Macjimm

I don't see the problem with port bonuses. It is unbalanced and not equitable, but it's not bad or wrong. Mechanisms for advantage are helpful in an MMO. My clan is not on the friend's list for a port that creates fast ships. I hauled the resources there to build fast Traders and quicky and easily found many many shipwights eager to make dozens of ships for me. Most shipwrights would have helped me (for free) without the resources I provided, all of them were happy to do it without the labor hour contact(s) I gave them. I craft some of my resources in a few ports where I do not receive the port production bonus because my clan is not friendly. I could switch clans. I could move the production buildings to a friendly clan port. The current system encourages player interactions and building relationships. It creates choices and more interesting game content.

I think it depends on the new player's expectations. If he wants to be a top rank - sailing big, upgraded warships in a few days, then the game is much too hard. Conversely in about 5 weeks a new player can have; 280 crew, dozens of ships, and level 2 to 3 buildings in every port. And that is without any fighting or completing the tutorial. Progression is very simple from just sailing, fishing and completing Economic Missions. I enjoy the community. It's a relaxing place to socialize. There are lots of players who will help you. But everyone gets sunk, captured and ganked. Well almost everyone.

I'm suggesting that we should enjoy the trader tool features that are available, before they are removed. I miss the F11 co-ordinates but have adopted the DME equipment. We can track our path by dead reckoning but it can be a dangerous distraction, when our attention should be focused on spotting enemy. Dead reckoning can be surprisingly accurate, even out of sight of land, but it requires vigilant monitoring of the ship's speed. The crew is never helpful enough to shout out when they spot anything. DME equipment allows for quick position fixes by triangulation while we maintain lookout for the enemy. Shrouded Recluse's map forms an excellent base for plotting and measuring: this allows for interesting content while sailing. There is very little hope that navigational realism will be added to NA. DME equipment may be a wee bit inappropriate for the age of sail but it is infinitely more interesting (fun) than the GPS sextant perk. NA chose to remove co-ordinates and add the magic GPS icon. I think any system that marks the ship's position on a map is arcade: even inaccurate or past positions. But, lots of players prefer the GPS icon, and I'm okay with others using GPS if I don't have to. Currently I can remove the GPS icon from the map by deleting the sextant perk, and I'm grateful. Regarding the new radar feature. I can choose to not use it. I'm okay if others like it. I accept that players bask in light of playability: mixing text, phones, radio, GPS, teleporting, jet speed gunboats, time compression etc... and now some radar.

You are being a little narrowminded. Currently NA uses Distance measuring equipment (DME) between each player's ship and a ground station at each port by timing the of radio signals in the frequency band Distances are obtained by an exchange of radio wave pulse transmitions a pulse pair, on an assigned ‘channel’, to the transponder ground station. The channel assignment specifies the carrier frequency and the spacing between the pulses. NA makes the necessary calculations and displayes distance from each port in the trader tool. This equipment was introduced in the 1950s and widely adapted in the 1960s, but because the sextant (F11) was removed players are lucky to have the the use of VORs and NAV radios or we we would be forced to used dead reckoning only for navigation. Just gotta be flexible and go with what we have. Or you will be stuck with the mindless magic GPS icon. Radar and NAV radios in the 1700s is much better than using the sextant perk.

There seems to be a predudice against playing AFK. I dont understand it. When the game was initially launched on steam, and the population was high for a very brief time, a time limit was imposed to discourage players from loitering when the servers were full. Now extra quiet players really don't affect others. Its not as if they are occupying a spot that could be used by someone who is more active. There is a misconception that if a player is prevented from floating, or sailing, about AFK then he will be more likely to engage in PvP. I think that if you don't allow an AFK option many players will just log off. Some players seem frustratated if players are successful while playing AFK. Traveling or fishing. Collecting provisions and bottles, or just earning XP for distance sailed. These frustrated players could be mistakenly assuming that if players are not allowed to be AFK they will fight. But given the choice between hours of AFK, or forced into PvP, they may just not play NA at all. Removing, or alienating, AFK players will likely result in less players.

Open world superspeed has been requested by many. This should please some lads who are bored by sailing. Thanks for not forcing this on all of us. Sounds like the casual captain will still be able to use the current system. The speedboat velocity can be fast enough if we are navigating (plotting, tracking, calculating.). I don't suppose there will be an option to turn the superspeed warning off. It would be nice though. And I am wondering if this OW superspeed will be an added buff for hunters approaching traders who choose normal OW speed. Perhaps agressive NPC's will also be chasing casual traders at superspeed. interesting. This may be a huge change.

Great idea. Absolutely no downside (its optional). I am skeptical it will be implemented.

When will we have no players left. Players have been raging about the server pop drop since 2016. There are more players now than then.

NA combat is way too hard for anyone who wants a shits and giggles game that can be mastered in a few sessions. For those who enjoy skill based games it is satifying to have a challenge. I doubt that NA would retain players if we dumbed it down. EDIT: If all ships and resources could be obtained in a snap, we would be complaining about players fighting with silly styles cause they don't care if they lose their ships. Combat would become petty, repetitious and boring.

More options and flexibility is better. Allow war on the War Server.

Alts? I like the OP suggestion. With one tweak. Keep port bonuses. Shipwrights must specialize AND port owner's (clans) are involved.

I've lost ships like this unknowingly, so I understand your frustration. Also lost ships for other reasons that I was unaware would result like that. Hopefully we don't often make the same mistake twice, so I suppose we don't need a warning anymore.

I disagree with this. In an OW style of game there must be unbalanced battles, or the game would be too restrictive to allow the larger scale strategy. Allowing only fair fights would be arena style battle simulator.

Respectfully suggest accepting that most questions will not be answered by the Devs or Admin. Just the way it is.

Salt is useful when fishing. When the hold is full and fishing stops it is helpful to destroy the salt, reactivate fishing, and head for port. It works out just about right. Even if players are not fishing long enough to fill their hold, the salt is really not an issue. For anyone who truely hates salt, and it upsets them, they can turn the fishing off and ... Presto ! ... No salt.

Wow. Sounds pretty insulting. I don't have time to game for very long, and I still enjoy a variety of weather. When I've kept track of the weather, it has been mostly fair weather with some haze, some overcast, and mostly fair weather. I'm very glad it is not almost continuous sunny and fair, with a few short weather moments. It creates an open world atmosphere verses a steady never ending combat arena. Perhaps if players are truely NOT nolifes, playing 7-10 hour sessions, they could enjoy real life when there is a short storm for a few hours.

Lots of people complain that all features must be in game. But it really doesn't matter. Felix does a great job of supporting his map. Pressing "m" is not much different than pressing "Alt" "Tab". For players that have an extra monitor, (or an extra laptop/tablet) using 3rd party apps is better than having everything in game. I can play the game and see the map simultaneously. I like to use Shrouded Recluse's map. There are many draw programs useful for plotting a course and tracking progress. It's fun and interesting and adds something to do while sailing. And I can see OW at the same time. With 3rd Party Apps we can access a map from inside a battle. Many players learn to note which way the wind is blowing, and the RL time, just as the battle starts, so they can determine the best point of sail as they exit. It can be handy to use the 3rd Party App and maintain a view of the battle. I have heard that the Devs team is only two people, and guess that they are focused on making other improvements. Using "Alt Tab" with Netlify (or ShroudedRecluse's Map) is better than developing the in game map. But granted you don't get to use the "m" key.

Interesting.

I miss having other business options in game. A combination would be great. Skilled fighters could build reputation, experience and be awarded wealth, ships and assignments from the Admiralty. Others could earn fast, easy no risk Reals and Doubloons and buy ships,equipment and supply. For me, Farrago, Jim, Wyy and others ... we can enjoy the details of a labor roles, spending time as tradesmen and working shops, mines and plantations. It is those details that hold our attention. Seems like there should be easy money mechanic, and also other methods that result in higher profits for those willing to put in the time. I think the Devs may have been overwhelmed by the waves of complaints from players who only want one easy way to get wealth (and ships). Any added complexity just detracts from the single minded goal of combat, and more combat. Perhaps intermediary businesses, and trading was removed and Econ missions were added to quiet the raging hoard.

This excuse of "new players" that need stuff is often exaggerated. Lots of vets will help new players and give them stuff. Occasionally a player may complain of a "new players" need, when it is really the player himself that wants stuff. Probably is not the case with this OP ... but it does happen. If you don't like that the price of rum is too high, then place some sell contracts for a lower price. Problem solved. If you want a little rum for a cheaper price there are lots of solutions: 1) place buy contracts of your own. 2) Craft some rum, 3) contact a trader and buy direct, 4) join a clan 5) trade with your mates. 6) ask a random player for rum. Removing the option to place buy contacts is the worst of bad ideas in an open sandbox style game.

I'm grateful that this was posted. Thanks @Ink. I didn't grow up gaming and had no idea that it was forbidden to use real world currency for ingame items. I remember reading an article more than a decade ago of players playing games for hours to 'level up' those who would pay for it. Heard of players selling virtual real estate for real currency to players. Those who are rich can pay others to 'grind'. I'm way too cheap to pay someone for anything in game. Glad to know that it is offensive and against some rule. This is another one of those gaming things that we are not born knowing.

I restarted in the end of June, have not tried the exams (or tutorials), and I have almost achieved the [Master and Commander] rank, that I had before the wipe. The XP is from sailing only ... haven't fought one battle since the wipe. The XP progression seems pretty fast to me.

This seem the best way. Also friends could be able see the name of each other's ship. Or perhaps just have an ignore feature that blocks chat, mail, etc, AND the player's ship name.

I was sailing alone in my trade ship and Gorgons could have tagged and sunk me. But he didn't. He let me go. Later in Global chat ,and a PM, he was very civil.

It depends what game you are trying to play. I play Naval Action and used to play ARMA3. I use the i7 2600k (never overclocked), which is basically the i7 2600, and I'm happy with it, but Benchmark writes: With a relatively low single core score, this CPU can handle email, light web browsing and basic audio/video playback, but it will struggle to handle CPU intensive tasks. Finally, with a gaming score of 31.7%, this CPUs suitability for 3D gaming is below average. You can check out these sites: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html https://www.pcgamebenchmark.com/