@captain-knyt

I don’t have a strong opinion on whether a crosshair belongs in sot. With that said, every gaming monitor comes with multiple crosshair options, and then there is the option to just use a piece of tape with a dot (or whatever else).

Considering how easy, undetectable, and minor having a crosshair is, I think adding an option in settings is reasonable.

Lastly, as someone with a gaming monitor, I don’t consider a crosshair particularly impactful on cannons.

@littletex1220 no has ever been banned for using a crosshair, but yes they should just add crosshair

@captain-knyt
There is risk of getting banned for using crosshair apps like Crosshair X. Even though Rare on their own page say we can use it, there's still the risk of the Anti Cheat and getting in trouble. So why doesn't Rare just save everyone the trouble and add an in-game Crosshair of their approval?

@littletex1220

Only the previous cannonball you just shot out can tell you where you need to readjust with your next shot. No cross hair can help you with this, like we keep saying.

Still, nothing stopping you from marking your screen and seeing for yourself.

@boneheart1237

Microsoft says crosshairs are accessibility tools, even for gaming. Like for people with visual impairments .

ChatGPT  /  Aug 4, 2025

Windows 11's New Crosshair Tool: Enhancing Cursor Visibility...

A quiet yet intriguing shakeup is unfolding in the Windows 11 ecosystem: Microsoft is testing a new crosshair tool designed to make tracking your mouse pointer significantly easier. For billions...

If the cross cross hair won't work, then have the translucent/ glowy line cross hair or something similar to aiming in Windrose.

Even with a cross cross hair it is a point of reference, of course it's not going to be accurate but it can help in keeping track of where you should be aiming even in the case of curvature it can help track where to aim so the cannonball's curve can still hit..

@littletex1220 said in Crosshairs:

Having crosshairs would be a great accessibility tool for those who are new to the game or just have trouble with aiming in ship fights because of the unique mechanics. Sure there is the clicking but some may need more of a visual que

That isn’t accessibility though, those are just training wheels. Not to mention as others have pointed out, it would be ineffective if not useless as the cannon shots do not go where the crosshairs is looking. Even with inertia it still ends up being left behind a little iirc

If you want safe but solid practice on cannons, a better way to learn the shots would be to go to Safer Seas and find the nearest skeleton ship. Preferably a Galleon, but a Sloop will do too. Take shots just barely below the water on the Galleon, as you need to hit their lower deck to sink them to their upper deck before firing upon that. The sloop would be fine but not as good for practice due to its single deck

One final issue, confidence. If you go into something believing you’ll suck, you will. If you go into something believing you’ll miss, you will. Confidence isn’t inviting arrogance into your life, it is accepting your flaws and focusing on your strengths. Mindset and mental strength is a humongous part of SoT.

Just remember, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only key antidote to shame.

We love Uncle Iroh

You need to aim at where your target is going to be rather than where they are at the point of firing your cannon if either of you are moving and the cannonball moves in a parabola at a distance so a cross hair would be no use.

I am sure they are widely used by PC players for pirate weapons, however.

Skelly fleets are handy for getting better at cannon fire - or watching twitch streamers/youtubers to get a feel for cannonball placement.

Cannons fire in an arc, not a straight line. The cross would need to be shown on a "flat" surface like the water or deck.

Could easily be thwarted by waves/ship rolling, not leading your shots, storms etc...

That and the crack-shots would get even better 😆

Practice on islands/rocks/skelly ships/ghost ships instead...

@littletex1220 there’s nothing stopping you from using a crosshair app or drawing it on

You can't expect everyone to learn the same way or at the same pace

People learn different. Same way with driving, walking, bike riding, and talking. We have different ways of achieving and all end the same.

@potatosord
But it's not a shortcut it's a tool an accessibility tool. How can it be a shortcut if I still have a good chance of missing? How is it a shortcut if calculating distance and curvature is much harder for someone's mind and eyes to determine, especially in an environment that's throwing off balance/ is unstable?

@littletex1220 said in Crosshairs:

@potatosord

I actually go into something assuming I'll be bad, and 100% of the time I'm right, even with practice. It's more of just being able to play like an average player, not the best but just on par with those of average skill, rather than knowing my hind quarters will always be handed to me, to at least have a chance of fighting back.

A crosshair is not going to magically improve my skill, but it can help aid me in where I need to be shooting/ give a better idea of where I need to be aiming. I'm still very much not good at it but the crack in the Eye of Reach's scope has helped me land more hits then the canon and even with the other weapons. The crack even helped with landing a hit far enough where the bullet started to curve down.

The best indicator of where you're aiming, is watching where your last cannonball landed. Then, you make adjustments/dial in from there. A crosshair would mislead you so many times, as the cannonball wouldn't land where the crosshair is aiming at. It wouldn't help anyone with how cannons/in-game mechanics/physics, currently work.

@littletex1220 Everyone is given the same tools, the same controls, an even playing field. Getting good at anything will take time and effort. Don't look for shortcuts

@potatosord

True, but some need additional help/ aid. You can't expect everyone to learn the same way or at the same pace, some can while others need additional help, tutoring/ extra time in the classroom, tools and that's okay. If a player needs those things to improve/ practice as long as its not cheating it should be fine.

@littletex1220 You do not need a crosshair. You need practice.

@potatosord

I actually go into something assuming I'll be bad, and 100% of the time I'm right, even with practice. It's more of just being able to play like an average player, not the best but just on par with those of average skill, rather than knowing my hind quarters will always be handed to me, to at least have a chance of fighting back.

A crosshair is not going to magically improve my skill, but it can help aid me in where I need to be shooting/ give a better idea of where I need to be aiming. I'm still very much not good at it but the crack in the Eye of Reach's scope has helped me land more hits then the canon and even with the other weapons. The crack even helped with landing a hit far enough where the bullet started to curve down.

@littletex1220 A crosshair actually doesn't help on cannons since most of the time when you cannon you are not aiming directly at what you are trying to hit, you are aiming in front of or behind it. Your crosshair would almost always be pointed at the sky. Also, the further away the opponent is, the less meaningful a crosshair even can be, since to hit some shots at long range their boat is off the bottom of your screen.

Sucking at something is the first step towards being kinda good at something. Don't come into everything with the expectation that you will instantly be good at it. This game does not need a crosshair, you need to practice. Optional does not make it better. Just play the game and don't worry about people being better than you. There is always going to be someone better than you.

@littletex1220

There are different cosmetics and styles of cannons, that also affect the aim/accuracy of your shots. For example, the default cannons are much easier to accurately aim, than say the Sunken Sorrow cannons. Having a crosshair wouldn't do you any favors because of this. Another issue with a crosshair is, many times where you aim, isn't where the cannonball lands, such as when you need to lead your target and need to shoot a bit in front of their ship in order to land shots on their ship. Again, a crosshair wouldn't help anyone in those situations.

@littletex1220

We can go back and forth on this all we want, i have given my two cents and how i look at it,

@callmebackdraft Its not dumbing down, it's a visual aid, one that players can still and have missed their shots with. There is still skill needed with a little cross on the screen it just makes it the smallest smidge easier to help angle shots.

@littletex1220 and the skill ceiling gets lowered immensely, dumbing everything down is not something progressive for games.

Its why “main cannoneer” is a valid role, it is someone who invested time into being able to land their shots on opposing ships and even in such a fashion that good ones can dial in on several positions on a enemy ship (cannon line, helm, spread holes for pressure etc.) its not as simple as just hitting a ship.

Its would be the same as adding a directional arrow in front of the ship showing you how that sail raise or wheel turn affects your turn, doing this would again dumb the system down and thus removing any sort of skill gap.

There is a reason that a good crew has players with each player being mostly specialised in their roles.

On duo sloop you do see however that both players tend to specialise in both sloop helm and main cannon

Aiming the canons can be challenging

Once you figure it out, it a breeze.

Having crosshairs would be a great accessibility tool for those who are new to the game

Thus removing the learning and challenge.

@callmebackdraft
If this was like any of the other games, I would agree that it is not needed, but with SoT there is far more affecting aim that it does feel needed.

This would be available to everyone not just to a few, so if everyone enables it, no harm should possibly come if it is available to all players.