Rhodry Heidenrich

Nope.

Hombre, This is good, as you do what you do. On the flip side, I think you know that nobody else necessarily wants to play by your rules or on your terms. Warfare at its core. Also, yeah port battles are PvP.. Only when other people show up to actually engage in them. Otherwise they're a really boring cycle of grinding NPC fleets for hostility, then capturing empty circles while shooting each other's sails. "Good job everybody, we fought the enemy and he was us." When was the last time BLACK got a good, exciting, "this could go either way", nail biting, action packed, this is better than sex, Admiral Nelson's corpse just got a boner, 1st rate broadsiding boogaloo PB? I know the last time I was involved in something like that was Port Antonio last year, and I was just in a piddly little 3rd rate.

Oh, I know. Which is why I'm not really following why he's brought it up a couple of times. As you say, all it takes to get one is to trade for it.

I think the ship Kanay is talking about is the "Pirate Frigate", which for some reason has different XP requirements to unlock upgrade slots than the standard Frigate. As for what makes the Pirate Frigate better than the Frigate in combat, can't say. Is it the increased crew count? Does it still have its built in boarding bonus? Don't know much about that particular ship since the last time I sailed one was probably 8 months ago.

I appreciate what the spirit of the thread was, initially, but as we can see by the way it progressed that there still seems to be too much disparity in how certain groups each want to play the game, which makes it difficult to come together in an attempt to make our small community better than it is. It's hard for a small community such as PvP-Global to come together to make things more fun for all, when we can't sit down at a table without using our spoons to catapult peas at each other.

Dunno about veteran players, but I could certainly see non-veteran players avoiding PvP due to lack of ability to efficiently replace losses or not having a stockpile of ships/cannons/repairs on hand. That's kind of the problem NA is having right now, is how many players pick up the game and then quit soon after, and one of the problems is PvP as it's working at the moment is a bit too punishing for new players.

If I could smash the "like" button for this post a thousand times, I would. A man after my own heart. +1000 internet shekkles to you. Anyway, Server Merge: I wonder if one of the reasons why admin kind of dodges that issue is because of being concerned with further playerbase fragmentation, bickering and population loss. I'm sure a good chunk of the EU players want EU to be the server that both are rolled into, with the PB windows kept intact. Meanwhile, a good chunk of Global wants Global to become the one server with the 24/7 "server that never sleeps" ruleset kept in tact. That's not including the age old "ping/connection/internet" debate being brought up for the umpteenth time. Wonder what kind of player attrition would be caused by a merge right now. No point in having just one server, either if the population further drops to where it only has 250-300 people playing, because the problem of game world size compared to population would still be present. The same issue of finding PvP would remain, which is part of the problem we're having. I could be completely wrong, but it's just a thought. PvP Rewards and accessibility: Yes, there need to be better rewards for PvP. I, too, found it annoying to spend an hour in a group battle and barely getting any reward for my time because I did necessary things (keep opponents in Control, help slow them down, block etc. All things that don't rack up damage and earn even the most paltry of rewards). Tying ship blueprints/permits to PvP was a bad idea. Also feel that the current repair system is damaging to PvP. Fights get too drawn out in an unrealistic fashion. Plus there's the cost of repairs, cannons, etc. Sometimes I think the devs went a hair too far in trying to make the game more difficult in the wrong ways. Again, just my own personal thoughts. Plus, as someone who mostly finds amusement in Privateering/commerce raiding, I think there need to be better tools for that. I don't necessarily want to deprive someone of their trade ship. I want to cherry pick the cargo for what may be most valuable to me at the time, though sometimes that might be the ship itself. Would be nice to have the choice, and not have everything be about sinking/capturing. Buuuut, that's not really something totally germane to the topic at hand. Alts and their effect on the game: Sadly, I think that those who want to find ways to abuse alts are going to find ways to abuse them. I know some groups have their alts in sub clans, so they'll just put those sub clans into their clan "alliance list". Or, they'll just spend the easy-to-get 100k gold to put an alt in a single player clan etc. I do appreciate the fact that admin realizes there's an issue and is trying to find ways to resolve it, though.

Agree with the sentiment of the rest of your post, but this line right here? Newp. Contention needs to be worked near the port that's "under attack". There's enough meta gaming going on as it is, we don't need to add another layer of cheese to go on top of it. I completely understand the desire for everybody to be able to contribute in some meaningful fashion to the conquest side of the game, because in doing so we create a more vibrant and active sandbox to play in. For me, the number one turn off to RvR/PB's is how easy they are to trigger while avoiding the very thing they should be designed to promote... PvP outside of the "Arena". The PB should be the icing on the PvP cake. The proverbial period at the end of the sentence. Everything before that should absolutely matter and be accessible.. Around the port of contention, not some unrelated zone an hour's sail away. I like the idea of the "patrols". Makes the attackers have a presence in the area, which triggers defenders to show up to push them out. PvP happens. Attackers sink defenders, a few points of contention are added. Opposite if defenders win. All fine and dandy so long as PvE and the killing of stupid bots is removed from the equation. I'll beat the drum that since RvR is a PvP activity, PvP needs to be the the most efficient, viable, and desirable method of a conquest campaign.

Numbers don't matter when those within the horde lack the ability to work cohesively as a unit. That's why BLACK is able to do what BLACK does. All comes down to one word: Unity Their core group has been playing together for a long time now. It's hard to beat that with rag-tag rabble who spend more time bickering, infighting, and playing the blame game instead of actually coming up with a viable solution.

Texas is right. Savannah wasn't an un-contested port battle, and the defenders (The US) had some advantages that they didn't even attempt to utilize. Not saying there was a guaranteed win for the defenders, but by giving up it was a guaranteed win for the attackers. Without a Mortar Brig to handle forts/towers, those become force multipliers and could have been used to the US's advantage. Buuut, it's a moot point because that's not what happened. They quit the field and since then it's been a pretty constant state of blaming something else entirely on the loss. I don't agree with everything that the Pirates do or have done. However, I do completely agree with them on the point that one issue the US has had for a loooonnnng time now is not being willing to really get their hands dirty and fight the hard fight. I don't see the point in having even a small 1st rate fleet if you're not going to use it. It's a waste of resources which could have been used to build ships that might actually be put to sea for more than mission grinding. Oh well. Personally, I've never been an uber-leet PvPer but I will fight until the last cannon sinks beneath the waves, or my last crewman is killed in a boarding action. I find more satisfaction in sinking like a fighting captain, than running away in order to run away again. 25v1? Unfurl the sails, load the cannons and hold steady boys it's time for a wild ride.

In Naval Action? Not a whole lot. In other games I've played previously? Yes I've run a clan. Yes I've been a clan officer. Yes I've dealt with clan politics, so I know what kind of cat-herding, noise ridden nonsense it can be. That's why i advocate just doing the stuff you don't want to be public in non public places where nobody can see it and therefore not offer up an unwanted snipe. Otherwise, if you post it in the open deal with some of the goofy crap that comes with it.

Couldn't agree with you more. Seems to me that closed door diplomacy has been working "just fine" here in NA without a special sub forum.. If those who fancy themselves of great importance within the game want to have their talks not muddied by the unwanted opinions of "lesser" players, then that's what closed Team Speak/Discord channels are for. If you want to discuss diplomacy in the open, then it needs to be an open forum where even the little guy can speak up and give input. It's really not that hard to self-filter some of the completely out-of-kilter smack talk anyway. Or if it's really out-to-lunch, annoy the mod team by smashing that "report" button.

Which is exactly what I've done, and it feels like a new game to me now.

It's PvP-2 all over again.

Sometimes it seems that at the moment, Pirates are more National than the French, and the French are more Pirate than Pirates.

What a threadnaught. A slightly depressing threadnaught that my stupid sense of humor can't find much to make light of.

Can someone please translate what Loco Bandito is saying? I don't speak Penal Colony. J/k, HI BUDDY.

I'm being reminded, again, of why I don't do Port Battles anymore. There's still too many problems with how they're initiated, and the'res also too much god damn meta gaming going on-- both offensively and defensively. Both sides are flinging mud at each other regarding who's worse about using bad game mechanics to game the game.

Good guide Mr. K. Especially the player-interaction part. I try very hard to not get into too much shit slinging in combat, makes the experience overall better even if I lose. I had a 2v1 (not in my favor) recently and I spent it making pleasant small talk while fighting to the bitter end. Also made fun of myself when I screwed up a repair. Ending the fight with "Good fight, was fun" keeps the sting of losing the ship down and keeps me motivated to re-equip and go back out.

Joking aside, it sure feels that way.

I'd take this RNG idea over the current boarding mini game (Because I dislike the minigame with the burning intensity of at least three stars)

Thanks for the tips. Think I'll come exchange cannonballs with you guys soon, just don't laugh too much

Preface: This post isn't entirely serious or even germane to this latest development in the PvPGlobal Diplomacy Soap Opera Treaty Boondoggle Boogalooo. Further preface: I don't care, because I'm a Pirate and we do what we want, because we're free, so long as it doesn't violate any standing trade agreements or piece meal alliances. That out of the way: I was bored the other night (and what I did didn't cure the problem unfortunately) because I'm tired of seal clubbing on the U.S Coast. Didn't feel like toying with G.B Seals outside of KPR or La Navasse. I know, I'll head to waters I haven't been in for a looonnnng time. I point my bow spirit EAST. 1) Sail by Danish waters. Read a book while doing so because as far as I knew at the time any players there are of a long time ally to BLACK. 2) Sail through Swedish waters. Watching blacksmithing videos on youtube. Who was I kidding? The Swedes? They barely exist. 3) Sail through French waters. Ok. Maybe some shenanigans could be had there, so long as I don't screw with a certain clan. I sail by Landomatic of ICS and it looks like he's AFK in a Pickle. Not going to jerk around with an afk Pickle. Just as I sail by he pops into the Diplomacy channel of BLACK team speak. Ok. He may not be afk, but he's obviously doing diplomat stuff and I'll leave him alone. I decide to leave French waters because I don't want to accidentally step on a diplomacy land mine. 4) Sail into Dutch waters. As far as I know, we have no hug-n-kiss relations with the Dutch. Run into a couple of other 5th rates, who promptly sail in the opposite direction. Then I get a tag on a Trader's brig who I realize by his speed is most likely empty. Meh. Time to sail home. See some Frenchies near Cockbacon (PURGE) on the horizon and send friendly "Hello" to Dharus, because I was outnumbered, out shipped, and out gunned. Didn't want to re-enact that scene from Pirates of the Caribbean where whats-his-face is walking down the ladder off of the quarterdeck as his ship turns to kindling around him. Diplomacy was the only way in that case. Set a course for home, fall asleep, wake up to finish the sail back to MT. Long story short, *shrug* I agree with Bach.

I'd of loved something like this last night after my completely unfruitful trip from Mortimer, down through Swedish waters, to French waters, to Dutch waters, and then back up to Mortimer. Being able to just stop at a free port and teleport my ass back to MT so I could do something more productive would have been great. But nope the choice is afk/alt-tab while web browsing sail back home. Or, in my case last night.. fall asleep in my chair and wake up with my ship stuck on Haiti.