Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.

Idea sounds fun on paper. But players will simply avoid it or stay around it majority of the time, running to it if being chased or attacked. "haha Im safe!"

Port Merrick is the only one that feels like it should be a busy social hub

It can be. Ive actually seen three ships there and random crews were all at the Tavern....having a meeting of sorts and turned into someone on stage popping "Yo mama" jokes.
It happens fluidly and that how it should be. We dont need a "Shipwreck Cover" from the movies where pirates go to hide from the outside world. It a hub sure, but it just a wall to hide behind.

@burnbacon Yeah but that's the thing you're safer but not safe. I'm not advocating it being a completely safe haven with god like NPC's making the place a wall to hide behind. Yes there's NPC's but there's plenty of flexibility with that such as line of sight, pathing etc. We have stealth mechanics making their way into the game now (when it works); sneaking in to rob another crew would still be viable. Port Merrick's location on the far west of the map make it impractical to "stay around there most of the time", it's a long way back there from the eastern or central parts of the map.

@superlonghurst anywhere can be a social hub but it's the choice that is important. Most of these requests are veiled pve only asks. On safer seas all outposts are safe.

I would be ok with this idea of Port Merrik being a safe place, BUT:

• You can not sell your loot here!

• If you carry loot on yourself or on your ship you do not enjoy the protection the place offers.

• Flags are safe to have, BUT you can not vote them down in the port, and you can not dive to safety from the port area.

If this would be the case it would not upset the balance of the game too much, as you can not sell your stuff safely here, or hide your flags. The real pirates could circle around and wait for their prey.

But why make Port Merrik a social hub, when we could give the old Seadogs tavern that same function. Its there in the middle of the map, and its not used for anything at the moment. That way there would be no need to mess with Port Merrik.

The nice social interactions shown in the promotional videos are so rare that its basically a lie at this point. Its just false advertising to bait players in. Maybe 1 in 50 interactions will be a nice one (and I'm being generous), most of the time its just silent crews killing everything on sight, without any kind of social interaction like youre just another NPC, and if they are not silent, they are usually toxic.

Telling people who wants to have friendly interactions with other crews, wether it be in an alliance or in combat, to go play safer seas is just ridiculous. But that gives you a good idea of most of the SoT community... 🤷‍♂️

Good luck on the seas pirate, and may you cross path with some friendly crews ✌🏻

@lord-budstep said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

The nice social interactions shown in the promotional videos are so rare that its basically a lie at this point. Its just false advertising to bait players in. Maybe 1 in 50 interactions will be a nice one (and I'm being generous), most of the time its just silent crews killing everything on sight, without any kind of social interaction like youre just another NPC, and if they are not silent, they are usually toxic.

Telling people who wants to have friendly interactions with other crews, wether it be in an alliance or in combat, to go play safer seas is just ridiculous. But that gives you a good idea of most of the SoT community... 🤷‍♂️

Good luck on the seas pirate, and may you cross path with some friendly crews ✌🏻

This is it tho isn't it, the game feels dead and empty we have outposts that should be busy with the comings and goings of crews and ships like the promotional videos make out but it's horsepoo.....the places are dead and lifeless and if you do see another ship it's not worth wasting your time going near them unless you want to try and sink them. I've been playing this game on and off since release and with just over a thousand hours in game, I can count the number of meaningful interactions in game I've had on one hand lol.

@hiradc said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

@superlonghurst anywhere can be a social hub but it's the choice that is important. Most of these requests are veiled pve only asks. On safer seas all outposts are safe.

Again I said safer not safe. I'm not asking for a totally safe walled fortress outpost where you can't get killed or robbed, just one where it's less likely to happen. That way people will come in to sell/buy even if there's a ship already there, people will still want to interact and form alliances, make friends and join Guilds. Currently we may as well all be sailing plague ships because there's literally nothing to be gained by interacting with other crews because of the risk. People will avoid other ships even if they don't have loot because getting sunk wastes time, combating fresh spawn goons chasing you with nothing to lose is a waste of time. Without some sort of encouraged social interactions this game is going to end up dying or go completely toxic. It's all well and good saying "go play safer seas" but you're limited on what you can do and the rewards are less, it also splits the playerbase. I don't like safer seas because it divides the playerbase, instead of throwing people that don't like PvP a mouldy rotten bone in the form of "safer seas" more should have been done to try and make the base game appealing. Cut those players not that interested in PvP a break, offer a slightly safer port they can use, give them meaningful interactions with other players (like the promotional videos make out) make it beneficial to go somewhere to interact with other players.

@ghostfire1981 said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

I would be ok with this idea of Port Merrik being a safe place, BUT:

• You can not sell your loot here!

• If you carry loot on yourself or on your ship you do not enjoy the protection the place offers.

• Flags are safe to have, BUT you can not vote them down in the port, and you can not dive to safety from the port area.

If this would be the case it would not upset the balance of the game too much, as you can not sell your stuff safely here, or hide your flags. The real pirates could circle around and wait for their prey.

But why make Port Merrik a social hub, when we could give the old Seadogs tavern that same function. Its there in the middle of the map, and its not used for anything at the moment. That way there would be no need to mess with Port Merrik.

This isn't a bad idea about the loot but there needs to be a reason for people to go there otherwise they won't go. There isn't now unless the place is empty.

You come sailing in to sell your treasure. I'm either chasing you, or tucked on the outpost. What's to stop me from boarding your ship and stealing your loot/supplies?

@superlonghurst There will never be a situation in this game where anything like this will matter, sot is not a social game. If you yearn so bad for this sort of social interaction go play a game that is actually meant to be that way, instead of begging for unrealistic changes to turn this sot into some sort of role playing pirate game

@superlonghurst said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

it should be a busy social hub with more than one crew there at a time

a massive tavern with stage

man them with NPCs, have armed NPC guards patrol the port, limit weapons that crews can use while in port to the cutlass only but using it in anger in sight of the guards will agro them on to you. Maybe you could get sent to the ferry of the damned if they catch you or a prison and have to pay gold to get out. This could include and instanced area like the ferry of the damned that will take time to load into and exit back to your ship, the true penalty being it costs you time.

There's plenty of ways to make this work

I mean at this point just go and make your own game bruh

@amiiipretty Sea of Thieves is a social game, maybe you're antisocial but that doesn't mean the rest of the playerbase is as well.

Since day one, there is literally an emote in game to send friend requests to other pirates. There is also multiple commendations/achievements linked to cooperation with other crews, like drink a grog or play music with another crew. Hell, the first ever event in game asked people to come together to kill the megalodon, you had to socially interact with other pirates to be able to complete the event. Also, did you miss the addition of guilds in the game?

I could go on and on but you get the point.

I don't know where you got that SoT is not a social game but you're absolutely wrong 🤦‍♂️

@amiiipretty said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

@superlonghurst There will never be a situation in this game where anything like this will matter, sot is not a social game. If you yearn so bad for this sort of social interaction go play a game that is actually meant to be that way, instead of begging for unrealistic changes to turn this sot into some sort of role playing pirate game

@superlonghurst said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

it should be a busy social hub with more than one crew there at a time

a massive tavern with stage

man them with NPCs, have armed NPC guards patrol the port, limit weapons that crews can use while in port to the cutlass only but using it in anger in sight of the guards will agro them on to you. Maybe you could get sent to the ferry of the damned if they catch you or a prison and have to pay gold to get out. This could include and instanced area like the ferry of the damned that will take time to load into and exit back to your ship, the true penalty being it costs you time.

There's plenty of ways to make this work

I mean at this point just go and make your own game bruh

If it's not a social game, then why is it advertised as one in literally every single ad video that Rare puts out (including the season showcases)?

@superlonghurst id rather sea an instanced server in the sea of the dammed without ships and just pirates. It would be a fun way for open crew if it let you spawn there and charter a ship on the spot.

@th3-tater said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

@superlonghurst
No.
Don't.
You really really don't actually want this. I can already abuse the heck out of it without cheats.

There are way too many safe zones already. Go play safer seas or don't complain when you get killed.

What safe zones? There are no safe zones in High Seas. Everyone knows this. Unless you mean the few instanced parts of the Pirate's Life Tall Tales, in which case you lose literally everything that's not in barrels on your ship (including storage crates).

@lord-budstep Sea of Thieves is a pirate game, it is a "social game" second to this. You can sail around trying to make friends with everyone if you want but that is never going to work out. Obviosuly the game has it's social interaction, but that is very far from the primary point of the game, piracy, which is a pretty antisocial thing... You can't start asking for it to be treated as or turned into a social game, because that is not what it is or ever will be

@amiiipretty Sure man, you're literally contradicting yourself by admitting that it IS a social game. Just like it's a pirate game, it can be a fishing game if you want it to be. That's what we call a sandbox game, freedom is the main point of the game. Most people play for the piracy part, but you can absolutely make friends with other crews and cooperate/have friendly PvP. We just wish it was more common that's it 🤷‍♂️

@europa4033 said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

You come sailing in to sell your treasure. I'm either chasing you, or tucked on the outpost. What's to stop me from boarding your ship and stealing your loot/supplies?

Absolutely nothing but you'd have to put some effort in and be sneaky about it instead of just blasting away like we can now.

@amiiipretty said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

@superlonghurst There will never be a situation in this game where anything like this will matter, sot is not a social game. If you yearn so bad for this sort of social interaction go play a game that is actually meant to be that way, instead of begging for unrealistic changes to turn this sot into some sort of role playing pirate game

@superlonghurst said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

it should be a busy social hub with more than one crew there at a time

a massive tavern with stage

man them with NPCs, have armed NPC guards patrol the port, limit weapons that crews can use while in port to the cutlass only but using it in anger in sight of the guards will agro them on to you. Maybe you could get sent to the ferry of the damned if they catch you or a prison and have to pay gold to get out. This could include and instanced area like the ferry of the damned that will take time to load into and exit back to your ship, the true penalty being it costs you time.

There's plenty of ways to make this work

I mean at this point just go and make your own game bruh

Not a social game...lol okay.

@th3-tater said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

@superlonghurst
No.
Don't.
You really really don't actually want this. I can already abuse the heck out of it without cheats.

There are way too many safe zones already. Go play safer seas or don't complain when you get killed.

Seriously did you even read my post or just the title then assume I was I asking for a safe haven? I said safer not safe. I don't want it to be safer so people can sell loot, I want it to be safer to encourage more social interaction between players.

@captain-fob4141 said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

@superlonghurst id rather sea an instanced server in the sea of the dammed without ships and just pirates. It would be a fun way for open crew if it let you spawn there and charter a ship on the spot.

Now an instanced area is a good idea.

@guildar9194 said in Make Port Merrick a safe Harbour....sort of.:

Ah yes, a safe zone to turn in treasure with no/little risk of being attacked. So everyone sails for Port Merrick and now everyone else circles Port Merrick outside the safe zone to jump them.

And this also means I can steal the treasure on your ship, and you can't fight back without angering the guards.

Oh, and I can firebomb your ship, so long as a guard is not looking, then run to the guards so you can't fight back.

I can also block the treasure turn-in guy with my friends, and you can't attack me without a guard marking you as the aggressor.

I can follow you around and annoy you, and you can't do anything. Because attacking me will aggro guards.

I can sit outside the 'Safe Zone' of Port Merrick, wait for people to sail up to it (Thus disabling their weapons, but not mine), and fire on their ships. Or snipe with the EoR.
And if they return fire? They're inside the 'safe zone' (I'm not), so they count as breaking the law!

Or I can have a friend drop me off, then sail away.
I can then jump on someone's ship while they are at Port Merrick, set off firebombs, and just generally kill them & sink their ship.
Or even steal their ship and run it aground or send it towards the Shroud.
Or ram it into the NPC ships.
I then jump into the water and swim to my Mermaid, teleporting 3 or 4 squares away to safety.

---

As you can see; There's numerous ways people can troll such a 'safe zone'.
And I'm not even a troll who would do any of this! So whatever I've thought of, a dedicated troll would think of even more!

A 'safe harbor' just won't work.

Once again I said SAFER not safe and only for the purpose of encouraging more social interaction.

And this also means I can steal the treasure on your ship, and you can't fight back without angering the guards. Absolutely if you can be sneaky about it and not get caught!

Oh, and I can firebomb your ship, so long as a guard is not looking, then run to the guards so you can't fight back. Only the cutlass is allowed in the port, I forgot to mention there could be a dualling area where players can spar with the cutlass.

I can also block the treasure turn-in guy with my friends, and you can't attack me without a guard marking you as the aggressor. that's easy to fix. Multiple turn in NPCs, enable selection of NPC through other players etc

I can follow you around and annoy you, and you can't do anything. Because attacking me will aggro guards. Troll away that's half the fun and it's a form of social interaction. Maybe there could be the option to throw fruit at other players or something

I can sit outside the 'Safe Zone' of Port Merrick, wait for people to sail up to it (Thus disabling their weapons, but not mine), and fire on their ships. Or snipe with the EoR.
And if they return fire? They're inside the 'safe zone' (I'm not), so they count as breaking the law! Another easy fix, firing onto someone in a safe zone marks you hostile, cannons on the outpost will engage, make them buffed and super accurate and it's GG for you.

Or I can have a friend drop me off, then sail away.
I can then jump on someone's ship while they are at Port Merrick, set off firebombs, and just generally kill them & sink their ship.
Or even steal their ship and run it aground or send it towards the Shroud.
Or ram it into the NPC ships.
I then jump into the water and swim to my Mermaid, teleporting 3 or 4 squares away to safety. Again no weapons other than cutlass so no firebombs, you can steal their ship if you like should it be anchored as normal but a way round that would be to add berths Port Merrick for a fee a player can "berth" their ship and only they can release it. Mermaids can be disabled inside the zone. If you can steal someone's ship then go for it I say.

I'll say it again, I said SAFER not safe, a bit of trolling and mischief? Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I don't want some walled safe zone where players can sell their loot behind godlike NPCs. I would like a place where more social interaction both positive and negative can take place.

Does this mean players have no recourse and have to just sit there and watch someone take their chest of fortune/legends to sell it? If so, I don't see what the point is of having an outpost where you can't defend or fight to protect what you worked for. Yeah, you said safer not safe, but at this point it becomes ridiculous and not worth them coding this in the game. Also this is the season of the sneak, so it wouldn't be difficult.
"Wait, where's our chest of fortune?" ""While you were going to the harpoon spot and I was maneuvering the ship, some guy boarded, grabbed it, and is now RP-walking to sell it. There's nothing we can do about it now but just watch him do it."