Peiper

First, I dumped my live oak forest for a locust forest because it had thickness and speed, which I value over thickness and hit points (live oak). Now locust and live oak are the same, but you're buffing teak to make locust irrelevant. Please make locust thickness and speed again, and keep live oak thickness and hit points as it was before the latest changes.

Proposal: Asian ships We could use some NPC empires to threaten the rest of us with from time to time. They could come from a spawned island or take a generally unused port and begin expanding into the region with Turtle boats and a variety of junks, spitting rockets, cannons, and ramming players. The ships would not be for players to capture, build or purchase - they would be sort-of monsters of the game, and all players in both servers could work together to wipe them out. Once wiped out, they disappear for awhile until they respawn somewhere else on the map until exterminated. The loss of ports and good loot would be motivations to fight them. Current version of the game needs more variety of ships. There's plenty of historical unusual - my my Western eyes - Asian ships that could be created as an 'Eastern Menace' or they could come from another dimension - I don't care. I like sea monsters and stuff. This proposal would use historical references, ships and technology rather than fantasy sources, to help assuage the simulator/historical crowd. I think the players and designers would have fun picking and making ships. I would NOT like to see these ships be player owned, simply because even ships like La Requin break the realism of the game by having a different 'family' of ships mixed with all the square-sailors.

Proposal: Fishing boats and whalers. I would like to see fishing boats - rowboat size, local people and natives in canoes, fishing along shorelines. I'd like to see whalers way out at sea. Currently, the only ships we see are warships and trade ships. These would be sprites, static in nature, and could be client based graphics options like my animal suggestion above. They would be non-interactive, and exist simply to enrich the visuals at sea, lending more realism to the game.

Proposal: Animal life I would like to see whales, dolphins, flying fish, and albatross. These creatures are common in the ocean and deserve to be in the game. Current version is too lifeless. All of these creatures could criss-cross the open world map indefinitely, as they all tend to move in straight-ish lines. If you're worried about server load, make them client based sprites. No interaction is necessary and no need to worry about collisions. It's a quality of life - literally LIFE - suggestion.

My God, I'm sorry I asked. I've put in hundreds of hours into this game. I've lead a successful guild. I have earned just about everything in the game on two characters on two different servers. Do you really think I want to grind my way up AGAIN in PVE. No fuggin way. If I want to sit on my butt and sail around and kill mobs, I've earned that right. I'm not here to be cannon fodder for PVPers. Could I 'Git Good?' Sure I could, but I've already been there, done that. I don't want to do it again. Everyone plays the game for their own reasons. Some like to PVP, some like to trade, some like to craft, some like to blow up mobs. I blow up mobs and craft. I craft to help others and blow up mobs for pleasure. I do so in the ships I craft or earn by blowing up mobs. That's what I enjoy. Game Labs has removed my ability to replace my losses. Until they restore that ability, I will not play in PVP. Because I refuse to stress myself out taking out my one remaining Santi and Wasa, it means I don't play anymore. I don't play anymore means one less player in their game, and I log on less and less often to craft because if all I'm doing is logging on for 5 minutes to make cannons for my guild with no pleasure in it for me, then fug it. I don't care at all what you think I should do with myself. I'm not here to please you. I simply want what I've earned time and time again and I want to rest on my laurels. Game Labs hasn't learned the lesson that once a player has earned something, it's a mistake to take it away. They also seem to want to force players to behave in a certain way (play PVP) because they BELIEVE that's the heart of their game. Well, not everyone plays for that, and they're alienating people like me who play for different reasons. The result is less players when they could simply let everyone play for their own reasons. If they want to reward pvp, fine. Give out some paint jobs, sail colors, new mast heads or decorations - bragging rights stuff. But don't punish the rest of us because we don't play the way others do. Do not put some ships or gear behind PVP walls and expect us to do with less because you want us to play a certain way. Peiper at the Gates of Dawn

I am currently on the PVP server. I do not PVP, but my favorite ships require me to PVP to replace. I like to support my guild through crafting and periodically go out in my Wasas or Santis and just wreck PVE targets or search out shipwrecks. I find it relaxing and I find it fun to do. I used to PVP, raid ports and stuff. I do not like the rat race, time sink, etc.... I used to craft 1st rates once a day for my guild. But the fun is gone. So I am considering transferring all my hard earned stuff from PVP to the PVE server. I will miss my friends, but having been reduced to crafting only because I find taking out my favorite ships too stressful. There is nothing fun left in the game for me. (If I can't replace my favorite ships via PVE, it stresses me out. One server connection loss or miscalculation and I lose a ship never to be able to craft a new one again.) I have two rear admirals, high level crafters (now one, because the server combined). I will NOT grind up another. How do I transfer my assets to the PVE server? Either that, or when will you remove the 1st rates and Wasa from the PVP wall? Peiper at the Gates of Dawn

@Stepp636 I explained my problems and I offered a solution. Your response is to do what the devs want me to do, which I see as a slap in the face. How about responding to my alternative to PVP rewards instead? (I used to run a big guild back in the day. I've been there, done that. Did port battles, raiding parties, built a first rate every day for a month. I've done it all. I would like to simply play casual now. If I lose one of my ships, I want to be able to replace it. I leave other players alone and do my thing. I REALLY don't like PVP, but my friends are here, and there's other things for me to do. There's room in the ocean for all kinds of fish. Well, there was. Now there's less.)

PVP rewards shouldn't be the exclusivity of content that we all enjoy playing with. It should be non-game breaking. Example. Paint jobs, sail colors, gold trim on flags, alternative decorations on ships, etc.. Cosmetic stuff. That way everyone can have access to the best ships instead of just those who spend hours grinding PVP. Not all of us are PVP players. We enjoy other aspects of the game, but now we don't have access to all the ships - and old sailors like me are used to having access to them. Likewise, put exclusive cosmetic stuff in for other types of activities. Numbers of NPC's killed, tonnage transported/traded, gold accumulated, etc... Right now players like myself are afraid to bring out our first rates or Wasa's because we can't replace them. No one should be afraid to play. Your incentive model needs to be reworked. I'm already playing less because you've restricted access to some of my favorite ships. My guild is suffering because we used to be self-sufficient - but now players are wondering if they have to join a bigger guild to get access to victory marks and stuff. People like me enjoy the comradery of smaller guilds. You're taking that away, and if my guild merges into a bigger guild just because of this PVP/VM exclusivity crap, some of my friends and I will leave the game. I'm not kidding, Naval Action devs. You gotta consider that everyone has different reasons for playing. PVP turns off some of your people. Others simply don't have the hours to sink into that. They do a little trading, a mission or two, and they're happy. Or were happy until you took their incentive away....

How about when you enter into a fight with a friend, he loses internet connection, and all of a sudden what was a challenging fight becomes an impossible one?

Safe zones allow players like me to play and support my PVP friends as a casual player. I do not like PVP anymore. I don't have time to spend a half our of a fight just running away from a ganker. I just want to tool around and kill ai stuff, do some trading, and run some missions with my friends. Take those safe zones away and you'll lose me and half my friends with me who feel the same. Those safe zones allow for both PVP and non PVPer's to coexist on one server.

Yeah, and if you don't dismiss the brig, you won't have space in your fleet to pick up your old/more valuable ship. And if there is an end screen option to redistribute stuff - whether your crew is on the brig or not - there has to be a lock so no one takes your valuable ship real quick, like a stamp on the ship that says: hey, this is ____'s ship. He gets first dips on it after the battle. Just to prevent griefing. It could be YOUR ship is the one capped, but your fleet guy recaps it or something to that effect. Ownership needs to be attached to the ships at battle start.

Twice now, I hit the wrong buttons on my fleet ships and instead of having them demast, they went free mode, captured smaller ships, and sailed around in those forcing me to dismiss them, go way back upwind to pick up the original fleet ships. (Like I'd trade my fatties for navy brigs and mercs! WTF, AI? Why so stupid??) This sometimes adds 15-30 minutes onto battles while I tack back and forth trying to get my ship back because the AI is stupid. Other issues are regarding going to grab loot from ships after the battle is over. Both of these activities are unnecessary and annoying, and I have one of two reactions. 1. "Okay, this was bullshit. I was going to play awhile, but if it's gonna be like this, forget it. I'm out for tonight." 2. The memory of bullshit. "I want to play, but last couple times I played I had to spend half the play-session travelling upwind to retrieve my fleet ships, or trying, but failing, to loot ships I'd sunk." Solution: When the battle is over, have an end-game screen that allows you to distribute remaining loot and crew ships left adrift. Boom, many minutes saved, and people can get back to playing the game and enjoying themselves.

Repeating this for great justice. I have not returned to the game because I'm not sure I'll be able to be a casual player. I enjoy the occasional PVP, but mostly, I just like to sail around, do some trading, crafting, and missions. With the one durability patch, even those free ships to entice me to return don't turn me on. I just don't have the time to invest in simply staying alive when I play. I want to keep making progress. There must be some sort of balance to where solo and casual players can enjoy playing and contributing to their faction and friends without endless fear of gank squads taking away what little progress or wealth/ships he's accumulated.

Here's what I believe should happen. Around every national port, there should be a 'national waters' zone where AI ships reinforce a like-national being attacked. Any port next to another port of the same nation will create a zone along the shore, or a corridor between near ports over water where ships can safely sail and do their business. All missions above rank 3 should be outside of this zone, along with all shipwrecks, and events. There are some players who come on to relax or just do their little trading and crafting stuff. They hop on for 15 minutes during lunch or whenever. Battles take a LONG time, and if you don't want to take the time to fight or run from a battle, then you just don't log on. Also, the safe zone will be friendly toward newer players. There also then becomes a reason to take ports. Those ports create 'safe zones' for which your nations can move ships and goods. Only ports near to each other would have such corridors or safe zones, and freeports or other nation's ports block those safe zones from connecting to each other, also making the holding of a chain of ports very important. Most MMO's I've played have safe zones like this. This game does not, and it detracts from play for some people. Some days guys want to fight, other days they just want to sail around and do trading stuff and the like. When trading missions get activated, higher level trading missions could force you to deliver or pick up from ports that take you through no-man's land, to free ports (where you might find ANYONE) and so on. So, I did not vote in this pole because the solution is not the best solution. It is putting a band-aid on a bigger problem to which I have just presented a better solution.

Added several new ones to the list, and incorporated suggestions from the thread where I agreed. Thanks for the feedback!

Reverendo: I have a problem with your engineer and intell officer. 1. Engineer can see some things, logically, but not others. Example. how do they know what tool kit is on another ship? Can they tell if a ship is a faster or steadier sailor (stiffness/speed) by looking at the ship? I don't think even the people who build ships can tell you that until the ship is finished and undergoes trials. How does an engineer know if the opponent ship has optimized pumps? 2. Intell officer: you could say that the intell officer might know some of the above information through a spy network, better than an engineer would know. However, if you're at sea and you see a dozen Belle Poule's, how do you know which one is which to know what is on board any given ship? They're identical. Also, for example, how do you know how much crew each ship has, which is very important information. If I'm sailing along and I see another ship that's just left port, how do I know how many souls are on board unless I was in port with him when they shipped out? I wouldn't. We shouldn't, in game see how many crew a ship has, how many pistols they have, or if they have 'exceptional' boarding axes. I would actually prefer that when coming upon ships, we don't know the information until we board them, in which case, woe to the one who walks into an ambush! I would offer a compromise, though. Over time during a battle, the intel officer and engineer could gather information revealing it as he notices this or that about an enemy ship. That would make more sense. Until the shutters open and the cannons rolled out, a person can't even count the guns on an enemy ship, let alone the type of guns. That's how it should be in this game. However, I like your thinking, your idea! Tief N Tote: First aid or medic: yes, I agree. They will add a doctor, carpenter, purser, etc... to the officers available over time, we believe. So, they TYPE of doctor we have on board could be very important. Let's say we have an EMT type: he does first aid, provides a fast but small resistance to crew loss in range combat. Maybe we have a trauma surgeon. He provides a larger but slower trickleback over a fight (the faster he works, the faster crew are freed up from the hospital to fight). Then we have the steady practitioner who provides the largest crew trickleback/return but it only happens out of combat/after the fight. I will add your ideas up top when I'm back from searching for some good Chicago pizza!

Drop rate is a little low. I agree.

Love the storms. Good thing they added the coords to the map so you don't get lost!

More ideas: Sabateur - You'd think this wouldn't be a good guy to have on your crew, but it's great when you want to scuttle a ship. (water intake from fire x2) Arsonist - Another possibly bad guy to have on your ship. (Increases fire chance x2) Game mechanic for nationals vs. pirates Master Bargainer - Pay tribute to a pursuing pirate in exchange for release and immunity from being targetted for 15 minutes. The tribute would be the sell value of all goods in your hold - or simply all the goods in your hold. Game mechanic: Salvage master: retain non-permanent upgrades upon sinking of a ship with a single durability. Guild drydocks, to be built by guilds. If a ship loses a durability and/or sinks, you can restore one durability. The price of restoring a durability to a ship is the total store price of all the raw materials needed to craft a new ship - or, the sum total of half the raw materials or parts necessary to make a new ship. This could have a timer attached too. So, maybe 12 hours per rating of a ship while it is being fixed. 12 hours for 6th rate, 3 days for 1st rate.

Forgive me if I'm late to the party. I am going to predict that there will be multiple officer types, and maybe we won't be able to have all of them aboard. For ease of reading I will break these perks down by officer type. (added several more new perk ideas on 7/8, so read carefully if you're returning to this thread! Purser Treasure Hunter = a bonus percentage to all loot taken from captured ships. Meticulous Purser = Reduction in crew hire costs, food needed for crew, etc... Petty Thief = Find random exotic goods in your hold each time you visit a port. Press Ganger = Increases available crew (not crew size per ship, crew available to crew extra ships) Persuasive Purser = convince surviving crew of boarded ship to join own crew. 1st Officer Observant/Officer and Gentleman = increased experience for officers and/or captain. Royalty = increased rewards for fleet and individual missions. Navigator = Shows a blip on the mini-map of your general location. Pennant master = Increases friendly AI skill by one level Towmaster = increased speed sailing against the wind in open world and battle. Lifeguard = increased crew retention when sunk Teetotaler = increases crew efficiency overall (sail/yard turn rate, cannon reload time) Blockaid Runner = Speed boost in open world. Adventurer/Explorer Explorer = See what a port sells without having to enter the port. (Must be within a certain proximity) Monster Hunter = bonus when using boarding axes, sword fighting handbooks (you never know when you have to cut off the Kraken's tenticles) Calico Cat/Foxy Lady = Confusion bonus. Lowers moral of enemies while defending on boarding by 5% per round of boarding. Swashbuckler/Dread Pirate = Swashbuckling bonus like sword fighting handbooks Duelist = Like gunnery handbooks, bonus to shooting accuracy in boarding offense/defense. Sharpshooter = Kills enemy crew whenever close to enemy ship. 1 per 30 seconds within 50 meters, something like that. Zealous Preacher = base morale bonus Carpenter Non-Swimmer = Faster leak repair. Master Fiddler = increases repair rate in battle and increases quality of repairs after battle. Master Carpenter = increases quality of repairs in battle and after. Cautiously Pessimistic = Shutter the stern windows (increased stern armor/planking) Bullnose/Rhino/Beakhead = decreased damage when ramming. Sail Mender = causes a small regeneration rate for sails during combat and at sea (consumes "sailcloth" in ship stores, to be made by crafters) Carpenter's Party = causes a small regeneration rate for sails during combat and sea (consumes "repair parts" in ship hold, to be made by crafters) More with Less = 25% more hull/sail restoration from repair kits in open world. Marine Crusader/Righteous Fury = Boarding Prep bonus Gunny/Gunnery Sergeant = bonuses to muskets and pistols, gunnery handbooks Ready axes = gives a bonus to prevent boarding action (cut ropes and ladders to prevent boarding before it begins Grapple masters = increased boarding activation distance and/or speed. Sharpshooters = Kills crew of nearby enemy ships. 1 kill per 50 marines aboard at 100 yards per 30 seconds. Scarred/Grizzled Veterans = Marines have 5% less loss from melee combat. Helmsman/Master Sailor Master Sailor = increased speed and turn rate in open world and maybe turn through irons in battle. Master Fisherman = increased fish hauls. Eagle Eyes = audio/visual warning about nearby enemy ships in open world. Rigging Master/Coxswain = Increased turn rate through irons. Boatswain = (replaces charismatic boatswain, or maybe stack the bonuses?) Fire Drill Master = Put out fires right away. Cannoneer Israel Hands = reduces overall cannon spread (the big cone of fire, not individual cannons.) Veteran Cannoneer = (like pellew sights) Drillmaster = decreased cannon reload time Trunnion Expert = Allows cannons to be raised/lowered. Chef Exotic Chef = trickleback bonus to crew in combat (they are healthy enough to recover) More with Less = 25% more crew restoration per medkit Doctor Patch him up! = (in battle) fast crew regeneration up to 10% of lost crew returns to duty. Triage = (in battle) slow crew regeneration in battle up to 25% of lost crew. Trauma Surgeon = (upon battle exit) 25% of crew lives lost saved instantly. Holistic Doctor = (open world/after battle) restore up to 50% lost crew over a period of 15 minutes. Pirate Doctors --- skills different from national doctors listed above. Witch Doctor = (like grog rations, increases boarding moral, decreases small arms skill) Witch's brew = increases boarding moral, but drops steadily over time (quick high/quick withdrawl). Voodoo Doctor = small crew regeneration out of battle/open world 10 % of crew every 10 minutes. (zombies!) Pirate Only Perks (for when they finally segregate pirates from nations) Cursed = increased speed in open world, decreased speed in battle Improvised carriages = reduced crew necessary for cannons, decreased cannon health Sabateur - You'd think this wouldn't be a good guy to have on your crew, but it's great when you want to scuttle a ship. (water intake from fire x2) Arsonist - Another possibly bad guy to have on your ship. (Increases fire chance x2) New Game Mechanics: (Purser skill) Parley Master = a special ability offering to steal the goods in the hold of a national ship, but letting that ship escape with full crew and unable to be targetted for 15 minutes (no dura loss) (Carpenter Skill) Salvage master = retain non-permanent upgrades upon sinking of a ship with a single durability. Guild drydocks, to be built by guilds. If a ship loses a durability and/or sinks, you can restore one durability. The price of restoring a durability to a ship is the total store price of all the raw materials needed to craft a new ship - or, the sum total of half the raw materials or parts necessary to make a new ship. This could have a timer attached too. So, maybe 12 hours per rating of a ship while it is being fixed. 12 hours for 6th rate, 3 days for 1st rate.

Lighthouses and signal fires.

My PVP 2 USA clan is looking at transferring, but of course, our investments are holding us back. Could we get more word on this from the Devs/Admins? Hard to make decisions on 'what ifs.'

Yeah, they were so valuable they didn't bother to tow and repair them after the battle, right? Tell that to the REAL Victory. What they need, IF they're going to keep this limited durability shizzle, is a way to put your sunk ships into drydock. You fabricate half the parts necessary to build a new one and use that as payment, along with labor hours, to restore a durability. Then, at least, you can retain their upgrades and you'll have more fun playing them instead of never leaving port for fear of getting swarmed. Fearlessness makes battles more fun!

I would suggest that this is a load of bullshizzle. 1. why would anyone put good upgrades on a ship they're going to lose? Why can you repair a cutter that's exploded but not a Victory? There's no logic, no history reasoning, and it really takes away from the desire to work your way up in crafting AND level to buy a ship that will lose everything if you lose. I'm not here to debate, just to express my anger that this is a bullshizzle mechanic, especially considering the investment in crafting/gathering mats/etc...

Everfalling continues to threaten and bully us. Here's a couple screenshots from one Devil Dog. From yesterday. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=641169241 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=641169263 (currently, these above pics are 'friends only. If admins can't see it, I'll bug Darkcyd to change permission settings) From today. Everfalling talks about how you don't lose XP for capsizing friendlies, encourages others to do it, and brags that he does it. As far as trader stealing, it's bullcrap. New players and miscommunication that is in the past. And as far as accidental ramming, or confusion about traders: this is part of the game, especially for new people. We work it out, we move on. Steadier, more experienced minds understand this. 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:55:38.559690] USA:Everfalling>the DOGS clan is good for trying to steal your trader caps. That's why I sink DOGS that come into my battles 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:55:48.637380] Help:Luke Bailey>I just started playing today, just figuring stuff out 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:05.083013] USA:Captain Adama>I just don't see the point in stealing traderships like that, but I'm weird 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:08.247723] Help:Birdyy>wheres the fleet huntin at now 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:10.822288] Global:CHEATOS>come over to the states, be a PRICK, our members are....growing 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:13.698643] Help:The Lesser Weevil>no worries. if you want to, add me as a friend and i would be happy to answer any questions you have 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:21.589651] Help:Birdyy>another 3rd rate and frigate outside PR it looks like 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:25.110446] USA:Everfalling>it's about -100xp per broadside but SOOOOOO worth it 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:56:33.790745] USA:Captain Adama>xD 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:57:22.195343] USA:Ferrel Wayne>You don't become a pirate for attacking them, everfalling? 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:57:30.429472] USA:Captain Adama>not once in battle 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:57:38.131564] USA:Ferrel Wayne>nice 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:57:38.689011] USA:Captain Adama>if you attacked them on the High Seas 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:57:42.155348] USA:Captain Adama>you would 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:57:50.051702] USA:Captain Adama>you just lose lots of xp hitting allies 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:58:07.870950] Whowantstokillme>i have all the parts for a Trincom 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:58:20.474281] Whowantstokillme>if you have the hours 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:58:22.965814] USA:Ferrel Wayne>gotcha 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:58:26.410781] Global:CHEATOS>well unlike USS, we wont negotiate 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:58:43.455378] USA:Captain Adama>of course most people aren't massive dicks and give you the urge to fill their hulls with iron 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:59:10.936607] Global:CHEATOS>SOB does 560:[2016-Mar-09 11:59:38.243586] USA:Ferrel Wayne>yup 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:00:01.229286] Global:CHEATOS>well when it was USSSOLSOB, it was naval hand holding 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:00:53.411807] Global:CHEATOS>lol i was actually told i wasnt authorized to take ports that i was attacking 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:00:56.935841] Help:The Lesser Weevil>to [Luke Bailey] sent you a PM if you need a hand 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:01:06.575081] Thon>ok 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:01:08.221112] Global:CHEATOS>by us fucks 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:01:22.911796] Thon>clan read usa chat plz - talking about dogs 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:01:24.303418] USA:HerrMoor>Contra spotted 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:01:43.065398] Global:CHEATOS>so i saet about the best PR campaign to dismantle the guilds that made agreements 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:02:07.037162] Global:CHEATOS>lets just say they dont have the numbers they once did 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:02:38.694487] USA:Captain Adama>no worries dude contraband is everywhere haha 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:02:44.729850] Global:CHEATOS>the AI pathing is good, you arent 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:03:20.493170] USA:Everfalling>Normally I just capsize them. no neg xp that way 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:03:54.192604] USA:oldcrankyman>no positive xp that way either 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:03:54.511223] USA:Thon>ignore 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:04:45.542304] USA:Everfalling>you don't get positive xp for shooting US ships when you are us 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:05:16.144172] USA:Everfalling>I may start paying 10k per screenshot proof that you sunk a DOGS player though 560:[2016-Mar-09 12:05:26.832702] USA:Everfalling>unless they stop their trader stealing