Let's talk ship!

[rjshae]

My guess is that we'll get scripted interactions for the ship-to-ship encounters, and the combat will only begin once the two ships are roped together. Thus it's just a normal encounter with a two ship area. We probably won't see much cannon fire, although maybe the decks will be cluttered damage.

 

I'll bet there will only be some safe landing areas in order to channel the action into prepared areas. Otherwise you'll be warded off by sand bars, reefs, cliffs, or rocks.

 

If they want to make it realistic, they could provide prevailing winds that vary by location. You might, for example, need to tack into the wind if you want to move in that direction; moving your ship back and forth in order to make progress. But perhaps that's too much detail?

 

I wouldn't mind seeing some type of ship logistics, somewhat like the water rations in Wasteland 2. I.e. you have a meter running of onboard supplies. When you run out, the crew starts to take damage.

[Quillon]

I'm wondering how fragile the crew will be. They could make pretty hardcore management system with dire consequences but the crew won't consist of generated NPCs, instead they'll be NPCs from the world(that we can find & hire) and companions/sidekicks, so I think dire consequences would mostly get ruled out like crew dying due to lack of water/food/medicine etc since some peeps won't be happy loosing a companion just cos they neglected their dehydration since they might not like management at all.

 

Well maybe they could make an opt-in hardcore feature like in New Vegas.

[Valmy]

Naval combat/exploration music like this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKmw9oS__MM

 

Would be ace :D

 

 

 

 

Ok on this point, at least, we can all agree.

[DrTomT18]

I hope with the making of the stretch goals we'll be able to pick from all sorts of different ships, from a small, nimble little type fishing vessel, to a massive gallyon with a crew and cannons and all that gun stuff.

Ever play Assassins Creed Blackflag? That game is a great pirate experience. Sailing the high seas, ransacking British military and supply ships.

I know we won't see something to that extent because, well, PoE is a totally different game. But something along those lines would be fun to see.

[SonicMage117]

I'm hoping for full-sized vessels as well, something along the lines of The Black Pearl or the Matflower?

 

Of course it would probably be hard to attain one but still...

[injurai]

If Obsidian really goes ham, and invests a lot in all these sea faring features. I could imagine them sticking with the pirate-esque theme into PoE3. The series no doubt will still be in the Age of Sails / First Age of Colonialism. Maybe they won't be pirates, but a chartered expedition somewhere. But I can see a lot of these systems being kept so they can expand upon them. Because it seems like a large portion of what was in PoE1 will be expanded upon for Deadfire. Not a lot feature wise is being dropped, mostly just tuned and tailored.

[SonicMage117]

I'm curious to if there will be trade ports...

 

If so, makes me think that Obsidian may be taking some cues from Sid Meiers' Pirates, I'm sure I'm not the first to say it lol

[Sedrefilos]

Why everybody hopes this'll be a new Pirates game? I don't want a Pirates game, I want a Pillars game

[JFSOCC]

I'd like some content to be gated based on your ship type. Heavy, deep hull ships shouldn't make it past certain reefs into shallow harbours, whereas shallow hull fast ships should avoid heavy weather and combat with larger vessels.

 

I'd love a great deal of aesthetic customisation as well, perhaps as a gold sink?

 

and yes, I also like the idea of limiting exploration distance based on distance travelled from your last supply station. This way "securing" ports may influence your exploration range. A heavy ship may explore further because it can stock more food and water (but wouldn't get into the shallow cove) whereas a smaller vessel would really have to set up a supply chain before ranging further. I think this would greatly benefit the feeling of being a real explorer.

It might also help obfuscate the gating of content which the player isn't supposed to encounter yet. (because it can't be reached before a player has at least ship X, or secured location Y)

[Lord_Mord]

 

Ok on this point, at least, we can all agree.

 

No we can't.

[Sedrefilos]

I'd like some content to be gated based on your ship type. Heavy, deep hull ships shouldn't make it past certain reefs into shallow harbours, whereas shallow hull fast ships should avoid heavy weather and combat with larger vessels.

 

I'd love a great deal of aesthetic customisation as well, perhaps as a gold sink?

 

and yes, I also like the idea of limiting exploration distance based on distance travelled from your last supply station. This way "securing" ports may influence your exploration range. A heavy ship may explore further because it can stock more food and water (but wouldn't get into the shallow cove) whereas a smaller vessel would really have to set up a supply chain before ranging further. I think this would greatly benefit the feeling of being a real explorer.

It might also help obfuscate the gating of content which the player isn't supposed to encounter yet. (because it can't be reached before a player has at least ship X, or secured location Y)

Noooo - wish to Firaxis for a new Pirates game instead! :D

[Sedrefilos]

Oh man - I really hope Obsidian won't go overboard with the ship management and pirate theme :D

Edited April 6, 2017 by Sedrefilos

[Regggler]

I'd like some content to be gated based on your ship type. Heavy, deep hull ships shouldn't make it past certain reefs into shallow harbours, whereas shallow hull fast ships should avoid heavy weather and combat with larger vessels.

 

I'd love a great deal of aesthetic customisation as well, perhaps as a gold sink?

 

and yes, I also like the idea of limiting exploration distance based on distance travelled from your last supply station. This way "securing" ports may influence your exploration range. A heavy ship may explore further because it can stock more food and water (but wouldn't get into the shallow cove) whereas a smaller vessel would really have to set up a supply chain before ranging further. I think this would greatly benefit the feeling of being a real explorer.

It might also help obfuscate the gating of content which the player isn't supposed to encounter yet. (because it can't be reached before a player has at least ship X, or secured location Y)

While realistic, I'm not sure I would like the idea about ship types and strictly gated content - say I have saved up for a hardy, high-seas faring heavy vessel, and I'm super happy that instead of running I will now be able to tell pirate captains "No, YOU surrender!". If I then get to an interesting reef right after the purchase and can't explore it because my vessel is too heavy, my reaction is likely to be "This really sucks." Now, If I can get over this by using a dinghy, that's another story This could have consequences like "can't use the big ship to restock until you return" or similar things, so a shallow hull ship could still offer an advantage in this situation.

 

As for your second suggestion, I love the idea of limited exploration distance linked to securing ports. Negotiating with a harbor master about being allowed to dock and restock is a cool hook for all kinds of quests. And you are right, it is a nice way of guiding the player through the "open" world.

 

 

Noooo - wish to Firaxis for a new Pirates game instead! :D

 

I'm with you in principle, but I still think JFSOCC's ideas could be done in a sufficiently RPGy way.

 

 

 

 overboard

... I see what you did there...

Edited April 6, 2017 by Regggler

[Sedrefilos]

 overboard

... I see what you did there...

 

 

:D

[Messier-31]

If I want to play pirates I will go and play Pirates!

[rjshae]

Have a few sea battles that take place during epic storms, complete with surging waves, driving wind, heavy rain, miserable lightning, and lightning flashes. They can make it near impossible to use bow attacks, participants stagger from the wave impacts, and fire spells can peter out in the wet conditions. Wave crests can roll across the deck, propelling sea creatures onto the ship. Flotsam and jetsam swirl and wash around the battle area. Crewmen are below decks manning the bilge pumps, leaving only a few hands on top to fight.