Gameplay paths and thoughts

[Black sparrow]

I enjoy writing guides. However, this is not a guide. These are some ideas, some sparks, that I have for the game. As a long term player, I want to see this game to continue growing and this cannot come without proper training of new players. This has been my stance from the very beginning when those around were quite fewer.

This post though is not only for newcomers. It is for everyone. Written in a free-flow manner, a bunch of thoughts that might help you improve your game and renew your interest. Especially the latest is very important as I have personally have tested this challenge quite many times, winning each one of them in the end.

Forgive me before hand for the grammar mistakes.


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Obscure Paths
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First I will list some paths that are not quite popular and most have not even thought about them. Or at least, so I hear.

-The Pirate Hunter Path-

I chose this path first as given the necessary attention, it can become quite interesting. As a Pirate Hunter, your sole focus in the game is to hunt down pirates. This means that you will not care so much about wealth or infrastructure. This is important; wealth is an option in PG, not a necessity. Beating Pirates can be quite dirty after all so even if you manage to accumulate wealth, it will be hard to display it through the current mechanisms in-game. Hopefully, there will be such mechanisms in the future though, as CJ already proclaimed (estates). National Honors, beyond the titles could also work.

There are several ways to do this -hard- path and the one you choose should reflect the character of the Pirate Hunter you are trying to roleplay. For example, is your Pirate Hunter a tough man that likes to sail with few ships or is he a strategic genius that likes to employ an armada? Especially for the later case, you will definitely need strong allies that can be found in either prominent merchants or national officials.

The problem in PG is that some merchants won't consider (yet) to pay other players in regular basis for such service, as they think they can manage these on their own. The real problem though are the weak merchants who do not realize this opportunity and prefer to quit over using someone to protect them. Of course, mercenaries and the path that Pulpop and Merc follows is also a solution but mercenaries do cost a lot.

Therefore, the real gap that currently exists in PG are National Pirate Hunters. Pirate Hunters employed from the nation itself. I think that the time has came that we can see this. Royal Stipends and manual payments can be used to support a National Pirate Hunter. We can currently see some form of Pirate Hunters emerging in guilds. This might be extreme as in my perspective, Pirate Hunters should be individuals that deal with Pirates, when Pirates are around.

Generally, the options as a Pirate Hunter are many. As always, when choosing a path, the first you need to do is to create a character that you will roleplay and his background. This will give you a wealth of information to later employ in-game.


-King's Servant Path-

We have seen several players taking the nobility paths and more specifically the one of the ruler. Being a King can be quite challenging and as it seems, Governor path might soon become interesting enough. What is already available, even more so with the latest updates, is the King's Servant path. I am sure there is a better english word to describe this path as the title is not as shiny and this might discourage some.

As a servant of the King, you put the will of the King above everything and you try to work close with him and serve him where possible. Your interests and objectives are common to the King and where they aren't, you try to make them happen. This path can be very convenient and rewarding as usually, Kings are played by powerful and experienced players. Having a patron such a player can simplify things for you.

You do not need to follow the submissive role, it is up to you and your character. Picture a powerful General that follows the command of the King because of Honor. Only in our case, it might also be personal interest or friendship or whatever else can fit here. Take what your character likes most but the end result should be about the same. You must not serve only in words, but in actions too.

This is a path that can be fully followed which means that you will setup your whole game up to the demands/objectives you set with the King or as path that you will also serve. You may choose if it is the King as a position -so you will follow any King of target nation- or a specific person -which means that you will need to also follow him around-.

Truth is that ever since Kings get to choose Governors, this might act as an extra reason for some to also adopt this path, on top of theirs. As far as I am concerned, I am following this path already with my character. Black Sparrow is someone who has chosen to follow Sir Henry Morgan thanks to their years of friendship and cooperation. In my case it is not as important that SHM is the King but it surely is important in the in-game dealings Black Sparrow has, where he will give top priority, practically as the title commands.


-The patriot path-

I have seen some players following this. Like the King's servant path, this can easily be adopted alongside with your main story/paths. I have seen quite many players supporting their country and keeping this role. What I have not seen going mainstream is to utilize this path to get an advantage over others.

There are many examples where players took a patriotic stance and tried to profit from this. Patriotic stance can refer in my eyes either towards a nation or a port. For example, my character has a bond with Aiora and could react (he has reacted in the past) based on this bond.

However, there is great distance from having this as an element at your character to making this an actual path. With forthcoming proclaimed features I can see such paths to gain in reputation and in numbers as nations will start to have greater needs than they have now. Who will serve such needs?

There are immediate earnings out of this and such players will look to be paid by the nation and also gain in reputation within the nation. This is already happening of course.


-Domination path-

This is a path that I have considered in the past myself. When we created TK though and later Ravenlocke Brethen, we decided to let this path go. This path cannot be taken by more than 3-4 players in the same time and right now not more than 10 can suit this role. It probably requires more than one players.

Through domination we define that you should not only care for how you advance but also how others advance. It is when achievements by other competitive powers, become your own failures.

This is a part of the game where is mostly played only at the top level, at ports level. This is of course very reasonable but in my perspective this is not enough. You also need to attend the lower levels for such. For example, you need to ensure your coalition, has the highest income. You need to ensure loyalty and you need to ensure longevity.

In my time here, I have seen several domination efforts from individuals or small groups. I am not sure if they did this based on some predetermined plan or if it was a natural evolution of their unmatched power at the time. Surely though, such a contest based on a plan would bring much interest for everyone involved.

-Trainer Path-

You can name it as instructor, sensei, whatever. The essence is the same; all your time, wealth and turns should go to the training of other players. This is also a good retirement path. If you are close to retirement, then first consider this. Myself, I have been training players ever since I left my first guild, PK.

Never at my full strength though and I must confess that lately, my wealth mainly goes to my personal interests - I am trying to correct this. A dedicated trainer is much more effective. This is a role you could partly follow, like I do.

After all, it is very rewarding to train new players. Let's be sincere though; New players REQUIRE training. If you spend some time with a player, odds are that he will be around again to learn and play more. If not, the odds are that he will desert the game. PG seems too complicated and not shiny at all to most newcomers.

So, if none spends some time with them, the recurring rates will drop and ultimately, the game will decay. I have seen this happening to at least 5 favorite games in the past. Games that are now either closed or so underplayed to a point that I cannot even consider returning. I am sure most of you have been through a similar experience in the past. I just do not want to see PG following the same fate after some years.

There are many ways to train someone. Choose your own. Whether you escalate it to a full path or not, is up to you.

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Known Paths
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I will list here a few paths and some ideas and concerns about each one of them.

-Witch Doctor Path-
As a witch doctor, you are expected to cast voodoo. This does not mean that you must run without fleet. This is not the top priority as most novice players perceive it.

The top priority is to cast voodoo and to serve this top priority, you must have voodoo. There is 1 way to obtain voodoo: You must buy them. And you can buy them with real money or game money. Now think, what makes the best witch doctor? The one who can cast relentlessly.

Who can cast relentlessly? The one who buys them with real money or the one who buys them with game money? The later is the answer, unless you are ready to really support devs. If the first is the answer for you, you are not doing it right, you need to at least try to mix it up.

So, having income is essential for this path. Income comes in various ways with the simplest and most common being ships. Running without ships after all, will only get you bad reputation and good reputation is really something you should care about.

-The merchant path-

Being a merchant in PG is quite easy. No one will relentlessly attack you so eventually you can make a profit daily. Just count your profits after a month and the attacks you got if you are skeptical about this. You are making a profit. If not, then you are doing things pretty badly.

So, it is time to consider, as many of you follow this path, that the time has come to lower the screams of despair against attackers. There are 2 paths: Either fight them or accept the losses. Bitching about them is not an option.


-The Pirate path-

When you are running 200 trade ships, you are not exactly on a pirate path. You might be a pirate at heart and act like one but eventually, you are also a merchant. This is quite different from walking the Pirate path. You might be more effective of course and it is a viable path but it surely needs a different name/title.

-The Pirate Guild-

There is no effective pirate guild right now. If there was, you would not see players with thousands of ships. This is what a Pirate guild does, right?


-Banker Path-

Loans are quite an interesting source of income. If you are active in the loan market, you can make a lot of income, only from interests. Of course, this is not a path of everyone and it is quite expensive to get there.


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Other Paths, your Path
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Over my time here I have witnessed many different and specialized paths. I do not want to name them. Facts speaks for those who can see them. What I want to add though is that the majority of the paths we follow in PG are unique. Some are radical others are not. Some really stand out and shine and these are that improve the game of everyone. Before you can reach at that point, you need to think of your character more.

Who you are and what you do in Avonmora. What do you want to do in Avonmora.

[Jack Teach]

What exactly is the path of a pirate?

[DezNutz]

Split out your Pirate Path and Privateer Path.

Privateer what you just described under your Pirate Path. Like a Pirate, but not.

[Jack Teach]

Split out your Pirate Path and Privateer Path.

Privateer what you just described under your Pirate Path. Like a Pirate, but not.

That's doesn't really answer the question.

[Sebena]

What exactly is the path of a pirate?

In my opinion pirate is someone who flys black flag has less than 50 ships and attacks targets for gold coins and not ships. And of course if you are good pirate you will give your target time to make some profit so that it actually is worth of attacking that target on the long run and not just instant profit.

If you attack same target with short time span that target will either lower it's size making less profit causing you to lose profit.

[Jack Teach]

What exactly is the path of a pirate?

In my opinion pirate is someone who flys black flag has less than 50 ships and attacks targets for gold coins and not ships. And of course if you are good pirate you will give your target time to make some profit so that it actually is worth of attacking that target on the long run and not just instant profit.

If you attack same target with short time span that target will either lower it's size making less profit causing you to lose profit.

That's the answer I was looking for!

[Dmanwuzhere]

Definitions are great and all, but to argue specifics is unnecessary, as what is defined and accepted by one, will always be reworked and improved by each individual to suit his or her own needs.
Think of each definition as a basic and generic outline to be filled in with specifics by the player who chooses to fill in all the blanks and add or detract from the basic definition as they see fit.
Dictation from another role not played by oneself is nothing more than a rooster crowing, something you hear in the background but pay no attention to.
Nice collection of definitions to garner thoughts on career paths




P.S. "Dictation from another role not played by oneself is nothing more than a rooster crowing, something you hear in the background but pay no attention to."

Someone thought this was aimed at B.S.
It wasnt, it was for those trying to define ship count etc, the only thing that gives each individual validation is their opinion of self.
I will not argue any role has a specific count any more than I would a bank has to have a specific amount of gc to be a bank.
Once built it does what it does, but its success is what comes through the doors.

[Dejanira]

Very good guide, as all the other guides.

[sXs]

Why worry about it?

I don't play any particular style. In fact I believe I have done or am doing "all of the above".

I say take advantage of every element of the game. to learn all aspects of the game.

The "path of trader" or any other, is simply a guide. I say everyone should try every path. If you want to be a trader, great, but you should learn the ways of the pirate, If you want to be a pirate, learn the ways of a trader. A banker must also be a trader. All are intertwined and the only way to be very successful at one is to know the others.

A guide can give you the basics, but experience is the best teacher.

[Poppy]

Edited.

Off-topic.

-Meliva.