So, let me set the scene here:
I log into a brig open crew to see the ship full of holes but otherwise in good repair, and my two shipmates standing on the bow, taking sniper shots at some rando in the water at max range. Eventually, we leap in and kill him, and discover about 45k worth of loot floating around a detached rowboat. Apparently, a solo sloop had decided to attack the brig while it was offloading, and they sank him. He also - very obviously - wasn't happy.
We sold the new trove of loot, both those guys logged, I'm left alone, and the sloop returns. I let him sink the now-empty brig since it's no secret that he needs to let off some steam, and after a few minutes I take the mermaid to the new brig. Two new crewmates join.
I quickly inform them that the sloop is very, very hostile and probably still going to be gunning for us, and they seem to understand (well, one of them does - the other is one of those people who doesn't have a mic and doesn't type). Sure enough, about 10 minutes later, the sloop shows up and we sink it pretty handily. In the aftermath, one of my crewmates says:
"You know, I like digging up treasure, I like killing skeletons, and I like diving wrecks, but this is a little much. Normally, I don't really kill players."
There's a distinct note of condemnation in his voice, but I don't really pay it much mind initially. The third player disconnects, and a little while thereafter I spot the salty sloop again on the horizon. He's coming in fast, we align ourselves to give battle, turn to present broadside and... the pacifist logs.
Now, obviously, I cannot know what happened. Maybe a werewolf just kicked in his front door; maybe his fridge just exploded; maybe his internet connection dropped out. But... I have a distinct feeling that this was timed to assure that he didn't have to fight off our antagonist (and perhaps also, that I would be taught some kind of lesson in the process). Do I know for sure? Nope. But that was my gut reaction.
And that leads me to my question: if you aren't playing SoT for the player interactions - the majority of which are hostile in nature - why are you playing?
This isn't the only pirate game out there. Not only are there buccaneer-themed platforms that offer far more PvE immersion, but they're solo-oriented experiences where there's absolutely nothing of consequence (if, I guess, ego is of consequence to you; if the risk of being beaten by another player makes you uncomfortable) on the line.
But SoT really isn't that game. Once you've figured it out... once you've seen all the islands, looted thousands of treasure chests, grabbed all the various sails and hull paint schemes and costumes you could ever want... the experience pretty much boils down to encounters with players. That's it - that's the only element of the game that remains dynamic and unpredictable. Everything else is pretty shallow and repetitive.
Moreover, hostile engagements with players are unavoidable. If you log in, you're (eventually) going to get attacked. I guess you can scuttle, or sail into the shroud, or dump all your cargo overboard during the chase. But being aggressed-upon is just going to happen... predictably. So there's very little room in the game for someone who doesn't get something out of that experience. Because all your PvE efforts are not only pretty monotonous, but they're pretty much setting you up to get attacked (an experience that you don't really like).
... and thus, I am left scratching my head as to what the draw is here. It's one thing to log in and not instantly throw up the Reaper flag (the majority of players), and another to hate PvP through-and-through. So if your reaction to being attacked is to just tuck and run (and perhaps passive-aggressively judge your crewmates who aren't quite so peace-loving as you skedaddle off-stage), what does SoT do for you?
