What am I supposed to do, just chase people down? Am I supposed to yell cusses in an attempt to provoke them? Should I accept that they don’t want to fight me, like some kind of coward? Look, I’m a pirate of honor. I have found the solution to this: a word that activates the primal urge in every Sea of Thieves player’s head to fight, kill, and die. That can be frustrating - if you want to fight or hunt players, and they want to placidly sail and go on adventures, there is a clash of expectations. With every encounter, I take part in this delicate social dance. If I see another ship on the horizon, there’s a surprisingly complex flow chart of factors that result in a decision to stand and fight, attempt to ally, or cut and run.
Sea of Thieves is a fascinating game because so many factors are outside your control.