The idea of preventing big ships in certain areas might make sense at first, but it actually punishes the players for progressing in the game.
What's the point of getting a bigger trading ship if I'll lose access to a bunch of cities? Changing ships between cities is not an option.
If there's an alternative other than removing the shallow water feature, it would be great. Otherwise, just remove it.
#Remove shallow water feature altogether
ember flame
bleak kraken
why is changing ships not an option?
ember flame
Because it beats the point of getting a better ship.
faint cedar
You can just switch to russia for mid rate ports, then a mercury for low rate ports. Then deliver the goods to a nearby port that allows higher rate ships and transport it from there using a your sirene or courrone.
This is what I've been doing and I don't see a problem even as a trader.
In fact, it's a lot more efficient since mercury and Russia are generally faster ships than Couronne and Sirene.
The only reason why I had to use rate 2 and rate 1 transport ships is for cargo hold at the expense of speed. If I only have to transport around 26 tonnes of market goods, I'd rather use a Russia since it's faster.
ember flame
In games, some people tend to bond with characters. Or in this case, ships.
Since I worked hard to get a new ship, I want to use it instead of the old ones.
For me, it doesn't make sense that the game forces me a gameplay that it doesn't match with what I want. Ideally, players should be free to choose how they want to play.
I know there is a line between allowing to choose the gameplay style and the core mechanics of the game, but in this case (and many others), it breaks one of the fundamental aspects of RPC: the player's choice.
bleak kraken
Because it beats the point of getting a better ship.
dont think of it as a better ship? its a different ship
bigger ships have many downsides, slow, expensive to maintain, why would you want to get a different ship to do the same thing you were doing with the old ship when the new ship allows you to do different things?
other mmos would downscale you when you go back to beginner areas, chaning ships is natural downscaling
ember flame
Those are good points.
I guess my point of view shouldn't be linear (ship 1 -> ship 2 -> etc), but rather different ways to play
bleak kraken
i guess i dont get what are you actually missing by coming back to lower areas in a bigger ship? the rewards are better in more dangerous waters
plus there has to be some content pvp and pve for ppl who dont have t1s
try doing a boarding mission around st jean in a noob ship, someone will undock a santi and one shot everything
ember flame
My gameplay style is PVE, trading between cities. By using bigger ships, I lose access to some areas.
I feel like I'm being punished for progressing in the game by being excluded from some content.
Perhaps the shallow water feature could be applied to PVP, like a protection zone if the player is not using a ship with the right ranking.
bleak kraken
i also only pve in open sea, pvp in arena. i think having high tier ships in beginner areas will destroy the ability of new players to pve effectively
bleak kraken
its not just about trade runs, its killing and especially capturing or demasting npcs
impossible in st jean for example
and really you can trade effectively without going lower than t4
once you get the flying cloud its basically that and a t1
sturdy nymph
The idea of preventing big ships in certain areas might make sense at first, but...
Just imagine. In newbie waters, suddenly there's a player with a ship of the line, first rate. The ship capable of oneshotting any npc in the newbie zones.
Then, a newbie just sails with his pickle. His first mission is to destroy a pirate (sink a buddy)
he sees a pirate, and ready his cannons...
Suddenly, the target got oneshotted by the player with the first rate.
the newbie finds another npc ship
and again, it gets oneshotted by the same player
the newbies complain in forums and drops negative review on the game.
See why you are not allowed to use your bigger ships in newbie waters?
This shallow water mechanic prevents newbies to get their targets being snatched away from them
The solution could be disabling the ship ability to shoot and deal damage, but then pvper will abuse it and just run into shallow water to evade pursuit and let their timer expires.
ember flame
Just imagine. In newbie waters, suddenly there's a player with a ship of the lin...
Then leave it to PVP only, as I mentioned before.
sturdy nymph
Then leave it to PVP only, as I mentioned before.
and have newbie getting seal clubbed? even worse then as no newbie will enter the game
ember flame
and have newbie getting seal clubbed? even worse then as no newbie will enter th...
What do you mean?
sturdy nymph
What do you mean?
forcing people to pvp in newbie area = sealclubbing for newbies
allows peaceflag to pass and shoot = newbie get their target shot down by griefers
forcing peaceflag when you go across and prevent them shooting = pvper will abuse it to escape pursuits
pick your poison
ember flame
I didn't say that.
Shallow waters could simply prevent people to PVP based on ship ranking, which would working exactly like it is today, except for PVE players.
sturdy nymph
I didn't say that.
Shallow waters could simply prevent people to PVP based on s...
then those people that cannot pvp will just grief the heck out of newbie by shooting their targets
their pvp is removed, sure, but what about newbie's target? they get oneshotted.
It's not even about pvp. it's about griefers ruining experience for pve players
Shallow water exists for a reason
ember flame
There is no point for anyone to do that, since low level areas don't give good rewards. Also, if anyone do that simply to ruin others' experience, they should be banned, just like any other offense.
sturdy nymph
There is no point for anyone to do that, since low level areas don't give good r...
you underestimate griefers too much
someone with a neptuno, a rate 2, peaceflagged, was harassing newbies that try to board in freedom bay. he just there to mess with the newbie so he can't board any ship. didn't even bother to loot as he just follow the newbie just for the sake of ruining his day
I personally saw it in front of my eyes. even tried as far as ramming another npc to him so he stop, but what gives? he just ignores the npc shooting at him and just blast the newbie boarding target first, then proceeded to kill the npc hitting him
yes it happens.
ember flame
Yeah, it doesn't have anything to do with my post. It's just a matter of enforcing the rules of the game.
sturdy nymph
Yeah, it doesn't have anything to do with my post. It's just a matter of enforci...
nope, it has everything to do with your post
so your suggestion is to create a system where people can grief at will, with little to no penalties
even if he get penalized, the newbies already left the game due to bad first impression
now suggest a method where it cannot be exploited, then the dev PROBABLY will look to it
otherwise i don't think its even a good consideration to begin with
ember flame
I mentioned twice that there are consequences, even today, but you are ignoring my point.
In this case, we shall not discuss it further.
sturdy nymph
I mentioned twice that there are consequences, even today, but you are ignoring ...
consequences of the offender being banned but leaving the game dead of newbies? yes. ok i get it. I'm not ignoring your point but i just point out flaws on your argument
anyway it's unacceptable to introduce such a big hole to exploit just because you refuse to use the shallow water system. some waters in the sea also more shallow than others and give a sense of newbie waters. other game also implemented it
we even haven't addressed if people want to be serious and just to pvp against newbies and intentionally turns pvp in newbie waters. those ppl that tries the game to pvp will leave because of the disparity
Or some player argued that they just want to farm in newbie areas because its easier. Now newbies don't have any target to shoot from
And yes boarding 3 small ships grants more beams and crew than boarding a medium one and you lose way less crew
lucid radish
The shallow water mechanic also introduces lower rate port battles. Because realistically if every port was a deep water port, nobody would ever use the san martin, or the sparrow in a port battle. Different rate ports lets lower rate ships get large scale use and keeps the meta interesting. If your guild collectively really dislikes sparrows and constitutions, they always have the option of just not attacking rate 4 ports.
A lot of people already dislike the hurrican spam, now imagine that at every port battle. It would get old very quickly. Fights would be less about which guilds are better and more about who can afford to repair their hurricans the most for the next port battle.
crystal ibex
iWorkedAllDay, love your thoughts but it fundamentally wouldnt be good for the game because of points other have brought up.
New players & those who dont grind hard due to life situations or not having the resources to get bigger ships but have higher lvls, need a safer place.
As well, some games have mechanics that are required to be played a specific way or it destroyed the gaming for others.
I see plenty of great tips above to help you out, now you just need to try them out or come up with your own solution = )