If you walk the plank, you have yourself to thank!
What does a crew do when a random pirate talks worse that the most drunken sailor, eats all the bananas, or will not stop shooting all your cannonballs into the sea? Lock them in the brig you say.? What happens when repeated incarcerations do not change the error of their ways?
Make them walk the plank!
New Crew Option
Walk the Plank
How It Would Work
An escalated option can be selected to vote on making a repeat offending crew member Walk the Plank. It would only be selected when the person has been returned to the brig for the second time. Perhaps “three strikes” and they are out. A crew can decide such a rule.
The offender must be locked in the brig. The ship must be stopped and anchored before the option could be selected and the voting process to begin. If the person is voted to walk the plank, they appear wrapped in ropes or chains at the end of the plank on a galleon or a bowsprit for ships that do not have a plank. Several sharks are waiting swimming below.
The crew can then say their goodbyes and the person can, if allowed, give their last words. Then a member of the crew can perform an emote while targeting the person on the plank.
The pirate doing the emote carries out the animation of nudging the person off the plank with the tip of their sword. The unruly crew member falls off the end of the plank or bowsprit. Since they are bound they cannot swim or fight the sharks which come in to have a bite or two, or three.
The person is no longer a member of the crew. What happens next? There are several possibilities:
Banish/Maroon on an Island (Stays on Server): The person respawns on an island with or without a rowboat. A sloop could be waiting instead to allow the banished crew mate a chance to sail back. They could have to row to an outpost to get a ship once change to another ship the option is possible at the shipwright. Staying on the server the story of ex-crew member and crew could once again cross paths. It might be best with a griefer, toxic player to maroon them on tiny island with no rowboat at all. Let the bad player restart.
Respawn on New Server: However, what happens if there is no room? The person spawns the same way on a new server. This is probably why we have the brig system now as there is no current way to deal with a member leaving a crew yet.
Return to Menu: The play returns to the menu to start their own ship or log off.
Alternative (Ritual & Tradition): Like @enf0rcer suggested the crew sails to a specific location to carry out the deed. Forcing someone to walk the plank is part ritual and part tradition. In order for this option to be carried out the crew must sail to Shark Bait Cove. The area is ripe with shark lore to make this work with the crew's evolving story. The ship anchors there to perform the deed.
Option: Instead of a pool of sharks, a meg surfaces to swallow the person whole at the end.
Return to Lobby: As @ENF0RCER has suggested the person returns to the lobby. A lobby could be a nice addition where all players meet and can sign up as a crew to enter into the core game Sea of Thieves or The Arena.
Comments
Right now the current solution of locking a really bad player in the brig ends up locking that individual in the middle of everyone else's fun and time sailing. They usually do no drop out of the game because they do not want to. They are doing exactly what they set out to do. Good players should never be the ones forced to restart leaving everything behind.
This idea is a suggested way to manage this bad situation. This post will be updated with additional thoughts and the feedback from your suggestions.
My Ideas
Fishing, Crabbing, Digging Clams, & Harpoon Monster Hunting
Walking the Plank
Outpost Under Siege
Sea Folk Magic
Usable Dagger: Weapon/Tool & Environmental Targets
Fly More Flags
Diving Helmet
Community Ideas Master List
You can find a lot more creative and fun ideas from the great minds of the community in Community Ideas Master List. Who knows maybe some of them will be coming our way soon in a future Bilge Rat adventure or update!