Differences between Age of Sail 2 and Age of Sail 2: Privateer's Bounty?

[DH27]

Hi,
inspired by the recent posts made in this fork of the forum, I wanted to give Age of Sail 2 a shot. I found a site where I could download both games, but I am not quite sure yet, which one I should choose. So far, I got that Age of Sail 2 has had some major bugs and difficulties when it was released, resulting in bad player experiences at times. There has been a patch for it, but I guess that one wasn't able to deliver the anticipated improvements. With Privateer's Bounty, a standalone expansion was released, but under a different publisher. Therefore I wanted to ask, if Privateer's Bounty has been the major improvement that was promised before? Furthermore, is all the content from the original game included in Privateer's Bounty, or would I miss out on something by playing Privateer's Bounty?
Thanks!

 

[Martes]

It's a rather tricky question.
There are features AOS2 has and PB doesn't, and vice versa.

AOS2 has more detailed crew commands such as spring cables and jury rigging. This was cut in PB, which has more simplified crew management.
PB, on the other hand, has built in database and scenario editor, submarines, baloons, fireships and explosive ships.

But the main issue is the AI.
All AOS2 scenarios are playable in PB (you have to copy them to scenario folder, as they are not included), but if you open them in the editor, you will see the map covered in waypoints for both sides, and they show fixed paths for ships/squadrons. PB has rudimentary AI, which is relatively dumb, but turns quite funny and realistic from time to time. I use PB for my modifications, but most of config tweaks can possibly be applied to AOS2 as well.

 

[DH27]

Thanks for your great reply, that helped me a lot!

AOS2 has more detailed crew commands such as spring cables and jury rigging. This was cut in PB, which has more simplified crew management.

On this topic, PB seems to be a lot more similar to the later Sea Dogs games, with those also having only rudimentary crew controls.

All AOS2 scenarios are playable in PB (you have to copy them to scenario folder, as they are not included), but if you open them in the editor, you will see the map covered in waypoints for both sides, and they show fixed paths for ships/squadrons. PB has rudimentary AI, which is relatively dumb, but turns quite funny and realistic from time to time.

Compared to AOF 2, would you say that the AI in PB is so much worse to the point that it isn't fun anymore, or is it still enjoyable?

By the way, is there something like free play available in one of the games, or are they both scenario based?

 

[Martes]

On this topic, PB seems to be a lot more similar to the later Sea Dogs games, with those also having only rudimentary crew controls.

Very difficult to compare.

AOS2 had this crew menu (although I have no idea how all this worked!):



And this is what remained in PB:

Compared to AOF 2, would you say that the AI in PB is so much worse to the point that it isn't fun anymore, or is it still enjoyable?

AOS2 had no AI to speak of, only preset routes. AI in PB is not the brightest, but comparing to historical precedents can even be considered realistic

By the way, is there something like free play available in one of the games, or are they both scenario based?

Both are pure RTS games, set around scenarios. PB campaigns are simply a wrapper for scenario sets.

 

[Martes]

A little sense of operational perspective:




My current testing scenario, depicting a harbor blockade. The three little ships around the center are bomb vessels moving to position (top image) and bombarding the fort (bottom), with other ships positioned around.

And from the surface:




Frigates supervising two smaller ships, a brig and a corvette (same hull, different rig) towing submarines to blow the anchored transports.

 

[DH27]

Very difficult to compare.

AOS2 had this crew menu (although I have no idea how all this worked!):



And this is what remained in PB:

Thank you for the comparison, that was very insightful. I will give PB a try first, as I don't mind the cut down crew management that much and I want to have some fun with the rudimentary AI

 

[Martes]

The only thing that is really missing from PB is ability to sound depth (i.e. find shallows) in a map.
It is possible, though, to detect where the shallows begin if you try to place a waypoint (the very little flag button on the bottom-left of the mini-map). The waypoint can't be placed on shallows, and so you can see the border between them and the deep water.

Do make sure to check out the ini and other mods I posted in the models thread.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

AI in PB is not the brightest, but comparing to historical precedents can even be considered realistic

Were captains back in history not very bright either...?

My current testing scenario, depicting a harbor blockade. The three little ships around the center are bomb vessels moving to position (top image) and bombarding the fort (bottom), with other ships positioned around.

There is something SO cool-looking about those big fleets!

 

[Martes]

Were captains back in history not very bright either...?

There was that. Add communication mishaps, visibility and identification problems, a myriad of other technical and human factors, and that's the result you'll get, more or less

There is something SO cool-looking about those big fleets!

That's why I love the whole thing.
And you do control all of them, you can pick any and say - go there, do that.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

There was that. Add communication mishaps, visibility and identification problems, a myriad of other technical and human factors, and that's the result you'll get, more or less

That's why I love the whole thing.
And you do control all of them, you can pick any and say - go there, do that.

Cool, cool.

 

[Glenn Cook]

I played both. it been a while but here are my impressions. I remember that I had problems running the first "Age of Sail II ". The patch made it better but still had issues. I also remember the AI was terrible in the original. Because of all the problems I didn't play it much.

Out of the box "Privateers's Bounty: Age of Sail II" ran well. Stable Good campaigns, but still flawed by some bugs that surfaced later in the campaigns. I thought the AI was very good in PB and better compared to the original. The AI could use Larger groups of ships better . The AI on harder levels could really use the wind. Crews would improve as game progressed.