Milestone 6 Feature Discussion: Titles

[Aether]

This post describes a pending feature to be included in Milestone 6: Blood in the Water. Please use this thread to share your thoughts and ask any questions you might have.

Important: While your feedback related to this feature is important, there is a very real chance that the information shared below will be changed or moved to a future milestone as a result of testing, or to make room for priority features. It is crucial that you take that into account before becoming too attached to a specific idea presented here.

Titles
So you've reached the pinnacle of piratehood, the top of the freetrading game, the highest echelons of the navy and you've made other privateers cower in your wake. But does anyone else know about it?

Now, they will. You've earned the right to brag a little, and we're going to give you the chance.

Titles hit the world of Pirates of the Burning Sea in patch 1.6, also known as "Blood in the Water." The initial set of titles offered to players will be earned by completing career missions--those missions taken from your career trainer every five levels--as well as epic missions like Bey's Retreat. And from now on, every new patch will come with a new set of titles players can win. Did you complete the roleplaying story arc? You'll get a title to show the world. Defeated your enemies in a port conquest battle? Now you can back up your boasts with a title for that as well. We plan to create titles that can be purchased with gold, with commendations, perhaps even with other means of trade we haven't yet conceived. And although you can only show one title at a time beneath your name, you'll always have them handy via your character outfitting screen--so if you venture into Gibara, for example, and want to remind everyone there that you're the one who fired the last broadside in the battle that swung the town's loyalties to France--everyone will know about it!

[Henry Tubbington]

Lord of the Rings of the Burning Sea!

Will we get to make player created titles? Are the titles anything but cosmetic?

[flaknugget]

A fine idea.

[Alexande]

meh

addytenny

[LoJo028]

This is a super cool idea and in my opinion should have been in long ago, right along with player rankings/leaderboards ect.

[ArmEagle]

Nice idea, especially the last bit, specific temporary(?) titles. Will they be visible on the OS too?

I actually think we should not be able to make custom titles, as Henry suggested. Though perhaps you could give everyone one, one based on the position they take in their society.

[Aameron]

Another low hanging fruit idea that will appeal to a great many players. Good idea. I am one of those players. No doubt you are thinking along these lines:

- Mission/Quest based titles
- Open Sea PvP results titles
- RvR titles (for example based on port battles entered, total contention achieved etc etc)
- X boarding combat wins
- Economy titles related to number of recipes learned, number of items made, etc.
- Title based titles - i.e. you gain a number of specific titles and you get a funny bragging right title
- Society based titles for agents and leaders (I would recommend these be visible in addition to other titles that could be selected)
- Town titles - I would assume there will be something that will eventually tie into town governance

The challenge of course is that you may not have been collecting the statistics all along to figure these all out, so many may not be retroactive.

Titles might result in some rewards, but I don't think title rewards should be game changers or it leaves more casual players hanging. They should be mostly bragging right oriented. For example - titles should open up more options at the tailors and also give access to special emotes.

Doesn't do anything to solve any of the gameplay mechanics issues - but it does add a fun sideline to the game that many will appreciate.

I would take a nod from Guild Wars as well. Broadcast achievement of some of the more impressive titles to everyone.

[Aether]

Originally Posted by Aameron

Another low hanging fruit idea that will appeal to a great many players. Good idea. I am one of those players. No doubt you are thinking along these lines:

In addition, a feature of the title system will allow FLS staffers to offer unique titles gained from participation in live events or for being particularly helpful on our forums or in game.

I just sent our content team a list of ideas the community team thought up for this purpose. Should be a lot of fun!

Best,
Aether

[Ged Bligh]

Bestest idea yet, owah i'm liking milestones today

Aether while i'm here please ask the devs to enable LFG & LFD (duel) displays along with titles - many thanks.

[Xaphod]

Sounds like a grand idea.

- Xaphod, Purple Fish of the Burning Sea.