Realistic Dynamic Water Interactions and Ship Damage

Introduce a system where ships can take damage from collisions, weather, or environmental hazards (like underwater currents, storms, or other in-game factors). If the ship's hull is breached, water could start flooding certain compartments, causing the ship to slowly sink unless you can repair or stabilize it in time.

1. Water Flooding: If a ship is damaged and the hull is punctured, water could start flooding in. The flooding could spread depending on the severity of the damage or the ship's design.
2. Ship Design Considerations: Players will need to design their ships with watertight compartments or bulkheads to slow the sinking. You could implement damage control systems that, once activated, could seal off certain sections of the ship to prevent flooding from spreading and sinking the whole ship.
3. Sinking Progression: Instead of a ship sinking instantly, there could be stages. The ship could tilt as more water floods in, making it harder to control or repair. This could be especially intense if you're trying to save valuable equipment or cargo from a sinking ship. Additionally, parts of the ship could become submerged over time, and you’d have to make decisions on whether to stay on board or abandon ship.
4. Salvaging and Recovery: As the ship sinks, there could be a window of time before it goes fully underwater. This would give players a chance to launch rescue operations or salvage key items. Players could deploy submersible vehicles to recover valuable resources or technology from the wrecked ship.

This mechanic would not only add excitement, but it would also increase the stakes in designing functional ships and balancing risk versus reward when traveling over or through water.