Need Help any chance of not to pay the ransom in rescue lucas quest?

[lbm1006]

first of all I'm not a native english speaker so please ignore my poorly english.

here's the thing:i'm playing the stock potc for nostalgia reason,and i'm doing the rescue lucas quest.
According to the quests_texts in RESOURCE\QUESTSTEXT folder,it says that you can just kill the kidnappers instead of pay the ransom.
#TEXT 8
I didn't give the ransom to the kidnappers. Instead, I cut them down like the dogs they were. Now I must get Lucas to his father.

so how could this option can be choose?when i got to the kidnapper's hideout,i just cant draw the sword and only have the option to pay the ransom.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

In "Lucas Da Saldanha_dialog.c", I see all sorts of dialog cases that I can't find referenced anywhere else in the code.
Might be one of those famous unfinished/buggy parts of the original game.

Even weirder is this dialog case:

       case "poem_1":

           /*
           Усталые глаза почти не видят
           Сиянья звезд в манящей вышине.
           Их свет холодный можно ненавидеть,
           А можно просто взять себе.

           Соткать из льдистых нитей покрывало,
           Ему доверив сокровенность снов,
           А если этого окажется вдруг мало -
           Порвать его на бессполезность слов.

           Сорвать цветок, в подарок своей Даме,
           А по пути - швырнуть его куда-то в грязь.
           Сменить стихи на меч, и рваться к славе,
           А после удивляться - как же низко можно пасть.

           Свой наточить клинок, готовясь к бою...
           И спрятать в ножны, испугавшись боли.
           */

       break;

Yep; that case contains ZERO code; but the comment is a poem indeed:

Tired eyes barely see
Shining stars in the inviting heights.
Their cold light can be hated
Or you can just take it for yourself.

Weave a blanket out of icy threads,
Trusting him with the secrecy of dreams,
And if this is suddenly not enough -
Break it on the futility of words.

Pick a flower as a gift to your Lady,
And on the way - throw him somewhere in the mud.
Change poems to a sword, and strive for glory,
And then wonder - how low you can fall.

Sharpen your blade, preparing for battle ...
And hide in a sheath, afraid of the pain.

Sounds like a somewhat sad and angry poem too.

Whatever is THAT doing there?!?

 

[lbm1006]

In "Lucas Da Saldanha_dialog.c", I see all sorts of dialog cases that I can't find referenced anywhere else in the code.
Might be one of those famous unfinished/buggy parts of the original game.

Even weirder is this dialog case:

       case "poem_1":

           /*
           Усталые глаза почти не видят
           Сиянья звезд в манящей вышине.
           Их свет холодный можно ненавидеть,
           А можно просто взять себе.

           Соткать из льдистых нитей покрывало,
           Ему доверив сокровенность снов,
           А если этого окажется вдруг мало -
           Порвать его на бессполезность слов.

           Сорвать цветок, в подарок своей Даме,
           А по пути - швырнуть его куда-то в грязь.
           Сменить стихи на меч, и рваться к славе,
           А после удивляться - как же низко можно пасть.

           Свой наточить клинок, готовясь к бою...
           И спрятать в ножны, испугавшись боли.
           */

       break;

Yep; that case contains ZERO code; but the comment is a poem indeed:

Sounds like a somewhat sad and angry poem too.

Whatever is THAT doing there?!?

Sounds like there's no other way to complete this quest.Thanks for the reply.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

@Grey Roger: Do you remember how this part of the story goes?
In the stock game and/or the modded one?
I haven't played in so long; I barely remember anything myself...

 

[Grey Roger]

There is indeed no way to avoid paying the ransom, apart from staying away and not paying the ransom. The kidnappers kill Lucas, you lose a lot of reputation, but at least you keep the ransom money. Of course, you won't get the reward money from Lucas' father!

Otherwise, as one of the kidnappers explains, it wouldn't work. You might be able to kill them, but while you're fighting kidnapper 1, kidnapper 2 is putting his sword into Lucas.

 

[BathtubPirate]

I'm quite sure in the stock game there is no way to do anything except paying the ransom. You can threat the kidnappers like "and what if I just kill you right now?", but they say they would quickly kill the hostage and Hawk abandons his plans and pays the ransom.

There is a dialog file for Snorri Baldursson, the kidnapper who stays behind in the tavern and spends the rest of his and your days standing at the bar. In this dialog file he says something like "What? You killed them?" and the answer is "Don't worry, you're going to keep your friends company!". This implies there originally was an option to kill the kidnappers (don't know whether Lucas survives this or nor), then Snorri comes and you can kill him too.

This applies to the stock game, haven't played the quest in NH yet I think.

 

[lbm1006]

I'm quite sure in the stock game there is no way to do anything except paying the ransom. You can threat the kidnappers like "and what if I just kill you right now?", but they say they would quickly kill the hostage and Hawk abandons his plans and pays the ransom.

There is a dialog file for Snorri Baldursson, the kidnapper who stays behind in the tavern and spends the rest of his and your days standing at the bar. In this dialog file he says something like "What? You killed them?" and the answer is "Don't worry, you're going to keep your friends company!". This implies there originally was an option to kill the kidnappers (don't know whether Lucas survives this or nor), then Snorri comes and you can kill him too.

This applies to the stock game, haven't played the quest in NH yet I think.

Truely a pity that option remains unchoosable dispite it exist in the quest_texts
So is it possible to add this option in the mod?That would be a great complement

 

[Pieter Boelen]

So is it possible to add this option in the mod?

100% absolutely possible.

Isn't it already done? Sounds like something someone in the past 18 years might've already picked up on...

If not, anyone could still do it.
In my experience, mostly everyone can learn to mod.
The best way to learn is by doing something small, simple and based on already-existing elements.
This could be a perfect starting point.

Even weirder is this dialog case:

       case "poem_1":

           /*
           Усталые глаза почти не видят
           Сиянья звезд в манящей вышине.
           Их свет холодный можно ненавидеть,
           А можно просто взять себе.

           Соткать из льдистых нитей покрывало,
           Ему доверив сокровенность снов,
           А если этого окажется вдруг мало -
           Порвать его на бессполезность слов.

           Сорвать цветок, в подарок своей Даме,
           А по пути - швырнуть его куда-то в грязь.
           Сменить стихи на меч, и рваться к славе,
           А после удивляться - как же низко можно пасть.

           Свой наточить клинок, готовясь к бою...
           И спрятать в ножны, испугавшись боли.
           */

       break;

Yep; that case contains ZERO code; but the comment is a poem indeed:

Sounds like a somewhat sad and angry poem too.

Whatever is THAT doing there?!?

Anyone got any clues on this poem thing?
Isn't that COMPLETELY bizarre to find in your pirate game code?!?

 

[BathtubPirate]

Anyone got any clues on this poem thing?
Isn't that COMPLETELY bizarre to find in your pirate game code?!?

Akella Boss (2003): Today you finish the Lucas quest , add in all the different routes and sub-quests we discussed!
Russian programmer who wants to call it a day and go drink vodka (2003): Don't feel like it, I just type in my favourite poem so it looks like I'm working. Nobody's gonna ever look at that file anyway...
Some modder (2021): What the fffffkkkk is that?!

Joke aside, very interesting indeed, it triggers the imagination...

I also thought someone refined this quest, especially since the groundwork for a "fight kidnappers" path seems to be there. But the wiki walkthrough here doesn't mention anything.

 

[Grey Roger]

As far as I can tell, there are three kidnappers: Billy Brock, Snorri Baldursson and Francis Snake. The first two start off in the tavern, while Francis Snake is in the house, presumably guarding Lucas. When you show the sign, Billy Brock leads you to the house, while Snorri Baldursson stays in the tavern. In the house, Billy Brock tells you to wait while he gets the prisoner. He goes upstairs, then he, Lucas and Francis Snake all come downstairs. After you pay the ransom, Billy Brock and Francis Snake disappear out of the front door, leaving Lucas to talk to you.

Snorri Baldursson is not a problem if he stays in the tavern. You can kill Billy Brock while he's crossing the street to the house, which breaks the quest because then he can't talk to you inside the house to initiate the ransom payment. Assuming that code is written to detect Billy Brock's death at this point, you then need to figure out a sensible way to kill Francis Snake without giving him any chance to kill Lucas first. Simply charging into the upstairs room is not a sensible way. (Has anyone else noticed where the kidnappers' house is in relation to the shipyard?)

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Akella Boss (2003): Today you finish the Lucas quest , add in all the different routes and sub-quests we discussed!
Russian programmer who wants to call it a day and go drink vodka (2003): Don't feel like it, I just type in my favourite poem so it looks like I'm working. Nobody's gonna ever look at that file anyway...
Some modder (2021): What the fffffkkkk is that?!

Hahaha!!!
That is indeed pretty much EXACTLY the kind of imagination that it triggers in me.

Do you think it is an existing poem?
Or could the modder have been feeling particularly eloquent at the time himself...?

 

[BathtubPirate]

As far as I can tell, there are three kidnappers: Billy Brock, Snorri Baldursson and Francis Snake.

The biggest mystery of the quest is actually how anybody can come up with those names...

It's all like you say, and Snorri stays at the bar in the tavern for all eternity (at least in the stock game). But Snorri's dialog file indicates there was more planned. The poem indicates... I don't know.

(Has anyone else noticed where the kidnappers' house is in relation to the shipyard?)

Clearly Jean Filaut orchestrated the plot to use the ransom money for his big dream ship!

 

[Grey Roger]

The biggest mystery of the quest is actually how anybody can come up with those names...

The hardest part of creating a character is often coming up with the name.

It's all like you say, and Snorri stays at the bar in the tavern for all eternity (at least in the stock game). But Snorri's dialog file indicates there was more planned. The poem indicates... I don't know.

Snorri used to stay in the tavern forever in the mod, too, until a line was added to remove him at the same time as Billy and Francis leave the house.

My guess is that someone had the idea to allow you to rescue Lucas by killing the kidnappers, then one of the other developers pointed out the obvious problem. So Billy's dialog was changed to have him explain it to any player for whom it is not obvious.

As for the poem, perhaps we should pay more attention to what the tavern keeper in Port Royale tells us:

Well, rumour has it the young Spaniard tried to make time with the governor's daughter. I don't know what happened, but he came in here afterwards in the blackest of moods. The very next morning, he and his yacht were gone, and no one here has seen him since.

The poem seems to match "the blackest of moods".

 

[BathtubPirate]

The hardest part of creating a character is often coming up with the name.

I know, right? Mine so far are mostly personal friends of mine, silly wordplays, a spontaneous reference to a german comedy film and random combinations of default names that sound good.

As for the poem, perhaps we should pay more attention to what the tavern keeper in Port Royale tells us:The poem seems to match "the blackest of moods".

Nice thinking! Our new hobby "unraveling the layers, meanings and mysteries of the PotC game" goes into the next round here!

 

[lbm1006]

Snorri Baldursson is not a problem if he stays in the tavern. You can kill Billy Brock while he's crossing the street to the house, which breaks the quest because then he can't talk to you inside the house to initiate the ransom payment. Assuming that code is written to detect Billy Brock's death at this point, you then need to figure out a sensible way to kill Francis Snake without giving him any chance to kill Lucas first. Simply charging into the upstairs room is not a sensible way. (Has anyone else noticed where the kidnappers' house is in relation to the shipyard?)

Actually more than once I entered the kidnapper's hideout and killed Francis Snake before I go to the tavern just for vent,there's nothing happened,only Lucas being horrified.And when I re-entered the 2nd floor,Francis Snake just respawned and horrified along with Lucas.

As for the poem, perhaps we should pay more attention to what the tavern keeper in Port Royale tells us:The poem seems to match "the blackest of moods".

Maybe the poem was supposed to be the sign that Lucas's father gives to you?

 

[Grey Roger]

I know, right? Mine so far are mostly personal friends of mine, silly wordplays, a spontaneous reference to a german comedy film and random combinations of default names that sound good.

Mine are mostly random. Sometimes I'll visit a town of the character's nation, find a random walker, and note his name. Or I'll open "Characters_names.c", scroll to the names for the right nation, close my eyes and poke blindly at the screen. And then there's this:
https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/
It can provide real world names chosen by nation, as well as fantasy names.

Actually more than once I entered the kidnapper's hideout and killed Francis Snake before I go to the tavern just for vent,there's nothing happened,only Lucas being horrified.And when I re-entered the 2nd floor,Francis Snake just respawned and horrified along with Lucas.

They won't do anything special at the moment because no code exists for an attempt to rescue Lucas by killing the kidnappers. But the door to the hideout may need to be locked to prevent anyone going in too soon. As player, you know where the kidnappers' hideout is because you've played the quest before. In character, you have no idea where they're keeping Lucas until Billy Brock leads the way.

 

[Lonious]

There is a dialog file for Snorri Baldursson, the kidnapper who stays behind in the tavern and spends the rest of his and your days standing at the bar. In this dialog file he says something like "What? You killed them?" and the answer is "Don't worry, you're going to keep your friends company!". This implies there originally was an option to kill the kidnappers (don't know whether Lucas survives this or nor), then Snorri comes and you can kill him too.

This applies to the stock game, haven't played the quest in NH yet I think.

Damn, how much more savage could Nathaniel get...he should get his own movie/animated film spinoff.

And add that poem too, somewhere in there...as an Easter egg.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Damn, how much more savage could Nathaniel get...he should get his own movie/animated film spinoff.

"Those that die will be the lucky ones".

And add that poem too, somewhere in there...as an Easter egg.

It really does warrant some more attention, that one!

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

Damn, how much more savage could Nathaniel get...he should get his own movie/animated film spinoff.

And add that poem too, somewhere in there...as an Easter egg.

In fact a PotC movie with Nathaniel has been one of my dreams for years.
Especially seeing as I first played "Sea Dogs 2" and then watched the movie.
In the end I liked Jack very much. Now that Disney has ideas of replacing him, good ol' Nathan would be the other one I would choose.

 

[Lonious]

In fact a PotC movie with Nathaniel has been one of my dreams for years.
Especially seeing as I first played "Sea Dogs 2" and then watched the movie.
In the end I liked Jack very much. Now that Disney has ideas of replacing him, good ol' Nathan would be the other one I would choose.

Which begs the question - how does the game fit into the PotC continuity? Or is it even linked in any way? Isn't it set over a century before the events of the first film?