A lot of people, including myself, have big hopes for this game and have been proposing big ideas that either won't make it into the game, or will take a long time to see. Which is understandable, but in the meantime, I think there are a lot of small things that are sorely missing in the game. I want to propose some ideas, most of which aren't uniquely my ideas, but even so I believe the more often something is said or supported the more likely Rare will notice.
Birds that Can Perch:
So there are a couple birds in the game, but they're more of a signal than anything else. Parrots tell you "hey, there's an island here", seagulls tell you "hey here's something in the water", and bats tell you "hey, you're in a cave. Maybe with the exception of the bats, this doesn't do much to create an immersive living environment.
One thing I'd like to see is not only a larger variety of birds, but birds perched in trees or on rocks. For instance, I'd like to walk through a lush island with a chorus of different bird noises, and when someone fires a gun or enemies attack the birds would scatter creating an immersive and impressive effect. The same would go for riddles. It's cool when you walk up to a painting and trigger it, creating a gust of wind, but it would also be cool for any surrounding birds to scatter as well. This could also add to the effect of potentially being noticed by other players, creating a sense of potential urgency.
Bare-knuckle Brawling:
If you want to have a non-lethal fight with your crew-mates or the occasional friendly stranger I think you should be able to hold down the Y button to bring up your fists. That's all I have to say about that.
Fishing:
I'm definitely not the first to ask for fishing. It would be a nice option for passing time while sailing and having something else to do for the Merchant Alliance.
*Edit: fishing may be coming in the Forsake Shores update.
Non Merchant Alliance Related Wildlife:
This is another topic others have talked about, but I just want to further reiterate something I'd like. Not only would it be more immersive to have more wildlife like iguanas, crabs, etc., but would also add to enemy types likes boars, saltwater crocks, and giant crabs. However, I think animal enemy types like those would only be aggressive if you got to close to them.
Rowboats:
To be honest, I'm not sure how useful or desirable this would be, but I thought it would be neat to deploy a rowboat from your ship to potentially make traveling faster and to carry more items at once. I was at an island a while back that had water channels going through its caves and thought it would be picturesque rowing through it, but again, not sure how effective that would be.
*Edit: getting these with the Forsaken Shores update!
More Dynamic Islands:
It would be nice if you could interact with more items on islands. For instance, there could be pulley-systems you could use to raise and lower yourself (especially on Thieves Haven), or drawbridges that can be raised or lowered either with a lever or maybe you have to shoot a target to lower. Perhaps hidden passageways that can opened with a concealed lever or button. Something to reward exploration or used to escape from a pursuing crew.
Those are just a few ideas. Let me know what small things you'd like to see added.
Below are a few links to threads discussing elements I believe should be added to the game. Let me know what you think!
Magic Skulls: Content Suggestions
https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/58019/magic-skulls-content-suggestions/11
New Guild / Lore: Content Suggestions
https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/57293/new-guild-lore-content-suggestion/3
