Caribbean!

ExtraCrispy · Boatswain Posts: 3875 **39112 Gold** -

http://store.steampowered.com/app/293010/
Anyone tried this yet?

sparticus · Helmsman Posts: 5781 **44872 Gold** -

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

That has me tempted to load STEAM on my computer again.

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

STEAM re-installed. ( what a pain!)
Caribbean purchased, installation underway.

Well, I played. I guess it's considered alpha stage.

Maybe I need to use the forums and learn what I'm supposed to be doing.
I won a battle at 3 to 1 odds in my favor. After that, I was captured in the next two battles, ( which I didn't even want ), and in the sea battle, I crossed the enemy bow and was just about to rake them with chain at what I thought was extreme range when the screen changes to prepare to be boarded.

I was on the gun deck, trying to find my way to the fight when I fell overboard and sank. Captured again.

Anyway, on land I'm a guy on horseback, not a general directing troops.

A lot is done with the W<A<S<D keys. I'm not a southpaw. Maybe I need to figure out the mouse.

Maybe if I were playing Total War, it would be more intuitive.
I need a tutorial.

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

I read up and played some more.

I started another game, made different decisions, but I still have trouble walking out of a room. Needless to say, some of the other stuff is worse.

I'd be tempted to blow some money on weapons and ships, but it's still in alpha.

It is interesting to look at, I'm just not finding it fun yet. I probably have to put more time into it.

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

Last game I started as a Frenchman, Ray Pierre. Trained my sailors, put a sail maker's room in my Flute. I rode out of town because there were a few robbers just outside of town. I figured I'd defeat them, gain some renown, and maybe make some money without putting a scratch on my ships.

I got jumped by 80 Spaniards. It did not go well, even when I escaped, I got jumped again and again by overwhelming numbers. I lost all of my musketmen companions. My inner ear was acting up, and I wasn't too keen on the simulated horseback riding with it's bouncy camera. I was relieved when they killed my horse, and I conceded defeat and quit the game.

Roland · Helmsman Posts: 4122 **22914 Gold** -

But your ship remained undamaged!

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

Maybe I should sell one of the brand new fluyts and use the cash to trick out a schooners at the outset.

That was a bust. I sold my smaller Fluyt, but there was nothing to buy.

The game didn't go too well. That said, I did learn something.
1) you can pick up cargo and crew from scuttled ships during a battle, much like Sid's Pirates!

2) I'm getting the hang of shooting people on the enemy quarterdeck from mine ( using the shift key ) with a pistol when my men are boarding. I think I'll allocate for more strength points and buy a musket next time.

Guardacostas · Rigger Posts: 1043 **11231 Gold** -

Wow, that sure is some trailer. Shocked

I must say.

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

Okay! Now I'm getting somewhere.

I started as an independent, allocated my ability points to have 7 strength, my skill points to include trade, firearms, and sea battle ability ( whatever it's called ). I bought a damaged matchlock musket. I stuck to attacking smugglers.

I would close with the enemy, order my men to charge, and personally shoot an enemy or two from the railing of my poop deck. Once the enemy quarterdeck has been cleared, I pull out my sword and join the battle, which is usually won by the time I board the enemy and reach the action.

I am much less likely to be wounded in a shoot-out than a melee. I can affect the outcome . The other advantage is that if I am wounded in the first encounter it hurts my crew's morale in the battle with the second ship, and losses are heavier, so I usually avoid that penalty.

By strategic trading, and capturing the vessels of smugglers along the way, I am usually able to replace my lost men, repair my vessels, and maybe have enough left over to fix my musket at the master weapon maker's shop, buy gloves, or sturdier boots, or something else in the way of upgraded weapons or protection, while gaining experience points.

Upgrading my ships seems just out of reach, but now that I seem to be in positive cash flow rather than downward spiral, I realize I could save for it, and upgrade my ships after capturing an extra pair of sloops.

Okay, I did mistakenly shoot one of my own sailors Shocked

once, but the scurvy dog was dashing across the gangplank, boarding my ship, before the battle was won. I mistook a coward for an enemy, but it didn't seem to hurt morale.

Captain Teague · Rigger Posts: 1185 **12207 Gold** -

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

Perhaps, but he weren't wearing no shirt, which made it harder to determine his allegiance.

Rusty Edge · Rigger Posts: 1977 **2992 Gold** -

I've got the same character flaw dogging me in this game, too.

I want to take a ship too many before putting in to port for repairs and re-crewing. One more Treasure Galleon in Pirates! One more smuggler in Caribbean. That extra ship should cover the costs of repairing and upgrading that large frigate/ large schooner I just captured and want to keep in my fleet.

Except the additional wounded, and the prize crews are a drain on my manpower, and that last juicy prize more often costs me my flagship than pays for repairs to the ship I just added. Once my flagship is lost, I've got a lot less crew, and a lot less morale. It starts the downward spiral.