Replacing The Role of Mermaid With Rowboats.

  • AXIOM22x
    Master
    Insider

    From playing in the Beta & Scale Test, there has been one major issue.
    The Mermaid System, Its removes the player from the game, by Teleporting us randomly throughout the map. Its also has the added effect of removing the stealth aspect of the game. When the Mermaids, send up their smoke signals that are suppose to be helpful. but instead it giving away a players position, which also results in spawn killing.

    If Rare were to add rowboats instead of using Mermaid, the stealth aspect of SOT would be resorted, Enemy player would have to use their Eyes and Spyglass to find other players instead of being aided by a mermaids smoke.

    The player should have to use these rowboat to return to any outpost and speak to a Shipwright to have a new ship built. This would make sinking a ship, more meaningful.

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  • Capn Moza
    Lord
    Insider

    @axiom2213 you are aware that you cannot see other players mermaid smoke signal right?

    and also having to paddle a row boat all the way back to an outpost seems ludicrous, not sure if you've been in a row boat. but their slow as (Mod Edited)

  • FilthyManBeast
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    I like this idea. Could have random row boats around islands for respawning to your ship and maybe mermaids for only far out ocean respawning.

  • Nightmare247365
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    Why fix what is not broken?

    This game is not about sneaking up on enemy pirates or sitting and camping on shore. This game is about fun adventures to be had and the creative ways of telling a story!

    I think the mermaids are just fine. I think the respawn is a little quick, but we have been told they are working on that and the death mechanics so until launch I will wait and see.

    The object is not how long can we kick someone when they are down, it is how quickly can we get them back to playing.

    I like your rowboat idea, but for being able to go ashore. That allows teams to get multiple chests and leave the boat anchored a bit further out. However, I disagree it should be your lifeline and how to get your ship back.

  • Nightmare247365
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @axiom2213 said in Replacing The Role of Mermaid With Rowboats.:

    when a ship was sunk back in the 1700s they used rowboat not Mermaids.

    They had mermaids back in the 1700s? I always thought they were made up fictional creatures. Does that mean that the Kraken in this game is a lie too!!!! Where have I been? This game is no longer accurate in my opinion and I must delete. /s

    This game is about fun, it is not about back-breaking work to accomplish a goal. Adding a rowboat is a good idea for the Galleon to load 2 or more chests for transport, but not for a respawn and definitely not for needing to go to a "ShipMaker" to rebuild your ship. A ship in this game is not like an Egg or Sack of Flour homework assignment that you have to take too much care of. Many pirates in this game run theirs aground. I like the idea of mermaids for fast travel or to save you out of the ocean, but not traveling from point A to B. I am ok with a ship spawning nearby.

  • Coloridium

    I'm all for rowboats but not for this kind of purpose. How would it even work? So your ship sank, you die and you spawn on a rowboat ... where you died right? Because spawning far away at a random location is against what you said. And then what? Be repeatedly killed/sunk together with your rowboat? How is that any different than being spawn killed? You are actually stuck in a worse loop now, because with the mermaid you can still go back to your new ship, but like this? And yes, the enemy is going to find your rowboat easily either way. Should I mention that the boat is larger and therefore would be easily spotted?... not like using a spyglass is such a difficult thing to use, even if you don't spawn close enough.

  • Djporks69

    @AXIOM2213 Personally, I love the idea of having a rowboat, maybe you could abandon your ship with a bit more treasure than you could hold instead of letting the enemy pirates take it all, Or maybe it would help with carrying treasure over from and island if you are playing solo so you can fit more on.

  • The Lake Bubba

    Just fix it so that mermaid smoke is only visible to the player the mermaid is for. Simple fix for a bunch of issues.

  • Nightmare247365
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @axiom2213 I have played more hours of this game solo than I have with a crew. I mainly run a sloop with at most 1 other player. Up until the stress test I had only stepped on a Galleon to loot it. I was a crew member on the stress test (my posts about my stories are there if you care to read). Either way, it is a moot point about what type of ship you are on. It is about the overall experience.

    This game is cinematic the way it is because it is supposed to be a story. It is not 1700s Realistic Ship battles. If you would like that you may want to go play Blackwake, I heard it is based on more realistic gameplay.

    Part of the fun is launching yourself out of cannons, boarding other players ships, finding buried treasure, and destroying other crew's ships and basically choosing your own adventure.

    I want you to picture this. You and I are in a battle in SoT. I destroy your ship. You die, but your ship is not yet sunk the way to the bottom of the sea and you respawn out in the middle of the water. There are sharks and a rowboat nearby. I am waiting for your loot to the surface (not merchant stuff) but your treasure chests. I am spying with my glass and I see your little rowboat. I know right where you are. I open fire with cannons and you again are put back to die. Your story is still ended at that moment.

    So a mermaid with a fast travel to their ship gives them more of a fighting chance than a rowboat does. You can get back to the ship faster, be armed, set sail with cannons versus just oars or pails.

    Now let's say that I see your boat as you are going to collect a chest, but it is unmanned. I now blow up your ship. You have to row back to the closest port, rebuild your boat and set out again. This takes you time. The time that you could be adventuring and having a great time. instead, you have to row your tiny boat ashore to get another that may be destroyed.

    A mermaid, however, can get you right back up and sail. Instead of 15-20 minutes later like a rowboat would (no matter the speed it will still be far slower than an actual boat).

    So while you make an interesting point, how about a mermaid can be summoned after 30-60 seconds of being in the water? Wait, I am not sure that would work because then someone scuttles their ship at an outpost and there is no physical sign they are there camping waiting for unsuspecting victims.

    I think the system is just fine. A few tweaks here and there and it will be great. That is where I am getting at. Think about it not as a big ship small ship, but as a player wide game mechanic. is a rowboat fun for everyone? No. Is it fun for some maybe. but it does not improve the game and that is what matters most.

  • B Gouch
    Founder

    There is a rowboat on the store page image. So there should be row boats in game. To move from your ship to an island, grab the booty and row back. Just make it faster than swimming. But more of a target. Also 3rd person. Whats the point of outfitting your character with new gear if you cant even see it. The tools amd weapons are good just the clothing.. Also the ability to purchase amd outfit your ship with diving bells. With adjustable depth.

  • Tre Oni
    Marauder
    Insider
    Founder

    @the-lake-bubba said in Replacing The Role of Mermaid With Rowboats.:

    Just fix it so that mermaid smoke is only visible to the player the mermaid is for. Simple fix for a bunch of issues.

    That's literally how it works already.

  • Stylingirl
    Marauder
    Insider

    I like the idea of the mermaid mostly because it confirms that there are mermaids in the game, thus allowing the devs to possibly add more lore or even quests surrounding merfolk. I think it just helps to add the sense of a magic-filled pirate world.

  • JDrage 51
    Marauder
    Insider

    @nightmare247365 yeh i agree, i mean rowboats would be cool to row to shore from your ship. But would be actually really annoying as a respawn beacon. I can see them being implemented but more as a short distance point A to B (shore to ship and ship to shore). Cause it would allow people to set sail again quicker, rather than having to raise all the sails, turn a hard right and then lower sails and adjust them again.

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