Ship Damage: Capstan

  • NunoAzuldimeter
    Champion
    Insider
    Boatswain
    Founder

    Ahoy,

    Ship Damage, right? It's an amazing feature, taking Masts down, braking Wheels and fixing those things, what an awesome thing.

    However, there's a single detail that do not go with all the rest.
    That thing is The Capstan

    We have a pattern here in all the ship parts, the mast before falls it cracks, the wheel breaks gradually before it gets harder to turn, the Hull holes are small then get bigger...

    But when it comes to the Capstan it's not like that...
    The first thing it does when Cannonballs hits is to drop... Even if it has not suffer any visual damage, even if the Cannonball doesn't even hit the Capstan...

    This doesn't seems right.
    Shouldn't it break first, suffer some Damage and if those damages weren't fix then it would fall/breakdown?

    The way it is can be really frustrating... Let's face it, we already have cursed Cannonballs that do exactly that.
    Skeleton ships are somehow an overpowered AI due to that combo.

    Think about it.
    Shouldn't the Capstan/anchor only drops after taking some damage first?

  • Login To Reply
    34
    Posts
    25.0k
    Views
  • ClosingHare208
    Marauder
    Insider

    @nunoazuldimeter aye I so agree

  • Schwammlgott
    Champion

    @nunoazuldimeter agree, it should only drop with a direct hit, not a almost hit...

  • Sgt Paloogoo
    Commander
    Insider

    Aye, I agree.
    It should be fixed.

  • Chronodusk
    Commander
    Insider

    @nunoazuldimeter

    I agree! Ship damage 2.0 is awesome and adds more depth to ship combat.

    The only thing I've felt has been out of line is the capstan damage. It is too sensitive.

    You know it's bad when you see a single cannonball coming your way and you're crossing your fingers hoping the anchor doesn't get dropped.

    I've also found while playing in The Arena that it is stupid easy as the aggressor to drop your opponent's anchor with cannon fire. Who even needs cursed cannonballs with the way capstan damage is? It takes almost no effort, but trying to drop your opponents' masts takes several direct hits.

    The balance for the mast and wheel is fine, but that capstan needs to be adjusted to match them.

  • EGGamer13
    Legend
    Insider

    I agree with this

  • Even Keel Elric
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    I think it’s kinda ironic that Rare is against head shots on players but what is an instant anchor drop other than a headshot for a ship?!
    I’ve been in combat situations with experienced crews and even then we could barely recover from getting pinned down by a galeon.
    Because it’s not only the instant drop when you hit the anchor but also that it’s really easy to keep a crew from repairing it once they’re standing still.
    The new ship damage is an amazing feature but we rarely have to use it because all it takes is one lucky shot near the capstan and the ship is exposed like a turtle on its back.

  • Cobboobles
    Marauder

    Yeah this needs to get buffed a bit currently as it stands when we get into ship combat we have one guy stand near the anchor to catch it if it goes down

  • Sshteeve
    Captain
    Insider
    Boatswain

    @nunoazuldimeter Yup, the sail only slows you when it breaks, so the same should be said for the Capstan!
    Though I suppose the argument could be that as long as the mast is high the wind will still catch - whereas a chain on a ratchet could slip?

    Though that would make it necessary then for the wheel to spin when hit as well...

  • Cobboobles
    Marauder

    @chronodusk 7 mast hits? It takes 3 hits per mast to knock a mast down so if you get anchored it is super easy to just fire into the masts and take them out

  • Chronodusk
    Commander
    Insider

    @fast-bike94

    I think I said "several" not "seven" lol, but yeah I get you haha.

  • RK1 Turbulence

    @fast-bike94 said in Ship Damage: Capstan:

    @chronodusk 7 mast hits? It takes 3 hits per mast to knock a mast down so if you get anchored it is super easy to just fire into the masts and take them out

    If you find it super easy to take out the masts, more power to you. I can't do it unless both ships are stationary tbh.

  • Cobboobles
    Marauder

    @rk1-turbulence just a lot of practice on cannons I've probably played 280 matches of arena I have hit a ships mast down and they were about a square away from us just more you practice more you'll know where you need to shoot to get the hits

  • AmbiguousMonk
    Insider

    I agree with OP. Ideally imo, the triggers for the capstan taking damage and the capstan dropping should be swapped. It should take peg damage on splash damage and only drop on direct hits.

    Even better, also introduce a system where if the capstan is splashed several times without being repaired, then it will drop. e.g. a damaged and unrepaired capstan will drop on any subsequent splash. Once repaired, the capstan will then again only take peg damage from being splashed. This makes keeping the capstan repaired a huge deal while also reducing the overall rates of capstans being dropped.

  • BadRobott
    Captain
    Insider

    Completely agree. love the addition of ship damage but this one part of it seems off.

  • they sank
    Ship Mate

    The automatic anchor drop is especially annoying on the sloop because the anchor drops so quickly that half the time I can’t even catch it before it drops. The capstan is particularly vulnerable on a sloop, and from what I’ve seen, AI cannon shots are much more likely to hit a sloop’s capstan than a galleon’s or brigantine’s.

  • NunoAzuldimeter
    Champion
    Insider
    Boatswain
    Founder

    @they-sank yes it can be very difficult especially for solo slooppers.

    Having that first damage instead of drop at first hit would help a lot.

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    Its a random chance at a drop at any point with damage near the capstan. I have had my capstan completely destroyed on a Brig (all 3 arms broken) without it dropping the anchor.

    I still agree the radius for that drop chance could be tightened up a bit as it is a major complaint on all sources for the game.

    In addition to that, I feel a locking mechanism could be added to the capstan to balance PVP a bit as it favors the attacker if they can get on your ship. The optional lock would require a separate interaction to lock/release, followed by the normal action to drop. The splash damage could also release the lock opening the anchor up for a drop on another splash as well.

  • QuietRobot
    Champion
    Insider
    Founder

    Rare should directly remove that mechanics, does not make any sense... is not it enough to have to repair it? and as you comment, there is already a cursed Cannonballs that does exactly that.

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    Imagine if the initial damage made it so that you couldn't drop the anchor (until repaired)...

    "Anchor turn, now!"
    "We can't, Cap'n!"

    1st hit = jammed; can't drop anchor.
    2nd hit = slow drop (2x longer than normal drop).
    3rd hit = fast drop (2x faster than normal drop).

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    @galactic-geek I could see this going both ways! Hard to drop, hard to lift :)

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    @archangel-timmy It's already harder to lift because missing spokes = fewer pirates. 😅

    ...but you do make an interesting point - a faster anchor drop might be a good thing. What if wwith each spoke it took longer to drop the anchor?

    Revised Damage:
    1st shot = anchor drop takes 2x longer. Loses 1 spoke on brig and galleon, making it harder to pick up if dropped.
    2nd shot = anchor drop takes 3x longer. Loses 2 spokes on brig and galleon, 1 on sloop.
    3rd shot = anchor can't drop at all. Loses 3 spokes on brig and galleon, 2 on sloop. If anchor is already dropped it can't be lifted except on galleon (1 spoke-1 pirate=dead slow), until repaired.

    Meh, I don't know - this idea has its own issues, and is wholly at odds with making the ship easier to hit...

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    @galactic-geek Oh, I know. I kind of took your post as "it should do this instead", so I was saying it should do both.

    A mistake on my part, sorry about that!

  • NunoAzuldimeter
    Champion
    Insider
    Boatswain
    Founder

    @galactic-geek (unrelated) people still performing Anchor-drop turns?! 🤔

    Doesn't it take much longer for the ship to gain top speed again?
    I discarded that technique completely, I found it more practical do perform the raise-the-sails turns.

    It takes longer to loose speed but it reaches the top speed much faster

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    @nunoazuldimeter It's still incredibly useful in a sloop or with a good crew. Though if there are rocks or other objects nearby, the harpoons are probably the better option nowadays. Still, it doesn't eliminate it as an option.

  • NunoAzuldimeter
    Champion
    Insider
    Boatswain
    Founder

    @galactic-geek aye, you're right. I was only thinking about the use of that technique in PvP. But I agree there are some situations where a good old anchor turn is the best option. 😁

  • xCALYPT0x
    Master
    Insider
    Boatswain

    @nunoazuldimeter IMO, each non direct hit on the capstone (close proximity) should bust a peg. When all 4 break it drops automatically. Direct hits should have a chance to drop it even if there are pegs left but also break 2 pegs instead of 1.

  • NunoAzuldimeter
    Champion
    Insider
    Boatswain
    Founder

    @xcalypt0x proximity damage variation, closer the hit bigger the damage?

    Aye, it would be nice.

    Aye, It could have tiny chance of insta drop/full damage, if the hit is 100% accurate.
    At least it would make sense, the current situation doesn't make much...

  • Tedakin
    Legend
    Insider
    Founder

    I drops WAAAAAY too easily.......

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    @xcalypt0x All capstans are NOT created equal; not all capstans have 4 pegs. 😉

  • BumBumBac
    Castaway

    maybe if they're hitting your capstan and you're not hitting theirs there are other more important issues in your gameplay to address than hit sensitivity of capstan.

    Apropos, it takes 4 seconds to drop the anchor and a designated capstan person can usually manage to catch it in time.

  • xCALYPT0x
    Master
    Insider
    Boatswain

    @galactic-geek You're right. I completely forgot about that lol.

    That would be hard to balance.

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    I think more than anything, you just have to be more aware. If you're being attacked on a sloop, the pirate at the wheel has to know and listen for any hits behind him or for the anchor drop so he can stop it. If you're on a brigantine or galleon, then that responsibility falls onto who ever is working the forward sails/cannons, since they're the closest to the capstan in that scenario. During an attack, everyone should be fully supplied with wooden planks to repair at a moment's notice, food to heal on a whim when hurt, and cannonballs to maintain the offense when necessary.

  • Sweltering Nick
    Castaway

    @nunoazuldimeter said in Ship Damage: Capstan:

    Ahoy,

    Ship Damage, right? It's an amazing feature, taking Masts down, braking Wheels and fixing those things, what an awesome thing.

    However, there's a single detail that do not go with all the rest.
    That thing is The Capstan

    We have a pattern here in all the ship parts, the mast before falls it cracks, the wheel breaks gradually before it gets harder to turn, the Hull holes are small then get bigger...

    But when it comes to the Capstan it's not like that...
    The first thing it does when Cannonballs hits is to drop... Even if it has not suffer any visual damage, even if the Cannonball doesn't even hit the Capstan...

    This doesn't seems right.
    Shouldn't it break first, suffer some Damage and if those damages weren't fix then it would fall/breakdown?

    The way it is can be really frustrating... Let's face it, we already have cursed Cannonballs that do exactly that.
    Skeleton ships are somehow an overpowered AI due to that combo.

    Think about it.
    Shouldn't the Capstan/anchor only drops after taking some damage first?

    Yes.

Login To Reply
34
Posts
25.0k
Views
9 out of 34