[Suggestion] Solution to Fix Open-World Sailing Speeds Without Breaking the Game

[WilsonMG]

Creating a complex system for wind isn't necessary...

There's already a lot of mechanics in the game that work off of the principal of circular zones around ports, so here's a really simple solution to make open-world sailing faster that doesn't involve a mechanic that can be easily exploited like this current implementation we were just cursed with...

Using the distance tools at https://na-map.netlify.com/, I was able to quickly perform a few tests and determine that a circular zone around every port, with a radial distance of anywhere from approximately 10K to 15K, based on in-game distance units, would create overlapping zones around all ports, and therefore most coastal regions, as well.  Inside of these circular "speed zones", ships would travel at traditional open-world speeds.  Everywhere else in the game world, outside of these circular speed zones, everyone would receive the same speed boost; thereby, allowing people to cover the large, open, and empty regions of the game map quickly and in a way that's fair to everyone.

TLDR: Create circular speed zones around ports.  If you're in them, you go the traditional open-world speed.  If you're outside of them, you go fast like Ricky Bobby...

[Henry Long Castle]

Nice idea Wilson !

Edited October 22, 2019 by Henry Long Castle

[Kejsaren]

Thank you WilsonMG,

 

It's simple, and it would work.

 

@Wraithwould you be happy with this? 😉

[Kejsaren]

1 minute ago, Wraith said:

If you go back and read any of my past suggestions on the topic over the years, most them boil down to increasing OW speeds by a simple factor across the board.  I'd still prefer this over either the Wind Boost mechanic or the zone-based mechanic like the one described, but the zone-based mechanic is fine too.

Essentially, the problem to be solved is reducing AFK time and upping the action of Naval Action. Zone- or distance-based speed scaling is fine, and an improvement on what we had before... the Wind Boost mechanic is severely flawed but still, better than what we had before in that it rewards people who are paying attention.

So sure, zone is fine, but I don't really see  how the wind boost mechanic is as problematic as people are making it out to be.

You don't see the problematic because you are only focused in reducing afk time. Need some perspective and think outside the box.

 

Anyway great suggestion @WilsonMG

[Destraex]

I like the idea

[Teutonic]

I'd personally want to increase the range to 25k.

but overall I absolutely agree.

[Angus MacDuff]

16 hours ago, WilsonMG said:

If you're outside of them, you go fast like Ricky Bobby...

Ricky Bobby doesn't have to tag his enemies (well....).  Tagging in the high speed zone might become problematic. Maybe drop to normal speeds once a tag is performed?  Or drop to normal speeds within a short distance to an enemy?

[[MCC] Die Antwoord]

Good idea. That said I have a simple way to fix the new system: Allow anyone to piggy back on someone's boost. Ex: I'm in my Trader Lynx going 15.5, I see a Trinco coming up to me with a boost at 18 pr whatever. Let me target that Trinco and click "Steal wind gust"... This gives me the same boost, for the same amount of time the enemy has left.

This way boosts aren't giving an unfair advantage to either ganker or ganked if they pay attention. Everybody wins.

[WilsonMG]

1 hour ago, Angus MacDuff said:

Ricky Bobby doesn't have to tag his enemies (well....).  Tagging in the high speed zone might become problematic. Maybe drop to normal speeds once a tag is performed?  Or drop to normal speeds within a short distance to an enemy?

The lack of maneuverability would be something we'd have to adjust to, but that's already the case with the current implementation...  The greater concern is that now, some ships can magically go faster than other ships because 10 minutes back they clicked a button that their victim doesn't have access to.

Let me present a scenario that happened just last night...  I was alone outside Baracoa, in a 15 kn Snow, looking for some of that PvE I'm being pushed to engage in now, grinding to rebuild my level 3 Shipyard (again), and a squad of five British gankers in two Bellonas, a Le Requin, a Pirate Frigate, and two Snows (one in fleet) came screaming at me from the west, up the coast.  Knowing I had no hope of escape, since I could tell they were already magically boosted from a wind zone and I was basically sitting still in comparison, I made for the closest wind zone I thought I could reach.  I managed to click it just in time and reach one of the square forts at Baracoa right as they got to me (their wind zone must have been slightly better than mine, as they were still faster).  I was able to escape from a very lopsided PvP fight only out of pure luck.  If they had taken an interest in me any sooner, they would have had me dead to rights.

Unfortunately, one of my Clan members had just logged on, and having his headphones off, he didn't hear my warnings.  He wasn't speed boosted, so he became their victim.  This was his first experience with the new update.  He surrendered against an impossible fight, and immediately logged off to go play another game.  He says he'll be taking a break.  Most of my other Clan members have said the same after yesterday's update.

I don't blame them...

[Earl of Grey]

11 minutes ago, [MCC] Die Antwoord said:

Good idea. That said I have a simple way to fix the new system: Allow anyone to piggy back on someone's boost. Ex: I'm in my Trader Lynx going 15.5, I see a Trinco coming up to me with a boost at 18 pr whatever. Let me target that Trinco and click "Steal wind gust"... This gives me the same boost, for the same amount of time the enemy has left.

This way boosts aren't giving an unfair advantage to either ganker or ganked if they pay attention. Everybody wins.

Seems a good solution for the "escaping the Revenge fleet"-problem too ..

 

[Angus MacDuff]

3 minutes ago, WilsonMG said:

I was alone outside Baracoa, in a 15 kn Snow, looking for some of that PvE I'm being pushed to engage in now, grinding to rebuild my level 3 Shipyard (again), and a squad of five British gankers in two Bellonas, a Le Requin, a Pirate Frigate, and two Snows (one in fleet) came screaming at me from the west, up the coast

This is why I've been preaching on other threads that this boost must expire when in sight of enemy players.  It's a fantastic QOL improvement for OW travel but terrible for PVP.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Angus MacDuff

[WilsonMG]

I cover some other points regarding this mechanic in this post here: 

 

[Quiet Assassin]

This wind zone idea is SO BAD, I logged off & played another MMO game. Guess what...it was a LOT more fun.

I love tall-ships & nautical history. Been playing this a long time.

But you're losing me. If it stays like this (or, worse), I'm gone.