The "Hidden" potential to make this game "Big"

[Rebel Witch]

Recently i found out that there is a hidden island on the game map. Meaning, someone had to have explored into an otherwise vast area of Open World  ocean and just "discovered it". this island has 2 ports that are conquerable as well. This got me thinking to the great potential of this beautiful sailing ship game and the world we sail around in. 

 

Imagine if there were many...no MANY MORE  hidden islands that could be discovered and explored for resources? You would see a whole new game play, people flocking into the deep oceans to stake their claims to a new nation. The best part, no one would know about this island until they found it or were told about it. Players would have to "chart" their own islands on their own maps because the game map would not show "hidden" islands.

 

Imagine if this game completely tossed out the old European , pirates of the Caribbean style theme and created SOMETHING NEW. How new? How about an entirely new map created by the developers, a whole new world waiting to be discovered. This map would be two...three... how about ten times bigger and expansive than the current map?

 

Imagine if in this new great big world, there were five central powers on lets say the central part of the map, with vast oceans all around these five established powers. These established powers could have different cultures and would replace our already recognizable (England, France, Spain, Dutch, USA) with new fantasy names. So new players would start out in one of these established nations, they would start their naval careers in relative safety of the established kingdoms or empires and then either explore for themselves or join a 'player' Guild House that has already explored and found a new island and so invites the new player to their new island nation. Having established powers where it is relatively safe caters to the more casual, carebear player. while the open expanse of exploration caters to the player who wants unlimited PVP and exploration as well as their own ownership of land.

 

Imagine thousands of these undiscovered new islands....Imagine thousands of players exploring that map. Imagine thousands of new kingdoms created by players and years and years of new battles for player ownership of these 'new' lands.

 

This game makes you imagine doesnt it? Why not imagine 'BIG', untap the 'hidden' potential of this beautiful game!

 

Just my two gold pieces worth. Thoughts?

Edited May 10, 2016 by Rebel Witch

[McFatts]

Interesting idea, but just imagine how hard that would make navigation.  It is already a bit tricky and now we have burningsail.com and the high res map we can use.  Witha  completely blank map this would be a real challenge.  We would need some cartographic tools for sure.  

[charognard666]

I dont share this dream and really like the actual diplomatic / war direction of the game....

[Vaz]

Should be noted that Admin mentioned "hidden" islands and harbours a while ago, i lack the source. And that exploration as an occupation is on the roadmap as a goal to develop. It is fully intended that we have lacking maps at the moment.

[Vernon Merrill]

Maybe that will be the case when they open up the Pacific. Believe it or not, that area of the map is accessible.

[Young]

Yes come join me in the Pacific there is nothing there ! so many new islands to name!

[SteelSandwich]

OMG! Doesnt Sandwich Island sound great?

Op, very interesting suggestion!

[Young]

Young Sandwich island i like the sound of it

[Slamz]

I do think there's room to ponder a separate server that uses a different map -- a fantasy map.

 

I think there are enough people who want the authentic Caribbean experience that the existing map is justified, but long term we're going to struggle to make that map into a good wargame. It's a terrible map. Just look at the east coast of the U.S. or Mexico or on down Central America -- just long, boring, straight coastlines. I don't know how we fix that with game mechanics.

 

We could make a much more interesting wargame, I think, if we had a map that was basically just a big fantasy archipelago, with something like Jamaica (where the British capital is) being the biggest landmass. Everything else is just interesting arrangements of islands.

[Paint]

Then People would start maps by themselves, They wont tell just their friends but their whole nation. Wont be long till all are discovered imo. but no offense, its a great idea for sure.

 

@Slamz,

 

I´d see more potential if they would enhance the Coastlines with details and so on in battles, aswell as shallows which act in a way an Island acts, as a barrier you need to sail around to pass it.

Edited May 10, 2016 by Paint

[Bach]

Random encounters that only exist on the unknown frontiers popping up would add a lot of flavor to the game.

Perhaps while sailing along a deserted coast you encounter a friendly native village that wants to trade trinkets for gold and silver.

Maybe you meet hostile natives. Maybe they have captured someone important and you need to rescue them before they get eaten.

Maybe a group of missionaries want to hire you to take them and their goods out to the frontier.

Maybe sailing along those numerous barren islands you find a marooned sailor with some secret to buried treasures.

Maybe you find a shipwreck to salvage.

Game needs such stuff to get end game level players moving ships around for pirates and privateers to contest.

[BallsOfSteel]

Pirates should have secret bases not visible and only discoverable by coming across them. They should also not be able to capture ports but raid them instead. A successful raid similar to port battle gives booty, a defeated raid gives nothing.

[sacapus]

Small Map Area as a commodity that can be purchased in port, everyone start with the knowledge of his own country port location and then, explorer can map an area and sell the map in port or to the admiralty.

If you don't like to explore, you purchase the map.

 

Hidden island, channels leading to hidden port, its not how it was made originally with these great explorers ?

French, English and Spanish did not share their map so they can keep the resources for themselves or have an advantage by using shorter routes to deliver cargo at a cheaper price...

 

New players shouldn't know the whole world at start-up and experience players should be able to discover new island, port, channel/route or upgrade (A port upgraded with costal fort that wasn't there on a previous visit). Endless possibilities.

 

Obviously, some will still complain that this is a sea vessel fighting game (PVP) but combat is not the only aspect of the game. In game combat is pretty well develop atm. and tons of option are available to hardcore PVPer's.

[Sella]

I'll just leave this here

http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/6805-pacific-coast-whats-the-plan/page-4