Why has Naval Action Ranks like other MMOs?

[HarryButpain]

Hi,

 

I've been thinking a lot recently about ranks and all that tedium which revolves around it like endless grinds and so on. In other MMOs you usually encounter 90% PVE and 10% PvP (if at all) and there player levels make sense but in Naval Action, however, where 99% is either PvP or preparation for PvP I wonder why it is sooo necessary to grind without any story or an end-game like raids etc..

 

Aren't there already enough 'natural' barriers which hinder a new player from sailing a victory 10 mins after buying the game? Can't we instead of grinding to learn the game have a proper tutorial in form of a couple of missions for new players?

 

The first missions could be something very simple like sail from A to B. The second could be tag and sink that npc. The thrid could be buy 10 hemp and sell it.. the 4th craft your own basic cutter et cetera. The final missions could be a port battle with bots. Maybe write a small little story around it and add tutorial pop ups to every mission. Also remind the player of the help tab in chat and that they could ask questions there regarding the tutorial and its missions.   

 

The current ranks could be some sort of prestige for successful PvPers. The more battles you fight the farther you increase in rank. Maybe add also special ranks for crafters and traders. A player can select the rank he wishes to show other players so that they can see how good he is in his preferred field. 

 

Basically, joining a clan would immediately throw a new player into PvP or the game instead of having to tediously grind day in, day out. Players will need money from NPC missions anyway but making it possible to theoretically do everything right from the start doesn't hurt anybody and only makes the game more enjoyable for everybody.. 

 

So why do we have ranks? I wonder why it is beneficial? I argue that the game would be more popular on steam without the grind..

Edited May 25, 2016 by Dark Alley Shenanigans

[mirror452]

We have the grind so that people don't start sailing first rates because a friend gave them money before they even have a clue how to handle a ship. By ranking up you get to know all kinds of ships, and learn about their good and bad sides.

See it as a forced, but necessary education.

[Rramsha]

Because In the real world you also have to Grind your way through the military ranks so that you can be allowed to command larger vessels. I'm just happy that we actually have action everyday unlike the real captains who had to grind ranks with monotonous everyday work and little if any fighting.

[Balsafer]

every game has some sort of grind no way really around it.

[Captain]

Keeps people engaged with the game.

 

Was a bigger deal before they removed ships of the line from almost all the port battles  

[Deltrex]

The grind in this game is a major turnoff for a lot of potential players.At Commodore I'm basically finished with the grind myself, but I still think it is a very bad and outdated mechanic and should be abolished.

 

Maybe the upcoming crew hiring system will make the leveling obsolete.

85

[Long Beard]

Call me old fashioned, but I like progressional MMO's. Giving people something to work towards keeps them interested whilst at the same time allowing them to learn the game mechanics.

I keep seeing people talking about 'the grind' What grind is this? I am rank 8. I almost never do PVE fleet missions. My XP has come from PVP which I do without any real thought for XP.  There was a little bit of mission grinding at the start, but barely enough to be considered a grind.

Just play the game, PVP and forget about rank, it just happens.  Folks need to lose this 'get the biggest ship' mentality. You can be effective in PVP in a rank 4 ship. Rank 4 comes very quickly.

[HarryButpain]

Just play the game, PVP and forget about rank, it just happens.  Folks need to lose this 'get the biggest ship' mentality. You can be effective in PVP in a rank 4 ship. Rank 4 comes very quickly.

 

Yes, i wished more people had that mindset. Hopefully, the rattlesnake will change some people's minds and shallow port battles also do exist.. 

[Fuhajins of Autumn]

 

The grind in this game is a major turnoff for a lot of potential players.At Commodore I'm basically finished with the grind myself, but I still think it is a very bad and outdated mechanic and should be abolished.

 

It is indeed. I do not recall "Lengthy grind your way trough ranks to be able to play the content" in the features on the steam page. Maybe i did not read correctly.

And that "necessary education" it is a complete bullshit, i see people in big ships who plays really bad for the "many many hours" of education they got to come there.

 

If someone wanna try a big ship day one, why not? He bought that game and it is not actually F2P model so let people enjoy the content.

And if he sink his 1rst rate without knowing how to press forward button... well its his own money/ship after all. Say myself i want to slam all my ship into 10 enemy, break them into the market for fun or give them to a new friend player that's my problem, not yours.

 

I do not need hours and hours of sitting there shooting some crap AI learning about nothing to get to know how to turn my ship left or right with that manual sail thingy.

Then you think about going straight to learn PVP and join a clan but to be almost useless stuck in a brig in fight populated with Trincos and Renomee (etc) watching from "far away" the real stuff you can't access unless you boregrind your way to it. The levelling for me was the most boring and useless stuff.

 

When i got a Cerberus i felt like i was starting playing the real game. Now i sail frigates mostly, not interested into lineships and sometimes go back to the brig, not because i miss the boregrind days for sure.

 

 

As the OP said:

 

"The current ranks could be some sort of prestige for successful PvPers. The more battles you fight the farther you increase in rank. Maybe add also special ranks for crafters and traders. A player can select the rank he wishes to show other players so that they can see how good he is in his preferred field."

 

Is rather a nice and smart idea.

 

 

Keeps people engaged with the game.

 

Was a bigger deal before they removed ships of the line from almost all the port battles

Keeping people from playing the game fit best sometimes. Oh and that PB change is good, finally my friends and maybe i can try the big battle without worrying to boregrind our way for ships that we maybe not even like to play with.

[HarryButpain]

If everything was theoretically available right from the start clans would become even more important and popular with new players. Clans would decide how to train new people. Some clans would focus more on ganking while others on line fighting. Clans would decide on their own what new people need and what not..

 

If a player decides to remain independent for a while he would either get into trading to make money or grind missions with his cutter to get money until he had enough to buy a new ship, join pvp, win or sink to fulfill the circle.. 

 

New people won't be able to get a victory anyway 99% of the time due to production costs of such ships.. Only a fool would waste all that time and money by giving it to a total beginner.. 

 

Sure, you can always get your privateer class out to prey on some loners but that isn't something the majority of people wants it seems.. 

 

At the end of day, NA is still in alpha as far as I know and getting rid of grinding would probably make the game more attractive on steam..

Edited May 26, 2016 by Dark Alley Shenanigans