Solved Cleaning Up the Advanced Options

[Pieter Boelen]

For Build 14 Beta 2, I'd like to go through the Advanced Options and simplify it all as much as possible.
The end result should be to not have any options that we don't need (we really DO have too many) and to have the remaining ones ordered logically from important to not important.

For this purpose, I need the input of the players on the various options to see what you think about them.
My thought on this is that I post a few options every day, post my own comments and then everybody can pitch in with their two cents.

 

[Captain Maggee]

Yep that sounds like a plan Pieter

Instead of having random options talked about keep it on a few each day then update as we go so that its easily organised... thats efficantcy

 

[Pieter Boelen]

int START_LEVEL = 1;
We can remove this. If people really want to change their starting level, the cheatmode allows you to do so ingame.

int START_MONEY = 1000;
Same as above: can be done with cheatmode.

int START_WEALTH = 500;
Same as above: can be done with cheatmode.

string NEW_MODEL = "Blaze";
string NEW_SHIP = "Lugger";
These are already not used.

bool CHOOSABLE_NEWGAMESKILLS = false;
I don't think we need this; skills on game start are fine as-is I reckon.

bool CHANGING_RELATIONS = false;
Keep this. Although it has the potential to mess up the storyline, for players preferring free play it could add to the game experience.
Must be OFF by default though.

bool AUTO_SKILL_SYSTEM = true;
Keep this. Some people might prefer the old game system. Though I'm not 100% sure if the old game system still works properly; I think it does though.
ALTERNATE IDEA: How about we make this a part of the Arcade/Realistic Game Mode switch?

int SKILLS_UP_BONUS = 35;
Keep this, unless we can come up with a default value that is so good we don't need it anymore.
ALTERNATE IDEA: Since this is a bit of a complicated-ish setting. maybe this one should be in InternalSettings.h instead?

bool SKIP_LOGOVIDEO = false;
We could lose this one. Just pressing Esc once skips all videos already anyway. And I do prefer people to see our nice PiratesAhoy! logo.

 

[Captain Maggee]

Agree with you Pieter for all of them... Think the alternate ideas for the two are the way to go though

 

[Armada]

All sensible ideas, yes.

I've just noticed that, in game, there's a blank option at the bottom of Advanced Options, with nothing in it. Was that caused by Patch 6? :?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I don't think so. However, I noticed that "Block Damage" is still in there, though I removed the setting.
So I removed the description for it now as well in my game, resulting in TWO empty spots.
Then I removed the "options" file from my game and gone are the empty spots.
Apparently the settings listed are saved and when removed are still there until all settings are fully restored to default.

 

[Armada]

Well that's annoying! Restoring options to default and then changing them back to how you need them is pretty tedious.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I know. But I don't think the empty spots do any harm, so you don't HAVE to.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

I agree with all but the changing relations and skill up bonus.

I play with changing relations on because I free play and only follow the storyline when it crosses my path. Changing relations is a nice change of pace.

I set the skill up bonus to the minimum. It slows your progression down some. Has anyone tried Black Bart's mods? They slow down progress to the point that sometimes you just aren't good enough to continue the quest.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I agree with all but the changing relations and skill up bonus.

I'm not suggesting removing either. I want to keep changing nation relations, but have it off by default; in other words: no change from what it is now.
As for the skill up bonus, I was suggesting we move it out of Advanced Options and into InternalSettings.h, but not remove it.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I have done the coding required for all the above, except this one:

bool AUTO_SKILL_SYSTEM = true;
Keep this. Some people might prefer the old game system. Though I'm not 100% sure if the old game system still works properly; I think it does though.
ALTERNATE IDEA: How about we make this a part of the Arcade/Realistic Game Mode switch?

Are we sure we want to do away with this switch altogether and link it to Arcade/Realistic Game Mode?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

int DEATHRATE = 1;
// Chance of dying(= game over) after shipwrecks and lost fights
// Choose a value between 1(certain survival) and 130(certain death)
// After survival you will be down and out, so it is a new challenge and no cheat!
We should probably keep this, but it seems a bit complicated to me. Maybe make it into an InternalSettings.h setting?
Do we agree that 1 is the best default setting and you will always survive?

bool ENABLE_WEAPONSMOD = true;
// 1: Weapons have different quality grades: from "Badly worn" to "Excellent"
// 0: Off, stock PotC
We should definitely keep this, but maybe also work it into the Realistic/Arcade game mode setting.
Arcade Game Mode = close to the original game, simplified so this would be OFF.
Realistic Game Mode, you do get this.

int IRON_MAN_MODE = 0;
// Makes the info given by spyglasses unaccurate and depending of distance
// 0: Stock PotC: Deactivate mod
// 1: Worldmap sailing, Sail To, minimap and spyglass additional information disabled
Definitely keep this; it's new! What other aspects of Realistic Game Mode should be transported to Iron Man Mode instead?

bool START_DIFF_SHIPCAP = 0;
// 1: Takes player's level and ship class into account when generating ship encounters
// 0: Encounters are completely random
I reckon we should keep this, unless we think the current situation with completely random encounters works so well it doesn't need to be turned off.
Alternate idea: arcade game mode = encounters based on player's level and ship class?

int WDMAP_SHIP_SHOW_MODE = 0;
// Determines what ships are shown on the worldmap and how
// 0: Stock PotC, all ships shown with national sail colours
// 1: All ships visible, but nationality for all but pirate hidden
// 2: No nations shown
// 3: No ships at all shown
Does anyone ever use this? I think the simple default "show everything" setting it fine enough, though I suppose the "no nations shown" setting has something to be said for it.

int SAILHO_INFOLEVEL = 2;
// Amount of info in the "sailho" screenmessage on the map
// 0: Reports only "some ship"
// 1: Adds ship group type
// 2: Adds nationality
Maybe this should be linked with above.
Alternate idea: What if we link this to Arcade and Realistic game mode again?
Arcade Game Mode: Nations shown on worldmap and full information on Sail Ho screen.
Realistic Game Mode: No nations shown on worldmap at all and Sail Ho screen only informs you that a ship was encountered, without additional information.
This would closely mimic the situation in DirectSail where you don't know what you'll encounter and have to investigate yourself first.

float COASTRAIDER_CHANCE = 0.2;
// Generates local ships in ports and around the islands. Some are local merchants, others pirates.
// 0.0 : Stock PotC, no local ships at all
// 0.1 - 0.9 : The higher that value the more pirates instead of merchants appear
I think the Build default value is fine and this setting can be removed completely.

int REDUCE_CR = 0;
// Reduce number of coastal ship groups by 1 or 2
// Helps if you encounter performance problems
// 0: No reduction - 3 groups on all islands (6 ships total)
// 1: Reduce by one group - 2 groups on all islands (4 ships total)
// 2: Reduce by two groups - 1 group on all islands (2 ships total)
Performance problems because of the coastal ships? I don't buy it. Lose this setting!

bool UPDATE_AI_ON_SEA = true;
// Coastal ships and directsail encounters Ai update
// 0 : Stock Potc
// 1 : ships change their actions according to other ships they have in visibility range
Why would you NOT want to have more intelligent ships at sea; this is definitely one of the better mods in there.
Unless we want to dumb down the AI for Arcade Game Mode.

 

[Armada]

For the 'Deathrate' option, I think there should always be a slight chance that you die, but always a greater chance of survival.
So perhaps a value of 10 or something would be better?

I definitely agree with the 'Sail Ho Info', seeing as in Realistic Mode, the player should have to figure out what nation they're encountering by looking at the different map ship models approaching.
Thanks to those, it's more like Direct Sail where you can sometimes see who you're up against by looking at the design of the ships.

Everything else is fine by me.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

You mean "everything else you agree with me above" or "everything else we should keep"?

And what about your deathrate of 10? Should that be the default and the option removed? Or made into an InternalSetting?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I definitely agree with the 'Sail Ho Info', seeing as in Realistic Mode, the player should have to figure out what nation they're encountering by looking at the different map ship models approaching.
Thanks to those, it's more like Direct Sail where you can sometimes see who you're up against by looking at the design of the ships.

What about my suggestion of not using the national mapships models in Realistic Game Mode?
Anyway, I don't think gathering the encounter nationality from the mapships is quite the same as getting it from in 3D sailing mode without the interface/spyglass telling you.
The mapships are really quite obvious; they were intentionally made to be as obvious as possible without resorting to the old toy ships.
You've got obvious colour schemes, flags, sometimes the sails and very nation-specific ship types, so gathering the nation from the mapships really isn't difficult.
Maybe the first time you play, but not after that.

 

[Armada]

Yes, sorry, I meant I agree with your suggestions.
I was proposing the DeathRate of 10 as a default value which seems fair, to me.
I mean, in reality, you wouldn't always be so lucky as to escape in a dinghy, so this at least means you can actually die, even though it's unlikely (for the sake of reducing frustration).

What about my suggestion of not using the national mapships models in Realistic Game Mode?

Ah, I must have overlooked that suggestion. Oops.
Now that you mention it, that does seem more of a realistic choice, to remove the distinctive map models in Realistic Mode.
What I would say if this were done, is to maybe allow an occasional guess at the nation in the 'Land Ho' info screen (or something like "We can't tell what flag they're flying, sir!").
That might make things a little more interesting, rather than going into a potential battle blindly.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Hmmm. Next batch up.:hmm


deathrate: No opinion. When I die or get sunk I start over from the last save.

weaponsmod: would ir be optional in realistic mode?

Iron man mode: As long as it can be deactivated so that certain battles can be completed without it. I'm thinking of the battle for Bridgetown.

start_diff_shipcap: Personally I don't think this works anyway. The ships i meet are generally similar to what I have.

ship_show: I presume that one would have a fair idea of who it was before sailing over there.

sailho: Sail ho! is all I get, so check them out carefully before deciding on where to go next. Unless I've got the best compass.

coastraider: Yeah, lose it.

reduce_cr: ditto

update_ai: Why would anyone want even dumber AI?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

What I would say if this were done, is to maybe allow an occasional guess at the nation in the 'Land Ho' info screen (or something like "We can't tell what flag they're flying, sir!").
That might make things a little more interesting, rather than going into a potential battle blindly.

That would be a whole lot more complicated to code in than just removing toggles...

weaponsmod: would ir be optional in realistic mode?

If you think it should be possible to turn off in realistic game mode, we should just keep the toggle and people can switch it independently.

Iron man mode: As long as it can be deactivated so that certain battles can be completed without it. I'm thinking of the battle for Bridgetown.

You can't change the settings in mid-game. Why would you need to anyway, especially for that particular battle? All it does is to prevent Worldmap sailing, Sail To, minimap and spyglass additional information.
Neither of those is relevant in battles, especially not scripted ones.

ship_show: I presume that one would have a fair idea of who it was before sailing over there.

I'm not sure I follow you here. If none of the ships on the worldmap show their nationality, you wouldn't know until you enter 3D sailing mode (or until the Sail Ho message tells you, provided we don't link that).
If you enter the engagement yourself, you should find yourself still at some distance from the enemy with some time to see what you're up against.

update_ai: Why would anyone want even dumber AI?

Exactly my point.

 

[Captain Maggee]

I agree with the above points made about what to keep and change

However
int WDMAP_SHIP_SHOW_MODE = 0;
// Determines what ships are shown on the worldmap and how
// 0: Stock PotC, all ships shown with national sail colours
// 1: All ships visible, but nationality for all but pirate hidden
// 2: No nations shown
// 3: No ships at all shown

How about for this one we link it with iron man, realistic and arcade? :?
- Arcade all shown
- Realistic pirates shown
- Iron man none shown
Ships should always be seen on worldmap however in my opinion

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Clarity.

I did the battle of Bridgetown last night for the first time this year. :mi

The way it works in realistic mode is that the big ships sail into the bay with the wind while your ships sit there unable to move. Then you fight it out at paint blistering range while the fort de-masts your ships. After that you find that the frigate has sailed away. "Sail to" is your last hope to keep from having to start all over again. It still took me four restarts before I got that frigate.

Is the minimap the "radar" in the compass? If so, I use that when the fractal graphic anomalies completely cover the screen so nothing at all can be seen.

Anyway, since the settings can't be changed in game, I will just use the mode that has them.


ship_show: I presume that in real life one would have a fair idea of who it was before sailing over there. Fixed it.