Bring WINDCATCHER back please!

[akamystic]

Originally Posted by Edward Edgemenace

As of today, the only advantage of unlocking windcatcher is that NPC ships shoot behind you, instead of at you, to maintain the optical illusion of speed. Ship speed is still not corrected.

We've been bamboozled!!! Arrrrrrrrr!!!!

[Edward Edgemenace]

Just now, time testing on TEST server gave my light sloop 47 seconds with windcatcher 2, 60 seconds with no windcatcher. Run was Port Royal to Devil's Anvil. I'm now too stunned for words...

[akamystic]

Originally Posted by Edward Edgemenace

Just now, time testing on TEST server gave my light sloop 47 seconds with windcatcher 2, 60 seconds with no windcatcher. Run was Port Royal to Devil's Anvil. I'm now too stunned for words...

WOW....that's smokin' news! Now we'll have to test all ships....and test some more. If they really did fix it I'll have to spend more $$ reallocating skills. Thanks for the 411 Edward.

[swashbuckler II]

Yeah i just tested it. Just wow.

[Rackat]

SO, it is back to the way it should be? It actually works??????????????????

[Sven Niscadae]

Shouldn't they have put that into the test release notes? Or maybe big D doesn't want to admit they messed it up last year.

[Edward Edgemenace]

Eeeep. I may have done an invalid test last night. Trying it again today is not giving the same results.

To test: I launch a ship and take hull damage from an NPC, then land and repair ship fully. I then launch the light sloop from Port Royal and nudge the ship forward then back up as close to shore of Port Royal as I can. I carefully do no zoom the view out, nor change the compass. I aim the mast-top of my light sloop to line up with the middle "T" of the word "Tortuga" then wait for my clock to get to 59 seconds, then press the up arrow once. End time is when Tortuga's "Drop Anchor" appears. If any friends sign in or out during that minute and a half, I start test over. If any NPCs shoot at me, I start test over.

With or without windcatcher, that run is coming in at 87 seconds today on TEST. It must have been a fluke, or a friend or guildie coming online during yesterday's test?

Anyone else able to confirm or deny this? Was I just seeing what I hoped beyond hope to see?

[League]

I dunno, Swash II sounds like he got results...

[Edward Edgemenace]

Well, that's why I'm still asking...anyone with two pirates (one with zero windcatcher, one with windcatcher) able to confirm this?

[akamystic]

Originally Posted by Edward Edgemenace

Well, that's why I'm still asking...anyone with two pirates (one with zero windcatcher, one with windcatcher) able to confirm this?

Aye.....I can do that. If not, I have a couple of friends on my list without windcatcher. A raced them a couple of weeks ago (with 2 points in mine). We used light sloops and we were neck and neck. I could not pull away from the other sloops in the slightest bit. I'll try this again soon and report results.

[corndog20]

I did notice this as well. I spent alot of gold retraining my maxed sailing for speed because I like the SvS feature and I am usually alone on my war sloop. Now I can't out run a war frig...

[Edward Edgemenace]

This is simply the best news I have seen in a long time. My test run from Port Royal to Devil's Anvil with windcatcher was 38 seconds. No pity for people having to retrain now, to get real speed in SvS. Bwahahaha. Skill point allocation for sailing now means REAL choices. I am tickled silly by this.

[Rockinfrog]

Thanks Guys. I'm looking forward to seeing this on open.

[akamystic]

Yes.....this is most excellent. Time to whip out some $$ for moving skills....again...lol

[Juliana Maria]

Does windcatcher make a big difference? Like is the speed significant?