Suggestion: Player AI Traders

[JakCurse]

Hey! At present, we have random AI traders and fleets sailing around, with no real purpose other than floating targets. I'd like to suggest that rather than having random fleets and traders, or perhaps in tandem with those, the fleets sailing around are actually carrying items for the nation- If a player collects from his/her resource buildings in a given location, but is unable/unwilling to sail that cargo to it's destination themselves, they could hire AI traders to make the sail for them; like deliveries to/from free ports currently; in the open world, able to be attacked by players of another nation.

This would mean that attacking enemy traders on the open water would serve a real, tangible purpose, as it would be likely that those traders are carrying materials essential to the economy of your enemy. Perhaps if a player pays more for the contracted ship (or based on the value of the cargo?), the number of escort ships increases, meaning that taking a more valuable prize would take more coordination between the individuals making the attack. Thoughts?

[Hethwill]

Yes. Been suggested multiple times and why not

 

If ever a Trading Post building would be introduced it could mean another playstyle more focused on trade and trading companies, natural evolution of the west indies

 

Only request would be to have the AI slightly identifiable [ with convoy ID or similar ] albeit sailing in company of each other so we would have convoys.

 

Imagine an NPC convoy with 10 ships from 10 players and 5 of those player decide to act escort

[JakCurse]

I get the feeling you'd spend even more time lurking around Pedro than you do at present

[Hethwill]

I get the feeling you'd spend even more time lurking around Pedro than you do at present

 

Maybe. But would be nice to have some good convoys going and having the RN boyz and ladiez acting escort

 

And Pedro Cay is nice this time of year. Up north is always stormy nowadays for some reason.