Possible PvE Historical Mode to Appeal to Low-Key Players

[Preble]

@admin--Since one of the upsides of PvE is the lack of ahistorical territorial change through player conquest, what opportunities might there be going forward to reimpliment PvE for single cruisers doing commerce warfare and port raiding?  It could be particulaly interesting to revamp PvE as a more single-player-oriented "historical mode," with AI units operating according to actually historical weather patterns and therefore historical strategic imperatives/historical trade and convoy routes.  For example, westerly prevailing winds led inbound (i.e. inbound to the Caribbean, outbound from Europe) British convoys to Barbados and then Jamaica; outbound convoys from Jamaica would sail around the western coast of Cuba through the Florida Strait and back northeast to Europe along the easterly trade winds.  The implimentation of raids would also add port combat to PvE and would therefore increase popularity among both the current player base and more low-key players (which, as you have stated, is a market to which you must expand in order for the game to remain a viable enterprise).  Would welcome your thoughts.

(Reposted from upcoming PvE changes announcement thread)

[Rychu Karas]

now many interesting scenarios did you prepare? some of us within these 2 years made hundreds if not thousands of these pve missions. Hope you catch the scale.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Rychu Karas

[Preble]

On 3/23/2017 at 2:11 AM, Rychu Karas said:

now many interesting scenarios did you prepare? some of us within these 2 years made hundreds if not thousands of these pve missions. Hope you catch the scale.

This concept is less about interesting scenarios than open-world raiding.  Admiralty features/directives could offer players insight as to where to go/patrol areas.  This is much more open-world centric than the current mission concept.

[Pad Seayew]

Great idea.  I'm actually thinking about switching to PvE after the wipe.  I don't have time for PvP, it always comes to me when I need to get ready for work or bed.  And when I want PvP, it cannot be found. 

The devs have said AI are being improved so it could be very interesting  (what you propose).