I got to see this post a while ago, and I agree that the mechanic is too unfair and annoying. Despite many people in that topic’s replies not being very pleasant, the guy’s got a point. When a bounty player dies, they’re forced into an unskippable 15 minute cutscene of the execution, while fame players respawn normally with no issues.
Consistency in games is important. While bounty is considered a “high risk - high reward” path, the execution is just too much of a “risk”. However, the very fact that a criminal is executed after what they’ve done is crucial for the game’s various lore and immersion aspects, so we can’t simply get rid of the procedure.
Addressing the other suggestions on this topic.
Since the topic is so problematic, it is no wonder that many others have attempted to put their piece into solving it. Repeating suggestions isn’t allowed, but these are different takes on the solution.
This person has kept an almost perfect 5-star score throughout the suggestion, that speaks about how much people want the boring cutscene to improve. The person suggested that you will be able to do various activities inside the cell, as well as take quests to do outside of it. They improved the process, while keeping it in game. A gread idea, but it doesn’t eliminate the fact that a bounty player is not able to play the actual game for a prolonged amount of time, while fame player doesn’t have to.
This person suggested the feature being outright removed, and gave reasonable points on why should it. I understand that this is the best solution gameplay-wise, and one that players would want to see the most. However, the very fact of the execution happening is crucial to various lore aspects of the game. The execution, in some shape or form, must stay.
(Couldn’t find a link to the suggestion, but I remember it exists)
This person didn’t put changes to the execution itself, but rather gave fame players an alternative of it, done by the Assassin Syndicate. From the start, that is a bad idea. If one group suffers, and other doesn’t, making them suffer too is not the way to go.
Oh… I found this one accidentally while seeking the previous ones. This is literally the same thing I was about to suggest. Uhhh… Well, I feel bad about making this topic now. I guess, I can explain the thought in better details… You lot got all the rights to blame me on this one.
The solution - a Duplicate. So, how do we keep the execution in the game, but save bounty players from not being able to play the game for 15 minutes? Simple - just replace the player with an NPC who looks exactly like them!
In jail. When a bounty player dies, they will respawn as normal, and an NPC of their appearance will take an empty jail cell. Rescuing that npc will make it vanish without any voicelines.
During the execution. The execution will still take place, and the duplicate will be brought to Palo/Caitara as usual. To avoid mess in the Agora, the player that duplicate belongs to can in no way stop the process. The other players still can, and the npc will vanish like in the jail cell.
If the executed player is around (the area where they are able to hear the process in chat) during the time the executioners ask the duplicate about their final words, they are still able to say them in chat. If the player isn’t around, the duplicate just uses generic criminal NPC responses.
The lore is kept intact - the criminal is getting executed, but the gameplay has received an improvement - that bounty player can finally play the game! However, there is now an issue of both parties in a PvP constantly respawning onto one another.
After dying in a PvP fight, the victim receives 5 minutes of PvP immunity - they are not able to attack other players nor be attacked by them. Same applies to their ship in the very moment they fall in the fight. The victor during these 5 minutes is considered in combat. Use these 5 minutes to bargain, flee, agree on a rematch or leave the game entirely. The victor of that fight, however, cannot leave the game, to prevent people from surprise dropping others and dipping right after.