OK, You guys are just going to love the Historical Eras mod. Using a trick Luke159 showed me and finding & editing every script file germane to ship encounters, I have managed to keep most ships in game, but the ones that are not right for the era will never be seen in either shipyards or encounters. This has saved me a lot of time.
I am pleased to say IT WORKS! I initially had a few "leakers" showing up for no apparent reasons when they shouldn't have, but haven't seen one ship out of place in the middle era mod in over a whole day of testing now. The game is SO MUCH BETTER. It seems realistic now. The convoys both merchant and war just look right. I have also added some more great music that is really pumping me.
So the purpose of this discussion is to ask for help. I am having some difficulties in deciding (keep or toss) on some ships. The early era (1568-1640) is easy. No issues there.
The middle era (1648-1725) and late era (1750-1820) have some ships that are on the fringes.
Tartanes: I don't have any in the late era mod. Should I reconsider this?
Luggers: I have left the Lugger in the early and middle mods even though she is a craft of about 1750. I thought she looked very similar to many working craft variants and so was not out of place? Any issues with that? We lack a lot of early working ships like Urcas, Pataches, Yachts with double Dutch side rudders, etc. Even though the lugger was French in origin and caught on in England I have given her to all nations. Any issues with this?
Ketch: Nonsuch is only found in the middle era mod.
Yacht: Is only found in the early and middle era mods. Should I keep it in the early era? It looks quite similar to Urcas and Pataches.
Cutters: Only found in the late mod. Any issues?
Sloops: I found many middle era examples of sloops. No sloops will be in the early era. The Bermuda Sloop will only be found in the late era.
Sloops of war: I have labeled for the purposes of this mod two different versions of the Neptunus. I call the older one with the square spritsail rig "Oostend Privateer" and have given it a little heavier stats while making the Neptunus faster. Both versions are in the middle mod, but only the Neptunus is in the late mod. The old POTC sloop of war is still a pretty good model. I have kept it in the middle and late era mods. As on most ships I have got rid of all white textured or black with white stripe textured variants for the middle era. Issues?
Pinks: are only found in late era mod.
Colliers/Packets: The Bounty and Edinburg trader are only found in the late era mod.
Schooners: Initially I was going to only allow schooners in the late era mod, but I have been able to find many examples of early schooners from the 1690s to 1730s. Obviously the Prince de Neufchatel will only be in the late era mod. Should I use the original AOP/COAS schooner in the late era mod? She is patterned after ships plans I've found from 1695 to 1710 timeframe. I have decided to keep Hannah in the middle era mod because she looks so much like many of the earlier working schooners. Also the Gaff schooner from POTC is not in the middle eras mod. Do you guys want it in the late mod? Its not a great model in my opinion.
Brigs: There is not one brig in the early or middle era mod. They are only in the late mod. Is there any reason I should revisit this decision?
Corvettes: Because we lack many of the fast pinnace or fast fregatte variants that would have been found in the 17th century, I have left the COAS Corvette in the middle era. The only other corvette I kept in the mid era is the Heavy Corvette. With its high stern it is at home there. Heavy Corvette is not in the late era mod.
Pinnaces and Fluyts: Some Pinnaces and fluyts are in the early era because there were many ships very similar by the first decade of the 17th century. All Pinnace and Fluyt variants are found in the mid era mod. There are no Fluyts or Pinnaces in the late era mod.
Frigates: This one is a tough call. No Frigates are found in the early mod. Beacause Greyhound and Unicorn have characteristics much more at home in the mid era I left them in. The Chase Frigate also has many attributes characteristic of early 18th cent ships. The Colonial Frigate also has a very decorative stern at home in the middle mod. These four are the only frigates found in the mid mod and I have been very particular on the nations that get them. You will not see these in Dutch or Spanish convoys. Do you guys want these four early style frigates in the late mod? I was going to leave Unicorn in the middle era mod only. Do you want the Unicorn in the late mod? The
Surprise and variants (28, 30, 32 gun) frigates are only found in the late era mod. Lydia is only found in the late era mod. Constitution and RN_Frigate are only found in late era.
Mordaunt, La Licorne, Jamaican Patrol Ship, Arabella, and Heavy War Galleon are all based on the same model. They are only found in the middle era mod.
Black Pearl and Wicked Wench: These I left in all three mods. Before you purists scalp me, I have to say that this model is a strange bird. She looks like a late English trading galleon/merchantmen built around 1695. Her characteristics fit well in all three. I will say that both ships are rare, You will find the Pearl only in mid sized pirate encounters and you will only see the Wicked Wench in middle sized English trade convoys. I'm willing to talk about this if purists want her out of the late era(even that's the era the idiot Disney writers set the POTC movies in). Some ships had long service lives. Rarely in the Carribbean though.
Caravels and Carracks are only found in the early and mid mod. I allowed rare Caravel Redonda encounters and Caravel encounters in Spanish mid sized convoys only in the middle mod. I think you would have still seen a few of these around in the mid 1600s. They were still being built in the basque country in 1600.
Galeons are only found in Early and Middle mods.
Two Deckers: This one was pretty easy, but there are a few exceptions I made. Because of a lack of specific national two decker types for 17th/early 18th century nations I kept Bellona and Superbe in the middle era when in reality they should only be in the late era. Any problems with this? Dutch Escort Ship(Dutchlinship1 and 2) and Heavy Lineship(Wappen Von Hamburg), Neptune and War Pinnaces are only found in middle mod. I allowed some of the trade ships like West Indiaman and Amsterdam to stay in the middle era since they look right. I am still considering throwing them out. Comments?
Man-O-War: This one was also easy. Late era ships like Victory, Intrepid, Endeavor are only found in late era mod. Very few three deckers are in the middle mod. The San Felipe is not in the late era mod. Warship is only in early and mid mod. LaCourrounne is in the early and mid mods only. I left San Felipe in the early mod since I had to leave in Soliel Royal and Soley Ru. The Soliel Royale and Soley Ru are in the late era mod as well even though they are out of place. Quests depend upon them, so they must remain. Also the COAS Manowar is in all three even though it is out of place. It is rare in all three mods, but quests depend on finding them.
Any input or comments are appreciated and will help me finish this up. In my opinion of my test game it has never been so rewarding or fun.
Thanks
MK
I am pleased to say IT WORKS! I initially had a few "leakers" showing up for no apparent reasons when they shouldn't have, but haven't seen one ship out of place in the middle era mod in over a whole day of testing now. The game is SO MUCH BETTER. It seems realistic now. The convoys both merchant and war just look right. I have also added some more great music that is really pumping me.
So the purpose of this discussion is to ask for help. I am having some difficulties in deciding (keep or toss) on some ships. The early era (1568-1640) is easy. No issues there.
The middle era (1648-1725) and late era (1750-1820) have some ships that are on the fringes.
Tartanes: I don't have any in the late era mod. Should I reconsider this?
Luggers: I have left the Lugger in the early and middle mods even though she is a craft of about 1750. I thought she looked very similar to many working craft variants and so was not out of place? Any issues with that? We lack a lot of early working ships like Urcas, Pataches, Yachts with double Dutch side rudders, etc. Even though the lugger was French in origin and caught on in England I have given her to all nations. Any issues with this?
Ketch: Nonsuch is only found in the middle era mod.
Yacht: Is only found in the early and middle era mods. Should I keep it in the early era? It looks quite similar to Urcas and Pataches.
Cutters: Only found in the late mod. Any issues?
Sloops: I found many middle era examples of sloops. No sloops will be in the early era. The Bermuda Sloop will only be found in the late era.
Sloops of war: I have labeled for the purposes of this mod two different versions of the Neptunus. I call the older one with the square spritsail rig "Oostend Privateer" and have given it a little heavier stats while making the Neptunus faster. Both versions are in the middle mod, but only the Neptunus is in the late mod. The old POTC sloop of war is still a pretty good model. I have kept it in the middle and late era mods. As on most ships I have got rid of all white textured or black with white stripe textured variants for the middle era. Issues?
Pinks: are only found in late era mod.
Colliers/Packets: The Bounty and Edinburg trader are only found in the late era mod.
Schooners: Initially I was going to only allow schooners in the late era mod, but I have been able to find many examples of early schooners from the 1690s to 1730s. Obviously the Prince de Neufchatel will only be in the late era mod. Should I use the original AOP/COAS schooner in the late era mod? She is patterned after ships plans I've found from 1695 to 1710 timeframe. I have decided to keep Hannah in the middle era mod because she looks so much like many of the earlier working schooners. Also the Gaff schooner from POTC is not in the middle eras mod. Do you guys want it in the late mod? Its not a great model in my opinion.
Brigs: There is not one brig in the early or middle era mod. They are only in the late mod. Is there any reason I should revisit this decision?
Corvettes: Because we lack many of the fast pinnace or fast fregatte variants that would have been found in the 17th century, I have left the COAS Corvette in the middle era. The only other corvette I kept in the mid era is the Heavy Corvette. With its high stern it is at home there. Heavy Corvette is not in the late era mod.
Pinnaces and Fluyts: Some Pinnaces and fluyts are in the early era because there were many ships very similar by the first decade of the 17th century. All Pinnace and Fluyt variants are found in the mid era mod. There are no Fluyts or Pinnaces in the late era mod.
Frigates: This one is a tough call. No Frigates are found in the early mod. Beacause Greyhound and Unicorn have characteristics much more at home in the mid era I left them in. The Chase Frigate also has many attributes characteristic of early 18th cent ships. The Colonial Frigate also has a very decorative stern at home in the middle mod. These four are the only frigates found in the mid mod and I have been very particular on the nations that get them. You will not see these in Dutch or Spanish convoys. Do you guys want these four early style frigates in the late mod? I was going to leave Unicorn in the middle era mod only. Do you want the Unicorn in the late mod? The
Surprise and variants (28, 30, 32 gun) frigates are only found in the late era mod. Lydia is only found in the late era mod. Constitution and RN_Frigate are only found in late era.
Mordaunt, La Licorne, Jamaican Patrol Ship, Arabella, and Heavy War Galleon are all based on the same model. They are only found in the middle era mod.
Black Pearl and Wicked Wench: These I left in all three mods. Before you purists scalp me, I have to say that this model is a strange bird. She looks like a late English trading galleon/merchantmen built around 1695. Her characteristics fit well in all three. I will say that both ships are rare, You will find the Pearl only in mid sized pirate encounters and you will only see the Wicked Wench in middle sized English trade convoys. I'm willing to talk about this if purists want her out of the late era(even that's the era the idiot Disney writers set the POTC movies in). Some ships had long service lives. Rarely in the Carribbean though.
Caravels and Carracks are only found in the early and mid mod. I allowed rare Caravel Redonda encounters and Caravel encounters in Spanish mid sized convoys only in the middle mod. I think you would have still seen a few of these around in the mid 1600s. They were still being built in the basque country in 1600.
Galeons are only found in Early and Middle mods.
Two Deckers: This one was pretty easy, but there are a few exceptions I made. Because of a lack of specific national two decker types for 17th/early 18th century nations I kept Bellona and Superbe in the middle era when in reality they should only be in the late era. Any problems with this? Dutch Escort Ship(Dutchlinship1 and 2) and Heavy Lineship(Wappen Von Hamburg), Neptune and War Pinnaces are only found in middle mod. I allowed some of the trade ships like West Indiaman and Amsterdam to stay in the middle era since they look right. I am still considering throwing them out. Comments?
Man-O-War: This one was also easy. Late era ships like Victory, Intrepid, Endeavor are only found in late era mod. Very few three deckers are in the middle mod. The San Felipe is not in the late era mod. Warship is only in early and mid mod. LaCourrounne is in the early and mid mods only. I left San Felipe in the early mod since I had to leave in Soliel Royal and Soley Ru. The Soliel Royale and Soley Ru are in the late era mod as well even though they are out of place. Quests depend upon them, so they must remain. Also the COAS Manowar is in all three even though it is out of place. It is rare in all three mods, but quests depend on finding them.
Any input or comments are appreciated and will help me finish this up. In my opinion of my test game it has never been so rewarding or fun.
Thanks
MK