Pirate game???

[The Falcon 25]

Ahoy Mateys!

I have watched steam and other gaming sources a long time for a really good pirate game.  Sea of thieves came out.  It looked good in the trailer but did not live up to the hype.  The other drawback was that is required spyware infested windows 10 to play.  I passed.  Other pirate games are old with outdated graphics.  I heard of Atlas and got excited.  But after 40 hours in this game, I think it misses the mark in truly being a pirate game for all play styles.  What we got was a helluva mess that over time (no matter how many times you wipe the servers) devolves into a few large "power" groups that will compete against each other for islands??  This freezes out a great number of players.  These large groups are under no obligation to let outsiders in.  There are no real options for these players since reaching the fun part of the game play (ship to ship combat) and other such pirate activities are well beyond their reach.  Despite the fact it has a "pirate" theme, it really plays just like ARK.  If I wanted to play ARK, I would play that and not this.  While it is easy to complain and not offer suggestions, I would like to take a stab at some ways this game could change to become EPIC.

1) Create a number of "zones" around the map.  Each "zone" would be owned by a "pre-made" company with their own "flair" and backstory.  As a player you could choose which of the companies you wanted to join.

2) Once in the "company" you could choose to be a "farmer" to produce goods and sell to the town "market".  You could sign up in the "crew" shop to join a vessel going to sea.  Could be a fighting ship or a trading ship.

3) Or you could level your character in some fashion to build and "captain" your own ship. (either fighting or trading).  The goods sold by the farmers could be "put aboard" trading ships that must sail to "freeports" (no PVP zones) for sale or trade. 

4)Each company Zone could be setup to be deficient in certain materials so trading would be a must.  You could trade  goods for gold or for other goods.  They could be handled with pricing that depended on the quantity available.  If folks traded common items they would not be as valuable as other items....such as "gunpowder" or things like that needing to be crafted instead of "farming"

5) Once out on the high seas.....let the pirating begin!  As the owner of a trader, I could recruit other ships to provide escort to make sure the trading ship makes it to the "trading zone"  You could even have NPC trading ships to find and "pirate".

6)All the islands not in your "companies" starter zone would be ripe for "claiming"  The claim would get you a higher amount of resources then if not claimed.  The claims could be challenged by other "companies"

7) Ditch the ARK taming system.  Except for parrots/monkeys, I don't see a point to this in a pirate game.  You could raise horses, sheep, cows, pigs in your "companies" zone to put on the market.  The acquisition of "gold" and other resources is what allows your "company" and it's territory to expand it's influence.  But at the end of the day, your primary company zone cannot be taken down.  All of your other "claims" may be taken but you still have a fighting chance to build a new fleet and expand again.

Summary:  The current system will end up being for the hardcore large groups and at the end of the day the number of players actively playing the game will not be the type of numbers they boast they can support.  For a great many folks, the futility of the current exercise will cause them to move on from the game.  A game is supposed to be something that draws players in, not drive them away.  There needs to be rewards, challenges but overall, a sense by the player that there is a place they can fit into the game and their efforts are not futile.

I don't expect this game to become that but one can dream of a good pirate game I could sink my teeth into.

That is all.

[Sulfurblade 194]

1) No the players should make the story not the developers!

2) They do infact need professions, the limitation in skill points was the first step in the RIGHT direction for that to happen...  The next step is Profession trees you can put points into from lvl 1 not unlocked thru progression!!!

3) The leveling system currently is EXCELLENT... It makes you go out and explore the world and that's a great thing!

4)Your on the right track but all they need to do is do what you suggested to the biomes and the rest will work itself out...

5) I want more then a Pirate game I want a civilization builder, law and order, government, etc not idea that limit the game to PIRATE..

6) Don't really know how I feel about the whole world fight thing all I know is that as it is currently its broken...  I really think they need to come up with a 1 flag per person and actual proper siege mechanics where the defender has 72 hours to set the time of defense...

7)NO NO NO again I want more then a damn Pirate game and I am glad we have these animals in the game we can do stuff with...

 

[The Falcon 25]

Chillax dude.  Was just brainstorming ideas as to what would make a more fun pirate game. The details are not relevant.  Just tossing out concepts for discussion.  Civilization builder like you mention is what I envision.  I just didn't put it into those exact words.  I never said the developers should make the story but different companies need to have some starter "flair" that will attract people to choose the one they want.  Otherwise they are all vanilla.  The story can come naturally with player population.