Dev-Struction - Rise of the privateers idea

[Fastidius]

This was hijacked to a thread that is a little different in topic.  This is about balancing the game if seasons arise so i thought id Hijack it back.

 

I am assuming that things will go the way that the polls and devs are doing right now because we are not being informed as to the plan.  Here is a different way to deal with nations being unable to compete.

 

 

I was tempted to add this to other threads but i think right now it should be it's own thread.

 

The NEWS

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So now that the PB/Diplomacy changes are starting to be threatened the balances of power are changing. 

 

Stage 1 : Pirates have no Diplomacy - Removing pirates from the diplomacy arm makes them unable to partake in PBs as allies and thus removes them from the PB scheme of things.

 

Stage 2 : Pirates lose PB capturing & Crafting - This is what the nations wanted and seems fair enough however we can raid so we can cause havoc in others waters

 

Stage 3 : Pirates lose crafting and 1/2 rates - This turns pirates into a punishment

 

The Editorial

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Expected after pirates are killed and speculation thatthey actually want pirates as a thing

Stage 4 : avenues of Nation Change - Currently there is no mechanic to return to a nation.  On request I have been offered the ability to move some crafters to a nation however not the whole clan so there is clearly some issue with the way they access the DB and not an issue of not wanting to. HOWEVER they can turn individuals to different nations with everything intact and just losing the clan tags.  This is the turn pirate mechanic so there is probably very little they need to code to create a "BUY AMNESTY" option.  As such once they get diplomacy in the could allow joining of nations if enough points were acquired attacking a nations "enemy" as per the alliance patch.  This effectively gives them a way to make a letter of marque.

 

Stage 5 : Pirates migrate to nations or accept OW PVP as their lot in life.

 

 

 

Now personally this is not quite what I would like to happen as it merely turns pirates into a negative and has no positives to being pirate.....It isn't hard mode it is nation jumping mode. Pirates are viewed as something people think are cool and fun to be :  Pirates Vs Ninja,  Black sails,  Pirates games etc etc.

The devs want to be historically correct as much as possible but it also to be a war/strategy/PvP game.   There is inbalances that will come about regardless.   Lets see what we can influence as pirates without making it the go to option.

 

 

 

The editor's version of what we could do to make things cool and helpful in light of seasons and player styles

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MY VISION OF PIRATES AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THEM A VIABLE FUN OPTION.

 

Instead of a complete whitewash of pirates from diplomacy lets consider making pirate clans become privateers/trading companies.  CLANS OF PIRATES (privateers) can be allies.  It doesn't take much in my opinion to add clans as nations with pirate rule sets and a static alliance flag updated by devs each season.  Put a restriction on it of say 100 players in a clan or some arbitrary value to become  a privateer group but let the pirates band together in some form and act as a wildcard.  This gives Privateers some limitations (3rd rates and down) But some benefits (Pirate boarding mods).  We cant sail 1/2s but can supply them to our allies. Effectively turning privateer ship crafting into acquisition and distribution and custom modules.  This means that we are boarding focused (which we are in general) and we are a benefit to an ally.

 

Because we are now looking at the idea of Seasons which in my opinion is great why not make it so that Privateers become the Wooden Spoon balancer.   #1 in the draft is Privateer clan XXX who are allied with nation XXXX.  #2 pick in the draft is Privateer clan YYY. who are allied with nation YYY. Limit it to 4 Privateer clans so you have limitations.  We have a few major clans in pirates so making sorry/ausfc/Rubli/code or something like that into the 4 privateer clans sorta turns them into a better than AI Balancing system.  They have structure and history as nations etc so know how to play the gamethat way and would benefit others.

 

 

This would effectively give you a couple of things. 

 

1 a way to balance nations against each other

2 a way to make pirates hard mode by making them capture ships

 

IMO having pirates is a great thing PR wise,  Having Privateers is even better (Hard Mode) and allows you to control the balance of power to some extent so smaller nations are not hung out to dry.

 

Pirates can be a punishment and be a way to get redemption privateers be a way to get Varied content.  After X amount of points for fighting with their allies they can jump to that nation if they desire to leave the privateers/Pirate way.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Fastidius

[Fastidius]

This was moved to a voting thread which it clearly isn't really about but more about how i think you can keep pirates as a punishment and appease the community and still have a Nationless faction that can be a flavour to play with....\

 

They are the ones that can balance the game in battles but could also be used as guinea pigs in mechanics and such also.....they already lose PBs and some of their crafting based on what people expect and what has been argued out.   Im actually ver cool with pirates being changed I just feel that it will and should be a punishment to be a pirate (green on Green).  I just think there are players that want to be "different" and this could be a way to have a "different"flavour and it be useful and seperate.

[Cragger]

Pirates would have positives if you simply look at them in proper perspective.

 

Big Positive, Not having alliances means pirates can attack whomever they want whenever they want and have that not having a restriction placed on pirates because of a majority vote to ally with your favored target.

 

Privateers are servants of their nation of marque. They can only attack enemies of that nation and must treat prisoners properly. All nationals are currently privateers in that they keep what they capture from players.

 

Pirates do not deserve an asset safe 're-roll' more then any other player. Offering everyone the opportunity to change their nation and keep their assets is one thing. But pirates are not deserving of special disposition. Going pirate was easy. If you don't want to be a pirate anymore do what everyone else must do to join a nation. Transfer your assets, delete your character, and remake it in a nation accepting your blueprint losses. 

[Hethwill]

Privateers should be developed, if at all, after Piracy is developed.

 

And for it to really work we need a full reset, nation and assets, and start anew with new choices.

[Fastidius]

Pirates would have positives if you simply look at them in proper perspective.

 

Big Positive, Not having alliances means pirates can attack whomever they want whenever they want and have that not having a restriction placed on pirates because of a majority vote to ally with your favored target.

 

Privateers are servants of their nation of marque. They can only attack enemies of that nation and must treat prisoners properly. All nationals are currently privateers in that they keep what they capture from players.

 

Pirates do not deserve an asset safe 're-roll' more then any other player. Offering everyone the opportunity to change their nation and keep their assets is one thing. But pirates are not deserving of special disposition. Going pirate was easy. If you don't want to be a pirate anymore do what everyone else must do to join a nation. Transfer your assets, delete your character, and remake it in a nation accepting your blueprint losses. 

 

you do realise we are losing content?  the idea is that pirates should be different not just worse. i don't particularly care what nation i am just that i have fun options to play and we are being forced out of PBs....we will always have multiple nations against us on defence by them always having 1 ally.   I am happy enough to see how it pans out but i'd rather show options that they might not have seen than accept nerf after nerf.

 

Pirates need changing but simply excluding them from things and giving them new things is a bit unfair to those already here.

[Sir Texas Sir]

Privateers should be developed, if at all, after Piracy is developed.

 

And for it to really work we need a full reset, nation and assets, and start anew with new choices.

Yah I'm a big fan of the Privateer concept and was going to play my National like that and pretty much stay out of the big ships.  I found I get more of that style play as a pirate now though.  I pretty much told my clan I won't go to regional PB's unless I have to and I want to mainly keep to shallow waters.  Even though I'll go in the other big ship PB"s if I can get a ship there.   So if they come up with something more like privateers when the game comes out I'll most likely be playing back on the National side once again.  Hell I'm still National on the EU and Carebear servers to try out the new alliance stuff when it comes out.

 

 

 

If they take away from pirates the power to build say SOL they need to give pirates more optional ships than just the Pirate Frigate and ships like that.  Maybe more crew, crew or cargo space at cost of armor/structure than the normal ships of that style.  I like the concept of a raiding system instead of a port capture system.  We will have to wait and see how it turns out.  There will prob be many changes before the game is final.

[Hethwill]

I am up for "very drastic" testing phases to be honest. I mean, why not and I really hope we can test sooner than later a true hard hard hardest pirate option. After all for many playstyles it is just a matter of color and "social" issues ( which many do have given their reputation ).

[Fastidius]

Yah I'm a big fan of the Privateer concept and was going to play my National like that and pretty much stay out of the big ships.  I found I get more of that style play as a pirate now though.  I pretty much told my clan I won't go to regional PB's unless I have to and I want to mainly keep to shallow waters.  Even though I'll go in the other big ship PB"s if I can get a ship there.   So if they come up with something more like privateers when the game comes out I'll most likely be playing back on the National side once again.  Hell I'm still National on the EU and Carebear servers to try out the new alliance stuff when it comes out.

 

 

 

If they take away from pirates the power to build say SOL they need to give pirates more optional ships than just the Pirate Frigate and ships like that.  Maybe more crew, crew or cargo space at cost of armor/structure than the normal ships of that style.  I like the concept of a raiding system instead of a port capture system.  We will have to wait and see how it turns out.  There will prob be many changes before the game is final.

 

yeah raiding is fine except you now have 2 enemies that can defend against you and screen so you are up against it.