Brig should be the starting ship

[Slim McSauce]

The cutter/lynx/privateer, the 7th rates are not good starting ships. They don't at all play, or teach the fundamentals of the game for 90% of the ships. A lot of players leave before even reaching the brig and I think that's in part because there's much less satisfaction in sailing a table with sails, dumping full broadsides into the ocean while trying to aim at another floating table.

They don't represent what this game is about at all, I think you should have the choice to go down to the cutter/lynx/privateer as specialized vessels, maybe shuttle types used to get around fast, or designated for certain roles like a fishing vessel, towing vessel or light transport, or just regular fighting ship. But starting in these ships is not a good way to capture new players and show them what Naval Action is. Even the tutorial uses the brig because what you learn in a cutter hardly transfers past it's own realm.

Edited February 17, 2018 by Slim Jimmerson

[admin]

after new tutorial exams are added surprise/renomme/cerberus will be starting ships

(if you pass the exam of course). 

[Sir Texas Sir]

3 minutes ago, admin said:

after new tutorial exams are added surprise/renomme/cerberus will be starting ships

(if you pass the exam of course). 

Are you phasing out the shallow ships cause folks need to learn those too.  I get you want them to learn and get into the action but if you skip to many ships and throw them into the fire it's going to get nasty and they will get burned bad.  

[admin]

2 minutes ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

Are you phasing out the shallow ships cause folks need to learn those too.  I get you want them to learn and get into the action but if you skip to many ships and throw them into the fire it's going to get nasty and they will get burned bad.  

No. But we want a player who passed an M&C exam to be immediately useful in PVP and light frigates are best for it. M&C exam will give a player a permanent free light frigate. So a player can just jump into action whenever he is needed for scouting, chasing, screening.

They can of course buy or cap a light ship and participate in shallow waters fighting, learning shallow ships. This will allow us also to make light ships historically strong in some things as we wont need to balance them for silly progression for rookies anymore.

 

 

[Slim McSauce]

Just now, admin said:

after new tutorial exams are added surprise/renomme/cerberus will be starting ships

(if you pass the exam of course). 

So you will jump ranks to the respective rank? Or will you just receive these ships for free but still have to gain rank to sail them.

I think it'd be more appropriate to have the snow/rattler/cerb be reward ships, surprise and renomme are huge jumps

[Slim McSauce]

Also will there be change to the free BC? Will the free pull anytime ship be changed. Also any plans for an alternate use for 7th rates, since even in shallow waters and PBs they're hardly ever used in combat.

Edited February 17, 2018 by Slim Jimmerson

[Sir Texas Sir]

I get the point, but don't speed advance them.  Make it so they have to rank up a few levels before they can do the Master Com, maybe be a requirment to be Lt Com first and of a certain range of xp about to turn Master Com.  I do like the ideal of them getting a ship to start with at that level.  Like it's a graduation form the small boys of the shallow waters.  Now your in the big boy pound have fun.

 

watches them go out and get gank by 20 chars.....he was so brave, that little captain that tried.

[Sir Texas Sir]

3 minutes ago, Slim Jimmerson said:

Also will there be change to the free BC? Will the free pull anytime ship be changed. Also any plans for an alternate use for 7th rates, since even in shallow waters and PBs they're hardly ever used in combat.

I think thre would be more shallow fights if there was better PB timer set in the shallows and most of the ports wasn't owned by some mega clans.  They should only be owned by small clans and such. 

[admin]

12 minutes ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

 

watches them go out and get gank by 20 chars.....he was so brave, that little captain that tried.

Exam will be hard and will challenge the player. It will be in the safe tutorial environment, but if player finishes it he will be able to sink 60% of players on the forum

[DeRuyter]

 Remember when the starting ship was the Lnyx? Lots of criticism that it was too hard for new players. Then came the cutter better but still players can't wait to get into the bigger ships. Tutorial exams are a good way to get players started on that track with some learning. If you want to skip tutorial great your start in cutter. Do the tutorial and you can get into a brig. 

[Jean Ribault]

9 minutes ago, DeRuyter said:

...If you want to skip tutorial great your start in cutter. Do the tutorial and you can get into a brig. 

 

Maybe, but I think this path forward is a mistake:

43 minutes ago, admin said:

after new tutorial exams are added surprise/renomme/cerberus will be starting ships

(if you pass the exam of course). 

[blubasso]

Well, it will be the death of 7th rate ships, useless for the 80% of PvP players. 

A suggestion: instead of 7th rate "battle" ships, can you group trading and eventual fishing ship in the last rate, letting from 6th rate ships as PvP ships? After all, we need to build ships anyway... 

[blubasso]

Just now, Jean Ribault said:

 

Maybe, but I think this path forward is a mistake:

I do think the same but what can i do?

I think it's a mistake having NA and NA Legends as same game with only a bigger map, but...

[Nick the cursed]

14 minutes ago, blubasso said:

Well, it will be the death of 7th rate ships, useless for the 80% of PvP players.

7th rates can be a wound against 6/5th rates with their speed, maneuverability, little "hitbox", etc... and you can easily escape if you're in a bad situation

Edited February 17, 2018 by Nick the cursed

[Gregory Rainsborough]

Give 'em the snow!

[blubasso]

21 minutes ago, Gregory Rainsborough said:

Give 'em the snow!

Snow is one of the best starting ship IMO: light, fast and full of cannons everywhere, a perfect choyce for newcomers that want to test fighting with square sails ships. 

If the AI 5th rate ships were sold little cheaper, a newcomer can easyly buy one and in few time start with light frigate 

Edited February 17, 2018 by blubasso

[SKurj]

12 minutes ago, blubasso said:

Snow is one of the best starting ship IMO: light, fast and full of cannons everywhere, a perfect choyce for newcomers that want to test fighting with square sails ships. 

If the AI 5th rate ships were sold little cheaper, a newcomer can easyly buy one and in few time start with light frigate 

The npc 5th rates are not that much more than the snow actually, cerb is around 70k, and renomee 80k..  

[blubasso]

1 hour ago, Nick the cursed said:

7th rates can be a wound against 6/5th rates with their speed, maneuverability, little "hitbox", etc... and you can easily escape if you're in a bad situation

If the average player can choose, i bet he will prefer a big one: why should i "loose time" maneuvring when i could smash you with power?

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Agreed.

Post naval academy ( Tutorials ) the Brig should be the first station of the captain. He can drop it for a for-aft rig if he/she wishes.

It has nothing to do with the amount of guns. Sloops and Schooners are "specialized" ships.

[Sea Fox]

2 hours ago, admin said:

Exam will be hard and will challenge the player. It will be in the safe tutorial environment, but if player finishes it he will be able to sink 60% of players on the forum

That is a bold claim. Will the exam tutorial teach which mods to put on ships?

[blubasso]

2 hours ago, admin said:

Exam will be hard and will challenge the player. It will be in the safe tutorial environment, but if player finishes it he will be able to sink 60% of players on the forum

How? 2+ ships; toughter ones; better AI; a mix?

[maturin]

27 minutes ago, Hethwill said:

Agreed.

Post naval academy ( Tutorials ) the Brig should be the first station of the captain. He can drop it for a for-aft rig if he/she wishes.

It has nothing to do with the amount of guns. Sloops and Schooners are "specialized" ships.

The brig is a specialized ship now as well. It's faster than all the frigates.

[Blackjack Morgan]

4 hours ago, admin said:

after new tutorial exams are added surprise/renomme/cerberus will be starting ships

(if you pass the exam of course). 

Any chance you could do something similar for all ships? Like when you have over 4,000 hours played but you still need to "unlock" every ship skill slots you want to try sailing....it really sucks and accomplishes nothing. Maybe, just have a ship skill unlock by Tier of ship? Like you unlock all slots for all 5th rates or all 4th rates.....instead of needing to do it for each individual ship in those classes? I''ll send you a Christmas card this year if you make this a reality!

[Guest]

4 hours ago, admin said:

Exam will be hard and will challenge the player. It will be in the safe tutorial environment, but if player finishes it he will be able to sink 60% of players on the forum

And 100% of Americans

[Barbancourt]

6 hours ago, Slim Jimmerson said:

The cutter/lynx/privateer, the 7th rates are not good starting ships. They don't at all play, or teach the fundamentals of the game for 90% of the ships. A lot of players leave before even reaching the brig and I think that's in part because there's much less satisfaction in sailing a table with sails, dumping full broadsides into the ocean while trying to aim at another floating table.

Seriously?  It isn't that hard, and it doesn't even take very long.  If you're "dumping full broadsides into the ocean" you need more time in a 7th rate to correct that error rather than trying to "fix" it with more decks of cannons.  The Brig is crap and I'm sure it made quite a few players quit.