Increase player density by reducing mapsize

[unknown NPC]

i wonder if by map reduction, we can achieve a better gameplay

so the average 500 online  players see each other more often

as an example, here an snapshot of the map

Edited October 24, 2018 by unknown NPC

[Giselle Chastain]

I think that is  not  a good idea, because if you make the map small we still being 500 players... only that the players will be more concentrated, that's not a solution ... it's a patch.

They need attract more players. They need to do the game more atractive with new stuff (not DLCs), new content and new ideas. 

[Sento de Benimaclet]

Simplify the game, more action, less trader, less PvE to get money, everything much cheaper to make PvP boats and go out to fight and you will see how the players come back. Hardcore game, game for a minority. It's that simple.

[Hethwill]

Make sailing and combat proper simcore if you think about removing costs.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Sento de Benimaclet said:

Simplify the game, more action, less trader, less PvE to get money, everything much cheaper to make PvP boats and go out to fight and you will see how the players come back. Hardcore game, game for a minority. It's that simple.

if we make ships cheap to make we will only see tons of 1st rates, lets see after the patch how expensive it is to build a SoL

[Fletch]

One of the most attractive things for me is the size of the map. I would love to see exploration and random encounters play a much bigger part though.

There should be a bit more sense of adventure about sailing into far flung places, Perhaps native settlements, ancient ruins to explore I dunno but the map is a good size just needs padding out with some content in my opinion.

[Njord]

10 minutes ago, Fletch67 said:

Perhaps native settlements

And when you find them you get a bunch of labour contracts ( take them as slaves ), +10 morale for the next battle and some gold ( rape and plunder )... europeans back then sure knew how to party hard and make an adventure worth the journey.

[Guest]

Reducing the mapsize risk removing the playerbase that is left by simply aggravating already bad mechanics. I'd rather they'd fix RvR, PvP and create more balanced risk/rewards in econ. And more content - why are we only allowed to fish? - Why not having a whaling ship? - go to sea with a specialized craft for a decent amount of ambra and whalingoil. Have hotspots on the ocean where whales gather in greater numbers so as to concentrate an area where whaling can fill up a ships hold fast, but with the added risk of cruisers knowing the whaling spots. We europeans didn't just begin to rape the world of its ressources you know.

[Njord]

12 minutes ago, Lars Kjaer said:

Why not having a whaling ship? - go to sea with a specialized craft for a decent amount of ambra and whalingoil. Have hotspots on the ocean where whales gather in greater numbers so as to concentrate an area where whaling can fill up a ships hold fast, but with the added risk of cruisers knowing the whaling spots.

This would be a nice addition. Whalers could be hunted like traders and thus generate even more content. As far as I know capturing a fully loaded whaler back then was like catching a oil transporter today - different kind of oil but same big $$$. The whales could be like mission markers that have to be found in OW and are only possible to interact with in a ship fitted for whaling. Seems rather easy to implement? They would have to model a "marker" for whales and add a permanent upgrade for it and the upgrade should take like 3 slots...

Another great idea that probably wont see implementation.

[Macjimm]

A smaller map would be a different game, completely.  NAL might satisfy that.

I have no interest in floating about on a big lake with 100 hunters.

I like the feeling of open ocean and the longer distances.

[Slim McSauce]

 You don't need a smaller map, the map we have needs visual focus and information feedback.

Otherwise no one knows where the heck to go to find players (besides capitals)

[Sento de Benimaclet]

4 hours ago, Wyy said:

if we make ships cheap to make we will only see tons of 1st rates, lets see after the patch how expensive it is to build a SoL

The number of first rates is limited to one that a player can have and that's it. In addition one does not usually take an ocean or santísima to make PvP, cheap boats of third class down, which is what is usually used normally. Give facilities to the people and they will return, it is almost impossible to have a first rate after the patch and the few that remain will leave. Do not expect there to be many more people if you further harden the game.

[Ronald Speirs]

We used to have a smaller map just in the Lesser Antillies, there was certainly plenty of player presence around but no room for new players to grind and become familiar with the map without the constant threat of being smashed.

What the game lacks is a proper working economy that doesn't require so much of a time sink for many to get involved with, players should have easy access to customization/ upgrades at cheap costs to change their ship characteristics, the cheaper they are and easy to obtain the more likely players will go out and PvP because they feel competitive, if they lose then they should be able to buy the upgrades from their active ports cheap as there is a great supply and demand for the product creating competitive and cheap pricing to sell products.

Its been quite some time since i have made a post about this game but it keeps going around in circles and never seems to understand on how to make the game work while reintroducing bad mechanics and systems that the majority hated before, Ship slots and limiting them in crafting, people hated it before yet here it is again, why not take look at what other games do well (POTBS) ship upgrades and builds even the economy then world infrastructure and prosperity to go one further like Port Royale/ or Grand Ages, so ports wanting to develop to become bigger need bricks, more food etc creating supply chain, hell its cant be considered copyright if the real world is the example on where you develop your ideas.

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

No smaller map. The sea has to be of tactical value. For hiding, for escaping, for sneaking in, having to search for treasure ship/enemy/NPC fleets. Even for getting lost and navigating. For feeling like you are in a wide ocean, not your bathtub.

[TheHaney]

I can see the benefits of a smaller map, but I think they're outweighed by the benefits of the current one.

[Capn Rocko]

Map size is okay if we have a bigger population. The developers have a vision for the game that includes a larger population of players. Shrinking the map size to accommodate the current population goes directly against that vision.

[William Livingston Alden]

On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 3:44 AM, unknown NPC said:

i wonder if by map reduction, we can achieve a better gameplay

so the average 500 online  players see each other more often

as an example, here an snapshot of the map

the game would never get more then 500 players because of the bad battle mechanics and game play and insane DLC.

when you want to shrink the map to focus the player base then it would be only 1 square mile big.