SMP Game Physics

[Bumsrush]

I am impressed with the close-combat physics of ship combat in Sid Meier's Pirates. For example, if your ship is arcing "the the outside" while it fires, the shot is widely dispersed horizontally (works Ok against Galleons) - may tighten fire with inward arc (not sure); if you come to even a very brief even halt in momentum, you can lay a tighter broadside needed to hit smaller vessels. If your aim is true, the game engine even "forces" the enemy ship to take your hit.

Less impressed but coping with swordfight physics. I can't figure out how to stop my capitan from kicking and/or swinging buckets and boathooks, during which moments his movements commanded by me are curtailed - he seems to do this whether winning or losing fight - although I am winning more. Could be a bug needing removal ...

 

[Wolfwood]

The player automatically uses all the weapons at hand, buckets and those hooks, whatever they were called. There's no way you can avoid that, which is rather annoying at times, especially when you haven't even seen that there's a bucket there to be kicked at (and you only wanted to make a low feint).

 

[CatalinaThePirate]

Moving this to the SMP forum. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />

 

[Bumsrush]

When the enemy ship fires a spread-out broadside, you can often sail right into it, weaving a bit, and not take damage - or outflank it with a sharp turn (rapidly raise sails if yer crew is strong enough), then drop sails after if wind and position are ok.

And, as so many others intuit or point out, always attack windward: basically get to the east side of an enemy prior to ship engagement.

 

[Merciless Mark]

technically there arent any physics in SMP swordfights <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />

Its all Animated <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/duel_pa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ixi" border="0" alt="duel_pa.gif" />

 

[Bloodwyne]

I just wish they would hurry and release the XBox version

 

[Bumsrush]

<!--QuoteBegin-Merciless Mark+May 15 2005, 12:50 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Merciless Mark @ May 15 2005, 12:50 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->technically there arent any physics in SMP swordfights  <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />

Its all Animated  <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/duel_pa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ixi" border="0" alt="duel_pa.gif" />
<div align="right">[snapback]105383[/snapback]</div><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" /> Indeed ... the User Illusion. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/duel_pa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ixi" border="0" alt="duel_pa.gif" />

 

[Bumsrush]

Where every third or fifth machine round is a tracer (not in game but in firefights) improves the gunner's aim; and perfect adherence to the artillery tables can't account fully for the "weather guage" and other random variables (geography, ambient temperature affecting expansion of gases affecting velocity and trajectory of shell); thus the "smart" bomb and other compensatory modern technological efficiencies.

Makes one appreciate the Age of Sail even more - still respecting the genuine loss of life and mayhem and its consequences - will we ever escape our Fate? Need we? Weapons and Defenses encompass an interesting topic. This may be controversial, but what about the so-called art of war?