise or take risks. You could just hop servers till you find that pve server u are looking for. Also betrayals would be far less. Whos gonna betray on a server where everyone is in an alliance farming gold and rep? Thats just my take on it. Not saying it cant be done. But it would have to be more thought out to avoid abuse or over balance@nwo-azcrack I preferred my 1st idea. I think it stands out separate from a normal alliance. Every alliance I've been in has just been numerous separate boats sailing about mining gold and rep. No real social interaction; last time I had a social alliance was back during The Hungering One quest. where everyone worked together towards one goal.
If you were to have some form of escort system (which could back fire on the person wanting help) it would form an alliance with a purpose.
I agree, any idea such as this would need fleshing out, working through, making sure it doesn't break the gameplay and testing. But something like this would help the people that complain about being constantly sunk and it would give bored pirate legends something to do (bored pirate legends really are the worse when it comes to sinking people just for the hell of it :)@guybrush3pwood2
If your intention is to create even more salt in the seas with this idea than: success.Crews that think they need it, will stop using it after one, maybe two betrayals or waiting for an hour till someone pops up. Seems like a waste of time to develop something like this.
I'm not saying this is a finished, polished article of an idea, but I am saying that the alliance functionality could be improved upon. I've not had a social, targeted alliance now for ages.
It seems alliances are just offered to state ones preferred avoidance of conflict rather than for any particular use.
Having a number of roles in an alliance could be an improvement. Some denoted as on escort duty, some denoted as members.
I don't think this would create any more salt in the sea. Yeah, some people wouod betray, but that can happen with the current functionality anyway. So it wouldn't make it any worse than i already is.There are 7 suggestions on page 1 of this feedback area regarding bad gaming experiences regarding wanting to PvE and not being able too... I'd say the alliance mechanic doesn't go far enough to deal with this area well enough, otherwise there wouldn't be soo many on the 1st page of feedback.
I don't want to take away PvP at all. But an escort system that's easy to use would help those 7 people that probably represent many more who are disenchanted.
Some people don't want to join forum's, chat group's or Xbox parties. I never did on my journey to legend.
Just to confirm... this idea isn't to help me, it's a suggestion to help thr disenchanted. I am currently well in love with the gamestill no good points against this type of idea just lazy hypotheticals and excuses.
One guy literally just explained how getting a crew together works, as if the topic went right over their head.
Alliances are poorly designed.
If you dont have any feedback worth anything then why post shooting down an idea? “Because salt with this = success just because!” Or “find a crew!”
Loool...
The effort and enthusiasm and want for this game to grow and improve on any level has never even been here apparently.
This whole thing is a failed social experiment and they need to just realize that and start adding more variables and incentives for certain behaviors like escorting a ship, without leaving it all up to us with nothing to encourage gameplay, this wont somehow remove social interaction, it makes it more purposeful and more likely to happen if anything.
Why do i constantly see the same group with this good enough attitude shooting down 90% of the things you post on instead of just helping flesh out ideas and stating concerns.
The posts above are mostly nonsensical concerns, but they clog up the thread and are pointless.
Everybody not in your crew is able to betray and kill you.
The point is still, get a crew, organize yourself and head for the most firepower if you want protect yourself.
Or create an Adventure Lobby /Tavern for random to find each other ingame.
Or makesome sort of crewbrowser where you can search for players what want to do what you want to do.
Player x want to do Forts...
Lf G crew
Lf B crew
Lf S crew
....
