First impressions from the beta testers

[Jeff_ATARI]

Hello everyone!

I promised some occasional news from the beta testers for those of you who didn't get selected. Here's my first installment.

Most of the beta testers got their CDs by this weekend. They were asked to post some of their thoughts after first trying the game. Several noble souls tore themselves away from the game long enough to post several comments, suggestions, and overall impressions.

Here are a few comments I've selected from the posts after scanning over them briefly this morning:

- "Tears in my eyes. Needs some work, but tears."
- "The graphics, other than a few bugs here and there, are excellent. They are very true to the original style while still looking up to date."
- "I love the little wind swirls in the water. As someone who has sailed quite a bit I can vouch for the authenticity of this."
- "I was worried that the graphics would seem too cartoony, but the detail is wonderful and the movement fluid and pretty. I love the little details like music and sound changes as you near a particular port."
- "For those who were worried about the passage of time and the time it takes to sail around, don't. I was concerned as well, but while the ships appeared to be arcade like in their sailing pace in the movies we had seen previously, they don't really feel that way. It feels much like the original in terms of scale - maybe a hair faster, but hardly noticeable."
- "I was a bit thrown that you cannot buy ships anymore, however, the new system encourages you to make tough choices...Do I really want that Fluyt even though I'm dutch as well?"
- "Just like the original this could be a severe `time-leech`."

Of course, some folks ran into incompatibilities or bugs that either caused occasional crashes, minor graphical glitches, or installation problems, but that's expected with any beta. The testers will receive a few more updated builds and bug fixes via download over the next few weeks until the beta program is concluded.

I hope you found this info helpful and enlightening. Let me know if I should continue.

Best,
Jeff Foley
Atari

 

[SirDrago]

<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" />
Thx for the update <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> And yes! Please continue <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

[ubik]

<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" /> You WILL continue posting or I will make you walk down the plank!!! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />


But you are teasing us a bit! After all the worries about the (possible) absence of wind in the game, you only managed to produce a sentence describing its effects on the water!? <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dev.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":d:" border="0" alt="dev.gif" /> <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />

 

[SirDrago]

<!--`QuoteBegin-ubik`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ubik)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->


But you are teasing us a bit! After all the worries about the (possible) absence of wind in the game, you only managed to produce a sentence describing its effects on the water!?  :d:    [/quote]

Yeah that was mean. I don`t see what´s the big secret is about wind.... It`s a simple question: Is there wind like in the original or is it not. Ok i asked now simple enough <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> So please someone answer <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/beer2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":beer" border="0" alt="beer2.gif" /> <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

[William]

YES, there is wind!!! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

A nasty storm cloud comes your way here and there, and can propel your boat rather well.

Kind of interesting to note in the beta test version, rapid fire is on with the space bar. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blah:" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> I was suppose to just attack a boat and forgot about hitting the right key to announce I was attacking. Instead I blasted Santiago until my men just waltzed in a made it English! He he ...

This game has a lot of little macroeconomical features to it too boys. There is a pirate town not too far from Port Royale. I told them to go attack it ... and they won. Too funny.

 

[MarkQuinn]

I must convey my sheer disappointment that you did not answer my request from months back to become a `beta-tester`. Whether that answer was positive, negative or "I have nothing to do with that end of it" didn't matter. And yes I did register, as requested.

"Oh yeah," they told me, "PM Jeff --- he's an awesome guy."

Well.

Anyway, although the expression is overused, I can say in this case that I honestly believe it is your loss that I was not chosen as a tester. That is, if meaningful feedback was your goal. I am sure Firaxis is pleased beyond belief to know however that it brought tears to one tester's eyes ... needs work ... but brought tears nonetheless. Great stuff, that one.

Signed: Disgruntled ... but will get over it soon enough.

 

[SirDrago]

<!--`QuoteBegin-William`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(William)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->YES, there is wind!!! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

A nasty storm cloud comes your way here and there, and can propel your boat rather well.

[/quote]

Hey thanks for the answer <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> I didn`t want to know more <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/onya.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="onya.gif" />

 

[DJ1]

<!--`QuoteBegin-William`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(William)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->YES, there is wind!!! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

A nasty storm cloud comes your way here and there, and can propel your boat rather well.

Kind of interesting to note in the beta test version, rapid fire is on with the space bar. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blah:" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> I was suppose to just attack a boat and forgot about hitting the right key to announce I was attacking. Instead I blasted Santiago until my men just waltzed in a made it English! He he ...

This game has a lot of little macroeconomical features to it too boys. There is a pirate town not too far from Port Royale. I told them to go attack it ... and they won. Too funny. [/quote]

William or Jeff or another tester.

Can you play the game in sailing mode with a 'third person' (third ship) camera???????????

I mean that you sail the ship with the same cam as used to drive in all cargames today. (The surrounding rotate when you change direction of the ship - you always sail 'upwards')

 

[William]

Not in the world map I don't think. I did think I saw Jeff do it at E3, but I might have been transfixed on the previous scene.

When in battle, pressing the numerical keypad '9' will change the camera to the camera angle you want. You get a different perspective. Also, by changing your perspective to that you can see what time of day it is ... If a battle goes on past sunset it normally ends.

 

[DJ1]

<!--`QuoteBegin-William`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(William)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Not in the world map I don't think. I did think I saw Jeff do it at E3, but I might have been transfixed on the previous scene.
.[/quote]

<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />