Mod Release Quartermaster divide the plunder

[pedrwyth]

It has been a long time coming

2005 - I did the Baldwyn Coffier quest yesterday and realized, unless I'm missing something, how utterly useless the guy is. After you hire him for vast sums of money, the only dialog option is to say you mistook him for someone else. I thought it'd make perfect sense for your purser to be able to divide your plunder, so you don't have to see a loanshark... but when I tried plugging that dialog option in, I got hella errors. So I gave up. Anyone else want to try?

May 2019
9. Signing articles with crew system is broken. Crew of my 3 other ships traveling with me suddenly demanded their share of plunder when we were in the middle of ocean, far away from any islands and since loanshark wasnt available they all mutinied against me. There was no way to overcome this mutiny mid-see so I had to load previous savegame. Now I just keep all my money with one of my companions. Requiring loanshark to divide your plunder is just ridiculous , inconvenient and so historically inaccurate. I dont think real pirates needed big city accountants or government officials to divide their plunder

so here is an initial attempt at allowing your Quartermaster (and only that officer) to divide the plunder.
I have currently only allowed the share gold option because a new expedition whilst in midsail wouldn't make sense. I have removed the possible loss of crew since you might be at sea.

What is needed is some consensus about where re-equipping a new expedition should be allowed.

So in the interim I have left all the options open at a loanshark - if you want the re-equip style scenario.

I don't think the dialogue about getting rid of companion ships, cannons etc is necessary (or indeed realistic) - who is in command here you or the officer/loanshark!

In the longer term to cover the loss of use for the loanshark I did wonder about giving them a role to purchase your gems at a slightly inflated price compared to the store?

There are hardcoded uses of captain in the dialogue although that seems consistent in the enc_officers dialogue too.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Cool feature!
Can't quite oversee how this would impact game balancing.
But I always like the idea of giving your officers more of a useful purpose.

 

[Grey Roger]

Possibly put back the loss of crew - they might not be able to jump ship while out at sea but if they're tha unhappy then they won't be doing their jobs very well and they'll leave at the next possible chance. Various things happen on that basis - for example, if you sink a British ship, Britain wouldn't know about it for some time, but the only way to make it work in game is for Britain to react at once.

But the option for a new expedition should indeed only happen at a loanshark, unless you can make the dialog check whether you're currently in port, and then for preference only a port with a shipyard. You can't refit the ship for a new expedition while you're at sea and probably not while you're at Aruba either.

The other reason for allowing a loanshark to still divide the plunder as normal is, that's the only choice for someone who does not yet have a quartermaster! (Unless the player figures out that he can reassign the gunner to be a quartermaster, divide the plunder, then change the quartermaster back to gunner. And if players have to do that then there's no point in limiting this to quartermasters!)

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Unless the player figures out that he can reassign the gunner to be a quartermaster, divide the plunder, then change the quartermaster back to gunner. And if players have to do that then there's no point in limiting this to quartermasters!

If ALL officer types get specific purposes, such as this one; or @Jack Rackham's gunner resupply, then players wanting to abuse the switch option will be pressing a LOT of buttons!

 

[pedrwyth]

Possibly put back the loss of crew - they might not be able to jump ship while out at sea but if they're tha unhappy then they won't be doing their jobs very well and they'll leave at the next possible chance. Various things happen on that basis - for example, if you sink a British ship, Britain wouldn't know about it for some time, but the only way to make it work in game is for Britain to react at once.

Fine just cut out the test for "surer" in CharacterUtilite removes any "windfall bonus" for doing it anywhere else! The crew leaving are not necessarily unhappy - they may be VERY happy and want to spend their new wealth ashore before signing on with another ship/voyage.

But the option for a new expedition should indeed only happen at a loanshark, unless you can make the dialog check whether you're currently in port, and then for preference only a port with a shipyard. You can't refit the ship for a new expedition while you're at sea and probably not while you're at Aruba either.

That's sort of what I thought, one obvious place is the shipyard but that is already pretty used (shipberthing) or more likely seeking a new crew and officers to sign on in the tavern (all sorts of happenings already). It would be possible to limit to "port with shipyard" (if a bit complex to set up) but it might just as well stay at the loanshark (perhaps because they are known for funding expeditions (for a cut of course)). We could still make it the quartermaster to do it (if there) whilst if you ask the loanshark he wants his (small) cut for officiating (when you don't have a QM).

The other reason for allowing a loanshark to still divide the plunder as normal is, that's the only choice for someone who does not yet have a quartermaster!

Yep, that's one reason I didn't change it.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

The crew leaving are not necessarily unhappy - they may be VERY happy and want to spend their new wealth ashore before signing on with another ship/voyage.

HAHA!
Fair point.
Pirates be pirates.

That's sort of what I thought, one obvious place is the shipyard but that is already pretty used (shipberthing) or more likely seeking a new crew and officers to sign on in the tavern (all sorts of happenings already). It would be possible to limit to "port with shipyard" (if a bit complex to set up) but it might just as well stay at the loanshark (perhaps because they are known for funding expeditions (for a cut of course)). We could still make it the quartermaster to do it (if there) whilst if you ask the loanshark he wants his (small) cut for officiating (when you don't have a QM).

Gameplay-wise, I'd say a QM is more convenient; which means I'd think doing it at a Loanshark should have an added bonus of sorts.
But I can't really think what or how right now...

 

[Grey Roger]

The loanshark is the only one which gives you the option of starting a new expedition, which means free repairs and resupply for your ship, provided you don't need to be anywhere in a hurry for a timed quest because you'll be stuck there for a couple of months.

Dividing plunder on your ship's quarterdeck is more realistic than doing it at a loanshark's office. The question then becomes, can the quartermaster be persuaded to appear on the ship's quarterdeck?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

The question then becomes, can the quartermaster be persuaded to appear on the ship's quarterdeck?

I'm sure he could.
@DavyJack once fiddled around with getting officers to appear in certain locations.
I'm at work now and don't remember how to do it; but maybe she does.

 

[Grey Roger]

Some officers already appear in specific locations. I can't remember off-hand which one appears in the cargo hold. He stands by the ladder, and if I have a second officer of the type then he stands by the door. I have to shove them out of the way or assign them as party officers to make them come to me, otherwise they block prisoners I'm trying to release.

And someone certainly appears on the quarterdeck. Again, I can't remember off-hand which one, maybe more than one. It means I have to look harder to find a non-officer crewman if I want to ask the time.

 

[DavyJack]

I'm sure he could.
@DavyJack once fiddled around with getting officers to appear in certain locations.
I'm at work now and don't remember how to do it; but maybe she does.

I know how to make ALL officers appear topside. But any officer should appear in the cabin when assigned.
Anyway, to make officers be visible on the ship's deck open PROGRAM/Loc_ai/LAi_deck.c, change:

    case "ShipDeck":
        if(GetCharacterShipCabin(mchr)=="Cabin_none")
        {
            CharacterIntoLocationLocator(_curCharIdx, mchr.location);
            LAi_SetCivilianPatrolType(tmpChr);
        }
        else
        {
            if(tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_ABORDAGE || tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_CANNONEER || tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_CAPNAVY) // KK
            {
                CharacterIntoLocationLocator(_curCharIdx, mchr.location);
                LAi_SetCivilianPatrolType(tmpChr);
            }
        }
    break;

To:

    case "ShipDeck":
        CharacterIntoLocationLocator(_curCharIdx, mchr.location);
        LAi_SetCivilianPatrolType(tmpChr);
    break;

EDIT: Attached is the modified file.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Some officers already appear in specific locations.

Yep; they do.
There's code for that somewhere.

My memory says LAi_deck.c; but I'm not even sure if that file exists...
I'm at work now, so cannot check either.

 

[Grey Roger]

I know how to make ALL officers appear topside. But any officer should appear in the cabin when assigned.
Anyway, to make officers be visible on the ship's deck open PROGRAM/Loc_ai/LAi_deck.c, change:

 if(tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_ABORDAGE || tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_CANNONEER || tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_CAPNAVY)

into:

 if(tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_ABORDAGE || tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_CANNONEER || tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_CAPNAVY|| tmpChr.quest.officertype==OFFIC_TYPE_QMASTER)

We don't necessarily want all officers on the quarterdeck. Just add the quartermaster to the list of those who can appear.

 

[pedrwyth]

One problem may be the sheer variety of ships that may be involved.

Since he should be on the ship somewhere it may be a question of finding him(her) (or adding to the crew dialogue "Send the Quartermaster to my cabin" (since a location change would be required to get him to show up) rather better than you searching your ship for a subordinate I guess. However adding a further dialogue
"Meet me on the Quarterdeck I wish to discuss dividing the plunder" and then get him to follow you - leaving you to decide which part of the deck is most appropriate on any particular deck arrangement - and then continue the dialogue?

When testing mine was in the cabin anyway (on the ship I had) but he was my only officer so I don't know in general.

EDIT OK got gazumped by the above three posts but nevertheless...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

My memory says LAi_deck.c; but I'm not even sure if that file exists...
I'm at work now, so cannot check either.

Apparently it does.
Thanks @DavyJack for confirming!

Then adding 'OFFIC_TYPE_QMASTER' (check spelling) to that if-statement marked "KK" would make him show up on deck too.

 

[pedrwyth]

If anyone has tried this they will have found my latest attempt to break the game - by copying in an extra break; line in the block of code I shoehorned into enc_officer_dialog. Sorry to anyone struck down by that - my addition worked but the extra break; screws anything later in the file though like about me and about you dialogues (and gets a mention in system.log). So much for "testing"


As well as taking that out I am currently altering it to only allow the dialog with QM about dividing the plunder on shipdeck and hopefully ensuring the QM can be there via the code discussed above.

 

[Grey Roger]

I can't remember now why I left the original case "divide" in "Usurer_dialog.c" - possibly so I could revert in case my attempt to give the option of payment only or new expedition went horribly wrong, or in case some quest code specifically sets a loanshark to "divide". In the next update I'm commenting out that part of "Usurer_dialog.c" and if someone subsequently reports a bug caused by case "divide" being missing, I can either put it back or change the quest code to use one of the new cases.

Either way, that won't apply to "Enc_Officer_dialog.c", so case "qmdivide" can probably be removed. It's not linked anywhere else in that file.

 

[pedrwyth]

OK thought it was n't going to work -as far as I can see the first officer you recruit doesn't behave (well happened twice for me anyway?). 2nd and 3rd do obey change of roles giving change of position - so it works with that proviso.

I did think a number of other officer commands should be restricted to the QM (rations,salary or articles) but it gets too complex if you don't have someone in that role so left it as any officer.

Did think that the carpenter could have the ship berthing dialogue (on the basis that they deal with ship repairs and would have a role in getting the hulks seaworthy) -if we were going for more specialist but in some ways it just gets in the way of progressing the game if you have to find the specialist rather than anyone nearby.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I wonder... How many people actually use Divide the Plunder?
In general, I've heard a lot of resistance from people over the years.
They don't like parting with their money, I suppose...

Personally I do like the idea of differentiating the various officer types.
Give 'em all their own purpose, so you actually get to interact with them as characters...

 

[Grey Roger]

OK thought it was n't going to work -as far as I can see the first officer you recruit doesn't behave (well happened twice for me anyway?). 2nd and 3rd do obey change of roles giving change of position - so it works with that proviso.

Strange. Most of the time, if I recruit a random officer from a tavern, he's unassigned, i.e. master at arms, so I assign him to whatever I want. If you're recruiting the first officer of your game then I'm probably low level and so is he, so he'll learn on the job. I was testing this myself. Granted, I have two officers, but the first one I recruited happens to be the quartermaster. I've been making a few minor changes to the dialog, e.g. instead of saying "It's time to spread a little cheer among the men and divide the plunder Quartermaster", I have him address the officer by name, "It's time to spread a little cheer among the men and divide the plunder, <insert name here>." And although the dialog cases for starting a new expedition aren't currently used (and I never choose it from a loanshark's dialog anyway), I've changed the "DLG_TEXT" numbers to match the lines in "Enc_Officer_dialog.h" rather than the lines in "Usurer_dialog.h".

I did think a number of other officer commands should be restricted to the QM (rations,salary or articles) but it gets too complex if you don't have someone in that role so left it as any officer.

It's also pointless to restrict choice of salary or articles to an officer because you can just switch between them in the "Ship" -> "Crew" interface. In fact, I always use that and will resist any attempt to remove it! You're basically writing a notice to the crew that you're changing the payment method, grabbing the nearest crewmember and telling him to nail the notice to the mast.

Did think that the carpenter could have the ship berthing dialogue (on the basis that they deal with ship repairs and would have a role in getting the hulks seaworthy) -if we were going for more specialist but in some ways it just gets in the way of progressing the game if you have to find the specialist rather than anyone nearby.

Again, this is done through the "Ship" interface and I'd rather like it to stay that way. Restricting everything in sight to specific officers means you're crippled until you have recruited a full set of officers.

I wonder... How many people actually use Divide the Plunder?

I do, for one. At least when I'm playing a privateer or pirate, which is most of the time.

Personally I do like the idea of differentiating the various officer types.
Give 'em all their own purpose, so you actually get to interact with them as characters...

Which means each time you go ashore, you have to re-arrange your shore party to include the officers you need, do what it is you want to do, then remove the officers and put back your fighting party. Either that, or temporarily change your master at arms to a carpenter so you can berth your ship, then change him to a quartermaster so you can divide the loot, then change him to a surgeon so you can change rations, and then change him back to master at arms so you can fight any random thugs who attack you in the next section of town. Not my idea of a fun game...

Interacting with the officers as characters isn't all that interesting anyway. They all have the same dialog.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Strange. Most of the time, if I recruit a random officer from a tavern, he's unassigned, i.e. master at arms

That's strange indeed!
While you might occasionally find a Master-At-Arms, you should be able to find ANY officer type randomly for hire.

Again, this is done through the "Ship" interface and I'd rather like it to stay that way. Restricting everything in sight to specific officers means you're crippled until you have recruited a full set of officers.

Is that such a bad thing though?
Unlocking features along the way does add some progression to the game...

I do, for one. At least when I'm playing a privateer or pirate, which is most of the time.

Glad to hear it!

Which means each time you go ashore, you have to re-arrange your shore party to include the officers you need, do what it is you want to do, then remove the officers and put back your fighting party. Either that, or temporarily change your master at arms to a carpenter so you can berth your ship, then change him to a quartermaster so you can divide the loot, then change him to a surgeon so you can change rations, and then change him back to master at arms so you can fight any random thugs who attack you in the next section of town. Not my idea of a fun game...

It should only apply to stuff you can do while on the ship, of course.
For shore, the whole point is that you can just take the fighters and don't have to take your other ones.

nteracting with the officers as characters isn't all that interesting anyway.

Exactly my point.