Something Like Longitudes And Latitudes

[jongr90]

Hello, I would just like to suggest adding something like longitudes and latitudes on the map; perhaps depending on where your cursor is hovering around, it will show the coordinates of that particular location (numbered grid lines would work too). This will work in conjunction with some small portion of the UI showing your present location in degrees longitude and latitude. You devs wouldn't have to show our ship on a map or whatever, (I know the navigating and using the compass is part of the fun in the game) just give those numbers on the UI and on the map.

This would really help when one has been sailing for days and is unsure where one is. Many people have told me to just press f11 to know my coordinates, but I think it'd be more immersive if it were something like longitude and latitude. And to my knowledge, the map doesn't really show the X and Y coordinates, so knowing your present X and Y isn't helpful.

 

Besides, this would be closer to reality at the time, than just sailing west and praying for land. Navigators back then had cross staffs, sextants, astrolabes, etc. They could figure out roughly where they are in relation to a map, whereas we (players) cannot. From what wiki tells me, the lines of longitude and latitude wasn't standardized until the late 19th century, so maybe something like it can be implemented in-game? Perhaps gridifying whatever the navigators at the time used to reckon their positions? The modern standard system would be great too

 

 

[Quarios]

+1 for this, we need some kind of grid on the map, also a ruler and a compass rose would be nice. Last but not least a bearing maker in OW.

A little bit like Arma maps.

[AKPyrate]

This has been discussed to death.  You can teleport back to your capitol if you get too lost, or just sail around until you find land and get your bearings from the nearest town.  As for navigation back then, it was...crude.  Making your proper landfall after a long voyage was rare, and weather could drastically impede your ability to fix your position.  For now, and likely for the duration of the game based on what devs have stated in the past, this is just the way it is.  In reality, the navigation isn't that hard.  There's no current, no leeway, fairly accurate speeds, accurate chart, etc.  Just point in the direction you need to go to find your destination port (or the channel between islands before altering course to destination) and even with the wind against you, you'll make it there.

[Quarios]

Oh i didnt read that he actually wants his coordinates shown like GPS. I just want better Tools to be able to navigate like a grid on the map, a ruler and a compass rose. Also the actual bearing in OW.

[AP514]

Oh i didnt read that he actually wants his coordinates shown like GPS. I just want better Tools to be able to navigate like a grid on the map, a ruler and a compass rose. Also the actual bearing in OW.

 

Is there not a compass and a heading on that compass in open world ??

 

Play more Learn more....you will get the hang of it.

Edited January 25, 2016 by AP514

[Voltaire1512]

I support the OP. Navigation around 1800 was not a guessing game. Make a map tool to define the angle from start to destination. If I know it is roughly 240 degrees, then I know I have to sail roughly Southwest to West.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Voltaire1512

[Nerdwing]

I support the OP. Navigation around 1800 was not a guessing game. Make a map tool to define the angle from start to destination. If I know it is roughly 240 degrees, then I know I have to sail roughly Southwest to West.

Agreed in full. I'm genuinely surprised that anyone would object the inclusion of such tools for plotting a course before departure. . It's realistic, immersive, and useful for everyone.

[Doogerie]

+1 from me I do geo ref for a job and i can see it would be so usefull.

[jodgi]

It might be added, it's just not a priority at this stage.

While you wait use visual clues, the compass, Prater's map, F11 and Siegfried's and Shrouded's maps.

[Sir Texas Sir]

Agreed in full. I'm genuinely surprised that anyone would object the inclusion of such tools for plotting a course before departure. . It's realistic, immersive, and useful for everyone.

A prime example is watch Master and Commander and they very clearly show them using Navigation charts to plot there course and change it and see what would be the best course against a much larger ship by sticking to the shallow waters.   Folks act like this is some foreign concept for the time.   Not to mention if I can say hay meet me at this location and we can move in to strict traders in the area we don't have to let them know by hugging the coast line on our way to that location.  I mean wasn't it back in the viking days they had to for the most part hug the coast line cause there ships weren't made for deep ocean and it was the best way to navigate if you didn't have the stars or charts of known explored lands?  Since these are known explored lands than there would be navigation charts.

[jongr90]

I was exactly thinking of Master and Commander when I thought this up, lol. Crude though their methods may seem, they still did have a way of figuring out roughly where they were in the middle of nowhere, without relying on a coast.

Now, I would love if the devs made an accurate sky and we had in-game sextants and whatnot, but that'd probably take a lot of effort, for both sides. For me, grid lines and coordinates would do the trick. You'd still have to navigate your way to different locations, but at least you'd have numbers to work with, just like the mariners we are roleplaying did. Apart from regular sailing, this will really help when you come back during afk sailing, and this will also be of great help when tacking against a headwind. You'd know around where you need to make that turn, even when you're in the middle of the ocean. 

Bottom line, this is still a game. I'm pretty sure the devs want this game to go beyond people who really enjoy navigation. Is it really such a horrible idea to make player's lives easier? You could even make it optional: have an enable/disable option so the hardcore navigators could still get their satisfaction.

[AKPyrate]

I was exactly thinking of Master and Commander when I thought this up, lol. Crude though their methods may seem, they still did have a way of figuring out roughly where they were in the middle of nowhere, without relying on a coast.

Now, I would love if the devs made an accurate sky and we had in-game sextants and whatnot, but that'd probably take a lot of effort, for both sides. For me, grid lines and coordinates would do the trick. You'd still have to navigate your way to different locations, but at least you'd have numbers to work with, just like the mariners we are roleplaying did. Apart from regular sailing, this will really help when you come back during afk sailing, and this will also be of great help when tacking against a headwind. You'd know around where you need to make that turn, even when you're in the middle of the ocean. 

Bottom line, this is still a game. I'm pretty sure the devs want this game to go beyond people who really enjoy navigation. Is it really such a horrible idea to make player's lives easier? You could even make it optional: have an enable/disable option so the hardcore navigators could still get their satisfaction.

 

One of the problems with just having an option to turn it on/off, is that there is no benefit to turning it off except personal satisfaction.  You would essentially be choosing a hard mode while playing evenly against people choosing the easy way.  As far as Master and Commander, their navigation is quite lucky.  For longitude, it really is guesswork.  Latitude, they can figure out relatively easily with an octant and a publication.  This could be done nearly any time at night or at noon during the day, weather permitting.  However, you also may note that everyone is extremely happy when they make a "perfect landfall".  This is because it was rare.  Remember, this is a work of fiction and the captain is known (by this point in the series) for being a very scientific captain who excels in navigation.  Clocks on ships were still quite rare at this time, especially as they could cost half as much as an entire ship.  Often ships would use local pilots when they got into an area that they weren't familiar with.  It's not like they had NOAA charts for the whole ocean on each ship.

 

Again, in this game navigation really isn't that difficult.  Point in the right direction (guestimate the closest point of the compass based on the map), and keep going.  If the wind is against you, just hang out until it changes.  If you find that you arrive at a different port than you expected, get your bearings and correct your course.  Making the game easier isn't necessarily the right option.  Might as well make 'dummy' AI ships for newcomers as well, or immunity from being attacked by higher ranking characters.  It's just not part of the game.

[Pedroig]

Chronometers were expensive, yes, yet we have a very accurate clock on the upper right hand corner of the screen.  We have an "unerring" compass, and "unerring" speed tool, and an "unerring" chronometer.  Now why we don't have Hadley's Quadrant, some lunar charts (Caribbean was standardized in 1802), and Mechanical logs is really beyond me.  

 

That circle that is around the port one is in, that would be a good guideline for the "accuracy" of the tool reading.  Then turn F11 to the background on the coords and everyone is happy.  Folks get a graphical representation of about where they are, and nobody gets GPS accuracy...

 

Course, I figure most the folks that are these die hard "navigators" use F11 and HOME all the time...

[Anne Wildcat]

A compass is not needed on the map. You have a OS compass and if you are going from port to port, you should be able to judge angles. For those who can't, it's a good math lesson.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Anneinedu