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How do i get money? seriously....

F

FLaviator

Landlubber
I've been playing this game for a couple hours now (just bought it last night), and i can't seem to really get anywhere... Good ships cost lots of money, my char can't seem to develop (all the quests are REALLY hard), and just generally i have no clue where to go/what to do...seems very disjoint/too open ended...i've played Sid Meier's pirates, Pirates of the burning sea, Age of sail, Oblivion, Fallout series, etc etc....but this game has me completely confused...naval combat seems very difficult as well....i just don't know how to start...i think once i got some money, and had a more suitable ship, things might be better....i don't know...right now i'm seriously regretting having purchased this game, as there's little instruction, and even the cheapest officers i can not afford....(haven't found a quest i could complete outside of a "kill this guy" or, "please take me here" quest) Anything at sea can sink my crappy lugger, and i can't afford another ship.


character is ian (blonde guy)
Adventurer
sailor difficulty
dynamic combat



can someone tell me where to start? i just plain don't understand this game at all...it's by far the most confusing RPG i've ever played....i'm not trying to bash it, because it seems like it could be a lot of fun, i'm just having trouble getting started, my ship can't fight its way out of a paper bag, my character is about the same (gets killed if there is more than one combatant attacking me (i constantly run out of energy) This is the most frustrating gaming experience i think i've had in my life...
 
try debug window <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />o)
 
<!--quoteo(post=328778:date=Jun 14 2009, 08:49 PM:name=cheatnow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cheatnow @ Jun 14 2009, 08:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328778"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->try debug window <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />o)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

if you mean cheating i don't want to go that route.. i just don't understand most of the quests given, they ask you to do something that usually seems of a much higher level than i can tackle, hell, i can't even afford to feed my crew of 25, much less tackle another ship...ugh...i wanted so much for this to be an enjoyable game...so much potential.
 
I'd say just start with missions from the merchants right off the bat, or if the Governor has anything that you can do quick and easily in town. You might also want to check with the Moneylender as well.
 
Don't give up, the beginning is hard but once you have a decent ship it becomes a lot more fun. The best way to get money early on is to capture and sell other ships, now with a lugger that's going to be rather difficult but you can take on other luggers and tartanes, which there should be plenty of this early in the game.
 
<!--quoteo(post=328784:date=Jun 14 2009, 10:02 PM:name=Sordid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sordid @ Jun 14 2009, 10:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328784"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Don't give up, the beginning is hard but once you have a decent ship it becomes a lot more fun. The best way to get money early on is to capture and sell other ships, now with a lugger that's going to be rather difficult but you can take on other luggers and tartanes, which there should be plenty of this early in the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


i'm not giving up, this game's just really raising my blood pressure...hours of play and a half dozen characters later i have nothing to show from it...ugh.
 
<!--quoteo(post=328782:date=Jun 14 2009, 08:54 PM:name=FLaviator)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FLaviator @ Jun 14 2009, 08:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328782"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=328778:date=Jun 14 2009, 08:49 PM:name=cheatnow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cheatnow @ Jun 14 2009, 08:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328778"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->try debug window <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />o)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

if you mean cheating i don't want to go that route.. i just don't understand most of the quests given, they ask you to do something that usually seems of a much higher level than i can tackle, hell, i can't even afford to feed my crew of 25, much less tackle another ship...ugh...i wanted so much for this to be an enjoyable game...so much potential.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yep, the game is really hard. It seems it was developed only for two kinds of people:
1) truly masochists;
2) truly piracy fanatics.

In first steps of playing there are several ways to take some coins:
1) governor's quests for finding spies;
2) smuggling;
3) in game of chance with boon companions in tavern

<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />
 
U can get up to 48K gold each day just by playing games against the governor. U cna get over 2mil. just for completing the first easy quests for the spanish. Quest 1 fort the Inquisition can bring u 1milion gold and many trinkets and items and it's easy.
 
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->naval combat seems very difficult<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yes they going to be hard with low combat skills like accuracy so u will need to work it out by leveling it with more ship combat .

I can see that your main problem now is getting enough money so as they told you , do the easly missions till u get enough money to buy a barque early on . Why barque ? It is low level ship and has good cargo space and with it keep doing the merchant cargo delivery quest which will make u get both exp in navigation and trade skills . Later when u have enough navigation buy a caravel with + 3000 cargo space and continue with merchant quests , try to combine with escort ship quest that u get from tavern or passenger transport so u do 2 quests in same time .

Remember to hit F6 for quick save before u talk to npc so in case he didn't give u a quest u like then u hit F9 for fast reload and talk to him again .

Later after visiting most ports and talking to each store owner u can check the ' Trade ' under F2 , see what port sells what and where it is needed then while u still have your merchant ship u can do some trade runs , u can ( when u can afford it ) start your own fleet so u sail good combat ship like heavy galleon and tell your merchant ship captain to ' run away ' if u get in combat .

Whenever u feel ready u can persue any of the game storyline .

1 good tip is always remember ports that sells things that u most need like food , ammo , medicine and powder and in case u find yourself suddenlly short on food then rise the jolly roger flag and attack even ships from your own nation <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thpirateshipff.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":piratesahoy!" border="0" alt="thpirateshipff.gif" />
 
Yes the start is very hard, low skills and it feels like every pirate ship you fight you have to run away from because they have a better ship than you, wouldn't be so bad if your skills wasn't so low would it. Well there's a mod out now that will help you, it gives you a good ship for starting with much better than the Lugger, 20k gold and all the pirates you bump into at the start are in class 7 to class 5 ships, i haven't come across any pirates in ships above the Colonial Schooner which is the ship you start with anyway. Here's a link to the topic which discusses the mod, scroll down because the mod has been updates later on in the topic. <a href="http://forum.piratesahoy.net//index.php?showtopic=13625" target="_blank">Smuggler Mod</a>

I've got off to a much better start now, i took a mission to steal the planes for s new ship (corvette) you aren't timed, and from the store the untimed mission to hunt down the Blue Bird, that one will take a long time to complete my trade is low at the moment and i haven't really been searching for that ship, i'm trying to build my trade and navigation skills up so i can use bigger and better ships with bigger cargo holds.
 
<!--quoteo(post=328877:date=Jun 15 2009, 04:54 AM:name=Luke159)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Luke159 @ Jun 15 2009, 04:54 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328877"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->the untimed mission to hunt down the Blue Bird, that one will take a long time to complete<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh you can find the ship in ten minutes if you follow the leads, the trick is then defeating it. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />
 
I'll leave the finding till i have a good crew that can load those cannons fast and my own skills are good too, and of course i have a ship with ample fire power, if its that hard to sink the Blue Bird then i will need a ship with good fire power and it needs to be able to take a hard punishment aswell, that rules out the Calonial Schooner.
 
Why would you want to sink such a fine ship? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh" border="0" alt="huh.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=328773:date=Jun 14 2009, 09:30 PM:name=FLaviator)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FLaviator @ Jun 14 2009, 09:30 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328773"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I've been playing this game for a couple hours now (just bought it last night), and i can't seem to really get anywhere... Good ships cost lots of money, my char can't seem to develop (all the quests are REALLY hard), and just generally i have no clue where to go/what to do...seems very disjoint/too open ended...i've played Sid Meier's pirates, Pirates of the burning sea, Age of sail, Oblivion, Fallout series, etc etc....but this game has me completely confused...naval combat seems very difficult as well....i just don't know how to start...i think once i got some money, and had a more suitable ship, things might be better....i don't know...right now i'm seriously regretting having purchased this game, as there's little instruction, and even the cheapest officers i can not afford....(haven't found a quest i could complete outside of a "kill this guy" or, "please take me here" quest) Anything at sea can sink my crappy lugger, and i can't afford another ship.


character is ian (blonde guy)
Adventurer
sailor difficulty
dynamic combat



can someone tell me where to start? i just plain don't understand this game at all...it's by far the most confusing RPG i've ever played....i'm not trying to bash it, because it seems like it could be a lot of fun, i'm just having trouble getting started, my ship can't fight its way out of a paper bag, my character is about the same (gets killed if there is more than one combatant attacking me (i constantly run out of energy) This is the most frustrating gaming experience i think i've had in my life...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

the trick is tag some ships, sell their cargo, their cannons(u need to dismount it first) and then ship itselft, for each ship you can make easy 20k (not tartanes ofc), one thing to help you do it is to get crew with good soldier skill, then get the max crew you can, when boarding another ship fire all your guns with grain shot, then dont wait for reload, board it before you get damage, if u do it right u can make easy money, ahh and fighter officers help a lot too, remember to arm them with the best gear you can, when one of your fighters die, just reload the boarding, if you have that option on, you will allways have a save when u start boarding

another important thing is to get a second ship to join you, then you must find cheap food and buy a lot, same to medicine, so you can go everywhere without worry about supplys

myself i use a fleet of 3 ships, one for supplies, another to store stolen goods and for good crew supply in battle, because i loose a lot of crew boarding larger ships, so after i defeat a ship i usually need to get more crew, so i go close to another ship in my fleet and take it crew while unload the stolen cargo, so i can keep boarding <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />
in the end of the batlle i find myself with 2 tagged ships with full of load, and a good loot from the sinked ships(we can only have 5 ships in our fleet, so i tag 2 and steal the cargo while sinking the rest)

ofc you cant start taggin frigates at the biggining, you keep your action at your scale, meaning you fight what you can defeat <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

a last note, dont sink blue bird, or any other unique ship btw, i use blue bird myself <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />
unique ships are at least worty to stock in dock master, you can get other ships to make money selling, the money you get from selling an unique ship is not worty the loss from leting they go...
 
Hi there people gives to you nice tips, all are nice and really works, i will like to add one more. Do you know the card game 21? is easy to get a few thousands playing cards and you can always save before <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

Bones is like poker is little dificult to get easy money!. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" />
 
Hey guys! just wanted to first say thanks to everyone for replying so quickly, and for having such helpful responses!


Since last posting, and taking a lot of the advice given here, I've managed to go from my poor lugger, to a Sloop, and then through 2 different schooners (i'm now captaining the 16lb gun version of the schooner). I've also managed to accumulate approx 40,000 in the bank through capturing ships and selling them once i've stripped them. Gambling was the main way i got my headstart in the beginning of the game (lots of reloading and saving), until i managed enough money for a large crew and some officers!


This game is infinitely more fun now, and i have to say that with the exception of the very disappointing sound effects (the cannons sound like pop guns), this game is probably the best pirate sim i've played...


Thanks to everyone for their help, i have just one more question...what activity is tied in with the Navigation skill? do i merely need to sail around for this to improve? or do i need to do a specific set of quests, or something entirely different...


Thanks again, in advance, it's nice that you guys are as friendly to a newbie (to this game anyway), with probably very basic silly questions.
 
If I may advise you further, I'd suggest you use your schooner to capture yourself a brigantine. You can find them with up to 24 lb guns, which you can then upgrade in Bermuda to 32 lb. They're fast and maneuverable and sail beautifully against the wind. Perfect if you're planning your main vocation to be capturing enemy ships. I only gave up mine after I captured the Bluebird.

Yeah, navigation increases basically any time you sail, if you want to really boost it you can go into a storm and try to last as long as you can (repair perks and lots of planks can help keep you afloat a bit longer).
Oddly enough, my (and my navigator's) skill has been increasing rather quickly recently, not really sure why that is. The rate of increase might possibly be tied to the speed at which you're going, and since the Blue Bird is superbly fast it might account for that. But that's just my guess.
 
<!--quoteo(post=329194:date=Jun 15 2009, 09:17 PM:name=Sordid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sordid @ Jun 15 2009, 09:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=329194"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If I may advise you further, I'd suggest you use your schooner to capture yourself a brigantine. You can find them with up to 24 lb guns, which you can then upgrade in Bermuda to 32 lb. They're fast and maneuverable and sail beautifully against the wind. Perfect if you're planning your main vocation to be capturing enemy ships. I only gave up mine after I captured the Bluebird.

Yeah, navigation increases basically any time you sail, if you want to really boost it you can go into a storm and try to last as long as you can (repair perks and lots of planks can help keep you afloat a bit longer).
Oddly enough, my (and my navigator's) skill has been increasing rather quickly recently, not really sure why that is. The rate of increase might possibly be tied to the speed at which you're going, and since the Blue Bird is superbly fast it might account for that. But that's just my guess.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Thanks for the info, i'll definitely set out to find a brig soon, i'm just trying to get my navigation skills more to par (only 26), which puts me in class 5 territory, at any rate, thanks for the info and advice, it sounds like a brig is exactly what i'll look for...i want to get into some other tasks, but for right now capturing enemy ships seems the best way to accumulate money at least up front...i want to figure out the whole "sneaking into enemy ports" thing...

where can i buy other nationalities' flags? i've looked in the shops but i don't see them, should i go to a pirate town?
 
Brigantine, not brig. Not the same thing.
You get more flags in your ship perks section. Those are the only ones I picked from there so far, since I have officers for everything else.
 
The different flags are like a normal ship perk, once you got some (i.e. PeterBllod at the the beginning has English and Pirate flags) if you want to change it, there must be no ships nearby, acces the F2 menu, go to Nations tab and bottom-right corner is the Flag-changing area.

<b>BEST REGARDS</b>
 
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