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Firedrill?

O

OddjobXL

Landlubber
I don't quite get how firedrills work. I've taken down my sails and tried to reload my cannons but I'm very unclear if that's what ejecting the cartridges means. How do you get the fires to stop?! I do have the basic ship defense skill.

Secondly, I think I saw somewhere that one could disable corpses so you could move through them. Having bodies clogging up corridors isn't good.

Lastly, the bonus question, what's causing one of my NPC officers to wander around like a regular NPC in towns? He doesn't follow me but will respond with a dialogue screen if I can catch up to him. Ended up just loading an older save game so I could get him back.

Thanks!
 
<!--quoteo(post=225677:date=Dec 13 2007, 12:57 AM:name=OddjobXL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OddjobXL @ Dec 13 2007, 12:57 AM) [snapback]225677[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I don't quite get how firedrills work. I've taken down my sails and tried to reload my cannons but I'm very unclear if that's what ejecting the cartridges means. How do you get the fires to stop?! I do have the basic ship defense skill.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You perform a fire drill by pressing the "C" key, similar to taking a healing potion on land.
Yes, you normally need basic ship defense for this.

However, this can be changed, as can other parts of the fire drill mod.
In the InternalSettings.h file you will see these lines:<!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1-->#define FIREDAMAGE                2            // INT - Stock firedamage is multiplied by this. 1 = original value, disables whole mod; 0 = no fires.
#define FIRETIME                3            // INT - Stock burningtime of shipfires is multiplied by this factor. 1 = original value, 0 = no fires.
#define GUN_DOUSING                0        // BOOL - Set to 0 and gun cartridges will NOT be jettisoned during firedrill
#define FD_REQUIRE_DEFENSE            1            // BOOL - Should fire drill require captains with Basic Ship Defense skill. 1 = yes, 0 = no.
#define AI_FIREDRILL_CHANCE            0.07        // FLOAT - chance each round for AI to do firedrill if burning. Modded by skill.
#define FIREKILLCH_BASE                0.005        // FLOAT - base chance of kill ship from fire
#define FIREKILLCH_HP_MIN            0.5            // FLOAT - kill will not happen unless HP < this * baseHP
#define FIREKILLCH_MAXCH            0.1            // FLOAT - max chance
#define FIREKILLCH_MINCH            0.001        // FLOAT - min chance
#define FIREKILLCH_HP_RAT_PWR        0.5            // FLOAT - power to HP ratio<!--c2--></div><!--ec2-->

You will be most interested in the first 4 lines.
You can also turn off Fire drill all together in the BuildSettings.h file in this line:<!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1-->#define ENABLE_FIREDRILL    1
    // This mod allows the ability to attempt to put out more dangerous fires on ships
    // Shipfires started by bombs (or balls) do more damage and burn longer
    // More refined settings for this can be found in InternalSettings.h
    // 0: Stock PotC, no firedrill possible and fires are minor
    // 1: Dangerous fires, and your crew can extinguish them if you press the "Extinguish" key<!--c2--></div><!--ec2-->

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Secondly, I think I saw somewhere that one could disable corpses so you could move through them. Having bodies clogging up corridors isn't good.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Basic corpse mode is set up in BuildSetting.h as well with ...
#define CORPSEMODE

But for boarding, you can fine tune it in InternalSettings.h with ...
#define AUTOLOOT_BOARDINGS
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Lastly, the bonus question, what's causing one of my NPC officers to wander around like a regular NPC in towns? He doesn't follow me but will respond with a dialogue screen if I can catch up to him. Ended up just loading an older save game so I could get him back.
Thanks!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Can't help with that one, but I'm sure someone will come along with an answer. What build version are you using?
 
I also have that officer problem thing. Sometimes officers just partly forget they're your officers. Not sure why or how. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":wacko:" border="0" alt="wacko.gif" />

For the corpsemode: If you set CORPSEMODE 1 and AUTOLOOT_ON 1, corpses will not obstruct walking, but you do get automatic loot from them. In Build 14, corpse will not obstruct walking anymore, but you can still loot them.
 
You can loot corpses? Who knew? I tried once by hitting the action key and the only option I got was the "talk" to them. "Who do you think you are, Hamlet?" <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Well, good. Got some food for thought here. Thanks again!
 
Just to be absolutely certain I waded back through my manual and reviewed the "readme" files in the game's folder. There's nothing about "C" for health potions (or firedrills for that matter) or "T" for looting corpses! Hmm. Seems to me that a possible menu option to help out other newbies playing the PA! Build mod might be a little button that would lead to a very short FAQ about critical information along these lines. I'd limit it to topics that don't require editing files (with the possible exception of a description of autoloot and disabling corpses - as this seems critical and should probably be the default setting).

Another question I have along these very basic, newbie, lines is about storms and tornadoes/water spouts. What am I supposed to be doing to minimize damage here? Nothing at all in the manual or readmes about this!

Thanks again. Love this game but have alot of questions.
 
<!--quoteo(post=225794:date=Dec 13 2007, 08:07 PM:name=OddjobXL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OddjobXL @ Dec 13 2007, 08:07 PM) [snapback]225794[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just to be absolutely certain I waded back through my manual and reviewed the "readme" files in the game's folder. There's nothing about "C" for health potions (or firedrills for that matter) or "T" for looting corpses! Hmm. Seems to me that a possible menu option to help out other newbies playing the PA! Build mod might be a little button that would lead to a very short FAQ about critical information along these lines. I'd limit it to topics that don't require editing files (with the possible exception of a description of autoloot and disabling corpses - as this seems critical and should probably be the default setting).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The Buildinfo folder has many readme files for various mods.
The Captain's Challenge readme.txt explains the use of on land "potion" key for use in firedrill.
I guess a central location for all this data might be nice, but for all I know, it might even exist somewhere in the build files.
Also, the thing about key assignment is that much of it can be changed by player anyway.
I'm sure that is described in some readme somewhere, but yeah, I guess it can be very confusing.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Another question I have along these very basic, newbie, lines is about storms and tornadoes/water spouts. What am I supposed to be doing to minimize damage here? Nothing at all in the manual or readmes about this!

Thanks again. Love this game but have alot of questions.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not Disney, Bethesda, nor even Akella, gave us this info.
Players, through playing the game, and sharing here on message boards, have found out that all you can do is ride out the storms. some people think that hull damage can be minimized by steering into or with the wind, but others disagree.
One thing we do know is that lowering your sails immediately upon entering a storm, will minimize sail damage.
 
In my limited experience that seems to bear out. I tried steering into the wind as I remembered that much from "Perfect Storm" at least. No real effect that I could tell. I guess you buy the skill to reduce damage if it's really a problem. Right now I've got a couple "prize" captains (low level first officer types) and that's one of the first abilities I pick up for them.

Edit: Just wanted to say that I'm having a blast. Every time I discover something new it's a rush. Two other things I might include in such an orientation FAQ would be about equipping the NPCs (didn't realize you could do that for the longest time - the interface in this game is just so quirky) and that secondary ships can have full rosters of officers themselves. I'm really tempted to go attack a French city and bring along a horde of cutthroats via the "I'll need some more men" option in the crew quarters. And all the models in this game for both characters and ships are great! Such variety. Currently have two brigs, one pirate (my flagship) and one French. We just tear things up. Even land combat is growing on me. Someone recognised me as a pirate (from the one time I accidentally raised what I thought was my own flag - turned out to be a pirate flag - in combat). My two tougher crewmen were with me and we battled our way outside the town at night. I'll never forget glancing back, after we'd broken through the lines to dockside, to see Huon firing off a couple of rounds in parting at a gaggle of garrison troops chasing us under the moonlight.

I'm a fickle and well-versed, even jaded, gamer but PoTC with ya'll's Build mod is a thing of beauty (if a bit quirky and obtuse to a newbie at first).
 
try getting 'storm helmsman'. that knocks off 40% damage from storms, which is a big difference. a new readme file for the game is in the works, i've heard. let's hope it get's finished soon.

don't get too confident in your ships! sure, brigs are great, but there's a limit to what they can take. your next step up would be either a better brig type or a corvette type. try going to the Falaise de Fleur governor! he'll have something interesting for you.
 
Storm Helmsman - that's the skill I was talking about. It makes a huge difference! Maybe too much of one. I don't really worry about storms that much now. In fact, there's a temptation to sail into them just to vacuum up all those free experience points for my crew. Also, sometimes I don't see stormclouds on the strategic map but end up in a storm anyhow when I go from the map to shipboard perspective. Wiped me out once as I thought I was getting into a simple fight but ended up in a massive storm and a fight (before I had Storm Helmsman).

Yeah, I'm sure there are better ships. I swear this game is like Christmas every day. New ships, new loot, new crew, new outfits. I've gotten in the habit of touring new ships we take just to see what they look like and if they have different rooms inside (and to poke through containers for goodies on the deck or in the crew quarters). I had a light merchant of some kind for a while, it had a nice little coat of arms on the side and elevated fo'csle and, um, aft'csle? Really cool looking but way too slow. Can't wait to see what else is out there for me to find!

Plowing through the main quest but constantly sidetracked. So many little things to try out and busy work (but fun in its own way) to do to keep my tiny fleet afloat.

Once I go through the main story I'll probably experiment with different approaches to the game. Maybe a hardcore pirate, maybe a peaceful merchant - oh, and what about those poisoned weapons and blackjacks? Maybe an assassin with a tiny crew and a fast ship? I wonder how much of a living I could make that way as a bodyguard and mugger?

Seriously, I can't wait to get home and play. Haven't felt that way about a game for a while now.
 
there IS a fairly big assasination mission. you'll find it, eventually.

the rear is usually called the quarterdeck, with the poop deck above it. the schooner has a quarter deck, i think. but maybe it's called a half deck because the ship's fairly small. but FAST that it is! try getting yourself a pirate designed fast schooner and start using realistic sailing mode. that's awesome! my log will account in the near future of my experiences with one.

you got ourself into a storm because the storm icon was still showed in the upper corner. it's only safe to battle if it's not there, otherwise you're still in range of the storm.
 
<!--quoteo(post=225854:date=Dec 14 2007, 11:30 AM:name=OddjobXL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OddjobXL @ Dec 14 2007, 11:30 AM) [snapback]225854[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->... I had a light merchant of some kind for a while, it had a nice little coat of arms on the side and elevated fo'csle and, um, aft'csle? Really cool looking but way too slow. Can't wait to see what else is out there for me to find!
...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sounds like the Light Caravel, one of my favorites. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":))" border="0" alt="smile2.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=225794:date=Dec 14 2007, 02:07 AM:name=OddjobXL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OddjobXL @ Dec 14 2007, 02:07 AM) [snapback]225794[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just to be absolutely certain I waded back through my manual and reviewed the "readme" files in the game's folder. There's nothing about "C" for health potions (or firedrills for that matter) or "T" for looting corpses! Hmm. Seems to me that a possible menu option to help out other newbies playing the PA! Build mod might be a little button that would lead to a very short FAQ about critical information along these lines. I'd limit it to topics that don't require editing files (with the possible exception of a description of autoloot and disabling corpses - as this seems critical and should probably be the default setting).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->There's three Build Readme files in the buildinfo subfolder which are all definitly worth a read. Also be sure to check out <i>Default Key Assignments.txt</i> in that same folder. I do think it would be nice to have one proper manual for the modpack, but it's not going to be made unless somebody makes it. (Hint, hint <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> )

<!--quoteo(post=225834:date=Dec 14 2007, 03:41 PM:name=Morgan Terror)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Morgan Terror @ Dec 14 2007, 03:41 PM) [snapback]225834[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->a new readme file for the game is in the works, i've heard. let's hope it get's finished soon.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Correction: A new Readme file WAS in the works. Several times even. People have started on them, but never finished. As far as I know, nobody is working on them right now. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/unsure.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":?" border="0" alt="unsure.gif" />

<!--quoteo(post=225854:date=Dec 14 2007, 05:30 PM:name=OddjobXL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OddjobXL @ Dec 14 2007, 05:30 PM) [snapback]225854[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, sometimes I don't see stormclouds on the strategic map but end up in a storm anyhow when I go from the map to shipboard perspective.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Keep an eye on the "storm icon" on the 3D worldmap. That will show when you'd enter a storm or not.

<!--quoteo(post=225889:date=Dec 15 2007, 12:21 AM:name=Petros)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Petros @ Dec 15 2007, 12:21 AM) [snapback]225889[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sounds like the Light Caravel, one of my favorites. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":))" border="0" alt="smile2.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->HAHA! Yes, it would be. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />
 
Alright, I'll think about writing up - I don't know about the ultimate Read Me document, but certainly an orientation to help new players like me learn the ropes and, ah, find our sea-legs at least. But first I really need to play alot more and see what else crops up! My existing threads can serve as reminders to me about things I'd like to include should I get around to it.
 
Thanks a lot! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doff.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":doff" border="0" alt="doff.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=225960:date=Dec 15 2007, 10:21 AM:name=OddjobXL)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OddjobXL @ Dec 15 2007, 10:21 AM) [snapback]225960[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Alright, I'll think about writing up - I don't know about the ultimate Read Me document, but certainly an orientation to help new players like me learn the ropes and, ah, find our sea-legs at least. But first I really need to play alot more and see what else crops up! My existing threads can serve as reminders to me about things I'd like to include should I get around to it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Many of us here have been at it for over 3 years, and know from memory stuff that has accumulated in so many places in the build over that time.
We take it for granted that everyone else had been on this "joy ride" with us, over these years.

You would be perfect for that job. You're approach is fresh.
Your approach to the game is from the perspective of one who has never played any of the builds.
You will see what others who have never played need to know.
 
I think that would be true. What I'd need to do is cobble together a fairly clear draft and it'll be short as possible. My goal will be that the most important things should fit in easy to read type on a single page of printed paper with plenty of spacing! Don't want to intimidate other lubbers like myself. Before it's official I'd stick it up here and see what I missed or what more experienced hands think should be included.

Won't get to it soon though. I'm still enjoying the rush of playing too much to stop for long! And I'm learning the ropes as I go.

I took my laptop to work today and played while some things were processing. Ended up sticking around long after I could have left because I couldn't tear myself away from PoTC. I tried my first smuggling run out. First I walked to the lighthouse beach to meet the smugglers and they asked me where my ship was! Had to fight my way back. Lost a good navigator in the process. So I sail out of Greenford (I think that's the town's name) and make for the rendevous. Wouldn't you know it, a pair of coastal patrol craft intercept my modest convoy. A 16-gun brig and a corvette MM (what does the MM stand for?). I had a 20-gun pirate-built brig, some other kind of ship I'd never heard of before - but it's the same threat class as a brig, and a really sweet little pirate-built fast schooner. I made the schooner my flagship because my crew (aside from our dearly departed, wan and weak, navigator) are all real burly boarder types and getting to the other ship fast minimizes damage all around.

I'm wigging out because that corvette is a Class 2 ship! It's going to blow me into gobbets of icky pirate, err privateer, bits. Nevertheless, they're on top of us - I give my ships orders to engage the brig while I take on, in my schooner, the corvette. I figure I'll dance around him and avoid his guns while raking his decks with cannonballs and grapeshot. Or more likely die. Well, my gunner's a beast and their captain must have been the biggest coward on earth because after a few rounds right up the poop deck he struck his colors! We swarmed aboard. Maybe thirty or fourty of us and a subdued crew numbering four times as many. I recruited the captain straight away, as is my habit, and switched my flag to the corvette.

Next thing I know I'm peering down from the deck at duelling small ships swooping right along side me. "Fire!" Blew the snot out of the brig, the corvette's erstwhile ally, and suddenly he sees the light too and surrenders.

Wow! I'm dancing a jig. Now to make for shore and sell the contraband. But, wait...where did those sails come from? I bring up my spyglass. Coming around a spit of land are sails belonging to two French frigates and some even bigger ship! I'm dead again. Damnation! I order my subcaptains to just run for it while I try and slink in towards the lighthouse cove. Maybe I can get some of these big, rocky, islands to block me from a broadside.

The frigates are in hot pursuit of my brigs and the schooner. They're trading shots at range and my friends are so shot up they don't have a great speed advantage. The giant man-o-war wheels about and clears the island's cliff-like face just in time to catch hot iron roaring from my cannons! It's a pathetic last act of defiance on my part but I do take some solace in noting we put a hole into his mainsail. The French warship retorts with a full broadside at uncomfortably close range. Splinters and smoke and chaos on deck. We lose three cannons! But my new navigator, the Insurgente's old captain, knows how to keep this beast going - he's also a carpenter. We sweep past the massive vessel and it keeps going, unable to turn quickly, and it vanishes behind another island. Now more big guns are firing but I don't see any ships. It's the fort! Greenford fort! Just behind that spit of rock the Frenchman sailed past.

We slink away as our nemesis now has much bigger problems...

How do you stop playing a game this cool? There should be a 12-step group. Some kind of therapy?
 
Wow! That does sound cool! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/w00t.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":woot" border="0" alt="w00t.gif" />

MM stands for "Muddy Monkey". It's the person who put those ships into the game. "CT" stands for Catalina the Pirate, who made two luggers. I don't know what "VRM" stands for, but it's a very detailed model of a lugger that the Russian modders made.
 
that sounds like the french convoy blocking oxbay. it's two frigates and a battleship. one battle which will always stay in my mind was one where i defeated 7 manowars and 5 battleships with my pirate corevette. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":))" border="0" alt="smile2.gif" /> it lasted three realtime hours and i used something like 5000 cannonballs! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/piratesing.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shock" border="0" alt="piratesing.gif" /> i actually had to keep looting ammo from the other ships because i was using so much. i was pretty tired after all that.
 
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