Solved Johan Elting - Assassin quest - more trouble

[Fluen]

I'm currently playing the Assassin quest and have reached the chapter "The Alliance".

Johan is supposed to blow up a French lineship i Sao Jorge harbour. To do so he must sneak past some French guards on the deck. Unfortunately, these guards have really sharp eyes and sound the alarm everytime, I try.

Some tips on how to to get past them?

I use build 14 beta 2-1. Has it been made easier in a later build?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I use build 14 beta 2-1. Has it been made easier in a later build?

That version IS quite ancient. You should probably consider updating to the latest version; see the link in my signature!
Though I don't remember that situation being changed.

How are you trying to get through? If I recall, you need to use stealth and take absolutely ZERO damage.
You should have been given some special weapons to help you with that.
Are you using those?

 

[Grey Roger]

That bit is very hard - I've had trouble there myself!

You should have some poisoned throwing knives. Even so, hitting all the guards without triggering an alarm is tricky. Save game immediately after arriving on the ship's quarterdeck, then at least it's not so frustrating when you get caught because you don't have to go all the way back to the previous scene.

 

[Fluen]

Thank you for you pieces of advice.

After a lot of tries and re-reading of the walkthrough I finally figured, that the important thing was not to get wounded. Until then I had thought, that it was about not being discovered at all.

Concerning the guards on the top deck the third person camera is a dear friend, because it allows you to keep an eye on their patrol patterns and at the same time avoid discovery. As Grey Roger suggested a save on every deck is a good thing. Once two of the guards on the top deck went to the stern, I simply ran and made it to the hatch, before anyone got the chance to shoot at me. If only one of them went to the stern and the other stayed on the deck, I had to reload.

I wonder (but haven't tested it) if cobblestones might help, because they can knock people unconscious.

And I know, that I'm far behind concerning build versions. But I want to try all missions in this version, before I update. And somehow I've never got tired of Tales of a Sea Hawk. It's actually not until now, I've begun to play the other storylines.

 

[Grey Roger]

Once two of the guards on the top deck went to the stern, I simply ran and made it to the hatch, before anyone got the chance to shoot at me. If only one of them went to the stern and the other stayed on the deck, I had to reload.

Yes, that's how I used to do it as well. Alternatively, if you're really good at Melee, you may be able to hit the guard repeatedly and kill him before he gets a swing at you.

I wonder (but haven't tested it) if cobblestones might help, because they can knock people unconscious.

They might work, yes. On the other hand, you've been provided with poisoned throwing knives so you may as well use them.

And I know, that I'm far behind concerning build versions. But I want to try all missions in this version, before I update. And somehow I've never got tired of Tales of a Sea Hawk. It's actually not until now, I've begun to play the other storylines.

Don't worry on that account! No storylines have been removed. All the storylines which you can play in Beta 2.1 are still in Beta 4.1, including "Tales of a Sea Hawk".

 

[Fluen]

I used your piece of advice during "The Cannons of Mona". The cobblestones worked fine too, I just ran out of them and used the poisoned knives inside the fort. At one spot two soldiers guarded the back door to the fort and the leftover ether bottle worked wonders there. I just couldn't save in those placed, because the guards would be awake again, when I reloaded. At least they don't resurrect when dead.

But I think I have encountered some bug at the end of the mission "The Cannons of Mona". I've been sent to capture La Couronne from the French during the battle by Cozumel. When I return to Havanna, I have nothing to say to the vice-admiral, and he has nothing to say to me. According to the walkthrough someone should interrrupt us and take us to a Dutch attack, but nothing of that kind has happened.

I have tried several different things such as go back to the save before I was even sent to capture La Couronne - all with the same dead end result. Every time I capture La Couronne, I get the quest book update about taking the ship back to Havanna, but still the vice-admiral has nothing to say to me. Any ideas as to what might disturb the mission, and what might be done to solve this dead end?

 

[Grey Roger]

Could you post "compile.log" and "error.log" from just after the vice-admiral has failed to say anything?

 

[Fluen]

In what folder(s) are those files supposed to be?

I still haven't figured out how to do file-searches in windows 7. Compared to windows xp I seem to have fewer options.

By the way, I have been playing yet another version of Tales of a Sea Hawk, after I got stuck in Assassin. I don't know if that will affect the mentioned logs.

 

[Grey Roger]

All three log files ("compile.log", "system.log" and "error.log") should be in the top level of the game installation folder. For example, if you put the game into "C:\Games\Pirates of the Caribbean" then that's where the log files will be. They aren't in "PROGRAM", "RESOURCE" or any sub-folder of either of those.

"compile.log" and "system.log" are generated whenever you start running the game. If you stop playing, quit the game, then later restart the game and load a save game file, the log files will be generated anew. "error.log" is only generated when an error occurs; if the game is running smoothly without problems, this file won't appear. If we're to solve the problem with "Assassin" then you'll need to load a savegame from before you talked to the vice-admiral, then go and talk to him, and then post the log files. I'm expecting a problem with the vice-admiral's dialog files, in which case "error.log" should give some clue about where it is. Or you haven't done something which is needed to trigger the report, in which case "compile.log" will indicate how far you've got.

One thought. When you captured La Couronne and returned to Havana, did you personally command it or did you give it to an officer? The vice-admiral will only congratulate you on capturing the ship if you are in command of it yourself. If you've put an officer onto it, you can go to the shipyard and swap ship in the F2 -> "Ship" interface.

 

[Fluen]

No, I let another officer do the work. I have just swapped ships and have been able to continue the storyline. Thank you! *big hug*

I still can't find the mentioned files. I put the game in C:\Games\Bethesta Softworks\Pirates of the Caribbean. That folder only contains this (picture attached). The word documents are my own notes. And I have some backups of files there.
I would like to know where to find the log-files, in case I'll need them in the future.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I still can't find the mentioned files. I put the game in C:\Games\Bethesta Softworks\Pirates of the Caribbean. That folder only contains this (picture attached). The word documents are my own notes. And I have some backups of files there.
I would like to know where to find the log-files, in case I'll need them in the future.

Please check if the error logging is enabled for you:
New Horizons FAQ | PiratesAhoy!
On Build default settings, it normally should be. But you never do know....

 

[Fluen]

I've copied your instructions, Pieter.

I've finished the Oranjestad Siege and noticed, that my second xebec has gone after joining the fleet for Aruba and returning to Havana. The walkthrough doesn't mention the loss of one's second ship or suggests to berth it before talking to the Vice-admiral. Is the disappearance of that ship a bug or intended?

 

[Grey Roger]

It's due to the way that the game can only handle up to 3 companion ships. So when the fleet of 3 galleons is assigned to you, it replaces any companion ships you had active at the time.

Personally I always berth the second xebec anyway, right after I've received it. That way I still have 3 free slots for prize ships. The story assumes you'll be doing some extra privateering beyond what the plot provides - in fact, there are a couple of occasions when the vice-admiral tells you that he currently has no work for you, so you're to go off and do some raiding. If I don't have a permanent companion ship then, when I attack an enemy group, I can capture 3 ships, then sell the lot.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

It's due to the way that the game can only handle up to 3 companion ships. So when the fleet of 3 galleons is assigned to you, it replaces any companion ships you had active at the time.

Should there perhaps be a warning implemented at that point?
For example, have the governor tell you to get rid of all your ships and have him only continue after you did?

 

[Grey Roger]

That would be for @Bartolomeu o Portugues to answer. But in any case, such a revision would go into the current version of Beta 4.1 and will not show up in Beta 2.1, which is what @Fluen is using.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

But in any case, such a revision would go into the current version of Beta 4.1 and will not show up in Beta 2.1, which is what @Fluen is using.

Indeed that for sure.

 

[Fluen]

Thank you for the information. I'll just note it in the my copy of the walkthrough. My caution was based on worry if I could mess up later missions by keeping the second xebec.

Right now, I don't bother with sea battles. I have a pirate profile for that. So I use my ships for cargo missions and do benefit from the extra cargo space in my second ship.

One of the reasons for my reluctance to update my game is, that I a few years ago read the books about Horatio Hornblower (caused by your story line and my brother's fondness of the television series). I updated the list over ship names with all the names I could find in the books. I also borrowed books about lineships from the Napoleonic wars and added their names to the list as well. In addition I tidied up the list - put all names in alphabetic order and removed doubles. Right now, I simply don't want to do a comparison of my list and the list in the update.

If you want to, you can have a copy of my list. Of course I don't know if my tidying caused other problems. When I had to find and capture the French ship Joyeuse in "The Cannons of Mona", that task caused me quite a bit of wasted time, before I discovered, it had the name Belleville, when I searched for it by the coasts of Guadeloupe.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

If you want to, you can have a copy of my list.

Please upload it!

It could be that nothing really changed between Beta 2.1 and the latest Beta 4.1 WIP versions.
I suppose I could double-check that for you. If so, we can just stick your file into the next update and it'll always stick around.

Alternatively, you can "rescue" your file, install the latest update, then put your file back in.
Then you'll have your customized names in the new version.

a few years ago read the books about Horatio Hornblower (caused by your story line and my brother's fondness of the television series).

Hornblower is brilliant! Must be the ONLY example I know where the original books are brilliant, the TV series is brilliant and the really old film is brilliant too.
If you haven't seen it yet, I can certainly recommend that 1951 film "Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N.".
That is based on three of the books and has a script written by C.S. Forester, who you may recognize as he wrote the books too.

 

[Jack Rackham]

Must be the ONLY example I know where the original books are brilliant, the TV series is brilliant and the really old film is brilliant too.

Yes I like Hornblower too and have another example: John le Carre´s Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.
The book, the old film and the new film - all very good as I see it.

 

[Grey Roger]

Thank you for the information. I'll just note it in the my copy of the walkthrough. My caution was based on worry if I could mess up later missions by keeping the second xebec.

I don't know how far the "Assassin" storyline went in Beta 2.1. At least in Beta 3, later on you may lose the xebec because of a decision you make which takes you down one of two very different plots. (I don't want to spoil the fun by going into more detail.) That bit may look a bit odd if you have a second ship, which continues to accompany you as you sail off in a different ship, having left the storyline's original xebec behind. On the other hand, if you time it right and berth the original xebec (and the second one, if you still have it with you) then you can end the storyline with three xebecs!

One of the reasons for my reluctance to update my game is, that I a few years ago read the books about Horatio Hornblower (caused by your story line and my brother's fondness of the television series). I updated the list over ship names with all the names I could find in the books. I also borrowed books about lineships from the Napoleonic wars and added their names to the list as well. In addition I tidied up the list - put all names in alphabetic order and removed doubles. Right now, I simply don't want to do a comparison of my list and the list in the update.

Note that the game takes no account of period when assigning ship names, so if your names are specifically for Napoleonic era ships, don't be surprised if you then find a ship carrying one of those names while playing "Assassin" in the "Spanish Main" period.

If you want to, you can have a copy of my list. Of course I don't know if my tidying caused other problems. When I had to find and capture the French ship Joyeuse in "The Cannons of Mona", that task caused me quite a bit of wasted time, before I discovered, it had the name Belleville, when I searched for it by the coasts of Guadeloupe.

You've just found a second reason why you want to update to a more current version - the ship's name is corrected in the port admiral's briefing. (The vice-admiral failing to talk to you if you're not in command of La Couronne is another. These days, if you put the ship under the command of an officer, the vice-admiral will tell you to take personal command of it.)

If your list is a replacement for "PROGRAM\Ships\ships_name.c", it won't affect any quest ships. Their names are defined in the storylines or side quests which use them. For example, the Belleville in the "Assassin" story does not get its name from the list, but from the captain's character definition in "PROGRAM\Storyline\Assassin\characters\init\TempQuest.c".