Revisit Damage to Cannons for NPCs

[Agesilaus II]

Simply put I lose a lot of guns fighting an npc because they are hit. This is realistic although I would say it occurs too often. My problem is that when I shoot an npc's cannon nothing happens. It still has its gun and it still shoots. This really pisses me off. You can't make the game realistic for the players and then make godlike npcs. I spent an entire match vs an npc testing this out and every time my gun was hit it was lost. Every time I hit his gun he kept it and never lost a single gun the entire time. So...please look into this.

Edited July 28, 2015 by Agesilaus II

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

With the exception of upwind sailing in Open World, and they only get one repair instead of three, my understanding is that the AI fights under exactly the same rules we do.  I've frequently knocked out guns on AI ships - including a Brig that after a broadside from my Surprise, was reduced to only three guns on one side.  If you think it is a bug, please F11 after a broadside in which you think you should have knocked out the AI's guns, but there is no "special" treatment for AI that I'm aware of.

[hoarmurath]

No, ai doesn't seem to fight under same rule as for cannon damage. I usually aim specifically at gunport level, and their gun number don't change. At the same time, i can lose as much as 25% of a broadside, and even have guns disabled from the opposite side i'm taking damage.

 

A couple patch ago, i could occasionnally make a cannon explode, but it doesn't happen anymore. The only times i see ai guns made unable to fire is when they start to sink and the lower decks are under water.

 

Making a F11 screen of this is quite hard as what happens is, precisely, nothing... Hard to tell if something should have been disabled and isn't, especially with the smoke and without the ability to pause the game.

[maturin]

If you're not knocking out guns, you're just having bad luck.

 

I often knock out more guns on AI vessels than I lose, at least in even fights. Raking fire does it best, because you hit the barrels that stick out of the ports.

 

When you hit a gun there is a distinct flash of light.

 

 

I wish people would stop claiming about cheating AI with invincible guns and upwind sailing. This is how silly unkillable myths get started.

[balticsailor]

I personly have the feeling some thing is off with the gun losses, but i don't think it is with the AI, but more about the guns they are using.

 

The AI uses smaller guns then the max for the ship they are sailing, while player allways go for max broadside weight (biggest guns/carrondes).

 

So when you fight vs AI, they fire more often then you and most off there shoots will hit around your gun decks, while your bigger guns do more planking dmg (more pen) with less shoots.

The AI will fire alot more at you befor you really take dmg (depending on the angle and range they will get more no pening shoots), but every time they hit a gun port they get a change to knock out your guns. Especially since bigger gun have also bigger hitboxes.

 

But i also had a battle just yesterday, where i saw at least too flashes form knocking out guns while i fired a broadside at an ai and when i checked him he still had all his guns.

 

Maybe it is worth to do some purposeful testing into that matter with different ships and gun layouts.

[marecek05]

I agree. I am sure someone here is able to the math on the energy required to damage a 3,500 kg 36-pounder gun steel barrel by a 4.5 kg steel shot flying in subsonic speed.

 

Also what is the worst is that the largest guns are destroyed first (and also that ricochets destroy guns).

[Puchu]

It's just f.... npc's!  ... why do you even care? You shouldn't be fighting them anyways. Go out, find real players!

 

You farm mindless Ai. Their maneuvering is predictable, they will take unreasonable shots, they have lower pd guns, they dont have chasers, they dont switch their gun loadouts, they dont mess with range and still you complain about them being to hard? Are you serious? The NPC's are mindless and crippled, what more of an advantage do you need? Even if they did more dmg to your cannons (which they dont btw...) You should still beat them like nothing. 

[Destraex]

Puchu some people are not as experienced in game as you. Also some people are not looking for the stress of playing super serious players like yourself.

Personally I find that the AI is extremely accurate and rarely misses as an average human player would. The AI is no longer as easy as it used to be, especially if you are starting out in the open world as I did recently. There maneuvering may be predictable after 5-10 games with them. 

[Shadowwulf]

I agree with puchu in these aspects. The AI really is easy to sink. I have taken on 4 to 6 AI frigates with my Conni and sank them all a few times.

As annoying as it is I find AI don't lose cannons like players do, but I'm ok with that because I find that the equalizer between Ai and player.

[Agesilaus II]

It's just f.... npc's!  ... why do you even care? You shouldn't be fighting them anyways. Go out, find real players!

 

You farm mindless Ai. Their maneuvering is predictable, they will take unreasonable shots, they have lower pd guns, they dont have chasers, they dont switch their gun loadouts, they dont mess with range and still you complain about them being to hard? Are you serious? The NPC's are mindless and crippled, what more of an advantage do you need? Even if they did more dmg to your cannons (which they dont btw...) You should still beat them like nothing. 

I'm trying to gain xp and earn money so that I can go out and pvp in a decent ship that can compete. Last time I checked most of the other players that I have encountered have SOLs and would easily sink me. You also have to realize that this game wasn't just meant for pvp. So you do what you want to do to have fun (which is the most important) and you let everyone else do what they want to do to have fun. I like a mix of both and others just want pve.

If you're not knocking out guns, you're just having bad luck.

 

I often knock out more guns on AI vessels than I lose, at least in even fights. Raking fire does it best, because you hit the barrels that stick out of the ports.

 

When you hit a gun there is a distinct flash of light.

 

 

I wish people would stop claiming about cheating AI with invincible guns and upwind sailing. This is how silly unkillable myths get started.

Well then you are one of a few. You can also hear when a gun is hit because there is a metal clank but you tell me if it is bad luck when you see the ball hit the cannon dead on and the ship doesn't lose it. I currently sail a Belle Poule and I've fought several AI Belles where our guns are on the same level. I give him a broadside aimed at the gun ports from a close distance. I hear his guns being hit and I see flashes yet he loses no guns. He shoots at me and I lose 3 guns on my starboard side and 2 on my port. This happens over and over and over. So you tell me if all that is bad luck because by this time I think I should have knocked out at least 1 gun.

[Agesilaus II]

By all means if it is me then I'll drop this but it just doesn't seem like it.

[hoarmurath]

Not long ago, i had the occasion to capture a Renommee frigate. During the fight, i made a gun explode, the ship started burning and finally exploded. After boarding it, i took control of it. It was completely demasted, the side armor was blown away, it had half armor on one side and one fourth on the other, there was a lot of damage all around the ship.

 

Excepted the cannons, all were intact.