A few ideas

[Okaww]

First off, I've been playing this game now for a little over a week on PvP2 US server (USA). I will also admit, Open PvP everywhere is not factor I care for in any game I play (as it tend to lead to griefers who will generally make new players quit and in many cases ask for refunds. I've seen it happen many times.)

 

Being in Alpha/Beta (whichever you want to call it) here are some thing I'd suggest for all around gameplay.

 

You have a national capital, but each nation should have a safe area with a few ports, that remain safe, or extremely difficult to capture as you get closer to them. I look at the map, and we have no Sweden, France or Spain on our server, and if anyone makes one, they are screwed. The nations are greatly unbalanced as it is, not accounting NAPs (non-aggression pacts).

 

AI fleets need to attack enemy players. They are completely useless lemming running around the map. They need to be able to agro and tag players that are either smugglers, or enemy factions. This would be the greatest benefit to add.

 

 

Port Battles:

I've only seen one port battle but can see a few things wrong with them "AS THEY ARE NOW".

 

>Assuming no one defends, you only need one mortar brig to beat the main fortress.

 

>Ports should have 1 of 2 types of maps:

 

>>Cove: a bay map where attackers must travel through an cove mouth (bottleneck) to get to the main fortress. The land near the mouth will have towers on them. This would be the harder of the map styles. 

 

>>Coast: The fortress is along a beach with fortresses along it. An easier attack map of the two.

 

>Ports should have defending AI fleets, plus any AI fleets nearby that may get tagged. The forts aren't really much of a defense on their own, and in many cases the attackers are really unopposed otherwise.

 

No more teleports or sling-shooting ships to OPs across the map. Isn't that why we have ships and fleets?

 

In other cases:

You Color blind UI is worthless. The colors make enemy ships disappear on the tactical and radar maps, and names harder to read.

 

If it be Military, or Crafting, it is a long tedious grind to get anywhere in the game and be able to make a difference. You can make millions, and yet, not be able to craft a Lincoln log, or functionally man anything larger then a 60 man ship. All that money means nothing then. PvP doesn't net much EXP, and neither does PvE. I am long bored of missions before I make a dent in EXP. Right now the US faction has a lot of players, but few really able to help in PB.

 

 

As it is, if I had to grade the game on steam, it would be a thumbs down. Maybe 3-4/10. It has promise, but has a very long way to go as well.

[Anolytic]

As you yourself note, the game is in Alpha (not Beta), so there is obviously a lot of things that are still not completed. 

 

I agree with you that AI fleets should tag players. They are not completely useless now, as they protect friendly players sailing close to them and they are a risk factor when tagging in enemy waters, but they are pretty much decorative robots the rest of the time. This should change.

I agree that nations are very much unbalanced. And some mechanics pile onto this, making small nations very hard to play. But I absolutely don't want "safe zones". There should be no areas free from PvP, and no uncaptureable ports save for capitals. Sailing in this game is interesting because there is always a risk involved.

 

Regarding Port Battles, you are knocking in an open door. The developers have long since announced they are working on a complete rework of the conquest system. There will be land in Port Battles, completely different defences, and so on. Though hopefully not AI as you suggest. Port Battles should be defended by players, not AI.

[Okaww]

I do have other ideas about port battles, in general.

 

Right now there are "regional capitals" and plane ports. This one and done capturing is a bit annoying.

 

Make it so you can only OP in regional ports.

Regional ports have a 100% claiming.

During a port battle, you claim a % based on the level of the battle. (no defender you claim less %)

A failed attack can have the defender taking some of the attackers %, if they have any.

With so much % claimed by your nation, you can aquire a local sub port in it's region.

With 51% you claim the regional.

If all owners are under 51%, it is contested and acts similar to a free port until 51% is achieved by a nation.

You still need ownership of a regional port to buy flags there.

 

Another option is after a port battle, the nation that was on the defending side has a 2 hour window to counter attack the taken port.