Little things you'd like to see

[AKPyrate]

I'd love to see the possibility of choosing what shot to load AFTER the next broadside, especially if different decks are loading at different rates.  It would be realistic to give a command to switch shot without having to pull the current load out and reload during battle.

[ulysse77]

I mentionned this before bue what i would really like to see is persistent bot or NPC… I have no clue how feasible it is, but what if each nation or regional capital had a set number of bots, they would spawn at a set rates and would progress almost like a normal player. There would be trader bot or military bot.

 

Trader bot would have a knowledge of ressources around his starting port and prices (advantage over human) and would go out and seek ressources needed for the port (how demand would be created I dunno).They could also learn the prices and ressources in area around the new ports they are visiting.  They would gain XP by completing supply runs. And money from the trade, they would gradually gain rank and trade ship, buy escort, and once they reach a certain level, they could retire and a new spawn would be created. If they get attacked and sunk they would rebuy a boat or get a free trader lynx

 

Military bot would act the same except they would patrol certain area and they would gain xp just by patrolling an area and attacking enemy player or other NPC.

 

They would have name so you could start seeing familiar name around. and since they would by ships from the ports they would create a demand for the human shipwright. They could even fill contract.

 

I would love to see a game were everything economy wise is either human made or procedural instead of seeing ships spawning at point A and disappear at point B.

[Thomas Cochrane]

Can we please write comments on the map? As in Ultima Underworld games. 

[Silen]

A brighter sea, this is REALLY too dark, it doesn't look like the caribbean. ^^

[ObiQuiet]

When I put the telescope to my eye, I think i'd be better able to point in the right direction.   Maybe the glass could auto-point to a target nearest the current view angle?

[AKPyrate]

One aspect that would be nice on the charts and in the game are a few aids to navigation (lighthouses).  These could be seen from quite a distance and be unique to let people know their bearings from them, as well as break up the shoreline a bit more than just trees.  I don't advocate for lighthouses all over the place, but if you're making landfall and can identify a light, then all the better.  Maybe just in a couple of key locations, especially if NA expands beyond the Caribbean.  I did a quick search and found some period Caribbean lighthouses here.  A couple of highlights below...

 

Abaco (Hole-in-the-wall) c. 1836

 

Gun Cay (Bimini) c. 1836

 

Paradise Island/Hog Island (Nassau Harbor) c. 1817

 

Cay Sal (Southern Channel) c. 1839

 

Others, along these styles or other period styles could be used in a variety of color schemes.  

[z4ys]

I would like to see a button to set fire on my ship so i can prevent my ship from capture. Same mechanic like the the Surrender button but only with a boom in the end.

[Bismarck83]

1 Ability to see ships before buying it, maybe a simple preview of the ship in port before buy.

2 Different types of cannons. Steel, bronze, brass type.

3 A navigator officer telling you, your pin point location on the map.

4 an ability to upgrade a port, very pricy but able to buy more def towers, patrol ships, upgrade gold mines, silver mines and just upgrade the town itself.

5 Bounty hunting, ability to place bounties on players.

6 Pirates able to join in any port battles giving them the ability to be hired as hired guns for port battles and join ether defenders or offenders.

7 Ability to change your sail color, White, black, red or striped colors of White,black and red. or designs. Cross, iron cross, Templars cross, skulls, lions, dragons, so on.

[Bonden]

What could make this beautiful game even more immersive :

 

- in general more realistic sails-plans according to ship situation (navigating, in combat, in port, etc.), weather conditions (storm, calm weather,...) and to point of sailing (all in the wind, on the wind, off the wind, etc.) with possibility to choose yourself between sails-plans (this does not need individual sail control) or to leave it to the automatic skipper; the actual sail-plan (full sail and staysails) showed in most battles is mainly for close hauled heading

- in order to reduce speed in combat, show loosing the (top)yards and clew up sails (with clew lines) rather than furling them (furling sails and loosing them was very time/men-consuming and not possible to use in combat);

- Improving visual aspect and modelling of rigging, masts and sails damage (falling or dismantled spars, ripped sails, cut stays and shrouds, fallen but still attached masts dragging the boat,...)

- keep the spritsail furled on its spar as it was seldomly used, especially in combat

- stronger light reflections on wet decks and hull (especially in storm/rainy weather, when water should splash on the deck ;-))

- rainy weather

- impact of storm conditions on the rigging and the rolling (possibility to capsize or breaking topmasts if too much sails)

- impossibility to use lower deck battery in strong rolling conditions (gun ports were closed); some ships of the line were ill-conceived in this regard;

- make closed and damaged gun ports visible

- more seamen, officers and marines on the deck ; casualties

- sealife (gulls especially)

- boarding animations

 

In my opinion, those changes are mainly graphic changes, even if some imply some logical tactical consequences (closed gun ports, rolling,...).

 

Here under, some paintings  (of painters who were sailors themselves and participated to combats: N Pocock and L Garneray + one of Geoff Hunt) and one engraving (Ozanne) showing sail, rigging and yards aspect in combat, calm and storm conditions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AKPyrate]

I would like to see a button to set fire on my ship so i can prevent my ship from capture. Same mechanic like the the Surrender button but only with a boom in the end.

 

 I disagree with this idea.  Everyone would start doing it just for the fireworks and to piss off the other player who might be hoping for a nice prize.  The reality is that this wasn't done much historically, and it was not unusual for ships to change owners during their careers (many of the best British sailing vessels were either French built or at least taken off the same lines as a French prize).  Additionally, this would severely decrease the chance of the crew's survival.  During battle the ships would often cast off their small boats, which wouldn't have enough space for the whole crew anyway.  This cleared the deck, reduced splinters and the possibility of the small boats being damaged during the battle.  Since many sailors could not swim, scuttling the ship would be a death sentence for the majority, and that's if the enemy chose to pick them up at all.  

 

1 Ability to see ships before buying it, maybe a simple preview of the ship in port before buy.

2 Different types of cannons. Steel, bronze, brass type.

3 A navigator officer telling you, your pin point location on the map.

4 an ability to upgrade a port, very pricy but able to buy more def towers, patrol ships, upgrade gold mines, silver mines and just upgrade the town itself.

5 Bounty hunting, ability to place bounties on players.

6 Pirates able to join in any port battles giving them the ability to be hired as hired guns for port battles and join ether defenders or offenders.

7 Ability to change your sail color, White, black, red or striped colors of White,black and red. or designs. Cross, iron cross, Templars cross, skulls, lions, dragons, so on.

 

1 and 2, I love.

3 I'd prefer not pinpointing on the chart.  The captain (ie you) should be able to navigate, though I wouldn't mind a few more tools along those lines.

4 I'm undecided on this; I don't want every minor port to end up guarded like Fort Knox eventually, unless damage to them was permanent until very costly repairs/rebuilds were completed.

5 YES!!!

6 Hadn't thought of this before, but I like the idea.  I think neutral players should be able to do that as well.

7 NOOOOOOO!!!!  White, yes.  Red/brown (nautically known as tan bark), maybe for smaller trading vessels.  Black...just not historical.  Striped: come on, these aren't Vikings.  Cross, iron cross, Templars cross, skulls....no thank you.  Keep this at least somewhat historical.  The more decorated sails (mainly crosses) were from an earlier timeperiod than this game portrays, and they were not very common as it was cost and labor intensive, and the designs often didn't hold up too well to long term sailing.  Let's face it, of the 3 nations represented at Trafalgar, all sails were white and there was no decoration.  These were the prides of their navies, but it just wasn't worth the time or money to dye canvas and sew decorations on to the sails.  Decorations were applied to the transoms and bows, as well as officer cabins, etc., but not to the sails.

[Challenge]

Telescope in OW. (This is the big one for me.) I want to be able to identify ship flags and class before I get to close to escape in my small ship.

 

Pictures of available ships before purchase. I don't spend money on things site unseen IRL, why do it in-game when I'm unfamiliar with all available ships.

 

I like the bounty on players idea.

 

Notations on the map, but if you add navigators they should be very expensive to hire.

 

Hiring pirates for missions against an opposing faction (granting plausible deniability) sounds good.

 

But I'm not sure the "attack other faction = instant pirate" idea is the best. No survivors may lead to suspicion, but it takes witnesses to prove piracy. I see it for the trials and tests, but in release, I think it might be overkill.

[Claverack Landing]

Just some quick comments - they probably echo those of others. If so, consider them additional votes.

 

First, the kudos - hadn't played for a couple of weeks and appreciated the new port map, a rip-roaring thunderstorm and the scenic stern lights.

 

Suggestions:

 

As others have said, more people on deck, including officers and marines.

 

Cannon recoil

 

Sea Gulls, and perhaps other sea-life, without over doing it.

 

More variety of damage, falling yards, broken railings, severed ropes etc.

 

Better holes in the sails, right now the torn edges look very solid, like a hole in wood, rather than fabric.

 

Thanks again,

 

 

 

 

[dynd]

1 Ability to see ships before buying it, maybe a simple preview of the ship in port before buy.

2 Different types of cannons. Steel, bronze, brass type.

3 A navigator officer telling you, your pin point location on the map.

4 an ability to upgrade a port, very pricy but able to buy more def towers, patrol ships, upgrade gold mines, silver mines and just upgrade the town itself.

5 Bounty hunting, ability to place bounties on players.

6 Pirates able to join in any port battles giving them the ability to be hired as hired guns for port battles and join ether defenders or offenders.

7 Ability to change your sail color, White, black, red or striped colors of White,black and red. or designs. Cross, iron cross, Templars cross, skulls, lions, dragons, so on.

I agree with all of these except for 3. I love the navigation aspect of the game and how it actually provides a challenge.

[AKPyrate]

I agree with all of these except for 3. I love the navigation aspect of the game and how it actually provides a challenge.

 

The only thing I'd really like is to be able to make notes/approximate your own position on the charts for when you d/c for the night and might not remember where you are the next day/week when you find yourself out of sight of land in fog at night.  However, a vague area and a note telling yourself where you were going would go a long way to aid memory.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

Bounties in online games do not work. You just rack up the bounty and then have your friend kill you for it so you can screw your victims twice.

[Bart Smith]

Since guilds are bigger we need guild warehouses as a part of crafting system. People log in in different times as real life allow and this feature is a must imo.

[Brogsitter]

Bounties in online games do not work. You just rack up the bounty and then have your friend kill you for it so you can screw your victims twice.

 

 

Your friend has to be a different nation though.... so well..... partially agreed.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

 

 

Your friend has to be a different nation though.... so well..... partially agreed.

 

 

Unless you're a pirate, and they'll likely be the ones most likely to have bounties.  Otherwise, you find a willing accomplice, not too hard.  

 

Sorry, back to the topic of little things you'd like to see...

[Magnum]

Any guild (even three guys playing together) should be able to "pool" their resources so they can help each other out crafting and shipbuilding wise - the way to do this is allow the purchase of "clan" warehouses with controls put in by the purchaser on who can access and withdraw from it - it could even include a clan banking system. I have heard some games take care of the tax collecting issue buy automatically sending a preset percentage of a player's winnings to the clan bank account.

 

NAVIES put together fleets, individual players might be able to sail with buddies, but is that a "fleet"?

[Pyzro]

I would like to see some sort of interactive compass added to the map while in OW.

 

I'd hate to use another game as a reference, but Silent Hunter 5 has the ability to plot waypoints, ranges, headings on a map- I'm not asking for that, but just the ability to click on one point of the map, and then another to get a basic reading/heading

[Jacob van Heemskerck]

First off all the game look very good as i played these couple off days! but as always, as this topic suggested there are some little things that others and meself are finding missing.

when i'm sailing the open world it looks stunning! but i suggest to bring more life into it? for an example;

AT SEA:

- a flock of Birds (as i have read correctly this was mentioned multiple times in this topic)

- a pack of doplhines who cruise along with your ship once and awhile

- thunderstorms with sound and lightning flashes (rain look stunning already imo)

- a groep of fisherman so once and while

- please close the gun ports whe are making water!! (especially trading ships)

- men on the masts and yards.

- a wheelsman behind the rudder, it looks deserted there.

- nation flags, admiral flags (the same as in battle)

- an old sea map instead of this one (it looks to modern)

PORTS:

- slightly bigger port city's/towns for capital ports

- ports with static moored vessels, it looks very empty especially at capital ports.

- a shipyard with with work in progress (to compliment the crafting system, wich is amazing!)

In Battle:

- a wheelsman behind the rudder, it looks deserted there.

- men on the masts and yards.

- please close the gun ports of trading ships, or ports who aren't filled with guns.

- gun recoil, let them fly into the gunports after beeing shot (i see the animation of the guncrew pushing them back, so i'm guessing this would implimented?)

- the decks look very clean, a bit more stuff on the deck wouldn't hurt the detailed look?

- when at pistol shot range, let some puffs of smoke from muskets go off.

- Boarding hooks and ropes.

- breaking masts

this is just suggestion as i not know how game develoment works, so correct me if i am wrong about wat can and cannot be done! i am a big fan of Napoleon Total war, and there i see a lot of things

that can be really usefull to naval acton. even complete parts of hull can shot off and repaired with extra planking for an example

i'm just a simple skipper irl, and with that beenig said

mine opinion about ships handling and buoyancy is pretty accurtate! a bit mor bow wave and heeling wouln't hurt, especially with the wind full on sides and full sailes, on 3 decks with guns the lower

gundeck ports should be closed, otherwise the men at pumps have a lot of work to do.

None the less a very very great game, i'm loving it in it's current state as beta!! thanks dev's to make this possible!!

Edited December 30, 2015 by Jacob van Heemskerck

[InfiniteAmount]

In the map screen, a display showing the last known prices for goods at a port you've previously visited. Or, in the store screen for resources, last known prices of the ports you've visited.

Last known prices would be the price that the good showed the last time you visited the port (or perhaps include an item drop off of a merchant ship that shows the prices at the last port the ship visited). And if the good was unavailable at the time of the visit, the price would not be updated. It's information we'd already have if we took note of the prices manually, just instead make it automatic in game.

[AKPyrate]

Any guild (even three guys playing together) should be able to "pool" their resources so they can help each other out crafting and shipbuilding wise - the way to do this is allow the purchase of "clan" warehouses with controls put in by the purchaser on who can access and withdraw from it - it could even include a clan banking system. I have heard some games take care of the tax collecting issue buy automatically sending a preset percentage of a player's winnings to the clan bank account.

 

NAVIES put together fleets, individual players might be able to sail with buddies, but is that a "fleet"?

 

Maybe guild 'fleets' could be called convoys?  While that was generally a large group of trading vessels with a military escort, the idea is the same.  And with a clan, it could conceivably be an actual convoy with a couple of large merchant vessels and one or two armed escorts.

[Toggman]

I would like to see a place in the game map to place a text to find ports of call.  Right there no way to find a port without searching the whole map one port at a time. Thank you

[dynd]

[...]

I agree Napoleon: Total War could be a HUGE inspiration. The way they handled ships is amazing and it's based off a game from 2009. Naval Action should definitely be able to come close.

Edited January 2, 2016 by dynd