Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck

  • kiwi1990
    Founder

    I'm on a mission to improve the solo experience! I've already posted about the mermaid re-supply mechanic being too advantages for crews.

    (Link to post if interested https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/29043/supplies-should-be-lost-when-using-the-mermaid/12)

    Now I want to talk about cannon placement. They really need to be on the top deck to balance things out. 2 and 4 men crew have the advantage of number meaning every station is manned. Solo players only have themselves and their shadow (hopefully pet parrot please), running up and down to shoot, steer and manage the sails is just too much to battle effectively. A simple change of cannon positions would help immensely. 2 and 4 men crew have people on the canon constantly whilst fighting, a solo player cannot do this obviously so making the trip between the wheel and the cannon a bit shorter would help a long way.

    Yes or no, what's the communities view on this?

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  • erikinthebakery
    Captain
    Founder

    Where would you put it? I don't think the tarp on the back would support the weight? ;)

  • Thewolfman321
    Captain
    Founder

    @kiwi1990 As someone who mostly plays solo, I'd have to disagree.

    Don't get me wrong, it would be nice to be able to just sit there and shoot, but feel like it gives the solo playing a bit more of an hectic feeling, which, to be honest, is what sailing alone would be like.

  • kiwi1990
    Founder

    @erikinthebakery In between the two sail ropes :)

  • kiwi1990
    Founder

    @thewolfman321 Don't get me wrong, I like the hectic feeling solo gives you I just want to have a better chance when facing a crew of 2. Or atl east remove the damn downward stairs (place them on the other side and cannon ball barrel in the middle), the amount of times I've ended up in the captain cabin whilst trying to quickly get back to my wheel is too damn high!

  • Thewolfman321
    Captain
    Founder

    @kiwi1990 to be honest with you, I think one would have a good enough chance against a 2some if you're good enough. I tend to hold my own no matter who I'm against (duped a 4 man crew around some rocks the other day xD) Only thing I ever say about the solo sloop is that it should be faster (for real I say this in like every thread xD) meaning that you can avoid combat whenever you want to.

  • Thewolfman321
    Captain
    Founder

    @kiwi1990 also I do agree regarding the stairs aha

  • ScoobyWRX555
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    you could have a smaller swivel gun mounted in the back. This would have the arc to cover the whole rear. With the canopy in the way, access would have to be from behind the map. Or have a swivel gun on each back corner of the top deck.

  • Hotel Actual
    Founder

    You chose to not have a crew you'll have to deal with it. How is it right to balance a solo ship to be on par in combat with a galleon of four men? Solo players need to learn that they're choosing solo and it's the hardest play style.

  • SprungNickel427
    Marauder
    Insider

    Yes, agreed, or the maneuverability and speed differential needs to be greater between small and large ships.
    I second the parrot thing! How can you truly be an effective Pirate without a Parrot buddy!

  • SprungNickel427
    Marauder
    Insider

    @hotel-actual said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    You chose to not have a crew you'll have to deal with it. How is it right to balance a solo ship to be on par in combat with a galleon of four men? Solo players need to learn that they're choosing solo and it's the hardest play style.

    IRL perhaps, but in a game where often times you may not have people to play with or in pub matchmaking, you end up with a clown of a team mate, your options are limited. The Edge 2 or 4 man crews have is communications and hands on deck. In fights around an island, I've ran into rocks and damaged my ship while trying to fire back. Choosing more often to run, while playing solo and avoiding a fight, you still functionally are handicapped. Solo boat should be faster and more maneuverable to get out of dodge when needed

  • wype7080
    Master
    Founder

    @kiwi1990 said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    2 and 4 men crew have the advantage of number meaning every station is manned.

    Well... that is kinda the concept. Why should a single player be equally strong as 4 people?
    Playing solo is supposed to be some kind of "hard-mode".

  • Hotel Actual
    Founder

    If you want sloops to have a rear cannon the galleon should get a front cannon.

  • SausijXzal
    Master

    @wype0ut-ger said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    @kiwi1990 said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    2 and 4 men crew have the advantage of number meaning every station is manned.

    Well... that is kinda the concept. Why should a single player be equally strong as 4 people?
    Playing solo is supposed to be some kind of "hard-mode".

    Theyre not "just as strong".

    The gap is just being narrowed.

    At present, the 3/4 man crew can navigate, trim sails, fire AND keep look out/reload/repair.

    A one man crew even if "everything is in one area" still has to move from station to station and if manning say the cannons, cannot adjust their sailing direction or trim or repair (God forbid a solo sloop gets a hole. It means they spend ALL their time repairing as theyre not navigating away or firing back)

    The 3/4 man ships STILL have an advantage and its STILL hard for the solo sloop to function well.

  • Hotel Actual
    Founder

    You chose solo despite the warning you have to deal with the difficulty curve. Case closed.

  • SausijXzal
    Master

    @hotel-actual said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    You chose solo despite the warning you have to deal with the difficulty curve. Case closed.

    Not really. Just sounds like PVPers still wanting their excessively easy kills. Also lol "Case Closed" acting like you own the whole game.

  • Hotel Actual
    Founder

    Yes really. Solo is only recommended for experienced players, the journey is slower and more perilous. The ship is weaker and one man must man all posts.

    It's supposed to be harder. Play in a crew if it sounds too hard playing solo. This is a multiplayer experience Rare want people playing together and discourage solo play.

  • wype7080
    Master
    Founder

    @sausijxzal said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    its STILL hard for the solo sloop to function well.

    Isn't that the intention of a hard mode?

  • Hotel Actual
    Founder

    Everyone say it with me now; solo mode is hard mode.

  • SausijXzal
    Master

    @wype0ut-ger said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    @sausijxzal said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    its STILL hard for the solo sloop to function well.

    Isn't that the intention of a hard mode?

    Yes Im not saying it shouldn't be.

    Like others were simply saying the effort for a SOLO player to man all posts even marginally is no where near where it should be.

    Adding even just a single cannon to the captains deck allows the Solo player to perform every function in a limited capacity (bar repairing).

    The ship with more crew still has a massive advantage (4 people fully paying attention to their task, vs 1 person paying minimal attention per task).

    Its still hard for a solo player with this change. If hes firing, hes not steering. All this "change" does is take out the need to run to the cannon.

    I dont even know why you "hardcore" pedants are arguing AGAINST this idea.

    If you AGREE for this idea, it means you know EXACTLY where the captains going to be and you can prevent him doing anything by firing in one general area. If the cannon is with the rest of the stuff, youre going to hit him no matter what hes doing.

    it makes it EASIER for you.

    @hotel-actual said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    Everyone say it with me now; solo mode is hard mode.

    Everyone say it with me now; You aren't propositioning an actual argument. And youre also missing the POINT.

    This ONE change doesnt make it easier to the point that you in your c**p 4 man boat cant still easily dominate it.

    Thats what youre afraid of. You think this ONE SMALL CHANGE will bring a sloop on par. It wont.

    Its still hard mode.

    Edit: To give you an idea of what will actually change for the Solo player if a cannon is put on the Cpt Deck instead of the berth.

    • A cannon is moved.

    Now for what remains the same -

    -He still cannot man ALL positions.

    • He still has to run to the berth to repair
    • He still has to run to the berth to fetch cannon balls.

    Those three things are EXACTLY what Solo captains are doing now.

    Its Still hard mode.

    Everybody say it with me;

    ITS STILL HARD MODE.

  • ScoobyWRX555
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    I don't think having one or two swivel guns is unreasonable, the 1v4 balance of having to do all actions yourself is still there. They don't have the power or range of cannons to damage ships, they are more for targeting pirates as they try to board.

  • wype7080
    Master
    Founder

    You could add 4 cannons and the ships would not be on par...
    And you usually don't sink ships by just shooting at them anyway.
    I rather think it is pointless to change the sloop, i'd say it is pretty well designed.
    You don't need to run to the lower deck for cannonballs... sails, anchor and steering wheel are next to each other... if the cannons would be up there, you would not need to move at all :P

  • Vilgefortz7774
    Marauder
    Founder

    I do not agree. Solo should be obviously harder than 2 man and in no way should solo be at an equal advantage with 4 man or 2 man teams. The team with more players should always have the advantage and you shouldn't get a "buff" just because you don't want to play with others. I like to play solo at times but it is easily manageable like it is, not to mention you have a huge speed/manouver advantage over the galleon

  • SausijXzal
    Master

    @wype0ut-ger said in Solo Sloops should have cannons on upper deck:

    You could add 4 cannons and the ships would not be on par...
    And you usually don't sink ships by just shooting at them anyway.
    I rather think it is pointless to change the sloop, i'd say it is pretty well designed.
    You don't need to run to the lower deck for cannonballs... sails, anchor and steering wheel are next to each other... if the cannons would be up there, you would not need to move at all :P

    You would have to move. The cannonballs are stored on the main deck, not lower deck.

    If the cannon was on the captains deck, youd go down a floor. Exactly the same action as youd do to fire the cannon.

    I just dont understand the "angst" of "hurrdurr its hard mode" versus quality of life changes for Solo players. Thats all this would be.

    The multi crew folk would still have their competetive EASY MODE advantage. The game would still be hard for Solo players, just not as mind numbingly ball aching.

    I can easily tell when people who parrot "hurr durr its hard mode deal with it" clearly haven't spent any decent length of time doing Solo.

    And to be brutally honest a lot of kick back against any changes to make the quality of life of Solo any better just rings of "I want my easy kills and any change to Solo players makes me paranoid they wont be easy any more."

    Atreyu
    not to mention you have a huge speed/manouver advantage over the galleon

    This is patently false. The devs have even admitted that the larger galleons get the faster speeds as the speed of a ship is multiplied by the amount of crew and is one of the benefits of using the larger ships.

  • kiwi1990
    Founder

    @hotel-actual Not asking for rear canons, just for the canons to be closer to the wheel.

  • XxAlfonzxX
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    I know when I play I aim at the other ships' cannons, steering wheel, and if possible I try to aim roughly where the anchor wheel is (especially on galleons) to try to alpha players. I run around my sloop like a maniac not only because I have to keep it afloat but also so I don't get hit with cannonballs (me not my ship). I fear by putting things closer to each it will only increase the chances of getting alpha'd off the deck of a ship by a cannonball to the face due to the decreased "work space".

  • kiwi1990
    Founder

    @wype0ut-ger How would changing canon position in a solo sloop make them equally as strong? It just makes life a tiny bit easier for solo players, that's all.

  • wype7080
    Master
    Founder

    @kiwi1990 like i said just 6 posts above this, it wouldn't. Even if you add 4 cannons. :P

  • ScoobyWRX555
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    @xxalfonzxx good point about being hit by cannonballs, its always best to keep moving.
    Its all down to content further down the line. If there are grappling hooks or harpoons, naturally there would be counter measures. This is where I thought swivel guns could work as they are anti-personnel weapons mounted on the top railing of the ship so there shouldn't be any issues with work space or tipping the balance.

  • XxAlfonzxX
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @scoobywrx555 I honestly thought about a small swivel gun as well and it could be cool depending on the situation. I find in most battles the calm parts when ships are re-aligning to attack I'm in the bowels eating bananas and patching holes like some kind of sea gremlin. However when the ships are at weird angles were cannons can't hit, I could see it shooting at other crews but what would make it different from just using the eye of reach?

  • ScoobyWRX555
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    @xxalfonzxx yeah I guess its the either try to be steady and accurate through a scope or what is effectively one big blunderbuss to spray multiple pirates as they board.

  • Im Axis Rahl
    Marauder
    Insider

    @kiwi1990 Ships on the upper deck would be too high. Would make it tough to hit other ships below the waterline. I think they should give sloops an aft cannon. This would not be a huge advantage in straight combat but might help deter a galleon from chasing you for 2 hours.

  • AwesomeFNTN

    One cannon pointing out the back would level the game out for small boats. They are too easy to overwhelm otherwise.

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