Jean LaPointe

I too have had bad experiences with clans. I have gone totally solo in this game on all four/three servers (there were four at one time for testing). Amazing on how far you can go. It has taken months of play to raise to the highest craft level. I have crafted ships up to 2nd rate and finally last week got my last 1st rate BP. With rank attained to date, I have the last one still to attain. I have financially done well on PvE, PvP1 and just starting up on PvP2 a couple months ago and starting to make decent headway now. Investing in time and not be in a rush you can accomplish anything a clan can without the political or dictatorship of a group. You will meet good people online, become friends and maintain a solo experience. You can experience what clan say they offer through your own network of friends online. No need to join anything. Yes, there are some real crappie clans out there I wouldn't give the time of day to, but I don't have to play near the area they like to be. If they come into my area I can go on strike. I can sit in port so my number is added to the population but not in the water for them to gank. Imagine how frustrating it is for them to see numbers but not see any targets. They will be here winning for ways to force more players on to their server of choice. LOL Stay positive there is a lot of enjoyment in this game.

locations have been move for PvE and if I remember correctly one of the PvP servers was relocated for connectivity issues. There is nothing stating a location will remain. They may merge but possibly to location for the benefit of the vast majority. This was makes the most logical move.

I am really surprised how simplistic some make out about the ping rate between PvP1 and PvP2 from outside of the European theater. I am even more surprised of those in the U.S. that because they haven't any problems with PvP1 then nobody else in the U.S. should be experiencing any problems. Let me provide an example: Coeur D'Alene Idaho, Frontier Communications, I had a ping about 130 for PvP1 L3 communication, I had a ping of about 210 for PvP1. Same city, two different providers, one has its POP in Spokane Washington while the other had its POP in Honolulu Hawaii. When in Honolulu I had a ping rate of about 140-150 on most days to PvP1. From Salem Oregon ping rate was about 180 From Stockton California ping rate was about 130 From Gonzales Louisiana ping rate was about 190 yet from Baton Rouge Lousiana I get 150 PvP2 in these locations 《100 I could go on but I believe you get the point that no matter where you are no everyone is going to have a good connection and as more people are involved in a battle, this becomes critical. Merging the two servers does not help everybody. Keeping two active allows everyone an opportunity to play the game. Why anyone would think that merging the two servers would be a good idea if it has the potential of eliminating players. The only thing this has a potential for in possible allowing those who like this game swing to the PvE server because it is less intense on the connection. The largest group that can be affected is the Asian/Aussie market. I don't think that is a direction anyone wants.

I think you are missing the point. Make it yourself and don't be in such a hurry! Besides you just can't quote it's too expensive, it all depends on the nation you are with and want server you are playing on. Material cost differ from server to server and region to region on each server. It is dynamic. You don't like the cost of doing business then you can make everything yourself by taking the extra time to do so, change servers, change nations, or change clan, maybe even go solo for a while. There has been enough good advise delivered to you here, use it.

What you would be doing here is denying the PvE player to sail the Caribbean in the PvE mode, and restricting their way of playing to the Pacific Coast. You won't gain any players this way. From the time zone I play in the PvE players make for @20% of the active players. That quiet a large number to piss off because you do not want PvE in you playground.

I really do not think you have anything to worry about. Crafting and trading will still flourish but the methods in doing so will be different than the current state of the game. With the strategic placement of free ports at regional borders will, also, changes the current warrior strategy. I believe you will as much action as before but going about getting into this action will be different compared to how you are currently doing it. As I mentioned in prior post, these are building blocks toward the final outcome. As hard as it may be to accomplish something of our goals, it may be the easiest aspect of the game and what is ahead may be even tougher to accomplish. Who knows. What is guaranteed is there will be changes and growing pains. It's time to open our minds to unforeseen opportunities.

What is there to stop a person transferring from a lower populated nation to a larger populated nation when they have had just enough with surviving in a lower populated nation? How do you handle a super-power based upon population? Popularity of a nation is what drives some people's choice, and who are the ones to tell players, sorry you cannot be a part of nation "X" because too many people already choose that nation. And if everyone choose the same nation then we have two PvE servers, LOL.

Your message is very clear. I have been supporting the solo player since I started here. The RvR group want only clan action and truly do not understand the solo players excitement in this game. The changes that have been made through the year has done much to make the game playable for everyone, even if they complain because the rules have made it less convenient for them. Every change that has been made in the last half of the year has set the stage for the next patch. Each patch has brought on a new level of the game not seen prior to that patch.The game is much more solo friendly than it was in February and it continues to support both the soloist and clans. People need to change the tactics and strategies with this next patch. The way we have been playing so far will need to change to the new dynamics of the up coming patch. Too keep the game as it has been is not a progressive approach to make the game better for everyone. Gankers have had their way for a while and now PBs are becoming a bit more difficult compared to the way it has been done, but the mechanics change as well. The location and rules with the free towns do change the way we do business as traders and do business as warriors and I am glad for the changes as it will provide for a new and different approach to playing this great game. IMHO

That is what is happening now without the ability to try PvP in a training area or zone to work out how you handle a ship, handle your aim and other choices that come to mind. So you have an issue with this approach to allowing new people and way to experience the game. Not everyone plays your way. Not everyone is part of a clan. You can be successful without being in a group or clan. Those who want to PvP and play solo, this zone allows those individuals to practice against live people and find how different it is from battling the AI. It is good for a new player to experience a live fight without the crap that actually happens in the OW on the PvP servers. Just because you like the clan aspect of PvP, not every does nor will they even consider joining a clan but still want to play the game. I am glad you can train someone to fight your way in a day, that is no small undertaking. There are those who will take longer, will experience the trial and error of the experience of a fight. They will learn from fighting the AI and will learn from fighting the PvP. They too will succeed in the long run. It's one small step at a time and I believe the devs here know what they are doing to help the new player.

You cannot PvP on the PvE server so there should not be any impact on the PvE server. The safe zone really has effects on the PvP servers erstwhile only as a way to ween the nooks into the world of PVP. Think about it for a minute Billy, this allows a safe zone where other people fight each other. The safe zone is absolutely useless on the PvE server. The zones may exist but really, what is going to be different inside the zone that doesn't happen outside the zone already?

I hope not. That is not a product of the PvE, unless it's an AI type battle. Then the mechanics of such a design haven't even been developed so again I say, I hope not.

Since it is a PvE server, there will never be a Port Battle, but you know that already. So it is really an impossibility to try a Port Battles and tell you how that ping and lag appear.While there is a number of individuals who cannot wrap their heads around enjoyment of the PvE server, there is a fairly large group of PVE players who do enjoy the PvE server. A poor ping is an issue no matter how and where you play.

You are learning this the way the rest of us have. We are still in Alpha and as such there will be changes in the game as time passes. The experience you are having with fleets is an issue under current discussion on another thread in this section. I cannot count what I have loss in game due to a bad decision by not knowing what is or isn't possible. I am still learning aspects of this game that I haven't experienced yet and I have over 900 hours in game so far. There is a lot to do in this world. Try capturing a lynx or cutter traders and keep these vessels for your traders. Don't use a fleet if you are trying to capture a ship, you already know the results of that configuration. With your basic cutter and the use of carronades you can capture ship up to trader brig fairly easy enough (abet with some practice). These captures, along with an outpost where you can place a building, you will start making a profit and gain XP. Remember this, if you have an outpost in a Free town you can only have a shipyard building in it. You can only use other resources buildings in outpost placed in national ports. If not aware of this you will have spent a lot on some useless real estate. In most ports you are gathering resources from, your building will produce product at half of the buy price for that port. When you gather from your building you are collecting your resources with half the gold you can sell them at plus labor hours. Basically you can potentially double your money on each gathering. You will start small and returns are not big, but if you are patient then the amount collects will climb over time. Any step in the right direction pays for itself in the long run.

Ojibwa, you and I have used much of the same tactics and strategies when trading on the high seas. I have tested the use of the AI Fleets and as they were first used months ago was probably was the best version of AI fleets. This was where you could get a fleet with either a lynx or cutter and could obtain a fleet up to the 3rd rank (2nd Lt - USN). After which point you can retain what you have but cannot replace or obtain and new ships once reaching this rank. It was a huge help for the new person as you see how the fights are conducted. As you gain experience and lose the ability to have a Fleet you are weened off of the dependence and hopefully by this time in the game an individual has gained the experience both as a ranking officer and financial to sail solo without the crutch. With the change in the mechanics I was leaving port, a warship enters the world behind me. He spots and enemy AI warship and tags it, the next thing I know I am in a battle between the two ships. Sailing solo I was able to escape without a loss. Had I had a fleet with me I would have lost those ships to the battle. I would have lost any ship with 1 duro, lost a duro on any ship greater than one and would have to replace any crew killed in the action. I will be experiences like this where the new/solo person will have to learn to work around. Let alone deal with the expense with any or all replacements. I believe there is a use for Fleets, but in a limited scope. Anyone worth their salt will learn in a short time a fleet is not what they think it is but a false sense of security. The only individuals that could benefit from utilization of a fleet is the new players where they are still trying to learn ship handling. As long as the new person is sailing in a cutter that does not cost him anything to man and repair, fleets are an inexpensive item. Once they start to buy other ships then the expenses start to increase causing the idea of Fleets to become not so appealing. I have used fleets as a method to transport ships from one port to another. I was being lazy and decided to move more than one ship to a different port. I even got caught doing this. Since I was in a trader, I had no way to defend myself. The attack force was overwhelming for me to even attempt to try to escape. No matter the outcome I was going to lose it all, so I surrendered because it was the only way to keep all crew intact and cut the cost of the loss by keeping my crews. But in this case it was used as a tool for transporting ships from location A to location B which has nothing to do with using fleets as a fighting force. But I am fully aware AI fleets for players is not acceptable for you, while I do see a limited, positive use for Fleets. I don't see AI Fleeted players taking the fun out of the game but see it as a reason to after them to "teach" them a lesson. I had seen a trader go by me once and had wished I was in a frigate, it would have been a fun battle. He was in a trader snow and had a Santi as a Fleet escort. The tactic would have been, sink the snow and then take the Santi piece meal. The cost in crew replacements would have been costly. And if he had use only the minimum 10 crews, it would not have taken much to cap that 1st rate. His loss would have been enormous. So I do agree that we disagree on the subject. As there are many like us here on both sides. A compromise will need to be made in order to tolerable for both parties. Great discussion by the way!

You are proving a point where this person lost more with an escort that what otherwise would have been. The cost of the ship and crew far out weighs the gains received in battle. The NPC actually becomes a noose around the next because you cannot cut it loose until back in port. If those like you who find it annoying can let time pass you should start to see a change in behavior. If it is too expensive to use then it won't be used often. Just look what the cost of the crew has done for the game.

Sorry but I totally disagree with you on this matter for getting rid of the AI fleets. Since they have increased the span of controll over getting into a battle when you were not the target but are now in the battle an AI is what is needed to help you escape the battle (you being in an unarmed trader). I spend a great deal of time testing this aspect and this is what i have found: If you have an AI fleet and it should require each ship to be fully crewed (this puts crew at rick so the larger the AI vessel is, the greater the crew loss can become. (Financial hurt for crew replacements). This rule would also prohibit a small ship have a large ship as an AI escort. 3rd rates and greater, there is not enough crew in your profile to proved fully crewed escorts. You could barely afford to crew your frigate and have two AI frigates in tow, you would need the rank of Rear Admiral to do this (Although in this situation if the indivual is dumb enough to deploy a fleet this way and lost it, it would cost him 420,000 gold for crew replacement. That would be one very expesive battle to risk that much in a crew) Using smaller vessels as escorts do help finacially and can be disposable. (Weighting the cost of vessel and crew against gains being made by your cargo when delivered). When sailing in an unarmed or a lightly armed vessel, having an AI escort provides just enough "teeth" to help gain an escape from the attack. Why do you expect me in an unarmed merchant fight you in your warship?? The type and size of the AI Fleet vessel is a determination to be made by the skipper of the fleet. You would want the smaller faster fleets vessels and sometime you will need a fleet smetimes not. There are times you may feel you need only one AI ship insted of two. I am also going to assume you are only looking at it from a warship to warship contest which is a narrow view in the scope of the game which includes an econonmic issues, trading and crafting. As long as the mechanics have improved the ability for an attack to be created then the ability for defence (AI Fleets) needs to stay in play. If you are against AL Fleets being involved then come up with a solution that is both reasonable and workable for all parties. That is what we are here for, this is what we are doing, we see a problem and provide information for the Dev's to work on. Look, there are all types of players here. I go across the board, play on every server, try out different approaches to the game. I spend a lot of time to see how the new player can survive and in some cases it is a very hostle world for them. When I started this game we had access to cutters and lynxs for escorts. This is a wonderful setting for the new play to help survive some encounters and missions. Limit the type of escorts to 6th rate and I think you have a good ballance for the individual wanting an AI escort, But, by all means , KEEP THE FLEETS.

As long as we are talking about an artifical aspect to the game then let us get rid of TeamSpeak as a method of communication. Wow sailing ships with two way radio capability.

Then I suggest you get into a trader with a 1/2 million gold load without protection. Then what will you do when attacked? Fight?? With what gun, you don't have any!Fleet protection is needed in the smaller vessels. Sorry you don't like it but it does provide a screen for escape. I will gladly loose a fleet ship if it provides the necessary time for an escape so I can deliver the goods. Some transports are so costly that it is cheaper to loose a duro on a fleet ship in order to make the delivery. Get over the fleet problem you are having, I am not here to be your battle-bitch, just because I am sailing in an unarmed ship.

This cannot be done without having an affect on every other player in the game. If you speed up the time it has to speed up for everyone because we are all playing on the same map and the same moment. As it is the current speed of the OW is just find. Just because an individual doesn't have the time to get into a PB or epic battle during the course of an evening, does seem a reason to complete change the timing or the size of the world of this game. Yes there are times where I only have time to collect resources from my building and ship them back to my shipyard. Or, maybe just enough to time in the evening to hit an AI insted of a PvP, but something is better than nothing. But one thing is certain, I am not advocating major changes in a game just because I cannot have a major battle every night in my limited real life time frame.

As mentioned before. Design changes were made all the time. The French Temeraire class 74-gun Sol had 97 ships in this class. The years this design was incorporated their were changes made between the first and last vessels built. Simular is the appearance but improvements made by over all design or by shipyard contractor made differences in each ship over the life span of this class. The differences between the 3rd rate and Bellona makes these minor differences a real factor for the game. I do not believe one was gimped on purpose, but rather encompassing changes of the 3rd rate in the Bellona.

Gun rates and number of decks changed during that century, 1701 -1800."From 1670, the Second Rank was defined as ships of the line carrying from 56 up to 70 carriage guns; in 1683 this was redefined as ships carrying from 64 to 74 guns, and by 1710 even 64-gun ships had been reduced to the Third Rate. Most Second Rank ships were two-decked vessels, i.e. carrying two complete gundecks, usually plus a few smaller carriage guns mounted on the gaillards; however, the Second Rank initially also included thirteen smaller three-deckers (French Navy) launched up until 1682, after which all three-deckers were First Rates." Ship size, number of guns during "X" year, number of decks and national identity dictated what the ships rating was for that time. It was not a hard fast rule but a fluid design over the years that kept changing what was the rate of the ship. Much like a razee that was a 74 two decker at first then cut down to a single gun deck heavy Frigate, going from 3rd rate to 4th rate. Changes were made all the time. In short an 80 gun ship can be two decks as how the French designed their 2nd rates from about mid 1700's. Much of the ship design changes were created by the French during the first half of the 18th century. The British used captured French ships as a model for new British designs. Economics played a great part in ship design of the time, much like we see today in our modern navies.

As long as pirates operate as a nation then they should follow the same rules as a nation. No perks allowed just because they are called pirates. Pirates, currently, in this game are nothing more than a nation with a black flag. They, unfortunately for the other nations, have been allowed additional perks than cannot be used by vthe other " nations".

Buy yourself a trader to use as additional storage. You can maneuver supplies out of outpost to hull of trader. do what you have too and then return material back to outpost as needed. Cheap storage you can use in a pinch.

I just want to take this time to provide for you a synopsis of Naval Action from my point of view. Many who have read my posts on this forum know I play a solo game. Any part of Naval Action that involves Port Battles will not be covered in this treatise. I have been playing Naval Action since the first week of December of 2015. Then we had just the one server and growing to four servers after the first of the year. As each server came online I created a profile for each server. Having started out on the PvP1 prior to the activation of the other servers I went through the early learning process of how this game works. Once the big “Wipe” was done at the first of the year I changed tactics. Early on I saw individuals sailing around in 4th rates, then there was a large number of 3rd rates hitting the high seas. I remember seeing a 2nd rate for the first time and then there was the day I came online and was right next to a 1st rate, wow what a ship. I was still messing around in a cutter and trying like all get out to advance enough to get into a Snow. About the time of the big Wipe I was able to buy, but not fully crew a Renommee. The world changed after the wipe. I knew what I didn't want to do in the game and changed the direction of career. There were a large number of players getting into Port Battles. I could not even think about doing so as I didn't have a ship powerful enough to participate. Even today I don't participate but these reasons are not for here and they may mean nothing after the next big patch anyway. Early on my goal has been to see how well can a solo player do in this game (on all servers). It take about 6 months to build your XP large enough to crew a 3rd rate. After 7 months I am still working my way up the XP rankings. DO not take this as a complaint. This has been a great smooth and exciting game play lasting for months. Patience is a big part of gaining XP for rank and craft in this game. You need to work your level until you can fully crew a ship at the next level. Practice against AI, practice against live people, build and outpost, build more than one. Get a building established, then get more than one. Find a produce to turn a profit and continue working your business. It is an interactive world that needs finessing and attention. Plenty of things to accomplish in this wonderful sandbox you all have provided. The core reason for writing is how the improvements you have made has made the game better. For the longest time when a nation has gone on a port capturing spree, there were nations that were left with only a single city – the capital. I have made the suggestion that each nation have 6 such locations at ports that would provide all the goods to maintain that country in the game. While this has not happened (and may not even be the best of ideas) but having the Smuggler ability to enter any port and Free ports have made a great leap in getting an individual or country back on it's feet. The fishing brought into play really helps the countries that are decimated as well as the new and solo players trying to get ahead in this world. Fishing allows the new and solo played to operate a trade without having an outpost to work from other than a base in the capital location. This will allow for a monetary flow of money – as small as it may seem to some, but enough for a new player to get a foothold into the game and allowing for any losses than may happen. This is essential for both the new player to get ahead and for re-establishing a devastated nation. Allowing the ability to capture traders is a big help here. A person with a cutter can capture a trader lynx and start a trading career to create a foothold in the game. What could be more perfect than having the ability to start with nothing and eventually work your way up to a comfortable level of operation. The bottle finds adds another wow factor in the game as they come about when you least expect it. Random as they are it still surprises me when on shows up. This allows a task for the solo player and does not take away from the PvP as some claim. It usually puts you in enemy waters to retrieve the goods from the wreck.; a great concept and a great add. The most impressive change is the cost of crew replacements. With all the talk over the months about the number of 3rd, 2nd, and 1st rates ships in the waters and how it wasn't right. With all the complaints about not enough people sail in smaller ships anymore and claiming the game reaches an end when everyone is at the 1st rate level. The cost of crewing a ship, deciding whether or not to run a ship under crewed, the decreasing DURO for the higher rated ships have caused a balance of the different ships on the water. I have seen Flag Captains, Commodores and Rear Admirals in trader lynxs, snows and LGV's. You are starting to see players being aware of cost, much like a “real” nation is faced with at a time of war. Bringing back the use of Fleets, in my opinion, has been a good thing. I allows for an individual in a trader to have an armed escort for traveling through “unsafe” areas. While some say the trader should hire protection, which is fine with those who are part of some organization, not every solo player out there has anyone at the time of playing to be an escort. This allows single players the ability to self protect their traders as they should have the option for. It also allows for the movement of ships from one location to another without having to make the trip several times over. I believe most players find these aspects agreeable. The biggest complaint I see here in the forums deals with individuals using warship support for warships. As I see it if a solo player is going after an AI or other person that has a fleet with them then the additional attached ships are a must to level the playing field. Although, if an individual is to fleet a ship with him then that ship should be fully crewed (a captured ship is a different scenario) If the ships you assign to escort you then they should be fully crewed; again a decision is needed to be made on how much risk you are planning to take in case you are in a battle when it comes to crew loss and replacement cost. As a solo player, the cost of a 3rd rate is way out there for me so I will not be sailing one anytime soon, someday maybe but not now. If the cost factors were not there then sure why not operated a 3rd rate, it is not costing me much, only a duro, or a ship. The cost of the crew is enough for me to make a different decision and that is a good thing for this game. I am comfortable with the Frigate and the world I work in. All the mechanics in play this game as migrated from everything being top end (1st rate) heavy to more plays moving around in the middle ground level. I do see more frigates in the water than I can remember seeing three months ago. You have done a wonderful job creating a game where the number of different choice can be made and players are all going different directions with their decisions. I anticipate more to come and even better experiences to be made due to more choices and game mechanics. Thank you!

Thank you very much for your generosity.!