Walking the Plank

  • 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!

    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.

    Walk the Plank


    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!

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  • @dutchyankee said in Walking the Plank:

    I would like to see a walking the plank function. Maybe one that froze the gaming account for 24 hours as punishment.
    Firstly, you would need all the players from 2 different crews (minus the offender) to unanimously vote to "plank" the offensive player off to the sharks.
    Every "Planking" would automatically be reported to Rare and they could randomly have somebody look into them. If the planking was fair, the offender is banned for 24 hours (second time a week, third time for ever). And if the "planking" was deemed "grieving" then the punishment goes the other way.

    A walking the plank option would be nice and fit in the game. Players voting to ban would not be necessary and would probably lead to other issues. Bad players can be reported and Rare can deal with them appropriately and fairly.

    Just the option to get someone off your ship and not stuck in the brig would be all that is really needed. The rest of a good crew should not be the ones to have to start over.

  • @skullmanbeard said in Walking the Plank:

    2 ideas i think will make this work for any scenario. And purposeful.

    1. Timer on brig till u can kick maybe 30 mins 40 45.
      Why because if u ever get put in brig after doing hard work by griefers they wont have patience to wait to kick to invite some one else.

    This one is way more complicated and not sure would even work.
    2. When a player walks the plank they get kicked off crew but not server. They can take a mer to outpost where a sloop would be waiting. Maybe a story of true mutiny befell u and ur out6 for revenge. This might be only doable once per ship session so u cant make fleet. Timer would mitigate people waiting in brig for a second ship to add to fleet.
    Thats the main issue i see. Also if the server has full ship count.

    I like that idea, but the problem of limited ship capacity kills it. Since they likely got kicked for not being nice, I say let them stay on the server, but don’t give them a ship at all. Make them swim to an island and find a rowboat to use (after next months update). If they don’t like it they can leave the server and join another, where hopefully the same fate will befall them until they change their behavior.

  • @skullmanbeard said in Walking the Plank:

    1. When a player walks the plank they get kicked off crew but not server. They can take a mer to outpost where a sloop would be waiting. Maybe a story of true mutiny befell u and ur out6 for revenge. This might be only doable once per ship session so u cant make fleet. Timer would mitigate people waiting in brig for a second ship to add to fleet.
      Thats the main issue i see. Also if the server has full ship count.

    Exactly what I was thinking! After swimming with the sharks they would start over alone in a sloop. Staying on the same server is fine if there is room. If not, they could always restart on a new one.

  • @rockinpodunk said in Walking the Plank:

    @skullmanbeard said in Walking the Plank:

    2 ideas i think will make this work for any scenario. And purposeful.

    1. Timer on brig till u can kick maybe 30 mins 40 45.
      Why because if u ever get put in brig after doing hard work by griefers they wont have patience to wait to kick to invite some one else.

    This one is way more complicated and not sure would even work.
    2. When a player walks the plank they get kicked off crew but not server. They can take a mer to outpost where a sloop would be waiting. Maybe a story of true mutiny befell u and ur out6 for revenge. This might be only doable once per ship session so u cant make fleet. Timer would mitigate people waiting in brig for a second ship to add to fleet.
    Thats the main issue i see. Also if the server has full ship count.

    I like that idea, but the problem of limited ship capacity kills it. Since they likely got kicked for not being nice, I say let them stay on the server, but don’t give them a ship at all. Make them swim to an island and find a rowboat to use (after next months update). If they don’t like it they can leave the server and join another, where hopefully the same fate will befall them until they change their behavior.

    Good idea! When row boats come there could even be two options: vote to walk the plank or set them adrift alone in a row boat.

  • @x-crowheart-x Unfortunately we've had to deal with such a character who didn't do a single thing to help sail or find loot.
    Even in the brig he was obnoxious. Besides talking in many imitated voices he went on to play sound effects and stupid music that I don't think anyone could appreciate.

    We had to mute him voice & text messages as well.
    He finally left, either by choice or by being afk. Either way we didn't cash-in anything while he was in our game.
    I'm pretty sure that was the last random we've let join our crew.

    I've said for months this game needs a "Kick" option rather than a space wasting brig.

    I love the idea of making offenders "walk the plank" however gangplanks are only found on galleons. :/

  • I think @dutchyankee 's suggestion is possibly the best way to deal with such jerks.
    Once voted the offender will no longer be a crew member and is open to being slayed by those who he taunted.

    Forget about leaving them on the server, that's just pointless and wouldn't work as they need a proper vessel to re-spawn on. Not just a rowboat.
    Unless of course, they don't re-spawn. lol Once dead they're off that server.

    As a safety net from groups of friends taking over your already established ship, voyage and game. If all others of the crew join after the initial alleged jerk, they will need to join another server.
    I've read of such cases where three friends have joined a galleon then immediately locked up the original crew mate for no other reason but to invite their friend along.

  • @hoppentosse said in Walking the Plank:

    @x-crowheart-x sagte in Walking the Plank:

    He would not shut up or leave them alone. Everyone around them had to listen to his crazy, foul ranting and raving.

    You can mute him.

    Yes, that crew could mute that particular crew member. We were working together with several other crews we did want to hear, so we did not want to mute other crews.

    Walking the plank or abandoning them in a row boat gives the good members that are in a crew control of a bad situation while adding a little more pirate flavor to the game, and maybe teach the toxic players out there a thing or two.

  • @admiral-rrrsole said in Walking the Plank:

    @x-crowheart-x Unfortunately we've had to deal with such a character who didn't do a single thing to help sail or find loot.
    Even in the brig he was obnoxious. Besides talking in many imitated voices he went on to play sound effects and stupid music that I don't think anyone could appreciate.

    We had to mute him voice & text messages as well.
    He finally left, either by choice or by being afk. Either way we didn't cash-in anything while he was in our game.
    I'm pretty sure that was the last random we've let join our crew.

    I've said for months this game needs a "Kick" option rather than a space wasting brig.

    I love the idea of making offenders "walk the plank" however gangplanks are only found on galleons. :/

    True, so they could walk off the bowsprit, what ever the case may be for the ship. The options and effect is still the same.

  • @admiral-rrrsole said in Walking the Plank:

    I think @dutchyankee 's suggestion is possibly the best way to deal with such jerks.
    Once voted the offender will no longer be a crew member and is open to being slayed by those who he taunted.

    Forget about leaving them on the server, that's just pointless and wouldn't work as they need a proper vessel to re-spawn on. Not just a rowboat.
    Unless of course, they don't re-spawn. lol Once dead they're off that server.

    As a safety net from groups of friends taking over your already established ship, voyage and game. If all others of the crew join after the initial alleged jerk, they will need to join another server.
    I've read of such cases where three friends have joined a galleon then immediately locked up the original crew mate for no other reason but to invite their friend along.

    Respawning would probably be the best way to work it out. The idea is to be hopefully a teaching moment while adding a little more gameplay and lore to the game.

    The idea would be the offender goes though an animated sequence of dropping off a plank or bowsprit to sharks that kill them. They respawn as usual at an outpost, preferably a small island on the same server if there is room, if not a new server. A

    Abandoning them in a row boat would be the same thing. They appear in a row boat after a Abandon in Rowboat options is selected, watching the ship sail away. Then fade to black triggering the respawn.

    The three friends scenario is hopefully rare. Such a scenario is already taking advantage of the limited mechanic that already exists. So, that will not change if these options are added or not. Having more control should lead to more better outcomes in the worse situations players can find themselves in. Thus making the potential misuse rare and worth it.

  • How about muting players in the brig by gagging them and binding their hands?

  • See I like the idea of making toxic players walk the plank based on a crew vote. However getting them kicked from the server doesn't do much as they'll probably just do the exact same thing to some other crew. I say keep them on the current server with a catch of course. Once a player has to walk the plank he/she is no longer part of the crew. They also will no longer get the mermaid back to the ship nor will they have a new sloop spawn in for them. They can get a rowboat once forsaken shores releases but that's about it. I feel like we should give these players a sense that they are being marooned on an island for their c**p attitudes. Also maybe make this a 24 hour punishment across servers. That way when they leave because they've essentially been neutered gameplay wise they won't be able to just switch servers and do this c**p again.

  • @x-crowheart-x My thought on thi topic which is an option I suppoted on day one is if thy were to ever add ship captiance to the game, It would be an option given solely to the captian to judge any player voted to the brig to be handed the punish ment of walking the plank. But a few conditions would have to be met.

    Frist there would have to be a minimum sentence served in the brig like how prisoner wait on death row. I'll say somewhere between 10-20 mins which is more then the release time.

    Then their would have to be a designed area the crew would have to sail to. To perform the act.

    Here is where you could have one of 2 option happen if they die they get booted from the server, if they get booted via this method a set amount of times lets say 3 within a relitivly short time say a one day then they get a temp ban for lets says 48 hours. If they mange to swim and make it to the designated areas Island then they would be removed from the lobby and server merged. The island acting as a mid waypoint between servers.

    What you guy's think?

  • @enf0rcer

    Yeah I have been meaning to revisit this idea. Have parts of it scattered around in other posts as well. Will look at your ideas and start working on this again.

    Definitely want the mechanics to be played out in game and be part of lore. Also, have to be careful more bad player controls are not used more adversely against innocent players because of abuse of the options.

  • @x-crowheart-x said in Walking the Plank:

    @enf0rcer

    Yeah I have been meaning to revisit this idea. Have parts of it scattered around in other posts as well. Will look at your ideas and start working on this again.

    Definitely want the mechanics to be played out in game and be part of lore. Also, have to be careful more bad player controls are not used more adversely against innocent players because of abuse of the options.

    Very good hoped to it updated. Btw this poat was recently added to the list.

  • Bad decision, because it will allow throwing players from the server even if they do not deserve it. Would you like to be kicked out of the ship after you completed the Athens quest?

    Want to protect yourself from useless players - play with friends or find a team in the official discord.
    Attempts to realize the opportunity to get rid of the players will create new opportunities for trolling.

  • But there is one idea. Deadly duel!
    If the other player does not suit you - you can offer him a duel. A duel can only begin if another player accepts your offer. The loser leaves the server.
    Thus, players will not have a desire to throw another player away in order to deprive him of deserved chests.

    This does not solve the 100% trolling problem, but at least complements the gameplay.

  • @a-smollett said in Walking the Plank:

    But there is one idea. Deadly duel!
    If the other player does not suit you - you can offer him a duel. A duel can only begin if another player accepts your offer. The loser leaves the server.
    Thus, players will not have a desire to throw another player away in order to deprive him of deserved chests.

    This does not solve the 100% trolling problem, but at least complements the gameplay.

    An interesting idea. Do you have a post on this Topic? If not i suggest you make one and add a link to this post there.

  • @x-crowheart-x Very nice. This idea is coming along well. I like the picture. The issue i have here is that the game has no way to send a player directly to another server as it would have to make a new looby which it can't do from inside the playspace so kicking a player out of a Looby will just eject them from the server. They would have to make a dedicated instance just so they can add a place to add a looby. I suggest we get a designated area that can serve as a loading zone. You sail there and your ship merges to this zone inbetween sessions and when the ship leave it could be merged back to it's old session and the Planked player when revived coul then be placed in his own lobby connected to that area then it could be merged to a different session.

  • @enf0rcer Thank you. I added a new topic for discussion.
    Deadly duel

  • As we all dislike the troll. And the kick button has been around on the forums for longer. I have to say, sadly, do NOT add a kick button.

    Yes the troll is not adding anything to your crew. But how about the trolls join me? Its 2 against 1. I did all the work stocking ship getting loot. Before we sell they decide to vote kick 2 vs 1. Im kicked. I did all the work but nothing to show for?

    I rather sell and sadly let the troll get a cut than the possibilty to actually do all the work to be kicked out by my troll crew.

    In another post about kick option someone stated a ferry kick. I'm all up for this! It doenst not fix troll but it does fix AFK.

    Ferry kick would work like this:
    Kill the AFK'er. (yes u can kill your crew, use gunpowder)
    Once AFK is in the ferry a timer kicks in.
    If the AFK did NOT leave the ferry in 5 minutes? (can be 3 or 10, 5 is just an example)
    Still on ferry? Oke u get kick. Bye AFK.

    U can still allow crewmates to AFK. Just dont kill them :)

    Its a bit off-topic but it kinda does fit the discussion aswell

  • Thanks everyone for the feedback! I appreciate each post, even if you agree or not. This is still a work in progress as I am revisiting my idea and expanding upon it with additional thoughts and your feedback.

    @a-smollett said in Walking the Plank:

    Bad decision, because it will allow throwing players from the server even if they do not deserve it. Would you like to be kicked out of the ship after you completed the Athens quest?

    The first preference as I stated above is to allow the person to stay on the same server. That way the story continues. They can change and seek the crew out to ask for forgiveness since the Ferryman gave them another chance. Maybe they seek revenge and form a crew to go battle with the other ship.

    Want to protect yourself from useless players - play with friends or find a team in the official discord.

    My spouse and I are a team. We like to make new friends and help new players when possible. We attempt to do so by meeting other pirates alone in the game and allowing ransoms to join.

    Attempts to realize the opportunity to get rid of the players will create new opportunities for trolling.

    Trolls will always be trolls. Toxic players will always be toxic. More reason to give players control and not make excuses for not doing so.

    I do hope Rare adds a form of dueling. It is a common idea posted and I have giving many ideas on how it should work. It should be a separate part of game play from a crew management idea. A troll and toxic player will not have honor to duel when they know what will be coming in a situation like discussed here.


    @enf0rcer thanks! I like the idea of sailing to a specific spot. I have an idea for that I have not posted yet. I plan to proposed several alternatives. My idea for this would be Shark Bait Cove. The area is ripe with shark lore to make this work with the story of the crew making someone walk the plank. The ship anchors there to perform the deed. Another alternative would be instead of a pool of sharks, a meg surfaced to swallow them whole at the end.

    I think the person should have a chance to start over on the same server if there is room. They go to a small island and a sloop is waiting or even a rowboat since we have them now. The easiest thing if there is no room is the player is taken back to the menu to start over or log off from there.

    I think a captain mechanic is sorely needed. Either it is simply the person launching the ship or one who has become a Pirate Legend and launches the ship. I think it could be both ways. The crew could still vote and the captain can have the power to veto the decision.

    A lobby is not a bad idea. The Arena is going to have a lobby right? If so, why not allow all players to start there. They can chat, chill, and join up to go into either the Sea of Thieves or The Arena.


    @weakdexx said in Walking the Plank:

    As we all dislike the troll. And the kick button has been around on the forums for longer. I have to say, sadly, do NOT add a kick button.

    Yes the troll is not adding anything to your crew. But how about the trolls join me? Its 2 against 1. I did all the work stocking ship getting loot. Before we sell they decide to vote kick 2 vs 1. Im kicked. I did all the work but nothing to show for?

    Several bad players can lock one player in the brig now effectively doing the same thing. This can happen, but overwhelming the issue is with a single player. A true troll and toxic player does not leave the majority of the time. They stick around no matter if they are let out of the brig or not. Even if they are also muted. The bad player needs to the one ejected. The other players should not be the ones forced to leave and start over.


    I still have more to add and expand how this would work and fit into the game. I still believe the person who launches the ship should have more control. That person purchased the game. They should have at least minimal control so players with bad intentions do not hijack their fun. I think we would find that a vast number of people who leave and never comeback to play again is because of bad player issues.

    I seen many players argue that no one controls a ship. I think that is very short sided. There should be a captain mechanic added to the game. If it is not simply the player who launches a ship, then let it be earned as the option to have more control over a ship in in game.

    I think it would be very suiting that once you become a Pirate Legend, you have more control over a ship you launch by being its captain. You are a legend and it is your ship if you launch it.

    Thanks again for the feedback! More to come.

  • @x-crowheart-x, as you keep talking about "the captain", I don't know such a role in the game. Would be nice to could elect one, though, as been discussed in former topics.

  • @x-crowheart-x

    I think it would be very suiting that once you become a Pirate Legend, you have more control over a ship you launch. You are a legend and it is your ship if you launch it.

    I refuse. Captains were chosen from among the crew, a mutiny was constructive at the same time: by choosing a new captain, the old one was removed.

  • @goedecke-michel said in Walking the Plank:

    @x-crowheart-x, as you keep talking about "the captain", I don't know such a role in the game. Would be nice to could elect one, though, as been discussed in former topics.

    Correct sir! There is not an "official" current role, at least not yet. Right now many assume that roll when they start that ship. Other are chosen by a group of family and friends. It is being done by choice and roleplaying. It needs to be more official. That is the only point of reference for a captain at this point. I will update any such reference as to not be confusing to a reader. Thank you!

    Electing a captain would be nice, but it would only work best with family and friends. This is one place the "organic" part of gameplay needs to take a back seat. Again a player who purchased the game should have more control if they are the one launching a ship and bringing together a crew. That right could be earned as part of becoming a Pirate Legend if not there from the start.

    @goedecke-michel said in Walking the Plank:

    @x-crowheart-x

    I think it would be very suiting that once you become a Pirate Legend, you have more control over a ship you launch. You are a legend and it is your ship if you launch it.

    I refuse. Captains were chosen from among the crew, a mutiny was constructive at the same time: by choosing a new captain, the old one was removed.

    I understand the concepts of mutiny. As I said there is a also limit to "realism" and "historical" accuracy. Especially in the whimsical, wacky, comical fantasy world of the Sea of Thieves.

    If you want to refuse that is ok. Thank you for sharing your opinion and posts.

  • @x-crowheart-x yes we need this in game

  • They will not add a kick button

  • @kin-h4chi Imagine situations when griefers are in the majority and vote you out. How to handle that...?

  • @x-crowheart-x

    Thats true mate. Thats why i said wont fix troll. it does fix afk. As i still believe its a viable option for AFK'ers

  • @goedecke-michel

    Y are you asking me

  • @Kin-H4chi they may not. This is one suggestion that gives that extra control over a frequently bad situation, while allowing the resolution to be played out storywise. Players may always be stuck with bad players locked in the middle of their game session with Rare's current solution. The good members in the crew will be the ones "ejected" to start over without that one rotten apple. So, one person effectively kicks the rest of the crew because of their actions and refusal to leave.

    @Goedecke-Michel a majority can occur now and vote the one person out by locking them in the brig. That scenario is rare compared to just one bad player. That scenario comes about one a group of players are allowed to join one person. One person usually says they have friends that also want to play. You mentioned mutiny earlier. This scenario is a group of players joining with planned mutiny even before entering the game. Mutiny that has nothing to do with telling an evolving organic story.

    The biggest fear in these type of dicussions is one person starting play with a ship, who stocks it up, and in the middle or near the end of Athenas loses everything to others in the crew by losing control. The only way to prevent that is to give the player that starts the session launching a ship, more control over that ship.

    That is why I offer the captain options I did. The option of earning that control by becoming a Pirate Legend becomes part of the story. Players still live through the experience of just being a crew mate until then. Giving control by a voting process would be abused by a majority in the same manner. We do not need more ways of losing control.

    @WeakDexx you are right that something should be done with players afk. See them all the time standing in the corner on the ferry. A kick member out of a crew option would help cull the trolling and toxicity. Right now the majority of the time one bad player in a crew ruins it all for the rest. Right now that person is embolden to continue to be a problem by not leaving. They still get their kicks by doing nothing but being there, while getting the rewards of the others efforts.

  • @x-crowheart-x

    Their are many viable options for dealing with toxic players but a kick button would be abused by toxic players

  • Here is something I came across that goes along with this idea. : )

    Walk the Plank

  • @x-crowheart-x

    And they already said they aren't adding a lick button

  • @x-crowheart-x said in Walking the Plank:

    Here is something I came across that goes along with this idea. : )

    Walk the Plank

    Yes bring it Rare! I want to do this with my crew

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