Port Royal

[Civrules]

I found something that might prove that the map Pirates! takes place on is much bigger than the one in the screenshot section of some previews.

This link [5th paragraph]...
<a href="http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/sidmeierspirates/preview.asp" target="_blank">http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features...tes/preview.asp</a>

...States that they sailed into Port Royal. Port Royal is a city on Hilton Head Island just barely off the coast of South Carolina, which is a pretty good distance north...

Map:
<a href="http://www.`atri-online`.org/state/images/map/south_carolina.gif" target="_blank">http://www.`atri-online`.org/state...th_carolina.gif</a>

 

[MarkQuinn]

Civ,

The Port Royal they're referring to is Port Royal, Jamaica. It was once the home of the buccaneers (Henry Morgan operated from it) and often referred to as the "wickedest city in Christendom". At it's height, with so many buccaneers bringing in spoils from the Spanish Main, it was the largest port city in the New World next to Boston. In 1692, long after the buccaneers were kicked out of Jamaica due to shifting political climates and an overall change in European attitudes towards buccaneers, the town was swallowed up by a massive underwater earthquake and the subsequent tidal waves. Now, only about a third of the town remains. Underwater archeology teams back in the 60s were still able to reach their hands into the sand and bring up gold pieces and valuable artifacts. Today, the Jamaican board of tourism wants to bring in investors to create a kind of Disney World for adults based on the fascinating history of that once tumultuous pirate haven. This has been in the works for a few years now and I have not read updates for some time. If you can find some links (I have none) you will see some ofthe concept art for this theme attraction looks very interesting indeed.

But Civ, you will find when playing Pirates! that Port Royal, at least in most eras, will be one of your main bases of operation. The predominant winds will blow from east to west, making it hard to travel parallel with the Spanish Main. But travelling north and south from Port Royal to the various towns on what is now the northern coast of South America (Maracaibo, Santa Marta, Gibraltar, etc.) will prove to be very profitable for you.

<img src="http://publish.hometown.aol.com/markquinn2k3/images/newquinn01.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

 

[Civrules]

Aha! Maybe I should also have looked at other cities with the same name. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> Also playing the original Pirates! would have helped too.

TY for the info though. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />

 

[sundog]

<!--QuoteBegin-MarkQuinn+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarkQuinn)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->But Civ, you will find when playing Pirates! that Port Royal, at least in most eras, will be one of your main bases of operation. The predominant winds will blow from east to west, making it hard to travel parallel with the Spanish Main. But travelling north and south from Port Royal to the various towns on what is now the northern coast of South America (Maracaibo, Santa Marta, Gibraltar, etc.) will prove to be very profitable for you.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That brings up a question. I haven't read anything about it in the previews, but I'm curious if they will model the effects of trade winds as they did in the original game. It was a real pain tacking into the wind when heading east, but it did cause some strategic planning as to where you would go and what ships you would take with you. When heading to eastern ports, I left my slow square riggers behind and only traveled in sloops.

 

[Civrules]

Well, there is, after all, an instrument in the game that tells you from where the wind is blowing. And I doubt they just put it in there just for nothing. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />