Change to the capstan

  • ConceitedOx8550
    Marauder

    I'll start with the simple details of my suggestion: make the act of dropping the anchor take 2-3x longer than it currently does. Specifically, 2-3x longer to start the drop, not for the capstan to unwind and the anchor to hit the sea floor.

    Why this change? To put it simply, no part of your ship should be primarily used as a weapon against you. I can't think of any other part of any of the ships that I would prefer to be without aside from the anchor/capstan. We've all seen crews that stack low level loot on their capstan just to stop it from being used. Increasing the time to start the drop still lets crews perform planned anchor turns, allows foes to drop anchor when they have secured an opponent's boat and allows anchor balls to function as they currently do. This would also be a very easy change to make in terms of the game design, likely only requiring the adjustment of a single parameter.

    The specific behavior this change would target is boarding another crew and attempting to anchor their boat before fighting them. Just like you can mess with other crews' cannons, sails and supplies once you clear them, you should also be able to use their capstan; I'm only advocating for a change that makes it harder for boarders to go on what are effectively suicide missions for the sole goal of dropping an opponent's anchor.

    I'm not saying that it's currently too easy to do this; I know that ladder guarding is generally quite easy. The goal here is two-fold: 1) making boarding more about combat and less about a sprint to the capstan and 2) ensuring that there is no part of your ship that is primarily a tool to be used against you.

    Curious to hear thoughts about the goals, as well as the recommended change, since the two can come apart, so to speak.

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  • promotordj
    Legend
    Insider

    @conceitedox8550 This anchor drop strategy has been in place from the beginning. Boarding and dropping anchor on an experienced crew is no easy feat. They typically watch ladders quite well. If a pirate is able to somehow make it through the gauntlet of snipers, Blunderbuss’, Blunderbombs, and Swords on the ladder, the boarding party then needs to actually make it to the anchor. This can also be quite challenging as there typically is a lot of sword slashing which stuns locks the boarder. If they do happen to make it to anchor, there is that moment where they have to pause and activate the drop, which often results in more Blunderbuss and Sword slashes. If the drop is executed, experienced crews can often catch the anchor before a full drop while the rest of the crew guards.

    It’s definitely not pleasant when a pirate is able to execute a anchor drop when they are the attacker, however, it does provide an opportunity for fleeing pirates to make a getaway.

    I’m pretty happy with the balance that Rare has created with the anchor drop strategy. It’s definitely worked for and against my crew.

  • DanBeardLuff
    Lord
    Insider
    Founder
    1. ensuring that there is no part of your ship that is primarily a tool to be used against you.

    Gotta get rid of the stove then too, so sneaky pirates don't burn your bananas and catch your ship on fire : )

  • Lem0n Curry
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @danbeardluff said in Change to the capstan:

    1. ensuring that there is no part of your ship that is primarily a tool to be used against you.

    Gotta get rid of the stove then too, so sneaky pirates don't burn your bananas and catch your ship on fire : )

    Or the cannons that you can aim up and use to chainshot the mast and the water barrel to fill the ship (though that may only work when the crew is doing PotC Tall Tale 2 as it takes a long, long time).

  • ConceitedOx8550
    Marauder

    I can't imagine a crew that uses its stove or its cannons so infrequently that the part of the ship is primarily used against that crew. Do you think that really happens? I'm sure that there are many crews that have their anchor used against them more often than not.

  • DanBeardLuff
    Lord
    Insider
    Founder

    @conceitedox8550 Yes anchor is way more common. I think it's fine as is. Terrible to be on the receiving end of and awesome to be the one doing it to get that leg up.

  • Amendelwyr
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @conceitedox8550

    I like this idea, because it also makes it feel more realistic to have the "anchor" falling to the seafloor in order to catch the ship. And I agree, the weaponization of the crew's own ship needs to be lessened, such as downing masts with their own cannons.

    It's a simple change, and one that I think would indirectly help newer players to think about "NOT" anchoring to stop their ship on islands. xD

    Furthermore, I relish the day that boarding isn't the meta and people actually get good at naval combat. My solo sloop hours are just because I can't get my friends to play the game anymore. It takes too long to play for the rewards we want, and ends too harshly when we encounter bugs / sweats (whom are suiciding for the anchor).

  • Lem0n Curry
    Vanguard
    Insider

    @conceitedox8550 said in Change to the capstan:

    I can't imagine a crew that uses its stove or its cannons so infrequently that the part of the ship is primarily used against that crew. Do you think that really happens? I'm sure that there are many crews that have their anchor used against them more often than not.

    My reaction was made in jest (I hope that was obvious), nonetheless I would be against making the anchor strategy less of a problem to the chasing crew. The chasers have to watch their ladders and the waters between them and their object of desire to stay master of their ship.

    Longer times to start the anchor drop will also impact crews who use the anchor for other purposes.

  • D3ADST1CK
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    It will also make anchorballs worse or ineffective, depending on if the effect wears off before the anchor finishes dropping or not. If the effect wears off before it finishes dropping, the anchorball becomes useless. If it doesn't, then it takes that much longer to pick the anchor back up again.

    Increasing the anchor drop time will just make the anchor worse for new players or to try to correct a mistake if they barrel into an island. The time to drop is just long enough to be able to minimize damage if you make a mistake but not short enough to stop on a dime. I don't see any reason to change it.

  • Amendelwyr
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    @d3adst1ck
    So I re-read the OG post and he's actually saying the time to activate the drop on the anchor with the "Activate" key.

    "make the act of dropping the anchor take 2-3x longer than it currently does. Specifically, 2-3x longer to start the drop, not for the capstan to unwind and the anchor to hit the sea floor." [Emphasis added]

    This would not negatively affect Anchorballs, which immediately begin the drop. The effect would increase a boarder's time to sit on the anchor and potentially suffer the consequences of that action because he must now fight the crew.
    It would also prevent the ship from enduring more pain than should be possible from a suicide attacker not even carrying a keg.

  • Hijack Hayes
    Commander
    Insider

    @danbeardluff right? It works both ways for everyone. I think that’s fair enough.

  • ConceitedOx8550
    Marauder

    @hijack-hayes
    My concern isn't one of fairness, or having things work better for a chasing crew or a pursued crew. I just think fighting after boarding is more fun than a sprint to the capstan. Current play suggests that dropping someone's anchor first, then fighting (if you survive) is the more effective strategy.
    I think tweaking a variable to push gameplay to being more fun would be a good change to make, especially since it would be so easy to do. People may disagree that fighting during a boarding attempt is fun, but I think it's at least more fun than just trying to get to the capstan and drop anchor, even if it costs you your life.

  • wagstr
    Master
    Insider

    I think that as with all the other balancing they have done they have got this round about bang on as it is. Concentrate on getting better at stopping boarders getting on in the first place.

    It's not about what is most fun, it's about getting a job done which in this case is putting a little more distance between you and your pursuers.

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