I've got my sea legs in PvE so now tell me about PvP1 and PvP2

[Oddible]

I've got a basic sense of the game, how to aim and not just splash around, now I'm curious about jumping to one of the PvP servers.  What is the difference between PvP 1 and 2? Are they all just a bunch of port camps where anyone literally has to run the gauntlet to get anywhere? Is trade dominated by major clans with no money to be made by smaller groups or individuals until very high level?

 

I have a couple high skill point Eve toons and I really love the Eve model with High / Low / Null / K spaces to allow a really flexible PvP/PvE environment where everything goes but with consequences.  I don't see Naval Action being that nuanced.  

 

Can I log in and just run around and do my grind / maintenance / money activities with the thrills of the PvP environment but with a little skill avoiding getting ganked? Is a skilled captain able to out-maneuver on the open sea to avoid getting nabbed? (Thinking of Eve blockade running into Null where I go through first in an inty and collecting warp bookmarks or sending an inty through first as a scout).  Are there lower danger spaces deep in a nations territory?

Edited September 14, 2016 by Oddible

[Jeheil]

OK well first off. There is no risk/harm in creating a second toon on PvP1 EU (for example) and just giving it a week.

 

You can stay indie and just keep an eye on the Nation chat where there are warning squeals when an enemy is spotted in your local waters and then play safely, you can join in with the pubbie militias that try to chase off these pesky invaders or of course join a clan where you can more easily do stuff with others or ask for an escort if your shifting your 4,000 tobacco on a 30 min sail or whatever.

 

Will you get ganked and lose stuff occasionally. Yes absolutely, I lost a first rate to a gank fleet only 500 meters from home port, my fault, wasn't as cautious as I should have been. It made me sad (and salty) but it was my own fault. It is a jungle out there...you need to respect it.

 

Personally, I find the idea of sailing 30 minutes in TOTAL safety with my cargo 'boring'. It is more exciting for me, that I need to keep an eye on national chat, watch the horizon, consider taking fleet or player escort, plan my trading runs around the best wind to lessen my at risk times etc.

 

So I would give it a go for a week, then assess as to how it effects your personal ways of enjoying the game.

 

On PvP1...at peak time...you gotta keep frosty.

[Richard Dryfus]

Between the two of them you are going to see one major difference:

 

PVP1- Significantly more active, more PVP, more PVE, more action around the world.

 

PVP2- Has all the above of the PVP1 server, just significantly fewer players, and should probably me merged with PVP1

[Bramborough]

 Are they all just a bunch of port camps where anyone literally has to run the gauntlet to get anywhere? Is trade dominated by major clans with no money to be made by smaller groups or individuals until very high level?

 

What you describe does happen...in a few areas.  Like some national capitals and a few hot-zone Free Towns.  Most of the map is much lower-density, however, and there's some pretty large portions where it won't really feel much different from the PvE environment with which you are already familiar.  PvP tends to concentrate where there's the most player density.  The hunters aren't going to spend much time in areas where there's scarce prey.

 

Likewise, there's plenty available for all.  It's a big map.  The ratio of server-pop to space/resources, even on PvP1, is such that no nation (let alone clan) has any significant monopoly or even much influence on scarce resources.  Not that I've seen, anyway.

[Rychu Karas]

Oddible, think twice.

Dragons, everywhere dragons...

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Best advice I can give is:

 

- Plan, plan and plan more.

 

Do not try to do everything in a rush and at once in PvP server. The Need for Greed is the biggest downfall especially for traders.

 

As Jeheil well puts it, a full Indiaman cargo is not something to be taken lightly and is well worth "hiring" player escort. ( mark my words: the NPC fleet won't save you ever. )

 

Regarding pure combat, there is no better place to learn than PvP. Work with buddies that are also willing to learn. Get into harm's way, fight against odds, etc.

 

If there's something PvP server has negative is the "aversion to loss". Do not, please do not, pay attention to nay-sayers. Everyone loses ships and cargo. It is how the game works.

 

Tip: Do not partake on ganking squadrons. Ganking is the worst teacher. Little reward for the time lost. No space to fully develop combat use of different ships. Crisis and hairy fights bring out the best of you and your ships.

 

Salute !

[Werewolf]

Join Pirates in PvP2 and steal trader ships and goods with me

[Lemmy Adams]

Give it a whirl mate!

 

Really the thrill that you can end up in battle at anytime makes a world of difference. As stated above yes sometimes you will be ganked and lose your ship or lose your cargo but it's not to the point of pointlessness. You have a lot of control of how much jeopardy you're in by where you are sailing and what you're sailing in.

 

Like Jeheil said you wont lose anything by making a pvp1/2 account so it's definitely worth checking out what the other aspects of Naval Action has to offer. 

[Loco Bandito]

Join Pirates in PvP2 and steal trader ships and goods with me

You want pvp join pirates. You want carebear pve alliance system so you can fish and trade join a national.

[MikeCK]

As one who- after the next "wipe" or whatever, is going to move from PvE to PvP, I have a question:

It's my understanding that "ganking" is when multiple players wait in the battle screen (apparently left over from a previous battle) and wait until someone comes close. The unsuspecting new-guy comes out of port and actually CANT SEE the ganker's ships because they are in the battle screen. You don't know they are there until you are pulled into the battle. if the battle screen is almost an alternate dimension where game action takes place in the same area as other activities but separate, it seems odd that someone could "reach out" from this alternate dimension and pull me in.

Of I've got my facts right above, that seems to be an awfully weird and unrealistic way of doing things.

Why not have a system where if you are in a battle screen, you cannot interact with the OW in any way except nation comms. If you want to ambush people coming out of port, do it the way they had to in real life God forbid....you sail

Around outside the port until someone wants to take a chance and go after them. Maybe they run faster, maybe they don't

That seems significantly more authentic and "fair" than allowing groups of invisible ships to sit outside a port like a black hole and suck in peoe straying too close

[Bramborough]

It's my understanding that "ganking" is when multiple players wait in the battle screen (apparently left over from a previous battle) and wait until someone comes close. The unsuspecting new-guy comes out of port and actually CANT SEE the ganker's ships because they are in the battle screen. You don't know they are there until you are pulled into the battle. if the battle screen is almost an alternate dimension where game action takes place in the same area as other activities but separate, it seems odd that someone could "reach out" from this alternate dimension and pull me in.

 Not entirely wrong, but not 100% right either, in that it's a little restrictive.  "Gank" (a term not exclusive to NA; relevant to pretty much any MMO with some sort of OW-like environment) is basically any overwhelmingly uneven fight where the odds dictate a certain outcome.  What you describe is a gank, but the battlescreen bit is not really part of the definition.

 

A 1v1 is not a "gank" (unless perhaps a high-rank player with powerful ship beating up a low-rank player in something like a Brig).  A 2v1 among ships of reasonably equal strength, while uneven, isn't really a gank either.  3 or more attacking a lone enemy would probably be considered a gank...unless the attacked ship is much stronger than the 3 attackers (for example, something like Connie attacked by 3 Snows).   All whether attackers jumped out of a battlescreen or not. 

 

All that said, yeah, the battlescreen is used fairly regularly, both as an ambush technique, and also a way to escape and hope attackers go away out of boredom, or wait for reinforcements, or whatever.   Most players have issues with the current usage of battlescreens in these and other ways, and there's been all kinds of different suggestions on whether and/or how it should be changed.  Maybe devs will listen and do something about it.  Maybe not.

[The Spud]

With the wipe comming up, I think for every PvE player who is kinda hesitating to go to the PvP now is probably the best time. The reset will probably bring back some of the playerbase, so you'll feel less out of place when joining as these guys will probably need to be update too about what is going down etc. On top of that the wipe will probably have every nation allready figuring out their plan of approach after the wipe, so i expect allot of PvP action to go down in the first weeks. Now because of spies it is hard to get the attack info etc, when you are new you'll have to do with some vague info on where you need to be, but I think it will be prety clear where the action will be going down.

 

If you can join a clan, these guys will tell you exactly what will happen, and where the attacks are planned. There is nothing sweeter in this game then being part of a cunning multi nation plan that works out totaly as it was intended. If you are not in a clan, whatever is going down, people will still be happy if you come and help out, they'll probably get you into the appropriate teamspeak for the attack and there you can prove your collours.

 

Ganking is a thing, however I haven't seen the battlescreen gank happen myself, the battlescreen I see mostly used to log out for a bit and escape later after a gank. As a player, you just need to know what the most favourite ganking spots are, and just avoid them, or head out there with escort or just plain courage. Also, when a ganking party is engaged in a battle they obviously can't bother you, so its most of the time just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. As a defence you can counter tag, tag the enemy as soon as he is close enough while you are running away from him, so the battle will commence with the biggest amount of space between you and the enemy. Obviously you need to position yourself correctly so you can sail away from him without him/them catching up.

 

The PvP server is just great fun and it gives for the most realistic age of sail experience. Sometimes you're the prey sometimes you're the preditor.

[MikeCK]

Bramborough, thank you for the explanation. I guess my concern is more the ability to "hide in plain view" by staying in the alternate battle-screen dimension so that others in OW can't see you and avoid you. But, seems like others are concerns and the the Devs are aware of the concerns so enough of that

[Mrdoomed]

Bramborough, thank you for the explanation. I guess my concern is more the ability to "hide in plain view" by staying in the alternate battle-screen dimension so that others in OW can't see you and avoid you. But, seems like others are concerns and the the Devs are aware of the concerns so enough of that

There are allways try hards who will game the game and use whatever exploits they can find and exploit them till they are forced to move on.

Its just part of any game. Best advice is lesrn to look for the signs and avoid it or to deal with and move on when it does.

Pvp servers definitely make things more " real "

[MikeCK]

All true. But why not just change it. In the words of "basic":

10 If ship is in battle screen then it cannot see or be seen by ships in open world.

20 if ship is in battle screen it cannot attack, draw in, be attacked or otherwise interact with or by any ship in OW

30 if ship leaves battle screen the ship may not attack ships in open world or be attacked by ships in open world for 2 minutes.

Just seems a bit silly that I can hide in the ternate dimension where you can't see me and suck you in. Especially considering how many people are annoyed by it. Me, I'm a PvE JV team guy for that very reason. Just don't feel like finally getting a pickle or whatever upgrade from my free cutter, load it with goods and leave port wondering right into a group of 5 3rd-4th rates that have been in the alternate battle dimension of 8 game-days jay waiting for people to leave.

Can you avoid them? Yep. Are there ways around it? Yep...but why allow it to begin with? Is there a game mechanic or something I'm missing?

[Mrdoomed]

When you see giant blob of first rates mixed with lowbies doing nothing somewhere araound Port Royal, you can read that sign as "gankers inside BS is here" I think.

Yeah a "noob" who does anything other than turn and run when he sees you is a bad sign. Along with a high rank in a basic cutter. You know they are upnto something underhanded.

[Mrdoomed]

All true. But why not just change it. In the words of "basic":

10 If ship is in battle screen then it cannot see or be seen by ships in open world.

20 if ship is in battle screen it cannot attack, draw in, be attacked or otherwise interact with or by any ship in OW

30 if ship leaves battle screen the ship may not attack ships in open world or be attacked by ships in open world for 2 minutes.

Just seems a bit silly that I can hide in the ternate dimension where you can't see me and suck you in. Especially considering how many people are annoyed by it. Me, I'm a PvE JV team guy for that very reason. Just don't feel like finally getting a pickle or whatever upgrade from my free cutter, load it with goods and leave port wondering right into a group of 5 3rd-4th rates that have been in the alternate battle dimension of 8 game-days jay waiting for people to leave.

Can you avoid them? Yep. Are there ways around it? Yep...but why allow it to begin with? Is there a game mechanic or something I'm missing?

Its nowhere near as bad as the scarebears make it out to be. In fact since the 2 minute time and 2 minute cooldown after battle or port ive never seen it happen to me.

Keep your eyes open and ruin tbier fun.

[Rebel Witch]

pvp2 has a lower population and has been a great mix of pve and pvp for casual players. I believe pvp1 server was pretty non stop politics and pvp while pvp2 server with between 50-200 players has pretty open waters so you can do safer trading.

 

I have loved pvp2 server and this game and i think you will too!

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

It is a player choice to be or not to be dragged into any politics quagmire or any drama and all is based on the playstyle chosen. Stop dividing the Naval Action nation please. We should strive to unify.

[Knobby]

All true. But why not just change it. In the words of "basic":

10 If ship is in battle screen then it cannot see or be seen by ships in open world.

20 if ship is in battle screen it cannot attack, draw in, be attacked or otherwise interact with or by any ship in OW

30 if ship leaves battle screen the ship may not attack ships in open world or be attacked by ships in open world for 2 minutes.

Just seems a bit silly that I can hide in the ternate dimension where you can't see me and suck you in. Especially considering how many people are annoyed by it. Me, I'm a PvE JV team guy for that very reason. Just don't feel like finally getting a pickle or whatever upgrade from my free cutter, load it with goods and leave port wondering right into a group of 5 3rd-4th rates that have been in the alternate battle dimension of 8 game-days jay waiting for people to leave.

Can you avoid them? Yep. Are there ways around it? Yep...but why allow it to begin with? Is there a game mechanic or something I'm missing?

All the mechanics you mention are already in place exactly like this.

The only way a battlescreen trap can work is if the guys waiting in BS are in contact with a bait/spotter outside of the BS in the open world. If you get close to the bait, they will jump out and have 2 mins in which they can't join a battle or attack. The spotter CAN however attack you and after 20 seconds the players that came out of BS will be dragged in the battle when the spotter tags you (as opposed to the 120s cooldown they have for joining or attacking themselves). 

 

So with these mechanisms in place i actually hardly ever see a BS trap anymore. Gankers now mostly hide in the environment (as it should be).

The BS is still very useful for avoiding revenge fleets or reinforcements come to help the victim, so gankers will still use it extensively. But the Invisible BS Trap you are talking about is basically extinct.

[Lurken]

anyone can get attacked anywhere at any given time, for trade you might want to either be fast, have escort or run your ship in less populated areas, plan your route.

the most populated areas are around the capitals, and this is also where gankers will go to seek their prey, avoid free ports in your nations area as thats where the pirates whould operate from.

 

really, swap to a pvp server, pve only sounds like a booring torture realm of carebears.

 

by my experience pvp1 EU is the best server, pvp2 US is mostly dominated bu USA and pirate nations, with some nations having little to no players at all. EU server is more balanced

Edited October 7, 2016 by Lurken

[MikeCK]

All the mechanics you mention are already in place exactly like this.

The only way a battlescreen trap can work is if the guys waiting in BS are in contact with a bait/spotter outside of the BS in the open world. If you get close to the bait, they will jump out and have 2 mins in which they can't join a battle or attack. The spotter CAN however attack you and after 20 seconds the players that came out of BS will be dragged in the battle when the spotter tags you (as opposed to the 120s cooldown they have for joining or attacking themselves).

So with these mechanisms in place i actually hardly ever see a BS trap anymore. Gankers now mostly hide in the environment (as it should be).

The BS is still very useful for avoiding revenge fleets or reinforcements come to help the victim, so gankers will still use it extensively. But the Invisible BS Trap you are talking about is basically extinct.

Ok. But my overall point is the fact that players can hide in BS like its another dimension. Shouldn't be able to do that

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Ok. But my overall point is the fact that players can hide in BS like its another dimension. Shouldn't be able to do that

 

I reckon the 5 minute timeout to either logout or get booted back to OW will be enough to overcome the issue, right ?