Why didn't anyone tell me this thing existed?

I never got into "Sea of Thieves". Generally, games about pirates
aren't a genre that appeal to me. Sure, I had fun singing sea shanties
along with my crew in "Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag" but that really
was more the exception to the rule. So "Sea of Thieves", a game all
about recreating high-seas adventures, flew beneath the radar for me.
I knew it was there, but didn't really care.

Except now I learn about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSx2oVj_Qmk

They made a "Monkey Island" DLC for the game where you can follow the
footsteps of the 'legendary' Threepwood, explore the eponymous island,
interact with LeChuck, and more. The DLC is even rendered in a more
cartoony style than the rest of the game.

"Return to Monkey Island" left me cold, but I may have to buy "Sea of
Thieves" now...

On Friday, September 29, 2023 at 8:50:47 AM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> Why didn't anyone tell me this thing existed?
>
> I never got into "Sea of Thieves". Generally, games about pirates
> aren't a genre that appeal to me. Sure, I had fun singing sea shanties
> along with my crew in "Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag" but that really
> was more the exception to the rule. So "Sea of Thieves", a game all
> about recreating high-seas adventures, flew beneath the radar for me.
> I knew it was there, but didn't really care.
>
> Except now I learn about this:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSx2oVj_Qmk
>
> They made a "Monkey Island" DLC for the game where you can follow the
> footsteps of the 'legendary' Threepwood, explore the eponymous island,
> interact with LeChuck, and more. The DLC is even rendered in a more
> cartoony style than the rest of the game.
>
> "Return to Monkey Island" left me cold, but I may have to buy "Sea of
> Thieves" now...

It sounded interesting, but everything I've read about it in the past said
I needed to avoid it like the plague. An online multiplayer PVP gank fest.

- Justisaur

On Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:15:53 -0700 (PDT), Justisaur
<justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Friday, September 29, 2023 at 8:50:47?AM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>> Why didn't anyone tell me this thing existed?
>>
>> I never got into "Sea of Thieves". Generally, games about pirates
>> aren't a genre that appeal to me. Sure, I had fun singing sea shanties
>> along with my crew in "Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag" but that really
>> was more the exception to the rule. So "Sea of Thieves", a game all
>> about recreating high-seas adventures, flew beneath the radar for me.
>> I knew it was there, but didn't really care.
>>
>> Except now I learn about this:
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSx2oVj_Qmk
>>
>> They made a "Monkey Island" DLC for the game where you can follow the
>> footsteps of the 'legendary' Threepwood, explore the eponymous island,
>> interact with LeChuck, and more. The DLC is even rendered in a more
>> cartoony style than the rest of the game.
>>
>> "Return to Monkey Island" left me cold, but I may have to buy "Sea of
>> Thieves" now...
>
>It sounded interesting, but everything I've read about it in the past said
>I needed to avoid it like the plague. An online multiplayer PVP gank fest.
>
>- Justisaur

*--

Isn't there a single player option? I thought I read that. I just
bought it but haven't downloaded it. And will get a refund if only
MP.

-pw

On Fri, 29 Sep 2023 21:01:49 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

>Isn't there a single player option? I thought I read that. I just
>bought it but haven't downloaded it. And will get a refund if only
>MP.

That's the primary reason I haven't finalized my purchase, too.

According to a Steam forum post:

"At the moment, you can play solo (closed crew), but
there are others in the world. In December, Safer Seas
will launch, but it will have restrictions as to what
you can do.

If you're looking to avoid interactions with others, then
no, it doesn't have a 'solo' (alone) experience; if you're
looking to play in the world with others, but not in the
same crew, yes, it does, but it's largely PvP.

In December, Safer Seas will allow you to be alone."

Another user writes:

"Safer Seas offers nearly all the content and
activities of the main game. Don't be fooled -
there is very little that you cannot do on these
and the whole map is there for you to explore, along
all of the other locations to visit and activities
to do.

Effectively, you miss out only on these things:
- Captained Ships
- Emissaries
- Athena
- Reaper
- Hourglass
- Certain world events that spawn Athena
loot (FoF, FotD)

Captained Ship voyages are very, VERY similar to
standard voyages, nothing lost here. Emissaries
don't offer unique voyages, nothing lost here.
Athena, yeah it has one unique voyage, Legend of
the Veil, that is something that you cannot do
here unfortunately. Reapers don't have voyages.
Hourglass is a PvP on demand system, as such
understandably not available in a no-PvP mode.
And world events, FotD is locked out due to
the inability to get all the flames required
to activate it, and FoF spawns Athena loot,
as well as a special chest that has been added
to get people to fight over the fort more in
High Seas servers, as such it is understandly
not available for you to do.

No specifics about other world events or random
encounters but they haven't been said to have
been removed. FoF spawns the same enemies as
the Ashen Winds and Skeleton Fort events, so
technically nothing really lost here. The boss
that spawns in FotD also spawns as part of a Tall
Tale. You're only really missing out on the
differently colored shadow skeletons, but normal
shadow skeletons do spawn as part of normal
voyages and aren't really much different
mechanically - just that they work with any
light vs FotD needs specific colored light.

Conclusion? If you just want to experience the
game and don't care too much about losing out
on certain progression that is either capped
or unavailable, you get 99% of the game in
a PvE only environment. If you do specifically
care to unlock certain things however, then
it would be disappointing yes.

Without a Captained Ship you can't unlock trinkets.
Without Emissaries, you cannot progress the monthly
ledger to unlock emissary cosmetics. Without
Athena and Reaper, you can't progress any of these
factions at all. Without the Hourglass being
usable, you cannot use it to PvE farm allegience.
And without certain world events, you cannot unlock
the Chest of Fortune's specific cosmetic that you
get awarded for turning in 30 of these. Nothing
really changes about the general activities you
do in this game, though."

Well... that just killed all of my desire to play this game, /despite/
the Monkey Island tie-in.

At least until December, when - following the 'Safer Seas' release - I
may give the game a re-consideration.

On Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:50:36 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

>"Return to Monkey Island" left me cold, but I may have to buy "Sea of
>Thieves" now...
>
I own Sea of Thieves. I played once and immediately ditched it. There are
no quality of life conveniencies in the game. You have to man everything.
The sails, including trimming them on the seas. The helm. The guns. Weigh
anchor. You basically run an actual ship. It pretty much required
multiplayer at the time I played.

Navigation was also very realistic and a bitch.

So understand, at least from my experience several years ago, that you
are getting into an almost sailing simulator. Not quite, but launching a
boat onto the ocean is non-trivial.

That said, the game is still being maintained all these years later (!),
and "sailing simulator" should be right up your alley Mr. Truck Simulator
player.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

On Sat, 30 Sep 2023 08:37:25 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson
>
>
>Well... that just killed all of my desire to play this game, /despite/
>the Monkey Island tie-in.
>
>At least until December, when - following the 'Safer Seas' release - I
>may give the game a re-consideration.

*--

Thank you very much Spalls. I am going to try it for a few minutes
then get a refund.

I do not want another Diablo 4 which I have bascially quit playing
because it does not have a true single player game.

-pw

On Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 8:01:39 AM UTC-7, Zaghadka wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:50:36 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> >"Return to Monkey Island" left me cold, but I may have to buy "Sea of
> >Thieves" now...
> >
> I own Sea of Thieves. I played once and immediately ditched it. There are
> no quality of life conveniencies in the game. You have to man everything.
> The sails, including trimming them on the seas. The helm. The guns. Weigh
> anchor. You basically run an actual ship. It pretty much required
> multiplayer at the time I played.

I wonder how/if that's going to work on "safer seas." Manning a whole
ship by yourself doesn't sound

I forgot to mention from what I've read it's the worst kind of PVP as well,
the kind where if you're defeated, any loot you've gotten is taken by
the winner.

- Justisaur

On Sun, 1 Oct 2023 06:02:34 -0700 (PDT), in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Justisaur wrote:

>On Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 8:01:39?AM UTC-7, Zaghadka wrote:
>> On Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:50:36 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
>> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>>
>> >"Return to Monkey Island" left me cold, but I may have to buy "Sea of
>> >Thieves" now...
>> >
>> I own Sea of Thieves. I played once and immediately ditched it. There are
>> no quality of life conveniencies in the game. You have to man everything.
>> The sails, including trimming them on the seas. The helm. The guns. Weigh
>> anchor. You basically run an actual ship. It pretty much required
>> multiplayer at the time I played.
>
>I wonder how/if that's going to work on "safer seas." Manning a whole
>ship by yourself doesn't sound
>
>I forgot to mention from what I've read it's the worst kind of PVP as well,
>the kind where if you're defeated, any loot you've gotten is taken by
>the winner.
>
If there aren't any sploitz being used (fat chance), that actually meets
the theme of the game. You really are just doing pirate simulator, and
enemy pirates controlled by the other players should be a thing.

Frustrating, but consistent.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten