Queue system

[Liq]

I've been thinking about ways to get more PvP. Came to the following idea:
What about some sort of a lobby-ish queue system, where one can enter what ship he is in and how he'd like to fight (e.g. Solo, frigate, 1v1s or duo frigates 2v2) etc.. Maybe take that info from the groups (and maybe allow groups of more than 12 players (?))
How I'd imagine it to work:

• Additional "Queue" tab in port, enter your group size, have some sort of indicator that shows when a match is found so you can accept the challenge
• In open world, add a queue window (where one can also sign up for a match, but mainly so one does not have to wait in port and do nothing until a match is found)

The option to have it in open world might seem exploitable to escape from chasers, simply add a 1 or 2 minute timer one has to sit afk in OW (to "prove" he is not getting chased).

Battle-overview
Additionally, a battleoverview-screen which lists the current challengers (as in groups that set up a battle and are looking for a group to accept the challenge) with the setups demanded could help a group to find a fight fairly quickly. Simply browse through the list, see who wants to fight what fight (numbers and ships wise) and maybe take the challenge (or private-message the group to find a compromise and set up a new, similar battle).
This battleoverview screen could look something like a counterstrike server browser or the lobby of an Age of Empires multiplayer game, which lists what map is being played, how many players there are, what gamemode, etc. I'm sure you get the idea.

Example: Age of Empires lobby room

 

Why?
Numbers are going down (partly because of the announced wipe, but still), it's getting harder to find a decent fight, wasting hours doing nothing might be realistic but it's a game after all. I also think lack of battles or having to spend hours in OW to find one of the main factors which drives many people away, not everyone has that much time to spend.

Problems
Main issue in my opinion is the danger of people always taking the tankiest setup possible (looking at the daily small battle challenge, those usually result in massive brawls, live oak / build strength / strong hull and extra planking with carros are basically required if you want to score any kills/assists), because people don't have to worry about being too slow in the open world and get caught by a bigger, faster fleet.
How to solve that issue?
In the queue-screen, the possibility to limit a ships setup could completely solve that issue. Captains that don't like fighting full tanky ships but rather go in something in between (teak or oak etc) could set that as a rule, and if someone wants to fight with the same rules and setup, a match gets found.
 

Please let me know what you think.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Liquicity

[NavalActionPlayer]

Ummmm...I don't want to disagree with Liquicity who is most definitely one of the good guys ...and I understand his desire for PVP fights...but.....this would just be, well, just World of Sailing Ships. Nothing wrong with that (and I am not using the term in a derogatory sense) but it's not the Naval Action I love and want.

This does raise a bigger question (that has been raised elsewhere in the past)...the Devs need to decide if they are creating an 'arena' game or a 'sandbox' game. Trying to do both does not seem to be working too well so maybe do one or the other but not both....or even split the game into two products....an arena game (World of Sailing Ships) and a sandbox game (no silly PVE zones, no silly events zones, no silly newb zones). That way if you just want a quick 30 mins of blasting the cr@p out of someone you go to the arena game, if you want a good evening's game play, go to the full game.

Edited March 28, 2017 by NavalActionPlayer

[Shrez]

Any battles should be in OW only.

[Liq]

10 minutes ago, Shrez said:

Any battles should be in OW only.

kinda disagree, openworld is a nice gimmick but battles shouldnt be restricted to OW only imo

[Shrez]

1 minute ago, Liquicity said:

kinda disagree, openworld is a nice gimmick but battles shouldnt be restricted to OW only imo

This game is designed as OW Game.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Shrez

[Tac]

Problem was sea trails was really busy until everyone ranked up then it became boring people left, those people only came back when OW was released.

Just seems a bit like going full circle again, granted though when there's no pvp to be found in OW what is left other than RvR which lets admit for the casual player can be a bit restrictive.

I think if you get OW right, which it has been in the past, no one played small/large battles.

[Christendom]

No reason we can't have OW and lobby based matches.  

OW is about hunting, commerce raiding and yes ganking.  Do not expect fair combat on the water.  

To those who want more competitive match making there can be a better lobby system.  In this lobby system you use a generic ship that you're allowed to customize in the options and then you queue up.  You get cosmetic rewards and titles or other dick measuring things.  

Make so you can queue from harbor but still shuffle around doing Econ or sailing.  Best of both worlds. 

[Anne Wildcat]

I think they just need to rework small/large battles so you can see who you are facing and what ships they have while waiting for match to start. Maybe remove loss of ship & any gold gain. 

[Stilgar]

The low activity we observe before the patch is a rather clear indication that players prefer to have a scope / context of the fighting (either an OW encounter, screening or PB). Lobby-based battles do not seem to be very popular.