Variable Wind

[James Cornelius]

In battle, particularly since it seems that time can pass from day to night, wind should change as well. And, I am not merely suggesting direction - the force should change. In current combat, you basically go straight at the other side. This is ahistorical in all the many cases where poor or shifting wind radically altered the tactics or outcome of the battle.

 

I'd like to see this incorporated, along with other weather issues: dense fog in battle, things like that.

[Darkbaron]

Question that should be asked tho is:

 

- Is it realistic? Yes, it might be.

 

- Would it be a fun element or does it have the potential for frustration? Not so sure if every cool thing is necessarily a good thing for gameplay.

[maturin]

 

- Would it be a fun element or does it have the potential for frustration?

You know what has the potential for frustration?

 

Getting hit in the face with a cannon ball. That always frustrates me.

 

Of course it would be a good element.

[Kookaburra]

It does seem that wind would play an important role in the way sailing ships function, and I would welcome anything that makes that system more complex. Sure it would make the game harder for me, but it would also be a sensible addition to a game where ships rely on wind to do their shippy stuff.

[Destraex]

I drew this up years ago. As a mock up of the various types of wind that could be in game. It's just a concept and does not cover things like wind heights and how to detect different wind types... the feedback the interface would give. I don't need every wind type in every tactical battle. But it would be nice to have a little variation. I also did not include gusting where the wind comes and goes from fast to slow. The ship in front or behind depending on wind direction getting the gust first and then the other ship second. Perhaps giving a temporary advantage to one.

It really would add a whole new dimension to things. Would even make setting the correct sails important.

 

For a lot of people the fun comes from having to use their brain. For others it involves and easy sesame street tune and a bit of imagining themselves as an untouchable super hero. Adding variable wind types would certainly be frustrating for some and amazing for others. It would also be a first for any game I know of of this type.

[MikedaBike]

Love the idea, always have been on the side of tides and wind, but never no wind, to many people hate the slowness already, leaving them sitting there with nothing to do except wait for wind may very well be realistic, been there done it, all of the above chart, but there should always be a some wind. So for me as with everytime this subject gets suggested a big YES PLEASE.

[ObiQuiet]

http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12779-different-wind-direction-in-ow/#entry231976

[Slamz]

Might be interesting to turn battle wind into 3 possible settings. It will start out with one of these:

 

Light:

Everything is slower. Not sure what this does to turning? I guess sail turning would have less impact too. Less heel. You don't lose much ground if you turn, shoot, and turn back.

 

Medium:

Like now.

 

High:

High winds can cause sail damage if you fully deploy sails and will also cause serious heeling. Maximum sheep speeds can be obtained but with some risk.

 

I feel like that would be an easy first step and then decide from there if we think it's worth making it even more variable.

 

[DeRuyter]

I would love to see variable wind strength and its effects on sail states. I think the biggest concern or point against wind variability is the light winds. I think a floor of the current wind has been suggested. Then the wind speed would work up from there. The other issue that high wind brings up is the inability to fire from lower deck gun ports (you could just have them X - out like now when you are sinking).

[Malachi]

High winds can cause sail damage if you fully deploy sails and will also cause serious heeling. Maximum sheep speeds can be obtained but with some risk.

 

 

Some ships were actually slower in higher wind speeds because of pitching motions and/or they couldn´t carry their sails well enough.

Smaller vessels would have their max speed in light to medium wind conditions.

[maturin]

I'll just leave this here...

 

Supposedly such a feature would be too confusing for players, though.

 

 

Edit: That second 15 degrees column should read 150 degrees. Old Google Docs.

[Malachi]

I'll just leave this here...

 

 

God, I´d love to have this ingame...

[Gonzo]

Game about sails without living wind?

[Jean Ribault]

I would like to see some new level of wind complexity as well, no matter what it is.

[Vllad]

The sudden shifts in wind in more radical directions was very irritating in POTBS.

 

As bland as it is the predictable change in wind today is much preferred. At least I can plan accordingly which reduces the irritation factors.

 

Right now the system is plain but we all can live with it. Wind is already an irritating factor of the game, more complexity will just make it more irritating when it is not in your favor.

 

Easy = better.

[maturin]

I'd rather see you get roundly defeated by people who have the ability to change their plans on the fly and effectively react to changes.

[Volcanus]

Maybe they should just make a realism server for all these people who want super realistic things in this game.

I for one don't think this stuff will add anything to the game but frustration. One second you are using the wind tactically then the next second all wind is gone and you lose all momentum.

If they want to add something to the game to do with speed and movement, add momentum. Right now if you all sails off you stop in seconds. In real life it took much more than the weight of the boat to stop it. Like, if in real life i was moving fast, then was turning into the headwind i would lift my sails and all that jazz and use my momentum to get through it and turn. But in this game that only helps slow my ship down, it is pretty stupid.

But then again this game isn't meant to be 100% realistic otherwise a santi's full barrage would kill a connie if they all connected. You would hardly be able to sail let alone still fire back and repair. That poundage of cannons aren't to be fucked with.

[M G]

"Right now if you all sails off you stop in seconds"  In what ship does this happen?

"Like, if in real life i was moving fast, then was turning into the headwind i would lift my sails and all that jazz and use my momentum to get through it and turn" ...But that would prevent you from using the sails as a force vector, to push your stern and bow through the wind. It would make no sense to remove one of the greatest turning forces you have at your disposal.

"But in this game that only helps slow my ship down, it is pretty stupid."   No comment, just wanted to quote that.

[Volcanus]

"Right now if you all sails off you stop in seconds"  In what ship does this happen?

"Like, if in real life i was moving fast, then was turning into the headwind i would lift my sails and all that jazz and use my momentum to get through it and turn" ...But that would prevent you from using the sails as a force vector, to push your stern and bow through the wind. It would make no sense to remove one of the greatest turning forces you have at your disposal.

"But in this game that only helps slow my ship down, it is pretty stupid."   No comment, just wanted to quote that.

You do know you can hit the quote button right? Because no one knows who you are talking to atm other than me really.

What i am talking about is how realistically boats keep their momentum even into the wind as long as they already have speed already. Once you down your sails you lose all your speed for some unknown reason. Seriously, go with the wind at a perfect angle for your ship, any ship, then drop sails and see how far you get after they are fully lifted. You will stop near instantly from when the sails hit 0%, this wouldn't happen in real life, you can casually drift in the water no matter the size of the boat for a fair amount of time without using your movement to slow you down by drifting with the rudder. Boats, and certainly sail boats don't 100% move on the wind all the time. 

There is no momentum at all in this game. 

But my point is, if you want things to be realistic even to a point, it makes no sense not to add the other things that go along with that realism. If a proper realistic wind system is added, you would really need forward momentum to be remain even with the sails up, and you would need to learn alternate ways to slow down instead of just lifting your sails like you do now. 

[maturin]

There is no momentum at all in this game. 

 

Uh, yeah their is. Neutralize your yards and press T on a beam reach. I guarantee that you will drift forward several hundred meters.

 

Increasing momentum will just make realistic maneuvers impossible and unrealistic maneuvers more viable.

[M G]

You do know you can hit the quote button right? Because no one knows who you are talking to atm other than me really.

 

 

My answer was entirely in relation to your post, therefore I did no wrong, M'lud. 

I accept no responsibility here whatsoever.

[Volcanus]

Uh, yeah their is. Neutralize your yards and press T on a beam reach. I guarantee that you will drift forward several hundred meters.

 

Increasing momentum will just make realistic maneuvers impossible and unrealistic maneuvers more viable.

Ugh.. Please look up what momentum means.

It won't make unrealistic maneuvers more viable. It will actually stop that bullshit and let you get away from someone who tries to chain sail you. Right now maneuvers made in this game are very unrealistic due to no normal wind patters and no momentum. Even hard turns should bust your rudder half the time the way most people turn in this game hard at 10 knots. Ships were designed more for slower battles than fast paced rudder slamming combat which we do in this game. 

What i am really trying to prove with my post is making wind changes to this game will just make the game worse and unplayable by new players. The more difficult a curve of learning you have in the game the higher chance of people leaving or writing bad reviews of the game therefore making the playerbase never rise and constantly fall even before the games release. 

This wind idea, is a bad one because of that. So no. No one but the hardcore self punishing players want this change.

[maturin]

 

 

Even hard turns should bust your rudder half the time the way most people turn in this game hard at 10 knots. Ships were designed more for slower battles than fast paced rudder slamming combat which we do in this game. 

Err... whatever you say, captain.