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Requests for people who want to help out with modding

Pieter Boelen

Pieter Boelen

Navigation Officer
Administrator
Storm Modder
Hearts of Oak Donator
Hello everybody,

If you are wanting to help with modding PotC, even though you don't have any knowledge about it, there are still several things that you could do. I will make a list here of useful things that need to be done, but don't require any modding skills or only require a little bit of modding skills:

<b>1) Up-to-date feature list needs to be made</b>
There is a feature list on my website for the Post Build 12 mods, but it is highly out of date. We need a new, more up-to-date feature list including all newest features.

<b>2) Buglist needs to be made</b>
We need to have a clear list of bugs still left in the game. Preferrably listed as small and quick points. If we have such a list, we can take them out one by one. But at the moment, the list we have is not up-to-date either. The only list we currently have is the one in the <a href="http://forum.piratesahoy.net/index.php?showtopic=6085" target="_blank">Post Build 12 Mods Bug List</a> thread. A lot of more recent bugs have been scattered all over the forum, instead of being reported at one central place.

<b>3) Traders can be randomly set to very high levels, so they should be set set to a proper level manually</b>
This does require some modding skills, but isn't very complicated. It basically involves adding itemtrade.quality and itemtrade.tradetype flags to all traders in the Characters\init files. It would be nice if the trader quality would have some link with how good this trader is said to be or to how wealthy the trader looks.

<b>4) Traders need to level up, but I don't know if they do</b>
If you trade a lot with a certain trader of different days, the trader should become better in quality. This has been coded in a long time ago, but has never been confirmed to happen. To confirm this, all you need to do is play the game, trade a lot with one trader on different days (maybe go to sailing/mapmode every now and then) and see if his quality increases every now and then.

<b>5) Playtesting and bug-reporting</b>
Anyone can do this just by playing the game. Please report bugs in a short and clear way in the <a href="http://forum.piratesahoy.net/index.php?showtopic=6085" target="_blank">Post Build 12 Mods Bug List</a> thread, so bugfixers will be able to quickly see what still needs fixing.

This is all I can come up with at the moment. If you can help out with any of this, that would be great! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doff.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":doff" border="0" alt="doff.gif" />
 
<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" /> there Pieter,

Been quite busy and haven't been on here or playing the game as much lately. I will, however, try and get on to those points listed this coming week, time permitting.

Cheers <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
 
Thanks in advance! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
How about making the trader's quality a product of luck AND your commerce skill? That way that skill would get a real use. At the start of the game, if your commerceskill is a lousy 1, no trader would be better than 1 either. The more commerceskill you acquire the higher the traderquality CAN be. E.g. if you have ten traders get a random quality between 1 and 10.

But if you want we can also take another skill or the playerlevel as incriminator, i am open to suggestions <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

I could write it so that the qualitylevel only increases, i.e. never gets below the level you once had. That way visiting some trader often would improve your trading relationship in the long run.
 
Sounds like a good idea to me! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=137269:date=Jan 8 2006, 12:25 AM:name=Pieter Boelen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pieter Boelen @ Jan 8 2006, 12:25 AM) [snapback]137269[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hello everybody,

If you are wanting to help with modding PotC, even though you don't have any knowledge about it, there are still several things that you could do. I will make a list here of useful things that need to be done, but don't require any modding skills or only require a little bit of modding skills:

<b>1) Up-to-date feature list needs to be made</b>
There is a feature list on my website for the Post Build 12 mods, but it is highly out of date. We need a new, more up-to-date feature list including all newest features.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" /> there mates.

In response to Pieter's request, I've finally had time to start a new features list for the mod pack. Now everyone can help out with this one, particularly the author/creators of the mods concerned. Below is a list of new features that I can think of that are in addition to those already mentioned on Pieter's Pirates Page. Anyone thinking of any more then please post here. Those modders whose work is included in the Mod Pack, could you please provide a concise description of your work for the list (my brief descriptions may be lacking).



<b>New Features of the Post Build 12 Mod Pack Update</b>

Ammo Mod (Jack Rackham)
- Adds gun powder and ammunition for all gun types (pistol, grapeshot, musket).
- Adds pouches, flasks, etc, for carrying ammunition and powder and facilitating faster reloading.

New Character Skins (Daede)
- Adds new Jack Sparrow variations.
- Adds new females skins Teagan and Catalina.
- Adds Stephen Maturinesque naturalist/naval doctor/pirate doctor.
- Adds warrant officers skins, gunner, purser, carpenter and doctor.

Flags Mod (KK)
- other ships and forts react to you depending on your raised flag. Small possibility of opponents detecting
false flags.
- Now possible to engage and capture French Oxbay Squadron prior to completion of Oxbay spying quest.

Realistic Waves (KiwisDoFly)
- Improved waveform physics.

New Interfaces (Maximus/?)
- Character and ship interfaces improved
- New shiplike/piratelike backgrounds to all interfaces.
- New item portraits (selectable in Options Menu)
- Language options - Russian (selectable in Options Menu)
- New Islands Map

New Crew Types (???)
- Adds three new officer/crew types. Doctor, Carpenter and Deck Fighter.

Greater Oxbay (CouchCaptainCharles)
- Updates new Oxbay and Greenford locations, particularly The Maltese Abbey which has multi-level
dungeons/crypt, more treasures and some very dangerous enemies.

Building Set (CouchCaptainCharles)
- Enables construction of new buldings in most locations. Fortifications, houses, farms, mines, foundries, rum
distilleries, etc.

New World Map Ships (CouchCaptainCharles)
- New ship models for the World map with distinct shiptype models for each nation:-
- Player shipmodel: corvette
- dutch : fleut
- portuguese : caravel
- pirates : xebec
- british : battleship
- french : frigate
- spanish : galleon
- Speed tweak for world map

New Islands (Screwface)
- Adds many new islands and locations. Still under developement by Screwface, CouchCaptainCharles is
also working on locations for Antigua.

Random Treasure Generator (Screwface)
- Random NPCs generate treasure quests. You may have to fight pirates at the treasure location.

New Ship Decks (Screwface)
- Adds new cabin models, small, medium and large, based on ship class.
- Adds crew quarters. You can now interact with your crew members here.
- Adds gun deck and cargo deck based on ship class.

Crew Shore Parties (Screwface)
- Crew members (in addition to officers) can accompany you on shore. Talk to them in crew quarters to
activate. You can provide them with weapons, clothes and items. The archipelago is now more dangerous
with military raids or ambushes by pirates, natives, escaped slaves in jungles or shores.

Corsairs III Models (???)
- Adds two new large cabin models
- Adds new rooms for bordellos




So, a little input from everyone here, and we can can quickly knock this list into shape and help Pieter update his Pirates Page.

Haven't thought about a bugs list yet.

Cheers, mates <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
 
<b>Update 23/01/06</b>

KK Mod Version 1.1
- Boardable Black Pearl. The Black Pearl can be captured in the Battle of Khael Roa, however only after using the artifact.
- Nathaniel's own flag. If RaiseFlag mod is used the "Neutral" button on International Affairs is
changed to "N.H. Flag" (if someone has changed the name for main character,
N.H. will change to his/her initials).
- Removed blocking of the food check. At some point the check for wheat and rum consumed by crew was turned off and never switched back. I removed this completely and added wheat and rum cargo to ships on which Nathaniel would leave Douwesen.
- Proper icons for ships during 3D sailing mode.
- Warships have 44 guns.
- Modifications in main plot following the storm which dumps Nathaniel in Douwesen with no ship.
 
Thanks a lot for that list, looks good to me <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/me.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":onya" border="0" alt="me.gif" />

A small addition for the Buildingset:

-Buildings erected by the player produce income, goods, services and simple quests.
 
<!--quoteo(post=138085:date=Jan 23 2006, 10:39 AM:name=Jack Davidson)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Davidson @ Jan 23 2006, 10:39 AM) [snapback]138085[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" /> there mates.

In response to Pieter's request, I've finally had time to start a new features list for the mod pack. Now everyone can help out with this one, particularly the author/creators of the mods concerned. Below is a list of new features that I can think of that are in addition to those already mentioned on Pieter's Pirates Page. ...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

As Pieter's Pirates Page lists things graphically, for the written "Features List" you would probably want to add something like:

Many new characters, too numerous to name done by: (or perhaps actually list them all)
Alan Smithee
Catalina The Pirate
High Sea Lass
Nathan Kell
Petros

New ships added by: (perhaps list them as well)
Catalina The Pirate
Petros
 
Will do <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/me.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":onya" border="0" alt="me.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=137269:date=Jan 7 2006, 03:25 PM:name=Pieter Boelen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pieter Boelen @ Jan 7 2006, 03:25 PM) [snapback]137269[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
Hello everybody,

<b>2) Buglist needs to be made</b>
We need to have a clear list of bugs still left in the game. Preferrably listed as small and quick points. If we have such a list, we can take them out one by one. But at the moment, the list we have is not up-to-date either. The only list we currently have is the one in the <a href="http://forum.piratesahoy.net/index.php?showtopic=6085" target="_blank">Post Build 12 Mods Bug List</a> thread. A lot of more recent bugs have been scattered all over the forum, instead of being reported at one central place.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

How about <a href="http://www.mantisbt.org/" target="_blank">http://www.mantisbt.org/</a> ?
Essentialy it's a bug tracker software that enables advance bug report managment. It would be a lot easire to keep track of the bugs and also their progress and updates. We've been using this where I work and it's worked very good thus far.

Of course, it would require a hosting site.

Just a random idea <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Best Regards,
~Galliente
 
Bug report, and bug hunt as always! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> And Im looking forward to learn C++ well, then explore the POTC file/function system.
 
<!--quoteo(post=144128:date=Mar 31 2006, 06:30 AM:name=Galliente)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Galliente @ Mar 31 2006, 06:30 AM) [snapback]144128[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
How about <a href="http://www.mantisbt.org/" target="_blank">http://www.mantisbt.org/</a> ?
Essentialy it's a bug tracker software that enables advance bug report managment. It would be a lot easire to keep track of the bugs and also their progress and updates. We've been using this where I work and it's worked very good thus far.

Of course, it would require a hosting site.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I was just going to suggest something like this.

Reporting and keeping track of bugs in a "forum" is painful. Not only because it requires a crapload of reading, but people tend to throw in discussions in the middle of reports, and then the thread gets to 1252 pages long.

As for hosting, wouldn't it be able to be hosted on pieter.piratesahoy.org? Unless you don't have the min requirements of php/mysql/apache.

A proper bug tracking system like that would really help out a great deal. It could be linked too from the forums here so people can submit new bugs. Which then can have discussion on each bug there, as well as progress and in what download the fix may be in etc.

I need to keep reeling myself back in... must... just... resist... helping!

BTW, how BIG is the POTC community right now? With how cheap the base game is, and how incredible this Build Mod is... you would think there be a lot of people getting into this now? Or is it "old news" and everyone is off playing that boring oblivion or whatever? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/razz.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":razz" border="0" alt="razz.gif" />
 
I don't really know how big the playing community is. There are maybe ten or twenty active members. A lot of old members have left, either temporarily or for good. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />

I don't know how all these advanced bug-tracking systems work. All I can do is write regular HTML sites and not use any other code stuff. Might be useful to have some bugtracking system though. Keeping track of them on the forum is HARD! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/modding.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":modding" border="0" alt="modding.gif" />

BTW: Helping is not considered a bad thing here, so feel free to help as much as you can. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doff.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":doff" border="0" alt="doff.gif" />
 
Well... the bug tracking thing... I think I sent you a PM about it, but i was having some serious internet issues on my home DSL yesterday and kept getting drops every 10 minutes (blastid inet!). I'll resend.

I can walk you through the rough use of a bug tracker... the mantis one is fairly straight forward and fairly decent.

Some of the others around here can also help be coordinators on the bug tracker too. Those who wish to take up reigns of pouring through forum topics and entering in confirmed bugs as a starting point.
 
I got your PM. Please post your buglist site on the forum. We'll see if we can put it to some use.
 
Will do:

<a href="http://swankyplace.com/potcbugs" target="_blank">POTC Build Mod Bug Tracker</a>

Guests are welcome to view all "public" assigned reports.

To post a report, you have to sign up an account... which requires validation (to stop the spammer bots). No spam from doing this other than the bug tracker itself sending you notices about your reports being confirmed/edited/fixed etc.

To become a developer, or maintainer, then ask an administrator to upgrade your account accordingly.

To request more categories, or sub sections, ask an administrator.

I set up a base project with categories, but i am sure there is room for improvement/additions. Like I just noticed I missed a category dealing with any sound related issues.

It is fairly easy to use, and once you use it once; report, confirm, assign, fix, close... it will be very easy to continue using I hope.

I also hope that Pirates Ahoy doesn't mind me ripping their background compass texture to use!!!

Note: I will make a new thread of this (for a sticky), if this is something you all want to continue using.
 
I'd just like to say i'll be looking at getting into modding POTC. I've only just got the game and the POTC mod from here, so need to play it a bit to judge it some more. But in a few weeks i hope to be able to spend time on this worthy project. Whats the best way/place to post ideas/suggestions for the developement of specific things in the POTC mod - can i just make a thread and fire away or do i need to try to find a specific thread on a specific part of the POTC mod?
 
I hope you'll enjoy our modding work. Build 13 is to be released on very short notice, probably this weekend or begin next week. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":yes" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

If you want to begin modding, just think up something nice and post a thread on the <a href="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/index.php?showforum=42" target="_blank">Build Alpha & Brainstorming</a> forum. We will try to help as much as we can. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":yes" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />
 
Thanks for the pointer on where to post Pieter <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
I'm very impressed with build 12.1(full) so far - i had only previously played POTC on xbox, but now i have it on PC with the possibility of modding - well i'm champing at the bit to have a go. I'll post my impressions, suggestions in that thread you mentioned.
 
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