Magnum Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I think that as a Master & Commander (and up) in a Frigate (and up) that when I come across an NPC of my own Nation of lower rank (say a Midshipman in a cutter) I should be able to give them 2 basic commands: 1. Join my fleet 2. leave my fleet If I then am tagged or tag another for battle - the ones I have commandeered join all around me and fight as they do now when all of the same nation I notice the NPC's are joining in Fleets with each other - why not with us Humans? Plus if there are gankers in the area - it might be the cure in a big way. ---- Dev's could add - to the "hail, attack" interface " commandeer" and if you click on a commandeered ship "release" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Loe Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This might explain why there are no npcs in player battles: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/5572-bug-no-bots-in-pve-in-sea-trials/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirror452 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) I don't know. I think the NPC fleets should have a "purpose", like a destination or something, and I doubt that you as a Master&Commander should have the right to make them change the orders they presumably got by the admiralty. What I would prefer is an option to have NPCs lying in ports which you can hire, or command to follow you. And they should leave you after some time (or you would have to hire them again... or "convince" the admiralty.) Convincing the admiralty, or hiring, should be something quite difficult or expensive. Something you would use only in special occasions. Don't think that a spam of huge fleets would be good for the game. Edited June 2, 2015 by mirror452 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 This might explain why there are no npcs in player battles: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/5572-bug-no-bots-in-pve-in-sea-trials/ That is in sea trials isn't it? - I am talking about Open World and battle instances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This might explain why there are no npcs in player battles: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/5572-bug-no-bots-in-pve-in-sea-trials/ that topic referred to sea trials only (which are still running) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 I don't know. I think the NPC fleets should have a "purpose", like a destination or something, and I doubt that you as a Master&Commander should have the right to make them change the orders they presumably got by the admiralty. What I would prefer is an option to have NPCs lying in ports which you can hire, or command to follow you. And they should leave you after some time (or you would have to hire them again... or "convince" the admiralty.) Convincing the admiralty, or hiring, should be something quite difficult or expensive. Something you would use only in special occasions. Don't think that a spam of huge fleets would be good for the game. IRL far far far away from the Admiralty - rank was King and Honor was Queen. If a higher ranking officer was to give you an order, it was his Honor that bound it to be for the good of the realm and your duty to follow it as best you could. But I do see your point that it should be limited - so as not to be overused - perhaps you loose XP and/or Gold each time you use it, with a hard limit per voyage.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirror452 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Hmmm... Loosing xp sounds interesting. Do you think you should loose a rank when you "spend" too many xp, or should it be like a debt when you reach 0 for the current rank? In my opinion I would prefer to loose ranks. This would also open the way for some other mechanics that use the ranking system, and it would prevent also top rank players from using it too much.I also think that the amount of xp you loose should be bound to - the number and class of ships - and it should decrease over time after each use. So for example right after you use it the amount you have to spend should be very high, and it would decrease to the original level over time. Oh, and in my opinion it should cost both gold and xp. For example... spending xp for the hiring, and spending gold over time depending how long they serve under you. So you would pay like running costs for the ships you commandeer. Just some ideas... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirror452 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) Oh and if we ever have something like port battles or sieges or anything... It should cost more to take NPCs away from battles, or from other (lower ranked) captains who hired them previously. Which I think should be possible... To take the fleet away from a captain if his rank is lower, but maybe you would have to "pay" him a compensation in xp or gold... Edited June 2, 2015 by mirror452 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry d'Esterre Darby Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 IRL far far far away from the Admiralty - rank was King and Honor was Queen. If a higher ranking officer was to give you an order, it was his Honor that bound it to be for the good of the realm and your duty to follow it as best you could. But I do see your point that it should be limited - so as not to be overused - perhaps you loose XP and/or Gold each time you use it, with a hard limit per voyage.? Ships didn't sail around commandeering each other and creating ersatz fleets. In order to command other ships, you needed orders from the Admiralty stating such. While two ships might work together in a limited instance to counter a threat that was unforeseen, the idea that because I'm higher on the Post list than you that I can countermand your standing orders and demand you come with me on my mission isn't correct at all. Admirals were placed over certain regions. Captains were assigned to those Admirals. Orders then came either from the Admiralty to a Captain directly, or more often, from the Admiral. Only the Admiral could make you a Commodore and assign additional ships under you. Except in exceptional cases, disregarding your existing orders without express permission from your commanding officer or the Admiralty was punishable by Court Martial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueMyChin Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This might just be me but I would limit NPCs to protecting a home port and being available for hire as escort duty for a cost. Obviously in testing that would leave the oceans sparsely populated but is there any real need in them once it goes live? Consequences of this would be no pointless battles whereby NPCs attack players with no hope of the player losing. Farming NPC ships for loot and XP would be far more difficult as they would only exist around enemy controlled areas or would be part of a convoy with at least one player involved. If missions were added there could be AI controlled enemy involved in those too but NPC fleets sailing around aimlessly when the population is larger would add little to the experience for me anyway... I appreciate they're a fact of life in testing though, if only for population and AI performance testing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsafer Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Players are better than AI ships if players really wanted to attack a player that has AI escort they can and could probably win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 Players are better than AI ships if players really wanted to attack a player that has AI escort they can and could probably win In my NavyBrig I joined a battle where 4 humans in Surprises and 4 or 5 NPC's in frigates of my nation were trying to take down Three Vic's and 2 Cerbs - we got the Cerbs sunk real fast and finally one of the Vic's as well -- but finally all our NPC's were sunk and the humans had to leave to lick our wounds - leaving the two Vic's about 2/3 armour. So I for one wouldn't kick an AI Vic out of bed er, the ocean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueMyChin Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I think the AI escorts will serve a purpose. Obviously player escorts would be better but if they aren't available, going into a battle vs a stronger ship with them would be preferable to going into one on your own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsafer Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 In my NavyBrig I joined a battle where 4 humans in Surprises and 4 or 5 NPC's in frigates of my nation were trying to take down Three Vic's and 2 Cerbs - we got the Cerbs sunk real fast and finally one of the Vic's as well -- but finally all our NPC's were sunk and the humans had to leave to lick our wounds - leaving the two Vic's about 2/3 armour. So I for one wouldn't kick an AI Vic out of bed er, the ocean Sounds like a win to me... Not every battle has to be sink all and we win, I have sailed with Alex Connor in Trins in the past and we saw a fleet of 1st rates Bels and Trins and Connies we wen't in the battle with a goal to sink the Trins and connie but as the battle wen't on we found ourselves able to sink the Bellona and at least damage the 1st rates. Idk about you but I call that a win, we accomplished what we set out to do and actually wen't beyond. Same thing can be done with players if they are in a player/AI match. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Posted June 7, 2015 Author Share Posted June 7, 2015 If the mechanic to "order" an NPC to join your fleet isn't doable - perhaps a way to see their destination, and if you are going that way - join them! If you come across a (Brit) fleet near the southern tip of Cuba and find out they are headed to Nassau 1. you are a Brit :0 and 2: you are going that way you can lasso them and tag along - sort of like on cruse control. three or four of you buds could join as well - or eight Of course if the fleet gets tagged for a fight, most likely by another fleet - so do you - sounds like a great and jolly fleet action to me. ------- This mode of "finding fleet action" would actually be more realistic than the "comm-ganking" tit tat tit tat we are seeing develop now into lopsided fleet actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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