William the Drake

A fair warning that I tried to compile this in a way that it would work across multiple topics, however it makes more sense if it is all together, as such, this is a bit lengthy, but all ties together. So lets get to it: I have to give credit where credit is due: DazednConfused beat me to the punch in some of the main concepts I'll be showcasing here in his Shades of Grey post. At the current moment, port accessibility is limited by faction alone. There are no other means to enter a port unless it is of the same faction or if it is neutral (except for pirates). Neutrals also act as a sort of reverse pirate faction, though with little reason. Here are a few concepts that I think would create a more dynamic atmosphere and allow for more accessibility to ports and possibly even make trade and smuggling more adventurous. First off: Remove ALL Pirate ports- Pirates should not have any need or use for any type of major economic port. In fact, there should be no permanent pirate ports at all, otherwise, nationals will know exactly where to go to camp pirates. Then where will pirates go to repair and sell stolen goods? I suggest these two alternatives to permanent pirate ports: Pirate Camps: Camps set up by any Pirate player with over X amount of crew. these camps are temporary and will only remain for [X amount of time] after a player leaves (if another pirate enters the camp, the timer resets). Camps provide very minimal ship repair capabilities: only small ships (say lynx to brig) can be repaired here. The camp will also provide minimal crew recruitment/replenishment. Camps have no economic power whatsoever: Ships or equipment cannot be purchased but can be sold. No Warehouses can be built. No fleets can be purchased. Pirate Havens: Havens are quasi-ports that are generated automatically based on pirate activity in a given area. Havens are limited in number by area (i.e. Bahamas area can only have X havens at one time, whereas the Antilles can have Y havens), however their location within these areas are dictated by where piracy happens the most in said area. Should there be little pirate activity, then havens may not be generated (i.e. if the Bahamas has little piracy, it may only have 1 or 0 havens even though it can hold 2). Havens provide moderate ship repair capabilities: up to (say) Cerberus/Mercury and can provide the optimal amount of crew recruitment/replenishment. Havens have moderate economic capabilities: small ships and equipment can be bought here, all items can be sold, and havens provide small amounts of common trade goods. Small ships can be purchased for fleets. For both of these encampments, there is no option to defend in the event of a siege: if a National force is strong enough, a Pirate Camp or Haven is automatically dispersed. (Camps require X Battle rating to Disperse, Havens require Y Battle Rating, Y being greater than X) Next, is to allow pirates access to all other ports. In fact everyone should have access to all ports regardless of faction. Dazed touched on the idea of "Loyalty" that dictated the accessibility of foreign ports. I like this idea very much, but lets take it a step further: Port Security- The level of port security dictates the ease or difficulty of a non-faction player (and Pirates) to enter a port. Port Security can be increased in a number of ways, all that draw from the port's wallet/economic success: things such as building a Fort or Prison, stationing a Garrison of troops, ordering sea patrols, etc. will increase Port Security (all of these will also require an initial purchase price and subsequent upkeep price). The Higher the security, the harder it is to sneak into a port. Levels of Port Security: Lawless- This is the closest thing to a permanent Pirate port that you can get. There is almost no security whatsoever, and it is very easy to sneak into a port. Patrolled - There is a low level of security: some small ships patrol the waters, and there are a few troops stationed here, but it is relatively easy to sneak into port. Orderly - Moderate level of security: medium ships patrol the waters, there is a sizable garrison of troops an possibly even a small fort. Sneaking into port will be somewhat of a challenge Organized- High level of security: there are a number of patrols in the water, a large garrison of troops patrolling the docks and streets, a few forts. Sneaking into port will be rather difficult. Secured- Extreme level of security: Large ships patrolling the waters, a huge garrison patrols the streets, and a number of large forts dot the port. Sneaking into port is almost impossible Port security is directly effected by the port's economic success: the more money the port makes/the larger the port, the more resources can be allocated to security. So Havana will probably never be lawless (although excessive neglect could allow this to happen) and an obscure port will probably never reach the Secure level. Capitols are automatically set at the secure level. EDIT: A pirate's notoriety/infamy will also factor into their ability to sneak into a port: The higher the "Heat" Level a pirate has, the difficulty at each level of security multiplies. So a pirate with high levels of heat will still be able to sneak into a Lawless port with relative ease (he will have it harder than those without infamy or heat) but the difficulty in higher Security ports will be compounded into almost impossible chances of sneaking into a port. Security also has a few secondary effects: the higher a ports security, the greater a profit can be made during trade. This makes smuggling an interesting business: a smuggler could play it safe and smuggle into a lawless port, but only make a small profit or risk sneaking into an Orderly port and make a larger profit. Risk-Reward system in place at it's most basic. Second, the higher a port security, the larger/more deadly NPC ships it will generate. A lawless port will not generate Constitutions. Port security and sneaking into a port only pertains to pirates and the players and ports of factions that are at war. Factions that are at peace or neutral will be allowed to enter ports regardless of Security level. (Players that are explicitly aligned with a faction, i.e. members of the Navy, cannot sneak into an enemy port at any point. The Navies are folks of dignity and do not sulk to sneaking around). However, even if they are at peace, trade may be limited based on Trade regulations. Trade Regulations will be any type of limitation a faction puts on another to limit trade opportunities. These are done across all ports of a faction, not a port-by-port basis. For example, Even though Spain may be at peace with England and English sailors/traders can enter Spanish ports, Spain has declared that no outside trade is allowed in Spanish ports (this actually happened), meaning that an English trader could not trade in Spanish ports (if the trader had enough trade skill, he might be able to trade by shadier means) Trade Regulations can be anything from embargoes on certain goods (i.e. no Wood from non-Spanish traders), embargoes on a certain faction (No English goods) or a combination (No English Wood). They can also be across the board trade limitation such as the example above. Regulations could also be taxes/tariffs placed on trade, following the above system: Tax on non-Spanish wood, Tax on all English goods, Tax on only English Wood, etc. Taxes and Tariffs, unlike embargoes, will be handled on a port-by-port basis. Now, embargoes and tariffs are directly affected by Port Security: a lawless port will not be hard pressed to enforce any embargoes or tariffs, whereas in a secure port, embargoes are the end-all-and-be-all, no exceptions! NOTE: smugglers/pirates ignore all embargoes and taxes/tariffs! This means that highest profit is made in a Secure port with the highest level of embargoes or tariffs! Lastly, neutrality should be based on a Factions actual diplomatic standing: there should be no Neutral faction, and a Faction becomes neutral when they are not at war with any other faction (duh). Everyone (technically) has access to all ports, so neutral ports are not needed. The only people that absolutely must identify with a faction are those sailing in the respected Navy or Trade company, everyone else has a varying ability to disguise who they are or not show their faction alliance. (such as not flying a flag or flying a false flag) TL;DR: Pirates get temporary camps and limited havens instead of Permanent Ports Port Security dictates the ease or difficulty of sneaking into an enemy port Embargoes and Tariffs affect trade accessibility and profit of traders Smuggling can be lucrative, but there is a Risk-Reward system. Neutrality is based on Faction Diplomacy Cheers, ~William Drummond, the Drake.

Very nice stuff here Dazed. In fact, you beet me to the punch on a couple of concepts: I agree that there should be no Neutral faction, and that pirates should have no ports (but should have something to work from) i'll be posting something similar momentarily with a couple of tweaks of my own (mostly from the Pirate point of view), I hope you give it a look and give some feedback from your side.

Ah the defensless fishing and shipping vessel: a pirate's bread-and-butter target of choice

Well this is awkward. I don't know exactly how I'm going to explain this to mother...

EDIT: Comment removed to avoid further argument. ~Drummond

True, however the heavy use of the Confederate Naval Jack would kind of negate that claim. As well as make it increadibly anachronistic

The black Pearl appears to me to look more similar to a small/medium Galleon. Perhaps a Trade galleon, but not an Indiaman. An illegally modified vessel optimized for speed and maneuverability? That has "Pirate" written all over it!

Playing America while RPing as the CSA does sound a bit farcical.

Ahoy Mike! While the admin has stated that they plan on adding "fictional" ships, they have argued that these would be limited to plans that were created during the era that simply didn't make it to the shipyard The Black Pearl on the other hand is a fantasy ship, existing only within the world of Pirates of the Caribbean. However, I suggest looking into the ship Golden Hind, a Fast-Galleon used by the pirate/privateer Sir Francis Drake in the late 14th century (a bit earlier than the intended time frame of Naval Action, but still close enough. She is arguably the inspiration for the Black Pearl, as she was one of the larger pirate vessels of history.

The Naval and Nautical Terms post by Wind is a list of compiled terms that are common when speaking about the Age of Sail. It is the only similar topic I know of. It gives a brief definition of each term. This topic is more about the phrases that we still use today in general conversation (i.e. when not talking about the Age of Sail explicitly). I also provided a more in-depth description for each phrase in comparison to the definitions provided by Wind.

At least within the English language (or at least the American-English language) we use a number of phrases and terms that are rather old and come from a myriad of unique places and times. For example, the term salary (i.e. pay for a job done) comes from the Latin word salarium which was a Roman Legionary's payment in the form of salt. As it happens, there are a number of phrases that are derived from the Age of Sail. Here are just a few and a (somewhat) brief history and explanation of each. [To] Learn the Ropes: We'll start off with one that seams fairly obvious, learning the ropes comes from when young boys and new sailor recruits were brought aboard a ship in order to begin their sailing education. One of the first things they would have learned was, well, the ropes: the many different types of knots that would be employed when managing rigging,a s well as the names of various lines, their purpose, and how to properly navigate and manage the miles of rigging line on a ship. Three Sheets to the Wind: Another common phrase that actually was used in the same manner during the age of sail as it is now. A sailor (or anyone for that matter) was Three Sheets to the Wind if they were observably inebriated. The meaning of the term refers to a ship and its sails and rigging: a sheet was one or many of the lines that held down a sail by the lower corners. If a sheet was loose (i.e. if a certain sailor had not yet learned his ropes properly) then the corner of the sail would flap uncontrollably, with the respective sheet loose and flying along with the sail. When the sheet was loose like this it was referred to as being "to the wind." This would cause a ship to loose speed and the sail to wave around. The more sheets that were let "to the wind" the more uncontrollable the sail became. This was also used in the phrase as a grading scale: if a Sailors was only One Sheet to the wind, then he was slightly buzzed, Two sheets meant he was becoming quite drunk, Three Sheets marked clear drunkenness, and Four Sheets meant you were passed out. Son of a Gun: This one comes from none other than the Navy. A Son of a Gun was a child who was born on a ship's gun-deck. At some point, sailors in the navy (Royal Navy?) were allowed their wives to accompany them on voyages (there are also accounts of women dressing as men and serving), and in the even of a pregnancy, a woman was required to give birth on the gun-deck. (It is also though that this term to be specifically directed to the child of a gunner, also having been born on the gun-deck) Musket Phrases: Here are two phrases that come from the process of loading a musket. Here is a quick rundown of how to reload a musket so everyone is in the know: (See diagram in spoiler) To load a musket, one must first put the musket in the "Half-Cocked Position" which draws the hammer back only halfway. Next you load the pan with a small amount of powder and close the frizzen over the pan. Next you load shot and powder into the muzzle, ramming it down to the base of the barrel. Lastly, you fully cock the hammer, and pull the trigger. When you fire the musket, the hammer releases forward, the flint striking the Frizzen which creates a spark that ignites the powder in the pan which then ignites the powder in the barrel, propelling the shot. spoiler 1: Flintlock Mechanism Diagram. Spoiler 2: Gif of Flintlock firing. To Go Off Half-Cocked: The terms To go off Half-Cocked or Don't go off Half-Cocked usually mean to do something before you are ready/prepared; to do something prematurely. In the Flintlock mechanism, the Half-Coked position is utilized so that the pan can be accessed and loaded, but so that should the trigger be pulled, the hammer will not have enough force to create a spark to ignite the gunpowder and fire the weapon while you are loading it. A Flash in the Pan: Today, a person or event that is a Flash in the Pan is someone who has been hyped up or put on a great show, but did not fulfill their intended goal (for example a new football player who has been the talk of the news expecting to do great things, but shows up only to perform poorly). This term refers to when the musket is fired, the gunpowder ignited, but the ignition from the pan to the gunpowder in the barrel does not connect. The result is a great flash from the ignition of the gunpowder in the pan (which happens when the weapon is fired successfully as well) but the weapon does not fire; there is a great show, but the intended end-result is not reached. Cat of Nine Tails phrases: Next are two phrases that are derived from the use of the Cat of Nine Tails. The Cat of Nine Tails was a simple whip consisting of nine separate sections or "tails" that were tipped with nails or other sharp objects, referred to as the "claws". It was used as a disciplinary tool on both Naval Vessels and Pirate ships (not sure about civilian vessels). When used, a sailor would (usually) be restrained and his back made bare, and either the Bosun (the guy who's job it was to use the Cat 'o Nine, as well as carry out other disciplinary actions) or a fellow sailor would strike the back of the first sailor. One strike was a lashing. To Let the Cat out of the Bag: Though today the phrase usually means to discover a secret, an earlier meaning conveyed that a point of no return had been passed (such as if a secret had been discovered/let out). When not in use, the Cat 'o Nine Tails was stored in a bag, usually out in the open to serve as a reminder to the sailors of their possible punishment. When it was needed, the Captain ordered to Let the Cat out of the Bag. It is argued that a sailor could plead his case and beg for mercy and avoid his punishment if the captain deemed so only if the cat had not yet been taken out of the bag. Once it was taken out, it was ready to use and would not be put back until done so. Any further pleading would be pointless as The Cat was out of the Bag. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours: This phrase referrers to that if a favor is done, a favor will be returned. Normally, when lashings were ordered, it was the Bosun's job to do so. The Bosun on almost any ship knew how to use the Cat 'o Nine to where each lash was devastating and would cut into the back of the receiver. However, other sailors could take on the task. What would happen is that, at an earlier time, sailors would make an agreement that if one was given lashes, the other would take on the responsibility to give them. When done, the sailor would strike only hard enough to simply scratch the back of the other man, instead of cutting him. It was agreed that this act would be reciprocated in reversed circumstance.These are the ones that I know of, but I'm sure there are many more! Please feel free to add any more that you may know! Hope you enjoyed! Fair winds and swift seas, ~William Drummond, the Drake.

These codes look oddly familiar, ye didn't happen to steal -erm, commandeer these from Bartholomew Roberts now did ye?

Not quite, as it seems that he is speaking of this ship, who's previous name was Couronne: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_%C3%87a_Ira_(1781) EDIT: image of the Agamemnon (right) firing on Ca Ira (left)

We've discussed this many times already. Like a lot. http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/6344-pirates/?p=120634 Discussion about ship limitations begins here: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/6344-pirates/?p=122151

The devs have stated that things like the slave-trade and whaling will not be present in the game. This has been addressed multiple times.

I'm having a hard time what you're trying to suggest here... If you are advocating for a "Pay-to-Win" model, I think you'll find that it is not the best way to go. If I remember correctly, the initial plan is the for teh game to be Pay-to-play. P2W is the model that games like World of Warships and Tanks use and it creates a very unbalanced game. Because Naval Action will be P2P, there is little reason to have the players pay even more just to have an unfair advantage. As for things like the lobby, that is purely aesthetic, and will not need to be addressed until much farther down the line of development, as testing and tuning game-play is more important than how the game looks at the moment. The rest I can barely understand.