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Post by Carl Morris on Nov 15, 2008 10:55:28 GMT
Just thought I'd keep a note on how things are doing in the old Caribbean here.
I had a fair bit of time online this last two weeks, and gained 2 levels (up to 47 now).
Also managed to loose 5 ships, 1 in a port battle, 3 to PVP and the last in a misguided ship choice for a mission.
The British nation is still the strongest on the seas, but now its more down to their fleet ships than pure numbers. Lots of first and second rate ships showing up.
The port battle in which i was sunk, was deffending MT from their assult, 24 level 50 brits (in Rated ships), vs 20 Pirates, of which about half were level 50, and harldly any of them in anything stronger than a level 46 ship. All brits seem to be on vent, and move in co-ordianted style. 3 Pirates were on vent (i'm not and don't intend to be) and we were supprisingly co-ordinated, but ultimatly a total failure in any form of tactics. Think MT result was 16 rats down, for 1 brit.
France has also rebuilt, and got hold of some 2nd rate ships. There seems to be another forum truce between the Brits and French, with an agreement not to hit Spanish ports either, which meens that everyone is hitting on the Pirate Ports, but that leaves plenty of red zones around to dance about in.
There is an active Spanish presence as well now, though their numbers are probably still under 30.
There is more chat on Nation now, and more new players coming in, but i'll not say the seas are full.
I'm still having fun though.
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Post by steevodeevo on Nov 15, 2008 13:07:50 GMT
This sounds very promising (except teh PB but its great 20 Rats turned up.
This is also a great post - it kinda for teh first time in ages gives me an itch to play, I will keep an eye on this threa dif you are willing to keep a periodic 'state of the high seas' thread going Carl.
What would get me back? Well not a great deal asd I do love the game. As you know, I had to ditch 2 of three games I was subscribing to as it was getting to costly and I couldn;t play all three at once.
Bit in terms of content what would get me back? Well picking up by way of example on your exellent post here, if what hapened next was that the game mechanics allowed and the players took advantage off for example use of alliances and such to create a propper war, I am not sure the geography of the map allows for territorial ownership which would be cool, but what MMO does? After that I'm not sure - general polish, some mini games, a few fresh new features....and boredom with WARHAMMER of course ;P
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Post by Carl Morris on Nov 20, 2008 19:23:48 GMT
So, I've had a heavy week of game play on the seas, and am approaching a potential drop off point, though I'm hopefully my interest will stay keen.
I'm at level 49, with level 50 very much in reach (just need to finish the high experience missions i have stacked up, which all seem rather easy.
There is talk of avatar combat being totally redone, which I'm looking forward to, as I'm finding most of these high level avatar missions simply require me to walk around hitting 123, and then I'm done.
On the seas, things are far more interesting. The center of the map is still red (as most pirate ports keep switching between French and British ownership, and the central Spanish ports are all in unrest from Pirate attacks).
was at the port battle for Guanica last night. 24 rats vs 23 French, all French level 50, no rat below level 47. No first rates at this one, but still some heavy hitting French ships.
More of a plan from the rats this time, we split, and I was in the smaller group that hit the rear of the French line, while a larger group blocked and fought in close between two islands.
Didn't see much, as my crew had obviously broken into the rum stores whilst I was hanging around in the battle room, and failed miserably at any form of seamanship, no matter how hard I cracked the cat. I was forced to make use of the empty rum barrel when the ship was consumed in a ball of flame, caused by a lucky French shot igniting the spirit sodden decks. Oh well.
When I'd washed ashore, I later heard that 18 rats had sunk and, erm, possibly two French got stuck on a sand bar.
Never really liked Guanica anyway.
Ruddy cove is under attack from the French tomorrow, and the Brits were about to take La Isabella and Santa Clara to battle when i last looked.
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Post by Turwhitt on Nov 21, 2008 9:19:41 GMT
Nicely written!
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Post by Carl Morris on Dec 2, 2008 9:21:43 GMT
After the last couple of weeks of heavy game play, the ships been in dry dock for the last week, and the heavy storms blowing in from the East look likely to keep her there for the next week or two as well.
The map 7 ended with a British victory (again). France and Britain have ended the treaties they had, and are about to engage in open warfare, the belief being that France is now big enough to challenge the Brits for the next map.
Spain is still growing in numbers, and is protected by both Spain and France in the form of non aggression near 'high economic value' ports, but the start of the map has seen the normal scrabble for control of the undefended Spanish ports by the British.
Still no form of organization in the Pirate nation, but two of the bigger societies seem to be trying to change that. Generally, the Pirate life is good though, if your a happy hunter in the red. Not so good if you want to see Pirate ports stay in Pirate hands. Santa Clara has been clocked by the Brits as a soft target. I may try counter that if i get time to be on, but don't expect many Rats to turn up to assist.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 2, 2008 13:23:15 GMT
Nice update - I look from time to tive at the development milestones, vainly trying to see an innovation that will be the trigger to drag me back..
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Post by Carl Morris on Dec 13, 2008 17:48:27 GMT
A week into the new map, and things are looking very different. Britain is no longer the sole power on the seas.
The points are looking very close between France, Britain and the rats.
France and Britain are definatly more powerful than the Pirates, but they are fighting each other, and not grinding pirate ports.
The pirates are getting ahead on the score board, by hitting the week spanish ports.
The red is far more interesting. Its a long way from being fulll, i've sailed across red zones without seeing any foes, but then the nats are avoiding each other more i think.
The TLC now has Heff (econ only, level 49), Carl (level 50) Hodari (level 50) Kurtz (levl 47 rapidly heading to 50), Bones (level 39) and Osgood (level 41). Yesturday all of us excepet HEff were on, and grouped up for some missions and fleet hunting. Great fun. We also gained a new member (Tavern Tom, level 18).
I think the TLC is doing well in on the seas again, and with the current blance of naval powers we may even have an effect, bringing ports to or out of unrest.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 14, 2008 12:29:53 GMT
good news. Heff's puter is at the menders. should be with you soon.
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Post by Turwhitt on Dec 15, 2008 9:31:30 GMT
Gawd that's been ages.
You're in London aren't you? You could have asked me to come and sort it out.
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Post by steevodeevo on Dec 15, 2008 13:06:14 GMT
He should have. He's had a nightmare. First he wenmt to PC world - bad mistake - ferkin useless. Then he went back to makers (I believe) and they said it was mobo - they think - so he said well replace it. They said, well were not sure, so he said well test it.. Then they said its possibly the grahics card, but we cant find an identical repacement, so he said well upgrade the damned card ...on it went
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Post by Turwhitt on Dec 15, 2008 14:25:28 GMT
Oh dear.
I would sooner give my PC to a troupe of chimps.
Remember in future folks - i have been an IT pro for 10 years! Diagnosing hardware problems is one of the easier things!
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Post by Carl Morris on Dec 22, 2008 20:34:26 GMT
Saw Heff on Sunday, apparently the PC is working again. Spent my holiday today loosing ships. Hodari and I built up Port of Spain to 5000+ unrest, but no Brits came in to challenge in PvP and no rats came to push it to battle. Had a Port Battle at Midday trying to defend Guanica. Was a total shambles, the French sliced us up piecemeal, even though we outnumbered them. I was the last Rat left (failed to run fast enough). French kindly posted a photo of my dieing moments, me verses all 14 of them. www.burningsea.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46724Shame, as it looked like the rats might win this map, doubt it now. Still, more ships are easy to come by when your a Pirate.
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Post by Carl Morris on Jan 7, 2009 20:09:17 GMT
Well,
I've been off on a long Christmas and new years break, with no Internet access for the duration.
Back this last weekend and found the TLC was full of active cutthroats and buccaneers, blasting away at the French and Brits and single handedly keeping the economy on Robbert's moving.
OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but TLC numbers have had a revival over the Christmas break, and we're now a sizable society with a good range of players from all levels.
This Friday there is a merger planned, where another small society will add itself to the TLC ranks as well.
Economical, it seems we are finally able to produce ships, and we also have all the outfitting production a wealthy Pirate Lord may wish to kit out his new ships with.
We even have a couple of top class PvP fighters, though I'm not classing Carl Morris in that category yet.
Today, I cleared out the old society lists and re-invited, prior to the Friday merge.
If your absent from game and return, there will be a message in your inbox with the names of contacts who will re-invite you (and re-promote you).
I'd love to see some of you back on the seas again, though I know other games and so on takes the time from you. Heff was back on the seas this weekend, and I hope will be a regular weekender again.
Apart form TLC being the business again there has been a major game change. Aye, the Av-com system has finally been reworked, and a brand new system is now in place.
I like it, I've a long way to go yet to master it, but from the few PvP encounters I've had so far, it seems the Nationals have just as far if not further to go, so the ship I'm outfitting next is an Arcadia for boarding.
Yarr, will be filling the barrels with plundered French Brandy, and the chests with gold in no time.
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Post by steevodeevo on Jan 7, 2009 20:58:02 GMT
nice. I woulde love to hear more about avcom, especially pvp ship to ship.
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Post by Carl Morris on Jan 7, 2009 21:28:44 GMT
OK, I've still a lot to learn in this new av-com system but the basic changes are as follows:
There are still three classes, dirty fighting, Florentine, fencing. there is also a general skill line and a gunpowder line, which are the same for all classes.
'Health' is now higher value, and 'balance' has been replaced with 'guard'. Initiative is still there, and is key to all combat abilities.
Attacks cause damage to guard, till this is 0, then they damage health. Some special moves cause direct damage to health.
Almost all attacks are now area of effect, so when you swing your sword you hit all the foes in front of you.
Position and movement is now very important. You must face your opponents, and try 'gather' them in front of you.
From what I've seen, its very easy to quickly kill opponents crew and low level opponents. Though NPCs are more varied now, having different fighting styles, eg, I've seen a pistoler in the crew of nationals who stands off and shoots into the fight.
Characters are far harder to kill though (apart from mine, he seems to die easily).
The time taken for skills and attacks to be ready has slowed slightly, and skills have to be used in sequences to be of the best effect.
As a dirty fighter, i have skills that cause opponents to be 'shaken' 'off-balance' 'stunned' and 'weakened'. Its also possible to be 'blinded'.
I have other skills that will only effect opponents who are in one of these states, for example, one skill removes the 'shaken' buff from opponents and gives them 'bleeding' which causes direct damage to health for a few seconds (ignoring guard).
Combat looks and sounds a lot better as well. I also think its far more even, so that lower level players will now have a good chance of harming and killing higher level players.
Each level increase improves your base statistics (health and likelihood of hitting the foe, and your balance) but there isn't the 'invulnerable fencer' of the last system.
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Post by steevodeevo on Jan 8, 2009 16:13:44 GMT
sounds encouraging. I liek the new buffs. debufs and rudimentary combo's.
Not suire about the AOE tho.
Heff have you tried it?
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Post by CaptainHeff on Jan 10, 2009 17:28:43 GMT
Ahoy all Seems ages since i posted on here and it has been to be honest. Ive been checking in, but becoming a right lazy get and cant be bothered typing Anyways been back on the high seas recently and its been very active especially on the TLC front. Good work from Carl in keeping the TLC flag flying in quiet times and signing new members. 9 TLC online the other night and i managed to lose 2 ships pvping in a group of 6. I played like a right old noob I tried the new combat today and havent a clue whats going on, as usual just steamed into it without but it looks and seems to play better than the the old system. Still lvl 49 and have the Herc deed waiting in my warehouse so im planning on plowing through some missions to try and get to 50 asap. Will try and keep ye updated but dont count on it
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Post by CaptainHeff on Jan 12, 2009 19:22:23 GMT
Was on for a good few hours Sunday and met a lot of new Loose Cannons.
Good bunch of lads and they helped me get to lvl 50 in a couple of hours.
Havent enjoyed a session on POTBS like that in a lot of months.
AAARRRRR
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Post by Turwhitt on Jan 13, 2009 9:20:43 GMT
Grats!
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Post by steevodeevo on Jan 13, 2009 16:42:14 GMT
nice one Heff - hows the new Herc? I assume its a special Herc with all the cash you have?
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