Wonder if this would be of use?

[Jack Lowe]

   I was listening to the sound track for the game when this idea came to my mind actually. The topic was closed but still the idea seemed to have use on other levels than simply trying to improve sound quality.

 

   Anyone remember the movie Master and Commander Far SIde of the World? The vast majority of the movie took place on the open ocean on the recreation of the deck of the very HMS Suprise we have in game. I was and still am very fond of the sounds and visuals for certain aspects of the movie. Such as the opening broadside seen thru Aubrey's glass. The muzzle flashes in the fog.. later the distant reports. Also the recreation of the devastation caused by those heavy balls on deck. The ships bell being shattered, lines being split and what not. Perhaps some of this is a bit dramatized, though having watched some recreations of how cannon work and having read accounts of different engagements it may not be to far fetched.

 

   Also some were mentioning the fact that the sounds and sights should really get ones adrenaline pumping. A good portion of the work done in that movie was CGI, perhaps some of it could be used as a base visually, toned down as necessary for optimization and performance.  Also the sounds, as was mentioned in that tread it really depended on what environment one was in as to how a shot would sound and at what distance it was heard. I think the important thing here is that from a distance u should see the discharge before hearing the report. One would have to check the math on for the velocity of the ball vs. the speed of sound but it is possible the ball would strike home before hearing the sound of it having been fired. 

 

   In any case I thought this might give the deveopment team another frame of reference to assist them. If it is not already in use.

[Scottx125]

Cannon balls i imagine would be traveling around 300 ish mph. However as you said about the CGI show its not really dramatizing, cannonballs on their own are fairly small and do not do large quantities of damage, a lucky shot may hit the mast and send splinters flying, however if you have a broadside with 60 guns, you're really going to do some damage and it will be very devastating.

 

Another idea i would like to debunk is the fact that some people believe that if you hit the magazine of 17th century ships, they will explode which is highly unlikely, most nearing the Napoleonic era had magazines en lined with copper, and even if a cannonball went right through one side of a ship, through the magazine and out the other side, unless there was an open flame nearby the most that would happen is a mess of gunpowder all over the floor...

[Jack Lowe]

Thank u for the reply. That would be quite true. However it isn't so much the true damage to the integrity of the ship that gives somewhat of an illusion of devastation. It is all those splinters flying blocks falling and so forth. The actual hole might not be large but the bits flying around make it seem worse. Also it should be noted that most combat injuries or deaths were the results of those deadly buggers. The point in using the reference was it seemed to me to be a good example of how to create drama and hopefully visual immersion perhaps raise the users tension level a notch. It was also to give example to how sound would change given different environmental conditions.

 

I lived in the country in West Virginia. I was well used to hearing gun fire, from hunters or people simply target practicing. We lived in the hills, depending on how far and what direction a shot was fired would change how it was heard. Atmospheric conditions could also distort the sound. Not to mention the hills which would usually but not always cause the expected echoing effect. Other times it would create more of a seeming overlapping rolling effect. Was simply suggesting a simple way to look a bit deeper into the subject if the dev's choose.

 

On that vain, I know where they can go find either on the web or in person if they choose live fired guns of different cal. and perhaps types. Gettysburg would be a good one. We went on the anniversary of the battle they do a reenactment. That year they did a completely live fire mortar exercise using steel balls at targets. There were three teams that year using different sized mortars. I know Williamsburg Va. still live fires a cannon at a certain hr. daily. A few other places do the same. Many would be the I believe 10 or 12 lb. Parriot piece. but sometimes some will use others.  There are quite a few Civil War as well as Revolutionary war groups active in the U.S.A. some are reenactors perhaps getting in touch with these groups would be another tool to be of use. They may also be able to put them in contact with their maritime counterparts or possess knowledge of it themselves. Finally the U.S.S. Constitution is still an active ship in the Navy. She still maintains a full time crew as such. It's a skeleton crew compared to her full complement but each is very well versed in not only that ship but the time period in which she sailed. 

 

The reason I'm putting this out there is I have noticed, perhaps incorrectly that the dev's seem to have suggested somewhat of a lack of expertise in certain areas regarding the time in question. They seem to be seeking avenues to fill that gap to make the best game possible. Simply trying to dig thru my brain for resources they might not have considered tapping that may be of use in that.

 

The infomation on the magazines is interesting. I'd read that they were experimenting with iron holding tanks for water. Knew they were coppering the lower part of the hulls, but not the magazines. Also have read about ships like the Orion blowing up. I'm not certain of the mechanics needed to get black powder to ignite. I do know it's highly flammable, which was why they laid wet canvas over the hatch to prevent embers from getting down there. I don't know about it's compression properties though. At what point if any it would explode under pressure. Apparently a cannon ball won't do the trick. Good info to have ty.

[maturin]

Cannon balls i imagine would be traveling around 300 ish mph. However as you said about the CGI show its not really dramatizing, cannonballs on their own are fairly small and do not do large quantities of damage, a lucky shot may hit the mast and send splinters flying, however if you have a broadside with 60 guns, you're really going to do some damage and it will be very devastating.

 

Another idea i would like to debunk is the fact that some people believe that if you hit the magazine of 17th century ships, they will explode which is highly unlikely, most nearing the Napoleonic era had magazines en lined with copper, and even if a cannonball went right through one side of a ship, through the magazine and out the other side, unless there was an open flame nearby the most that would happen is a mess of gunpowder all over the floor...

300 mph? Try three times that! A Napoleonic 12-pounder, depending on the powder charge, had a muzzle velocity of 439 m/s! The terrifying thing about this, is that it means that shot was supersonic for part of its flight. That means the sound of a passing ball would be akin a lightning bolt hitting next to your ear. Now imagine a point-blank broadside ripping through the rigging. It would sound like the end of the world, as loud and threatening as any WWII artillery barrage.

 

Also, magazines were placed below the waterline, for obvious reasons, so no shot is going to hit it anyways. All explosions were due to secondary fires.

[Brigand]

The development team is based in the Ukraine. Ukrainian passport holder require a visa to enter the U.S. Obtaining a visa is a royal pain in the ass, if it is granted at all. Going over to the U.S. on anything that may resemble work (visiting events that may be related to doing research for your job in your home country for example) requires a work visa (even harder to obtain).

 

As a result, my guess is, that any events/reenactments  taking place in the U.S. are probably not very accessible (if at all) as first hand experience for the dev-team.

 

Regards,

Brigand

[BrutishVulgarian]

The development team is based in the Ukraine. Ukrainian passport holder require a visa to enter the U.S. Obtaining a visa is a royal pain in the ass, if it is granted at all. Going over to the U.S. on anything that may resemble work (visiting events that may be related to doing research for your job in your home country for example) requires a work visa (even harder to obtain).

 

As a result, my guess is, that any events/reenactments  taking place in the U.S. are probably not very accessible (if at all) as first hand experience for the dev-team.

 

Regards,

Brigand

If you can get to Mexico, easy, than just head north, skip all that red tape.   

[admin]

We are constantly working on improving sounds for the ships in the next version we will have a significantly better version.

 

ps getting a visa is not a problem at all 

[Ryan21]

[adambomb]

GREAT IDEA. I should be incorporated for sure.