Pre-release player considering return after long absence - what do I need to know?

[Bramborough]

Put 2200+ hours into this game about 4 years ago, when it was still beta or EA or whatever the heck they called it. Mostly on what was then called PvP 1 server. Loved the game...there was a bit of burnout, but main reason stopped playing was just dropping playerbase...the server essentially depopulated as coming "full release" approached. I just sidetracked into other games and for whatever reason never came back. Now am somewhat interested in having a look...but only if there's enough players.

What's the server situation? Multiple PvP and PvE? Just one of each? Which sees highest player count and activity level? I was never much of a small-scale PvP player, but really enjoyed the large realm-vs-realm Port Battles (as they were called at the time, and apparently now that has "come back", lol?).  My gameplay pattern was periods of pretty intensive campaigning with the nation (PvP1 Brit) in PBs, alternating with kinda calm trading/crafting "carebear" stuff, helping clan and nation prepare for the next tilt with Spain or Danmark/Norge or whoever.  Does that kind of gameplay still go on with today's Naval Action?

I seem to remember that pre-release players like me had to create a new account after release, but if using same player name and from same steam account, we'd still get our pre-existing ships in some form as redeemables. The main concern among players at time was what would happen with crafting level; supposedly would be retained. Is any of that still the case 4 years later? Or would I be really starting from scratch?

Obviously tons has to have changed over four years...would be a learning curve, no big deal. But what do I need to know about creating new account, which server to choose, etc? I don't want to mess up starting out of the gate.

[Jan van Santen]

27 minutes ago, Bramborough said:

. But what do I need to know about creating new account, which server to choose, etc? I don't want to mess up starting out of the gate.

No comment on game quality, but servers are a no brainer: There is but 2 now, war and peace and you can simply start a character on each of them and pick the one that suits you.

Most data are available here: https://na-map.netlify.app

You might wish to check the nations distribution there before you start.

[Bramborough]

That's a pretty helpful map link, thank you.  Wow, Russians are pretty widespread.  

What's the player level like on War?  In summer 2016, 1000+ at a time was common on PvP1, always lots going on.   By end of year, had dwindled to the point where 200-ish online at once was peak on a good day. 

[Louis Garneray]

43 minutes ago, Bramborough said:

That's a pretty helpful map link, thank you.  Wow, Russians are pretty widespread.  

What's the player level like on War?  In summer 2016, 1000+ at a time was common on PvP1, always lots going on.   By end of year, had dwindled to the point where 200-ish online at once was peak on a good day. 

For US based player like us, the evening are at around 270-300 players during the week.
During the days it's a little bigger.

But for sure with summer here and some inaction (people waiting for patches, or people unhappy with patches) the population is not as active as it was during spring.

 

[Bramborough]

Well alright, I saw it bigger, but I saw it lower too.  I'll probably give it a go sometime this week.  What the heck, I already have the game on steam anyway, not like it's going to cost anything.  

I did see in a video that "full release" (which apparently was two years later than I thought it was) did feature a hard wipe of all previous XP/stuff/etc. So guess I'll be in the Basic Cutter, lol.

 

[Louis Garneray]

Do the tutorial to rank up faster.

 

[admin]

3 hours ago, Bramborough said:

Put 2200+ hours into this game about 4 years ago, when it was still beta or EA or whatever the heck they called it. Mostly on what was then called PvP 1 server. Loved the game...there was a bit of burnout, but main reason stopped playing was just dropping playerbase...the server essentially depopulated as coming "full release" approached. I just sidetracked into other games and for whatever reason never came back. Now am somewhat interested in having a look...but only if there's enough players.

What's the server situation? Multiple PvP and PvE? Just one of each? Which sees highest player count and activity level? I was never much of a small-scale PvP player, but really enjoyed the large realm-vs-realm Port Battles (as they were called at the time, and apparently now that has "come back", lol?).  My gameplay pattern was periods of pretty intensive campaigning with the nation (PvP1 Brit) in PBs, alternating with kinda calm trading/crafting "carebear" stuff, helping clan and nation prepare for the next tilt with Spain or Danmark/Norge or whoever.  Does that kind of gameplay still go on with today's Naval Action?

I seem to remember that pre-release players like me had to create a new account after release, but if using same player name and from same steam account, we'd still get our pre-existing ships in some form as redeemables. The main concern among players at time was what would happen with crafting level; supposedly would be retained. Is any of that still the case 4 years later? Or would I be really starting from scratch?

Obviously tons has to have changed over four years...would be a learning curve, no big deal. But what do I need to know about creating new account, which server to choose, etc? I don't want to mess up starting out of the gate.

the game is evolving as usual

welcome back

 

[Carl_infar]

6 hours ago, Louis Garneray said:

For US based player like us, the evening are at around 270-300 players during the week.
During the days it's a little bigger.

But for sure with summer here and some inaction (people waiting for patches, or people unhappy with patches) the population is not as active as it was during spring.

 

For Europe Prime Time its around 600 as avarage daily

[Aquillas]

You can have a look in the User Guide here:

https://forum.game-labs.net/topic/33234-naval-action-user-guide/

 

[Bramborough]

Thanks for replies.  Logged in last night to PvE server; figured I'd putz around in there first to relearn the basics (yeah, I'd completely forgotten how to do manual sails lol).  Didn't have to make a new account; just fired right up without even a password.  And still a member of the same (long-defunct) clan.  As expected, starting from zero.  No big deal.  Lol, that final exam is pretty hard.  (gotta say, I don't remember ships being so frail years ago...Surprise was a bit of a glass cannon even then, but I don't remember it being like THIS.  It's also immediately clear that de-masting must be the current flavor-of-the-month OP tactic).

On log-in, I've got a redeemable 5th-rate, "Pandora".  I assume it's probably a wipe-associated gift ship for prior players.  The question: is it redeemable on both servers or just one?  If answer is "just one", is it a decent ship worth keeping for the PvP server?

[Cathal Brugha]

You should be able to redeem it on both servers, I know I have.