Closed gun ports

[Voi_Ta]

One thing that i found strange is that ships have their gun ports open all time even in open world or when they dont have cannons at all like trading ships. So i suggest they have the gun ports closed as it realy looks weird now.

[Ned Loe]

This was mentioned few times already. I hope developers take note. 

[Allons!]

Can´t be mentioned often enouph. I would just like to see the 1st dude firing through their closed ports. Also, closing ports can serve as a good sign for "peace".. Best, Allons!

[Voi_Ta]

Also in storms some ships would be forced to close their lower deck. Like it was in history.

[Ned Loe]

Closing gunports means moving all guns on all models. Devs will need to divide models into 2 sections now, closed ports and open ports. Time consuming, but can be done. 

[Galaga Galaxian]

Closed ports states would be pretty cool, but for now I'd rather they put that modeling time into more ships, personally. That said, if they were to do it, they could consider adding them to future ships and then backfill the previous ships a few at a time each update.

[Elbows]

Would love to see this - one of the things I immediately noticed and thought was odd.  For a game with relatively few ships and simple graphics for Open World etc. I had expected a bit more attention to detail on the ships/functions. 

[Deltrex]

294

Closed ports would be really nice.

 

More important to me would be to remove ports that can't house guns (some ships have ports on locations where no guns can be fitted) and get dedicated models for the trade ships where the gun ports are completely removed.

[Lady Athena]

Closing gunports means moving all guns on all models. Devs will need to divide models into 2 sections now, closed ports and open ports. Time consuming, but can be done. 

 

Time consuming, but necessary if the devs are going for realism, which they seem to be.

 

Since they are really pushing for realism in terms of combat mechanics of weather, waves, etc. Forcing players in large ships to close t heir lower port holes in rough weather, storms would also add a sense of immersion and realism.

[Horatio Cornblower]

But surely at some point they will have it show the guns being run out as there loaded? I'm sure that's why the crew has the animation of running the guns out, that's half the work done already, Then they just need to close the ports, Only a matter of time in my opinion given the Devs attention to accuracy and detail.

 

With regard to closing the ports in bad weather it would suck to lose your ship to a storm because you forgot to close the ports so maybe an officer will suggest it when a storm is close and request your permission to close the ports? Just an idea to save people whining although there could be some form of penalty to having the officer remind you like some minor damage to the guns or ship because you left it so late.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Horatio Cornblower

[Lady Athena]

But surely at some point they will have it show the guns being run out as there loaded? I'm sure that's why the crew has the animation of running the guns out, that's half the work done already, Then they just need to close the ports, Only a matter of time in my opinion given the Devs attention to accuracy and detail.

 

With regard to closing the ports in bad weather it would suck to lose your ship to a storm because you forgot to close the ports so maybe an officer will suggest it when a storm is close and request your permission to close the ports? Just an idea to save people whining although there could be some form of penalty to having the officer remind you like some minor damage to the guns or ship because you left it so late.

 

I honestly think it should be something learned the hard way. Besides it's not hard to ask in Help Chat "Hey my ship is taking on water with no damage what gives?" "Are you in a storm or rough water?" "yea" "Close your lower ports" 

[maturin]

AFAIK the animation for running out the guns is already finished, but turned off because of FPS issues.

 

We should remind the devs to make it an option feature, enabled either for all ships (if you have a good PC), player ship only, or target ship only.

[ParaBellum]

I would already be happy if the ships in OW would sail with their gun ports closed.

[maturin]

I would already be happy if the ships in OW would sail with their gun ports closed.

Well, that depends.

 

Ships of the line would sail with only their lower ports closed. Plus maybe the upper deck ports near the officers' quarters.

 

I imagine frigates would leave their ports open in good weather as well.

[Malachi]

Well, some frigates didn´t even have ports lids everywhere, at least before the 1770/1780s. Rule of thumb: if it´s exposed to the weather, no lids (e.g. waist).

[Henrik]

Agreed, would even be fun if you forget to close them you would take on water during rough seas/weather!

[maturin]

 Rule of thumb: if it´s exposed to the weather, no lids (e.g. waist).

It's sort of hard to fathom that they left off port lids in the waist. You just surrender like eight feet of freedboard doing that, and can ship tons of extra water in a storm.

[Malachi]

Yet they did, no idea why, though. Can be nicely seen on the model of Winchelsea:

 

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66277.html

 

Only the bridle port and the last four ports aft have lids.

 

And Enterprise roughly 15 years later:

 

http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/14796.html

Edited January 21, 2016 by Malachi

[maturin]

Someday there needs to be a real study of stability casualties from 18th century warships. One wonders whether they just had enormous righting arms or something.

[AKPyrate]

There was a lot more than just keeping water out involved.  Ventilation for crew health and preventing mold/mildew from the excessive humidity was crucial.  As for those vessels above without ports amidships, those decks are also open to the weather.  They probably had sufficient scuppers to allow the water to escape in case of rough seas, and they'd let that same water in during rough weather, so the extra water coming in from the ports would be negligible.  That being said, it may not have been the absolute safest thing either.  I'm just throwing a couple of possibilities out here.

[Lady Athena]

There was a lot more than just keeping water out involved.  Ventilation for crew health and preventing mold/mildew from the excessive humidity was crucial.  As for those vessels above without ports amidships, those decks are also open to the weather.  They probably had sufficient scuppers to allow the water to escape in case of rough seas, and they'd let that same water in during rough weather, so the extra water coming in from the ports would be negligible.  That being said, it may not have been the absolute safest thing either.  I'm just throwing a couple of possibilities out here.

 

Real interesting time they lived in. I wish I could of seen what it was like in person. Not that I'd of wanted to live in that time era permanently of course.