My port, my monopoly.

[Potemkin]

12 minutes ago, Graf Bernadotte said:

 

This game struggles to implement a fair reward system for all those players who participate in RvR since I started playing. It needs players who countergrind hostility. It needs players who screen. And it needs players who help out in PB. And finally it needs players who keep the clan business running. Reward players for their efforts and you will have enough enthusiasmn for RvR.

The game needs players period. Alot of current issues would manageable if the game retained people and attracted more fresh bodies.

[AeRoTR]

2 hours ago, vazco said:

Clans could get some percentage of goods as exclusive to them. They shouldn't get 100% of the goods though. Alts appeared exactly to overcome such monopolies, out of a deep need. Without those alts, people without access to certain resources would start quitting.

This thread repeats other threads.

This is what it should be. Clans should get selected goods up to a certain percentage. Alts can still play with contracts on the remaining percentage.

Another think that has to be overhauled is putting contracts. Increasing a bit should be at a minimum set amount. There is a 1.000 bid, you put a bid of 1.001, that is stupid. There should be a set amount like %5 to %10 or whatever.

[Corona Lisa]

31 minutes ago, Hellmuth von Mücke said:

The reason why many people have Cartagena Tar are not the many Swedes ALTS, but because HRE is unwilling or unable to properly control the port. The advantage of a port owner is that he can hire contracts, and the resulting taxes re-flow to his own clan.

Interesting, but having a 10% profit margin on one the rarest and most valueable resources in the game combined with a huge effort is just not worth it. Especially if you have 2x or 3x profit margins for a lot of common goods.

[Georg Fromm]

4 minutes ago, Jon Snow lets go said:

Interesting, but having a 10% profit margin on one the rarest and most valueable resources in the game combined with a huge effort is just not worth it. Especially if you have 2x or 3x profit margins for a lot of common goods.

It does not have to stay with the 10%. Let's assume HRE manages to buy 80-90% of the Cartagena Tars from its own port. The next step must then be to build the upgrades yourself, even if you do not need them yourself and then sell them at the highest possible prices in La Tortue, KPR or Mortimer. The laziness of people has always been the most money to earn.
Who controls Cartagena or a similarly important port (Esteros, Little Harbor, Oranjestadt), has actually a license to print money. It just requires a few people to do that job.

[Sento de Benimaclet]

4 hours ago, Hellmuth von Mücke said:

This clearly shows that you do not really understand the system of contracts. And besides, the clan conquers the harbor only for the nation to which it belongs. What you want is a clan-based game.

The devs. They changed the game of nation to clans, but look at the changes they made in last year's wipe. I understand perfectly that the contracts are going, a captain of my nation or of another nation imposes a very high contract that prevents the "owners" of the port from obtaining that resource. The port belongs to the clan but the resource takes the most money. I believe that people conquer certain ports (cartagena, copper, ports of teka, live oak, white oak etc.) to obtain a great economic benefit that engrose the coffers of the clan owner. From there, he trades with others. It is not to end trade, but to give each one what is his due. I repeat that the change from nation to clan did the devs. putting examples as the company of the oriental Indians etc.

 

8 hours ago, Stars and Stripes said:

You get the taxes and port timer and control if it's open or not.

Anything else is dumb.

Taxes, except for Cartagena ports, copper, special woods, do not give enough money to pay the 100,000 daily tax. Port timers are usually a passive of 500,000 daily. And that of controlling who enters and who does not, is very relative. Because with a trader you can enter the port that you want. Have you noticed the number of ports that are abandoned because they are not profitable?

[o Barão]

On 10/13/2018 at 8:30 AM, Sento de Benimaclet said:

I have always wondered: if a clan wins a port, why does not enjoy the monopoly of its resources? I think he has earned the right to buy and sell exclusively the various resources of that port. Is it fair that other clans of their own nation or traders from other nations can buy resources as if the port were also outside them? What do you think? Greetings !! 

I am having a similar issue with the clan XXXXX in the pirates faction. 

 

I am going to explain to you why that doens't work.

Imagine if all the clans had the monopoly of its resources, what would happen? The other players  wouldn't get the chance of trading anything outside the capital region. The game would be already dead for them , and Naval Action would be a dead game in a few months, lacking players .

Second the players that owns a port they would be limited to trade only in the capital region and around their port/s. So again you are limiting their actions in the map to make profit for trading.  

In both situations you are ruining the game to most all players just because you want your clan to have the monopoly. You ruin the game for most players and because of this you would kill  NA game.

 

Now let's not forget that the clan that controls the port already collect taxes. So the owners are already winning money by letting the others players to buy the resources. 

 

Now as i said i am having a similar issue with Storm crow from XXXXX. He saw me making contracts and he invite me to go to another port . You understand how this is disrepectful to the others players? I tried to be nice and make in an offer of both buy  low 10 pieces each time. Both would making profits. He is attitude was to make contracts to buy 80 historical artifacts for 121k !! and 180 Black ironwood for 40k! ( i have the screenshots ) So here i am all days paying attention to that port shop. When he thinks i am not watching he lowers the contracts and i show up again. So basically he is making trips with the cargo full of items that will not giving almost any profits just because he is so arrogant that can't watch other player buying goods from his port. Now imagine if all the clan leaders were like him or if the clans would had the monopoly as you are suggesting. The game would be dead in a few months.

Edited October 14, 2018 by no one

[Storm Crow]

5 hours ago, no one said:

i am having a similar issue with Storm crow from XXXXX

I will elaborate on this issue. XXXXX captured a trade port. We put a timer on the port. We've applied the "trading company lvl 2" perk to the port. We've defended the port multiple times (stopping hostility attempts). This allowed myself to trade at the port and contribute the profits to the clan warehouse to cover the cost of the timer and trading company; a cost the taxes don't come close to covering on their own. Then about a week ago a player, [no one], a raider from some clan I've never heard of nor someone I've ever seen helping with any sort of RvR, one day decided "I want to trade at that port". So he suggests that he buy half the trade goods at the port and I buy the other half, cutting my clans profits in half while the cost of the port stays the same. This is somehow a "fair" agreement in his mind. 

Since then I've suggested other trade ports for him to trade at. Ones owned by XXXXX which I know are not being currently used. I've even offered to one of their clan leaders, ReaperpT, that XXXXX would capture a trade port of their choosing for their clan to use. To this the response was, "how about you stop being a little child worry less about pve and really start helping the nation doing pvp". 

I suggest this whole situation shows that clans which capture ports need more control over those ports. 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Storm Crow

[Christendom]

What incentive does @no one have to own a port of his own?  He uses ports other pirate clans take, pay for and lose ships defending.  He (and anyone) can just setup shop and put contracts or buy up the goods, piggybacking off the work of others.  In a nutshell this is pretty much why RVR is dead.  Why bother?

The game is kind of half in / half out of a clan based system.  Clans can orchestrate battles on their own, pay for the ports and receive what profits (if any) that they make.  The nation can still use those ports without having to lift a finger.  At least when ports were owned by the nation clans weren't losing money.  

We either need to ditch the clan based idea or commit to it 100%.  This half in half out shit with 11 nations is not working.

[o Barão]

2 hours ago, Storm Crow said:

I will elaborate on this issue. XXXXX captured a trade port. We put a timer on the port. We've applied the "trading company lvl 2" perk to the port. We've defended the port multiple times (stopping hostility attempts). This allowed myself to trade at the port and contribute the profits to the clan warehouse to cover the cost of the timer and trading company; your costs your problems not mine a cost the taxes don't come close to covering on their own.Of course they don't cover you don't let anyone buy in the port DUH!!Then about a week ago a player, [no one], a raider from some clan I've never heard of nor someone I've ever seen helping with any sort of RvR, one day decided "I want to trade at that port". Again i am going to explain the situation. We are a group of portuguese players that played for different factions and we decided to join all together in the pirates factions to do stuff together the same way you do with your friends and clanmates. I was the first to arrive to set the foundations of the clan. That is why you never saw me helping anything . Well in fact i was there yesterday helping defending your port Arenas. Me and my clanmate Reaper and many spanish players and 2 british were there defending your port  , the irony was i didn't saw you or any other XXXXX clan member defending the port. But let's forget my background and imagine that i am a new player in game sailing in  a basic cutter.  Who are you to tell the newbie or any other player what to do or not to do? Who are you to ruin a newbie experience in the game? This is not your game . Stop being disrespectul to the other players. And let's not forgot you accused me of being an ALT and you thought i was lying when i talked my clanmates were arriving in a few days. Very well now you pay the price for your arrogance. So he suggests that he buy half the trade goods at the port and I buy the other half, cutting my clans profits in half while the cost of the port stays the same. This is somehow a "fair" agreement in his mind. And it was a very good offer . I was so nice to you and you still thought you could have it all. Now if you want you will pay BIG money and your profits will be shit.  That is what you gained in being disrespectul to the others. 

Since then I've suggested other trade ports for him to trade at. Again who are you to telling how the others should play the game? Ones owned by XXXXX which I know are not being currently used. I've even offered to one of their clan leaders, ReaperpT, that XXXXX would capture a trade port of their choosing for their clan to use. To this the response was, "how about you stop being a little child worry less about pve and really start helping the nation doing pvp". And i think he is right. In the end it was me and him from the pirates who were there defending your port yesterday.

I suggest this whole situation shows that clans which capture ports need more control over those ports. Nope. You still didn't understand that this is not your exclusive playground. I am going to repeat again why it doesn't work.

Imagine if all the clans had the monopoly of its resources, what would happen? The other players  wouldn't get the chance of trading anything outside the capital region. The game would be already dead for them , and Naval Action would be a dead game in a few months, lacking players .

Second the players that owns a port they would be limited to trade only in the capital region and around their port/s. So again you are limiting their actions in the map to make profit for trading.  

In both situations you are ruining the game to most all players just because you want your clan to have the monopoly. You ruin the game for most players and because of this you would kill  NA game.

 

Tomorrow arrives another player to the clan. His name is Cabral and is our diplomat. I suggest you if you want to talk , talk to him and stop harrassing us in the chat. Now open very well your eyes to see what is going to happen to the shop. You will regret so much for not accepting my offer. 

 

Edited October 15, 2018 by no one

[Storm Crow]

 

My suggestion to solve this problem is:

1. Members of the capturing clan and those clans on the capturing clan's friendly clan list can set "buy" contracts in the port. For everyone else, entry to the port is not restricted nor is the use of the port in any way. The only restriction is the ability to place "buy" contracts.

2. Taxes can be set anywhere up to 100%. 

I don't think we need to move away from the nation based system any more than this. After all, my clan captures ports with the intent of furthering the pirate nation as a whole. In addition, there are plenty of pirates who help to do hostility, set PBs, screen, join PBs, etc. who have their own stake in the ports we capture. However, these pirates' clans are also on the friendly clan list for taking part in these activities. 

I am not looking for a way to hinder the commerce of my nation as a whole, but instead to help those who contribute to reap the benefits of their effort, encourage others to take part in conquests, and limit the negative effects of leaches such as @no one. 

 

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Graf Bernadotte said:

Which clan is able to conquer a port like Cartagena without help of it's nation? It already starts with hostility missions which needs ways more players to be successful at a heavily defended port than any clan in the game can activate.. On the other side, which clan is able to defend a port like Cartagena successfully without help of it's nation? I don't know any clan which could do so.

If attacking or defending important ports is only possible with the help of the nation, why should all those guys who helped out be excluded when it comes to harvesting the fruits the whole nation has gained?

Finally. How often are those money ports attacked? Did we get those permanent attacks no those ports everybody wants to own? Fact is as soon as a superior power takes the port it is out of competition and almost no RvR happens there anymore. And if a night crew manages to take one of those ports the night timer does the job.

The whole idea with money ports failed completely. We became less competition not more. To reward those happy members of the right clan, which had one guy more in the grinding than their fellow citizens for doing nothing worsens this situation.

The only solution is: REMOVE MONEY PORTS.

I find it so disgusting. I really do.. But I happen to find myself soiled and dirty, violated even. But I agree with graf here.... 

I am Lars Kjaer - and I approve this message. Now I'm going to bed and cry a little.

[Guest]

Another issue entirely is the paradox of some rare items giving a group of players a distinct and tangible advantage over others in a supposedly skill-based game. Any player going to a shallow water PB or having a PvP duel in the shallow area in a ship fitted with cartagena caulking refit can't claim to be the better player for beating a player that can't afford that upgrade. Of all the mods in the game that is widely unbalanced and the very reason why ships are worth less than the mods, carta refit is by far the worst. 5cm added thickness on a pickle against a ship without that advantage is a counter-skill based game. The advantage decreases over the rates but then comes the stacking with navy structure refit (or is the hull, I forget), 5% added thickness, 5cm added thickness and add then the rarity of some woods compared for some playergroups and you have an unbalanced game that promotes the already priviledged few over the plebs.

I'm Lars Kjaer, the richest man on the server, and I've paid for this message!

[o Barão]

46 minutes ago, Storm Crow said:

 

My suggestion to solve this problem is:

1. Members of the capturing clan and those clans on the capturing clan's friendly clan list can set "buy" contracts in the port. For everyone else, entry to the port is not restricted nor is the use of the port in any way. The only restriction is the ability to place "buy" contracts. So basically all the new players that join the nation will understand in a few days that if they don't join one of the 5 top clans that already dominate the map they are F-U-C-K-E-D. Congratulations Sherlock you won the DUMB prize of the year.

2. Taxes can be set anywhere up to 100%. Sure of course so it could be only you to buy anything . I already understood you have mental problems , but tell me you understand that this is a multiplayer game and not your private backyard?

I don't think we need to move away from the nation based system any more than this. After all, my clan captures ports with the intent of furthering the pirate nation as a whole. Now is the pirate faction as a whole? Strange when you see another pirate buying stuff in your ports you go FULL RETARD in your actions.

I am not looking for a way to hinder the commerce of my nation as a whole, but instead to help those who contribute to reap the benefits of their effort, encourage others to take part in conquests, and limit the negative effects of leaches such as @no one. And then after you mentioned "I am not looking for a way to hinder the commerce of my nation as a whole" we just need to see your two suggestions to know how hypocrite  you are and to understand that you want all the money for yourself.

By the way i am just curious. How in the hell an active veteran player like you only have 2 posts? For an arrogant idiot that accused me of being an ALT well what a suprise. Tell me who the F-U-C-K are you? 

 

Edited October 15, 2018 by no one

[Beeekonda]

Current economy sucks.

What exactly you mean when you say money port?

There is few huge CONSUMING ports than can be captured: Nassau, Cartagena, Santo Domingo, Puerto de Espana. Not a single one in the Gulf, or Yucatan-Central America, Atlantic Coast.

Here is a map:

Red area is dead: little to no PVP, no RVR. Literally no interesting ports beside Esteros, which is FFA and everybody can place contracts for copper.

Pink area has a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE amount of Live Oak and White Oak ports. After  beginning of War of the Lovers this area finally has RVR.

Green: Cartagena and Santo Domingo: A common place for big ass fleet clashes. Both ports consumes (buys goods at high price) most of the trade stuff and makes a lot of money.

Blue: Puerto de Espana. After Frogs took it they placed US timer on it so it was out of RVR, but after Raxius' exile they moved timer to 20:00 - 23:00 so I'm waiting for new battles for that port. 

Black: Nassau. Pretty much no RVR around that port. 

There is also a few BBB ports that consumes few valuable trade goods (typically Black Ironwood and Historical Artifacts) like Campeche, Soto la Maria (ever heard bout that port? no? hit like), Conil, Bluefields, Nuevitas, Maracaibo and so on... These ports make something between 500k to 2kk a day depending on how active traders around. Obviously there is almost no RvR around it but you can find people trading around.

Ports with fine woods and resources for some modules make a decent amount of money, usually just covering the timer money.

 

Now to a bigger ,imho, issue! 

I keep hearing people saying "oh, pirates should not be able to capture ports or sail on anything bigger that 5th rate" bullshit when we literally have no piracy.   

Players almost never cap traders for their goods since they have less value then PvP marks. Why bother? Just sink that pos tbrig or whatever ship you tag - sink it for PVP marks - sell them at the port - PROFIT. And you don't even need about the hold size/speed and other bs. Sinking ships in PVE also makes you a bunch of money.

Current gameplay as a trader is less interesting than gameplay of Watch Paint Dry: The Game . You buy some stuff for cheap - set the course to the port where you sell that stuff - go afk for a bit.... PROFIT

Edited October 15, 2018 by Beeekonda

[reaperpt]

19 hours ago, no one said:

I am having a similar issue with the clan XXXXX in the pirates faction. 

 

I am going to explain to you why that doens't work.

Imagine if all the clans had the monopoly of its resources, what would happen? The other players  wouldn't get the chance of trading anything outside the capital region. The game would be already dead for them , and Naval Action would be a dead game in a few months, lacking players .

Second the players that owns a port they would be limited to trade only in the capital region and around their port/s. So again you are limiting their actions in the map to make profit for trading.  

In both situations you are ruining the game to most all players just because you want your clan to have the monopoly. You ruin the game for most players and because of this you would kill  NA game.

 

Now let's not forget that the clan that controls the port already collect taxes. So the owners are already winning money by letting the others players to buy the resources. 

 

Now as i said i am having a similar issue with Storm crow from XXXXX. He saw me making contracts and he invite me to go to another port . You understand how this is disrepectful to the others players? I tried to be nice and make in an offer of both buy  low 10 pieces each time. Both would making profits. He is attitude was to make contracts to buy 80 historical artifacts for 121k !! and 180 Black ironwood for 40k! ( i have the screenshots ) So here i am all days paying attention to that port shop. When he thinks i am not watching he lowers the contracts and i show up again. So basically he is making trips with the cargo full of items that will not giving almost any profits just because he is so arrogant that can't watch other player buying goods from his port. Now imagine if all the clan leaders were like him or if the clans would had the monopoly as you are suggesting. The game would be dead in a few months.

 

10 hours ago, no one said:

this topic is a waste of time he already made it clear that he does not want other pirate players to trade in the ports captured by the clan xxxx and only he is that can profit in the port so it's not worth it to talk about it, we just have to ignore it or else Let's all start trading in salinas

 

[Teutonic]

I personally like a previous suggestion made in similar threads:

- the clan owning the port gets a % of the trade/rare resources that spawn. Up to 20%. It still allows the national players to enter, make contracts, and do whatever, but the owning clan always gets a portion of it.

Now as for coding that, I don't believe it's easily done. I guess to make it work you would need an outpost.

Overall I don't believe it is a huge problem - I have found ports that are empty of contracts and have good trade/rare resources the farther away you sail from a capital. If it means an extra 5-10minute sail for maximum profits, I suppose it is worth it.

[Capn Rocko]

Just like port battle entry, the clans should be able to control who puts contracts in their ports. Options could be: 1) All nation 2) Friendly clans 3) Clan only

This would solve 2 things: 1) alts could no longer be used to buy valuable resources 2) More players would fight over important ports. 

 

@Teutonic its a big problem for rare crafting resources. Go to LH/nassau/cartegena/etc. and see the players names who have contracts and are stealing resources from the clans/nations who own those ports. I am sure there are many ports that do not have this problem, but if population ever rises or other patches are implemented, it could potentially be a problem for those ports. 

Edited October 15, 2018 by Capn Rocko

[Teutonic]

2 hours ago, Capn Rocko said:

Just like port battle entry, the clans should be able to control who puts contracts in their ports. Options could be: 1) All nation 2) Friendly clans 3) Clan only

This would solve 2 things: 1) alts could no longer be used to buy valuable resources 2) More players would fight over important ports. 

 

@Teutonic its a big problem for rare crafting resources. Go to LH/nassau/cartegena/etc. and see the players names who have contracts and are stealing resources from the clans/nations who own those ports. I am sure there are many ports that do not have this problem, but if population ever rises or other patches are implemented, it could potentially be a problem for those ports. 

I like the options you suggest.

I don't normally hang around the ports you stated. I must admit that the resources I tend to go for do not have the same issues you present, but they are also not as highly demanded as the copper or tar others die to get.

An alternative thought - could we have other ways, instead of just literally praying for sealed bottles, that playets could get these resources?

It has been suggested before, but I would love to be able to find places in the OW that have sites to search for rare goods. You find a point of interest on an otherwise boring coastline that you can interact with and find goodies. The player would be in the OW and tisked being attacked, but the reward is something similar to sealed bottles. 

Or maybe mission rewards for LONG trade routes could be rare resources. Basically ways to get these resources still. The port owned by the clan and/or owning nation would still always make/get more of it, but everyone has alternative access to other ways to acquire. It goes in the same light of what @Christendom has said repeatedly, PvE variety and a vast array of content is what brings players back and what makes the game more enjoyable.

[Angus MacDuff]

The test bed was giving us chests for mission completion, very similar to sealed bottles, so hopefully we will have that. 

The issue that I see from my "little guy" perspective is that all of this thread is dedicated to giving the big clans who take ports a degree of power that more casual players will not enjoy.  Monopolies mean that some percentage lose out.  Is this really good for the game?  We should be finding ways for more players to get the good stuff with a variety of means to that end.  Not tying up a valuable resource for the sole use of the few.  There are plenty of ways (that have already been suggested) to make taking a port, worthwhile and having it make money.  The point of this game (I believe) is to have as many players as possible out in the OW doing...something.  We should also have a relatively even playing field so that super modded ships are not the prize of a few elite players.  These proposals mean that one clan could corner the market on a particular resource.  I don't mind fighting an elite player and losing, but it makes me sad if I lose because of mods that are unachievable to me.

[Farrago]

Remove upgrades from the Captains Chest. It makes more sense that books should be there instead.

That way tar or copper have to either be sailed out of the port, or the upgrades do, or installed on a ship in that port. It will make it more complicated for alts to use those rare resources.

[SnovaZdorowa]

36 minutes ago, Farrago said:

Remove upgrades from the Captains Chest. It makes more sense that books should be there instead.

That way tar or copper have to either be sailed out of the port, or the upgrades do, or installed on a ship in that port. It will make it more complicated for alts to use those rare resources.

realism

gameplay

main rule for sucessfull online games instead simulators (most single-played) imho
it's not historic cinema, it's game

[Farrago]

1 hour ago, SnovaZdorowa said:

realism

gameplay

main rule for sucessfull online games instead simulators (most single-played) imho
it's not historic cinema, it's game

I agree. Gameplay > Realism. That’s why I’m against scurvy, real world wind patterns, realistic sailing times, and all kinds of other simulator ideas.

But right now the ability of my alt to craft a Cartagena Refit in Cartagena, plop it in his Captains Chest, teleport  to his outpost in a Freetown, Give it to my character who puts it in his Captains Chest, teleports to my shipyard and plops it on a ship discourages all kinds of Game Play. The waters outside the most valuable ports should be the most dangerous in the game. Instead, they are very quiet.

[Beeekonda]

5 hours ago, Banished Privateer said:

Campeche is the Gulf money-maker. Maybe it's not super trade hub, but it's such a great port with spawning ports right next to it that every day it prints pure cash. 

Campeche is one of those triple-B ports, and as I said it makes in between 500k and 2kk a day. It can make a lot of money just because Gulf is dead and a lot of traders sail around in AFK-mode.

Quote

Kindly disagree, my memory tells me about dozens of port battles in the Bahamas. Maybe it's not happening 24/7, but in the past 2 months, there was probably about 20 PBs. West End was the most recent one.

That was an attempt to snatch a free port while WO were fighting Swedes. Can't recall any port battles (not a "Free Real Estate" like) for Marsh Island, Harbour Island, West End, Nassau, Williams and Kemps bays. 

[Beeekonda]

3 minutes ago, Banished Privateer said:

I do remember at least 3 Nassau PBs + attempt on hostility, I do remember about 5 or 6 attacks on Little Harbour, about 3-4 attacks on West End, maybe 2 attacks on Mangrove Cay, not mentioning all of the ports taken around by ORCA (like Sandy Point, La Desconocida, Little Isaac Rocks) a still new-ish Danish clan. William's Bay was captured from Sweden by Prussia, then taken from Prussia by the US, then Prussia recaptured it from the US and then pirates stole it from the Prussia. All of that happened in like past 2 months? 

Also, West End wasn't any multi-flip, the port is also not defended by WO, they don't do shallow thingies. Port is being defended by EU French successfully in all last 3 attempts?

Pirates took Williams month ago and West End was the first port battle since then. I didn't called it multiflip, I said "FREE REAL ESTATE" like, which it was whether you call it a nightflip or multiflip, or they just thought Frenchies ain't gonna bother defending.

Beside 6 ports mentioned before other ports are mostly useless or not important. 

[Beeekonda]

3 minutes ago, Banished Privateer said:

Yes, I'm talking 2 months timeline. I guess no one is attacking Marsh Harbour, Harbour Island and William's Bay because of the timers? Maybe you didn't come up with that idea, drop the timer and you will see soon attacks on these ports. West End was attacked several times, at nights, days and it always gets defended. 

 Speaking about useless ports, You can see only 1 end of the story which is Nassau. On the other hand, you forget of all surrounding ports of Nassau that produce all the trading goods that make traders earn millions of gold by being sold in Nassau. You've gotta look at the big picture, pal.

All the ports I mentioned as "important" has a timer. Guess why?

Now about your the "other side" of the story. We were talking about ports in concept of attracting/killing RvR (map shown used to clarify where is huge fights over the ports). Do you really think that Swedes sail around Santo Domingo and Cartagena traiding? Or you think Russians trying to take those ports to trade around? No! They want these ports because other players will come to those ports and sell stuff, thus rising the  income in taxes.