Ice Ocean changelog/2023

Release 2023-08-21

• Werewolves now give out werewolf compasses.
• Vessels can now disengage from blockade spectate mode.
• Blockade chat should work in blockade spectate mode.
• Spectators can be invited via jobbing board.

Release 2023-08-14

• Prototype blockade spectating mode. Button should be available on vessels when at a blockaded island.

Release 2023-07-30

Some blockade updates:

• Reduces the amount of Mercenaries that will job in Blockade.
• Island size affects board size.
• Blockade chat is enabled.

Release 2023-02-27

Experimental puzzle scoring changes:

The way that puzzle performance and puzzle standings are determined has always been relative to the performance of other players on the ocean. Over time, as players have become increasingly skilled at different puzzles, these scoring mechanisms have shifted a lot, so that performance that might have one time qualified as "Incredible" will now only be rated as "Good", or less.

This is partly by design, but over time these scoring thresholds have become quite exaggerated, to the point where newer players trying to improve their standings or duty reports can become quite discouraged that their attempts at eventually excelling at certain puzzles feels hopeless. This is not ideal for the long-term health of Puzzle Pirates, in terms of continuing to welcome new greenies to the oceans.

With this in mind, the goal of this experimental scoring update is to implement some fixed puzzle scoring thresholds for puzzle standings and duty reports. This will mean that if your puzzle performance score is sufficiently high, you will be guaranteed to achieve certain ratings or standings, regardless of how other players have recently been scoring at the puzzle.

These are some of the desired outcomes we would like to see from these changes:

• Providing Expert labor should be a more attainable goal for reasonably skilled puzzlers.
• Unrealistic puzzle performance scores attained by bot usage will no longer shift the scoring thresholds to excessively high values.
  • Bots will continue to be detected and result in bans. Don't use puzzle bots!
• Achieving standing levels such as Ultimate should no longer feel like an impossible goal for legitimate players.

These new scoring thresholds can and will be adjusted in the future as needed, so we appreciate any feedback you have while we give these changes a try. For now, please leave them here. We hope to have a more efficient way to gather feedback soon.

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We are currently testing skilled swabbies. The focus of testing at the moment is on the spice and hiring management. We will be testing balancing later.

• Spiced rum is back on the market.
• Skilled swabbies can be enabled in the voyage config panel (from 0% to 100% -- default is 0%).
• The number of skilled swabbies allowed on a vessel is now determined by the spice in the hold (10 per)
• Skilled swabbies now leave vessels that do not have enough spice.
• Skilled swabbies can defend in SMH