William the Drake Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 As Early Access (allegedly) approaches, there is one mechanic that I feel, as a pirate, is imperative to implement before much larger numbers of new players (hopefully) flood the game; the concept of "turning" pirate rather than choosing to start out as a pirate. The game of ArcheAge already has this mechanic: players start as one of the 2 default factions, which are also at war with each other. If they commit enough crimes they have the ability to "turn" pirate, effectively joining a 3rd faction. Doing so removes them from their current guild, and lose the protection of any of their previous faction's guards, among other things. Going pirate in ArcheAge is no small matter, so many wait until they are the highest level to do so. I suggest that Naval Action implement a similar mechanic for pirates. Players should first start out as any of the default nations, and if they attack a "friendly" vessel, they turn pirate. (I think this should also be tweaked. I believe someone should only be made to go pirate if their are survivors to tell the story of said treason and piracy). I believe that changing the mechanic from choosing to start as a pirate to making a conscientious decision to "go" pirate will help fix any issues with new players who feel that playing Pirate is too hard to get off the ground: it should be. Ultimately, a player should have to start off as any a sailor in any of the other factions. Then, when they feel comfortable enough, they can go pirate. By going pirate, they lose the protection of the navies, any type of PvP protection system (peacetime mechanic, etc.), and all economic connections. going pirate will essentially be a new beginning, but the player will know how to play (and should know the glaring repercussions of going pirate, which should be hefty) Turning to and playing pirate should be a sobering smack in the face of the player; Cut ties with anyone and everyone, lose access to ports and trade you once claimed. Have a ship in a port you can't access anymore because you went pirate? Tough. It shouldn't be a simple decision, just as it was in history. And just like in history, I also think that "accidental" piracy should be observed. You didn't mean to attack a vessel; you thought it was an enemy? Good luck telling that to the Lord High Admiral during your trial. I think this is imperative to implement something along these lines for EA due to the fact that the game will then be accessible to a larger population, many of which who may come in thinking they can play pirate with the same (relative) ease as any other Nation. They shouldn't. Doing this after EA may cause some dissent, so it would be better to implement this sooner rather than later. , in my opinion at least. EDIT: Being a noob that I am, I have only just added a poll option to this topic Fair winds and swift seas, 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I suggested the same in another thread, and entirely agree. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Sharpe Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Totally agree with this. Pirates need something to differentiate themselves from other factions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poison Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) Uncharted waters online had a similar system: you start as one of six nations, and attacking other players put you either as an orange "privateer" or red "pirate". You couldn't start as a pirate, and due to the way that game is played, you usually can't sink an unwilling player until you have a significant technological advantage, be it high-ranked skills or a bigger, faster ship. Once you went orange/red, other players could attack you and not turn red/orange themselves. In addition, if they sunk you, they received a bounty from your bank account, determined by your levels and how much "notoriety" you had. Nations would actively send ships to attack you if your relations were low enough and you were around their capital, and they would charge what was a hefty fee before inflation for you to enter their ports. Piss them off enough, and you can't enter at all. In addition to these direct hindrances, there was the additional stipulation that you had to actively gain notoriety to remain a privateer or pirate. Notoriety ranged from 0 to 100,000 (set to 1,500 when you first sink a player, increasing by less thereafter), and decayed at a certain amount per day (faster decay at higher amounts) until it returned to 1 (not sure if it can decay back to the initial amount of 0). Under 1000, and you're no longer a pirate. For some players, it became an achievement to gain maximum notoriety, which became incredibly difficult as they gained more notoriety, since it would decay at a rate almost as fast as they gained it. So to stay a pirate you must actively engage other players, something that I feel should be included in Naval Action. If you lost too much notoriety, you revert back to your starting nation -- though it's not historically accurate by any means. The only way I can rationalize it is that you've gained amnesty due to fighting for your crown, rather than against it, and the big wigs are willing to look the other way. Edit: I fully support removing "pirates" faction as a selectable faction and making them joinable only by attacking others of your nation. Edited January 6, 2016 by poison 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brogsitter Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I like the idea. But y not going with a reputation system making it possible for the player to become a pirate and to get a pardon by any country (after a massive) grind. I made a proposal about a simple reputation system. http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/7957-proposal-simple-reputation-system/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William the Drake Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 I like the idea. But y not going with a reputation system making it possible for the player to become a pirate and to get a pardon by any country (after a massive) grind. I made a proposal about a simple reputation system. http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/7957-proposal-simple-reputation-system/ The switch from starting out to going pirate is the first step. But Yes, notoriety systems and LoMs are something that definitely should be introduced, and I have suggested some ways to do this myself: Letters of Marque Notoriety, Infamy, "Heat" and Bounties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chustler Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Yep I agree. It will encourage people to understand the game before they just mash the pirate button because Jack Sparrow. It will also give some context and back story to the people that end up being notorious pirates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guthwait Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 endorsed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akd Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Yes, but I think it needs to be coupled with some different mechanic than pirates having a "faction" capital and the same conquest system as nations. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeRuyter Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 +1 on this idea. I think Sharpe also summed it up well in the roadmap thread: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/7978-development-plans-prioritization-proposals-and-feedback/ However most of the votes are for Production Buildings or Crew Management with Pirate mechanics lagging well behind. I did vote for land in battles but I see the need for a completed Pirate "system" at EA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nordsvard Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 This is a very decent idea. I'm not entirely sure of the "accidental piracy" idea though. Perhaps a demotion.And as well, it may be interesting to establish a pirate bounty system. If they are boarded, and lose, they have to be transferred to a national port, and then they can either be held for x number of hours/days or pay a fine. Of course, they can always call their pirate friends to attack the escort or prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigvalco Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I would also expand on this idea with removing the pirate capitol and making it possible for pirates to create conquest flags from Freetowns. This makes the pirate game play a little bit more asymmetrical because they can come and set up shop wherever they are and there will be no "safe" spot to farm at. I'd like to see nations start noticing pirates in their territory slowly bringing in more ships and have to combat piracy inside of their territory if it pops up. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chustler Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I would love to test this stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William the Drake Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) With EA now "officially™" around the corner, I feel this needs to be implemented, since even the devs claim Remember that after Early access it will be extremely hard to take back features or remove flexibility. It will be much easier to add things back. Edited February 3, 2016 by William the Drake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frost Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voi_Ta Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 It is already in the game. When I started, I accidentally attacked friendly ship in open see and I turned into pirate. You can try yourself. On contrary, I think there is opposite problem. When you turn pirate, there is no way back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William the Drake Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 It is already in the game. When I started, I accidentally attacked friendly ship in open see and I turned into pirate. You can try yourself. This is true, but you also have the option to select Pirates when first choosing a faction. I am arguing that the process of "turning" pirate should be the only way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaga Galaxian Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) This is true, but you also have the option to select Pirates when first choosing a faction. I am arguing that the process of "turning" pirate should be the only way. If that is all you change, there is little point. People will just sail out of their capital, attack the first NPC that is convenient then head on over to Mortimer town, all you're doing at that point is temporarily inconveniencing those who want to play pirate. Edited January 16, 2016 by Galaga Galaxian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William the Drake Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 If that is all you change, there is little point. People will just sail out of their capital, attack the first NPC that is convenient then head on over to Mortimer town, all you're doing at that point is temporarily inconveniencing those who want to play pirate. True, there should eventually be a more fleshed out mechanic for going pirate, but this is the first step. You'd be surprised at how putting even a small, and what some would say insignificant, barrier to doing something may actually deter them. You see, by having pirates in a list of Nations to start off as you Begin to propagate the idea that Pirates are/should be a nation, which they shouldn't You make it seem as if the idea of starting/playing pirate has no sense of consequence. By making people go out of their way to become pirate, you add that sense of weight in decision. That concept that "Hey, I am doing something that is 'wrong/illegal' and there will be consequences for it," will actually make people stop and consider the decision of making a conscious jump from Nation to Pirate, especially if there is some sort of disclaimer that comes up before attacking a friendly; "You are about to attack an ally of the Crown! Doing so will brand you a PIRATE! Do you wish to proceed?" 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grutte Pier Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 True, there should eventually be a more fleshed out mechanic for going pirate, but this is the first step. You'd be surprised at how putting even a small, and what some would say insignificant, barrier to doing something may actually deter them. You see, by having pirates in a list of Nations to start off as you Begin to propagate the idea that Pirates are/should be a nation, which they shouldn't You make it seem as if the idea of starting/playing pirate has no sense of consequence. By making people go out of their way to become pirate, you add that sense of weight in decision. That concept that "Hey, I am doing something that is 'wrong/illegal' and there will be consequences for it," will actually make people stop and consider the decision of making a conscious jump from Nation to Pirate, especially if there is some sort of disclaimer that comes up before attacking a friendly; "You are about to attack an ally of the Crown! Doing so will brand you a PIRATE! Do you wish to proceed?" i agree. in Naval Action pirates are now a fantasy nation. There is no piracy if u fight for ur nation..its just another nation called pirates. for me there is no appeal to play pirates becuz there is no real pirate feeling in being pirate atm. They should change this indeed. But pirate players should keep their xp/ships if they are forced 2 play another nation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William the Drake Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 They should change this indeed. But pirate players should keep their xp/ships if they are forced 2 play another nation. Unfortunately, now that EA is among us, post wipe, this will be harder to do. It is still possible to implement, however those who are already pirate will simply provide the base pirate population, and any new players will have to "go" pirate rather than select pirate as a starting naiton. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BramtheDutch Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I would also expand on this idea with removing the pirate capitol and making it possible for pirates to create conquest flags from Freetowns. This makes the pirate game play a little bit more asymmetrical because they can come and set up shop wherever they are and there will be no "safe" spot to farm at. I'd like to see nations start noticing pirates in their territory slowly bringing in more ships and have to combat piracy inside of their territory if it pops up. I totaly agree with the topic idea and the above mentioned idea, we might finnaly solve the pirate problem now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azzak Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Yes, that would be good, yet a bit overpowered maybe. They could attack anywhere and take undefended ports very quickly near freetowns. I think nationals shouldn't be able to set up outposts at free towns, only pirates would be able to do so. But pirates wouldn't be able to conquer ports , but raid them instead. Pirates should be annoying to the point of crippling an economy, and not conquering half of the map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quineloe Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Since pirates are a nation similar to the other 7 and that's here to stay I see no reason for this anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Corso Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 (edited) Since pirates are a nation similar to the other 7 and that's here to stay I see no reason for this anyways. As this is the suggestion forum and this is a suggestion, the fact that you see no reason for it is irrelevant. Edited February 21, 2016 by Lucien Delmonte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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