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It has been stated before: the Idea of "consensual duel" is very popular on PvE Peace Server, given the precondition players still stay safe all the time in open world. Or else it would not be PvE Peace Server, the place to enjoy "calm, tranquility, relaxation", any more. Some players resent the idea of consensual duel or NPC being entitled to become aggressive and attack them when AI smells a chance of success. I was looking forward to the latter, but as this part of admin's announcement has been crossed out, it seems it will not get implemented. Or maybe it could, while everybody is kept happy? In the first place, those dissenters need to be assured they won't get bothered by attacks they don't want. So this asks for a switch. A switch would have to be installed in game settings which regulates two things: (a) On/Off settings for being able to be asked by other nationals for a duel in OW. They still can decline the offer and nothing will happen (cool-down time ten minutes). (b) On/Off settings for NPC enemy either seeing this player as a viable target in OW for aggression or ignoring him completely. -- I can further imagine the 'consensual duel' setting being diversified for a sub-option, which determines whether this duel will be fought by this player with all bloody consequences (you can lose your ship by getting sunk or captured by your opponent) or it will be mock duels with ships staying intact afterwards, like in tournaments we had. With this sub-option, it becomes necessary to give two infos about this player in OW encounters: if he is open for duel and if he had chosen full duel risk in his settings. Simple: a red crossed pistols/swords symbol or a white crossed pistol/swords symbol in one corner of his sighting window for risk, or no risk involved. A player will only be able to duel other nationals who chose the same setting. For example, a player with a white crossed pistol/swords symbol (no risk) will not be able to fight another with a red symbol. In addition we can agree on nationals of the same side (like two Frenchmen) only being able to do white crossed pistol/swords duels. Even if one of them or both have the red symbol set, their OW duel agreements still will be executed following the rules for risk-free, damage-free, non-capturable fights. Maybe exclude pirates for their lawless scum life conditions . Let's not forget: even with a red full risk symbol set you can decline the duel. Nobody is being forced. Make this consensual duel on PvE Peace Server so, that battle immediately closes and nobody else can enter, also no group. It is a duel, not a fleet battle. -- Meanwhile, the setting for NPC aggression regulates your general safety in Open World. Afk sailing will be possible with aggression being set to off and no attack will happen, player stays invisible to NPC fleets, while he still can initiate combat from his side as always. However, if you set your account to aggressive NPC, you have to look out for stronger NPC formations of other nations which see you as weak enough to try an attack. What would be nice is, if they capture your ship during their attack, it will not disappear after battle but really get incorporated into that NPC flotilla, so players can try to capture it back later (have it repaired by AI and crewed up after battle so it is not too weak in next battle), until next maintenance when all NPC traffic will be reset and the captured ex-player-ship will finally disappear and cannot get retrieved any more. -- To spice the whole thing up a bit, a duel leaderboard on PvE Peace Server would record the outcome of duels and do an evaluation of the battle performance. If duels would get announced like a few days or weeks before, in form of an "scheduled" entry on that board, other players could even bet who will win and who will lose, with effects on their bid (losing it or winning a profit). For the PvP War Server community: all this helps train unexperienced PvE players in fighting players without forcing them to leave the server, so you may hope they like it so much you later will see them enter your ganker's world more likely. All others have more fun on PvE Peace Server while peace is preserved at all times. Nobody will unwillingly see a disadvantage, because if he does, he has agreed to it by having set the preconditions himself.