Idea on boosting overall trade and PVP

[tantony]

Hi everyone, i'd like to submit an idea that might boost global trade and economy in the game as well as boost PVP and PVE encounters. I think everyone would agree that the game is very time consuming. Especially free trade and trading missions take a lot of time and are quiet boring to do to be honest. Yet they are nessecary to gain dubloons and reals. In other words the game is - to some extend - forcing players to spend their time on boring trade runs. I thinks this might be a real problem for many players and may even be one of the biggest problems of this game right now, that you sometimes travel for hours without an equally high gain regarding ingame money and personal statisfaction.

In my opinion auto trade could lessen this problem without being to blunt. It could work this way:

Any player could use free fleet slots to create a trade-fleet in any port whit an outpost. The player can chose the destination that the trader should go to and the goods (and maybe quest-item) the trader should carry. The player could also chose if the trader should sell goods to the port or send them to the warehouse in the designated port, depending on wether the player has an outpost there or not. Also it should be able to buy goods in the designated port the same way. The main ship of this trade-fleet must always be a trader, but it should also be possible to asign an escord. Trade-fleets should be limited by the current fleet and crew mechanisms. Once set, the trader will do the run automaticly meaing that a NPC trader spawns, sails towards the destination, does the trade and goes back. Once finished the trade-route will stop.

This would boost overall trade and add a new aspect to the game. Since trade raiding could be more rewarding some players might put up heavy escords. Also it would give players more flexibilty and time to play these amazing sea battles and would make them feel like a real admiral.

 

What do you think.

[Macjimm]

Good idea.

This idea has been suggested before, and if I remember correctly Admin said that such a feature would not be added because players would be frustrated when they lose their ships (and cargo). Lots of players said that they are prepared to accept the risk but I think Admin and Devs anticipate there would be huge raging controversies in the forms with players complaining about losing their resources and goods because the AI is so silly.

 

If it were allowed there should be limits:

1) There should be an option to set waypoints.

2) AI must travel in OW and be restricted by the time it takes to travel.  No warping or Towing.

3) All journeys must be return trips so this feature cannot be exploited to "Tow"/ deliver ships.

4) Economic missions (Cargo & Passengers) should not be allowed to be delivered by NPC. Eco missions are no risk and very high profit, and it would be way too easy if NPC delivery is allowed.

5) Only Traders ships can be used. Players may shadow/accompany the NPC ships if an escort is wanted.

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

On 7/20/2019 at 5:06 PM, Macjimm said:

Lots of players said that they are prepared to accept the risk but I think Admin and Devs anticipate there would be huge raging controversies in the forms with players complaining about losing their resources and goods because the AI is so silly.

Solution I can think of is, when this auto trade mission is being attacked, player gets a notification and a chance to jump in and take over leader ship of that convoy trying to save it. But what to do when auto traders are running while you are yourself in battle or even not logged in? I am afraid in this case they'd be left to their own device. But then game has an excuse when people start complaining again (and when they don't?),

[Daxav]

I think that having player-owned, AI controlled trade convoys would indeed add a lot of content and versatility to the game. I see some very good proposals for the mechanics here. Personally, I think it is obvious that if you want to have good control and maximum safety for your trade, you should do it yourself. Right now, there is no choice. You have to. By introducing an AI controlled trading convoy players have a choice, balancing risk, resources and time. Whoever cries over the AI not being smart enough to defend its convoy should, first, not use the option, and second, be consistent and not attack AI traders (as they cannot defend themselves). 

This is a great option to keep the game mechanics running as they are, while allowing players more choices on how to use their playing time. Although @admin may be mostly concerned with the hardcore grinding-able players, many of us simply cannot dedicate enough time, even if we enjoy all aspects of the game including trading and resource hauling. I have the impression that many players likely to complain because of poor AI trader capabilities are those which also actually grind themselves a lot. They are not the target of this mechanic. Indeed, they may benefit, as they can prey on player-owned, AI controlled traders. The target audience would be those who are willing to take the risk, because the don't have the time to grind.

I like all the suggestions here, except perhaps the one that allows only for traders in the convoy. I think that if the trade route is between friendly ports, you should still be allowed to assign a warship, same as it currently is for players. I would add some other possible controls, such as setting a timer for departure, and a ship defense priority flag, so that the player can have some control on what the AI should do in the event of attack. Players could also get status reports of the convoys as they pass within a certain distance of ports, kind of sighting reports. I can imagine automated convoy travelling unaccompanied for a long distance, and players only sailing next to the convoy in dangerous waters.

There is an immediate exploit to this: you can send a trading convoy (without warships) into an enemy port, while escorting it yourself with a warship, except that you never need to enter port. To counter this, the trader convoy crew and fleet size must still satisfy the players capabilities/limitations (rank, perks, etc).

[Cathal Brugha]

I would just say, not sailing the ships yourself is the risk you are taking by using ai convoy. 

I still would like an answer from @admin as to why they think the grind must be so high in this game.

[Never]

I already suggested this in the proposals thread. Go upvote it kek

[Cathal Brugha]

I already upvoted it, but unfortunately with the stupid number of votes thing, real changes get ignored or downvoted just because, or because clans don't want competition, and the silly 'popular' things that don't rock the boat are the only ones to get attention.

[Robin Lox]

I'd like the idea of creating contracts for other players to move your goods, person creating the contract sets an  "insurance" price (an upfront bill that the courier pays incase the cargo is lost or stolen) and pays the delivery fee in full (whatever price they set). Once the courier has paid the "insurance" the cargo is visible in their warehouse, upon delivery to the destination port, a notification is sent to the player that set the contract and the money is released to the courier.

For it to work, it would not send any notification to the player that set the contract until the cargo has been delivered or lost.

Players could steal this cargo from the courier and deliver it or keep it (just like any goods on player ships or the basic cargo missions). Obviously cargo/passenger mission items would have to be exempt from the delivery contracts.

 

This would be great for times when you need to move stuff to another port but don't have time, can't be bothered or whatever and could also push more players into the open world moving goods around, other than just warships and the occasional trader.

[Hethwill]

Courier would just "steal" the cargo having paid only the "insurance" hence buying the goods at a fraction of the price.

And without any negative results.

( that is without creating a whole new relationship intricate system )

[Genevieve Malfleurs]

41 minutes ago, Hethwill said:

Courier would just "steal" the cargo having paid only the "insurance" hence buying the goods at a fraction of the price.

And without any negative results.

( that is without creating a whole new relationship intricate system )

you have an evil way of thinking man ;)

[Henry Long Castle]

I love your idea, but unless you are a new player, you are not being forced to trade. You dont need to trade as long as you do some PvP. You will get loads of doubloons for sinking ship(5th rate or higher mostly) and you can capture ships and sell them for reals. 

I have tried trading and I can see how you can make money doing that. Trading seems extremely boring and in my eyes its not worth the trouble when I can simply sell high end upgrades and ships to make millions.

[Je maintiendrai]

'Yet they are nessecary to gain dubloons and reals. In other words the game is - to some extend - forcing players to spend their time on boring trade runs.'

I gain all my millions by sinking players and selling the doubloons. 1 or more DLC ships do help with that.

Edit: Apart from that statement its a fine idea imo

Edited June 16, 2020 by Je maintiendrai

[Robin Lox]

4 hours ago, Hethwill said:

Courier would just "steal" the cargo having paid only the "insurance" hence buying the goods at a fraction of the price.

And without any negative results.

( that is without creating a whole new relationship intricate system )

That is why you would set the insurance rate as a higher or equal price than/as the goods. For example I want to move item X from KPR to La Tortue, item value is 10k reales, I would set the insurance price as say 10k. If I put the insurance price as 1 mill, people might not take the cargo or those that decide to take the contract and steal the goods would end up losing out (the cargo would have to be listed as 'cargo' or 'crates' or something so that the person accepting the contract doesn't know what they are transporting, then if they open it to steal the goods, the goods can't be re-sealed as 'cargo' or 'crates'.