Barberouge

If you enjoyed the 1st link which is rather a description, you may find this one interesting: http://mud.co.uk/richard/VWWPP.pdf - or "having fun" in a virtual world as a celebration of identity, with thoughts about immersion. It also fulfills the step to the 2nd link, where I found interesting statements regarding the MMOs I played, and maybe NA's Open World (which fit some discussions on those boards) - especially: immersion improvement cloud-based servers elder game removal

Wikipedia give those words about Bartle test explorers: For those interested in gamer types (or is it astrology ?), here's an extrapolation of Bartle's model: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6474/personality_and_play_styles_a_.php?print=1 Anyways - the topic was an introduction to another article from the same author: http://mud.co.uk/richard/The%20Decline%20of%20MMOs.pdf . Any thoughts related to the future Open World of NA ?

Spamalot o' baits

As usual in a poll, the results are shaped by the questions and the people answering. Also the test isn't perfectly fitted to Naval Action. Anyways, I got almost the same results as 10 years ago: 73% Killer 53% Achiever 40% Explorer 33% Socializer

Maybe some of you already know this old test. One shouldn't read too much out of it, but it is quite funny and the principle has been used in gaming theory thinking. You don't need to register to get the result: http://www.gamerdna.com/quizzes/bartle-test-of-gamer-psychology/take?cobrand=

I found the quote back. A damaged ship is trying to escape from a Navy frigate (running). It lost its fore topmast, and is full of water but the pumps remove some of it slowly. The captain is giving orders to gain maximum speed. "Décoincez les mâts ! Largez les genoppes des haubans ! Videz les pièces d'eau avant et arrière ! Et balancez tous nos canons à la mer, sauf les pièces de chasse et de retraite !" Approximate translation: "Unjam the masts ! Hook out the shroud ropes ! Empty the front and rear water tanks ! And throw all our guns into the sea, except the chase and escape pieces !" The "shroud ropes" are also translated as "temporary rackings", and they are ropes linking 2 other ropes. The water in the hull creates the ballast. The principles may not be completely realistic since it is a comics, but it is based on historical researches. The French name is "Le Démon des Caraïbes", the English one is "Redbeard - The Broken Compass". I couldn't find any English text with the translations I got, although I found French ones talking about "unjamming the masts": http://books.google.fr/books?id=sYhBAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=genoppes&source=bl&ots=OOe-Q4_lyh&sig=b0V6ubhNQ0QCWY9K5fVxIIX2rM8&hl=fr&sa=X&ei=N-FLU-noJeWX1AXdooHwDA&ved=0CFIQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=genoppes&f=false and http://books.google.fr/books?id=emhGAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA333&lpg=RA1-PA333&dq=genoppes&source=bl&ots=1shVUMx_cP&sig=IorW3iVohCja71nbgMaHhrjxGPs&hl=fr&sa=X&ei=N-FLU-noJeWX1AXdooHwDA&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=genoppes&f=false . The last one lists some irrefutable methods to gain speed (by changing the center of gravity and the waterlines): throw the anchors empty or fulfill the water tanks put all the crew somewhere remove the stanchions to lower the center of gravity move the ballast (cargo) And some refutable methods: hang weigh on the stays unjam the masts ease off the laniards and hook out their temporary rackings saw some beams or some plankings to give them a better shape

I agree with what's been said about heeling, fires, unrepairable lower masts, speed affecting the water flow, crew debuffs, and powder charges. Sinking I like the differentiation between overall hull disintegration and waterline leaks, and their associated waterflow and plugging mechanics. About collision and especially entangling, I'd love to see realistic rigging damage (for example, the bowsprit would get a collision hitbox). Also about leaks, the sea should be modelised as waves going more or less high along the planking. To calculate the water flow, you could use formulas including the sea state, the ship size, the ship draught and the heeling. Surrenders I like the automation which prevents bad behaviors. A problem that could arise is: what happens when a ship surrenders before the end of a battle ? If the outcomes aren't known yet, which side would take the prize and what would the player do ? Also I'd favor a player decision regarding surrenders. The incentives and the battle situation would create a meaningful choice. Damage principles About dynamism, there could be a differentiation between resistance and integrity. I don't know how you intend to deal with the damage system exactly regarding hit boxes, real damage and UI representation. But including resistance (a mix between thickness and density) would enable to simulate the armor of the planking or of any hit box. The mast resistance would depend on masts, hull and standing rigging. Hitboxes To favor skill over luck, the hit boxes shouldn't be too small, and the resistances not too low. To Pierrick's Christmas rocket could be added decks and other internal hull structure, standing rigging and running rigging. I agree with crew moving between hitboxes, and associated UI and controls. Each hitbox would have its resistance, integrity and effects. The fires could start below the upper deck, on the upper deck or on a sail, and at the back, middle or front of the ship - and it would spread realistically. Maybe the rigging and the sails could get the same hitbox. I wouldn't mind the damage effects to be tuned around gameplay (as the animations would be realistic). Permanent damage Permanent damage is fine IMO. Lack of repairs is some kind of permanent damage. The interest of repairs regarding gameplay, is the choice of when to use them. This could be simulated by sending some crew to repair any damaged part. But regarding realism, repairs just give a feeling. Thus if the stats are correctly setup, permanent damage shouldn't degrade the gaming experience (for example, the integrity of the lower mast would be increased to be balanced during a whole battle). So I'd favor a 4th category of unrepairable modules. This category would include killed crew, lower masts, cannons, and everything which would have run out of repairs. And adding a 5th category of "damaged but not broken" would enable to show resistance on the UI. I agree with multiple effects happening when a ship would be heavily damaged, creating a nice looking (chain of explosions, masts breaking, sink heeling etc). Also, damage from hand guns and grenades would be nice. I agree with the difficulty lying in controls and UI.

Well that's just another aspect which may create the feeling described in the OP. Also most of the videos show 1st rates in small groups, which isn't the most common setup with those ships. I can understand that a PotBS player judges the gameplay as boring, but the devs already stated that they want the final gameplay to be dynamic, even if more realistic.

What you saw in videos rather show some gameplay elements and some ship visuals than a finalized gameplay. It is actually more simple than PotBS' currently, and there isn't so much more sailing. Also don't forget that a game feels slower when looking at a video than when playing.

The song is Guerre, guerre, vente, vent ("Wage war, war, blow, wind") - http://fr.lyrics-copy.com/tri-yann/guerre-guerre-vente-vent.htm sung by the Marine Troops Corps. A military seaman describes his return after a campaign (in Quebec during the Seven Years War), but we don't know if he did return.

Played flute here (mostly jazz but also some classical), but switched to electronic music later. I like listening to Gregorian chant when playing Total War games though Some flute (Rimsky-Korsakov, Flight of the Bumble Bee): Beat box version:

I've been listening to that sound for 20 years

Got a link so we can listen to some songs here and there ?

Rapsody - The Drums, 2012

What are you listening to these days ? Please share !

I like how the young Long John is depicted, it makes sense regarding the book. And if I may, I look forward to watching his legacy I almost finished Villains of All Nations, and like both the description of the facts and their analysis. I intend to read others if I got time. I'd guess the years are an indication of periods of crew activity.

They drank ti'punch without syrup I liked the mix between historical pirates and the Treasure Island prequel. From Markus Rediker, Villains of All Nations:

I didn't record it, but trying to T-bone a ship which sails at full speed leads to an instant sink (happened in a battle on saturday). That's a good difference from PotBS, even if physics and damage need tuning.

Funny videos: http://www.krakenrum.com/movie/

I find this kind of music really fun: https://soundcloud.com/rotator/sets/rotator-free-downloadz-oldies Also I like cooking in the Age of Salt. Hardtack and dried fishes

I think people don't advocate reversing the rudder control, but reversing it when making sternway.

a random cycle

I wouldn't call that skill, but it was the rest of my post

Same as on-ship displayed damage, except easier to read.