The reasons behind the newcomer protection

[Captain Jack]

Ahoy everyone,

We have a new protection for newcomers. It is one of the few that this game offers. So we now have 3 game protections for player fleets:
-When defending player fame is less than 25
-When both players are in same Guild
-Newcomers protection

How it works?
It is automatic - The game will inform you after you try to attack.

Can I still have the details?
Sure.

As a newcomer, we regard any player that has spent less than 1,000 turns (in total, since he started playing).

A newcomer may engage only other newcomers. Other players cannot attack newcomers and the newcomer cannot attack them.

In detail, a newcomer may fight with player up to 2000 turns. Everyone else is excluded. (Do note that a player with 1500 turns used will fight with all players but a player with 800 turns used, will only fight with players up to 2000).

Also note, that newcomers can spent up to 530 turns within the first hour, if they play it right.



Why we did this?

1)Balance and Fun
Because newcomers need to fight in a league of their own. The battles in the first steps can be quite fascinating and when big players with big ships interfere, it ruins their first steps and ultimately their fun.

2)Realism
Although an advanced player may not have any logical reason on attacking newcomers, some seem to have been doing this. We suspect that their only gain was improve their battle stats. So we correct the game reason with a game limit; realism is back on track.

3)Fair play
With this feature, we also eliminate spontaneous DR manipulation, either done in purpose through multiplay or by luck. We refer to the hits from small players to the big ones that were both unbalancing and suspicious.

[Edward_Teach]

Is there a way you can filter this for active newcomers and not ones that have merchant vessels and SotL's that aren't active?

[Raz Al Ghul]

I feel that it should be more of a time period protection, rather than a turn based one, give them at least 2 weeks or more so they can learn without being attacked by more advanced players, prevents the system from being exploited or abused, as some players will use turns faster than others and there will be some inactives under this protection as it stands too, giving them a set amount of time ensures that they are all protected for the same amount of time regardless of how many turns are used, and during this time they could be working on building up a nice fleet of trade ships or plundering a fair amount of gold.

[Captain Jack]

Is there a way you can filter this for active newcomers and not ones that have merchant vessels and SotL's that aren't active?

Done.

I do not know if you speculated or encountered this but anyway, it is now solved.

[MAjesty]

in a solid year now i have never seen a group of players ganging up on newcomers. players with a single lvl 1 boat or even less then 5 boats are horrible targets, and the cost in voodoo for attacking them is Definitely not cost effective.

newcomers in this game tend to attack each other anyways if only because these are the targets they can beat. but beating another noob is worth what, 2,000 gold? definitely not the numbers a new player needs to kick start their account.

putting a multi day waiting period on doing Pirate things in a game called Pirates Glory seems like a rash change. beyond the immediate first half hour period where the new player needs to be hooked into the game, which already culls more then 80% of incoming players (thats a real number btw, just looked at 'just joined' 4 players in 20 stuck around long enough to gain at least 1 fame point) these 4 players now have to linger for several days before they can do anything that would actually benefit their accounts (in pirate terms) if they're gonna be traders i guess that's different... but the game is called Pirates Glory...... why would someone linger for so long just for the promise of the game getting more exciting later... there are plenty more games that do not require such waiting that a potential new player could join right now...

i suggest you make this change an opt in change. if this really is about new players, they should get a say in whether or not they start the game with training wheels.

the "make last ship lootable" change seems it would be protection enough for mechanic abuse against old players... this new one seems like it could just Chill the game's pirate retention... and that seems counter-intuitive in a game called PIRATEs Glory

my 2 cents.

[Raz Al Ghul]

Another suggestion I have, DemonSeed (#37042) a player who would net me several ranks with my mission to attack targets yet I can not hit him now due to the fact he is protected by this new implement, I say if you can not attack them then they should not appear on my list of targets for my missions.

[Captain dungeness]

i suggest you make this change an opt in change. if this really is about new players, they should get a say in whether or not they start the game with training wheels.

I agree with this! If a new player happens to see a big rich player on the plunder screen they should have the choice to turn off the protection permanently so they can have a shot at plundering 250k gold immediately. The first half-hour of play is already tough to get through- you don't want the game holding someone back from pirating if they have the guts to do it.

if you can not attack them then they should not appear on my list of targets for my missions.

^Another great suggestion. Protected players should not show up in missions.

[Edward_Teach]

Is there a way you can filter this for active newcomers and not ones that have merchant vessels and SotL's that aren't active?

Done.

I do not know if you speculated or encountered this but anyway, it is now solved.

Yes I did encounter it, i had caste 4 voodoo on a player and his fleets appeared and i couldn't attack him

[MAjesty]

Blackbeard accepted surrendering crews on a constant basis, that's how he replenished the pirates who died fighting the crews that didnt surrender.

[Edward_Teach]

The quote was said to Lieutenant Robert Maynard, a captain of a sloop, and the man who killed Teach
And actually most the time people who joined Teaches crew were willing and wanting to do it, other than the life they were living at the time