Farrago

Damage, perhaps extensive, should happen sure but wouldn’t it motivate RVR if some improvements survive or the capturer at least isn’t starting from square one. A port that is successfully defended should also suffer some damage. Otherwise, I worry that we’ll all just nestle in to our ports, build them up continuously, and never try to conquer.

I don’t know if it has been decided but I hope that when capturing a port, you capture any/some improvements. That would drive RVR.

True. They’ll probably need to buy from those that do have the time. Or sail the lesser woods. I’m not saying that this “new” system is going to work, but there’s no reason to think that in this game one should be able to do everything himself and still be able to participate in all activities effectively. Ideally a good balance would be achieved and it would be too expensive for a clan/nation to risk 25 LO/WO ships. A fleet might have a few with the rest being Cag/Sab or some other less expensive option.

I am not going to miss my Rank XP as much as my Crafting XP. And I don’t think I’ll be alone in this sentiment. Crafted ships of any size are going to become extremely rare for a long time.

Do you guys think we will ever reach a point where there are more players who bought after release than before? I’m doubtful. Almost everyone on the servers is going to have a Pandora.

Ships will be wiped. Crafting XP will be wiped. Seems like a perfect time to start making most ships DLC. Do something to get rid of most of the long term players except for those so supportive they’ll accept anything plus get new money from new players who won’t have known the game in the past. Gradually get all to accept that the vast majority of ships must be purchased. Note: I don’t actually know what is happening with this game in the future but apparently some things we used to accept as true, no longer are.

Well. First rate spam won’t be a thing for a while. (Shrug)

Players do have to buy the resources either with the costs of farming or cost of time sailing to where they are available or both. I’m not arguing that the system is inflationary. I’m saying that if the AI buys the resources, it actually does something with them such as keep the AI population of your ports happy and healthy. And if the transaction does not take place, there are negative consequences. Those who produce and deliver the beans and bullets become heroes in the struggle as well.

Content would mean that there would be numerous legitimate and meaningful roles for players to assume in the game. For example, let's say you like to just go out and wage open water warfare. You want a warship and you want foes/targets. You'll also need bases of operations and the supplies necessary to wage your war. You'll need ships at those bases; they'll need cannons and repairs. You don't want to farm or trade. We need a system that provides roles for players to meet your goals as those players meet their own, perhaps different, goals. With the exception of free ports, your national ports should have needs. Foods, luxury goods, etc should have to flow to them in order to keep those ports open, happy, and useful to you. Traders would have a role beyond just getting a fatter and fatter bank account. You'd have targets. Your nation would need to protect its traders if it wanted to prosper. If you want to defeat or hinder another nation, your efforts to interdict their trade should have more meaning than costing one Captain some money. Your economy would have to be developed enough to afford the national expense of a lineship fleet if you wanted to expand or protect your gains. You're limited on tows so someone could help transport ships for you. You're limited on time so a merchant captain or clan might be of help. Communication, deals, and contracts should be expanded and facilitated by the game. A God-like Gamelabs story runner could ultimately play a role. Famine strikes Puerto de Espana requires immediate provisions. Massive fire in Bridgetown requires 50,000 oak logs and 20,000 stone blocks to rebuild the town and restore resource production. Disease strikes La Navasse requiring medicines and extra labor. Some players want to flock to the most prosperous nations, but the best undeveloped opportunities for new resources are with emerging nations. It would be an intricate, long term, and complicated development project but IMO its the only way to attract and keep a critical mass of players.

While I agree that we have too many mechanics in place just to prevent the few players who will choose to abuse or exploit a whole in the system, any system which allows a player to exist on the PVP server and yet be immune from PVP would remove a whole element of game play. Almost all merchant traffic would end up being immune from intercept.

Perhaps giving one set of non tradable forged papers on completion of tutorial...

@admin I’d suggest if it not in your current plan that an announcement be made at the log on screen when the new damage model and new trade goods are deployed. I would assume that there are many players who have neither sailed the testbed with the damage models and who don’t follow the forums. Overall I like the new model — as long as steps are taken to avoid line ship spam — but there’s no reason to shock those who aren’t expecting it and have them die unnecessarily because they are caught unawares by the changes.

I don’t understand the purpose of this.

It’s been quite a while that you can not craft, farm, mine, etc in a closed port.

A lot of information but I am pretty sure the question pertained to which is a better choice in the game.