Goal: a staff-friendly, skimmable list of the biggest recurring complaints + “fast fix” targets.
────────────────────────────────────────
1) 🚫 PLAYABILITY FIRST (EAC / Crashes / Can’t Log In)
If players can’t launch or stay logged in, they can’t test.
• Fix Easy Anti-Cheat “Reason 5” regressions (works one patch, breaks the next).
• Ensure patch pipeline keeps EAC in sync every build (no version/signing/config mismatch).
• Add 1-click Launcher “Repair” (auto-detect/remove bad files, re-download correct files).
• Fix “crash after server/character select → load into world” (major refund/scam perception driver).
• Publish pinned official workaround + status tracker until root cause is gone.
2) 🧱 STABILITY / COMBAT RESPONSIVENESS (Hard Gate)
People quit on: desync, hitching, rubberbanding, crashes, dead inputs/ability delay.
• Prioritize server perf + combat responsiveness before shipping more systems.
• Fix frametime spikes (big fights + sea).
• Add in-game perf/connection overlay: ping, packet loss, server tick, frametime (actionable reports).
• Add built-in “Report Crash/Perf” button that attaches logs + basic system info.
3) 🔌 DC PROTECTION (Stop Losing Progress to Disconnects)
• If you DC, character shouldn’t keep fighting/dying for 30+ seconds.
• Add short “safe pause” / safe logout rules on disconnect.
────────────────────────────────────────
4) ⚔️ CLEAN PvP FLAGGING (No Guessing)
• Crate theft: picking up crates you didn’t create / aren’t grouped with → auto Combatant/Outlaw for X minutes.
• Show BIG icon + countdown on nameplate + minimap + UI tooltip (no guessing).
• Flag/timer persists through death/zoning/relog until it expires (no reset cheese).
5) 🐎 MOUNT PvP STATE (Corruption-Bait Exploit)
• Mounts must inherit rider PvP state (flagged rider = flagged mount).
• Damaging/killing a flagged rider’s mount should NEVER generate corruption.
• Stop “ram unflagged mount into AoE to force defenders into corruption” bait.
6) 🧑🤝🧑 ASSIST RULES (Stop Unflagged Support Cheese)
• Heal/buff/rez a Combatant/Outlaw → you flag too (same state + timer).
• Same for damage/CC participation: you inherit the fight’s state/timer.
• No “safe pocket healer” enabling corruption-bait while staying unflagged.
7) 🩸 CORRUPTION LOOPHOLES (Alt/Friend Abuse)
System is still easy to game: burner kill hits, friend looting, PvE suicide clears, gear-strip redbait.
Fixes:
• Corruption must NOT clear from PvE death (mob suicide) or friend/alt kill chains.
• Add diminishing returns / time-window lockouts on repeated killer/victim patterns.
• Block obvious pattern abuse (same killer/victim/group cycling).
• Prevent “go white” bait mid-fight (state/timer persistence).
8) 🛡️ SELF-DEFENSE SHOULDN’T PUNISH DEFENDERS
• Killing Combatant/Outlaw (actively stealing/attacking) should be 0 corruption for defenders.
• Remove “AoE/self-defense is a trap” edge cases that create corruption-bait.
────────────────────────────────────────
9) 🚚 CARAVANS MUST BE THE MAIN PvP LOGISTICS LOOP (Mules Bypass It)
Pick a clear rule so caravans aren’t optional/pointless:
• Add “Heavy Crates” that cannot be moved by hand or mule — ONLY caravans.
OR
• Hard-limit mule crate tier/capacity + apply same visibility/risk rules for higher tiers.
10) 💰 CARAVAN INCENTIVES (Make Escorts/Ambushes Worth It)
• Slight slot bump (+1/+2) and/or better payouts/routes.
• Meaningful guild rewards for successful delivery AND intercepting/destroying rival caravans.
11) 🧨 STOP REGION BRICKING (EA Guardrails Now)
Guilds shouldn’t be able to delete regional crafting progression by demolishing stations.
Do at least ONE:
• Pause core station demolition in EA
OR
• Unremovable novice crafting hall per region (basic stations always available)
OR
• Defendable demolition event: 24–48h warning + map marker + cap demolitions per window
• Add fast rebuild/recovery path so regions can’t stay dead.
12) 🏛️ NODE/MAYOR ANTI-ABUSE GUARDRAILS
• Residency/citizenship cooldowns for voting.
• Recall/impeachment options.
• Tax changes ramp over days (no instant extremes).
• Cap demolitions + contested/telegraphed timers so defenders can respond.
────────────────────────────────────────
13) 🧾 ECONOMY / TAX CAPS (New Player Blocker)
Taxes shouldn’t hard-stop early quest/crafting loops.
• Set a firm MAX on total taxes (citizen + trade + non-citizen). No 50%+ walls.
• Keep non-citizen tax low enough to complete early bag/tools/crafting quests.
• Always-on novice vendors/stations + basic reagents so starter progression can’t be blocked by node politics.
14) ⛏️ GATHERING / EPIC-LEGENDARY MAT DROPS (Progression Feel)
• Gate epic mats to Journeyman+ gathering.
• Move “legendary” mats mostly to high-tier bosses/events.
• If legendaries can drop from gathering: make it rare + tied to dangerous hotspots (risk = reward).
15) 🎯 MOB XP/LOOT CREDIT (Anti-Killsteal)
• XP/loot should go to most contribution (party contribution), not first-tag.
• Add shared credit in early zones to reduce new-player friction.
16) 🗺️ NODE LEVELING IMBALANCE (Table Access Chaos)
• Too few nodes reach Journeyman stations → overcrowding/bottlenecks.
• Add incentives to spread progression (regional quests/turn-ins/rotating bonuses).
• Ensure essential crafting access isn’t concentrated in 1–2 nodes server-wide.
17) 🧙♂️⚔️ CLASS BALANCE (Mage/Rogue Pain Points)
• Smooth extremes that make testing miserable (Mage disengage/peel vs Rogue elusiveness).
• Revisit shield/ball lightning tuning + clearer counterplay.
18) 🕵️♂️ EXPLOITS + REAL ENFORCEMENT (GM / Action)
• Visible GM presence + faster action on obvious dupes/bots/exploit chains.
• Add in-game report tool with screenshot/log attach.
• If exploits go unpunished, economy + PvP feedback becomes unreliable.
────────────────────────────────────────
19) 🏴 LAWLESS / HOTSPOTS NEED TO DRIVE REAL OPEN-WORLD PvP
• More/rotating lawless zones + rotating resource hot zones.
• Borders must be obvious (map + UI), no guessing.
• Put real rewards there so risk = reward.
• Tie caravan + node objectives into these routes to create consistent conflict.
20) 📅 WEEKLY CADENCE (Give Players “Something Tonight”)
• Posted weekly schedule: caravans, node objectives, sea events.
• Harbinger event needs to be reliable and part of the cadence.
21) 🧭 UI / LFG / NEW PLAYER CLARITY (Retention)
• LFG bulletin board (role/level/activity/location).
• Tooltips readable without pinning multiple windows.
• Clear combat state + buffs/debuffs/flags with big icons + timers.
• Warn players about long-term choices/weapon leveling traps early.
22) 🧰 QoL QUICK WINS
• Focus Target
• Clear in-combat / out-of-combat indicator
• Explain “Soft Lock” clearly in options
• Improve minimap opacity/readability
• Reliable unstuck that does NOT delete/lose items
23) 🌊 SEA / FISHING (Quit Moments)
• Fix fish teleport + “stall” bugs.
• Fix fishing spot spawns + add variance (not static).
• Add real boat repair loop + increase boat TTK.
• Fix GI/water visibility exploits.
• Fix logout lure exploit (hook state + bait use persists; relog = fail/consume).
────────────────────────────────────────
Optional (discussion topics, not immediate blockers):
• 🧾 “Maker’s Mark” for crafted items (crafted by <player>) for market trust + crafter identity.
• 🧰 Consider Merchant progression track for crate running (trade certificates/route tools) to reduce low-effort bot spam.
If staff wants this in 3 “ship fast” buckets:
A) 🚫 Playability + Stability (EAC/CTD/DC/perf overlay)
B) ⚔️ PvP Readability (flagging/assist/mount/crate/corruption loopholes)
C) 🧾 Economy/Progression Baselines (tax caps, novice access, node bricking guardrails)