Your Captain visually positioned on ship during battle

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

Let's put ourselves on our ship by using a 3D-figurine of the Captain in battle instance. Not just decoration, but with a meaning - what this suggestion is about.

First, you can walk around on deck with your avatar. That is, on top deck. We don't need to sculpt the whole ship down to the magazine so players can wander about. What artists build as visible ship deck is enough. Where on top of your vessel you will position your figure in battle will be of significance. Because Captain's avatar will inspire all crew around him, he gives a local bonus as long as he is unharmed. Such stations may be:

(1) Gun battery (of one side, or chasers respectively)

(2) Helm (for turnrate)

(3) Mast (for sail handling, speed, raising / lowering)

(4) Pumps

(5) Surgeon (for more recoveries)

(6) Bording party in preparation

You will for better control of your ship still use the centralized view like now, but by using a hotkey or icon you can jump into your avatar and change his position on board as you see fit. Another use of the key and you are back at regular ship control views. While you are in your avatar, particular stations of interest on your ship are highlighted as you come closer to them so you may stay there where you chose. If a station isn't normally on deck (like surgeon's operation room), any place on the ship may serve as placeholder specified by the designer.

Now comes the interesting part of it all. The enemy can see where your Captain is standing, by looking through his spyglass (like you look for his). And he can decide to direct his fire towards this position, hopefully hitting the avatar (which is motionless and becomes a part of the ship when you are not using it). You cannot avoid the shots by walking around, which is a bad idea, because while you are busy with relocation, you cannot control the whole ship, for this you need to exit the avatar and return to ship control view). Once enemy cannonfire hits Captain's figurine, it becomes wounded and knocked out. You can still command your ship (via your lieutenants), but the bonus to the station will be gone. Can be discussed if we would add a low percentage of your doubloons in chest being spent as treatment costs in case this happens.

The degree of the bonus I would leave to devs, if the bonus is fixed, improved by skill book(s), or depending on player rank, or his performance on leaderboard of the server; many ways are imaginable.

Players may also decide to use no avatar at all (stay invisible under deck), but that means no bonus to any station

 

Goal is:

- more immersion in battle by acting as the Captain

- a feeling of vulnerability as you do so

- giving a special target for gunnery with the rewards which come with success (opponent loses bonus, maybe crew starts boarding game with morale penalty upon hearing the Captain is among casualties). The type of ammunition does not matter, all hurt.

--

Figurine would be the same for all, maybe in the uniform of their nation. An idea for DLC would further be, to offer individualization for that Captain's figurine by choice of other items, weapons, uniform parts, a beard, a wooden leg etc etc... Flavor stuff which does not affect the function.

NPC ships, do they have a figurine on their deck? Don't know. Maybe unnecessary, unless the player should have shooting practice of that kind.

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by Cetric de Cornusiac

[TheHaney]

Good concept but that's essentially an entire separate game's worth of mechanics.

[Tomasso il Fortunato]

Go play Assassins's Creed  .

[Tomasso il Fortunato]

I would be agreed with to make the crew move on the decks with the captain . Make visible all the cannons with decks and cannon balls near to them .. . Make possible to see the cargo loaded on board . Also men on the masts and more realistic sails .