The game as it is now, merges several years of game play, with several distinct chapters distinguishing one period of play from another. Current updates, but also less recent updates have caused a significant power creep to create vast divides between factions of old wealth, pay to play, ambitious pirates, etc.

The best example I can give, players start with a boat worth 10,000, but play in a sea with multiple billionaires. the spectrum of power in that is 1 vs. 100,000. the gulf to be crossed in order to move from new player, to top of the game is just too vast. in order to directly compete with those players, they commit to purchasing a large volume of voodoo, or playing for several years, at the moment of introduction to the game, and that's just bad.

perhaps a negotiated reset might be in order, but how that would work with only one group of players aggressively active in the forums is beyond me.

i think this game has serious strengths which could/should make it a very popular game in 2+ years time, but the current path has several pitfalls which are becoming apparent which need to be mediated.

i think that the loss of a few players would pale in comparison to the new blood which would sprout anew.

I do fail to see this 'significant power creep' mentioned.

A group of relative newcomers have seemingly managed to conduct a significant campaign against well-established longer-term players of late; Is that the power imbalance you refer to?

There are a number of what could be called 'mid-term'players, of a year or so who have established themselves as power blocs outside of the 'traditional' avenues dominated by the 'veteran' elements with little to no interest in the history which seemingly dominates those pre-existing structures; is that the problem?

The recent changes and introduction of hide-outs/banks etc has allowed some players, who had the courage to fully explore the opportunities that opened up, to gain significant new income streams and an element of economic power absent from the game previously: some failed to see it and so are left behind and having to play catch-up : is that the problem?

The previous 'binary' hegemony of port control, wherein two big blocs vied to own the map, seems on the wane with a joyous spread of new flag-colors across the map : is that the problem?

You can start with a boat worth 10k and minimal voodoo and still become a serious player in a few months, regardless of how many 'billionaires' share the water with you. The fact is such 'billionaires' will rarely, if ever, bother you until you make yourself known to them by unwisely poking them with sticks. For interests sake, just how many of these fabled 'billionaires' are there in the game? I would struggle to name more than 2 or 3 who I would suspect of being in that group, and none of them have ever been known for bullying new players.

So, the great wealth divide is a red herring. Where the issues might arise is in the transition from 'newb' to modest levels of wealth : thats where the conflict is mostly to be found as the jostling for plunder and position occurs. Even then, most of that is predicated on which guild or grouping you align with and any 'history' which, to be frank, 99% of the new players neither know nor care much about.

My view is the game is developing in interesting ways, not all of which directly benefit me, but overall, its much better than when I joined it.

I'm not sure your solution of a 'reset' offers much more than a chance for those 'veterans' who didnt adapt, didnt plan, didnt grow, didnt develop, just plain didnt see the future, to pull every-one else back and thus allow them to play catch-up under the guise of a 'fair solution' for all?

Disapproved