The Newbro Problem

[Hethwill]

Practice makes perfect. NA is not unique in that aspect. Nor is it a point and click kill fest  

[Farrago]

Hopefully in the future there will be more differentiation between the tutorials, intended to be completed by the brand new player, and the exams that are more suited to after they have some experience. 

[TimeForged]

On 4/18/2018 at 6:03 AM, victor said:

Not so much: a veteran knows how to get back on track very fast, a new player does not.

Not mentioning that a crapton of players will simply wave bye bye if they will be facing once more the horrible xp (mainly crafting xp that is a bore), books research and ship knowledge slot re-grind.

You tend to confund other players with you: your posts show that you will accept gladly anything from this game, even if (please forgive me for the strong language) they will kick you in the balls. Not everyone is so ... let's say ... passionate. A game is not a work and be compelled to slowly re-grind the same things by doing the same exact boring things thousands of times - after having already spent 3000 + hours in testing the game by making those same things - is funny more or less as a kick in the balls.

 

I'd like to agree on some of the points here. I have over 1200 hours into the game mostly put in when the game first came out almost two years ago or so. I recently came back and although there were vast changes, I was able to figure out easily on how to get back to what I had before. Sure some things like me being max rank and max crafting definitely helped, but so did previous experience and knowledge of map, ports, missions, trade routes and many other things helped as well. As a new player they obviously won't know these things and some mechanics of the game such as missions or whatever may be the only thing they know and can become very repetitive and boring. Just my thoughts. 

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by TimeForged

[Macjimm]

On 4/17/2018 at 10:41 AM, Christendom said:

The simple fact that I can roll up to KPR and jump into an AI fleet literally in front of the forts and gank a player in their own capital waters just flat out astonishes me.  In real life you would not be able to sail an enemy ship within sight of KPR and sink ships or traders right under the port noses.....why can you do it in game?

I agree.  It's amazing that enemy and pirate ships swarm around powerful ports.  It will will always be a magic NA thing.

I think the solution could be found with very simple game mechanics.  If players entered an active Battle instance at a distance from the ships inside, the newbie would have a chance to flee.   I don't get caught in battles often, can gankers spawn in close to the newbie when they join a battle?  

[Moria15]

@Slim McSauce  Thanks for OP,  I believe it's a really important question.    I have many hours in the game over short concentrated periods of time,  some on PvE and some on PvP.  

I think theres 2 things going on here..  one is what do players want..  second is what does the dev want.  Now.  for example..  we have recently seen what the dev wants it was clearly posted..  and I don't think that is compatable with what a larger number of, can I say, more casual players would want..  however  some ideas in case there is hope for the future for a player that wants to enjoy the game in a less mindless way

I have to say, I also preface these ideas with how I would like to see the game..  which is obviously my own opinion and therefore really only gets one vote and isn't worth much really..  but hey..  whatever as they say.

Having worked on a number of MMO's as a designer where the objective was to let players of all levels have fun, I would offer the following potential changes to the existing mechanics to make a more balanced (IMO) experience for the game.

Now the issue with NA is that you don't have zones to work with like other MMO's  the wholw world is one zone so you have to be inventive.  In addition, what we are talking about is not a rule system or a player system.. it's an Ecology of the game, so every time you change a rule.. you are threatening the ecology of the game and as such every rule change has knock on effects (usually unwanted)..  however, changing the ecology is never possible if you just change one rule at a time to see what the effects are without changing all the others round it.

So the following sugg4estions, for me would be all or nothing..  each one relies on the others to provide the experience.

1)   Safe Zones...     Safe Areas..  Reinforcement Areas   call it what you will...

Most games of the traditional type work on providing a risk v rewards system to encourage players to get out there and interact and meet other people in a staged way.  They have Newbie areas which lead into more risk areas which lead into rougher areas which lead to the full experience of the game..  which lead to end game  (bosses.. major instances etc etc).  NA has two of these..  being in port is the safe area and OW is the full experience of the game.

Changes I would offer....     The current safe zone is a start in some respects, but it's not safe and it's a misnomer.  If you tag an AI then you are open to and will be attacked..  which is not really safe and as such it's referred to as a reinforcement zone (or in the game..  gank central).  The only thing safe about the safe zone is it's a safe zone for PvP'ers that want easy PvP marks by killing newbies.

How could this change...

First.. I would have a radiating circle range..  example  around the British starting area of Jamaica..   This would be a line around jamaica set at (for sake of argument)  5/10/15/20km km from the coastline.  These areas would be the reinforcement zone.    ALL battles initiated in this zone would close immediately no matter who initiated them.   Now..  if the Battle was initiated by a British player in his RZ (Reinforcement Zone)  all good and done.   If it was initiated by a non British player against a British Player then in the 5km (first zone) Reinforcements would be provided automatically  and instantly to the british player to a value of 120% BR of the attackers at close range to the British player(s).   If in the 10km (second zone)  Reinforcements would be provided automatically  and instantly to the British player to a value of 100% BR of the attackers at short range to the british players(s).   If in the 15km (third zone) Reinforcements would be provided automatically  and instantly to the British player to a value of 80% BR of the attackers at medium range to the british players(s) and at 20km Reinforcements would be available ON Request to the British player to a value of 70% of the attacking BR at medium range.  In all the above  if it's non British players fighting each other.. it's a normal battle but should still close immediately to prevent griefing of adding british players to either side..  if your British and want hard core  get outside your own RZ.  If you are not British and want hardcore.. get out of the easy zones.

In addition...  the rewards would need to increase by range as well for BOTH sides (where british players are involved)....    both exp/gold and PvP marks should scale based on the zone the combat is in with attackers of the home nation not being eligable for PvP marks in those zones.

2) Now.. thats all  very well..  but it has a major problem..  on it's own..  those rules turned the game into almost a PvE server (or could do) and that's not what all people want..  some want a full on hardcore PvP game  and that is fine..  there should be options for all...  so  my comment about ecology of rules.. not individual ones.

Safe players.. (or any other semi insulting term you want to use) should be able to play safe and hardcore (or any other semi insulting term you want to use) should be able to play hardcore  BUT  and here is the huge BUT..  they should be playing at that level together.. there should not be a case of one type of player having it easy over another type..  you want safe.. play safe but don't expect the rewards..  you want hardcore.. great go play hardcore.. but not at the expense of players who don't want to play hardcore.

And this is where the importance of an economy comes in..  because it is the economy in games that DRIVE the need to get out of the safe areas....  OK some may never do so  but so what..  if they are there..  present in the game  having FUN  they will write good reviews and they will help the game just with chat and being around.

So let's look at the economy..  In the same way as there is diminishing risk from staying close to home, there has to be diminishing rewards in all aspects in that same area...    so suggestions.

Only the most basic items for trade should be in home areas  so for example..  you should be able to learn to craft in those areas but ONLY the very basics...  so  production buildings in the reinforcement areas should be max level 1..   the supplies available should be the simplest..  ie  a level 1 shipyard in an RZ can only build a fir/fir ship and it should never be more than a green ship.     Level 1 shipyards outside the RZ operate as now..  and can be expanded to level 2/3.  same with resources buildings..  some of these should not be permissable in RZ areas and if they are they should be max lvl 1.    There should be no huge fortunes ammased in RZ areas.. but there should be basics for people to learn from and enough to keep them happy(ish).

The further you get from the various nations RZ's  then the more valuabe stuff is available.    So if you want to build great PvP ships then your shipyard and all your resources will be outside and coming from outside the RZ's. 

3) Teleport  sorry I mean Tow to port should ONLY be to national capital, never to outpost and if we want real hardcore should not exist.

OK this is becoming an essay and if I add some of my other ideas regarding balance etc, this wont fit the post limit,  but let me finish by re-itterating there should be an ecology of rules all of which intertwine and not the individual ones we have now.   This ecology gives a risk-reward at all levels..  you decide your risk and get an appropriate reward.

You want to stay safe.. fine.. then you have limited options but you do have options...   you want to be hardcore.. then fine be hardcore..  but with like minded people and reap the rewards that only hardcore can give you.

This way you cater for all types of players and retain them and the world gets used and lots of people fill up the game and are all happy. (well mostly.. some will always be unhappy)

Wanting ONLY hardcore players is a death sentence to the game, because most (so called) hardcore players only want easy hardcore  and if your hardcore mechanics mean you're hardcore players are only hardcore against the weak.. then when the weak have gone thos so called "hardcore" players are now the weak and so it goes on until only a few are left.

Anyway  as I say.. just my own individual thoughts, but that is wher I personally was hoping this game would go when I first subscribed  rather than to the pit of mediocrity it has currently become

Hardcore is a noble mindset.. but players need to go there of their own free will and not be forced there just because and with the right ecology.. this game could actually become hardcore.  Currently it's not really even close and let's be clear..this is the full responsability of the game designer of an MMO and whilst complex is not difficult..  the number of MMO's and sandboxes out there that do achieve fun for all is proof of that.

 

Regards to all.

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by Moria15

[Angus MacDuff]

Very sensible suggestions from Moira.  I would have a small issue only with the tow to home port only.  Distances are so great in this game that a little bit of unrealism might be acceptable in this case.  If your home port is MT and you want to get a ship to Great Corn, that's over an hour of your time.  Not fun.   You still have to sail supplies down there of course, but 1 tow a day anywhere just enhances gameplay

[PongoNW]

This game has been ganker tuned for about two years. They will keep "tuning" it until the last ganker pulls the plug on the tub.