• New Horizons on Maelstrom
    Maelstrom New Horizons


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Buccaneers! Screenshots and Videos

Fans of PotC: New Horizons will know that one of the biggest visual features that game lacks is illuminated ship lanterns, and that feature has also been absent from Buccaneers!... until now. :cool:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=982204052259618

We decided to take it one step further and allow both lanterns and windows to light up at night using an emissive material, creating a cool visual effect.
I was initially worried that adding light sources to the lanterns would be too costly performance-wise, but we've found an efficient method that allows them to cast light onto flags, sails and other nearby objects without slowing the game down, so we're pretty happy with the result. :type1

A couple of other noteworthy changes in this video:
- We've added a visual wind effect to help you see which way the wind is blowing.
- Your ship's name and crew number are displayed above your health bar when you take damage during ship battles.
 
Here's another improvement we've wanted to make for some time: synchronised cannon recoil and audio! :pirate41:

Previously, when you fired a broadside on your ship, you'd hear a pre-made sound play from either the port or starboard side which simulates multiple cannons firing. This produced a very simple stereo effect, but wasn't very satisfying or realistic, so we decided to try per-cannon audio instead. I believe the Storm Engine games have done this since at least PotC (not sure about Sea Dogs 1), but we were initially worried about performance spikes from playing 50+ sounds at once on the largest ship. As it turns out, our tests showed the performance impact was negligible, so all player ships now use this new system for a much more impactful 3D audio effect.

To make things even better, we finally synchronised the recoil animations properly with the firing effects, so instead of all rolling back at once, the cannons now individually move in sequence.

You can see and hear the new system in action on three different ships in the video:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=849890588882409
 
We haven't shown off bounties in a while, so here's a quick look at how you get them (VR footage). :guns:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=676416319918689

We're also showing off a new enemy brig which replaces the old model. This brig counts as a "support vessel", which means it's not a playable ship but can be added to your fleet, making it a good cheap way to get a second ship early in the game. For those wondering, the new model is based on HMS Badger (1777), which was the first ship commanded by Horatio Nelson. :keith
 
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Spooky season is upon us, so it seems like the perfect time to show off custom flags that will make your enemies fear you... :pflag

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=273600677343033

You can choose a specific flag for each ship in your fleet, or you can apply a design to all ships at once for a uniform look.
There will be more designs to choose from in future, including different ensigns for the non-pirate factions (e.g. red, white or blue ensigns for Britain).

Have a happy (and safe) Halloween! :cheers

giphy.gif
 
This week we're showing off the different types of cannons you can use, and there's plenty of boom to go around! :pirate41:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=407411563975735

Each type of cannon has a different model and sound profile that makes them look and feel distinct from each other.

Here's a rundown of what can change depending on the installed cannon type:
- Damage
- Range
- Reload time
- Ship speed (heavier guns can slow your ship down, lighter ones can speed it up)
- Available ammo types (some guns are specialised, others are more general purpose)

As well as the initial selection, you can expect to find more exotic types of cannon with special ammo such as heated shot, canister shot and more.
 
Melee combat has been given a much-needed upgrade in VR - take a look! :duel:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2422182138077227

Key improvements include:
  • You can now block attacks by holding your weapon steady and interrupting the enemy's swing. You'll need to watch their movements carefully to time it right!
  • You can throw some weapons to either do damage or stun your enemies (daggers do the former, pistols do the latter).
Not all attacks can be blocked; enemies will sometimes try to kick you, in which case getting out of their way is the better option.
And don't try to take on too many enemies at once, or you'll quickly be overwhelmed by the number of melee attacks!
 
Following the recent upgrade for VR combat, it was time for non-VR to get some attention as well, so we've been busy overhauling and adding new animations to improve the flow of combat. Take a look... :guns:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2783064968680070

The biggest change is the addition of reload animations for pistols and long guns, both of which now also have an extra particle effect for the flintlock mechanism when firing.
The player's arms have also been enhanced with more details and better rigging which made these more complex animations possible.

Pieter Boelen said:
No water in the moat next to that fort at the start...?
Click to expand...
Nope - a moat doesn't need water to be a moat! ;)
We did actually try adding water at one point, but it ended up conflicting with the main ocean surface and caused rendering issues, so we decided to drop it. The real fort that our largest one is based on has a dry moat anyway, so it seemed appropriate.
 
Armada said:
Nope - a moat doesn't need water to be a moat! ;)
Click to expand...
Wow; weeeiiird!
Learned something new again then.

Armada said:
We did actually try adding water at one point, but it ended up conflicting with the main ocean surface and caused rendering issues, so we decided to drop it. The real fort that our largest one is based on has a dry moat anyway, so it seemed appropriate.
Click to expand...
Fair enough; I remember when storms in PotC Charlestown would cause massive waves inside the small inland waterway.
I imagine you might've run into similar shenanigans... :wp
 
Here's some more fort assault action, this time featuring a large harbour with several skirmishes. :duel:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=203290181381549

At present, the objectives are limited to killing a set number of enemies in specific areas, but we're looking into expanding this to add more variety, such as:
- Destroying a barricade or obstacle such as the fort gates.
- Capturing and defending an area from a counter attack.
- Defeating high-value targets, such as officers.

Pieter Boelen said:
Fair enough; I remember when storms in PotC Charlestown would cause massive waves inside the small inland waterway.
I imagine you might've run into similar shenanigans... :wp
Click to expand...
Not quite; we can have multiple finite bodies of water of whatever size we want, but any additional ones don't display reflections properly, so they don't look right.
But we could, for example, have an inland scene with a lake at any position, not just sea level.
 
Foo Mxcah said:
Will you be adding features such as crew being able to makeshift repair the sails? Or plug the hull?
Click to expand...
We do have an emergency repairs feature that lets you fix a small amount of damage in mid-battle. Currently there are no special crew animations for it, but that's something we'd like to add.
 
Armada said:
Not quite; we can have multiple finite bodies of water of whatever size we want, but any additional ones don't display reflections properly, so they don't look right.
Click to expand...
:facepalm

Does sound quite weird.
Why would that be the case...?
 
Broadsides have been improved once again, this time with dynamic lighting effects and a larger muzzle flash. Check it out! :pirate41:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=444653006543533

We're using the same efficient technique that allows the stern lanterns to be lit without impacting performance, so this new effect comes at no noticeable cost to the framerate.

Pieter Boelen said:
:facepalm

Does sound quite weird.
Why would that be the case...?
Click to expand...
I believe it's a performance saving measure which stops the water from using multiple reflection cameras. Reflections have a significant impact already, so using more than one camera to render them for multiple bodies of water could be quite costly.
 
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