PVE Server and PVE zones - Preliminary announcement.

[Jesters-Ink]

1 hour ago, Honourable Bluetooth said:

Wiping experience makes no sense at all.

1. Day two of launch ranks wont be 'equal' anymore anyway. New players will still continue to join. Do we wipe experience every time a new player joins?

After a couple of months any new player, would be joining what they are now??

2. As your a clanner the effect of a wipe would not be so bad.

 

Makes perfect sense. Extends the life of the game as we all make our way through the ranks again.

There should be a massive influx of new players when the game goes live. This is when the reset should be done. Is it fair that us lot are all sailing around with extra crew and all the other benefits of rank when they don't? Brings everyone down to an equal level, so no massive advantage in battle. We would still be able to craft all the ships, they get to craft a canoe? New people are still going to be faced with those who can craft larger ships almost from the get go. Can't see them sticking around after being killed by a couple of high level players. For those that join after the live, then that's something else.

As for clanner, most of my clan vanished in the last update and have pretty much wrote the game off so . . . 

think about it.

All of a sudden you have something you don't want to give up, so it must be an advantage.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Jesters-Ink

[Smithy]

If you want to go through the ranks again start a new toon?

Not something to be forced on everyone imho.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Smithy

[LordMustang]

36 minutes ago, Jesters-Ink said:

Makes perfect sense. Extends the life of the game as we all make our way through the ranks again.

There should be a massive influx of new players when the game goes live. This is when the reset should be done. Is it fair that us lot are all sailing around with extra crew and all the other benefits of rank when they don't? Brings everyone down to an equal level, so no massive advantage in battle. We would still be able to craft all the ships, they get to craft a canoe? New people are still going to be faced with those who can craft larger ships almost from the get go. Can't see them sticking around after being killed by a couple of high level players. For those that join after the live, then that's something else.

As for clanner, most of my clan vanished in the last update and have pretty much wrote the game off so . . . 

think about it.

All of a sudden you have something you don't want to give up, so it must be an advantage.

That's the point of a game. Progression. Whether there are max rank players at launch doesn't change anything for new players, it rather increases new players as the experienced and higher ranked players will be able to help newer players and give them something to look forward to. Wiping XP doesn't influence the economy in any way and doesn't really have an effect on new player influx, making it redundant.

[Jacob Elston]

No keen on this at all.

The game should have been designed from day 1 to have PvP and PvE together on the same shard, maybe following EVE Online's model with attacking any player/NPC as a punishable offence unless its part of a mission. A lawless territory where anything goes. Meaningful war declarations between nations and privateer notes allowing you to hunt other players of a specific nation at a cost.

Either that or just keep PvP and a PvE server separate.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Jacob Elston

[AlteSocken]

12 hours ago, Genma Saotome said:

Tag the game assets to what kind of purpose a virtual world has (Any PvP, PvE, noob fighter PvP, master fighter PvP, whatever) and simply display only identically tagged game assets to each player per his own tag. They could run n virtual worlds on any one machine, each sharing the same and each having their own private-to-that-tag game assets.

To me this sounds like the genius-solution to this issue.

Heureka

[Serk]

Woah! Netflix's "Stranger Things" sci-fi serie is coming to life!

[Jack Jones]

1 hour ago, Jesters-Ink said:

Makes perfect sense. Extends the life of the game as we all make our way through the ranks again.

There should be a massive influx of new players when the game goes live. This is when the reset should be done. Is it fair that us lot are all sailing around with extra crew and all the other benefits of rank when they don't? Brings everyone down to an equal level, so no massive advantage in battle. We would still be able to craft all the ships, they get to craft a canoe? New people are still going to be faced with those who can craft larger ships almost from the get go. Can't see them sticking around after being killed by a couple of high level players. For those that join after the live, then that's something else.

As for clanner, most of my clan vanished in the last update and have pretty much wrote the game off so . . . 

think about it.

All of a sudden you have something you don't want to give up, so it must be an advantage.

Mmmmm....

Why don't you answer my points instead of just repeating your first statement.

1. After the first 24 hours we will all be different levels. As you said yourself our skill will give us an advantage. 

Sooooo.....what happens 1 day later...2 weeks later, 2 months later ???

Do you really believe that all the new people will only join on day one?

Your point on levels is only valid on day one. And we wont wipe everyday.

Have you EVER joined a game where everyone was equal??

As far as wanting to protect somthing goes I feel this wipe has hurt you and your Clan and your 'Wipe all call' is you maybe lashing out a bit.

It would only hurt the game and would obviously not help new players after day one Progression is like that.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2017 by Honourable Bluetooth

[Jesters-Ink]

TBH, I understood there would be a full wipe, so let's see.

[Jeheil]

I think after some pondering have PvE zones on the PvP is ok. Its alot of realestate and I do wonder about players not catered for by the zones (swedes etc). Maybe put them in too and break up the regions to accommodate or some such.

Hopefully the PvE'ers will have an area to enjoy the game and should they choose to they can dip their toe into PvP with managed risk.

The economies will be bigger and the player base bigger.

Lets see how it rumbles

 

[Sir Texas Sir]

12 hours ago, Smithy said:

If you want to go through the ranks again start a new toon?

Not something to be forced on everyone imho.

Devs have mentioned they might give us a chance to do a full wipe on release and get a special veterans status and perk for doing so....or was that another game...lol  I might just do it if the option is given.   I assume by than the game will be more polished and they might have stuff that we will never see utnil release that we haven't seen and won't unless we go through normal rank up.  

[VirtuallyIdiotic]

1 minute ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

Devs have mentioned they might give us a chance to do a full wipe on release and get a special veterans status and perk for doing so....or was that another game...lol  I might just do it if the option is given.   I assume by than the game will be more polished and they might have stuff that we will never see utnil release that we haven't seen and won't unless we go through normal rank up.  

I have a feeling that they will do what a few betas do when it comes to ranks. They will increase the required XP amount needed so rather than be top rank we will be mid ranks.

[Sir Texas Sir]

3 hours ago, Davos Seasworth said:

I have a feeling that they will do what a few betas do when it comes to ranks. They will increase the required XP amount needed so rather than be top rank we will be mid ranks.

There was a hint they might add like 5 more ranks.  Remember top rank is rear Admiral right now, so they could push it up a few more to Admiral.

[Casmund]

On ‎3‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 5:05 AM, Rebel Witch said:

It would be a long term mistake to completely separate the pve and pvp world or realms. because it takes away from player freedom and options.

why not have players be able to shift from pve to pvp when they want too?

why not have players be able to shift from pvp to pve when they want too?

by making pacific a pve zone that is completely separate from the Atlantic pvp zone, two different realms that one cannot experience when they so choose it really just sounds so limiting for players. why even have them on the same server then?

Again,  i point to EVE Online, the way they set up the server realm is an example of WHAT WORKS what makes almost everyone happy.

I can promise you that if EVE Online had a separate space for the care-bears and a separate space for the pvp'rs that game would be dead by now. What makes EVE so special and groundbreaking is how well they blended PVE and PVP into one seamless universe.

naval action can be just as balanced and fun if done right on the high seas.

This could work well if we don't up with an ocean full of scumbags gone wild ganking everyone without consequence if they can do it in such a way that people don't feel forced into anything because by human nature if its your choice u like it but if anything else u resent and get angry..

[jnovotny6]

8 hours ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

There was a hint they might add like 5 more ranks.  Remember top rank is rear Admiral right now, so they could push it up a few more to Admiral.

next rank: Like-It-In-The- Rear admiral

[CdrNexoe]

WOULD have helped if the Developers decided on ALL their actions FIRST, THEN told us. Instead as now, adding and changing all the time  Not REALLY profecional

 

[Justme]

15 minutes ago, CdrNexoe said:

WOULD have helped if the Developers decided on ALL their actions FIRST, THEN told us. Instead as now, adding and changing all the time  Not REALLY profecional

 

The game is in development, you add things in the hope they work. Sometimes they don't, when that happens you make changes to improve the game before release.

[Hagen v Martius]

First time I've seen this topic.

I... I'm really concerned that the proposed game-world changes will split and wither an already severely depleted player count even further.

 

 

Making the gulf a care-bear zone essentially removes that entire bit of the map for me as nothing of interest is to be found there. Ok, an abstract concern given how huge the gameworld is.

But this is going to have serious effects on the economy. To keep it viable for PvE players you'll end up with all the relevant resources in the care-bear zone. So... why have any economy at all in the PvP area? Why run that risk? If I just want to make money, I'll go there and be save. If I want to be annoying, I'm going to use the care-bear zone border as a way to escape my enemies.

That essentially neuters the entire rest of the map for anything but organised PvP. I guess that's fun and fine for some folks, but I know that it's equally as sterile and boring for many others. 

 

 

 

Yeah,yeah. We'll see how it'll play out. But I for one am not overly optimistic. :/

[AngryPanCake]

1 hour ago, Hagen v Martius said:

(1) Making the gulf a care-bear zone essentially removes that entire bit of the map for me as nothing of interest is to be found there. Ok, an abstract concern given how huge the gameworld is.

But this is going to have serious effects on the economy. (2) To keep it viable for PvE players you'll end up with all the relevant resources in the care-bear zone. So... why have any economy at all in the PvP area? Why run that risk? If I just want to make money, I'll go there and be save. (3) If I want to be annoying, I'm going to use the care-bear zone border as a way to escape my enemies.

That essentially neuters the entire rest of the map for anything but organised PvP. I guess that's fun and fine for some folks, but I know that it's equally as sterile and boring for many others.

Yeah,yeah. We'll see how it'll play out. (4) But I for one am not overly optimistic. :/

Fellow NA lover, the change is going to take place no matter how we feel about it. It is still unclear how it is going to pan out, so we might as well be positive about it and hope for the best.

I'm sure if you read my posts, you will have noticed I am a strong advocate for PvE game play, however, if we have to coexist on the same map, we might as well work together to make it enjoyable for the majority of the player base.

1- The GoM does not have to become a "care-bear" zone, unless all the resources are concentrated in that area. I strongly believe if the economy is designed in such a way to prevent a one-sided trade, there won't be any "care-bear" area.

2- That's the whole point of having an economy that is balanced between the 2 zones, which will induce a two way trade and transport of goods/mats.

3- That does not sound any different than what is going on in the current game set up! Players (and I think AI ships) tend to run towards the shore for protection under forts/shore batteries. Players just make sure to catch up with their targets before they reach protection. So, having the PvE area as a safe zone isn't much different from having coastal defenses.

4- This is a great game, let's give out a positive vibe that might produce some type of miracle and compel the game developers to work extra hard at keeping this game great or making it even greater.

 

APC

Edited March 26, 2017 by AngryPanCake

[LeBoiteux]

When speaking of interaction between the PvE zone and the PvP zone, there are lots of contraints :

- Pure PvE-ers will want to self-sufficiency craft and trade everything in their zone. That's the meaning of PvE.

- If so, there's no point in trading by sailing in the OW in the PvP zone. But crafting ships in the PvP zone remains essential to fight in the PvP zone, unless you can TP warships from the PvE zone

- The PvE-ers will stay along the west coast of the Gulf of Mexico as there are no island in the Gulf and as every ports and bots in the PvE zone will be near that coast. So OW travel time between the PvE zone and the PvP zone will be tedious and the middle of Gulf will be empty. So there won't be much OW trading between the zones and not much interception of trade convoys to do fo PvPers.

• One solution would be to fill in the Gulf of Mexico with imaginary islands and ports. OW travel time between the islands of the PvP zone and those of the PvE zone would be shorter.  But it'd cost much devs' ressources.
• Interactions between the PvP zone and the PvE zone would have also been easier, if PvE lands and PvP lands were closer to each other. Imagine a PvE zone say in the eastern Caribbean including some of the islands. Traders could sail from one area to another creating more potential PvP fights, especially if the PvE zone had some interesting (or essential) ressources. Moreover, PvE-ers might have been more tempted to try PvP.

- One way to encourage trading in the PvP zone would be to make it more profitable than in the PvE zone. But it won't dissuade those who have much game time to stay in the PvE zone to slowly earn their risk-free money. So that measure might only disadvantage casual gamers...

- How to encourage PvE-ers to try PvP as their outposts and thus their ships are in the PvE zone, far away from the PvP hotspots ? What about letting them TP a few ships located in the PvE zone to an outpost in the PvP zone at the risk of making the PvP economy suffer but with the benefit of favouring PvP fights ?

- The presence of a PvE zone on the PvP server theoretically allows :

• a 100% PVE gameplay in the PvE zone (with 100% of the warbots of the server in that zone and an aggressive AI)
• and a 100% PvP gameplay in the PvP zone (with no warbots in it) 

as long as one can quickly travel from one area to another to play both styles. That would require TP of one's warship from one zone to another.

- If warship bots are to be in both zones, one can imagine aggressive bots (ie bots tagging players) in the PvE zone (to make it more appealing) and non-agressive bots in the PvP zone (to let PvPers farm whenever they want) in the same way as players will be able to tag other players in the PvP zone but not in the PvE zone.

In conclusion, the OW distance between PvE hotspots (the coast of the GoM) and PvP hotspots might be the main brake to interactions between the PvE zone and the PvP zone. 

Edited March 26, 2017 by LeBoiteux

[AngryPanCake]

7 hours ago, LeBoiteux said:

When speaking of interaction between the PvE zone and the PvP zone, there are lots of contraints :

It seems that we both share the same general idea about "the forced coexistence" between PvE and PvP on the same map. Since I am relatively new to the game and started in the rookie area (Caribbean with dozens of islands), I have not taken into account the distance between the GoM and the rest of OW. That is surely a significant issue into which they (Devs) need to look into and figure out something we players have not thought of so far.

Thank you for contributing in such a constructive way.

APC.

[Bart Smith]

Why just no follow PotBS system in this with tweak a bit. Map is PvE - PvP zones are created by players attacking ports (this zones could be bigger in terms of NA map size) and there is option for hardcore PvP players - rise voluntary PvP flag (so you can be attack anywhere) We got normal ports and region capitals in NA so size of PvP zone could depend of port - instead of fight only for regional capitals we can get more smaller battles for normal ports as well - bonus for all - more fun and more ship variety for example.

Here is how map look like in PotBS:

And here how this could look like in NA:

I think that better idea than "packing" half of or even more population into Mexican Bay - this working fine in PotBS why can`t here? Lets make this game for all...if you decided to close PvE let them play on whole map instead lock in "cage". And hardcore PvP players will be happy as well and more motivated to attack ports to make PvP zones. Benefits for all again.

Edited March 26, 2017 by Bart Smith

[BusterGut]

On 17/03/2017 at 2:01 AM, admin said:

Hello Captains. 

This is a preliminary announcement - official statement will be provided later both on steam and here.

• PVE server will be closed down. All assets will be transferred to the redeemables on both PVP Global and PVP EU (new server names). Transferring players will be able to choose themselves and stay on the server of their liking. We understand that it is painful but with forthcoming wipe you are not losing anything.

Captains affected by this might ask: How can you PVE ignoring player vs player on the pvp server?

The answer is simple and elegant.

• PVE Zones will be added to the main servers.
• We deliberated very long about this as initially we wanted to have full loot pvp everywhere with no protection. But looking back it was not optimal. Some might say it was awesome, but in reality most hardcore games we know have pve zones, safe zones, high security space or some other form of buffer area. Such zone allows pve players to see the more alive world around them and try pvp from time to time maybe converting to pvp players. 
  • Players who will want to engage in PVE activities without any interaction with the outside world will have to choose one of 3 nations. Spain (Sisal spawn), France (French Louisiana spawn), Britain (around Mosquito coast). These three nations will have 2 spawns - main pvp and secondary pve.
  • This will basically turn Gulf of mexico into large PvE zone.
  • All free-towns inside the PVE zone will be removed to avoid safe transport of resources from inside the zone. 
  • Some resource locations will be re-balanced.
  • The only way to fight in the PVE zones will be to attack smugglers - which will from the patch create outlaw battle (FFA) - the mechanic that you can test on the testbed.

 

Approximate map of PVE zones

Hello, So am I to understand that anyone who is not either Spanish, French or English will be unable to use the pve area for the production of ships where the mats have been farmed in pvp ports?

If this is correct it stinks IMO. I do not want to join any of these nations.

 

 

[Hagen v Martius]

13 hours ago, AngryPanCake said:

Fellow NA lover, the change is going to take place no matter how we feel about it. It is still unclear how it is going to pan out, so we might as well be positive about it and hope for the best.

I'm sure if you read my posts, you will have noticed I am a strong advocate for PvE game play, however, if we have to coexist on the same map, we might as well work together to make it enjoyable for the majority of the player base.

1- The GoM does not have to become a "care-bear" zone, unless all the resources are concentrated in that area. I strongly believe if the economy is designed in such a way to prevent a one-sided trade, there won't be any "care-bear" area.

2- That's the whole point of having an economy that is balanced between the 2 zones, which will induce a two way trade and transport of goods/mats.

3- That does not sound any different than what is going on in the current game set up! Players (and I think AI ships) tend to run towards the shore for protection under forts/shore batteries. Players just make sure to catch up with their targets before they reach protection. So, having the PvE area as a safe zone isn't much different from having coastal defenses.

4- This is a great game, let's give out a positive vibe that might produce some type of miracle and compel the game developers to work extra hard at keeping this game great or making it even greater.

 

APC

1. If they do not include all resources in the PvE zone it'll be impossible for PvE players to play the game.

And that's something they likely want to avoid. So they will have to have all resources in there. Thus the zone becomes self-sustaining and thus it's a care-bear zone of perfect security.

LeBoiteux explained some of the issues with that that I see as well after your post in way better detail than I can be bothered to go into right now.

The worst is, that if they keep the towing mechanic you can literally have a perfectly 100% secure shipyard and trading area and then just send the ships over to where you want to sell them with absolutely no risk. Yay...

And let's not forget that all this really does is promote the use of Economy alts that sit snug and save in the Gulf to supply the PvP area/your clan/your main character with ships and no way for your enemies to stop you from doing so.

Again, some people will probably like that this will increase the amount of "organised" PvP, I realise that and I can respect that. But that's not what I for one want from the game. Which, again, is fine and all, I'm neither whining nor demanding anything, but in the end it would simply mean I would get bored and leave. That's just a fact of life.

 

2. Again, if they want a PvE zone that is viable for PvE players that means it'll have to be self-sustaining, making your point moot. And geez, imagine what will happen on this forum and in the reviews and with the player numbers if one of the two zones has a set of resources the other won't. A weapon shitstorm to surpass Metal Gear. 

 

3. It's massively different, mate. As in I can still attack players next to towers. If I am willing and able to pull it off they're an added factor of danger not a 100% protection. They do not make it utterly impossible to attack. I mean if I wanted to I could do a suicide run with a fireship then the towers would actually be helping me.

What you can compare it with is running for the Green zone around the capitals, which represent a total protection from attackers and are equally as annoying from a gameplay perspective.

Well then again they buffed the towers and forts on testbed so I guess they want them to be total ship interdiction systems after all...

 

4. That's amiable and I salute your ability to like things you don't like, but I don't see how or why I should force myself to like proposed changes when I see major issues with them to be honest. I will try the game after the changes, but I don't see how this will create an enjoyable environment.

[Casmund]

8 minutes ago, Hagen v Martius said:

 

 

 

3. It's massively different, mate. As in I can still attack players next to towers. If I am willing and able to pull it off they're an added factor of danger not a 100% protection. They do not make it utterly impossible to attack. I mean if I wanted to I could do a suicide run with a fireship then the towers would actually be helping me.

What you can compare it with is running for the Green zone around the capitals, which represent a total protection from attackers and are equally as annoying from a gameplay perspective.

Well then again they buffed the towers and forts on testbed so I guess they want them to be total ship interdiction systems after all...

 

 

A friend and I had a discussion  last night about  ways they could please everyone... Having  to choose a PvE setting at port maybe allowing you to have hirelings in fleet like we had but it will disable you from being able to initiate combat against another player.. and being set to PvP will do the opposite.  This could possibly work... and you have to consider there are actual PvE players who only have a single account.. not the criminal element of the PvP side that choose to have a second account for disreputable purposes.  Again It feels odd using labels because I bet most people are part  PvE minded and part PvP  not all or nothing.

 

 

Cheers

[Hagen v Martius]

No, people would use it to spy and troll.

 

And it would totally break the economy and the entire idea behind having different ports produce different resources. So you do not PvP tag yourself and trade and transport your ships without any danger. Utter nonsense, sorry.

That's an even worse idea than having a certain area of the map be PvP disabled.

Edited March 26, 2017 by Hagen v Martius