January News - USS Constitution launched

[admin]

US Super Frigate Constitution has sailed into the open sea

http://www.navalaction.com/blog/2014/1/14/uss-constitution

 

We have also started experiments (raw) on the open map 

and so far it has been very promising

 

Here are some screens from the English Channel (it would be awesome if someone posted the original english channel map from 1750)

 

Unknown ship closing by from the English coast

 

Combat encounter - NPC engaging each other

 

View on the Le Havre shipyards

[Ned Loe]

Also, on the first image I see ship strength numbers are always ON. This looks bad, numbers only should appear when ships are engaged in battle or when looking through spyglass and enabling ship info (strength, guns, crew fraction etc.) similar to Assassins Creed Black Flag. Player must search for ships either using spyglass or eyes... 

[admin]

Also, on the first image I see ship strength numbers are always ON. This looks bad, numbers only should appear when ships are engaged in battle or when looking through spyglass and enabling ship info (strength, guns, crew fraction etc.) similar to Assassins Creed Black Flag. Player must search for ships either using spyglass or eyes... 

 

We hope you understand that this is all alpha and such.

+ the screen with ship strength data is visible because it is looked at through the spyglass. 

[Ned Loe]

We hope you understand that this is all alpha and such.

+ the screen with ship strength data is visible because it is looked at through the spyglass. 

Yes)) just want to make sure you will not miss it..hehe

[Johny Reb]

What a proper looking ship. Well done on the Constitution. I've been to the boat myself and the thought that crossed my mind when view the real ship from the stern were mirrored when I saw your pic of the virtual ship from the same angle.

 

Wind has a better grasp on math then I do so I will keep my mouth shut about time passage. I do like the idea  of sunsets.

[Ned Loe]

Quick questions, are those clouds are final? will there be any clouds that slowly move? was thinking about hi res/4k textures...sunrays that react with clouds etc..

[Bobbydylan]

Your timing and map calculations are awesome. 14 mins from Calais to Cherbourg will mean that i will sail  for 1 hour to Stockholm or lisbon. Don't you think it is too much?

 

I definitely think so. 

 

GTA's time allocation (Like Morrowind and Skyrim's) work because there's things for the player to do on those journeys. If it takes 20 minutes to drive from one side of the map to another, that's ok because there's roads to follow, ramps to jump, cops to avoid, obstructions to dodge and Pedestrians to run over. 

On the open sea, there's none of that. It's one of the reasons why Sea battles in Empire TW were so much more of a routine affair over Land battles. Sure, I image some of the activity is balancing the ship on the changing wind, and working out storms, and that'll be fun. But spending an hour watching waves bounce off my bow sounds like a pretty mundane experience to me.

 

AssCred 4 (who's Naval system I consider Laughably simplistic) actually managed to make  the word feel large enough without ever making the sailing seem boring. And spending an hour watching a computer screen not really interacting with what's going on sounds pretty boring to me. 

 

I'm nor sure what the answer is (Perhaps time compression). But a few days in real time watching a ship sale to India sounds like a terrible game design IMHO.

[Ned Loe]

I would like to see spyglass view and ship info similar to this.

 

[Oneironz]

I second that suggestion!

[Brigand]

thumbs up for the spyglass suggestion!

[Johny Reb]

Well the open world pics that were just released included a spyglass view I believe. The info box includes info that shouldn't be on there by just looking at a ship. All that should be on it should be type of ship and possible cannon configuration. I guess you could include range and nation as well. There is no way to smoke out the amount of cargo a ship is carring unless it sits very low in the water because of it.

 

As for the scope view, I think it would be an interesting addition to the game if that the amount the ship is visible depends on the range. In real life the topmastman may only scope out the top sails of a ship over the horizon. If our crew is able to level than crew level or topmastman level would make a difference on how much info could be obtained at extreme ranges.

 

I think there could be some difficulty with a scope view on the open ocean. Other ships you see must be generic at extreme ranges until you look at it through the spyglass revealing its true nature. This then would require either a slower open ocean speed scale so that you have time to investigate with the spyglass and decide to ignore, run, or fight. Or other ships would have to be spotted very far away so that again you have time to investigate.

[Bobbydylan]

Agree with Jonny. 

 

I'd be keen on a Spyglass view to show ship type, National affiliation, Number of Guns, Estimated crew, and estimated cargo (tonnage). In fact, an estimated affiliation could be included for ships not flying a flag (Yarh... me mateys)

 

So something like:

 

Ship: Frigate,

Affiliation: United States

Guns: 52

Crew: (450) Estimate

Cargo (50 tonnes) Estimate

Heading: SSW

Speed: 7 Knots. 

[Brigand]

I think showing the number of guns and estimated crew is way too much information to spy through your spyglass. The number of crew can vary widely, sailing a small 3 masted merchantmen would be done with very small crews, sometimes just 10 to 12 men, while the same ship used as a birg-of-war could have a crew of 200 or so. The same goes for cannons, the ship may be able to carry 50 guns, but it is by no means a sure thing that it actually does.

 

I would rather think information should be limited to:

 

Ship: 3-master, possibly a frigate,

Colors (if any): United States,

Cargo estimate: 350 tonnes,

Heading: SSW,

Speed: about 7 Knots.

 

~Brigand

[Bobbydylan]

I dunno, Brigand. Telling us it's a 3 master isn't really important since that's information we can see ourselves. I'd rather the spyglass show info which an experience 18th century seaman would know, but an average 21st century gamer would not.

 

I think the number of guns could be reasonably deduced by the number of visible cannon protruding form the side (or the gunports, if the game has a "running out the guns" animation"). And as for the crew compliment, I think it would be reasonable for an experienced captain to hazard a guess.  If an Indiaman is the mid-Atlantic, It's safe to assume it has a smaller crew than a comparable warship on blockade duty. I see no reason why this assumption isn't communicated to the laymen in the audience. 

[meatpukk]

not having the spyglass show cannons can make for some interesting gameplay.
IRL some fluytes or indiamen would be decked out with guns while pretending to be a merchant ship.
an unsuspecting pirate would be in for a treat when one of the ships in the convoy pulls out 20 guns on him.

and in general I'm think the spyglass should show as little info as possible. making player skill and knowledge more important. some things might be impossible or very hard to see in a game though, for example distance, speed of enemy and name of the ship for example
would rather have in game books or encyclopedias showing the different ships with rigtypes, speed max speed estimates, draft etc. similar to silent hunter.

as for a pvp instanced warthunder/WoT type of match, the spyglass could show type of ship for example. but learning the different characteristics of rigtypes and ships is part of the charm in games like these.

[BungeeLemming]

TBH:
I would not need ANY intel about a ship I can clearly see trough my spyglass.

Sails and rigging will tell you what kind of ship you have. one mast? two or three? fully rigged? etc.

Gunports you can count easily. I would not mind if the spyglass tells you guncount (estimated max.).

I hope everyone can differ between a single decked frigate and a 3 decked 1st rate.

 

OFC you may NOT tell what sort of guns are behind the gunports. carronades or cannons? Figure out yourself. You will see his approach and youll see if hes more brawling or kiting.

Maybe you give a rough explanation of your enemy. like "rank 6 frigate, 28 cannons, ~200 men". Nothing that will give you ECAXT numbers.

Experience will tell you soon what type of ship you can fight and when you better run.

 

Cargo and hold load should not be displayed. At least I think that seems obvious.

 

 

metapukk:

there is actually a flotilla of Indiamen who pretended to be lineships and totally fooled a french admiral who actually HAD lineships and frigatesas well..

 

Id like to have such opportunities in Naval Action, too.. Adds some "lols" for sure

[Johny Reb]

well all the above are good comments. when viewing a ship at distance on a computer with current technology, I doubt I could count the guns, I would suggest that more info becomes available the closer you get to the ship and again if the ship is over the horizon I'd like to only be able to see the top of the masts and more of the ship revealed as range is reduced and therefore more info is induced through the spyglass. With this designed into the game then a 1st rate may be initially spotted 4 or 5 miles more distant then a schooner which would have to be much closer before its masts would break the horizon line.

 

This design would also improve the smuggling aspect of the game. A smuggler would probably choose a small fast ship that could out run pursuers if it didnt stay out of sight below the horizon.

[PIerrick de Badas]

I would say auto information depend on the distance.

For example on 5 miles you get the ship indicator, on 3 you see the class (frigate/sol/other), on 2 you see the flag (not the nation but the flag that have the ship (maybe we could cheat with that) and that''s all.

 

i Want to see knowledge use but bc to not afraid noobs

[BrutishVulgarian]

I sure hope, we can fly false colors and use ruse de guerre's.     I want only the basics, when looking at other ships.   I like Bungee's plan, "a rough explanation of your enemy. like "rank 6 frigate, 28 cannons, ~200 men". Nothing that will give you ECAXT numbers."

[Bobbydylan]

I sure hope, we can fly false colors and use ruse de guerre's.     I want only the basics, when looking at other ships.   I like Bungee's plan, "a rough explanation of your enemy. like "rank 6 frigate, 28 cannons, ~200 men". Nothing that will give you ECAXT numbers."

 

I know we're going a but off topic, but wont this be open to exploitation?  Attacking British shipping, flying a french flag would mean that any naval captain can resort to piracy at the drop of a hat.  

 

Besides, I think there should be some reputation knock for doing it. Not only from your compatriots (for sailing a ship under enemy colours.... that;s treason), but in general. Surely if a Frigate, with an English speaking crew with american accents, and the words USS. Constitution (my attempt at making this relevant)  written on the stern attacked French merchantmen... The survivors might be suspicious that the Spanish flag they were flying was false?

 

AS for spyglasses, I like the idea that more information becomes evidant the closer the ship gets. Makes sense. Perhaps the players could affect that rage of detection by taking certain exams?

[admin]

I know we're going a but off topic, but wont this be open to exploitation?  Attacking British shipping, flying a french flag would mean that any naval captain can resort to piracy at the drop of a hat.  

 

AS for spyglasses, I like the idea that more information becomes evidant the closer the ship gets. Makes sense. Perhaps the players could affect that rage of detection by taking certain exams?

 

Examinations and Naval tests for players are planned to be added in game

 

On the flag change the idea is this

• Player will only be able to change the flag if he has acquired the necessary flags in port and maybe learned the language.
• Player can only change the flag if their nations or guilds are at war
• If they are not at war changing the flag and attacking the friendly or neutral ship will constitute the act of Piracy. The merchant attacked will be able to file the complaint to the admiralty and the player will be court martialed on entry into the national port (or ally port).
• Multiple attacks on neutral or friendly shipping will cause the player to become a pirate. In this case he will only be able to enter pirate ports.
• Merchants can place a bounty on pirates. But unlike other games pirates wont be able to wash bounty away through alts. Because sinking a pirate (capturing) will make the pirate go to jail - meaning pirate will have to serve it real time. 

So flag changing is a serious business - do so only if you are really sure you want to become a pirate.

[Johny Reb]

Facinating approach. So I take it that a pirate could only be "captured" in pvp zones? Otherwise he can be free to sail without having to look over his shoulder or will the pirate be permenantly "flagged"? Also could a pirate buy or earn his way back into the good graces of the king?

[admin]

Facinating approach. So I take it that a pirate could only be "captured" in pvp zones? Otherwise he can be free to sail without having to look over his shoulder or will the pirate be permenantly "flagged"? Also could a pirate buy or earn his way back into the good graces of the king?

 

pirates (unless they are sneaky) can be attacked and captured anywhere, but you will have to identify it (sail close enough) 

but what are you gonna do.. a pirate life for me.

[Rudi Starnberg]

• Merchants can place a bounty on pirates. But unlike other games pirates wont be able to wash bounty away through alts. Because sinking a pirate (capturing) will make the pirate go to jail - meaning pirate will have to serve it real time. 

So flag changing is a serious business - do so only if you are really sure you want to become a pirate.

 

This is an incredible idea, the question of how to make meaningful bounties has plagued every PVP MMO. Out of curiosity, do you intened for a bounty to still payout to the player who sinks a wanted ship? I would be inclined to sugest that the satisfaction of knowing you just put someone to jail for x hours is enough, otherwise people will make an alt, claim the bounty from their first character then just play on their second character untill chracter 1's time is up.

[admin]

This is an incredible idea, the question of how to make meaningful bounties has plagued every PVP MMO. Out of curiosity, do you intened for a bounty to still payout to the player who sinks a wanted ship? I would be inclined to sugest that the satisfaction of knowing you just put someone to jail for x hours is enough, otherwise people will make an alt, claim the bounty from their first character then just play on their second character untill chracter 1's time is up.

 

there will be no classes in our game. we plan to implement other systems to limit number of alts. 

if a player sinks a pirate with a huge bounty and a national KOS that pirate will go to jail 

 

this system is nothing new by the way. it is a very fun feature in Archeage.