Babble

The Devs need a road map something along the lines of this > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12696-the-road-map-table-of-contents/ In my opinion you decide where you want to go. then you go there. Once your there you review what works and what doesnt and you make changes. It probably was a bad idea to release it on steam before the game even had a UI or any type of tutorial. All it did was bring new people into the game who saw an ugly undeveloped game with a steep learning curve and no instructions and they uninstalled never to be seen again. Steam is the populous. You dont let the populous play your game until atleast beta. Also Pre-steam release everyone was basically okay with combat. So in my opinion the devs should have moved to working on other things and left the minor combat tweaking that has been going on for the past few months until later. Combat is workable so what do we develop now? Early access: UI Nation Selection mechanics basic loot system Tutorial Missions Standard Player missions basic PVP mechanics Expand EA Expanded EA: Resource Distribution (Complex)(Must be done this early and in depth to make RvR or anything the player does meaningful. Economy is based on it) Basic Economy Player Crafting basics In depth economy and crafting Add a very few ships Quick review of combat Setting up an Admiralty more in depth loot system Group Missions Land in battles Port conquest mechanics Review combat mechanics Alternate mission types (Exploration, PVP missions, crafting missions.) Changing Nation Mechanics add a few ships review combat review port conquest mechanics review UI (Add polish ) Expand playerbase for Early Access Final EA period: Diplomacy options RvR mechanics Victory Mechanics (The map needs a conquest period with a determined victory and map reset. Stops the steam roll of smaller nations) Review Economy mechanics Release a few boats review combat review conquest Monitor and review an entire conquest period (Identify problem areas) Make any major changes if needed limited Release Beta on Steam Limited Beta: Player built port upgrades (Economy / RVR) Crew / Officer mechanics add a few ships Review Combat mechanics review RVR mechanics Review economy mechanics review diplomacy Quality of life improvements (Birds, graphics ,etc.) Monitor entire conquest period (Address any glaring issues.) Minor marketing campaign (Mailers, etc.) Expand Beta to all on Steam to stress test server infrastructure Expanded beta: Monitor Server stability for 2 weeks Introduce optional subscription model Enhanced loot system Ship Flag / Sail customization (At Least color select) Port Governance Stock Market and banking add a few ships Review combat Review Port Conquest Greater Marketing Campagin (Adds on gaming sites, etc.) Release game Post Game Release: Monitor server infrastructure Major Ad Campaign (TV Spot) Add a large ship pack Review Combat in Depth Review Conquest in Depth Review Economy in Depth Review Diplomacy in Depth Deeper theater immersion mechanics (port generated culture, port unrest, *Gasp* religion .) PVP Tournaments Expanded Customization Premium Ship Customization And so on

No idea how many days. I would just work on it when i had free time at work. Started when i first started playing and had grand ideas about the potential of this game. I have posted some other extensive ideas as well. I was working on a very in depth change to make pirates more piratey, which i never finished because the devs have paid little if any attention to any of the other posts so why waste my time. I'm particularly proud of the new map i made which i think is highly needed. Redistributes resources and reduces the number of regional capitals and free ports to make regional capitals actually regional and free ports a hub for trade between nations. You can download the map here > https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9mOinkVxfkQZ1B1Q1dVUWlSZEE/view

section 10> http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12710-the-road-map-section-9-10/ section 12 >http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12716-the-road-map-sections-11-12/ Section 13 > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12747-the-road-map-sections-13-14/ all of it > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/13796-resource-distribution-the-economy-and-giving-players-a-reason-to-sail/

Please see section 8 http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12696-the-road-map-table-of-contents/?hl=roadmap

Correct me if I'm wrong Steel but i believe the part of your suggestion about the "masks" was one of mine suggested in the roadmap in section 7 here >http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12696-the-road-map-table-of-contents/?hl=roadmap I also suggested to completely eliminate the pirate faction here >http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/14245-pirate-mechanics-suggestions-collection-thread/ and instead make them a profession. As it were often a pirate was only considered a pirate by the nation to whom it was committing acts of piracy. I believe both of the ideas could be easily combine. In this fashion you cannot select pirate as a starting faction and are not a faction at all. Simply a handful of bonuses that reflect and assist a persons chosen play-style. Because of this there is no need for Pirate ports. They simply can operate out of whatever ports are owned by nations that dont consider them a pirate. Both systems could most certainly be fleshed out more and i would be happy to do so if it is something that would at least even be reviewed by the dev teams. I have spent hours compiling lists of well thought out suggestions down to the required mats for crafting items and have received very little if any response for the effort so i have deemed it not worth my time. If a fully fleshed out solution for the pirate problem is sought I will happily comply, given I am told that it will at least be read by yourself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That said and despite how serious the pirate problem is i have always been a fan of building from the foundation up. I think first and for most the map port and resource distribution needs to be reworked like this> Map download linked here. https://drive.google...Z1B1Q1dVUWlSZEE And these changes need to happen shortly there after > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/13796-resource-distribution-the-economy-and-giving-players-a-reason-to-sail/ Particularly the economy, banking, and sailing speed changes.

Well they already implemented pirates half-assed and look how far it has gone. If they are going to change the way they work they should do it right. Doing it right requires a dramatic change. If they are going to change them at all they should do it right. No point in making minor changes that dont do anything to really flesh out pirates and letting people get used to those before changing it again. Just my opinion.

In short a rep system, each player maintains with each individual nation. No pirate "faction". Instead pirate players. And privateer players. And freetraders. And smugglers. And Naval Officers Not a career just a title you earn that comes with some minor benefits. Can be tied to Diplomacy changes once allies and war make an appearance by increasing or decreasing rep gains in relation to allied and at war nations. 3 rep bars each player maintains with each faction. Rep starts at zero and moves up or down depending on actions Some very rough examples from the perspective of a US player. US is allied with France and at War with Espana: Benefits from your choices: Could be drastically expanded. But the idea is simple. No pirate faction. Instead pirate professions.

Looks good to me. Now if we could turn port battles into a multi-time zone event you might actually get more then 10% of your player base attending them and make RvR much more interesting. See my post here for a suggestion > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/13606-war-and-port-battles-rework-moderated/page-4

I openly attacked dons running missions outside of havana for days during early steam release. Just like I openly attack pirates running missions or transporting goods outside their capital. And openly attack brits outside theirs. and openly attack brits and dons down by tumbado. If it didnt take 9 hours to sail Id prob be camping the frogs, swedes, and such on the other side of the world. This is a pvp game. I pvp. Until there are some sort of in game mechanics preventing me from attacking another player I will attack whomever I deem is advantageous to me at the current time. Its not as though hundreds of players across all the time zones got together and agreed that they were going to camp the dons or rats into submission. The way the port battle flag mechanics work limits the number of players who can actually attend or even give two shits about the port battles anyway. 90% of all battles happen when the vast majority of Americans are at sleep or working. The whole Council vs Sorry shit is just propaganda bs. Divide and conquer. Sun Tzu gave them a hand book over 2000 years ago. Just relax. Play the game for fun. Get out there in some poop boats with your friends and pvp for fun. RVR is completely pointless and non-inclusive currently anyway. No idea why anyone is stressing it.

Ill just go ahead and leave all of this here > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/13796-resource-distribution-the-economy-and-giving-players-a-reason-to-sail/ New map port resource distribution Increased OS speed Economic changes/ Banking Rep system / Diplomacy Admiralty New production buildings new resources player built port upgrades new PB mechanics fishing Unrest system Player port upgrades Actually useful National resources And on and on Really all of the linked content and content it links to are just scratching the surface. I have so many more ideas but unless anything i have spent hours working on is mentioned or considered there is much use in continuing to attempt to explain them and their benefits. There is immense potential here with this awesome game. Time to at least offer a voluntary subscription model and hire some more staff so this game can reach its potential.

I never voted for any of these so called leaders no do i really care if the rats take all our ports. I spend the vast majority of my time in their waters anyway. Adapt. Sail cheap grey boats you buy from the NPCs and go pvp the rats. Pvp is fun.

Yeah i have suggested several times that they increase the OW sailing speed by 30%. Backed with example travel times before and after the change. I think its heavily needed. One of the posts > http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/13796-resource-distribution-the-economy-and-giving-players-a-reason-to-sail/ Also lots of other in my opinion need suggestions in that post and a cool map to download that redistributes the in game resources and ports to make the game more dynamic.

Good to know. Still not sure why they dont setup something official. An optional subscription or something.

due to lack of content. The numbers may improve once the game is more fleshed out. How long it takes to flesh out this game? Thats the real question. Hey devs remember all those posts from people who were looking for an alternative way to fund this game? You know subscriptions, premium designs, straight up donations. Maybe setup a new paypal account so we can donate to the game so you can hire more developers and produce content faster. I would gladly donate

I chose Spain first because that's the nation i was most tied to in POTBS. When i got in game no one in Nation chat was speaking English so i figured id roll U.S. until i learned the game. I got comfortable as a yank.