Open battle timer too long ?

[Cat Swift]

This had probably been beat to death, but its the first time I noticed it since beta.

In beta the time that a battle in open sea remained open seemed about perfect. If everyone was relatively close, you all got in the battle. If someone was wandering around too far they didnt get there in time and got locked out.

Now it seems almost impossible to get locked out. I can sail back and forth across an entire red zone and still get in the battle. You can spread your group across a red zone and everyone can get in the battle.

The other night I was stalking three guys. Two were in fast ships, and one was lagging behind. The two fast ones werent waiting for the slow one. I waited until the two fast ones were far beyond visual range and attacked the third for a one on one fight. About a minute later the other two guys popped in the fight. I dont think that should have happened. They should have been locked out for their poor performance in open sea formation.

Theres a lot of things the long timer will mess up.

A single group can spread around an entire red pvp zone and any one of them can initiate a fight and they can all still get in that fight. In essence, one group of six players can lock an entire red zone down unless you can show up with six players yourself. This makes it hard for any one to sneak through, for smaller groups to try and get some pvp action, and pretty much negates stealth since you will never be far from one of those group members.

If everyone in the group will get into the fight no matter where they are, then theres no chance for anyone being left out. No chance for unexpected odd number fights. Like 6 guys jump 4 guys, and 2 of the 6 dont make it in time and they end up having a 4v4. Then a couple pirates swoop in and take the 2 that got left out into a 2v2. This kind of stuff wont happen.

All fights will have a high chance of turing into a 6v6 every time. If you engage someone in a 2v2 fight it will be open so long that lots of random people passing by will have time to join in.

Its now overly easy for lots of people to sit outside the red zones and wait and watch for a fight to start where they have superior numbers so they can join in, and they know they have more than enough time to sail from safety and get into the battle.

So anyways, it just seems to long. Any decent group sticking together has more than enough time to get in the battle with the beta timer. A group thats spread across an entire red zone shouldnt be allowed to all get into the fight. The long timer feels like its removed most of the strategy from open sea battles.

[Archavious]

I agree.
1 minor point though.
The 1 min timer does allow a scout ship to run ahead of the group a bit and still give time to return if the group enters battle.

[logicstrike]

wait until every1 starts using frigates, those things so slow they wont make to anything.

[Cat Swift]

Even with frigates, the battle remains open so long I think you would have to be AFK not to get in.

It just really seems to take a lot of interesting things out of pvp.

Lets say im trying to move materials out of a port thats in a red zone and im solo. Am I really solo ? No not really. If a sneaky player manages to jump me the battle will remain open so long that plenty of random passing players will join in to help me.

On the other hand, if theres a full pvp group spread out in the zone, I have no chance to evade them. 6 players can easily cover the whole zone. Any one of them can drag me into combat and the other 6 can make it in no problem, even if they are in SOL's (and I know because I pvp'd a lot in a SOL. Just sit with your back to the wind and you can make it into any battle in time).

Modding a ship for stealth to run blockades wont really matter anymore. A group can spread out enough to defeat that, and still all get into the battle instance in time.

Now if the timer was short, that sneaky player might get a reward for jumping me. That pvp group cant cover the whole zone because they woudnt all make it into a battle. They would be vulnerable if another group of 6 came along who were in tight formation. As it should be. I could outfit a ship for stealth and actually run a blockaded port since that group would have to leave me some opening somewhere. Things just get more interesting.

[Spinnaker Sam]

No need to change it. There are just as many people complaining that the timer is too short. If you shorten it more they will just have more reason to complain.

[Cat Swift]

No need to change it. There are just as many people complaining that the timer is too short. If you shorten it more they will just have more reason to complain.

I can use that argument as well :)

There was no need to change it from what it was. It was perfect in beta. They changed it to what it is now.

The beta timer was tested. This new timer is not tested. At least in my opinion, and on paper, it seems to remove some options, variety, and skill from pvp.

It seems to remove more than it adds. I cant think of anything it adds at all. All it seems to do is allow groups to spread out all over the place like idiots and still all make it into a battle. I guess its very noob friendly.

Its actually stopping me from pvping. I solo pvp and I dont even bother trying anymore. Even if I see a solo target with no one else in sight, I know if I start a fight its going to remain open so long im going to get dogpiled on. Its happened every time so far. I had 6 fights that I started that ended up with me running from 3-4 people who joined late. So I gave up pvping.

I'll keep playing and pve'ing since things still seem to be evolving, but if this keeps up theres not really much left for me in the game. I dont feel like forced grouping.

[Taelorn]

The timer hasn't changed recently. It went from 60 to 90 once due to problems with joining fights, then back down to 60 once auto-join was re-enabled.