Major breakthrough with Akella

Dashui · Jan 1, 2008

Phew! Now that I got that off my chest...

...how about that City of Abandoned Ships? Is anyone else looking forward to it? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Pieter Boelen · Jan 1, 2008

I'm with Dashui on this one. Fake until proven otherwise. I would kindly request discussion to move back to PotC, AoP and City of Abandoned Ships now. I'm most certainly interested in the game the Russians are working on.

So now the main question is, with the Russians' previous message, what will we tell them now? Thoughts please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Dashui · Jan 1, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pieter Boelen @ Jan 1 2008, 12:07 PM) [snapback]229914[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>I'm with Dashui on this one. Fake until proven otherwise. I would kindly request discussion to move back to PotC, AoP and City of Abandoned Ships now. I'm most certainly interested in the game the Russians are working on.

So now the main question is, with the Russians' previous message, what will we tell them now? Thoughts please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /></div>

Well, let them know we're interested in working on modifications for City of Abandoned Ships, and any advice, help, or tools would be greatly appreciated. I guess that's the basic thing to tell them.

And maybe a little something about if they ever plan to make expansion packs or add-ons, which they made several that never got released outside of Russia, that we are a very active and devoted community that would love to have those released in the States or internationally. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> After all, the community came together to mod Pirates of the Caribbean since it's release, and after four years they're still strong and working together to make the best naval/pirate experience possible. That's dedication, and dedication you don't often see elsewhere. We're here, alive, we buy your games, and we don't want to miss out on anything!

morgan terror · Jan 1, 2008

seems like a good backbone for it, yes. and those screenshots are indeed very suspicious.

Peter Willemoes · Jan 1, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pieter Boelen @ Jan 1 2008, 07:07 PM) [snapback]229914[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>...
So now the main question is, with the Russians' previous message, what will we tell them now? Thoughts please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kazeite @ Dec 30 2007, 05:09 PM) [snapback]228760[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>...
Now, mr Zaitzev has asked for list of our problems:
Of course, for me it's the lack of knowledge. If I could just get some sample ship in Maya 5.0 format, ready to be exported, I think I could learn to export them myself by examining how it's rigged, etc.

So, we need to know how to set up ship for exporting in Maya 5.0.</div>

That, and all the tools available for editing the original PotC game (Storm 2.0) in order to complete our goal, making a final, stable version of the Build for PotC.
Knowledge on how to port the Build over to Storm 2.8 and all available tools necessary to edit the Storm 2.8 engine.

We should only support the 2.8 engine, if we get ALL the tools he have. In case there is a clausule or a Disclosure Agreement on these tools, we should be able to explain, how we would manage to not let these tools slip out in the public.

What we can offer is the stuff in the Build, made by those modders who have stated, that their work can be used with a commercial purpose. And, of course, quest-making along with other stuff, I am not aware of.

Thats what I can think of right now - feel free to shoot at first sight on this <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Thomas the Terror · Jan 1, 2008

make a special ftp. And only the members who work on it get acces with a username and password.

Pieter Boelen · Jan 1, 2008

How do we do that without being able to contact our admins though?

Dashui · Jan 1, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PeterWillemoes @ Jan 1 2008, 02:56 PM) [snapback]230018[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pieter Boelen @ Jan 1 2008, 07:07 PM) [snapback]229914[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>...
So now the main question is, with the Russians' previous message, what will we tell them now? Thoughts please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kazeite @ Dec 30 2007, 05:09 PM) [snapback]228760[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>...
Now, mr Zaitzev has asked for list of our problems:
Of course, for me it's the lack of knowledge. If I could just get some sample ship in Maya 5.0 format, ready to be exported, I think I could learn to export them myself by examining how it's rigged, etc.

So, we need to know how to set up ship for exporting in Maya 5.0.</div>

That, and all the tools available for editing the original PotC game (Storm 2.0) in order to complete our goal, making a final, stable version of the Build for PotC.
Knowledge on how to port the Build over to Storm 2.8 and all available tools necessary to edit the Storm 2.8 engine.

We should only support the 2.8 engine, if we get ALL the tools he have. In case there is a clausule or a Disclosure Agreement on these tools, we should be able to explain, how we would manage to not let these tools slip out in the public.

What we can offer is the stuff in the Build, made by those modders who have stated, that their work can be used with a commercial purpose. And, of course, quest-making along with other stuff, I am not aware of.

Thats what I can think of right now - feel free to shoot at first sight on this <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
</div>

Might be a little late to offer stuff in the Build Mod, though, for a commercial purpose. I mean, the game is already complete, and even released in Russia. They're just translating it now and it could be out anywhere from this month to March. Expansion packs, maybe, but they've never released those outside of Russia so far.

I don't think we should demand they give us all the tools or we won't mod for it, though (that is, if that's what you meant to tell them; if it was just an opinion, then I apologize for the mistake). That seems a little arrogant and rude, no offense. Asking for them politely, without the threat, is probably a little better. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

That's probably the most we can do, really, ask politely if we could have the necessary mod tools. Of course, even if we don't get them, or all of them, look how far this community has come without the professional tools for Pirates of the Caribbean. They seem willing to share, anyways, but even if they didn't, I'm sure everyone here could make some incredible new material.

What if we do get the tools, either just for City of Abandoned Ships or both, what would the plans be? Finish Build 14 and leave it at that and then start work on a new Build Mod for the new game? Or will we, can we, work on both at the same time?

Kazeite · Jan 1, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dashui @ Jan 1 2008, 06:01 PM) [snapback]229884[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>(...)
For example, they claim this is real:

<img src="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x208/Creative-Sparks/Pirate%20Simulator/battleatnight2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

As well as this:

<img src="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x208/Creative-Sparks/Pirate%20Simulator/battleatnight.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>

The first one is a screenshot from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_(2005_film)" target="_blank"><i>Pirates!</i> porn movie</a> (Yes. pirates porn movie <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> ), and second one is a cropped <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:700215h.jpg" target="_blank">cover</a> from aforementioned movie.

Just FYI <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :rolleyes:

" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

Dashui · Jan 1, 2008

Holy crap, are you serious? They were claiming that those were real screenshots of their game in their forums. Just looking at their gallery (as I said before, their official gallery page is a freaking photobucket page), you can tell it's a fake project, as they're all CG images of varying quality, many shamelessly stolen from other sources. It's funny to know exactly where those two images came from, though.

morgan terror · Jan 1, 2008

having the proper tools would open many new possibilities. that's why we need them. the real sophisticated stuff which involves collision detection, such as making entirely new ships and locations, is something we can't do. anything that needed that was taken from the russians.

zorglub · Jan 1, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PeterWillemoes @ Dec 29 2007, 11:04 AM) [snapback]228353[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>Hi all,
I finally had a reply from Zaitzev.

Dear Anders,

First hello and Mary Christmas. I regret, but I could not answer you earlier. I've really very borrowed.

Shortly about our team. AlexusB and I have finished add'on "Sea Legend is Back" three years ago. Company Akella has suggested us to transfer add'on on engin Storm 2.5 and to publish game in Russia. We have agreed. Game "Corsairs: Return to the Legend" has gone on sale in February, 2007. It was our first commercial project and it became very successful. Now we already have prepared for new game "City of Abandoned Ships" for translation into the West.

I have closely read through about directions of your works in your Build, but is compelled to disappoint you in some aspects.

1.Storm has restriction of quantity of poligons at loading one location. If this restriction to break, the engin will work astably. For navigation from island to island without an output on the map, it is necessary to load all islands at once. This repeated excess of a limit of poligons.

2. We have obverse animation in game, but to sound all dialogues to us it is not possible. It's necessary for this system of synchronization of movement of lips and to speech. The Storm engin has no it, unfortunately.

As I already spoke, I shall help you any affairs where it is possible. Therefore I ask you list the list of problems in which the help is required to you. From its part I ask support of release "City of Abandoned Ships". As I suggest you to pass to the platform "City of Abandoned Ships", Storm engin 2.8.

Unfortunately I cannot write very long. If you have any questions on "City of Abandoned Ships", I am ready to allocate the special person who will give answers.

Best Regards,
Edward Zaitsev.</div>

Reading what this Edward Zaitsev wrote... it seems to me the only thing he want from us right now is to support "City of Abandoned Ships" they made. I think we should fulfil that, puting an huge advertising picture somewhere on the forum with a link to their site, and promising them that as soon as they will release it in English some of our members will buy it, test it and post their though in this forum. We can invite a member of they community to actually post some comments here in this forum, and answer questions. About us modding their add, I think we should think of that later.

Now an interesting thing was that obviously we do have something they don't have in their mods : CCC directsail! What should we do? Explain them what this really is right now, or wait? After all this mod is one of the best we have for the moment, and one that can still be very much improved too. So what?
I personally think both communities did very well by their own. We should continue that way. After all, if their willing to share some modding tools & knowledge with us, we'll be able to design massive new lands too. Which doesn't mean there shouldn't be closer cooperation at all, of course.

If I read closely what is written... Edward Zaitsev talked about helping us to solve problems, not of sharing tools. But he did said we weren't using the proper tools, so what are we supposed to understand?... Maybe we should start to ask about some concret problems. Like talking about the reverse lighting issue, and ask them how to use Maya, etc. Infos would be posted in tutorials in the Brainstorming section of this forum.

EDIT : typos + apparently too messy

Dashui · Jan 1, 2008

They don't need help translating the game. They're a professional development studio, published by Akella. They have a team designed to do that. After all, Akella did give us Pirates of the Caribbean and Age of Pirates, the previous games in the series, in English. It's a little silly to think that they need to come to a mod community to help them develop their professional game into English. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

What he's saying, it seems, is that the lip sync for the English dialog might be off, and he's just listing some limitations of the engine.

zorglub · Jan 2, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dashui @ Jan 1 2008, 07:03 PM) [snapback]230086[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>They don't need help translating the game. They're a professional development studio, published by Akella. They have a team designed to do that. After all, Akella did give us Pirates of the Caribbean and Age of Pirates, the previous games in the series, in English. It's a little silly to think that they need to come to a mod community to help them develop their professional game into English.

What he's saying, it seems, is that the lip sync for the English dialog might be off, and he's just listing some limitations of the engine.</div>Yes I know... But I wasn't talking about that at all.. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> Maybe I should rewrite my previous post to make it clear enough...
I was only asking in how many languages "City of Abandoned Ships" will be translated (YES, by themself and Akella of course). Nothing to do with us doing anything.

Pieter Boelen · Jan 2, 2008

I pretty much agree with all that's been said above. I don't have time to respond in full, but I will later. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :yes

" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

They want us to "support their game" but what do they mean by that? Do they want us to help translating? Make content for the Western release within the next couple of months, continue modding their game after its release to potentially increase sales? I don't think we want to help translating and I don't think they need us to. There's quite some content in our current Build that they would be welcome to put into the Western release, but would they want to do that? I personally wouldn't mind continuing our modding work on their game if we can figure out a way to port our good stuff over to City of Abandoned Ships once we have finished Build 14. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :rolleyes:

" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

OddjobXL · Jan 2, 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a simple virtual sailor @ Jan 1 2008, 08:46 PM) [snapback]230084[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'>[Reading what this Edward Zaitsev wrote... it seems to me the only thing he want from us right now is to support "City of Abandoned Ships" they made. I think we should fulfil that, puting an huge advertising picture somewhere on the forum with a link to their site, and promising them that as soon as they will release it in English some of our members will buy it, test it and post their though in this forum. We can invite a member of they community to actually post some comments here in this forum, and answer questions. About us modding their add, I think we should think of that later.</div>

I think this might be the right approach. Say members of the community are interested and you'd be willing to put up advertising and a forum for CoAS modders. They could have someone come here and contribute as well. Some of our modders might post on their forums too. As for the other stuff, well, that's for you guys to sort out. I'm just a stowaway. But it does look promising and you guys might be the biggest English speaking focal point for interest in the game. Good for them, good for you, and most imporantly good for me - the new engine and the old ingenuity combined makes for more good stuff for old Oddjob, I reckon. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Victor · Jan 3, 2008

Well, I'm not a frequent poster or a contributor per-say, but I read alot of the topics, and if my opinion holds any water, I agree with Pieter about not losing any contributors. As for myself, I'd rather not switch over to a new game (unless they're willing to supply said new game for free <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" /> ).

Pieter Boelen · Jan 3, 2008

Hehe. I think everybody agrees that whatever we do, we have to finish Build 14 first and have that be a proper release with all content finished and balanced. Then perhaps we could try to port our modpack to City of Abandoned Ships afterwards and continue modding on that engine.

Pieter Boelen · Jan 4, 2008

How is this for a general idea?
1) Ask them what they mean by our wanting our "support" and promise them as much as we can actually make true
2) Finish Build 14 for PotC as good as we can
3) Possibly update the PotC Build 14 engine to Storm 2.5 (AoP) or Storm 2.8 (CoAS)
4) Move on to CoAS, trying to put as much of our Build 14 content in that game as possible

If we can do this with Akella's/seaward.ru's support, we would be able to get the proper tools to fix the ships in Build 14 and make Build 14 as good as possible. Then we could try and update the Build 14 engine and graphics and make it even better. Then we can move on to CoAS and make that game better as well.

Just a thought. Need your input. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doff.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :doff

" border="0" alt="doff.gif" />

Thomas the Terror · Jan 4, 2008

I am with you.

Major breakthrough with Akella

Landlubber

Navigation Officer

Landlubber

Magnificent bastard

Corsair

Mad Pirate

Navigation Officer

Landlubber

Privateer

Landlubber

Magnificent bastard

Privateer

Landlubber

Privateer

Navigation Officer

Landlubber

Landlubber

Navigation Officer

Navigation Officer

Mad Pirate