League's Suggestions, #1: The Revised Sails

[League]

(This is currently one out of four of League's suggestions: check them out, and check out his hope-to-be-soon-to-be Guild.)

I have new ideas (partly original, partly stolen) for the sails and their function in the game. There should be three functions for the sails that I'll cover first: First, the sails should be something new, unique and enjoyable to the game. Second, the sails should allow for a new element to the games that are not fully situated on land: rightly so, as this is a pirate game. Lastly, there has to be a reason to plunder aside from it being enjoyable, and aside from it being piratey. Hence, the third reson is simply as an effective, yet not too rewarding or too unrewarding, way to get money.

The first two are already covered, as sailing is already a truely unique element to the game, and a staple of pirating. The third function that should be present, like stated, is an effective way to make money. How exactly do you do that?

First off, I think every ship should be a flag ship. Only ships boarded and looted would yield treasure. After reaching a certain point in damage, a ship should be unable to fire or maneuver. From there you get two options as a captain, both of which get displayed: do you want to board and loot (or attempt to do so), or do you want to sink the ship? This would be effective as you could choose whatever type of cargo you want to fill your cargo slots. You could also sink a ship without filling up your slots. If a new implement was implemented, in making so that tougher ships always provided higher kinds of cargo, you could always make stronger runs.

In addition, that would only carry over to what the crew as a whole gets. What use does a stowaway do that just takes up a spot? Only the stowaway benefits, as he gets free coins. Should the option lie to boot him off? I don't think so. I think that the crew's (the onboard crew, that is) total value should be increased per ship sunk for each person on board: this makes sense, as the more people you have, the more you can carry back onto your ship. Now what of the crew's total value? The crew's total value should be split amongst the crew, after two primary reductions: the captain of the ship should get an automatic 10%, and the captain of the crew, if he is onboard, should also get 10%. If they happen to be the same person, that person gets 20%. That leaves a further 80% to be split among the crew: the crew captain and the ship captain can get in on this 80% as well. This 80% should be split proportionately, according to what damage a crew member did to looted ships. Thus, a stowaway wouldn't actually hurt a crew or help himself, unless he/she participated in destroying ships that the captain actually decided to loot.

I think the entire ship interface needs to be changed.

NOTE: Everything contained in this thread IS NOT what is in the game now, but rather a proposal for POTCO to consider.



Ships speed ratings:

Light Sloop: 200 speed points.
Light Galleon: 100 speed points.
Light Frigate: 150 speed points.

Mid Size Sloop: 350 speed points.
Mid Size Galleon: 200 speed points.
Mid Size Frigate: 275 speed points.

War Sloop: 500 speed points.
War Galleon: 400 speed points.
War Frigate: 450 speed points.


Here are the maneuverable ratings for each ship:

Light Sloop: 100 maneuver points.
Light Galleon: 60 maneuver points.
Light Frigate: 50 maneuver points.

Mid Size Sloop: 125 maneuver points.
Mid Size Galleon: 75 maneuver points.
Mid Size Frigate: 60 maneuver points.

War Sloop: 200 maneuver points.
War Galleon: 150 maneuver points.
War Frigate: 145 maneuver points.


Here are the hit point ratings for each ship.

Light Sloop: 10 hit points.
Light Galleon: 25 hit points.
Light Frigate: 20 hit points.

Mid Size Sloop: 50 hit points.
Mid Size Galleon: 80 hit points.
Mid Size Frigate: 80 hit points.

War Sloop: 80 hit points.
War Galleon: 120 hit points.
War Frigate: 140 hit points.


Sails have the same amount of hit points as the hulls. If a ship has 4 sails (mast poles), the amount of hit points is divided among the sails.


Cannonball hit rates:

Round Shot:

Basic single-dot does 1 hit point of damage. Every 2 skill points added do an added 1 hit point of damage.

Chain Shot: Only effective against sails.

Does same amount of damage as round shot. Each skill point added does an extra hit point of damage.

Grape Shot: Same as what it is currently, only effective against crew or the Kraken.

Firebrand:

Does same amount of damage as round shot. Has same skill point : damage ratio as chain shot. Sets a ship on fire for 20 seconds, unless it sinks. Does 1 hit point of damage for every 10 seconds a ship is on fire.

Lightning Bolt:

Does 3 hit points of damage. Every added skill point adds 1 hit point of damage to the total damage hit points.

Explosive:

Automatically sinks a ship, no matter where on the ship it hits, and no matter how many hit points of damage a ship's hull has. If the explosive hits the sails, it automatically knocks down ALL sails of that ship.

Fury:

Does 2 hit points of damage. Every skill point added does 1 extra hit point of damage.


Ships:

Basic Access members should be able to purchase any light class ship.

Light Sloop: 100 gold. Light Galleon: 200 gold. Light Frigate: 300 gold.

Unlimited Access members:

Sailing Level 5 = Access to Mid Size ships. Sloop: 1,000 gold. Galleon: 2,000 gold. Frigate: 3,000 gold.

Sailing Level 10 = War ships. War Sloop: 10,000 gold. War Galleon: 20,000 gold. War Frigate: 30,000 gold.

Sailing Level 15 = Customizable ships. Customizable ships I will not go into, the POTCO staff can figure that out.

Sailing Level 20 = All ships 10% off price.

Sailing Level 25 = All ships 25% off price.




Hope you guys like this, and most of all, I hope the POTCO staff like it!

I'll address some of this stuff later, as this counts as the 'stolen' part.

[League]

Ships, being a unique element to the game, being so common to see upon the waters, need to be unique themselves. More unique than any other private touch would be a unique ship design for each ship. Depending on what Shipwright you buy from, you should be able to pick a different design of a ship. The design of a ship wouldn't change the general bulk of a ship, nor would it change it's shape, where it's cannons are, or how many cannons there are on the ship. It would merely make for a less sore sight on the waters. A simple choice of two would make for much more variety, though I'd propose 4 at the least: in fact, I have four designs in mind already. There would be the stock ship of course, some kind of Asian Junk design, a slightly longer (longer in design, though the head and tail don't share damage with the ship upon being hit) Viking-type thing with a head and tail that sort of resemble a Dragon, and an Un-sunk style ship. These four would allow for a decent variety to see on the water. For one day, there could be a special event where ships sold would have their full value returned. It would allow for a test-day of all the new styles. A special shipwright could sell the styles of the ships, provided a quest is done for him to provide his/her services. Who knows?

The sail designs could match the design of the ship, with one or two possible variants available for purchase. These wouldn't be stuck when you buy the ship, as there are just sails. The color of the sails could be alloted when the sails are purchased, and an image for the sales could be purchased, added, and/or removed like a tattoo.

A color for the ship would be a welcome addition, though they would have to be realistic. Mainly, they should be either types of wood finishes or some kind of war paint. It the case of the Un-sunk style ship, you could choose the color of the seaweed and deadwood.

Last of all, there should be a choice as to what hails the front of your ship. A giant Dragon head would be a cool thing for example. Whatever they implemented if they did however, would merely go at the bottom of the front. They could add in the statue things that go at the front of the ship, at the very top. Some weird form of a lady, or a weird form of a narcisistic guy could be there, or perhaps an undead brigand.
If this last idea is followed, something could furthermore hail the sides of your ship: I practically mean a hung-down something, like a banner or wedding bells. Perhaps a Just Christened thing would fit the back of a ship. Who knows?

[League]

Ship combat should be far more involving, and not limited to the wheel and cannons. First off, ships should be limited in health, as if they were a player themselves. However, being ships, they should be a good lot tougher than any character. Why am I saying this? I would like for the same things that could damage a pirate player to be able to damage a ship. It shouldn't be limited to the grenades: the voodoo staff should be able to damage an enemy ship. The pistol could be able to do some damage if you shoot a cannon, and could perhaps render it ineffective. The sword and the dagger could damage lines holding the sails, reducing speed.

With the sword and dagger part, I mean to introduce something totally new. You should be able to take out a crew navigating a ship in addition to being able to take out the ship. How would you do this? First off, the crew should be totally visible from the moment you start attacking the ship. Then, you should be able to attack the crew with the cannons or with a weapon in your hands that can hit. That being said, a cannon should only be able to fire at you or the ship if it has a person at it.

With that addition, something far crazier would be the ability to board a ship before you sink it. You could 'occupy' enemies while they get shot at by cannonballs, or you could perhaps wipe out a crew by your lonesome. All you would have to do is fire the grappling hook to a specific target where it could land, that wasn't near any blade-wielding foe. Then, you could board the ship. You'd have approximately 3 seconds to do so, and you'd have one shot in a reasonable lifetime to do it, all because it takes a while to reload the grapple shot. If you fired too near to a blade-wielding foe, your line could get cut, or, if you were in the process of jumping ships, you could drown. All would make it a risk, unless you first eliminated a good part of the enemy crew.

However, damage itself to the ships should be reconsidered. All ships should be left to a hull. That means that the ship only sinks after a hole big enough has fully appeared in one section of the hull, after a plating of armor drops off from that section. Time would do further damage to the ship, as it takes water, or it could be sped along with additional cannonfire. This would make for some reasonably-long lasting battles, though it would also offer a new way to battle: you could poison your enemy, limit it's ability to pursue, flee, and allow it to sink before it gets to you.

Cannonshots should each have their perk, as they all are unique, or at least should be. The standard shot is the normal shot, and it's perk is that there is a limitless supply. An alright eco-shot is enough of a perk. It's damage could be kept minimally. The chain shot currently has no advantage to it, though I propose to give it one. It should get a damage boost, and gain it's effect when it hits a sail, not a mast. Thus, it would have a bigger target to hit than the thunderbolt would have. The grape shot is the shot to use against people, and its damage against people should be increased. The firebrand should do increased damage if it shoots near a cannon, as it would be something. The damage done by the burning should be equal to whatever portion of the ship that the flames take up, and not some set-in-stone little amount. The thunderbolt is good as is, as it is a speed killer and a volleyable shot, in addition to being a big damager. If anything, the damage done to the main part of the ship should be reduced. The explosive should be able to rip off a section of plating covering the hull: it would be quite a good shot then, even if it kept it's slow recharge rate. The shot should have no lateral value, and should only be able to go a little distance before starting to plummet. Hence, it should only be able to hit the sides of an equal level ship, though it could be allowed to hit the deck of a lower one. The fury would make for a good replacement of the round shot, though it should be most effective against the deck of a ship, not the hull.

The ships I feel are good, though the War Sloop should be the fastest and most maneuverable ship, followed by the Light Sloop, and then the Light Frigate, and then the Sloop, and then the Light Galleon, and then the Frigate, and then the War Frigate, and then the Galleon, followed last by the War Galleon. Why? The Sloop class is fitted for speed and maneuverability: hence, any upgrade is to boost these. The War upgrade is an increase of speed from the Light, though the regular is not to be an upgrade for the Light. The Frigate is to be a crew carrying ship, and thus the cannons and everything added on, in addition to space added, are to slow it down slightly as you jump weight classes. The Galleon is to hold more cargo, and thus is slowed dramatically between classes.

I feel that ships should turn as they sail, so the above order works the same way, though the War Frigates and War Galleons are to be as maneuverable as their regular counterparts.
__________________________________________________ ____________

I actually want to keep the ships' healths in pure, undulterated numerical terms, not like in what's quoted or "stolen" in the first post. Hence, the numbers for the healths of ships will be quite, quite large; as will be the damage done by cannons. Keep in mind that I want the weapons that a person carries to be able to damage a ship in addition to the cannons doing the same to human players.

Light Sloop: 2,000*/2** [All Light Sloop plates are conveniently side plates, including two rear ones]/0***/0****/300*****/1******/600*******/1000*********/1200*********
Light Galleon: 7,000*/3**/2***/2****/500*****/2******/800*******/?/?
Light Frigate: 8,000*/4**/2***/2****/450*****/3******/700*******/?/?
Sloop: 6,000*/3**/1***/1****/400*****/2******/700*******/?/?
Galleon: 12,000*/6**/3***/3****/900*****/3******/1200*******/?/?
Frigate: 14,000*/7**/3***/3****/800*****/3******/1000*******/?/?
War Sloop: 12,000
War Galleon: 18,000
War Frigate: 20,000

(Overall amount of health*/Overall amount of side plates on a side**/Overall amount of front plates***/Overall amount of rear plates****/Overall toughness of plates, minus 10% for where the ships weakness is, and plus 10% where the ship's strength is*****/Overall number of sails******/Overall toughness of a sail*******/Overall speed********/Overall maneuverability*********)

[Chris]

good ideas now if disney would get their money out of their ears and listen to us it might make it a better game

[League]

I've added new info in here, into my third post here. Check it out please, then critique it.