Remove Sextant, make F11-style Sun/Stars reading a Default Perk

[Tenet]

F11 Coordinates currently feel the most like Navigation - you take information from an Action (reading the Sun, Stars, etc) and you plot that into the Netlify map (which happens to look more like a real map than the in-game one. Instead of abandoning this emergent idea, Embrace it and make it part of the game!

First of all, every Captain is expected to have access to these tools. If there is a perk, it should be an improvement over default (ex: cooldown reduction, accuracy increase).

Every Captain could get his officers to give him readings, some would get better readings than others. 

This is one way it can be implemented and themed:

You press a button to Take Readings (X) and see a picture of your officers/mids using a Sextant or Reading the Stars. 

You are then provided with 3 sets of readings from your officers, for example:

Reading 1: 124, 577

Reading 2: 132, 565

Reading 3: 143, 560

These readings are going to be inaccurate - but could be improved with perks and refits or books. You can pick one of the readings, or enter your own guess, and it will be plotted on the map. The frequency of the readings can be limited to once every 10-20 minutes, with perks or items speeding that up.

This will show a marked location on the map, which should look like the Netlify one, and you should have the same functionality of being able to plot courses with a time estimate based on average speed. You can also correct the mark manually, based on other observations.

This will actually FEEL LIKE AGE OF SAIL NAVIGATION! Even a simpler implementation than I describe here will work just as well! Make the new Readings system fuzzy, but keep this concept in the game, it is awesome! 

Edited May 31, 2019 by Tenet

[Sento de Benimaclet]

If you want to ask them to implement that, go ahead, but do not ask them to delete the perk sextant. And then, that each one uses the method he wants.

And do not come with the realism, when nobody protests the fir bellonas that run more than the frigates.

[Tenet]

10 hours ago, Sento de Benimaclet said:

If you want to ask them to implement that, go ahead, but do not ask them to delete the perk sextant. And then, that each one uses the method he wants.

And do not come with the realism, when nobody protests the fir bellonas that run more than the frigates.

I agree with both of your requests, but cannot comply, because this thread is in direct opposition to another suggestion that is diametrically opposed. They want F11 coordinates to be removed, and use "realism" as an argument. 

I would like to hear your opinion on the idea, besides these two caveats on which we agree. Would it be a good addition to the game in your opinion, and do you have any arguments in favor or against the idea? Cheers!

[Sento de Benimaclet]

Your idea to implementing the manual use of the sextant (readings from the officers) seems good to me, as long as the perk is manteined. My apologies if I misunderstood the idea.    Greetings! 

[Macjimm]

I have no delusion that this idea will be considered.  But it would be great.  It's nice to have something to do while sailing.

I'd add some constraints.

• A reading is only available when the sky is clear, with no clouds or fog.
• Day time readings are only at noon, or when there are some stars out.
• Night time readings are possible only when the stars are visible.
• Have a delay between pressing the 'keybinding' and receiving the co-ordinate reading, rather than receiving an instant position as soon as the key is pressed.
• Because OW world time is accelerated, the delay for a reading should be 20-30 seconds.  20 minutes of real time is about a day (23hrs) of game time.  Doesn't take a day to calculate a position: A sextant would be useless if we can only see where we where 23 hours ago.  
• Nice added feature = The skill of officers should be consistent.  Some are good, others not so good.

1. Bakster: 124, 577
2. Davies: 132, 565
3. Smith: 143, 560

It would be really interesting to have some sort of feature to model a sextant.  It fits with the age of sail.  There are ways to constrain it so that it defeats its use as a ganking tool.   And if we allow everyone the GPS Icon Perk, no one will be forced to learn how to use a sextant feature to know their position.  It could be a win win for everyone.  Sure wouldn't hurt anyone.  A sextant can make sailing more interesting.  But there is no way it will ever be implemented.  Development resources will be focused on other features.

Edited June 1, 2019 by Macjimm