Custom Ship Flags

I think this would be a great idea. Im definitely all for this. I dont think custom flags would be a problem i know microsoft when i made my avatar for the forums it had to be approved first. They could just run it through that system to make sure it wasnt something inappropriate hate speech etc. But i think custom flags would let everybody know what guild or clan etc they were fighting.

I was just thinking the same thing. Being able to customize a flag would be so cool! If they wanted to stick with the gold for cosmetic items theme you could even purchase new colors or emblems or backgrounds with the coin you've earned.

@spunkus-skunkus A simple reporting mechanism would seem to be enough to deal with this along with a one strike rule. Also, we're in a sad state if we're going to let a long dead, racist s*****g not only ruin a perfectly good symbol that has been used the world over in countless cultures, but let him also ruin a video game, 73 years later, simply because we're all so concerned about offending the snowflakes.

I love this idea. I think the flags should be completely customizable. There need to be a reporting system for inappropriate flags. I think a community upload would be awesome to

I myself would make a Tornado Flag :)

I agree but not 100%, I absolutely think there should be customizable flags and at that, a special shape or size of a flag that identifies one as a legendary ship, something that'll do that that people can see from far away anyway (that gives me an idea for a post). Anyway I agree but I don't think there should be 100% freedom with it cause otherwise you're gonna get a lot of unserious people with stupid flags like memes or hentai or some s**t. So how about custom flags, but more like the halo reach emblem design system, where there's a bunch of decals that are in set position with toggleable additions and custom colours, THAT would be cool

tbh id like my own custom sails.. you can still use the report system.. archage had a great system put in place where you could screenshot and post on forums and the player would receive a penalty... frankly i didnt see many kkk or racist symbols in that game.. it was more anime p**n or p***s... alot of times you seen clan symbols or ppl with unique identifiers

was my sails

I think this question was already posted

Suggested the same in a similar type of a solution. At the crew size phase, a flag is also customised. After customisation, business approach is voted on; pirating or marauding. Crew becoming pirates would allow the standard gameplay goals take place, i.e. progression is tied to PvE activities. No effect to the flag. Crew becoming marauders would allow the simplified gameplay goals to take place, i.e. progression is tied solely to PvP activities. Background of the flag turns blood red. Sinking a marauding ship would reward progression to any involved crew no matter what their business is.

Further developing this to introduce simple convoys between two pirate crews. This would happen only in the field, at an outpost, and signing a contract makes the background of their flags turn deep blue. Escorted ship is disarmed from cannons and its safety becomes the voyage of the defender crew. Once the voyage of the escorted crew becomes complete, the voyage of the defender crew is also completed. That moment the relevant flags are reverted.

@spunkus-skunkus said in Custom Ship Flags:

@the-bobcat-316 I'm just gonna speak the truth here by saying that if a custom flag system was added into the game, it would be abused heavily; there are going to be many people who truly enjoy this feature and will make flags that are known server wide, but there are the select few who will choose to place swastikas on their flags or write homophobic and racist slurs on the side of their ships. For this reason I doubt that they'll let us customise our flags to that extent.

Of course if they were to add that system to the game it would not be unwelcome; I have many ideas for flag designs and I don't really care what others put on theirs. The only reason I'm saying this is because this game isn't being advertised exclusively for teens/adults and I'm sure there'll be many kids who choose to play SoT as well; I'm sure it would be quite unpleasant for parents especially who have to deal with the questions that arise after their kids have seen these atrocities.

Although I really would like to be able to make my own flag that's my view on this discussion and it seems like having no personal customisation would be for the better. Have a good day/night :)

While the issue is clear, I think the swastika is the least to worry about. The few involved are just uneducated enough individuals messing around so I would not worry about it. Nothing a proper education cannot solve.

Why not allow a swastika emblem? It's not swastika's fault it has such history. On contrary if it was allowed, some properly educated individuals with enough manners might want to know about its history, origin and become intrigued to learn more. If a simple symbol is censored just for the sake of its history, we would be bound to repeat the mistakes the men carried under their flag. Every flag is tarnished by the actions of the men, not the other way around.

A name ashames none, but a man can ashame every name.

@the-bobcat-316 Yeah they probably could, but more than being inappropriate I'm more worried abput the people who's flag is just dumb, like a flag with cutlasses, skulls, flintlocks would be considered suiting but it wouldn't make sense to have like superman on there or modern rifles, plus flags were never really too detailed as it was so I think full customization would be a bit too much freedom

Also please custom ship names!

@astralnautical said in Custom Ship Flags:

No. Have you played Archeage? They did this concept and I saw everything from people's girlfriends to drug references on sails. It breaks immersion.

Well now that you mention it I would love my flag to be a cannabis leaf on a rasta colored background!

I would spend my time searching exclusively for "spice" and "tea leaves" ;)

@Spunkus-Skunkus real talk I am super sick of the argument that swastika's shouldn't be allowed in modern media just because it might offend someone, doubly so if it isn't even the n**i version, it is a persons choice whether to be offended by a symbol or not, but it was never the symbols choice to have been used for something offensive.

Imagine if a country like North Korea started waging a war under the McDonalds logo, would you think it was equally acceptable for the families of people affected by the atrocities of the North Korean military to get offended at the McDonalds logo and start demanding that the company change their logo so as not to upset people?!

@spunkus-skunkus said in Custom Ship Flags:

@mythicalfable Whilst ignorance is bliss and the people who don't know of the swastika's origins would be unaffected by its presence on a flag, there are many more people who DO know the history behind this symbol and might take offence to it; and this isn't something related to a cause such as feminism either (where many random things seem offensive to a small audience [Sorry to throw shade]) and it is widely accepted that swastikas are offensive to many people.

Indeed. This is the paradox that hinders healing. However, this won't usually last very long. It's just hindrance.

I've lost friends and family members, but I don't blame the mere tools they used to take their own lives with (weapon is a tool in motion) nor those that were used to kill them by someone else. We need to accept the truth here so we can resolve all those horrible things like racism once and for all, enjoy life and live our lives for those who didn't get the chance. Tupac Shakur adviced to own the words and I find that to work.

Despite the majority of teens, children and young adults (the target audience) being complacent with these symbols, you must understand that older adults and especially grandparents would feel saddened seeing their children laughing at symbols which could be associated with the death of a loved one; After all, that IS the symbol that nazis fought under whilst murdering innocents. Although your suggestions of people becoming educated are ideal, this is sadly not the reality that our world has come to accept; there will always be something that is offensive (some more obvious than others) and that's why a genuine ship customisation option would be problematic (again I'd like to state that I'd have nothing against a system like this and I personally wouldn't have any problems regarding it.

Grandparents often understand the reality and parents are good at following their footprints until they become to understand the reality the same. Of course things may and will remind some of us from those ugly periods of history, but alleviating the actual sadness goes thorough joy. This is why it is so important to forgive ourselves and others.

Learn to live with the world and teach the world to live.

Since this thread was posted prior to launch, my understanding of why ship customisation is the way that it is has changed (by a little bit). I now know that the main reason for the lack of ship customisation is due to the games lack of content; at this point, the game needs as many things to work towards as possible and making everything related to ship customisation cost $70 000 has artificially increased the longevity of the game. I can almost guarantee that if there were more things to do, we would actually be able to personalise our ship; Of course I'm not going to be starting a debate right here and now so I'll leave my statement at that.

And the lack of content is related to where the focus was thorough initial development. Hopefully the engine is easy enough to modify though.

@spunkus-skunkus "Whilst ignorance is bliss and the people who don't know of the swastika's origins would be unaffected by its presence on a flag, there are many more people who DO know the history behind this symbol and might take offence to it"

Actually, you have it completely in reverse. The swastika did not originate with the Nazis. And if you did understand its origins you might be able to see beyond the limited historical reference everyone seems to be so hell bent on maintaining. Yes.. the N**i's used the swastika as their symbol. They also used eagles. Are we to be offended by eagles?

"Despite the majority of teens, children and young adults (the target audience) being complacent with these symbols"

I hardly think it's complacency that is at work. I think it is more a disconnect with the events.. as in for most it is ancient history, a world long gone. Not so different from people playing as pirates. Regardless of their cartoon nature as of late, pirates were criminals who r***d and killed innocents.

I'll say it again: I wonder how long we will let that despicable, long dead, racist, mustachioed a****e dictate to us what symbol we can use in games and in culture. I'm sure the Buddhists and the Hindus weren't pleased that he tarnished their symbol, but I'm even more sure that they're not happy that the rest of us are never going to let it go.

But again, if we're all going to have an issue with it it would seem that a simple reporting mechanism and a 1 time strike rule would be sufficient. Does everyone really think that the community at large is going to put up with someone actively promoting racism in the game?

@sawhix agreed! Yes, please I would very much like to be able to name my ship.

@anoka-tim It's amazing to me that this wasn't in the game from the start.

@the-bobcat-316 OMG that is sweet kinda like the call of duty emblem maker ....that would be awesome

@the-bobcat-316 said in Custom Ship Flags:

@wraith-04 I wouldn’t mind doing something like that. I do think however that with today’s technology they can run a quick scan to see if a flag is ok or not.

I am putting my resume today with rare, starting pay minimum 375,000 dollars a year to be a the Chief of Flag Screening Their loss if they don’t take that deal

GTAV does it. The forums do it.

The only issue I could see with it - is that it might ruin their whole art direction. They have an obvious style they are going for ... so I don't know that they would ever allow external artwork.

@porkin5 said in Custom Ship Flags:

Custom flags is a great idea for players to feel a sense of individualism.

No point adding flags to indicate that you're friendly. Players would use those to trick other ships from the very start.

Disagree. I think that the background color of the flags should represent the type of quest your on.

Merchant - Green
Souls - Blue
Gold - Yellow
Exploring - White
Pirate - Black

The only way to attack another player is to raise the Black Flag. That way intentions are known up front. The other player can respond - but to fire the first shot ... the player would have to raise the black flag.

Make it take some time - so that if you were watching them, you could see them do it and respond properly.

This system would allow us to determine whether we want to attack a player (based on their quest types) and makes PvP a bit more obvious. I hate getting preemptively shot when I have no intention of going rogue.

@porkin5 - Good point.

How about a hold lock up? We could have a "hold" that we can put our loot in.

If another player tries to pick the lock - they turn rogue.

If you choose not to use the "hold" then I guess that's your own fault.

There has to be ideas on how to handle this without locking into "everyone I see is out to kill me".