Pirate Flagship

[Slindur]

Shadowood and Danik, It really depends on the quality of the bonuses to the ship on how many it would be ok to have out there. So I think that those decisions need to be made together instead of separately. What bonuses are you thinking would the flagships have?

Slindur

[Shadowood]

I'd simplify it : you qualify for your first Flagship when you achieve 1500 pvp wins under the pirate flag : wins achieved under national flags do not count : so, no dropping flag to get the ship : you have to be pure pirate to get one : you have to keep the pirate flag : take citizenship and the bonuses are lost as is that flagship 'slot' : that is, if you then drop the nation flag and become pirate again, you dont get the ship bonuses back : they must be earned again. A second flagship slot would open at 3k wins, next at 6k wins : so, it just keeps doubling each time from the starting 1.5k wins point.

I like this very much! But I would want to some how incorporate a "letter of marque" so a pirate could sail under a flag for a period of time.. Say 72 hours. While he has this letter he would have access to banks.

[Haron]

A frigate which is just a frigate with the power of a large frigate is of relatively little value - at least to me. I'd need a plunder bonus to even consider one.

In fact, I'd not drop out of Spain even to get a frigate with a 50% plunder bonus, I think...

[Vane]

The idea of making these benefits transferable is absurd.

The point behind a pirate flag ship is to give something unique and beneficial to flying the black. Currently there are few.

Citizens of Nations have benefits from ports, pirates do not.

Citizens have access to their bank, pirates do not.

Citizens get support from their nations treasury, pirates do not.

Citizens of nations get an MOW, pirates need to steal one.


The black flag needs more incentive and I am on board for restrictions being put in place but allowing national players the benefits I oppose 100%.

[Shadowood]

A frigate which is just a frigate with the power of a large frigate is of relatively little value - at least to me. I'd need a plunder bonus to even consider one.

In fact, I'd not drop out of Spain even to get a frigate with a 50% plunder bonus, I think...

Tis because you not be a true pirate... Neither am I. This ship would not interest me to change how I play the game. But it is a topic of discussion for those true pirates who, I think, deserve a Flag Ship. It would be a nice addition for them.

[Maha]

The idea of making these benefits transferable is absurd.

The point behind a pirate flag ship is to give something unique and beneficial to flying the black. Currently there are few.

Citizens of Nations have benefits from ports, pirates do not.

Citizens have access to their bank, pirates do not.

Citizens get support from their nations treasury, pirates do not.

Citizens of nations get an MOW, pirates need to steal one.


The black flag needs more incentive and I am on board for restrictions being put in place but allowing national players the benefits I oppose 100%.

i already shared the idea that these ships should not be transferable. now -even i have no intention to become a pirate- share the 'pirates only' thought.

as for my formula, my intention was ...*(100-pvp-win%) the better a pirate is the faster morale is restored.

i also like the 'need to plunder' idea. a voodoo attack on a frigate fleet is not the most profitable investment; pirates use it as a defense. now, pirates who think their frigates are safe, will have to worry for them. nice extra dynamic.

[Haron]

A frigate which is just a frigate with the power of a large frigate is of relatively little value - at least to me. I'd need a plunder bonus to even consider one.

In fact, I'd not drop out of Spain even to get a frigate with a 50% plunder bonus, I think...

Tis because you not be a true pirate... Neither am I. This ship would not interest me to change how I play the game. But it is a topic of discussion for those true pirates who, I think, deserve a Flag Ship. It would be a nice addition for them.

That's true - I'm not a "true pirate". I insist, however, that I COULD be a "true pirate" even without flying the Jolly Roger.

Anyway. As always, I think it's a good idea to start with the WHY: What is the INTENTION between introducing a pirate ship? Is it just to "have something fun", without a sense of purpose? I think that's always a bad idea. It should have a purpose. Now, I'm not exactly sure what that is meant to be here. But let's assume that the intention is to give people who are "true pirates" a reason to fly the Jolly Roger. If so, then this reason - or reasons, this ship could be just one of many aspects - should be tailored so that for "true pirates", it really IS better to fly the Jolly Roger than to belong to a nation.

(I'm not sure that necessarily IS a good intention; that depends on what one wants with the Jolly Roger - it is possible to see flying the Jolly Roger as something only those who cannot be part of a nation would do, for instance as part of the "Diplomacy Package", but that's another story)

A frigate which is simply a slightly better combat ship does NOT suffice, in my opinion. And if that ship also comes with an extra cost, and has extra value for anyone who steals it, you get a ship that:

1) Has the cost of a Large Frigate
2) Has the value of a Large Frighate when stolen
3) Does combat like a Large Frigate

I have a feeling we might already HAVE a ship with those properties.

[Most Lee Harmless]

The idea of making these benefits transferable is absurd.

The point behind a pirate flag ship is to give something unique and beneficial to flying the black. Currently there are few.

Citizens of Nations have benefits from ports, pirates do not.

Citizens have access to their bank, pirates do not.

Citizens get support from their nations treasury, pirates do not.

Citizens of nations get an MOW, pirates need to steal one.


The black flag needs more incentive and I am on board for restrictions being put in place but allowing national players the benefits I oppose 100%.

My solution was that the bonuses only work if you fly the pirate flag : so, if captured by another pirate, the bonuses stay : if captured by a non-pirate, the bonuses sit there unused until owned by a pirate. This opens up the sale of such ships on the market or storing them in marina against the day when becoming a pirate is an option for more fun.

[Vane]

This also opens up the ability to have a fleet of 5 of these ships in which case I still must protest.

I much prefer the option of putting restrictions on them being named or made. Such as the formula requiring so many battles and a good win/loss ratio.

[Maha]

Anyway. As always, I think it's a good idea to start with the WHY: What is the INTENTION between introducing a pirate ship? Is it just to "have something fun", without a sense of purpose? I think that's always a bad idea. It should have a purpose. Now, I'm not exactly sure what that is meant to be here. But let's assume that the intention is to give people who are "true pirates" a reason to fly the Jolly Roger. If so, then this reason - or reasons, this ship could be just one of many aspects - should be tailored so that for "true pirates", it really IS better to fly the Jolly Roger than to belong to a nation.

non-pirates have stuff to show their prowess in the trade, a small crown before their name, or [duke] behind it. or they have a high level bank for all to see. status symbols all. but what have pirates to show for?

pirates have no ranks and no visible signs of succes. even their ships are few and 'mid class' (of choice).
Now a glorified ship, well earned, could be that symbol of succes. their vanity, but still functional.

writing this, i realize that it should be upgrade-able. not so much by gold, credits or fame points, but by blood, guts and the roar of cannons. upgrade-able apart from leveling up, something that doesn't make this ship 'god-like' in the sense that it outperforms all others (that would be boring) but still somewhat desirable and visible. it could even be that such ships become so notorious that trade fleet sometimes (% chance which increases per upgrade) volunteer to pay tribute (equal to plunder/skirmish) when they sail near such a ship. at upgrade 1 it is 0.25% chance or roughly 1 in 400 ships that enter the port where the ship is. with the highest upgrade it will be 5% or 1 out of 20 ships.
hard to keep such a ship, big traders will feel the sting of those ships and take action to remove that sting. But to have it, to keep it. no pirate has to brag in the forum anymore, sail into a port and all will know that 'he that should not be mentioned' has arrived.