Fix horrendous broadsides

Should Broadsides be adjusted to be more aim-able, dumb-fire straight out, or just left alone

  • Aim-able broadsides

  • Dumb-fire

  • None of the above but there needs to be a change

  • Leave it as it is


Results are only viewable after voting.
The way that broadsides currently work has been around and been complained about since the OG pirates online and makes lining up broadsides difficult or downright impossible at times, and the way in which the game prioritizes targets is nonsense.

For example: I can be within broadside range and fire a perfectly lined up broadside and all the cannonballs scatter, causing 1 or 2 to strike the sails or hull of the ship but the rest to go all around it, whereas I can also be lined up perfectly with a ship and the cannonballs cut a 90 degree curve out of my below-deck cannons and nail the ship BEHIND me.


I would honestly prefer a straight out dumb-fire broadside over the current system of broadsides, due to major difficulty with using them at all currently. I mostly find myself struggling to tag a ship with inaccurate broadsides before my crew decimates the ship with furies.
 
The way that broadsides currently work has been around and been complained about since the OG pirates online and makes lining up broadsides difficult or downright impossible at times, and the way in which the game prioritizes targets is nonsense.

For example: I can be within broadside range and fire a perfectly lined up broadside and all the cannonballs scatter, causing 1 or 2 to strike the sails or hull of the ship but the rest to go all around it, whereas I can also be lined up perfectly with a ship and the cannonballs cut a 90 degree curve out of my below-deck cannons and nail the ship BEHIND me.


I would honestly prefer a straight out dumb-fire broadside over the current system of broadsides, due to major difficulty with using them at all currently. I mostly find myself struggling to tag a ship with inaccurate broadsides before my crew decimates the ship with furies.
Describe or share more detail about what you are experiencing (ie, what server, approximate distance between enemy ship before firing, class of ship, normal vs windcatcher speed, etc).

These "specifics" do come into play with how broadsides tended to react. I ask because time-and-time again I keep reading about what issues broadsides are causing others versus what specifically @Eric Sailcutter is experiencing. (For as long as POTCO had been shuttered, I don't think I have read into any other bug/glitch/issue more polarizing as to what people are experiencing [opposite from one another] than that with how broadsides are 'firing').
 
I just would like the broadsides to hit the ship well In my range rather then 90 ° out the aft ( even when a ship Is not there )lol , when I'm square In line of a ship well within range by compass standards. It's frustrating when they shoot where ever they want to rather then the Intended target . I sailed a lifetime on Potco as well as Tlopo and broadsides are far from being aimed well . Even In Potco they would shoot randomly off target but this has been .... I's say 50 % worse then Potco for aimming ! I'd say braodsides on Potco was 90 % efficient to 50 % efficient here . There should be some misses but 50 % seems high at times , Seems random at times though . Hit and miss !!
 
The broadsides are that way to make the game more challenging.
Some suggest that they are aimed at where the ship might be headed, which doesn't explain when they shoot behind the ship in question (unless they can suddenly sail backwards - something I've yet to see...).
There are conflicting parameters as to where and what the broadsides aim at, especially when Hunters and Warships come on the scene.
Basically, you have to learn to adapt to the broadsides, master the rear end shot and learn how to do the "circle dance" with NPC ships, as in get them to run alongside you as you turn into them, firing at will until they sink.
It's a lame strategy in TLOPO, but it all works.
 
Aside from occasional misfires, usually due to a hunter on your tail confusing the aim mechanics, broadsides work fine.
Eric sails a War Frigate, which has a different "aim" than War Brigs, Sloops, etc.
He may or may not realize it, but he has adapted to the quirky aim even War Frigates have, and does quite well, usually...
 
They just have to fix the broadsides when they go all over the place which is mostly when a hunter/warship is speeding towards you and also when you're really close to a ship, your broadsides might just hit the water like an invisible wall is present or something preventing you from hitting your target, other than that there's not much of a problem for me.
 
Eric sails a War Frigate, which has a different "aim" than War Brigs, Sloops, etc.
He may or may not realize it, but he has adapted to the quirky aim even War Frigates have, and does quite well, usually...
I sail sloops also and have plenty of experience sailing galleons and brigs too. I don’t have any trouble with any ship type other than I’m not too fond of the sluggishness of galleons, which has nothing to do with broadsides. Broadsides are the same on all ships the difference is in the ships speed and turning characteristics which means you need to slightly adjust your timing to be just as effective with any ship type.
 
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After looking at your poll I’ve got to say I don’t believe that “dumb fire” would serve anyone. Why would you want that? It would reduce broadsides to only being effective at point blank range with well lined up targets, a huge step back and yet somehow popular in your poll, lol.
 
Sometimes the broadsides work better than other times. Last night when I was on I had an incident where they fired behind me when the enemy ship was right beside me. My best shots are when I come up along side a ship. Far enough away that they don't start moving and I stop and fire. Most of the time the go directly for the ship I am beside like I want it to. Most of the crazy shots like the ones where it shoots behind my ship or I get that scatter shot already talked about where the shot goes everywhere but at the ship beside me, these things happen while moving. I don't think it is intended to be that way.
 
It's a bit of a mystery, no doubt, with why broadsides do...what they do. This mystery can be solved (I believe) with further BETA testers sailing the TLOPO parameters.

Important to remember is that POTCO sailing and cannonering was a bit of a mess. Lag alone impeded things considerably. TLOPO will need "all hands on deck" from testers to help send feedback if broadsides are ever to reach or surpass 91% capacity (in lieu of @ThunderStorms' point). *Keep at it. ;)
 
Was lined up with the ship, all broadsides zinged the area way behind the ship in this one
 

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In general some broadsides feel slow-mo and it feels like they would have hit if the cannonballs were traveling faster than the average speed of a spitball in flight.
 
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