[Blue Harbor way not a Pitcure]

Yeah, the port UI/aesthetics should be a pretty low priority thing until they've  finished adding features that might require redoing the UI. However when its eventually worked on in some distant future, I kinda picture it being largely the same, just having a nice piece of artistic background similar to the Sid Meier's pirates games.

 

 

Again though, port UI is currently quite function and, as nice as it would be, prettying it up should be low priority for now.

[Reload shock change?]

I think the threshold just needs to be increased quite a bit on smaller ships.

[Closed gun ports]

Closed ports states would be pretty cool, but for now I'd rather they put that modeling time into more ships, personally. That said, if they were to do it, they could consider adding them to future ships and then backfill the previous ships a few at a time each update.

[Little things you'd like to see]

I'd like the game to play a small alert sound/tone when someone sends you a private message/mail. Let it be turned off for those that would dislike it, obviously.

[Pirates going on the Account]

This is true, but you also have the option to select Pirates when first choosing a faction. I am arguing that the process of "turning" pirate should be the only way.

 

If that is all you change, there is little point. People will just sail out of their capital, attack the first NPC that is convenient then head on over to Mortimer town, all you're doing at that point is temporarily inconveniencing those who want to play pirate.

[Pirate Mechanics]

2. Captured or defeated pirates will go to jail for a time. - This is survival mode mechanic and makes the class cautious of others, both pirates and nationals. This would curb the population greatly in my opinion and would essentially make the class less aggressive against the nations. Fights for them will be very planned out.

 

This is a terrible idea. Taking away a player's character for, presumably, hours is not fun. 

 

I'd just love to come home from work looking forward to a nice evening of playing and then "Whoops, got sunk 20 minutes in. Guess I'm not playing tonight."

[Courier Missions, Mail, VIP transport]

Back when I was first watching videos of the Open World, I saw the "Orders for an [XYZ]" missions thing and thought "Oh neat, courier missions" because for some reason my mind leapt to the conclusion that the title mean delivering orders to someone.  

[Brief guide to catching traders.]

Roughly downwind is generally the fastest speed yes. But due to the way their sails are rigged Cutters and Lynxes can make a better upwind speed than most other ships in the game. Basically both types of ship are reasonably fast going down wind, but Cutters and Lynxes are faster than others upwind, and can thus escape better that way.