NPC Raid beeing a complete failure... And more

[OjK]

So, after a joke that developers offered us today, I went very carefully through both of the official topics about this stupid mechanic which was introduced.

 

Please show where the hello kitty is ANY mention about changes to the battle timing, where is it closed and etc.
We were told to prepare, we were told to learn the way how to beat it. So we did. And we had a fleet waiting outside to join, as would we do in a defensive PB.

But then, suddenly the battle was instantly closed.

Dear @admin if You'd actually EVER participated in PB, You probably would know, that if You defend, most of the time the fleet waits outside, with only one or two players joining first to "scout" and the rest of defending fleet joins later.

That's how we learnt to do it for years, and that's how we wanted to do it today. That's how majority of PB's happen in that game.

But for absolutely no reason, and without any actual warning, this new bullshit mechanic changes the worked out, and tested mechanic we all know.

Where the hell was ANY information, that when the battle starts, it actually CLOSE?!

 

This absurd lack of competence costed us tremendous amount of goods (650 CM, 260.000 Doubloons) simply because You never learnt how to make a proper patch notes.
They were ALWAYS some ridiculous general guidance, without any details, and it was always our job to find it out.

And it was (barely) acceptable when it came to a new things. But this time, it hello kittyed up badly hours of our work, simply because You have no idea how to manage Your game.

 

Why does it even exist?
Do You know that You can't be screened out of defensive PB? The mechanic that YOU created, gives us 30 sec immunity after leaving the docks, and another 8 when attack timer is on. Tell me You can't reach the joining spot within 38 seconds. Really, sometimes it literally feels like You guys never play Your own game. This is just absurd.

Not to mention how stupid was the idea of "David vs Goliath" scenario. Who was dumb enough to think it's a great idea?
You really think, that if even that would be technically possible to screen defenders out, like You wanted (see above) can You imaging what would happen if smaller nation would prevent BF from defending New Orleans against NPC? Pretty sure Revers would attack the very next day f.e. Bridgetown, if that would be French who would be bold enough to screen them out in NO. Very great idea. Well done.

And oh! By the way! You can't really capture a port lost by NPC raid, You know? You implemented Frontline mechanics, which actually make only DUTCH beeing able to get hostility missions for port that was lost today. Again, do You even play Your god damn game?

 

You can tell the fairytales about "player base is constant", but open Your eyes, or start actually checking Your facts. 
Count how many "alts" were bought in the meanwhile. So if Your player count stays at the same time, despite multiple people getting an alt, the outcome is quite clear - You're loosing Your players on a constant basis.

You have no clue how to manage that game, and add some unfinished ideas, which noone asked for, while we wait for almost half a year to fix the broken BR that so many people were asking for quite a while already.

I won't even go with the list of the clans who used to be major powers in RvR and they are completely gone. But You still trying to fool us, that "playerbase" is the same.

You know, this game is a bloody narrow and tight community. After that time, we pretty much know each other, and who are we playing with or against.
And everyone around knows how many old, veteran players can't be found in the game anymore. No matter on the same side or on the opposite side.

 

So, getting to an end.

The bullshit NPC raid mechanics was introduced wrongly, and without a proper information or detailed patch notes.

Uninformed change of Port Battle closing mechanic costed SNOW loosing a port, and the loss of 650 CM, 260.000 Doubloons and 260 VMs.

It's clearly Your fault, because of the specific change which prevented us to defend the port - with 2 people scouting in, and 8 people waiting outside to join "closed" battle.
So I would personally expect we will see the lost goods in the "Compensation" tab in rewards soon.

The only explanation of not providing us the compensation is the direct link to any of Your post, dear @admin where it is a slighest clue, that the battle closing will be different for those PB's.
And foreseeing some ridicoulus answers - when we were actually testing it out, we were INSIDE the battle, so couldn't really check how long will it be open, right? Especially if we wouldn't have ANY idea that it's gonna work differently.

Otherwise, I'm afraid Your lack of competence, just costed You another lost players in the game, cause few of us, don't really feel interested in putting extra hours of work to fix Your lack of communication or competence.

 

Best regards,
Van OjK

Edited November 24, 2019 by OjK

[Gregory Rainsborough]

I mean the tone is wrong but the substance is right for the most part.

[OjK]

4 minutes ago, Gregory Rainsborough said:

I mean the tone is wrong (...)

It might be. But that's how I feel know, and I'm not gonna pretend. Sorry.

[Mouth of Sauron]

Welcome to the #banned club.

[erelkivtuadrater]

[z4ys]

39 minutes ago, OjK said:

So, after a joke that developers offered us today, I went very carefully through both of the official topics about this stupid mechanic which was introduced.
[...]

That's how we learnt to do it for years, and that's how we wanted to do it today. That's how majority of PB's happen in that game.

But for absolutely no reason, and without any actual warning, this new bullshit mechanic changes the worked out, and tested mechanic we all know.

Where the hell was ANY information, that when the battle starts, it actually CLOSE?!

[...]

The joke how you call it is in for a month. And there was almost 4 weeks of preperation.

Quote

[...]

Please show where the hello kitty is ANY mention about changes to the battle timing, where is it closed and etc.
We were told to prepare, we were told to learn the way how to beat it. So we did. And we had a fleet waiting outside to join, as would we do in a defensive PB.

But then, suddenly the battle was instantly closed.

[...]

The mechanic was there to try out without any risk for around 4 weeks. Admin even told to try out, to learn and adept for when the safety switch is turned off.

Quote

[...]

That's how we learnt to do it for years, and that's how we wanted to do it today. That's how majority of PB's happen in that game.

But for absolutely no reason, and without any actual warning, this new bullshit mechanic changes the worked out, and tested mechanic we all know.

Where the hell was ANY information, that when the battle starts, it actually CLOSE?!

[...]

While someone does it always this way doesnt mean its the right way. If the 4 weeks had been used efficient it would have been a known thing to your nation.

 

On 11/1/2019 at 5:27 PM, admin said:

You are honest Let me be honest too. We gave a lot of time to prepare.
We ordered NPCs to attack everyone now, so everyone can practice and figure out how they can help mess up big nations. 
If you do not want to set up defense to at least practice or use wind gusts to move ships and just want to sit on a pier and complain- it will be your fault that you lost the port. 

If you play for a top nation you will have to do it. If you play for poland you will never get attacked. Switch and you dont have to bother with NPC raids.

 

Quote

[...]

Why does it even exist?

[...]

 

There is no reason to insult devs here.

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by z4ys

[OjK]

@z4ys Tell me, how the hell I was supposed to check the closing timers when I was inside the battle to test them out?

Therefore, everything You build this reply on is simply wrong.

We knew how to beat it. And according to this post:

 

 

Show where its mentioned in that topic, that there is a difference in the closing time of the PB?

You're just ridicoulus.

 

[z4ys]

7 minutes ago, OjK said:

@z4ys Tell me, how the hell I was supposed to check the closing timers when I was inside the battle to test them out?

Therefore, everything You build this reply on is simply wrong.

We knew how to beat it. And according to this post:

 

 

Show where its mentioned in that topic, that there is a difference in the closing time of the PB?

You're just ridicoulus.

 

When you always joined late. Because thats how its done like you said. Why it didnt come to your attention before 😉

There are many things to try out not only the battle itself.

Edited November 24, 2019 by z4ys

[Mouth of Sauron]

I think the issue is, and it's been like this for a while, is that patch notes and comments are fragmented in multiple threads and the notes that are posted are usually incomplete/missing things.  Not sure if this is intentional, but the "figure it out" mindset that we experienced in early access really should be more polished and complete for the release.  

List what changed.  List the mechanics regarding it.  List what you can/cannot do.

Last week in the VC AI battle we were unaware of the alternate AI spawn locations (apparently there are 4) and I suggested exactly what you did in your battle, join 1 or 2 to scout, and was told that the battle closes instantly.  In our fight, if you were watching the stream, we had 1 group join 2 circles away from the AI position and almost didn't make it to the indiamen in time.  This would have cost us VC for a couple days.  

Lack of consistent information on new mechanics is a problem and when invested ports are on the line because of these absurd AI battles no one seems to want.....motivation seems to be waning.  

Edited November 24, 2019 by Mouth of Sauron

[Gregory Rainsborough]

This is a fully released game and all details of patches subsequent to release should be listed in detail.

The loss of Nueva Barcelona is a pisstake, caused by a failure of the developers to correctly inform the game population. If it wasn't us it would be someone else. I should not have to "test" every possible thing that could or would go wrong, that's not my job, it's the developers job.

I've no bloody clue what's changed since the last time I did it as @Mouth of Sauron says. I've got better things to do that trapse through the forums looking for answers to questions I hadn't considered nor anything anyone else considered for that matter.

@admin I would politely ask that the Nueva Barcelona upgrades be restored and we be permitted to do it again next weekend. It would be taking the piss for us to lose tens of hours of eco just because of the failure of the devs to point out the mechanics.

Did anyone sit outside the battle to see when the battle closed? No. We were asked to go in and fight to test it out not sit around outside.

Edited November 24, 2019 by Gregory Rainsborough

[van der Clam]

2 minutes ago, Gregory Rainsborough said:

I should not have to "test" every possible thing that could or would go wrong

Yet, we all know there are nations out there who purposely "test" every little thing there is to game the mechanics. You may not be one of them, but you know there are those kind who do and don't report what they find. Instead they keep it to themselves so they're the only ones who know the tricks.

[Tenet]

3 hours ago, z4ys said:

BARBARBARBARBARBARBAR

You're not saying anything useful. There's a simple industry standard, called Patch Notes. 

Perhaps some of the DLC money should be going towards making sure ALL the information is available in ONE place including important nuances like changes in the way join mechanics work. 

https://store.steampowered.com/news/?appids=311310

100% of the information should be posted in a separate post right there. Not somewhere deep in replies on the forum.

You gotta stop apologizing for this madness. 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Tenet

[Mouth of Sauron]

We also just successfully defended Nassau from the AI PB.  No loot chests.  That was supposed to be this past week correct? 

They are OVERloaded with nuts, tobacco and cheese though.  Why are LGVs in the shallows anyway?

[Sento de Benimaclet]

I cannot  understand how NPCs are able to conquer ports on the PVP server.

[Tenet]

11 minutes ago, Sento de Benimaclet said:

I cannot  understand how NPCs are able to conquer ports on the PVP server.

Don't derail the thread. The answer was already provided - it's a balancing mechanic against large area control.

If you want to argue against it in principle, start a different thread - and better have a superior alternative.

[Raekur]

Where are the patch notes that state that the battle closes in under 12 min? I hopped over to Truxillo today to see how many were in the battle defending it and there was nothing, no crossed swords or anything giving any indication the battle was even underway. In a normal PB defenders and attackers are able to join within the first 20 min or so, why is this being done so differently? Is this an intentional attempt to just drain money and resources from players? Maybe instead of calling them Raider battles they should have been referred to as Kobayashi Maru engagements.

[Gregory Rainsborough]

The battles once inside are doable, it's just the fact that the mechanics were deliberately created to mislead players.

[Malcolm3]

20 minutes ago, Gregory Rainsborough said:

The battles once inside are doable, it's just the fact that the mechanics were deliberately created to mislead players.

So, you think that developers intentionally conceal some details of the mechanics of NPC Raids, so players would lose ports and resources, isn't it?

As to me - the problem is that they have just too litle people to do the whole work and they could just forgot about some details (as they accustomed to them during internal testing and consider them usual things). And nobody during testing weeks pointed to the issue of battle closed early, when other things and bugs with NPC Raids mentioned by players were fixed. Adding to this that, as @Mouth of Sauron said, some people knew that battle closes instantly - obviously from previous expirience from testing. So it's not only devs mistake.

Though I can't disagree in that case with @Mouth of Sauron - we need all game rules combined in one place and updated regularly so every player (especially new one) can read them and know them.

2 hours ago, Mouth of Sauron said:

We also just successfully defended Nassau from the AI PB.  No loot chests.  That was supposed to be this past week correct? 

That's supposed to be with Leopard DLC, new building etc by the end of November, so this week Wednesday or Thursday, I presume

[Tom Farseer]

It is absolutely irrelevant whether there is lack of work capacity with regards to patch notes. Making undocumented changes go live us simply bad practice.

This game is no longer early Access. We are now simple customers, not community testers.

Writing comprehensive patch notes takes less than a single hour. If that in turn delays release by a day, so be it. Documentation is an integral part of any kind of software development. You should never take time off that for other things unless absolutely necessary.

[admin]

4 hours ago, Gregory Rainsborough said:

The battles once inside are doable, it's just the fact that the mechanics were deliberately created to mislead players.

 

8 hours ago, Gregory Rainsborough said:

I've no bloody clue what's changed since the last time I did it as @Mouth of Sauron says. I've got better things to do that trapse through the forums looking for answers to questions I hadn't considered nor anything anyone else considered for that matter.

@admin I would politely ask that the Nueva Barcelona upgrades be restored and we be permitted to do it again next weekend. It would be taking the piss for us to lose tens of hours of eco just because of the failure of the devs to point out the mechanics.

 

Just above you claimed that we tried to personally mislead you - you Gregory Gainsborough - a player , despite the fact that the feature has been live on live servers for a very good time and NPCs were attacking every port right and left to give you a chance to practice. 

You also claimed raids constantly changed and even quoted some local troll. But the only thing that changed about NPC raids is the fix of 2 bugs and reduction of points generated for zone capture. Nothing else was changed since they were deployed. Entry rules, spawn rules, all rules were the same - as they were on the day they were given to players for testing.

If you and your friends express extreme outrage in one post and are polite in another.
You forgot the main rule of this forum. The moment you make it too personal and start cursing, throwing outraged tantrums, or whatever - and turn into a dick- no matter how brilliant, poignant, or revolutionary your content or feedback or proposal - it is no longer worth someone's time to deal with your disrespect. We no longer waste time on outrage. 

Locked.