I think I can say I am a frequent player of PoTC and especially the game with various versions of Builds and Modpacks. Now I started to play for the first time your AlexusB´s Add-On, so that I can do some comparing the both of it. As I can feel and experience from my short playing, both mods are completely different.
The community of PoTC modders at PiratesAhoy is completely open and anybody can become a modder and almost anybody can put into game his/her mods and ideas which I think isn´t good system because various people has various tastes and opinions on various matters what about the game concerns and I think all the quality of Builds and Modpacks suffer by that quite significantly. By my opinion there almost don´t exist any conception how this game and modding should look like in the future and what are the main goals of all this modding. Speaking it a little differently it seems to me all this modding of Builds and Modpacks don´t have any concrete conception and everything proceed spontaneusly and in an uncoordinately way. When I play the PoTC with Builds I play all the time the same game with stupid plot about the Black pearl. The game is still the same, fortunately with many good improvements, but anyway it is all the time the same game.

On the other hand when I started to play this AlexusB´s Add-On, I immediately have felt I am in completely new and different game. I am very glad the game is hard for playing and despite of that well balanced ( as I can see so far) and that your community of modders is somehow close (I think) because the more modders do mods for this game the more bugs and strange ideas are implemented into the game that are anyway discarded in the end after some time. I like your new music, interface, very advanced system of enhancing of heroes and so on. Only it seems to me the game is somehow unstable and vulnerable for crashing at least at my computer. Mybe it is caused by combination of my English version of the game and your Russian Add-On, I don´t know. But I think I am able to settle up with that. What I like very much here is playing cards and cubs ( poker system) in the taverns for money. It is really great performed and designed and it is some good way to get money at lest in the early stadium of playing. I am amazed because of extent of jungles of island where I almost lost at Hispaniola. And the maps are very good aids here too. I can´t say much more so far because I am playing only very short time so far but this Add-On looks very professionally. So, I think I will return here after receiving some my further experiences.

Thanks for your words
My thoughts about Build 1x are the same. Too bad strategy to make real projects

I have no english version so cannot take expiriments on it.

You have to delete some folders before start instaltion

seadog2\MODULES\
seadog2\Program\
seadog2\RESOURCE\INI\
seadog2\RESOURCE\QUESTSTEXT\
must be kiled!

and kill all file (not dir) from root of the game

Then start instalation (set russion in your windows like second language for ability to read message)

Make new install, see no error massage (it have one, please, copy log mesages and attach here as file)
Then test stability of game - we have no problem with regular voluntary crush

I agree with you but i think Build is not meant to be totally new game. Its just a "little improvement" pack for people who wants some changes and new some new stuff to the game. So i could say that they wrestle in different categories, if you know what i mean...

Hi Alex. I am glad we have the same opinion on this Add-On because this way its constant high level for the future will be assured.
After my reinstallation of the game it works well so far. I saved these important files because I was advised but some good people from this website about it.
And befor my new installation I always delete all the directory Bethesda Softworks manually too. Only one thing seems to me somehow strange that cannons shoot very poorly and only on very short distance. But I only started the game and maybe this shooting and range will improve substantially in the course of playing. And reloading times are endless. The skilful cannoneers were able to reload cannons in the course of about 1 minute. I put here some link with original historical data of English ordnance from 17th century. There are many important datas of cannons and max ranges in paces too. The best culverines shot at the distance about 1500 meters.
I sent you my private message about translation. Did you read it ? Could you help me somehow?
Dway, I think many players and modders from PiratesAhoy don´t like the main storyline of the game and Builds but they are´t able to to do anything about it because it is difficult for them exchange all the conception of the game.

http://www.portsdown.demon.co.uk/ord.htm

Shoot distance depends on cannons calibre. In addition, there is a difference among an amunition types - i mean bombs, cannon-balls, etc... So to be able shooting farther you need to have bigger cannons or use another amunition. It's up to you.

You're right... But it's quite difficult to match historical facts to the gameplay. Consider it as a simplified approach to the age..

Set other propertes in the game to change cannon realisation.
We have 2 defferent type of plaing cannon (so 4 types tolal)

Check setup form

"Режим пушек" (Cannon types) - only for new game
"Линейный" (Line grow distance)
"Нелинейный" (unline grow distance)


"Режим плавания" (Sailing Mode) - can be change in game process
"Быстрый бой" (quick cannon recharge, fast turn)
"Медленный бой" (slow cannon recharge and turn)

Can you explain me what´s difference between settings line grow distance and unline grow distance? I can´t try it now.

see cannon distance in shipyard change cannon mode
Start game twice and compare

Hi, all. As I am proceeding with playing this Add-On I am more and more in discomfiture about it. As a regular PoTC and Sea Dogs player I am accustomed to something different. It seems to me all the playing is very lengthy especially on the sea. When I started the game it took me practically 10 minutes after my cannons was reloaded. I think even very unskilful crew would manage it in quite shorter time. Even now when I am a little more skilful the reloading is very, very slow, especially when crew is somehow reduced. And the balistics of the cannons is as though it would be carronades or some mortars that shoot and not long barrel guns. Skilful British crew was able to reload guns in the course of 1 minute. And culverines could shoot at the distances up to 1550 meter and these cannons are´t able amost to reach even the distance about 300 meters. When I am chased by some ships it takes maybe 15 minutes after I reach this adjusted needed distance of 700 meters for going to the map. What should I do in those time ? Go to drink my coffe? I am not able to drink so many cups of coffee. I think the distance 500 meters could be sufficient. The consumtion of provisions by crew seems to me very exaggerated. It seems to me that crew would be able to eat up all the capacity of cargo in quite short time if I would have loaded only this provisions. Why isn´t here here some function of accelereation of time that could be used in the course of walking through endless and all the time the same jungles or in the course of escaping from any chasing ship? Or maybe this acceleration of time is somewhere and I overlooked it? All of this and some other issues as various penalties and frequent losing of money and so on lowering for me the playability and amusement of the game, but especially all the toilsome and too little action sea fighting. On the other hand all skirmishes and fencing seems to me very good and well balanced. They are tough, especially in the beginning of playing but all is somehow manageable. I am sorry that I have to write it but it is a sensation, viewing and opinion of player that very likes this type of games. But it is only my personal opinion and I can understand that other people can have different opinion of those matters.

The reload time depends on the skill level of Canon and Accuracy. Trust me, the more Canons level is the faster canons will be reloaded. But now I can advice you to use acceleration button "+" on the right side of your keyboard, or to set Arcade mode if you like it.

In the new version won't be such a situation. But now you may transport slaves all the time and when your crew is not max you can add slaves (You know how to do it, aren't you?). Also you can take always companions and use his crew.

"+" don't work?

Good luck and be patient. The Game is difficult and that is why we love it

Hi, Smart Fox. You know, I don´t like too so as the game was easy. The Builds are too easy by my opinion. And I really overlooked this great acceleration button "+" and I will be using it from time to time (rather more frequently).
But because I don´t like slavery and anything similar I think I will never use slaves on my ships. I can´t only reconcile with very short ( and by my opinion unrealistic) range of cannos here. Are these ranges of canons increasing in the course of improving skills of shoting too? What is the arcade mode? Where can be adjusted and can be exchange in the course of current game or it must be adjusted before starting of playing?

Hi. Please, don't translate my nick. Write xitriy_lis or хитрый лис if you like.

Range don't depend on skills.
When you start new game, you see that there are 2 different modes of shooting.
1) Linear. The higher the calibre, the longer is the range of gun and the bigger is the reload time.
2) Realistic/Non linear. Range and time depend on calibre. The longest range has the 24p guns
But cannons and couleuvrins has different range and reload time. So choose what you like more.
You can switch those modes during the game.

There are also two type of sailing:
1) Slow/realistic
2) arcade. Guns shootes faster. But enemy's guns will also shoot faster

You can also switch those modes during the game. But better do it starting new game

Hi, Rad
What the awful things you're describing !
Below is an answer on your question about cannons. Speed of loading is strongly linked to the crew. To maximize reloading time you should have completed crew.
Can you imagine that 10 guys make 20 cannons charged during 30 sec? I can't

- Actually, your sailors are not so hungry. Consumption is 1 outer of food for 10 guys a day.
- When a ship is chasing you while the wind is poor, it takes you quite a long time to escape. So use acceleration mode or get a battle
- Unfortunately, there are no any other types of cannons in the Add-on, except the ones you've seen.
- If you (or your officer) have got perk called "Увеличенное расстояние выстрела", then shoot distance might be increased by 15%. But that's it.
- All settings you want you should make before the new game started.
- Regarding arcade/realistic mode. It's all about sailing. Arcade mode means you manage your ship the same manner as your car.
Realistic mode puts in the game many things you cant do in the live - set sails within 1 sec, make immediate evolutions... So sailing takes more time, especially when you're fighting. But on the other hand your enemies have been put in the same frames, so haven't any competitive advantages from this perspective.

As a summary...
Don't be in a hurry taking a ship, which doesn't fit your skills - you'll be very disappointed with penalties.
Be brave - get battles. You'll develop your skills quickly.
If you're not satisfied with something in the game play, firstly try to analyse it from reality point of view. Am sure, you can get an answer on many things, which make you feel uncomfortable...

PS There is one more option, of course. It's questions put onto our forum

Hi, Bullet. Tell me why these cannons were programmed here the way that shoot at the distance only about 300 meters if in reality cannons shot at the distance about 1000 - 1550 meters? I tried to exchange several things in Cannons_init.c but it seems to me nothing happens in the game after my changes as though this file was somehow blocked. Or must be these changes somehow intiated?
And what about reloading times concerns I would await that with decreasing crew number the reload times will be prolonged linearly up to the minimum crew number. Then I would await the reloading times will decrease more distinctly. But it isn´t so as it is in Sea Dogs, basic PoTC, Builds and so on. Even little decreasing crew prolong reloading time exscessively.

Oh, come on! Some cannons are able to shoot at 500 meters (feet?) distance.The problem is a maximal allowed calibre for selected ship type. Higher sailing skill leads an access to the better ships...
About changes within ini-files... Dont know, really... I suspect, the game is not friendly to users regarding such changes...

That's right. To be honest, being a tester I dont keep in my mind all dependences and fomulas... It seems to me, the dependence of reloading is not linearly changing in terms of crew.

Bullet, can you explain me why my penalties are increasing all the time? I am not aware of anything bad what I would do just now. I even stop to fight with skeletons but nothing is helping. I only smuggle frequently but it is my the most favorite activity. I have for example skill in heavy sword 62 (-40). What this means exactly? Is it equivalent of 62 - 40 = 22? I hope not. Can be all these penalties removed?

Yes it is. Such huge penalties usually appear when a ship doesn't match sailing skill, or when hero's health suffers with a regular injuries. You'd better to put here couple of screen shots. The first one with info about hero's characteristics and skills. And the second with his own ship info. Then i could easely determine what problem you faced... I believe...

Everything is possible...

Try to check your health. If you have to fight a lot during smuggling and your health diminishes then you may get negative points, too.

So that if I am trying to fight with patroling ship or ships after doing my smuggling, so I can receive some penalties for that?

Rad,
Forget about smuggling as a source of penalties! Your health suffers from hand-to-hand fighting only.
And what about screen shots? Can you put them here?

Here it is.

Нажмите для просмотра прикрепленного файла

Нажмите для просмотра прикрепленного файла

Where? A-a-a-a! And another one with your ship?
Preliminary, your health is not perfect, buddy! Go to the priest immediately! You have enough money to pay for cure... Or alternatively you can go to a perlor house several times It's in Nevis.

I addded it above.

Oh, everything is clear now! To manage different ships without penalties your (or your officer) sailing skill should be performed in accordance to the table below.
I marked the current requirements by red there.

6th class: 1-24
5th class: 25-39
4th class: 40-64
3rd class: 65-79
2nd class: 80-94
1st class: 95-100

Your sailing is not enough. So check your officers' (if any) performance. If their sailing is also underperformed, then you should hire another (additional) guy with appropriate sailing skill.
Or change your ship...

Do you mean the navigation kills? I have one officer who has navigation skills 46 but it is still little, as I can see here. I will try to do somehing about it. And why 2 officers abandoned me already? Is it normal state here? Thanks for advice.

Navigation grows in battles very well
Do you mean that officers leave you? Than it is normal if they don't like your actions. Like making a contraband whith good reputation officer. You can see his attitude to your character on his form (interface) Looks like old expiriens progress bar

After I boarded and defeat some ships I couldn´t use any of my two officers as a commandor of defeated ship. There must be some special officer - first mate officer or something like that? I think I never met such officer yet. And I wanted to dismiss one of my officers and hire some better one but this released officer is still with me and doesn´t want to disappear and in the meantime the new officer, better in navigation, disappeared from tavern.

An officer should have a title "First deputy" ("Первый помощник") to be appointed as a commandor on the occupied ship. You can find the title under officers' avatar (F2).

There is one additional parameter in the game. It's called "Reputation". You can find the current reputation of your hero/officer above their avatars.
The reputation of your hero changes in accordance to his daily business. From the "dirty rotten scandrel and even worse" to the "hero".
If the hero preffers murder of citizens, smuggling, fort occupation, looting etc, then his reputation drops down. If hero's "core" business is rescue of women in jungles, help to gouvernors/church, then his reputation becomes better...
Reputation of officers is unchangeable.
If hero's daily business doesn't fit officer philosophy (reputation), then he leaves your hero defenately. Under officer avatar you can find a "loyalty bar".

Each officer tries to leave the hero from time to time, even the hero does "right" things (from officer point of view). If it happened, then this officer would like to get an extra bonus (money) from hero. If you pay him, then the officer will stay with hero.

Hm, and how can I kict out him? I talked to him I don´t need his services anymore but he doesn´t want to go.

Are you sure you're choosing right sentence in the last dialog? I mean, you said "you're fired, man!" Then the last dialog window ("Are you sure???") appears. There are two options:
1. Yep, am sure!
2. No, I've changed my mind.

I tried both options but I will try once again. I can understand Russian partially, I studied your language at school for about 12 years but it was very, very long time ago already.

What do you mean about "He didn't go away"?
Does offiser leave your party (F2\passangers) and stay in this location or he stay your officer after been fired?

=====
About cannon range

Can you recall range of cannon from original PotC game?

What do you mean about too short distance?

We have 260-550 distance now - it is real range for navy battale with balance (AI and etc.)
Some cannon (48f) can shot a mile long range but thees cannons only for forts

Did you try change option too up dinamics of your plaing?
We have it yet so if you use no of it who cares?

Alex, I put here again some historical datas what about range of cannons concerns. There is English ordnance from middle of 17the century and in table second there are the max ranges of cannons in paces. One pace is about 0.75 meter, so you can see very easily from it how those ranges were and as I wrote several times here from about 1000 to 1550 meters.

http://www.portsdown.demon.co.uk/ord.htm

And not only that, but long barrel cannons shoot here rather as carronades or some mortars, the balisitc trajectory is very high and I think it should be much more flat and visually these shooting cannons looks as though they wouldn´t any force of penetration.

I am not able to change anything now because I am in the game already. But I think this option in the game is only cosmetic one and not any substantial change of ranges.

By the way, what this warn: 0% under my name represents? It means that I am somehow troublesome when I politely express my opinion?

What about officer concerns. I kicked out him but he didn´t disappeared from the passanger menu. But maybe I did it somehow wrongly so, I will check it again.

The kicking out officers works already for me.

I mean - Do you remember cannon range from ORIGINAL game (is there 1500 meters or some smaller)?
Histiry and balance are different things

We check some other history texts and find our way to set ranges for calibres in game


Try to change Slow Fast Navy Battle - it will work in old game - and it speed up your dinamic of the plaing.

0% under your name means warning to user.
0 is all ok 100 is all bad

Never mind. I am playing it anyway. I wanted only so as you have some different opinion from man who plays this Add-On for the first time.

The only last qustion. Why do you think, if you would somehow increase the ranges of cannons and do their balisitics more flat and reloading times would decrease proportionally with crew decreasing up to minimum needed crew number and only after that the reloading times would decrease more extensively, the ballance of the Add-On would be disrupted somehow? I think if you would do that this would influence hero´s ship but all hostile and all friendly ships too so that by my opinion nothing would change what about the ballance of the game concens. If you do that I think the game would be even more amusing if battles would proceed in more action way when ships could shoot each other on longer distances and reloading times would be adjusted more favourably too.

So, on that I would rather finish talking about this cannons issue. I respect completely the fact it is your Add-On and you can do what you want about it and I never have wanted to compel you to anything or impose any my opinions on you and I hope I won´t bother you anymore about that. As I said already, I only wanted to tell you my opinion on that. So, please, don´t be angry at me or bitter somehow about me, there is still many great things in this Add-On for me and it is really worthy of playing.

Cannons mod in Build is only version of my first (2003 y.) mod - "Cannon AI". So I compare with original not Build now (I did see last Build)
We have some option to use. Did you check them all or you still "think" about check? You opinion is correct but you use THIS mode of game. I cannot make speed up rechage cannon course I DID it YET.
I like dinamyc battle myself so I use anoter option in game setup.
But some of players want to be in slow mode and they can be to want it!

Some changes will be in next version
Ships now have new parameter - optimal crew - is meaning max crew to recharge cannon. And max crew will be for second use (like slaves now or for biger abord crew).

Thanks Alex for your help. As I just had a look at my adjusting I had set liner cannons and prolonged battle ( it is strange because I tried to set up fast battle before I started to play the game). Anyway I set up now nonlinear cannons and fast battle and I will see what and how it will change. I hope it will work in my current game because I wouldn´t want in any case to start playing from the beginning now because I am quite deeply in the game already. But several times I tried to switch off this paying for save/ load but every time when I open this menu this issue is selected again.

I tried this new adjusting and it is better now for me. Nonlinear cannons and fast battle. The speed of my ship and her maneuverablility is much better even reloading is much better. The problem was I though I have set up fast battle and in the meantime I have adjusted slow battle.

Everything is good when everything is correct
Thanks for trying.
But some explane
1. Update of addon has some need to do after set on. Need to set settings on default set yours exit game, start new one - when they be set corret in any time later
2 Nonlinear, pay save, complex level, hardcore are set only for new game
3. Battle mode, help abord can be change in game process

So you have only fast battle but not nonlinear cannon

All ranges of cannon you can always check in shipyard when buing new cannons

Hi, all In the course of moving into any new location in the game, all the movement stops for several second, sometimes even for about 15 second as I can estimate and all the music gets stuck too somehow in the course of this transition. It is quite upleasant. Do you plan some optimalization of engine or is it appearing only on my computer?

Please, send me your savegame with it in .rar onto PM
We have no any ablity to check and fix it without savegame with troubles

I sent it to you by private message but I do´t know whether I did it well. So, you could tell me if you received it.

I recieve it correct. Thx!

Thanks for your savegame again - I found problem now but didn't find solution for old savegame yet. This is kernel problem I can't fix it total but can some hide in time.

Hi, Alex and others. Can you tell me, how can I increase my reputation? I have big penalties because I use the ship of the 2 class but this strenghten corvette is the first better ship that I have. And with it I can resist some attacks somehow and fight a little more successfully. But officers are all the time abandoning me and I must to pay him much money frequently. I would like to hire some officer with high sailing experiences but I can´t find any such person.

How can you increase reputation?
Help beggars and Damsel-in-distress, take quests from gubernators, merchants and others, make it without delay, be merciful with captured, patient and correct in dialogs, pay in church.
But it is no easy to find experienced companions- they don't lay on the way. Especially at lover levels of your Hero. Barmens in Taverns may help you, captured pirates captains often very good.
Good choice will be to hire Filosof (Философ). For this you must have high-level ship (you already have it), big cash, really good reputation (see above), and weapon Килидж (try the treasure's hanting). Filosof live on Nevis (Невис)- on the street. He is beggar, but very good in all stuff.

I am trying to do it but it is quite difficult to realize it. I will be trying to add philosopher after he will be willing to go with me.

Rad, try new FAQ in English at the following address: http://legend.seaward.ru/eng/faq.htm Hope, it will be of some help for you.