[1st Big content patch information.]

I can't stress how GREAT it is to finally rework the crew system. I'm really looking forward to the gunnery changes. If I'm not mistaken this should ease the penalties for under crewing a ship slightly. For example if your 'lvl 3' you could possibly crew a Navy Brig better than with the previous system, well it appears that way anyway.
I'm not to sure on the boarding mechanic though. So ONLY those crew that were prepared BEFORE boarding will be used in the fight? If that's true...that's so absurd.
Nice to see some changes to PvP, especially the timers to join, it will be interesting.
All round, exciting stuff guys!!

[Booyaah's One Google Map to rule them all !!]

Le Moule on Guadeloupe is a Pirate Harbor, its marked as a Neutral on the map

[Open World- Game Modes]

Your idea of 5 ships one durability each can be more or less seen as 5 lives. Having 1 ship with 5 durability can be seen exactly the same way. Yet my idea detracts from the realistic feel of NA but having 5 ships when you start the game isn't?

I never said durability itself is more encouraging, having ONE ship and not five however is very encouraging, irrespective of the fact it has 5 durability. Its your ONLY ship, so I'd feel more inclined to be focus on economy then combat early game. Thats just my opinion. 

As the devs have already stated though, they want people to be able to, as they put it, in a 2hr time period if they were seeking battle they averaged that the player could participate in 5 battles during that 2hr period. Having durability allows this. Durability can also be seen as a reflection of the state of your ship, ie, how well its maintained under your command. Low durability can be reflected as poor maintenance, poor leadership which can be attributed to lack of skill and funds. While a ship thats running on full durability shows wealth and skill. I believe it reflects the age quite well, seeing ships in varying degrees of quality.  

[Open World- Game Modes]

As already stated, splitting the community to cater for certain groups is a terrible idea. Let the devs make the game they want to make. You see stuff like this time and time again, especially in the free to play market where the community will harass to such an extent that the devs do crumble. Sad to say the gaming community generally ruin games. The devs for NA have done a brilliant job so far in holding fast and often telling the community, no this is how its going to be. Look at War Thunder, that is the best example of a game that could've destroyed WoT but due to the community, failed. Taking the middle road when it comes to game design, as admirable as it may be to cater to both groups, only leaves the game being a half assed version of two different worlds.  
 

Jeremiah O'Brien, on 29 Mar 2015 - 09:45 AM, said:

Here's an idea. Instead of durabilities,everyone starts out with 5 basic ships. Each ship only has one "durability," but captured ships do not lose their "durability." With enough money, any ship can be repaired to its original condition. 
Why do this? Because then, it becomes imperative to collect resources and craft ships. Not everyone has to do this, of course; you can buy ships from others. Ship prices will be based off of the type of ship and materials used to craft it.
This would make the game more realistic, and would also provide a huge incentive for econ-based players. Both playing styles gain from this.

As for doing this in relation to encouraging people to collect resources and craft ships. Having one ship with 5 durability is exactly the same and far more encouraging imo. As far as I'm aware the devs have already stated that depending on what the ship is constructed in, live oak for example, will increase not only the costs for construction but also limit the locations in which it can be built. 

[A cool quirk to add for a realistic touch.]

Its the little things, the attention to detail. They have enormous impacts on a game. I would love to see what you mentioned in-game and some bioluminescence would be ohh so sweet as well. 

Something like this would be awesome

[Best Historical Movie]

Schindler's List, absolutely fantatsic. I think it and Defiance go together perfectly. 

[Best Historical Movie]

I'm surprised I forgot, The Last of the Mohicans. Though not a true story it does represent the combat of the times well and is even true to how the French used the Native American tribes during the Seven Years War. I also like how the name of the movie played on what the Newark Daily Advertiser wrote in 1842. 

That and it has Daniel Day Lewis in it and a superb soundtrack to boot, whats not to enjoy?

[Le Glorieux 1756]

I agree, I would love to see this in-game along with the Ocean and the Orient. We need a couple of ships to fill the holes in the classes atm. I think she'd be brilliant for doing that

[Best Historical Movie]

Kingdom of Heaven, its surprisingly accurate not just in the locations but the events and the characters themselves. A few dates are changed but, still quite accurate. Definitely one of my all time favorite movies.

Master and Commander is of course up there as a favorite for me, I do love the Age of Sail.

Band of Brothers would probably have to be, hands down, my all time favorite historical movie/tv series. I watch the entire series at least once every year.

[Whats your desktop background?]

This is ONE of my wallpapers that I use. I have 100+ i have rotating out regularly, all taken in-game with the High Detail screenshot, F8.

[American SOL's what might we see?]

Ohio is out of place among the game's other ships, and never took part in a real battle.

 

And then she never even put to sea for a decade.

Well if your going to go with that argument, the Trincomalee didn't participate in any REAL battle either. By your arguments so far her only valid reason for being available is that she was ordered to be built in 1812 and wasn't launched till 1817.

The Victory was ordered on 1758 and wasn't completed until 1765. Since, in 1765 there was no use for her she was demasted, roofed and put in ordinary for 13 years. The Victory, in ordinary for 13 years as soon as she was launched. No different then the Ohio. If your going to run with an argument of ships not putting to sea for years, please have some consistency.

Though they weren't American SoL's having the likes of the French Ocean(1790) and the Orient(1791) would be good. Both 118 guns, they could fill the gap nicely between the Victory and the Santi. The Orient was the ship that exploded brilliantly at the Battle of the Nile