Cutting out missions

[Baron Quertier]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before.

I imagine this with the 'land in battle' concept.

Some sort of 'cutting out' mission, at an enemy port or maybe a free town. Where you go into a similar sequence as a port battle with one or maybe two towers (lighter batteries though), an enemy ship that won't set sail but is at anchor with a skeleton crew (perhaps 25%). Disable the batteries then board the ship. I was thinking that perhaps there might be an AI cutter or two, or yachts (as if you have launched boats) that automatically join you for the sequence. I'm sure it's been thought of before and I'm sure others have thought I through better than I.

[Galileus]

So... shoot at two immobile objects and then board the third immobile object...?

[Baron Quertier]

Like I said, I'm sure it has been thought of more thoroughly. My description is very basic. Of course you could add to it what you please. Enemy coastal vessels. Even have the target vessel mobile (but then it wouldn't be a 'cutting out' operation). My imagination for the idea goes far, but then I remember it's a game and only so much is possible.

[ShavedAlpaca]

This is a difficult thing to implement in the game as it is now. If boarding was first person with something like Mount&Blade combat, Im all for it, super cool. Awesome. But as it is now,Galileus is spot on.

Edited March 11, 2016 by ShavedAlpaca

[Francis Tabernac]

"shoot at two immobile objects and then board the third immobile object" as opposed to shoot at absurdly easy mobile objects. I can't see any reason not to add a little variety to the missions. The whole thing can be about timing, where if you waste too much time firing at batteries or take too long boarding then you've given time to the defenders to launch ships that'd sink you. Or the trick to the batteries could be more about learning to maneuver and position yourself to avoid their fire, since one ship going in alone isn't likely to be taking out coastal batteries. Who knows; there're all kinds of possibilities there and variety can't hurt, especially since there are people that play entirely PvE for whatever reason. "Difficult to implement now" doesn't mean it can't be considered later, particularly with the devs saying they'll be implementing land into PBs and the like.

[Galileus]

Im still waiting to hear anything about that variety and amazing possibilities. As is, implementing a new mission just so there is something even more boring to do... could and would hurt.

[Francis Tabernac]

Could and would hurt, why? Is this suggestion forum not meant for suggestions? Not every suggestions must appeal to every person.

[Tennessee88]

Love the idea and at some point want to actually start a thread just brainstorming various mission ideas. Not sure exactly how integrating land into battles will work with shallows and what not, but even if they need do something much further down the line with a series of hand-built maps that load in only for certain mission/events, I would be incredibly happy if we finally got missions where you had to deal with shallows and navigation along with the enemy. 

 

So just for fun... and so I can avoid doing my real job for a little while, I would envision cutting out missions as follows (obviously a lot of this is for fun and assumes other systems becoming much more refined). 

 

First off, missions should be limited to 5th rates and smaller. Finally give frigates something interesting to do.

Accept mission from admiralty which includes a rough map of dangerous reefs.

Enter mission that is randomly placed near shore. Load custom map that includes channels, reefs, land, randomly placed forts/batteries (various predetermined locations), objective ship (various randomly predetermined locations), and some enemy cutters. 

 

You start reasonably far off shore and from the channel you have to navigate giving you time to survey the scene, set cannons and crew, etc. 

Once you come to a certain range from land, enemy signal station alerts everyone and a time limit starts. Also, enemy ships will put to sea after a certain point in the time limit. 

 

Goal is to stand in, carefully navigate the channel not only to avoid reefs, but also heavier batteries, take control of enemy ship, and escort it out (it takes predetermined path based on map). Cutters/privateers/(whatever is appropriate) will try and recapture as you exit so you have to keep them away or sink them.  

 

The only way of making missions like this engaging (if the team even has the time/resources to create them in the far future) is to make it a constant balancing act of various factors.

 

For example: Do you take a safer and quicker route while receiving fire from a heavier battery, or do you risk the longer route which will expose you to much less enemy fire but risk running aground and giving the defenders that much more time to put to sea. As you are leaving, you have to balance suppressing enemy batteries hitting your prize/keeping enemy vessels from recapturing. 

 

 

I doubt we will ever see anything quite like this but it is fun to dream. The time to craft custom maps, an entirely new system for reefs/running aground, the limits of AI, etc. all likely make this a pipe dream. Regardless, thanks for distracting me from work. 

[Galileus]

Could and would hurt, why? Is this suggestion forum not meant for suggestions? Not every suggestions must appeal to every person.

 

The idea is poor as it stands. It's about fighting immobile enemies, as boring as it can be. Which is bad. PvE is boring as it is, making it MORE boring actually hurts the game by making it more grind'y and repetitive. It's really that simple.

[Francis Tabernac]

And I disagree, I don't think it's a poor idea and I think there's plenty of potential on how to make it more interesting. Tennessee88 expands on it quite a bit with ideas that would make it far more interesting. It was a base on which to build. PvE IS boring, you're shooting at easy-to-predict and easy-to-defeat AI enemies, but many people enjoy the PvE aspects of the game and even play on a PvE-only server. This could add a great deal of variety to that and make it far more interesting. That's a good thing, which will make it LESS boring so as not to hurt the game. It's really that simple.

[Tennessee88]

PVE will continue to be boring for awhile (and in my opinion always boring when compared to PVP) until we can have additional game play systems, variations of maps/environments, objectives, etc. The simple fact is that for this game to become viable to more than just its current niche population, you need to find a way to make PVE/PVP much more accessible and compelling. 

 

That doesn't mean hand holding or instant gratification. 

[Baron Quertier]

Thank you Tennessee88 it is along those exact lines you took good time to explain that I was thinking. I'm sure it is possible and will be an interesting part of the game if our very good group of devs could bring such a thing to the game. I know in real life such an operation was extremely risky. So in the game I imagined it as a very difficult mission, or even a massive gamble, the rewards would have to be huge to make the risk worth while

[ShavedAlpaca]

My first post does not reflect how I actually feel about this it seems. Ah the woes of communication through text. I like Tennessee's suggestions and after higher priority matters (the horrid way port battles are implemented now, land should fix it ) are dealt with I would love it if the devs look into this.

[Francis Tabernac]

My first post does not reflect how I actually feel about this it seems. Ah the woes of communication through text. I like Tennessee's suggestions and after higher priority matters (the horrid way port battles are implemented now, land should fix it ) are dealt with I would love it if the devs look into this.

 

Ah, I took it as the "that's too hard right now" dismissal that seems to pop up so often, that's on me, apologies.

[Mongoose McMoose]

It would be a nice pirate mechanic at at any rate. Get in your Cutter or Privateer, sail into a bay full of traders, try and board and sail one of them away while batteries pound you. Actually sounds fun! I love this suggestion - good on ya, Morey!

[Destraex]

I love the concept. It would be fun if you cut out or burned an enemy fleet in port to remove AI resistance in an area for a period of time. Allowing easier port capture. But implementing cutting out to make it interesting would perhaps be hard. Unless of course you had to fight your way in under fort and enemy fleet shguard ships.