Development plans update: 1 half of 2019

[admin]

Captains. Here is the update on the development plans for the next months.

• Port UI optimization will be deployed in 1-2 weeks
  • the annoying redraw for all icons will significantly improve.
• Battle UI will be refreshed and updated within next couple of months.
  • Some information on enemy actions will be removed from boarding to discourage last click action.
• Flags DLC
  • Flags DLC will be introduced within next couple of days (from today 29th November) based on when Valve approves the page
• Localization
  • Game code was fully prepared for the localization
  • Localization (translation) will start next week. Once it finishes it will feature the following languages
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
    • Spanish
    • Russian
    • Korean
    • Japanese
  • Localization file will also feature custom language for the community translations into other languages. Players can change the custom file themselves or download community files 
• New player operations
  • Welcome to the Caribbean operation for the new players
  • Replaced with player tips
• PVP/PVE missions
  • We have decided against lobby based content as a result all PVP tournaments and challenges will happen in the open world
  • New challenges will be introduced
    • Solo patrols
    • Group events
  • PVP hunt missions will be added
• Conquest missions
  • Ports will give out capture missions for nearby ports or counties
  • Economic sabotage and financing local resistance might get added too. 
• Trading and economic PVP
  • Trading will be improved and pricing will be affected by distance from source. Goods local for Trinidad island will be extremely valuable in the Bermudas or Charleston. and vice versa. 
  • Cities will produce more goods if supplied by basic resources from local county cities
    • e.g. Brining grain or maize to a certain county capital will help it to spawn more white oak or copper
    • e.g. Bringing combat reports to capitals will eventually bring more graduates from europe to serve as gunnery officers
  • Every area (county, island) will feature unique goods only present in this region. Players will be able to maximize profit by hauling goods away from these regions. 
  • Trading and crafting missions
    • Delivery missions 
    • Crafting missions (for guns, repairs, ships)
    • Postal services
    • Passenger transport
• Port development (new feature)
  • Resource investments
  • Shipbuilding bonuses
  • Fortifications
• Additional PVE combat improvements
  • AI improvements for NPCs 
  • Elite NPCs
  • Bot routes in the open world will improve
  • NPC chasing abilities improvements + NPC aggression in the open world (when AI is confident it can catch and the target and give it some action). Captains will have to plan the movement around clusters of enemy ships (players or non players).
  • National NPCs will also try to support weaker side in uneven battles if they are around. 

 

[Anolytic]

18 minutes ago, admin said:

the annoying redraw for all icons will significantly improve.

Great!

18 minutes ago, admin said:

Some information on enemy actions will be removed from boarding to discourage last click action.

Can we have some more info on this?

18 minutes ago, admin said:

Battle UI will be refreshed and updated within next couple of months.

Interesting. Will the design change in any way, or is it just the content that will be updated? 

I think the Battle UI is quite good at the moment. It may not be totally in line with the rest of the UI, but it is very functional.

6 minutes ago, admin said:

Flags DLC

• Flags DLC will be introduced within next couple of days (from today 29th November) based on when Valve approves the page

 

Can't wait! I've been looking forward to this DLC for a long time now.

7 minutes ago, admin said:

Localization file will also feature custom language for the community translations into other languages. Players can change the custom file themselves or download community files 

Does this mean I can translate the UI into Norwegian and share it on the forums?

10 minutes ago, admin said:

Trading will be improved and pricing will be affected by distance from source. Goods local for Trinidad island will be extremely valuable in the Bermudas or Charleston. and vice versa. 

This will improve trading immensely. One of the biggest problems now is that most ports consume nothing. Meaning that on every trade journey your traders are likely to go empty one way. So you only make profit on the return journey.

12 minutes ago, admin said:

e.g. Brining grain or maize to a certain county capital will help it to spawn more white oak or copper

This sounds very interesting. As long as there is good enough profit in the grain and maize trade. So that it's not some poor traders bringing he resources to buff production in a port for no reward, and then the rest of the nation or a bunch of alts reap all the benefits. These ports should pay well enough for the basic resources that it is actually a viable option to spend time on the supply runs. 

Could this supply also help those county captials to spawn a small amount of consumables (repairs)?

12 minutes ago, admin said:

Bringing combat reports to capitals will eventually bring more graduates from europe to serve as gunnery officers

What exactly does this mean?

17 minutes ago, admin said:

NPC chasing abilities improvements + NPC aggression in the open world (when AI is confident it can catch and the target and give it some action). Captains will have to plan the movement around clusters of enemy ships (players or non players).

P...L...E....A....S....E.. NOOO!

I remember aggressive AI. They were never anything but a huge pain.

Edited November 29, 2018 by Anolytic

[Suricato Rojo]

first half of 2019??
Dont think the player base will stand 7 extra months of testing.
Right now its on a critical limit below which its impossible to play the game without the feeling you are losing lot of time.

[LeBoiteux]

+ 1. Everything seems really great !

24 minutes ago, admin said:

• Postal services
• Passenger transport

Will it be available to 7th (and 6th?)-rate warships to encourage their use in OW ?

24 minutes ago, admin said:

Additional PVE combat improvements

• AI improvements for NPCs 
• Elite NPCs
• Bot routes in the open world will improve
• NPC chasing abilities improvements + NPC aggression in the open world (when AI is confident it can catch and the target and give it some action). Captains will have to plan the movement around clusters of enemy ships (players or non players).
• National NPCs will also try to support weaker side in uneven battles if they are around. 

+ 1.

24 minutes ago, admin said:

Flags DLC

• Flags DLC will be introduced within next couple of days (from today 29th November) based on when Valve approves the page

Great news. That's the last time I  will ask it : will there be the French monarchic all white ensign ?

Edited November 29, 2018 by LeBoiteux

[Thonys]

Flags DLC  Incomminggggg...

GJ @admin

but i miss one thing or i  overread it at least i can't see it.

> a Dutch ship is missing. ? or ships in general. any news about ships?  

don't want to be rude but can you give us a hint on ships or is that for a later update or for some other patch? 

or just not in the list yet ... 

[Noobdelux]

NPC chasing abilities improvements + NPC aggression in the open world (when AI is confident it can catch and the target and give it some action). Captains will have to plan the movement around clusters of enemy ships (players or non players).

 

please no. PLEASE no, sincerly beg you not to do this

[Thonys]

Localization file will also feature custom language for the community translations into other languages. Players can change the custom file themselves or download community files 

 @Ink is there a good program for access implementation for the files.

[LeBoiteux]

NPC chasing abilities improvements + NPC aggression are great and long awaited news.

[admin]

31 minutes ago, Anolytic said:

Great!

Can we have some more info on this?

I think the Battle UI is quite good at the moment. It may not be totally in line with the rest of the UI, but it is very functional.

 

Does this mean I can translate the UI into Norwegian and share it on the forums?

 

Battle UI
We just need to refresh it and move to a single code base (it uses 4 systems now which also lowers FPS).  it will remain the same but will have a bit better looking buttons and windows. 

Norwegian
Yes. 

[staun]

19 minutes ago, Thonys said:

Flags DLC  Incomminggggg...

GJ @admin

but i miss one thing or i  overread it at least i can't see it.

> a Dutch ship is missing. ? or ships in general. any news about ships?  

don't want to be rude but can you give us a hint on ships or is that for a later update or for some other patch? 

or just not in the list yet ... 

Back off boy. 😀 The danes should have the Christian VII, before there can be talk about any other ship, Should actually be all admin was thinking about. Getting Christian in the game. I'll be nice and give him to monday, should be enough time.

Edited November 29, 2018 by staun

[Slim McSauce]

Based devs, this is what we like to hear!

[Anolytic]

1 minute ago, staun said:

Back off boy. 😀 The danes should have the Christian VII, before there can be talk about any other ship, Should actually be all admin was thinking about. Getting Christian in the game. I'll be nice and give him to monday, should be enough time.

You haven't been paying attention have you? Christian VII is in the game as we speak. 

 

[staun]

Just now, Anolytic said:

You haven't been paying attention have you? Christian VII is in the game as we speak. 

 

I have paid attention. But you are right. Is should be more carefull in my demand. I want it as a crafteble ship and not as once in a lifetime offer.

[Sella]

Very nice! I could do the translation in Greek if you guys want.

[Celtiberofrog]

Thx for these news.

WHAT ABOUT RVR ?!

IS IT STILL GOING TO BE UPGRADED IN PARALLEL OR AFTERWARDS ?

Damned, are we perceiving that release will occure by mid 2019 ?

or will it be earlier with some further patches afterwards ?

[DevsGoFluckYourselves]

Kindly Delete This Account

Edited July 31, 2020 by KindlyDeleteThisAccount

[Thonys]

43 minutes ago, staun said:

Back off boy. 😀 The danes should have the Christian VII, before there can be talk about any other ship, Should actually be all admin was thinking about. Getting Christian in the game. I'll be nice and give him to monday, should be enough time.

4

oke!!!! i make a rage shutdown, my input has no meaning at all it seems.

christian7 is  2018. @admin revers to 2019.

[Jan van Santen]

NPC aggression ..

Atm one can't see whats sailing by ones port before one leaves it.

So how does one leave a harbor thats close to AI routes ?

Eg ST Nicolas, LaTortue, Baracoa and the like ? Ganking by NPC next  or rerouting of NPC ? or safe zones around ports ?

.

[Anne Wildcat]

Economic sabotage sounds fun. When my clan was active, a few times we would grab trader lynxes, grab all the trade goods near Christenstad that sold high at port there and then sell them there. It was fun.  And a few times we got players to come out so we ran to that free town, forgot the name, and got into our battleships. It was fun. 

[NethrosDefectus]

@admin While all of this looks very exciting and I cannot wait to try it out, there is currently another issue that needs addressing (one that I'm sure could have been avoided by keeping things closer to your chest). At the moment the player numbers are disastrously low, I would be willing to put money on a major cause being the talk of "wipes" far too early in advance. 

People have just stopped playing because they dont see the point in playing if they are going to lose their ships and warehouse contents down the line at some point (I dont understand the mentality myself but hey ho) They clearly do not understand the concept of buying a game still heavily in development and what is involved that in terms of wipes and resets.

Is there anyway you can move things around in such a way that would allow you to do said wipe soon but also allow you to make UI and optimisation changes afterwards. 

I guess what I am saying could you perhaps consider prioritising the economy and resource changes (I assume that's one of the main reasons for needing/holding off on the wipe) so the wipe can be done and we can get people actually playing the game. 

At the moment its a loop, player numbers a VERY low and therefor much harder to find a battle at sea, as such people decide they dont want to spend a couple of hours sailing for nothing and just don't log in. That then means less players logging in and it just repeats. 

[huliotkd]

2 hours ago, admin said:

Captains. Here is the update on the development plans for the next months.

• Port UI optimization will be deployed in 1-2 weeks
  • the annoying redraw for all icons will significantly improve.
• Battle UI will be refreshed and updated within next couple of months.
  • Some information on enemy actions will be removed from boarding to discourage last click action. you need to completely rework the boarding then. actual defensive bonuses (barricades and so on...)are exagerated due to exagerated attack bonus  (muskets above all)...if you leave boarding as it is now but removing info on palyer action you will destroy a mechanic of the game. no one will use boarding anymore. we will discuss in future
• Flags DLC
  • Flags DLC will be introduced within next couple of days (from today 29th November) based on when Valve approves the page nice
• Localization
  • Game code was fully prepared for the localization
  • Localization (translation) will start next week. Once it finishes it will feature the following languages
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
    • Spanish
    • Russian
    • Korean
    • Japanese
  • Localization file will also feature custom language for the community translations into other languages. Players can change the custom file themselves or download community files nice
• New player operations
  • Welcome to the Caribbean operation for the new players info?
• PVP missions
  • We have decided against lobby based content as a result all PVP tournaments and challenges will happen in the open world
  • New challenges will be introduced
    • Solo patrols nice
    • Group and/or clan based events info?
  • PVP hunt missions will be added nice
• Conquest missions
  • Ports will give out capture missions for nearby ports or counties interesting, but a little rework of conquest mechanic is needed then
  • Economic sabotage and financing local resistance might get added too.  again ''war supplies''?
• Trading and economic PVP
  • Trading will be improved and pricing will be affected by distance from source. Goods local for Trinidad island will be extremely valuable in the Bermudas or Charleston. and vice versa.  finally!
  • Cities will produce more goods if supplied by basic resources from local county cities nice but don't fall in ''grinding mechanics''...put a cap limit maybe on how many supplies a port can hold to prevent the abuse
    • e.g. Brining grain or maize to a certain county capital will help it to spawn more white oak or copper
    • e.g. Bringing combat reports to capitals will eventually bring more graduates from europe to serve as gunnery officers what do you mean with those officers?
  • Every area (county, island) will feature unique goods only present in this region. Players will be able to maximize profit by hauling goods away from these regions. nice, but ''away'' should not be too far
  • Trading and crafting missions
    • Delivery missions please, let player put them on a new global market
    • Crafting missions (for guns, repairs, ships) nice but lower the costs a little
    • Postal services nice
    • Passenger transport interesting
• Additional PVE combat improvements
  • AI improvements for NPCs what are those improvements?
  • Elite NPCs dangerous for playerbase if the are the same of epic event
  • Bot routes in the open world will improve nice but info?
  • NPC chasing abilities improvements + NPC aggression in the open world (when AI is confident it can catch and the target and give it some action). Captains will have to plan the movement around clusters of enemy ships (players or non players). NO, we already had this feature and was useless and time wasting for player tagged by every AI in determined areas, and pvp battle in reinf zone has already too much help for the tagged player
  • National NPCs will also try to support weaker side in uneven battles if they are around. nice, but you need to remove F8 reinf in battle then...

 

 

[Vernon Merrill]

Can’t wait for the reports of the first few people to afk sail into hostile AI.  

Looks good to me except for that....

Edited November 29, 2018 by Vernon Merrill

[staun]

1 hour ago, Thonys said:

oke!!!! i make a rage shutdown, my input has no meaning at all it seems.

christian7 is  2018. @admin revers to 2019.

Yeah, But you would just confuse them and suddenly Christian VII is the buttom at the priority list. That we can’t allow. 

[staun]

1 hour ago, NethrosDefectus said:

@admin While all of this looks very exciting and I cannot wait to try it out, there is currently another issue that needs addressing (one that I'm sure could have been avoided by keeping things closer to your chest). At the moment the player numbers are disastrously low, I would be willing to put money on a major cause being the talk of "wipes" far too early in advance. 

People have just stopped playing because they dont see the point in playing if they are going to lose their ships and warehouse contents down the line at some point (I dont understand the mentality myself but hey ho) They clearly do not understand the concept of buying a game still heavily in development and what is involved that in terms of wipes and resets.

Is there anyway you can move things around in such a way that would allow you to do said wipe soon but also allow you to make UI and optimisation changes afterwards. 

I guess what I am saying could you perhaps consider prioritising the economy and resource changes (I assume that's one of the main reasons for needing/holding off on the wipe) so the wipe can be done and we can get people actually playing the game. 

At the moment its a loop, player numbers a VERY low and therefor much harder to find a battle at sea, as such people decide they dont want to spend a couple of hours sailing for nothing and just don't log in. That then means less players logging in and it just repeats. 

Not sure right now it is the thought about wipe, thats make ppl take a short break. But thats for another tread. 

Lets see those new things. A bit worried when I go hunting I end up fighting a AI fleet, and not players. But we can’t know before we se how agressiv they make the Ai’s

[Njord]

3 hours ago, admin said:

NPC aggression in the open world

Are you sure this is a good idea? I can imagine it being rather annoying to be honest, since the bots are all over the map. What about restricting the aggressive NPC to national capital waters, while making them all elite / very powerful instead of all over the map?