Hethwill, the Red Duke

Actually, regarding gaming time, it might be quite equivalent if you compute the time transporting the resources, and the risk of being intercepted. ( not considering the full warehouses of stuff of late testing phase without wipe )

Yes. And simulated visual conditions. Too much sun they can't see jack more than 2 miles out, too much haze the same. ( tag distance ) Also, one thing. The spotting at distance was about the rigging. Details of enemy ships themselves would only become visible quite close, not at 16 miles away in the best day. But yeah, I get your jest. Full information all the time...

I like that the NPCs have their own extra refits ( attainable only by capturing them ofc ) and also like your proposal of them having other than crew space.

It is undeniable that boarding action was the most dangerous option in the age of sail albeit being the potentially most "profitable" in both glory and hard coin income. Regarding the post battle salvaging of floating bundles of cargo.... Yeah, sure. Very certain the coffer of the ship money went to the bottom while a cotton bale or a log of fir might be retrievable. "Realism and authenticity when it fits me. When it doesn't.... Is just a game !".

can you explain this one ? Pve is Peace Server. Arena, you mean Legends ( sea trials ) ? Is put on hold.

... when naval squadrons or grand fleets met in battle. Boarding action was the bread and butter of trade interdiction and pirate hunting and makes the majority of the engagements in the time frame.

No idea how computer game development is made. But i know it is the norm in other areas to test systems before production implementation.

You are pointing 4th rates. I was pointing new players - that's 7th and 6th rates. That alone is a world difference. And engaging AI traders is good mission and income grounds for new players, not flag captains commanding 4th and 3rd rates. Regarding more advanced Missions, you have a point that the extremes of reward is too wide.

Correct. If no guns, no guns.

You are correct that in the past they had always mediums. Now they use the guns you equip them with.

Most skip the tutorial or is it just my perception ? In any case an extra layer of missions should be introduced - Midshipman&SecondLieutenant specific and ONLY for these ranks where they must capture traders. Given the nature of AI traders is to run the newcomers will have time to train handling and gunnery. Other than that, sail the OW.

That's funny... In the last month 3 absolute newcomers were given time and explanations by one sea rover during days. Not how to get rich, but how to play the game and how to make their own fun and totally abstracted from the war/peace servers reality. All they wanted was to learn how to best control the ships and how to access different activities of the game. If 1 of those 3 stays long term in NA ( I believe 1 will, the other 2 wanted world of tanks fast battles and got bored after 15 mins battle... ) it is a victory and those hours spent with them killing pickles and traders was well worth.

Yes sail closer to your buddies. But the larger join areas is a interesting one. Would indeed make them 50% larger with spawn point 50% further as well.

off topic but maybe because of this ?

I saw first hand your last 5 minutes entry in the US coast, a few months ago, while using a non disclosed captain name ( not alt, but main account, i was simply enjoying 30 days away from prussia ). Xebec bait and squadrons of Bellonas waiting way beyond draw range. I was one of the brave even not caring if i would sink and engaged, but you guys had your fun. Of course you did. Xebec was doomed unless you had a chance to enter. With 2 minutes you have to be visible. That's my line in the sand.

Leaving port join timer 3 minutes and 1 second then. Exit battle join timer 3 minutes and 1 second then. OW speed reduced, travel from view range to center of "bubble" to take 3 minutes - what you see is what you get. Compromises.

Our game. Of all of us players

Single player I wouldn't mind a NA "silent hunter type" sim... honestly.

Sea being the sea with all its particularities and most notably wind and tides has always been the best ally and the worst opponent for any naval enterprise. You can see this clearly across the entire timeline covered by Naval Action, where the best laid out plans wouldn't work due to conditions at sea not allowing time tables to be maintained or because distances could not be covered. More often than not it became a mixture of human design and nature, where able seamen would take advantage of the "terrain" that the sea is and understand its ever changing landscape, as opposed to the rigid nature of conflict on land, where hills are hills and troops legs are not affected by winds. Due to this two particulars, the ever changing nature of the battlefield at sea and the able human behind the controls, a singular episode of a boy at the command of a pilot against a sea rover vessel is made possible. 10th January 1800 ... a singular instance of seamanship, valour, and dexterity, occurred in the escape of a pilot-boat from a French privateer. The vessel was the Amity, belonging to Bembridge, on the look-out for ships. About ten in the morning they discovered a lugger privateer about two miles distance, which they could not perceive before in consequence of the morning being hazy. There being little wind, the enemy was rowing with thirteen oars on each side and fast approaching. The master of the pilot-boat thought it best to leave his vessel immediately, there being no other means of escaping, he and another man, therefore, got into their small boat, and desired James Wallis, the boy, to come also but he bravely answered - "he would remain by the vessel, whatever might be the consequence". Thus resolved, he gave them his watch and all the little money he had, with the little request they would give to his father; they promised to perform his request, and immediately left him to his fate when the privateer was only a quarter of a mile distant. In a few minutes she shot up under his lee quarter, with an intention to grapple the pilot-boat; and having fresh way, lowered her main-topsails and lug sail. The lad observing their design, just as they were in the act of heaving their grappling irons, put his helm down and went about, whilst the privateer fired small arms and swivels into her. This manoeuvre obliged them to make sail and tack; when they had made all the sail they could, the young man with great judgement, tacked, and weathered them about the length of the lugger: the privateer having gained his wake, tacked also. The youth continued to tack every time the privateer set her sails, which was repeated sixteen or seventeen times: they likewise constantly fired when near, and particularly when crossing at a distance, never more than thirty yards. After manoeuvring in this dexterous manner for above two hours, a fresh breeze, happily sprung up: the pilot-boat was then on the last tack, and had gained about a cable's length to windward, when she crossed the privateer, which after firing all their swivels and small arms, bore up and left him. - British Trident Vol. IV - - Clark's Battles of England - - Gentlemen's Magazine Historical Chronicle VOL IXX -

Of course Last port visited is my own best bet in the game design we have with the rancid alt exploits we must endure. At least everyone can logoff and no one will self teleport ships to another place. And yes, i like Licinio's "all cargo lost".

- attack a npc with a SOL - exit battle, teleport SOL safely through enemy waters perfect ! -or- - be attacked by your own alt, pvp - end battle, teleport SOL safely through enemy waters even more perfect ! The other end of the stick has been proposed in the past though - exit to last visited port; if it is enemy port then no exit to port and only exit to OW.

I'm asking nothing but correct application of known distances to a location without resorting to to sci-fi warp speed to cover the same distance. Is not fair for the guy wanting to enter, but in most cases will be fair for the guys inside the battle already. Because as a ganker i simply will send a tagger, and the rest of the squadron will still be able to join and make your life miserable and you have no idea they were there, beyond draw range but then they could come, in 5 seconds, to be able to click the swords and able to spawn in the battle at shot range from you. But whatever... getting tired. Just do whatever you think it is best for everyone and not only for your own belly button.

Then you should join exactly where you are when you click the swords, at extreme range and have to sail 1:1 scale to reach it. Fair for everyone, for you and for the guys already in battle. ( this was done already long ago btw but good enough with me )

Really depends on the wind but the norm is that, if you are in draw distance you are able to join the battles with the exception of the join circle to be dead on the wind. - there's some technicalities with the join areas that are intimately linked to having land in battles, can't remember exactly which. What many seem to forget is that many old tests were done without land in battles... which for me particularly was one of the best upgrades to the game... ever.