[This post is not about creating drama, and I promise you it is a suggestion at its heart. Also I write it from memory so I might miss item names and such.]
After the release of the Anniversary Update I really enjoyed all the new story missions. I done them all alone like I play the whole game like that. I like the challenge. I solved most of it alone, I did not even look up solutions most of the time: it was one of the best gaming in the year for me. Old-school, taking-notes-on-paper kind of adventures. 10/10. I really loved it.
Then I finally managed to go to the Shores of Gold. I knew it is big. And I enjoyed it... then I messed up. It was my fault, I thought I have the solution for one of the caves. I thought it was a bug. I even opened a ticket, made a video about it. I was stupid. I felt stupid. In reality I just messed up interpreting the clues. But not this is where I given up on the game. It was a shame but not one I can't get over. But it took me more than a hour to give up on this run.
My next try was worse. Now I know the solution for the vault. I spawned far from the Shore so it took me about 15 boring minutes to go there. Then I transitioned to the Shore... and there was already another crew, vaults open etc... so I started again in a new sessions, I wasn't about to pick a fight and ruin their endgame.
Third time the charm right? Nope. I solved the vaults. I got the item I need in the big throne statue... when a galleon appear. They sank my boat and killed me 3 against one is hard 2 of them died before me. I respawned on the island with a new sloop, they even messaged me how did I respawn there after they noticed me. I tried to continue in secret but they found me and killed me again and took my item too. I thought about sinking them, but knowing they will respawn here made it pointless. I was outnumbered, I had no way to know where the item is. And I assume they solved it after I left without having to go to the vaults. They should thank me for the free pass to the ending really.
And this is the point I given up on this. My question was, that I did not ask here or anywhere else (I was in deep disappointment and rage after hours of gampeplay lost like this, it is rare a game does this to me, so I just quit, deleted the game, did not worth the time after this):
Why the Shores of Gold island is not private session?
The story goes there are only one Shroudbreaker. Storywise strange that you are attacked by another crew while solving the puzzles on the island that can't be accessed without the one and only legendary Shroudbreaker.
There are a lot of times when I just accept that others attack me. Every voyage, chest, skull, gem are fair game. We are pirates. We are pirating. But here: it takes too much time and frustration to let this happen. It should be a private session because it does not makes sense to have more than one Shroudbreakers there. I spent around 5 hours on that island only in the 3 runs I tried it. And 2 runs from that ended beceause others got there too. Once I was the second. An other time another crew was. And it just doesn't make sense.
Of course I do not know if this still works like this. I did not follow release notes after deleting the game. If it is not like this anymore I am sorry for wasting time writing this down. But now that I coming back to the game to check out the pets, spending actual money on the game after buying it on release for full price: I felt like coming clean about this hard annoyance that made the game bad for me at the end.
So is it wort to try the finale again now? Or I had to fear from other crews attacking me with another Shroudbreaker?