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I am worried about sword duels!

E

eobet

Landlubber
I loved the sword duels in the original Pirates! They weren't the speediest, but you could judge your adversay's actions ahead, if you were good, and counter them in various ways.

Sadly, this fighting was severly crippled in Pirates! Gold for PC. Sure, it might have been made more realistic, but it didn't contain enough animations for you to accurately judge the situation, nor enough actions for you to actually counter them.

Imo, the Amiga CD32/Sega Megadrive version of Pirates! Gold married the best of both worlds, having about as many different moves as the original game, but still the updated speed.

But now, with totally cartoony graphics, and swinging around in ropes and stuff (possible console ports and simplified controls maybe? The trend today seems to be "dumbing down" games), well the whole thing makes me worried that sword duels won't be as deeply involving as they used to be. I mean, it is perhaps the most important part of the game, imo, since a sea battle can be avoided/ended in a multitude of ways, but during a duel, it is just you and your enemy.
 
Welcome eobet :woot

I was also on the same cartoonish graphics, but some of the photos will took at E3 made me change my mind at least for the sea travels, when you zoom in they look pretty good.

The sword fighting i agree with you im still not won over yet, they look nice and the whole style is starting to grow on me a bit i must say, i think they would make it so you can predicts the oppositions movements. I still remember the sword fights i pulled off when all my men were lost and one hit would make me lose :woot

btw, quite the artist mate :cheers i was just checking your site
 
Thank you very much! :woot

Were you able to see how the actual input for duelling worked, and what moves were availible (apart from the swinging in the rope thingy)?

With modern 3D, skeletal animation, and all the other stuff that's availible, there's really no excuse for not being able to tell what the opponent is going to do!

I mean, that could even be a whole set of features: If it is an unskilled opponent, he could reveal himself early (by moving his hip, adjusting shoulder position, or anything), but if it was a really rugged sea captain, he could be very good at hiding his actions (or even feigning a move).

I do hope they include an "advanced duelling mode", with some depth to it. Imagine being able to control the sword directly with the mouse, as a lethal form of cursor, similarly to the original Pirates!
 
I could be wrong, but I think there's a thread around here somewhere with a response from Atari suggesting that the swordfighting won't be a matter of luck.
 
Actually, the swordfighting is really pretty decent, to my eye. You WILL be able to see what your opponent will do - he telegraphs it nicely and you have time to respond appropriately with a block or a kick or other parry.

Controls for PC are keyboard/mouse, and do seem to have a lot of variety and choices for you to make whether you wish to attack or defend. Timing is important, because if you do not time it correctly your opponent WILL get through - and beat you back. If you are successful, your opponent backs. I thought control looked pretty good when I saw it.

And the rope swing thing isn't as silly as you might think - it has its tactical advantages! xD: :cheers
 
ahhhh the sword fight ......... im very interested in it. specially ive seen most of the screenshots and movies about it. the suspense and the wait for this games, KILLS ME :b: :b: :b: :b: with excitement ;)
 
im not completely won over yet either, i agree with eobet a lot - i guess all we can really do is wait and find out for ourselves, not everyone can be pleased and have it the way they want but hopefully it is thought out enough so that it encompases as many aspects as possible and we all end up happy with it overall in the end. we will see, time will tell - not soon enough but id rather have them take their time and do it right than to rush it through but i dont think we have to worry about that too much.
 
according to a article in IGN you will be able to skip the elements that you dont like in the game..

such as swordfighting, sailing etc....
 
<!--`QuoteBegin-devildog`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(devildog)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->you mean just skip them all together?[/quote]

I really dont know how to interpret the article....


May 03, 2004 - At last year's E3, Sid Meier said:
"Pirates! is really a game that crosses a lot of genres." A bit of an understatement. Not only does it painlessly blend adventure, action, sailing and sneaking around, but you can just focus on one part of the game and play it until your fingers fall off. Don't feel like swordfighting? Don't have to. Find sailing around boring? Skip it. You're not forced to play the part of the game the developer is most impressed with or is most eager to show you"

<a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/510/510806p1.html" target="_blank">http://pc.ign.com/articles/510/510806p1.html</a>
 
I think that statement means that the game is openended and you do not have to do all these things in order to enjoy the game. Also that there are ways to work around these elements.

They clarify it somewhat later in the article by saying:<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Plus, if you don't like doing sword fights or treasure hunting but want to poke around with those elements anyway, there's a "specialty" system that can give your character a boost in one of these categories, to smooth the introduction. Who knows, maybe you'll totally abandon all but trading once you get a taste of it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
 
interesting very interesting at first i didnt like the graphics that much but two things - one they are starting to grow on me, and two the graphics really dont matter to me as much as gameplay and replayability which is a lot of the reason why i fell in love with the original i guess we will have to wait and see for ourselves!!! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/william.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":will" border="0" alt="william.gif" />
 
Think'n pretty much de same thing Devil Dog,me thinks were all a little spoiled by POTC graphics,de Graphics in Sid Meirs game do grow on ya after a while but de gameplay sounds very entertaining,this game I'd buy fer sure <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
 
<!--QuoteBegin-skull+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skull)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Think'n pretty much de same thing Devil Dog,me thinks were all a little spoiled by POTC graphics,de Graphics in Sid Meirs game do grow on ya after a while but de gameplay sounds very entertaining,this game I'd buy fer sure <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I read in an article that the team now continously working on to improve the graphics. The differens is big between the first and the latest screenies.

The graphics are now not stunning but not bad either... I even find the 'sailing' graphics reallyattractive....

Strangly the maincharacter is what looks worst... it usually is the other way around.

but the maybe will update the maincharacter too!?
 
i'm glad i won't have to do the `sword-fighting`... i'd never get past the first fight! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> give me a good strategy any day...
 
<!--QuoteBegin-rosenshyne+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rosenshyne)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->i'm glad i won't have to do the `sword-fighting`... i'd never get past the first fight! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> give me a good strategy any day...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

not me either. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

In the original Pirates fencing was really easy though and it was almost totally automatic. (maybe because I always choosed fencing as my strong agility).

I was worried that the swordfights would be more difficult and less automatic in Pirates 2004. However it seems like Sid remember how they did it in the original title and dont wanna change it. so I think we can breathe out rosenhyne. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
Pirates and Pirates Gold made sword fighting VERY easy.
(You could win all sword fights by keep your sword in a downward angle towards the guys knees every time.

In Pirates 2 - during the early stages, there is slight telegraphic that occurs to allow you time to basically get used to the controls and learn the combos and such.

However, as you start to face more and more veterans (determined by their aged look), it will get to be more difficult. Just as you can taunt, they can taunt as well. They also learn to fake maneuvers, so what looked to be a thrust to the head could inevitably be down at the legs.

I think it will be worthwhile. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
this is looking to be turning out to be quite the game, i cant wait <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/william.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":will" border="0" alt="william.gif" />
 
Personaly,I luv de swordfights,POTC was a big improvement over Seadogs as de swordplay seemed tew slow fer me like'n,sounds like de sword play will be an improvement over POTC <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
 
I still love the swordfighting in the original Prince of Persia (although if I refreshed my memory like I recently did with "Die by the Sword" I might come to reaslise that is no longer the case...). <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
 
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