Witch Doctors gameplay - manageable risk for everyone

[Jeanne de Clisson]

Should we be talking about Captains having Attributes such as Tactical abilities & the like, Leadership for example, to be earned based on activity & length of service ? Being able to give them Names would enhance their personalities.

[Vane]

I agree with Stan on the different tactical choices.

The way I see it, "I am the captain" by introducing different variables to consider, choices to make, and options to execute I would need to learn when, where, and how to maneuver to be effective in combat. This is where experience and time come into play.

When voodoo came out, this was what is gave players. Now, it has come to point far from its purpose as it is so easily purchased and wielded by those of lesser knowledge.

[Stan Rogers]

Depth under keel I will submit as a variable affecting ship battles.
The whole map of Avonmora could have a depth under keel assigned where obviously , large, heavy draft ships would be at a disadvantage in shallow harbors or shoal infested water in ability to maneuver and ships with less draft have a distinct advantage.
I mentioned square sailed vessels vs. jib type ships with wind speed and direction having an effect.
Maybe ships of a certain type mixed in with other ships can enhance their abilities making them more effective.

Something like this won't be easy as balance must be adhered to so no one combination of fleet stacks would dominate and any stack could be defeated by some other fleet stack in certain conditions.

Admin would need the collective mind of the player base for idea's to choose from for something like this to come to fruition by choosing what would be possible to implement in a timely manor.

[DezNutz]

I suggest focusing more on battle strategy and slowly pull cards away. Make the seafight about who's tactically better and less voodoo to do it. Right now a SoW can't beat a Lrg Frig without voodoo, where with the right mechanics and choices available, it should be possible without cards.

+100

The game has moved from it's original concept of ships fighting at sea to who has the most voodoo.

There is a place for voodoo and without the game would become stale however, I feel the focus on voodoo through out the game history has been too great and not enough time has been spent in expanding ship abilities (positive and negative)
A SoW should be able to defeat a frigate IF the right captain is at the helm AND the right conditions exist (Weather influenced) without using voodoo. A simple example would be utilizing prevailing winds to limit or assist the combatants. A SoW should be able to out turn (avoiding frigate cannon fire) or out run a frigate if the right conditions (environmental)are in place. A small sail ship should be able to tack against the wind where as a large sail ship must go with the wind to achieve its potential. This would enable a small ship to launch an attack on a large ship and slowly damage it to a point where the large ship could be defeated providing the SoW captain paid close attention to what way the wind is blowing and maintained a heading that would limit the large vessel from effective counter attack.

Not too sure if the battle engine in game needs a rework or if it can be done with minor re-coding but I think the game focus is not enough ship abilities and too much voodoo.

It's time to put the game back to it's original intent of ship vs. ship battle and less reliance on voodoo curses and casting.

I couldn't agree more with Vane and Stan.

Don't get me wrong voodoo still has a place in this game, but it should be limited to buffs and specific uses (where a non-voodoo mechanic doesn't exit for players to utilize). I think that certain voodoo should be phased out and replaced with actual game mechanics.

[PhoenixKnight]

It definitely doesn't help that there are things you can only do with voodoo like adding more attributes or improve certain properties. More research and science!

[DezNutz]

It definitely doesn't help that there are things you can only do with voodoo like adding more attributes or improve certain properties. More research and science!

YES!

Voodoo such as expedition Journey and Master Craftsman should be phased out and replaced with a game mechanic that players can utilize to increase their ships attributes.

What we need is more voodoo such as Bless and Drums of War. These are buffs to ship stats. We also can have voodoo that targets fleets such as Bless but work in the opposite direction, giving a negative effect.

[Admiral Nelson]

I don't think everything should be available to buy, some things you have to earn...

Like MC you could phase that out, and every 100 wins that ship is included in, it earns a attribute point. Will get people to bring out there Sotls, too. This way, people do not need a research academy to add attributes; all they need is to pull their finger out and attack folk on the plunderboard.

[DezNutz]

I don't think everything should be available to buy, some things you have to earn...

Like MC you could phase that out, and every 100 wins that ship is included in, it earns a attribute point. Will get people to bring out there Sotls, too. This way, people do not need a research academy to add attributes; all they need is to pull their finger out and attack folk on the plunderboard.

YES. A game mechanic doesn't necessarily have to be something one has to build and pay for.

[Admiral Nelson]

Could even make it so, for every X amount of attacks on players that recently attacked your guild (Plunder form of attack) you earn a Serenity...

X is the number that can be talked about. (I was thinking 25 plunder attacks).

Another example, for every 1000 port movements, you can get a Expedition Journey. (The number is so high, because of the amount of trade fleets people could have - Biased to Merchants, however I am sure the Master Craftsman will be in favor of pirates, more.)

List goes on.

[DezNutz]

For your port movement example I would think more of Treasure Fleet or Flying Dutchman and a higher number of port movements. 1000 port visits can be easily accomplished by players with large fleet counts. 100 fleets (500 ships)can get 1000 port visits every 10 hours. That's 2 of those cards a day.

I'm unsure if I would want to tie receiving voodoo cards via other game mechanics. We already have Presents. As cards are phased out via game mechanics the remaining cards would increase in likelihood to receive as a present.