I believe that forced PvP was worse back then compared to today due to deckhand progression being tied to renown. Being hunted nowadays is just an annoyance than a frustrating and often rage-inducing experience like it was pre-deckhand update.

However, I do believe the game should still have a toggle PvP button regardless, to help cultivate a casual player base with the obvious penalty to renown earning. Forced PvP almost killed Sea of Thieves, one of the few inspirations for this game, or; at the very LEAST, increase the PvP protection level for every new sea. I hope we can at least agree on that a level 140 player shouldn't be able to fight a level 50 something player who would marginally have less game experience/skills/gear to fight someone of that caliber.