Patch 9.9 - Officers, Fishing, Provisions and other things

[Bloody 9]

How and what is food used for?

[Bramborough]

How and what is food used for?

 

Food Supplies are used to craft Med Kits, which are used to restore losses in your crewpool.   The materials for Med Kits are cheaper than using direct Hire to replace losses.  BUT, they do require Labor Hours and some effort/time to put the mats together.  So whether they're really a superior deal is a judgment call for each individual player, depending on their situation (both in-game and real-life), goals, and gameplay preferences.  

 

Personally, I've decided to go with crafting Medkits.  But there was an earlier period when I was ranking up and craft-levelling when I may have chosen differently.

[mikawa]

Testing 9.91: officers are great so far. Can't wait to see them fully implemented.

[Captain Boneboys]

The patch is good, I repeat, the patch is good.

Very much enjoying so far.

 

Note : It appears that travel xp is base on Port to Port  rather than distance travelled.

I understand that this a fine way to encourage to exploration and help the lower ranked officers to gain xp and crew N°s.

 

Example: I sailed from Bonacca to shipwreck at 78.80° / 19.35° and then returned to Rutan and received 9 xp (only).

I do a lot of travelling, trading and looting and welcome the extra xp given for time spent at sea as I'm not one to level up for teh big boatZ.

 

Keep up the good work you Dev ils.

 

 

EDIT : I have noticed that if I travel from Port A to Port B and enter into conflict with a Trader (or other) inbetween I will not receive the xp's for travelling.

Hint : enter port before engaging a Trader (or other) to collect travelling xp reward.

 

Thanks.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Captain Boneboys

[Kanay]

Starting to really dislike the grind on officers , the game is grind more and more then enjoy a bit then grind again to be able to enjoy again, I'm really not liking the fact that not only we can not let our officer take some rest on one outpost and have to carry him everywhere and the never ending grind to raise his level so he becomes something more than dead weight,

 

then you loose him while fighting a battle to the end and loosing your ship & crew too if not surrendering which is the easiest thing to do when you see you will gonna die instead of being in a bad shape and deciding to go until the end and manage to throw out all you can to maybe make a tiny difference that could help the other guys fighting on your side at the end of the battle, and this sacrifice have a too high price compared to surrender, not only your crew will be lost but the grind made for officer will be lost after a few of those  and you will have to grind it again

 

 

I'm waiting for the next months for the officers final work and will see ho it turns out, i need different officers for different tasks or type of ships, but right now it looks like something added to make you grind endlessly in the game and i might simply skip the officers and the huge advantages they give fed up by the endless grind sensation they generate on me, feels like playing war thunder and such all over again ...

[Cmdr RideZ]

Officers dying when you lose a dura.  I kinda like this, and hate at the same time.

Also the crew is expensive.

 

These 2 are kinda decreasing OW PvP.  It would be more fun if you could take a ship and take 1vs1-3 somewhere, until sink or opposite.  Now you really cannot do that.  Maybe the funniest part of the game, kinda died here.

 

I understand that now you do not want to sink your ship just so that the enemy cannot cap it.  It kinda fixes it..  But still..  OW PvP wont be probably ever as fun as it was before.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

There is a lot of PvP, a bit more with AI present now but still I'd say the same measure as before.

Battles are a struggle for supremacy. Win some lose the other. There is a fine line that defines an escape window, a surrender option or a catastrophic loss of being captured in boarding action or sink. I like how that decision is deferred to the captain, us all, rather than having a code ruling them out.

 

 

This being said Crew as whole should have a morale counter.

[tipsypo]

Some more battle commands to your NPC are required. As given that you provide their crew, and that this crew costs you, its rather desirable that you can dictate when they board enemies or surrender. I was in an Surprise and Pickle that was with me boarded the Trader Lynx that we were attacking. They managed to start boarding rather soon (opportunistic moment due to enemies speed), and although they won, over 15 in their crew died and had to be purchased back. Had the Pickle avoided boarding (unless I ordered them to) then I could have continued on and taken the Trader with my Surprise and managed less losses.

Edited July 4, 2016 by tipsypo

[jw62]

I like it so far, needs some more tweaking, beginning to deal with the medkit situation

Fishing is good

but no bottles at all for me, yet

[jw62]

I just did extended cap and trading with two consorts. It's great. leave the teleporting of captures, it works. get rid of the marines on traders, but otherwise, if the losses are slowly regenerating then I've enough medkits from fishing. It all needs some work, tweaks, and polish. But I like it. My consorts go right for the sails and make capping fun

[Enraged Ewok]

After a long weekend of testing, here's my feedback on the patch.

 

Crew Management

 

I am enjoying the new crew changes, but as I am max rank I haven't really felt the cost effects yet. I have not had to use any medkits or purchase any crew, despite losing around 600 over the course of the weekend (overcrewed frigate lost yesterday with all hands, 3rd rate lost around 200 men in the saturday Trafalgar, and anywhere from 20-30 men each over numerous battles in various 6th-4th rates ships). As of going to sleep last night, I was down to 808 total crew in my pool from the 1100 maximum. My clanmates are not experiencing anywhere near this level of regen, so I'm curious as to what's causing it. My immediate suspicion is that the extra hammocks upgrade is cushioning my losses somehow. In addition, the actual micromanagement I've read so many fears of is nonexistent.

 

Officers

 

Overall I like the officer implementation. I like the perk system, though I do think the perks will need continued tweaking as we find more ways they break the game. And yes, I am of the opinion that a 20% reload bonus against pirates in particular is brokenly overpowered, especially considering how it stacks with powder monkeys/magazine access and still allows 3-4 other useful perks to be taken. Thank you for the quick action bumping that down to 10%, but I do think these bonuses should not stack additively with upgrades and other perks without some form of diminishing returns. This goes for bonuses from all perks and upgrades to speed, accuracy, etc. in general, not just for reload. As an example, where the biggest bonus gives the entirety, the next gives 70% for example, and so on. So for example if I had pirate hunter with 10% reload bonus, gold powder monkeys for 5%, and mastercraft improved magazine access for 4% reload, the total bonus would be 15.5% (full 10%, plus 70% of 5%, plus 50% of 4%) instead of 19%.

 

The specific ship mastery perks take the cake as my favorite, followed by the prepared perk. Question on prepared though. Is it by design or accident that the when changing the ammunition in the battle countdown when I have the "prepared" perk, that the new ammunition is only half loaded as if I had changed ammunition mid-load? Most cases, ball is what I want, but on some occasions I tag a faster ship who's closely matched (ex: Cherubim vs Surprise) but I expect him to try running anyways. Given the proper OW conditions I can make a good tag, but losing that broadside of chain typically turns it into a stern chase that I could very easily lose depending on the perks.

 

Fishing

 

Anything that gets people into the OW is a good thing, and this has been a nice change. I've noticed a lot more OW traffic (not to mention higher server pops by a decent margin), meaning no shortage of fisherman for me to try and cap or warships to fight. I don't have much feedback on the economic side of this however, because despite having around 4k fish meat I've used none of it due crew regeneration being enough to offset my losses. Bottles are a nice little surprise while sailing, and I like that it gives newer players a way to get good upgrades and valuable items to help get them on their feet out of the cutter without being forced into PBs.

 

Fleets

 

I was most worried about this, and after testing I'm still most worried about it but not as much as I was. Crew provides a meaningful incentive not to use fleet ships as suicide meatshields for a player, and the AI being what it is it falls behind very quickly if the player runs. Even better, if tagged and the player escapes they surrender, costing a dura on the ship. Note I've only dealt with them on one specific instance where the AI was headed into the wind as I passed going with the wind after the trader they were escorting, so I took one chain volley from an AI Surprise and then was home free to chase down the LGV. I don't think I can reasonably expect that to happen consistently, but fortunately I've seen very few people actually sailing with escorts. The handful of times I did encounter escorts in battle they were either not strong enough or positioned poorly enough (or the attacking force so overwhelming) that the outcome was not changed in favor of the side with them by their presence. 

 

Regarding adding AI to fleet after a battle, I am now of the opinion that AI should be able to carry cargo if/when removal of "Send to Outpost" happens. Several times I wanted to take a captured trader into my fleet to avoid losing the booty (one had around 800 silver, which did not fit on my Cherubim) but still be able to protect it if I was in turn attacked by a revenge fleet on the way to port. Unless I was sure I would reach port, my decision was usually to stuff my warship with as much as I could and send the trader to outpost rather than risk losing the ship and the booty because of revenge fleet and 50% sails on the trader.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Enraged Ewok

[Anne Wildcat]

With perks, why not do what Dead by Daylight does (another game that would be just as great without perks): as you level up you unlock perks (or in DBD unlock perks to level but that seems backwards) and each time you go out choose which 1, 2, or 3 perks (depending on level) you want to use.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Anne Wildcat

[McHackou]

New crew system

 

First of all I am happy that there is a crew system now, as it was somewhat unrealistic to come out of battle and "whoooosh" like Jeany out of a bottle, the crew which was just decimated in battle, had miraciously reappeared.

 

However, the amount of money that it costs to rehire crew, makes it - again - much more difficult for casual players (and I call all players casual, that cannot spend more than an average of 2 hours a day on the game).

 

Imho it would have been good nough for the game expirience to say you can only refill your crew in harbors (so not op pen sea), maybe even only in reginal capitols, but still for free - or for a way lesser fee (e.g. 20 or maybe 50 gold per sailor). Medikits than, could have been introduced, to enable you to replenish your crew on high seas or in non capitol habors. That would still make them very intersting kits, but helps casual players to have fn in the game too....

 

Because as it is, every battle you fight will turn out even faster to cost you money instead of eran you some and boarding of e.g. NPC traders does not pay anymore at all.

 

So I appriciate the crew system highly - mostly becasue of the better realism - Imho the price is way too high and should be adjusted.

 

Fair winds and following seas,

 

Commodore Harry McHackou

 

 

 

 

Confused

 

In the former patches there were some changes to the wood and how it effects ships characteristics. It was said, among others, that reagrding amor it is now as follows:

• Fir -7 cm
• Oak Standard
• Teak +4 cm
• Live Oak +7 cm
  

 

And if I am not mistaken, before it was reagarding Speed

• Fir Speed bonus
• Oak Slight speed penalty
• Teak No speed penalty
• Live Oak High speed penalty
  

 

With patch 9.9 we now got the exact values shown in the ships overview (mouse over on the ships in the home screen) and i found the following:

 

Suprise

• Oak wood
• Build strenght
• Speed
  

Speed 12.35 +40
Side armor 4000 +600

 

Suprise

• Teak wood
• Build strenght
• Speed
  

Speed 12.35 +40
Side armor 4000 +400

 

 

So according to this, a ship of Teak is NOT faster than one of oak, but less strong??!!! This is different from what was said??

 

So I am confused and would be very gratefull for an explanation why the values are shown like this (faulty??) and what the real + an - of the different wood types are!

 

 

Thanks a lot!!!

 

Commodore Harry McHackou

 

Little things I would like to see....

 

actually it is one general thing that i would like to see and that is the differenciation in ships appearance between open world and battle-

 

 

Battle:

 

most things are fine as they are, only the lanterns should always be out, as one of the first things every ship of those days did when clearing for battle was to extinguish all fires and lanterns (with exception od some fes, exspecially secured ones in the lower ship).

 

That there are no live or work boats is ok too, as they were mostly cast overboard (if not towed) to lower the risk of splinter injuries.

 

Open world:

 

Here on the other hand, the live or work boats should be visibly abord, e.g. hanging at the rear davits and/or palced on the gratings midships.

 

Also the gun ports should be closed and the guns on the weather deck inside, so not protruding, as on the voyage cannons were fixed so that the muzzles were inside the board walls.

 

 

I think this diffeence and the transition from traveling to fighting vessel would add a huge bit to the realism of the game.

 

Thnaks for considering and for the good work done on a great game till now!!!

 

Harry McHackou, Commodore

 

Crew in the open world

 

I would really like to see some crew on the ships in the open world.

 

I know, that a full crew manning the yards etc, would probably be to much for the server. But that isn't even necessry, as for as long as the ship was sailing on the right tack ect. the watch was not called on deck.

 

But at least add an officer of the watch on the quarter deck and a helmsman manning the wheel or the tiller.

 

It would make me feel less as if sailing a ghost ship and would add tremendously to the realism.

 

 

Thanks for considering and for a great job on this game so far,

 

Harry McHackou, Commodore

[tipsypo]

Confused In the former patches there were some changes to the wood and how it effects ships characteristics. It was said, among others, that reagrding amor it is now as follows:

• Fir -7 cm
• Oak Standard
• Teak +4 cm
• Live Oak +7 cm

 And if I am not mistaken, before it was reagarding Speed

• Fir Speed bonus
• Oak Slight speed penalty
• Teak No speed penalty
• Live Oak High speed penalty

 With patch 9.9 we now got the exact values shown in the ships overview (mouse over on the ships in the home screen) and i found the following: Suprise

• Oak wood
• Build strenght
• Speed

Speed 12.35 +40Side armor 4000 +600 Suprise

• Teak wood
• Build strenght
• Speed

Speed 12.35 +40Side armor 4000 +400  So according to this, a ship of Teak is NOT faster than one of oak, but less strong??!!! This is different from what was said?? So I am confused and would be very gratefull for an explanation why the values are shown like this (faulty??) and what the real + an - of the different wood types are!  Thanks a lot!!!

I thought the difference between Oak and Teak was that one gave a bonus to planking whilst the other gave bonus to strength. In other words one gave more HP whilst the other gave more Armour. But both provided the same speed. Would have to check another time to confirm but that's what I seem to remember?

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

I thought the difference between Oak and Teak was that one gave a bonus to planking whilst the other gave bonus to strength. In other words one gave more HP whilst the other gave more Armour. But both provided the same speed. Would have to check another time to confirm but that's what I seem to remember?

 

Correct.

[Prater]

They changed that a few patches back I thought.

[EL LOCO]

please eliminate the determined defender for officers.  this alone has cost me at least 8 ships...please..it is the worst ever.   Of course the brits use it well.

[BallsOfSteel]

 

please eliminate the determined defender for officers.  this alone has cost me at least 8 ships...please..it is the worst ever.   Of course the brits use it well.

 

 

Its essential on an LGV or Indiaman. Until fleets are restricted to traders which i think would be a good thing

[Bramborough]

Confused

 

In the former patches there were some changes to the wood and how it effects ships characteristics. It was said, among others, that reagrding amor it is now as follows:

• Fir -7 cm
• Oak Standard
• Teak +4 cm
• Live Oak +7 cm

 

 

And if I am not mistaken, before it was reagarding Speed

• Fir Speed bonus
• Oak Slight speed penalty
• Teak No speed penalty
• Live Oak High speed penalty

 

 

With patch 9.9 we now got the exact values shown in the ships overview (mouse over on the ships in the home screen) and i found the following:

 

Suprise

• Oak wood
• Build strenght
• Speed

Speed 12.35 +40

Side armor 4000 +600

 

 

Suprise

• Teak wood
• Build strenght
• Speed

Speed 12.35 +40

Side armor 4000 +400

 

 

 

 

So according to this, a ship of Teak is NOT faster than one of oak, but less strong??!!! This is different from what was said??

 

So I am confused and would be very gratefull for an explanation why the values are shown like this (faulty??) and what the real + an - of the different wood types are!

 

There is no speed difference between Teak and Oak.  I haven't been playing NA long enough to say "there never has been", but long enough to say that it's not a new change; has been that way since I began playing (mid-March, during 9.6).  

 

The difference between Teak and Oak:  Teak provides a side thickness bonus (i.e., armor).  Oak provides a structure durability bonus (i.e., hitpoints).   Oak has provided the HP bonus for quite a while, also since at least 9.6.  The teak bonus was introduced (or at least...made openly known to players) at 9.8.

[BorisDemontford]

I don't know if this has been mentioned by anyone in this thread yet but I realised earlier today it is now possible to remove "locked down" ships from captured ports.

 

Simply sail in to the port in a trader with the smuggler flag on add whichever ship you wish to move to your fleet, undock then either sail away or teleport to capital (the safer option) then remove the ship from your fleet to your drydock.

 

This of course will mean you lose the permanent upgrades but to make available a previously locked down 1st or 2nd rate again it is probably worth it especially considering the abundance of silver coins these days.

Edited July 7, 2016 by BorisDemontford

[Cmdr RideZ]

Why pirate and pirate hunter perks are worse than master perks?  Still cost you 1 point more.  Makes you wonder... Maybe master should be 6 points and pirate&hunter 5 points.

[Dharus]

Why pirate and pirate hunter perks are worse than master perks? Still cost you 1 point more. Makes you wonder... Maybe master should be 6 points and pirate&hunter 5 points.

Because 5 pts would allow stacking? And those pirate/hunter applys to all ships thus more flexible.

I like the high crew costs. It's a pain but adds more risk vs reward. It also adds to the surrender options. I'd suggest adding an officer perk "pressman" or similar to reduce cost by 50%ish.

Fishing is fine. Nice little econ boost for non combat types and new players.

Officers are nice addition. However I'd add a warning to large and small battles maybe? I did an oops test there. I'd also modify the coward perk. 1 minute is so close to reload times that one miss (especially in small boats) leads to escapes. I understand that's the point but it doesnt stop a retag. Maybe make it a 30 seconds reduction or slightly longer retag timer?

[Stubenrauch]

Good Evening,

 

this is a nice update so far, except the fishing is breaking the multiplayer game. So many people are just sitting in front of a harbour and do fishing instead of helping others to let the nation grow. I mean this is a "war game" not a fishing simulator. Bottles are even after the small patch not rare enough, and the rewards are too much. Nobody wants to make pvp cause its not valuable enough. Right now its easier to do nothing and through that getting free exceptional upgrades than doing fights (what this game is mainly about in my opinion) and having the chance of getting nice equipment/ressources.

 

 

[ulysse77]

May i recommnend a new officer perk (if not mentionned before)

Good teacher : help other officer learn. 10% more xp earn on each action (or something in that effect

[Sea Archer]

I don't like the constant tracking of the ship's position. I like the coordinates grid on the map, that's really fine, but those vessels do not have GPS. As a compromise for those who need their coordinates i suggest to give on the map only the latest position taken at noon. Then noone is lost and it is somehow more historical.

If a ship is in a storm, without the possibility to see the sun, no position shall be given.