Buccaneers! Screenshots and Videos

[Armada]

If you're wondering why we have such optimised graphics settings, here's a quick demo of the game running on an Oculus Go VR headset - powered by a mobile processor from a few years ago.
(Note that we recorded the footage on a PC running the same graphics settings with a wide-angle camera, but the game looks the same on the actual hardware.)

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=500394920565736

It's taken a lot of work to get the game running smoothly on this device without compromising visual quality, but we're quite happy with the results.
There's still more performance tuning to do, though most of our optimisations will benefit the PC and Xbox versions of the game as well, so everyone wins.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

We have no plans to include merchant ships as playable vessels at this time.

Makes sense.
Merchanting around wouldn't make for very exciting gameplay.
And I can't exactly expect everybody to get as excited for doing a noon meridian passage as me either.

What we do plan to experiment with is having merchants or trade routes on the world map that you can interact with, but without launching a full ship battle.
For example, if you chose to attack a merchant convoy, you would have a percentage chance of success based on your fleet strength and speed versus theirs. The battle would be auto-resolved in the map UI, and if you were successful, you could choose what to do with the ships (e.g. plunder and sink, or give them a crew and send them to the nearest friendly port to sell for prize money).

Once we have a working demo of this, I'll show you what it looks like in action.

Interesting concept!
I like your thinking.

It's taken a lot of work to get the game running smoothly on this device without compromising visual quality, but we're quite happy with the results.
There's still more performance tuning to do, though most of our optimisations will benefit the PC and Xbox versions of the game as well

Wow! That's impressive going, that is!!

everyone wins.

My favourite!

 

[Armada]

Makes sense.
Merchanting around wouldn't make for very exciting gameplay.

In our case, it's actually more of a logistical problem than a game design problem. Because each playable ship has so many components and systems to set up, we can only produce a limited number of unique models in a reasonable time frame, so naturally we had to be very selective.

For context, every ship model is used to create:

• A player variant
• An enemy variant
• A docked variant (for harbours and shipyards)
• A mini variant (for displaying in your cabin)

And they each have path meshes, locators for crew positions and animated guns, climbable rigging on the mainmast, colliders for physics and hit detection... you get the idea.
We also make unique cabin interiors for each ship, which we'll be showing off soon!

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

I really like what I am seeing!

And as you said, optimisation benefits everyone, so players with low end PCs will also be able to play the game.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

In our case, it's actually more of a logistical problem than a game design problem. Because each playable ship has so many components and systems to set up, we can only produce a limited number of unique models in a reasonable time frame, so naturally we had to be very selective.

Ah, gotcha!

You can always add more DLC after the initial game is released.
Get a bit (or a lot?) of extra longevity out of your hard work.

A mini variant (for displaying in your cabin)

Wait, what?
Please explain!
That sounds cool.

We also make unique cabin interiors for each ship, which we'll be showing off soon!

Clearly you've learned lessons aplenty from that dear New Horizons of ours.

 

[Armada]

Wait, what?
Please explain!
That sounds cool.

Skip to 0:39 in the latest video and look closely at the map table...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Skip to 0:39 in the latest video and look closely at the map table...

OH CRAP! THAT IS SO COOL!!!

 

[Armada]

As promised, here's a look at the unique cabin models for each of our ships:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=964800993904465

They're inspired by real designs and are pretty much 1:1 scale, though we did have to increase the amount of headroom so that very tall players won't be clipping through the deck in VR mode.
And yes, you can access the balcony on two- and three-deckers.

Right now, you can only change the paint scheme as previously mentioned, though we'd like to introduce decorations such as paintings or other things you could collect on your travels.

Which sorts of cabin do you prefer? And if you could put anything in your cabin, what would you choose?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

inspired by real designs

I trust you on that one!

pretty much 1:1 scale

But on this one, I think you need to check with The UIGS!

we did have to increase the amount of headroom so that very tall players won't be clipping through the deck in VR mode

You're TRULY walking in the footsteps of true historical ship designers, aren't you?

Right now, you can only change the paint scheme as previously mentioned, though we'd like to introduce decorations such as paintings or other things you could collect on your travels.

If and when you do add the option of adding a painting to your cabin, please make sure to include this one.

Which sorts of cabin do you prefer?

One with a comfy bed.
To sleep in peacefully and quietly.

And if you could put anything in your cabin, what would you choose?

Boat 560:

 

[Martes]

Very good cabins! A servant or an animal may liven the interior a bit, and a tea tray, if you think about what to add.

Are the tables interactive in any way? It may be nice to be able to access the navigation or ship management menus from them.

 

[Armada]

You're TRULY walking in the footsteps of true historical ship designers, aren't you?

Just humbly making adjustments where needed. Clearly the original designers didn't consider that very tall people wearing strange goggles on their heads would need to be able to fit inside virtual versions of their cabins 300 years after the ships were built. Bit of an oversight, if you ask me.

If and when you do add the option of adding a painting to your cabin, please make sure to include this one.

Any paintings we make will have to be unique for copyright reasons, but they'll be stylised anyway to fit in with the game world.
That's not so say we couldn't make an homage to existing works, of course.

Are the tables interactive in any way? It may be nice to be able to access the navigation or ship management menus from them.

The central table lets you access the world map and sail to other destinations, but the other tables don't have special purposes yet. The cabin repainting UI is next to the chest on the starboard side, but we might add some details to that so its purpose is clearer. The drawing table on the port side doesn't fit in all cabins, so we might need to make a smaller variant if we end up giving it a practical purpose.

Aside from that, you can use the port side door to go to the quarterdeck and practice using your weapons.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Just humbly making adjustments where needed. Clearly the original designers didn't consider that very tall people wearing strange goggles on their heads would need to be able to fit inside virtual versions of their cabins 300 years after the ships were built. Bit of an oversight, if you ask me.

I've once heard that supposedly people in those days were NOT actually shorter though.
I've got no clue how much truth there is to that (perhaps none), but if there IS, then that means that perhaps the original designers DID think of that.
If so, it makes me wonder why then they still ended up making things so bloody darn cramped on those ships!
Could there have been a good reason for that?

Any paintings we make will have to be unique for copyright reasons, but they'll be stylised anyway to fit in with the game world.
That's not so say we couldn't make an homage to existing works, of course.

Homage would be even better!
Looking forward already to seeing what you come up with.

 

[Armada]

If so, it makes me wonder why then they still ended up making things so bloody darn cramped on those ships!
Could there have been a good reason for that?

Perhaps it was for structural reasons (less space between decks) or to keep a lower centre of gravity, or both.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Perhaps it was for structural reasons (less space between decks) or to keep a lower centre of gravity, or both.

Both make complete and utter sense to me.

Maximum ship speed is determined by waterline length.
Maximum ship size is determined by the strength of the material.
Number of crew required is determined by the complexity of the operations, the length of the voyage and the number of expected deaths along the way.

Ship construction weight should be kept as low as possible to have the cargo carrying capacity and maximum speed as high as possible.
Centre of gravity should also be as low as possible so that the sail area can be as large and high as possible.

Add all together and:
1. Ship is made of wood, so is limited in length.
2. This vastly impacts your maximum speed.
3. This greatly impacts your voyage duration.
4. Health on board is terrible.
5. Lots of crew will die along the way.
6. You still need enough crew at the end of your voyage to complete the voyage.
7. You get ships that are smaller than is comfortable for the number of people on board.
8. Return to 5 and repeat until you have created a ship with a functional and economic balance between all factors.

Dark... isn't it?

 

[Martes]

First, don't forget most of the people were smaller then.
Even in 1930's the distance between decks on the largest battleship ever built, the Yamato, was merely 160 cm.

Second, on most of the smaller ships nobody actually was meant to stand freely inside. Well, most could stand between the deck beams, but to move you had to cower anyway. That was considered a luxury unheard of until well into 19th century. Less space = more decks = more guns = more power. Who cares if it's a little uncomfortable?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

don't forget most of the people were smaller then.

That's what I've been wondering.
Were they?
https://www.quora.com/Were-people-shorter-in-the-past
I wouldn't know. I wasn't there.

Second, on most of the smaller ships nobody actually was meant to stand freely inside. Well, most could stand between the deck beams, but to move you had to cower anyway. That was considered a luxury unheard of until well into 19th century. Less space = more decks = more guns = more power. Who cares if it's a little uncomfortable?

Exactly true.
I cannot stand up in my own boat's cabin either.
Even though she is otherwise quite a comfortable boat.

I don't mind.
If I want to stand up, that's what "outside" is for.

 

[Armada]

There's no new video this week, but we've got something special planned for Christmas, so watch this space...

In the meantime, here's a new screenshot:

Spoiler: Parrots ahoy!

There's also a teaser in that image for a new feature we haven't shown off yet (besides the parrot). Any guesses...?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

The PARROT anyway!!!

Otherwise, maybe something with those cranes?

 

[Armada]

It's something to do with the ship.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

It's something to do with the ship.

The name is appropriately chosen, of course.
But you've already shown that can be changed in-game.

Maybe you can customize the patterns on the hull?