The Ideal Game Story

[Pieter Boelen]

In this thread I will describe the ideal pirate game as per my ideas in story-form as a player might experience it.
Feel free to post comments inbetween and use any of the ideas elsewhere.

Since I know most about the British age of sail world, despite being Dutch myself, I'll pretend the gamer starts out being British.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<b>GAME OPENING:</b>

As the game opens, you are staying at a lodging in the port of London, but you cannot pay the rent and are thrown out on the street.
It is still early morning and foggy and your first task is to find a way to a future. It is clear that your chances in Britain are remote, so you must find a ship elsewhere.
There are different ways in which you might be able to get onto a ship. You might find someone in port who will take you,
or maybe in the tavern. If it takes too long for you to find a ship, you will be drafted into the service of the Royal Navy.

Whichever route you end up finding, you will be assigned as an officer aboard a ship headed to the Caribbean.
A senior officer will teach you the ropes during the trip to the Caribbean.
If your captain was an old man and you did a good job during the tutorial, he might give his ship to you and retire upon arrival in the Caribbean.
Otherwise, if you're aboard a small ship, you could try taking the ship for yourself, but that would require gaining the sympathy of the crew.

If you were drafted into service by the Royal Navy, getting a ship will be extra-hard, because you can't just commandeer a Royal Navy ship, nor will they just give it to you.
In that case, you would be assigned as acting lieutenant, getting to sail the ship and might join in some large battles early in the game.
However, to get your own ship, you'd have to save up your salary and resign (eg. flee) in some port and get your own ship.
You could also build up your strength and try to cause a mutiny in order to take the ship for yourself.
Alternatively, you could stick with the navy until you're promoted to captain, by which time taking the ship for yourself would be rather easy.
However, it wouldn't make you popular with the British.

<i>Summary:</i>
In short, you would actually get to play how you get your ship, instead of just getting one completely for free.
If you do a good job in getting yourself aboard a small ship, it'll be relatively easy to start for yourself without angering anyone.
If you don't manage this and are drafted into service, it becomes a lot harder to get your own ship, but when you do, you do have a BIG ship.
But you'd also immediately be hated by the British. Unless you decide to go the full legal navy way.

[ More coming later... ]

 

[Pieter Boelen]

<b>GAME WORLD:</b>
The game world would contain the Caribbean, accurately modeled, including Latin America, with all the islands and towns resembling their real-life historical counterparts.
Additionally, there would be one major port and town of each nation in the home countries, and the main non Europe/Caribbean ports would also be present:
- One Northern African port, with coastline
- The Cape of Good Hope
- Indonesia
- India
- Cape Horn
- Tahiti
- Pitcairn

There would be completely free sail in the Caribbean area and for the other destinations, you would sail there by telling an officer to set a course there.
There would be limited free sail around each of these areas, but if you go too far away, an officer will come and ask you where you want to go now.

To be able to make such long voyages, you'd be needing a chart of the area, which wouldn't be too easy to come by in the Caribbean.
As such, setting up a long expedition would be fairly challenging and you would only do that a few times in one game or so.

Within the Caribbean, you could sail around at random and discover all the islands yourself and draw your own map, but by buying maps,
the cheaper ones would be incomplete and inaccurate, you could also discover the various islands.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<b>SAILING FROM ISLAND TO ISLAND:</b>

Sailing from island to island would be done either in 3D sailing mode, where you control your ship yourself (think DirectSail),
but this would take a long time. Alternatively, you can switch to on-deck sailing mode where you can tell the helmsman to set a certain course, which you would decide based on your present position and the chart you have available.

As such, you would need to be able to establish your position. This happens automatically while you're in sight of land, but out of sight of land, you would need a sextant, chronometer and the books required for a star sight to be able to fix your position.
Additionally, your own or a navigation officer's navigation skill would decide the accuracy of the position.
This would mean that as long as you don't have the proper equipment, you'd need to stay near land to prevent getting lost,
but you could also sail around in the hopes of finding land elsewhere. If you do find land, it will be added to your map.

 

[Short Jack Gold]

Which time period to you intend this to be?
Or would it be selectable? (variations on the story line required as the "enemy" would vary to maintain reasonable accuracy).

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I would suggest having the choice of at least two time periods:

1) Golden Age of Piracy: Not too much navy influence in the Caribbean and no United States of America; being a pirate is relatively easy. Spain would be the #1 superpower in the Caribbean.

2) Colonial Powers: The United States of America make their appearance in the game and there's rather a lot of navy influence,
with the various countries battling over the ownership of the world.

You would be able to select this prior to starting the game.
Additionally you would be able to select:
- Character name and model
- Difficulty level
- Nationality
- Character type (eg. good at fighting/navigating/sea battles/etc.)

 

[Thomas the Terror]

It would be nice to have Europe/Africa and the America/Caribbean in-game. A lot of the intercontinental trade was based on this trading-triangle: sail from Europe with beads, thingies, wood, bricks (building materials for forts and settlements) get slaves and ivory from Africa, sail to America/Caribbean, sell the slaves, buy sugar, cotton and tabacco and sail back to Europe. A lot of pirates did the same thing, but then for pirating these same merchants <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />.

 

[Short Jack Gold]

<!--quoteo(post=311798:date=Apr 8 2009, 11:18 AM:name=Thomas the Terror)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thomas the Terror @ Apr 8 2009, 11:18 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311798"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It would be nice to have Europe/Africa and the America/Caribbean in-game. A lot of the intercontinental trade was based on this trading-triangle: sail from Europe with beads, thingies, wood, bricks (building materials for forts and settlements) get slaves and ivory from Africa, sail to America/Caribbean, sell the slaves, buy sugar, cotton and tabacco and sail back to Europe. A lot of pirates did the same thing, but then for pirating these same merchants <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not sure about the slaves. I think we would run foul of the PC brigade. (not good for a publishable game).
I know it's history, but it has become somewhat unacceptable history.

 

[Peter Willemoes]

Very close to the dreams of a game, that I wish to be able to play one day, Pieter <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

[zorglub]

<!--quoteo(post=311791:date=Apr 8 2009, 11:34 AM:name=Pieter Boelen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pieter Boelen @ Apr 8 2009, 11:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311791"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>GAME OPENING:</b>

As the game opens, you are staying at a lodging in the port of London<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Err... not my type of 'ideal pirate game'... unless you play Captain Thorpe of 'the Sea Hawk'! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
You should have the choice to start at different places/countries. That's a must.

About your game world Pieter, I think you're going too fast, it looks too big to me. I would rather stick on what have been said before : game centered on the carribean, but with the North Atlantic up to Europe, with small parts of Africa, North America & Brasil as well - that would enhance the gameplay a lot, and stay feasable. If you want to add the whole world, it'll end up really to inacurate, or too much job.
But of course I understand you're talking about an ideal, theorical game.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

<!--quoteo(post=311800:date=Apr 8 2009, 05:36 PM:name=Short Jack Gold)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Short Jack Gold @ Apr 8 2009, 05:36 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311800"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Not sure about the slaves. I think we would run foul of the PC brigade. (not good for a publishable game).
I know it's history, but it has become somewhat unacceptable history.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Add just Ivory in the stock game and add the slaves in the mods.
As far as I'm concerned, they SHOULD be there; at least eventually. I'd like it if the game world were pretty much historically correct.
Apart from the mermaids (more coming later... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/razz.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="razz.gif" /> ).

 

[Pieter Boelen]

<!--quoteo(post=311839:date=Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM:name=a simple virtual sailor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (a simple virtual sailor @ Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311839"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Err... not my type of 'ideal pirate game'... unless you play Captain Thorpe of 'the Sea Hawk'! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Soon, very soon, that movie will finally be coming near me, so then I'll FINALLY know what you're talking about here! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/razz.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="razz.gif" />

<!--quoteo(post=311839:date=Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM:name=a simple virtual sailor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (a simple virtual sailor @ Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311839"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You should have the choice to start at different places/countries. That's a must.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I won't deny that! Different openings would be best, and certainly a Dutch player shouldn't need to start in London as well.
I was just suggesting to actually enable you to PLAY the history of the main character, rather than just being dropped in a random port with a ship without knowing how you even managed to get a ship.
And I thought it would be fun if, right at the beginning of the game, you'd have multiple ways of getting yourself a ship, each offering a completely different beginning to your carreer.

<!--quoteo(post=311839:date=Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM:name=a simple virtual sailor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (a simple virtual sailor @ Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311839"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->About your game world Pieter, I think you're going too fast, it looks too big to me. I would rather stick on what have been said before : game centered on the carribean, but with the North Atlantic up to Europe, with small parts of Africa, North America & Brasil as well - that would enhance the gameplay a lot, and stay feasable. If you want to add the whole world, it'll end up really to inacurate, or too much job.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I wasn't suggesting adding the whole world; that IS unreasonable! And impossible too.
<i>There would be limited free sail around each of these areas, but if you go too far away, an officer will come and ask you where you want to go now.</i>
So there would be the <i>whole</i> Caribbean and just a couple of areas outside the Caribbean. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

<!--quoteo(post=311839:date=Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM:name=a simple virtual sailor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (a simple virtual sailor @ Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311839"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->But of course I understand you're talking about an ideal, theorical game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Yeps. Though the better and more realistic ideas might eventually be used somewhere. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="dunno.gif" />

 

[Short Jack Gold]

<!--quoteo(post=311845:date=Apr 8 2009, 01:11 PM:name=Pieter Boelen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pieter Boelen @ Apr 8 2009, 01:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311845"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=311839:date=Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM:name=a simple virtual sailor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (a simple virtual sailor @ Apr 8 2009, 07:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=311839"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You should have the choice to start at different places/countries. That's a must.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I won't deny that! Different openings would be best, and certainly a Dutch player shouldn't need to start in London as well.
I was just suggesting to actually enable you to PLAY the history of the main character, rather than just being dropped in a random port with a ship without knowing how you even managed to get a ship.
And I thought it would be fun if, right at the beginning of the game, you'd have multiple ways of getting yourself a ship, each offering a completely different beginning to your carreer.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Isn't that what we said? Each country would have it's own starting town and port.
The dialog and initial action would be very similar in each case.
The Nationality that the player selects to play as, would determine which Town and Country, and the basic start (tutorial, explanation bit etc.) would be similar for all.
Then the game would vary according to nation.

Pieter just selected English as the example for his story I thought (?)

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Exactly. That's what I... tried to say with "Since I know most about the British age of sail world, despite being Dutch myself, I'll pretend the gamer starts out being British."

 

[Keith]

Tying the US in without it looking cheap is a good idea for sales.

Also having the traditional option is good for the rest of us <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

I like the idea of the expedition but going to Indonesia and Pictairn seems a bit vague to most noob players, I would think some of the more traditional home ports like Madrid, London and so on. You may be able to tie it into some kind of retirement estate at the end of the game, or looking for a suitable wife, sort of a sub challenge.

No, I don't mean dancing!!!

 

[Peter Willemoes]

- One Northern African port, with coastline
Yes please, and let it be Algier, the key to the Mediteranean. Imagine the possibilities of true corsairs and barbarians, raiding the loaded ships along the coastline. Paying the Algerian Dey (sultan) would let the barbarians off the hook and the ships pass, for gold. Scary and dangereous situation for every nation, trying to deal with him. The misplaced turkish xebec in the caribbean, would fit in here!

- The Cape of Good Hope
Good one. Dangerous waters, cliffs, storms - and raiders, waiting for the ships to wreck along the coast!

- Indonesia
I know why. Dutch possessions and interests.

- India
YES! And include Ceylon, a truly wanted and battled-for strategic posession, the key to rich and fortune for every nation. The Brits won that fight, but France was in the game, too.

- Cape Horn
Storms. Wrecks. Lost ships and more mysteries about their disappearance in old times, than the Sargossa ever was.

- Tahiti
Pass. Dutch colony?

- Pitcairn
Aheheh. Yes, Mr.Fletcher could indeed be found here <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Since I know most about the British age of sail world, despite being Dutch myself, I'll pretend the gamer starts out being British.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hope you know more than me. Your forts in West-Africa was almost as big and powerfull as the British forts, we were under your shade - and payed for it deerly at times. Because we could not assign so many soldiers as you could. And this is kind of a mystery to me.
If somebody have a clue about, how the Dutch - a rather small nation - accomplished to achieve and remain powerfull in these colonies, I would like to hear from you, please. Because I dont have a clue!
Your country matched our size and numbers, dont get how you got so many soldiers to remain powerfull all over the world.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Not quite sure; I think we used to have a pretty good bunch of seafaring people and good ships too.

 

[zorglub]

Aren't you forgeting Portugal, PeterWillemoes? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Peter's referring to the locations I suggested in my second post in this thread. Portugal would be included in "one major port and town of each nation in the home countries".

 

[zorglub]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Peter's referring to the locations I suggested in my second post in this thread. Portugal would be included in "one major port and town of each nation in the home countries".<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->...and that wouldn't be enough at all! At one point Portugal was the only European power present from Africa to Japan.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

At one point Spain was the main superpower in the world. And then Holland. And then England. And then the United States.
Each of the nations were the main power in the world at some point in history. Should the ideal pirate game get dozens of cities of each nation outside the Caribbean?

When we're talking REALLY ideal, then of course it should. There should be the WHOLE world represented!
My above suggestion was because I wanted to be at least somewhat realistic;
the Caribbean + one major non-Caribbean port of each nation + some additional points of interest should at least be somewhat doable. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="dunno.gif" />

 

[Peter Willemoes]

What that chinese onlinegame - licensing the storm engine, dont remember its name - did, was to create the caribbean as the world with anchorpoints like australia/asia, europe, the middle terrainean as islands. The enomous coastlines were really made of long, thin islands with nothing behind those shores and bays, leading to the harbours. But it created a nice illusion.