Ramming is plaguing hourglass right now

The strategy that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and is taking the fun out of the game mode. I'm not taking part in any more hg until something is done

Prevent ramming. Then you better ask to prevent collision damage as well, and add in boarding. Those are two meta tactics (avoidable as well)

If your being rammed and sinking, your doing something wrong. But hey, hourglass isn’t only way to pvp….but nobody cares about that

@burnbacon Yes. I didn't say that preventing ramming/winning is impossible, but difficult for the reasons I mentioned in the first post which you must not have read. So I'll reiterate for you:

When you do prevent a ram they focus mast, reset and try it over and over again- because preventing them from ramming means their ship drifts behind yours it gives them many options. This often causes the match to go on for an extended period of time.

It's become meta for many reasons - and the reason it doesn't make a lot of sense is very clear:
This is essentially the other crew failing to steer properly. Players have discovered that that the ship that is rammed takes MORE damage than the rammer. There are too many benefits, and not enough consequence.

Rammer gets: easy kill on cannoneer attempting to chain the mast, rammer ends up behind the other boat (in both a successful or unsuccessful ram attempt) - which means rammer can cannon, repair mast, easily harpoon onto the back of opponent (works with or without mast).
The opponent then won't easily be able to get get angle because: A) They are harpooned, B) They can't touch wheel anymore because cannon is shooting the back of their ship, C) Rammer missed and is now flying away at full speed. It's win win win for the ramming crew.

I also didn't say to remove collision damage, but I did propose the rammer should take more damage given that they have made a mistake and discourage it as a strategy. Steer your boat correctly and you won't take on heavy damage, simple.

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Boarding via a controlled sideswipe/catching up to the rear makes the most sense. Boarding via head-on collision does not. Yet it gives you multiple advantages, despite nosing the broadside of an enemy. If Rare wants the most effective strategy to be not use the cannons on a pirate ship and ram perhaps get rid of the cannons. It's a boring strategy to fight against, but increasing in popularity. Penalize their failure to steer before this is all that hg becomes: bumper ships.

If a tactic works it works, as long as there isnt any cheating going on, these seas be swarming with pirates! And if pirates are known for one thing its absolutely a fair clean fight that doesnt rely on any trickery or crazy tactics whatsoever at all to secure a victory against those unexpecting EVER! No sir!

If a strategy exists, people complain about it being used in hour glass, i have heard complaints spanning from the enemies using swords and blunder bombs, to complaints about using cannon balls and curse balls, they are all features and strategies that secure a win in a pirate game, but people act like some one trying something different from them self and it working is some how unfair, and not just forethought.

All's fair in war.
The smart one always outplays the brawn.

Hourglass is a PvP tool; no rules are given. (Unlike LSS) and its on the open seas, which people just hate...

Wait until you come across a pirate with 6 black powder kegs on a rowboat...(me) and uses that against you.

Honestly a poor way to look at it. Oh it works so it's not broken.

"The smart one always outplays the brawn."

The strategy isn't smart, it's the opposite. It's only taking advantage of a broken mechanics.
You are literally putting yourself straight at the cannon of another ship. This should be and almost certain lose scenario.
It's nosing the enemy in a way that should be a nearly guaranteeing a beating (not a win, but a beating). It's poor positioning, poor helmsmanship, yet it yields many positive benefits mentioned.
The counterplay is to not shoot cannons, and try to go for rams yourself. Thus you begin a game of bumper-ships. Which makes the latest sale aptly named "Bumper Bounty"

I asked for some balancing - heavier damage to the rammer. Because currently it's the opposite:
The rammed will take on 3 holes while the rammer takes 1 tier 1 hole and that makes them the smart one - no it's just poor mechanics in place.

All these comments, "Oh first they ask for this, then they ask for that, then it's complaining about this other thing."
I'm not complaining about boarding, or swords, or blunderbombs, or curses, and I'm not imposing rules.
I'm indicating a real issue with the mechanic, and a recommended fix - if you want to ram go for it, but doing so should damage your vessel.

"if pirates are known for one thing"

One thing they are not known for is ramming ships.

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People take these "feedback + suggestions" threads like I'm speaking to all of you. I'm not. Every time you say anything about the game it causes the people to disagree purely for the sake of disagreeing. It's exhausting.

I'm talking to the developers in the only channel available.
If feedback could be left without people who rarely play the game commenting on it I would.
This is more deeply technical issue, and responses are too shallow in thought.
This is my feedback and suggestion to them, let the developers decide how they want to make their game: Devs, do you want the most effective way to have a naval battle to be sailing right into them? Yes, No? Take it or leave it.

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Mixing reality in a fantasy game. :p
If you want to play that card:

• Didn't have grapple guns
• Weren't able to switch weapons in seconds.
• Sail a big ship alone
• patch holes with a single plank
• Heal...with fruit

But we can.....because that a gaming mechanic to make it fun and silly.

@bleu-solo said in Ramming is plaguing hourglass right now:

Honestly a poor way to look at it. Oh it works so it's not broken.

"The smart one always outplays the brawn."

The strategy isn't smart, it's the opposite. It's only taking advantage of a broken mechanics.

The mechanic isnt broken, and it is working effectively while being an out of the box tactic that can leave your own ship in a vulnerable position if done poorly and it is working well enough that you are asking for it to be changed. If that is not smart, i would like an example of what an actual genuine smart strategy is.

As well no, i wont take a "this is why historically people did not do this wild dangerous tactic" as proof that it is not a good fit for this COLORFUL FICTIONAL GAME in which you can fire your self out of a cannon, grapple and anchor turn a full speed ship full of thousands of chests of cursed gold, and fight undead skeletons that summon meteors and breathe fire.

Historical realism is not your friend to prove that balance is needed, because this game is not historical or realistic on even a surface level, more or less at its core, and you very well know that. If you want a historically accurate realistic naval game where doing crazy things that people couldnt actually do, maby you landed on the wrong shore and misidentified the island. Sea of thieves should not be changed just because it doesnt fit history, since it is not historic... Its fantasy!

Mind you the image you posted is also ignoring one key historic detail, most pirate "battles" didnt actually happen, it was typically just an overwhelming show of force to intimidate their target out of fighting in the first place in most cases, so if you really want historically accurate sea of thieves, when some one demands your loot, just give it to them!

Took the bait and predictably provided shallow commentary on realism rather than provide evidence that the current system is balanced and doesn't need changing. I've provided plenty of claim why it is imbalanced, and haven't received one counterview of substance. Here's what I've learned so far: You're incapable and doing it wrong. You're not smart enough- trying to use muscle against a smart opponent. It's not real it's a video game.

Not even any hint of a kind suggestion from anyone such as, "What you should be doing is:"
-Taking the ramming like a champ. Then the next one. Then the next one. Then the next one. Ad infinitum.
-Steer away from them. Let them chase you in the game mode where you're locked into a circle!
-Ram them first. Join in the game of bumper ships.
-Anchor your boat. Let them fly past you until their next ram attempt, again ad infinitum.
-Whatever you do, don't try to cannon them.

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If you can't come up with any counter strategy or suggestion.. there's a word for that: overpowered. And overpowered is generally met with balancing.

Remember how 'popcorn' was a strategy that was considered overpowered - and thus nerfed. So it's not out of the realm of possibility that something was overlooked, or there may be some bug in the code preventing ramming boats from taking the damage they should, and can use some attention.

When people were parking in islands to get themselves in nearly unsinkable spots - that was another strategy that was an oversight, which was met with a nerf. It wasn't what the developers intended.

When people were running in hourglass (which some people view as strategy), it was drawing out the fight longer than intended - so a shrinking circle was added.

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People are going on 100+ streaks in hourglass via aiming their boat directly at an enemy, and no one here can see that there's maybe a small balancing issue. I posed a question: Do the developers intend the strongest way to fight a ship to be ramming it? If not, consider balancing. If the developers do intend this to be true: Don't touch it.

How can we consider balancing:
The suggestion I gave is not a strong outlandish nerf - Allow both boats to take equal damage, or the rammer to take slightly more (balance as necessary). The current system yields the rammer taking 0-1 tier 1 holes there's not enough penalty for hitting a boat with yours. Something to make them think about risk-reward before going gung ho ram only. It's not a rule "no ramming" but if the tool is too strong it may need work to bring it in line so that it fits in with expectations.

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Every game is a balancing act - no shame in it. I'm simply pointing out what I see that's wrong with something in a suggestions forum- Take it or leave it, but don't dare: deflect, not provide help, and be insinuating.

Rare please add a suggestion submission box. On the forums you can give examples and explanations and get default "Nah it's fine how it is" responses with no support towards claims, or helpful suggestion. There isn't any reason to have others involved in this process if you'd be better off talking to a wall.

If your sinking to being rammed, you are clearly doing something wrong. That is a fact and no shame in admitting it.
Poor hit, you bounce, good hit you take what...3 holes? Minor holes? and you tend to still bounce off each other, especially if you see it coming, you turn the wheel to negate the impact to your favor not theres.

You know all this if you practice different things instead of shooting a gun or cannons. Learn your ship, how it functions, how much it can take before it sinks.

Remember how 'popcorn' was a strategy that was considered overpowered - and thus nerfed.

Can still be done, just a lot more work.

When people were parking in islands to get themselves in nearly unsinkable spots - that was another strategy that was an oversight, which was met with a nerf.

Can be and still being done.

When people were running in hourglass

Still done, regardless of circle.

You list three things that are exploits or broken things that took work or clever thinking to break the game.
Ramming...is just two ships colliding. One has the wind, other doesn't. (Or no wind for both) and the damage is meh at best.

People are going on 100+ streaks in hourglass via aiming their boat directly at an enemy

Again, if you are sinking to a single/multiple rams...and the other ship isnt? That is on you.

Allow both boats to take equal damage, or the rammer to take slightly more (balance as necessary).

Already does this. To an extent, it been this way for years and nobody cares.

I'm simply pointing out what I see that's wrong with something in a suggestions forum

Your pointing out a mechanic that is a double edge sword for both ships, but you make it sound you lose to it most of all. And I frankly can not see how.
If the other ship hits you and takes more damage than your ship. Is that Ok? Or unbalanced. You still gonna take the win or complain?

There isn't any reason to have others involved in this process

Take it or leave it. You dont have to respond to every "negative" response from someone who disagrees because of a simple thing.
People have there own insight to the matter, and so far...way your making it appear. Everyone doesn't see it as a huge problem.

@bleu-solo said in Ramming is plaguing hourglass right now:

Took the bait and predictably provided shallow commentary on realism rather than provide evidence that the current system is balanced and doesn't need changing. I've provided plenty of claim why it is imbalanced, and haven't received one counterview of substance. Here's what I've learned so far: You're incapable and doing it wrong. You're not smart enough- trying to use muscle against a smart opponent. It's not real it's a video game.

Not even any hint of a kind suggestion from anyone such as, "What you should be doing is:"
-Taking the ramming like a champ. Then the next one. Then the next one. Then the next one. Ad infinitum.
-Steer away from them. Let them chase you in the game mode where you're locked into a circle!
-Ram them first. Join in the game of bumper ships.
-Anchor your boat. Let them fly past you until their next ram attempt, again ad infinitum.
-Whatever you do, don't try to cannon them.

This is a forum post requesting a change to a mechanic that people are disagreeing with you on, just because we did not offer an alternative to survive it does not invalidate our points, your post was not about finding a way to survive ramming, it was about nerfing the mechanic. You cant change your entire position to pretend we were shallow for addressing your comment directly and talking about the topic instead of offering help you did not ask for then claim that us not providing something not asked is overpowered, its proof that you did not even bother to ask. You however brought up historical accuracy, we brought up the illegitimacy of it since this is cartoon fantasy. If you wanted help you could have asked rather than treating others as being oblivious for keeping to the topic at hand and not presuming a question that was not asked.

If you really want help, ask for it, dont demand a nerf and when disagreed with just call others shallow and claim they "took the bait", cause if you are intentionally trying to bait people in this forum, that wont slide over well, not to mention it just makes it so less people will take you seriously even if they may vouch for you, why vouch for some one who openly claims they are baiting, and argues that any disagreement on matters of opinion are factually wrong. People on the same side of a debate wouldnt want to try to back up some one claiming to be doing so.

However if this debate is about whether ramming should be in the game and your stance is it shouldnt, and you have not asked for strategies how to defend against it, would we be able to keep it on that instead since its clear you did not want a strategy or you would have asked for it, you wanted it nerfed since that IS what you asked for.

But if you wish to continue this debate with strategies like pretending that not answering a question that was not asked is proof towards your point, it will not go anywhere and there is no point trying to continue it. Up to you at this point, its your thread that you derailed but i still hold the stance that this game should not be made to mimic reality in any way that cuts out the cartoonish wacky antics and chaos that makes this game what it is, and ramming is just one of those things that should not be cut just for the name of realism, and no amount of insults or historical accuracy will change that i believe this game should NOT be realistic.