Finally got to play Sid Meyer's Pirates and though it's cartoony and foolishly simple (unlimited ammo, fighting so basic it offended me), I got hooked for a few hours. And it reminded me of an idea I had once for a PotC mod. So I am entertaining the idea of coding a few new starting scenarios for our game, either selected randomly or at the player's choice, but either way they would be a different place to start from than on a ship full of goods with a hearty inventory and clothes on your back.
I'm gonna throw out the idea for feedback before trying to start it, since I've been away from coding a long time and have gotten rusty as hell. I also need a fuller idea of what I would put in it, so give me some ideas of what you'd like to see.
1) Starting in a military prison, basically in rags and with nothing but your fists to fight your way out. I'll try and give a few options for the actual breaking out of your cell (maybe borrowing heavily from MGS series games' prison scenes), but once you're out you would have to fight off the guards, get your first weapons from them, then jump on a boat to escape. Then you would join the main quest thread.
2) Starting in a pirate prison, same as above only you'd be in one of those tiny cells in a half-underwater cave.
3) Starting as a pressed member of a ship's crew, either of a major power or pirates; you might at least start with some clothes and a cutlass. You'd have to lead a mutiny, fighting off the majority of the crew, but at least then you'd have your starting ship and some hands for it.
Other scenarios I am considering... maybe starting as disposessed royalty, or a former farmer or merchant, something to fight to regain throughout the game. I'd like to also use the mod to give your character a bit of backstory - you come into the Carribbean as an unknown, and really nothing throughout the game fleshes out your origin. We only find out you and Danielle had some sort of past, and I always just take that to mean they sat beside each other in Pirate School back in the day. Maybe she has something to do with your unfortunate position at the beginning of the game...
Also, whichever scenario the player goes through may also affect the rest of the game a tiny bit, as influencing renown maybe - Upon first meeting you, say, some people might go, "Oh yes, I've heard of you - and your daring escape." Just for fun.
I'm gonna throw out the idea for feedback before trying to start it, since I've been away from coding a long time and have gotten rusty as hell. I also need a fuller idea of what I would put in it, so give me some ideas of what you'd like to see.
1) Starting in a military prison, basically in rags and with nothing but your fists to fight your way out. I'll try and give a few options for the actual breaking out of your cell (maybe borrowing heavily from MGS series games' prison scenes), but once you're out you would have to fight off the guards, get your first weapons from them, then jump on a boat to escape. Then you would join the main quest thread.
2) Starting in a pirate prison, same as above only you'd be in one of those tiny cells in a half-underwater cave.
3) Starting as a pressed member of a ship's crew, either of a major power or pirates; you might at least start with some clothes and a cutlass. You'd have to lead a mutiny, fighting off the majority of the crew, but at least then you'd have your starting ship and some hands for it.
Other scenarios I am considering... maybe starting as disposessed royalty, or a former farmer or merchant, something to fight to regain throughout the game. I'd like to also use the mod to give your character a bit of backstory - you come into the Carribbean as an unknown, and really nothing throughout the game fleshes out your origin. We only find out you and Danielle had some sort of past, and I always just take that to mean they sat beside each other in Pirate School back in the day. Maybe she has something to do with your unfortunate position at the beginning of the game...
Also, whichever scenario the player goes through may also affect the rest of the game a tiny bit, as influencing renown maybe - Upon first meeting you, say, some people might go, "Oh yes, I've heard of you - and your daring escape." Just for fun.