Please Restore the Social Perk

[Bach]

i took my bucentaure out to sail from carlisle to kpr and i got ganked right outside kpr and because of that timer no one could get to the battle in time to help right outside kpr

I think I can help you out here. I'm often hunting off KPR. In fact I think I've be involved in sinking you at one time or another. Let me tell you what will help you.

First off, I didn't have an issue with the social perk other than the timer was too long. Players could abuse it by teleporting from across the carribean to get into any fight with in 20min sail of a free city. This allowed creative players to set up fleet level gank squads. This could then be used to sway the entire RvR game. On a smaller scale and at the national capital some form of reinforcement makes sense to me. But the 30min social perk usable anywhere in the game was probably just too much.

So back to your issue of getting sunk outside KPR. The Carlyle to KPR transit is currently rich with targets. Not being GB player I'm not sure why but it is. The safest spot to hunt it is right at that point of land sticking south just SE if Carlyle. Sight lines can be block and it is >2min from the green zone of KPR in most wind. What you need is a spotter. Pay some low level new player gold to sit out there at that point and make reports on pirate sightings for you before you make that run in a 2nd rate.

Now I have to tell you the following as well. Even when the social perk was active we still hunted here. Why? Because the perk still depends on willing rescuers. To be honest, half the time no British ever jumped in to help. Maybe those guys just didn't have the perk. But generally we would see a lone Suprise, Reno or Connie sailing in circles in front of KPR. Thus would be the guy that had the perk and was part of an organized defensive squad. He may as well have had a sign above his head. Still, these were about the only instances the social perk really stopped us. When it was part of an organized defense. So if you are counting on the social perk to randomly save you from pirates outside KPR I have to say it's still a 50/50 shot to work. But paying a spotter will probably work almost everytime and it promotes player interaction. Player interaction is the real key to stopping ganks.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Bach

[ajffighter86]

For sure there is something unhistorical here... I guess you were attacked by a light frigate? Renommée or Surprise?

 

Maybe better informed players/historians could enlighten me but I can't remember from accounts that a 3rd to a 1st rate ship (with full complement) would be taken by a frigate in front of a major harbor on a regular base.

 

The lack of maneuverability makes those big ships easy targets. 

 

A renommee or surprise can destroy the stern of a ship of the line, then kill its crew and take the ship in less than an hour.

 

 

Granted these ships were at anchor and not a 'full complement', but Royal Charles was basically taken right out from under the English noses.

Edited September 12, 2016 by ajffighter86

[Cmdr RideZ]

Keep open until ~equal BR is reached.  No additional tricks are needed.

 

edit.

 

And keep it open for everyone 2 minutes like before.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Cmdr RideZ

[Yar Matey]

OK, people here claiming its his fault for bringing out a big ship in friendly waters.  Firstly, he was in friendly waters near his region capital.  People expect a certain level of safety being in friendly waters.  I know that this is a PvP game, but you keep forgetting that newer players hang out near the capital to do missions and fish or trade, expect to be able to do it safely. 

 

I remember being in friendly waters with my 3rd rate because I could not afford to lose the ship but needed it to grind missions for money so I could buy resources to get my crafting level up.  The ship had 2 durability as it was lost once in a port battle.  Low and behold a gank fleet outside a port where many of my friends were docked up pulled me into combat and took my ship.  The only reason why I could not get into port before they pulled me in was because I had to wiggle my ship back and forth to get the damn option to join port to show up.  It was incredibly disheartening to hear my friends could not join the battle because they missed the timer by 1 or 2 seconds because you cannot join battles for 2 minutes after undocking. 

 

It took me weeks to recover from that because I lost my source of income from grinding missions and I was not high enough crafting level yet to learn the blueprint for the 3rd rate.  I was not about to take my 1 dur 3rd rate out and lose all my upgrades that are irreplaceable because the developers seem to think that having uncraftable upgrades making us rely on RNG to get them is a good thing. 

 

The battle timer at 2 minutes is absurdly low and is very unfriendly to noobs.  People who just want to farm missions and level do not want to be under threat of gank squads especially if they are doing it near the capital.  I would be ok with 2 minute timers far away from friendly waters, but the closer you are to friendly water, the longer the battle timer should last.  Near a capital (within 2 port distance) the battle timer should be 5 minutes, farther out from the capital, the battle timer should be 3 minutes. 

 

I think 3 minutes is a good compromise, allowing docked players 1 minute to undock and get to the battle is fair. People dont realize that the pendulum has swung way too far in favor of the gankers.  There is almost no risk to running in a small 3-5 man group and ganking the solo guy out and about in his ship.  The 2 minute battle timer allows gankers to do this with impunity in any waters.

 

Also, the farther you venture from your nations capital, the more rewarding it should be with everything from fishing, to better prices for materials to encourage travel outside of the "safe" zone.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Henry d'Esterre Darby
Let's not bring real life crimes into this please.

[Hethwill]

It is a hobby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A HOBBY !

 

Get a grip on your analogies mister.

[Bach]

Keep open until ~equal BR is reached.  No additional tricks are needed.

 

edit.

 

And keep it open for everyone 2 minutes like before.

BR is one of the least effective parameters for accomplishing the goal as demonstrated by other games. If his Buc gets jumped by x4 surprises, Reno, Rattlesnake and the like his one ship still has the BR advantage by the numbers. He isn't going to get help. As we have seen in other games all a BR limit does is shrink the size of the ships used to gank. It stops nothing. It just changes the methods and puts more restriction on the impromptu rescuers than the pre planned gank squad.

[Bach]

OK, people here claiming its his fault for bringing out a big ship in friendly waters  Firstly, he was in friendly waters near his region capital.  People expect a certain level of safety being in friendly waters.  I know that this is a PvP game, but you keep forgetting that newer players hang out near the capital to do missions and fish or trade, expect to be able to do it safely. 

 

I remember being in friendly waters with my 3rd rate because I could not afford to lose the ship but needed it to grind missions for money so I could buy resources to get my crafting level up.  The ship had 2 durability as it was lost once in a port battle.  Low and behold a gank fleet outside a port where many of my friends were docked up pulled me into combat and took my ship.  The only reason why I could not get into port before they pulled me in was because I had to wiggle my ship back and forth to get the damn option to join port to show up.  It was incredibly disheartening to hear my friends could not join the battle because they missed the timer by 1 or 2 seconds because you cannot join battles for 2 minutes after undocking. 

 

It took me weeks to recover from that because I lost my source of income from grinding missions and I was not high enough crafting level yet to learn the blueprint for the 3rd rate.  I was not about to take my 1 dur 3rd rate out and lose all my upgrades that are irreplaceable because the developers seem to think that having uncraftable upgrades making us rely on RNG to get them is a good thing. 

 

The battle timer at 2 minutes is absurdly low and is very unfriendly to noobs.  People who just want to farm missions and level do not want to be under threat of gank squads especially if they are doing it near the capital.  I would be ok with 2 minute timers far away from friendly waters, but the closer you are to friendly water, the longer the battle timer should last.  Near a capital (within 2 port distance) the battle timer should be 5 minutes, farther out from the capital, the battle timer should be 3 minutes. 

 

I think 3 minutes is a good compromise, allowing docked players 1 minute to undock and get to the battle is fair. 

 

Also, the farther you venture from your nations capital, the more rewarding it should be with everything from fishing, to better prices for materials to encourage travel outside of the "safe" zone.

Ok, a few comments. Again, I'm trying to help you get to play the way you want too so bear with me.

First some history. USS Chesapeake was lost just outside the main US fleet port harbor because the English enemy typically hunted the harbor areas. It's how the war is done. USS Constitution was also chased by x4 frigate British ganks squad off its own home port area. Similarly, John Paul Jones made his fame hunting and raiding in the English Channel off their home ports. It's just how it's done. Even in a game.

It is unfortunate the stupid OW shallows mechanic cost your a dura. I think it's one of the lamest features of the game. Especially when these were bouy and lighthouse marked in real life at major ports. But the two minute exit port rule is there for other exploitive reasons. Even if the game went to three minute timers to join you would still have to maintain 3min jump out of port timer. So you would not have been saved.

If you want to do missions off the home port use the buddy system. A lone 3rd rate or Buc is easish prey. Two working together is really really hard to fight for the typical light fast gank group. Also remember, missions aren't free money in this game. They come with the designed risk of generating PvP. Consider that upcoming patches are moving ALL missions into the nearest enemy waters. Other than low level missions you won't likely get many off the home port in the future anyway. So you may as well create your buddy groups now. U-Boats to pirates, sea hunters have always had problems vs. convoy tactics. Just create some.

[Cmdr RideZ]

3 minutes, I think this is ok.

 

OK, people here claiming its his fault for bringing out a big ship in friendly waters.  Firstly, he was in friendly waters near his region capital.  People expect a certain level of safety being in friendly waters.  I know that this is a PvP game, but you keep forgetting that newer players hang out near the capital to do missions and fish or trade, expect to be able to do it safely. 

The green zone could have enough room for some of the first mission, maybe after the first or second rank those would not be on it anymore.

 

You state that you understand that this is a PvP server.  You are sailing a 3rd rate in your example, and that makes you a new guy?  So PvP ONLY after you have maxed your rank?

 

So you state that you understand what is a PvP server?  edit..  Actually you do not state that, but you know that the game is, and probably that your server is as well.  Indeed, I assumed that as you know that this is a PvP server, you would also understand what that means.

 

 

BR is one of the least effective parameters for accomplishing the goal as demonstrated by other games. If his Buc gets jumped by x4 surprises, Reno, Rattlesnake and the like his one ship still has the BR advantage by the numbers. He isn't going to get help. As we have seen in other games all a BR limit does is shrink the size of the ships used to gank. It stops nothing. It just changes the methods and puts more restriction on the impromptu rescuers than the pre planned gank squad.

 

The ships may not be well in balance with their BR rates, but the idea of BR rated fights is a valid one.

 

Only a ganker or some eve player would not like to have this feature.  Even with the current BR rates.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Henry d'Esterre Darby

[Yar Matey]

It is a hobby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A HOBBY !

 

Get a grip on your analogies mister.

 

Doesn't change the fact that its victim blaming.  You think 100 years ago, if a bunch of pirates jumped a ship and stole it with its goods, and the captain strolled into port in his row boat, the people in port would be like "OOPS! Shouldn't have strolled out in that ship, its your fault!"  Hell no!  They would be mad that a bunch of pirates just took the ship with the cargo.  This attitude of "its your fault" is toxic to the game, and I really wish the elitist mentality would stop.  When gank squads take ships that are irreplaceable from new players who cant craft those ships, most players just quit playing the game.  Also, some people just like to do things solo, I like to do things solo sometimes.  Also, I just started out on PvP1, so I have no group to roll with yet.  So stop blaming people for getting ganked

 

Ok, a few comments. Again, I'm trying to help you get to play the way you want too so bear with me.

First some history. USS Chesapeake was lost just outside the main US fleet port harbor because the English enemy typically hunted the harbor areas. It's how the war is done. USS Constitution was also chased by x4 frigate British ganks squad off its own home port area. Similarly, John Paul Jones made his fame hunting and raiding in the English Channel off their home ports. It's just how it's done. Even in a game.

It is unfortunate the stupid OW shallows mechanic cost your a dura. I think it's one of the lamest features of the game. Especially when these were bouy and lighthouse marked in real life at major ports. But the two minute exit port rule is there for other exploitive reasons. Even if the game went to three minute timers to join you would still have to maintain 3min jump out of port timer. So you would not have been saved.

If you want to do missions off the home port use the buddy system. A lone 3rd rate or Buc is easish prey. Two working together is really really hard to fight for the typical light fast gank group. Also remember, missions aren't free money in this game. They come with the designed risk of generating PvP. Consider that upcoming patches are moving ALL missions into the nearest enemy waters. Other than low level missions you won't likely get many off the home port in the future anyway. So you may as well create your buddy groups now. U-Boats to pirates, sea hunters have always had problems vs. convoy tactics. Just create some.

 

Cool story, unfortunately with the game in its current state, the games PvP advantages lean way too far in favor of gank fleets.  Since there are 2 minute battle timers and 2 minute timers blocking you from entering battle, gank squads can gank players with near impunity.  There needs to be some risk associated with ganking.  That is why battle timers should be 3 minutes.  This gives players in dock 1 minute to get out and get to the battle area to join.  Its a nice compromise. 

 

The green zone could have enough room for some of the first mission, maybe after the first or second rank those would not be on it anymore.

 

You state that you understand that this is a PvP server.  You are sailing a 3rd rate in your example, and that makes you a new guy?  So PvP ONLY after you have maxed your rank?

 

So you state that you understand what is a PvP server?  edit..  Actually you do not state that, but you know that the game is, and probably that your server is as well.

 

It took me less than 2 weeks to get high enough level to pilot a 3rd rate, but my crafting level was no where near high enough to replace a ship lost of this rate.  This is why I did not want to PvP with it.  At the time, I PvP'ed with my shallow water ships because I could replace those.  So, yes I was new to the game, compared to these gankers who have logged somewhere between 800-2000 hours and could afford to replace lost ships easily. 

 

Now I am max rank and max crafting level, so losing a 3rd rate or bellona to a gank squad is not a big deal.  I can replace the ship easily.  Its not so easy for new players. 

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ultravis

[Cmdr RideZ]

It took me less than 2 weeks to get high enough level to pilot a 3rd rate, but my crafting level was no where near high enough to replace a ship lost of this rate.  This is why I did not want to PvP with it.  At the time, I PvP'ed with my shallow water ships because I could replace those.  So, yes I was new to the game, compared to these gankers who have logged somewhere between 800-2000 hours and could afford to replace lost ships easily. 

 

PvP games, in which you can lose property.  Not sure if you have heard but..  Only sail ships that you can afford to lose.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Cmdr RideZ

[Hethwill]

Ultravis, I will quote one of our fellow players.

 

Back then they were quite gallant and gentlemanly towards each other... and they were actually trying to kill each other.

 

Think about it when you come up with your "victim" bullshit.

 

You are not a victim, you are a volunteer. It is a hobby, no one is forcing you to anything.

 

Get a grip mister.

[z4ys]

What are friendly waters. Friendly Waters because the nearest  port belongs to your own nation or because the surrounding waters are proctected by players? So you mean the french in Brest that was blockaded by britisch would say. "yes lets sail out because we are in friendly waters"? Just no...

Edited September 12, 2016 by z4ys

[Yar Matey]

Funny, the people in this forum thread getting vitriolic are also people who play pirate and like the current gank mechanics as they are. 

 

It was an analogy, yes its a video game, but you are still blaming the guy who lost his ship because he decided to sail it.  That is textbook victim blaming. 

 

It may be a hobby, but it is a hobby I enjoy, and others log on to play and enjoy.  The ganking in the game right now favors the gankers way too much and is toxic towards new players, and people just get frustrated and leave the game because of it.  Look at the player pop, it continues to dwindle and will keep dwindling until there is no one left to play with anymore.  Your BS love afair with 2 minute battle timers is not healthy for the game.  It is not good for pvp, it is not good to players who do not want to be ganked, thus they stay near capitals, and it is not good for new players who are still learning the game mechanics.  When 5 minute battle timers were around, battles were everywhere and filled with many captains PvPing.  Now, pvp consists of 1v5 in open world.

 

I am sorry, but you should not be allowed to gank with impunity outside of a nation's capital.

 

I think this forum thread should be locked, as it seems that people here are starting to get hostile. 

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ultravis

[TommyShelby]

Dont want to loose your 2nd rate or 1st rate? 
- Dont sail it without escort. 

 

 

Dont want to loose your Indiaman full of loot? 
- Dont sail it without escort.

 

You claim that PvP only consist of 1v5 in open world. 
- Not true. 

- Every time i play Naval Action i go PvP'ing, And almost every time i get 3v3, 3v5, 4v7 etc. 

Play smart or loose a dura. 

[Enraged Ewok]

It was an analogy, yes its a video game, but you are still blaming the guy who lost his ship because he decided to sail it.  That is textbook victim blaming. 

 

This is not "victim blaming." This is common sense. He sailed his ship in a high risk area, IE an area where there is high player traffic of both friendlies and enemies. Being geographically close to a major port does not make this area "safe." It did not in real life, nor should it in game (outside of the green zone) for as long as the Devs strive to put you in the breeches of an 18th century captain.

 

 

It may be a hobby, but it is a hobby I enjoy, and others log on to play and enjoy.  The ganking in the game right now favors the gankers way too much and is toxic towards new players, and people just get frustrated and leave the game because of it.  Look at the player pop, it continues to dwindle and will keep dwindling until there is no one left to play with anymore.  Your BS love afair with 2 minute battle timers is not healthy for the game.  It is not good for pvp, it is not good to players who do not want to be ganked, thus they stay near capitals, and it is not good for new players who are still learning the game mechanics.  When 5 minute battle timers were around, battles were everywhere and filled with many captains PvPing.  Now, pvp consists of 1v5 in open world.

 

Back when timers were 5 minutes long, PVP consisted of 1v10 to 2v48. Port ganking from free ports was rampant. The 2 minute timer is the best thing that ever happened in regards to fair fights, because if your help wasn't there when you were tagged, 9/10 times it wasn't GOING to be there after 5 minutes. The same is true now, except that teleports are limitless with no cooldown and leaving a battle open longer than 2 minutes allows players from all corners of the caribbean to teleport in for a massive countergank. That line of thinking is total bullshit and I don't want it to return via Social perk in another name.

 

 

I am sorry, but you should not be allowed to gank with impunity outside of a nation's capital.

 

We can gank with impunity due to player lethargy. A player in port waiting for the call in nation chat is useless for the purpose of protecting people from "ganks" (or more accurately "raiders"). You know what prevents my Rattlesnake, Essex, Cecilia, what have you from capping merchants or other 5th rates off Port Royal? People sailing around outside Port Royal in groups of two or more, ensuring I don't have a lone target or that I'll be outmatched by players within visual range jumping in even if I tagged a "loner." If you want to help prevent people from being ganked, get some buddies and start sailing around. You'll foil the plans of people trying to take lone ships or merchants, and if you set up your patrol group right you have a good chance of catching some as well. Don't expect the game mechanics to feed you your countergank on a silver platter (which it already does to an extent).

[Vernon Merrill]

SJW logic at its finest...   Get to your "safe spaces" as quick as possible everyone!!!!!!!   I'm launching a trigger warning bomb!!!!!

 

 

So ridiculous..  

[Yar Matey]

SJW logic at its finest...   Get to your "safe spaces" as quick as possible everyone!!!!!!!   I'm launching a trigger warning bomb!!!!!

 

 

So ridiculous..  

 

What the hell are you talking about?  We are talking about game mechanics that are bad for the game.  Not social justice. 

 

And to the only time I ever saw 1v10 or more is when you had a lone sailor sailing in enemy waters near a nation capital.  Don't give me this BS about how 5 min timers are bad because 1v10.  You ended up in a 1v10 because you decided to take a stroll in your pirate ship just outside of Charleston. 

 

All I know is that when we had 5 min timers, we had 3x or more server population than we do now, so obviously people liked it that way.  Not saying 5 min is the best choice for battle timers, but I know that 2 min is just as absurd as 30 min.  I would like to see 3 min battle timers with 2 min no attack when you leave port and 4 min no attack when you leave battle screen.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ultravis

[Bach]

Funny, the people in this forum thread getting vitriolic are also people who play pirate and like the current gank mechanics as they are. 

 

It was an analogy, yes its a video game, but you are still blaming the guy who lost his ship because he decided to sail it.  That is textbook victim blaming. 

 

It may be a hobby, but it is a hobby I enjoy, and others log on to play and enjoy.  The ganking in the game right now favors the gankers way too much and is toxic towards new players, and people just get frustrated and leave the game because of it.  Look at the player pop, it continues to dwindle and will keep dwindling until there is no one left to play with anymore.  Your BS love afair with 2 minute battle timers is not healthy for the game.  It is not good for pvp, it is not good to players who do not want to be ganked, thus they stay near capitals, and it is not good for new players who are still learning the game mechanics.  When 5 minute battle timers were around, battles were everywhere and filled with many captains PvPing.  Now, pvp consists of 1v5 in open world.

 

I am sorry, but you should not be allowed to gank with impunity outside of a nation's capital.

 

I think this forum thread should be locked, as it seems that people here are starting to get hostile.

Look I get it. You got ganked and your not happy about it. But what you are suggesting we have already tested before you got in game. It generated secondary issues that were worse than the original one. Before the battle join timer was longer than the port exit timer. In your one situation at the national capital it sounds like a good fix and it was. But what it also gave birth to was a new style of gank. The gank squad would sit in ports safe and untouchable and leave one ship outside. The one ship outside was both bait and scout. These port hiding gank squads became nearly unstoppable and since you couldn't see them coming they were actually worse than the sea born ones.

[Hethwill]

I sail alone half the time into the lion's den. Don't come up with your excuses mister.

 

You liked Social because it was comfortable not because it was good for the game.

 

A always open big circle with maximum spawn distance will do the same trick if ever gets implemented. I bet my lazy bum nothing will change in yer mindset.

[Bach]

The ships may not be well in balance with their BR rates, but the idea of BR rated fights is a valid one.

Only a ganker or some eve player would not like to have this feature. Even with the current BR rates.

Actually no. I've spent many more gaming years playing the rescuer than the hunter. But yes, I have played both.

As a rescuer I find that we only get a few moments to respond to a distress call situation. This means what ever ship I have in the vicinity is what I have to go with. No matter what BR it happens to be. There is no choice for the rescuer.

As the hunter I find BR rules tend to be in my favor. I get to plan ahead. By choosing the BR make up of the gank group we can control what type of group can possibly fight us. I no longer have to worry about those x6 first rates coming out of KPR to rescue that Buc. At best one may ever get into the fight with standard BR rules. When in reality all 6 of them probably should be able to defend their home. So the rescuers lose options and the ganker gains control of more situations.

I'm not saying players shouldn't be able to rescue. I'm saying they need to be able to rescue with the full force of whatever they have at the port. I'm against tying the hands of rescuers. They have it hard enough already.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Bach

[Yar Matey]

Look I get it. You got ganked and your not happy about it. But what you are suggesting we have already tested before you got in game. It generated secondary issues that were worse than the original one. Before the battle join timer was longer than the port exit timer. In your one situation at the national capital it sounds like a good fix and it was. But what it also gave birth to was a new style of gank. The gank squad would sit in ports safe and untouchable and leave one ship outside. The one ship outside was both bait and scout. These port hiding gank squads became nearly unstoppable and since you couldn't see them coming they were actually worse than the sea born ones.

 

I have been personally ganked due to both situations more than once.  Probably at least 5 or 6 times when we had 5 min timers and probably more than 5 or 6 times since the 2 min timers were introduced. 

 

Actual scenarios that happened to me:

5 AUS guys pop out of freetown Tumbato as I am sailing into port, 2 Santi's 2 connies, and a 3rd rate vs my bellona, 1 of my buddies hops out of port and joins the battle in a basic constitution and I almost managed to escape because he used his ship to tbone 1 of them.  I was 2 seconds from escaping.

 

The second one, I am sailing on my 3rd rate, outside of port Sunbury, 5 ships jump me, my 2 buddies leave port and the swords are right there in front of them, but cannot join to help because of 2 min no join and 2 min battle timers.  I am easily defeated as they board and take my ship.

 

Take a wild guess as to which one I preferred more? 

 

In every gank situation I have ever been in, I almost always prefer the 5 min timer, because at least in that situation, if my friends can get there in time, I have at least a small chance of surviving the gank. 

 

I have never once complained about losing my ship to a gank when 5 min timers were a thing. 

 

2 min battle timers suck when you are getting ganked and there is no hope for you when you are stuck in a battle like that.

 

The frustration that OP is feeling because of the 2 min battle timer, is the feeling everyone gets when they get ganked and none of their friends can help them.  I dont know anyone personally who thinks the 2 min battle timer was a good idea and I have talked to a lot of people who play this game about it.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ultravis

[Bach]

I have been personally ganked due to both situations more than once. Probably at least 5 or 6 times when we had 5 min timers and probably more than 5 or 6 times since the 2 min timers were introduced.

Actual scenarios that happened to me:

5 AUS guys pop out of freetown Tumbato as I am sailing into port, 2 Santi's 2 connies, and a 3rd rate vs my bellona, 1 of my buddies hops out of port and joins the battle in a basic constitution and I almost managed to escape because he used his ship to tbone 1 of them. I was 2 seconds from escaping.

The second one, I am sailing on my 3rd rate, outside of port, 5 ships jump me, my 2 buddies leave port and the swords are right there in front of them, but cannot join to help because of 2 min no join and 2 min battle timers.

Take a wild guess as to which one I preferred more?

In every gank situation I have ever been in, I almost always prefer the 5 min timer, because at least in that situation, if my friends can get there in time, I have at least a small chance of surviving the gank.

I have never once complained about losing my ship to a gank when 5 min timers were a thing.

2 min battle timers suck when you are getting ganked and there is no hope for you when you are stuck in a battle like that.

The frustration that OP is feeling because of the 2 min battle timer, is the feeling everyone gets when they get ganked and none of their friends can help them. I dont know anyone personally who thinks the 2 min battle timer was a good idea and I have talked to a lot of people who play this game about it.

I'm not a huge fan of the two minute timer either. It's too restrictive. I liked the 5 min timer. I liked the old NPC reinforcing too. The port hiding thing along with NPC exploits and ever growing majority displeasure by player base lead to removal of all those. Going back on that at this time just wouldn't be practical or likely popular.

I like the idea of the social perk if they just reduce the timer to 5min. But even then there will be players that figure out how to turn that into an advantageous gank situation. It's just the nature of players. We're going to have to live with some of it.

Hard coded solutions either generate secondary issues or players just find ways around them. The solutions that work best are almost always player controlled ones. Which is partly why I like the social perk. If you choose to spend your officer points on it I think that's fair as long as the perk timer is reduced to 5min. but players using player scouts, convoy tactics, dedicated rescue teams or even simply waiting outside a port till every group member have a port docking pop up is a better resolution.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Bach

[Enraged Ewok]

I have been personally ganked due to both situations more than once.  Probably at least 5 or 6 times when we had 5 min timers and probably more than 5 or 6 times since the 2 min timers were introduced. 

 

Actual scenarios that happened to me:

5 AUS guys pop out of freetown Tumbato as I am sailing into port, 2 Santi's 2 connies, and a 3rd rate vs my bellona, 1 of my buddies hops out of port and joins the battle in a basic constitution and I almost managed to escape because he used his ship to tbone 1 of them.  I was 2 seconds from escaping.

 

The second one, I am sailing on my 3rd rate, outside of port Sunbury, 5 ships jump me, my 2 buddies leave port and the swords are right there in front of them, but cannot join to help because of 2 min no join and 2 min battle timers.  I am easily defeated as they board and take my ship.

 

Take a wild guess as to which one I preferred more? 

 

In every gank situation I have ever been in, I almost always prefer the 5 min timer, because at least in that situation, if my friends can get there in time, I have at least a small chance of surviving the gank. 

 

I have never once complained about losing my ship to a gank when 5 min timers were a thing. 

 

2 min battle timers suck when you are getting ganked and there is no hope for you when you are stuck in a battle like that.

 

The frustration that OP is feeling because of the 2 min battle timer, is the feeling everyone gets when they get ganked and none of their friends can help them.  I dont know anyone personally who thinks the 2 min battle timer was a good idea and I have talked to a lot of people who play this game about it.

 

For comparison, the only times I got ganked by overwhelming force were with 5 minute timers. Multiple times by the freeport gank bullshit, and several 1v7s on OW, along with multiple 5v30s the handful of times I sailed with friends to an enemy capital. The number of even fights could be counted on one hand. The closest I've been to an actual "gank" since 2 minute timers were implemented was a 4v6 that I lost, but it was a damn good and very even fight despite being "down" two ships. There were several other times I was "ganked" but not caught on the OW thanks to ship choice and smart tagging, and this was when we still had the single circle and positional spawns on OW. The number of "fair" 1v1s and 2v2s I've gotten since 2 minute timers is far higher. I know which ROE I prefer.

[Mrdoomed]

When we had 5 minute timers the same kind of people were screaming that 5 minutes was set up to let gankers gank and that the timer needed to be lowered.

Now that its lowered they want it raised back to what they complained about the first time.

Anyone else notice a pattern? I just hope the devs find a way to ask peoeple in game about some of these changes rather than the same 5 guys here who seem to dislike everything.

[Yar Matey]

When we had 5 minute timers the same kind of people were screaming that 5 minutes was set up to let gankers gank and that the timer needed to be lowered.

Now that its lowered they want it raised back to what they complained about the first time.

Anyone else notice a pattern? I just hope the devs find a way to ask peoeple in game about some of these changes rather than the same 5 guys here who seem to dislike everything.

 

No, I want to raise it to 3 min not 5 min.  Some may want it back to 5; I liked the game better with 5 min no doubt, but I think 3 min is a good compromise. 

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ultravis