Why we need a revamp.
Cargo is a central component to the game, and a unique one at that. The merit of the system is there… yet it is critically flawed in many respects. Let’s be real with ourselves here; it ruins the trade market. The time investment required dosen’t solve the problem on it’s own. Plus, it’s obviously unrealistic, and frankly crosses the acceptable line for suspending your disbelief. You buy as much as can physically fit on your ship’s deck, sail to another island without any extra risk in PvE; nor PvP given zero incentive to sink another player’s ship for it. And in the end, for ostensibly doing nothing, you get money and experience.
Proposed features.
- Pick up 2x Cargo.
Basically, just let us hold Q for 2x the length of holding E to pick up 2 crates of cargo. This would pick up a single crate at the midpoint of the interaction, and pick up another at the endpoint of the interaction.
- Weight Capacity (Player)
Cargo is obviously heavy, else it wouldn’t have any reason for shipment! Like on a Rowboat, idling and walking would have no effect on stamina, but running would consume it. Examples of movement penalties per cargo crate carried would be -15% running/walking speed, -20% jump height, and -25% dodge distance per crate. These penalties would be reduced based on your Strength stat.
- Weight Capacity (Ship)
For the same reasons as specified above, some mobility penalties should be applied to ships with more cargo placed on their decks. Mobility would be reduced in a fashion similar to Durability. We would be able to see a base weight limit for a ship before it sinks. The more durability a ship has (because this is representative of stronger hull armor), the more weight is withstandable. Taking damage reduces the amount of weight that the ship can carry, meaning a ship can sink before it’s durability reaches 0 — which might sound cruel, but not as much of a worry given the ability to repair the ship with cargo.
- Ship Loading Mode
An extra menu for the Shipwright is added; Ship Loading — the legal way to buy Cargo. Taking it from the Shipwright without this enabled steals it; disabled with high fame but still visibly present, like the option to steal from Private Storage. This allows you to buy cargo while seeing the amount of crates bought and Galleons spent in total. Once you’re done, you can either return to the shipwright and buy it, or steal it by sailing away, punishing you heavily. (A tip appears that tells the player about the stealing/purchasing dichotomy when they go into Ship Loading mode for the first time.) You gain a lot of Notoriety as a Villain or a massive Fame penalty as a Hero, followed by an Agora article which will likely sink you into Bounty range.
- NPC Aggression
Pirates and Assassins will be more likely to attack you the more cargo on your ship. If your cargo is stolen, Navy ships will be more likely to attack as well. Merchant ships will deliberately avoid you if your cargo is stolen.
- Cargo Theft
Allows players to steal cargo off of other player’s ships, at a fame cost to Renowned players unless the cargo is stolen. The Grand Navy at Silverhold or Palo Town will buy this cargo for some extra Galleons.
- Player/Enemy Plundering: Grappling Harpoon
Adds a Grappling Harpoon ship attachment which can be used to pierce into ships, escapable like Whirlpools. This cannot be escaped if the targeted ship has a 90% or higher mobility penalty (from durability and/or cargo weight; this inescapable latching becomes easier when applied to lower tier ships, and does not work when applied to higher tier ones.) If this 90% mobility penalty is present, the victim’s ship can be reeled into the attacker’s ship. This will initiate combat for NPC ships (which would now sink without giving loot unless properly plundered with the Harpoon) and allow players to have their crews plunder the ship by Quartermaster’s order, transferring cargo and sealed chests on board the victim’s ship to empty spots on the attacker’s ship. Pirate ships would have these for plundering, and Navy ships would have them for immobilizing culprits.