Input from players and standing up to get things done
I am not gonna write a long post here as everything I have to say about the subject are in the linked video. The only reason typed words need to be written is to express the needed input from the player base to papaya and the GMs that there is a better way that can keep the game we all love alive longer and get new players to be able to join and participate in the game without feeling overwhelmed by the world us as players have made the game currently. We as a community can fix alot of things in the game if we stand together on the subjects that will make the game better as a community and as a game in general. Watch the video with an open mind and actually think about what I have to say and leave your feedback in the comments and on the forum. This video has already been sent to Sheebs directly so it is on us to get things done by convincing papaya and the GMs that this would be good for the player base, and good for papaya on the financial part also to keep paying for the upkeep of our server and being profitable in the end.
Comments
The game is coming to it ends 60% if not more of the player base is probably alts. The ct prices is unobtainable for new players thus not giving them the same chance to get to where they want to be. You get in one battle with someone with all this amazing gear its discouraging cause that gear is unobtainable. Limiting the CTs would be a start. Just because they gamble we should not suffer the price. I went from spending 100 a month to this game to literally only spending the money to get storage and skill notes. I dont play cove I dont gamble with cts I payed for everything i got. I have seen it where I literally just spent 100 dollars and someone spent 25 and got 4 pmg. I invested alot of money into this and only ever got 2 top tier ships. So you try to buy them and I cant because I dont have those cts. The player based market is stupid. Making cts untradeable is another fix. Also finding and getting rid of resellers. Resellers are killing the prices.
The main points that come to mind that need to be addressed to keep the game alive are:
A. Making the game newbie friendly
B. Availability of cash shop items, ships ext. (again see Havoks video for suggestions)
just an opinion here but I've felt for years that this game is a cash cow, and I am amazed its still alive. If you want money take care of the players and they will take care of you.
C. Spontaneous events that make the game feel alive and entertaining.
Now, not to say the GMs havn't been trying on this, But Havoks video made a valid point that if you have have a rare plunder event you could that that more often but scale it back and make it more spontaneous to liven up adventure and trade. Make it a little harder for the nanban/spice traders to "auto pilot" and have to pay attention while sailing.
This will make the market for the good more competitive as it will slow the trade which would positively impact the game on many levels.
Consider this part 1. might be back with more ideas later.
I propose that captains tickets be made untradeable. I believe this will relive the angst that is currently plaguing merchant chat.
Uncap the amount that can be charged in the company stores. So that people can list an item and get on with the game instead of hanging out in Seville trying to sell or buy.
Perhaps implement a server wide market where players can list their items from anywhere and players can also see items for sell from anywhere. It can also be handy for determining the average price of things. You can then be free to undercut or raise the price you think it should be.
Lower the entry level of FS ships so that they can be used by newer players.
Add ships for direct buy from UWC shops.
One other thing......Stop putting things in the cove and tickets that can otherwise be purchased in the UWC shop.
Very nice video havok, cheers! It's true that the game does have a few issues that need to be addressed primarily the economy. The game has grown so much over the years that certain issues need to keep up to date with the game and if papaya keeps releasing ever increasing power ships then their has to be balance. Eventually 'if' you spend enough time playing this game you will grown ridiculously rich but there's is answers to people that try to inflate prices out of their own greed.
A) For one, trading CT's is fine but you need to give value back to ducets so non cash players can have a chance to get uwc items as well. To do this ducet update need to be done. New players get most discouraged by the impossibly high prices for stuff and fact is the longer a player plays this game, the more likely they will spend cash in the future! So this will give them more level playing field to cash players...
1) increase money carried to 500m
2) increase bank deposits to 5b
3) MOST IMPORTANTLY release a 1b check
B) Secondly, STOP releasing all the same versions of the same ship with only 'slightly' different stats! There's hundreds of different ship types that this game has and some of the ship series have been dumped from the game because of no demand but yet people have favorite ship types that they constantly ask for on chat but nobody has. Papaya needs to have a better rotation of old ships for recirculation and start making newer versions of these old ships. Superior/Elite/Shadow/Pirate/Premium, all are fine but start updating other ships. It really sucks when you save and save for a great ship and finally get only to have it outdated right away by a 'slightly' better version. The answer to lack of rotation of older ships is to open a 'SHIP SHOP" that sells older lower tier ships directly for uwc so that players can get those older ships to use and for grade mats.
C) This is a sailing game so make ships in cove and CT have better drops! Each rotation there's 5 ships released. One top ship that should have rare drop but when you get to the lowest ship on the list, it should have a COMMON drop. This will also flood the game with more ships and lower the in game cost for non cash players to buy.
D) Maybe consider a public 'auction house' where people can post unused items/ships that can be sold at higher prices than what company/bazars allow. Many times people are looking for an item that people don't advertise on chat that they have, so players get turned off by never finding items that are junk to some people and forget about.
This is all mostly from my own observations over the server's time from watching chat and talking to new players about issues with the game. This post is mostly about the economy and not the problem with Sarges and the school system.
Samantha99
There is a lot of things wrong with your suggestions clearly being one sided and selfish.
Papaya makes money off of UWC purchases.Always has. They run the servers and pay their staff, plus stuff their pockets with your cash.
This means they have to overstuff your inventory with clickie's, parts, accessories ,armor, gear, etc. until you make 10 toons to hold all that stuff. Or you buy all the boxes to hold them. This is why we all have 10 alts.
Papaya keeps you buying UWC by slowly increasing the max durability ,armor and sails on what people want the most. Typically they make the most on new pirate ships. Imagine if we only lost cargo to pirates not gear...where would Papaya make their money then?
Papaya is following the trend set by ALL MMOs. Slowly increase stats so people have to keep grinding. Period. Its been 11 years you haven't caught on yet?
If you want to win at the game, realize that the whole system is designed to make money, not offer you a long term fair and practical gameplay experience.
Demanding they " do something" is laughable.
The only solution from the US point of view for gaming is to have it be subscription based with zero UWC ships etc. End of discussion. New server new rules.
I agree this game in 2010 was a lot better. I agree we have seen a lot of negative changes. I agree the player base is shrinking. Its not because of the game, its because of the rules and the pay base. Period.
Finally, trying to manipulate what CT prices are is so stupid I laugh every time i see Havok trying it. CT prices are whatever buyers and sellers agree on, Not some random "this is how i think it is" rule. Havok you are a moron. Find me a single person who EARNED their CTs that sells for 500m. BullXXXX. No one that nanbans or buys UWC is gonna give you crybabys 500m CTs. The prices have inflated due to supply and demand of what's out there. Stop trying to adjust the cost of crap and look at the reason your arguing in the first place.
Personally I'm betting Havok has alts buying at 500m and selling at 1.7. And you followers are just sheep. Prove me wrong.
I log in and play because its fun. If your so worked up about a few sail points, armor and highest dura BC ship then Papaya has you by the wallet and YOU are the reason they do what they do, not the normal players.
Perspective . Its liberating.
The fact you resort to name calling and not actually listening to what is said in my video, gives cause for your input to be invalid as you can not have an educated discussion about the problems in game. To assume im buying cts at 500m and then selling at 1.7b is laughable as I am the one who has streamed large purchases of my real life money and selling mass quantities of cts to people at 500m. To assume that you are so hurt over all of this, would mean you are one that doesnt want anything to change and assume that papaya doesnt care about the server. When in fact papaya and the GMs are trying their best to fix things for the server. Once the bill is passed for no loot boxes then the entire monetization of UWO will have to change regardless. So it is best that they get ahead of the game and get KOEI to allow them to make the changes that need to be done for the future of the game. In order for them to swap to a subscription based server would mean they have to reset again, and if that happens then there is no UWO for papaya. My monetization ideas in my video are not one sided, as it is taking ideas from far more successful games that both sides of the business/customer relations are happy, instead of it just being a money dump and go situation. I play pvp in FS ships, i dont need the highest dura, sails, armor to play. I can play with the best of them in an FS ship because im good at the game. I am just the first whale that said its time for a change to keep players playing, otherwise i lose the game i love to play.
Like Havok said, many of the problems identified by the players shown above would be alleviated if the game could attract new players faster.
Part of that problem is marketing. Try to search "Best Sailing Game", or "Best Sea Adventure Game", or any other term that you think might find Uncharted Waters. Likely you won't be successful.
Try searching "mmorpg sailing games", you might find Uncharted Waters, but it won't be at the top of any list.
The sites that are rating different games get their input from the reviews from players.
That's where the next problem is: UWO has a few discouraging reviews, which were created when the reviewer had trouble understanding what to do, or how to learn, or get answers to their problems. Fix this and the new player won't be discouraged so fast.
Again, agreeing with Havok, Sagres school needs fixing. How do you get there? What should you do to advance? What do you need to be successful? A sailing coach is a great idea, let's bring them back. Let's create friendships with new players and make sure their questions are answered.
Finally, if UWO is going to grow, a new player needs more rewards. More reasons to continue, and less time requirements for managing inventory. THE HEALTH OF THIS GAME IS ALL ABOUT ATTRACTING NEW PLAYERS AND KEEPING THEM.
In short, if the MARKETING COULD IMPROVE, AND THE PROBLEMS ALREADY IDENTIFIED could be given some attention, it would encourage a lot more players to try Uncharted Waters and "get hooked" like we all are.
ZEIK
I agree with ZEIK about his comment on search results. I went looking in google search and the sites it suggested for sandbox and free-to-play mmorpgs, and the games in results were crap IMO. UWO had much more to offer in sandbox content, stronger sailing, maritime themed play, and other areas. Was bummed it wasn't coming up in the results with different filters and that I had to specifically search for it to find it.