Not a Bug Payroll Ship (Ardent Storyline)

[DavyJack]

So during the "Payroll Ship" quest, after I stole the ship "Tonina" and recruit a full crew at Port Royale, my quest is not updating. Thus, cannot proceed.
I checked the walkthrough and I don't seem to be missing any step.

EDIT: So, you need to wait for a few days for the quest to get updated. The next update after what was in the screenshot is when it will notify you that you should be going to the beach to stalk the target ship. One way to pass time is by doing the "Kidnap" quest as @Grey Roger has proposed.

 

[Grey Roger]

What is the date? Have another look at the questbook - what lines are before the one about Playa de Sierra Maestra?

 

[DavyJack]

What is the date? Have another look at the questbook - what lines are before the one about Playa de Sierra Maestra?

Hmnn..now that you mentioned it. There are no dates included in the quest logs as to when it was written like it used to. Even for the other quest logs.
But if you're talking about the quest, I have not passed two weeks yet and that the quest should automatically fail though and be closed out.

 

[Grey Roger]

Not so. The Siroco sails from Havana two weeks after the game start. If you have not received a warning that the Siroco has sailed then she's still in Havana and you won't get her there!

Once the Siroco sails, she takes another two weeks to make the voyage to Santiago. When that two weeks run out, she's safely in Santiago and you have literally missed the boat. You need to be at Playa de Sierra Maestra at any time after the warning that the ship has sailed and before the message that she's arrived.

While you're in Port Royale, have you picked up a letter? "Payroll Ship" should not be the only quest active at this time...

 

[DavyJack]

...While you're in Port Royale, have you picked up a letter? "Payroll Ship" should not be the only quest active at this time...

I have not picked up a letter while at Port Royale and I have three active quests at the moment. Payroll Ship, Kidnap and Take Two Dogs Home.

EDIT: This is the only letter that I have:

 

[Grey Roger]

Provided you have done some work on it while you were in Santiago, this might be a good time to advance the "Kidnap" quest.

 

[smrtwhkd]

i have played thru this quest a few times：2x as Helen and 1x Charles。No huge issues so far。have u picked up a Cuba map at Santiago？From your quest update，i don‘t see the location update。u should get that as soon as u get a map

 

[DavyJack]

Provided you have done some work on it while you were in Santiago, this might be a good time to advance the "Kidnap" quest.

EDIT: @Grey Roger I say someone should update that quest walkthrough to specify that after you have hired a full crew at Port Royale, you need to wait a few days until you hear and see the notification or when the quest log updates saying you need to move already then you sail back to Cuba and go to Playa de Sierra Maestra.

 

[Grey Roger]

Something like this?

Look for Bolimirus Carretero and talk to him to learn that the payroll ship is the 'Siroco' and will sail to Santiago in two weeks. What he doesn't tell you is that it will arrive two weeks after that, so you have at most four weeks from now to complete the quest.

The timers are independent of going to Port Royale. The reasons for suggesting Port Royale are partly because it's near Santiago so you have a good chance of getting there, recruiting the crew and returning to Cuba before the second timer expires, even if you direct-sail the whole way; and partly because you can advance the "Kidnap" quest while you're there. You can go somewhere else to get your crew if you like and the timers will still run.

 

[DavyJack]

Something like this?

I'd say from this:

Board the ship and sail to Port Royale, where you can hire a full crew. Return to Cuba and sail to Playa de Sierra Maestra. Land there.

To something like this:

Board the ship and sail to Port Royale, where you can hire a full crew. Return to Cuba when the time comes(wait for the quest log to update, should be a few days) and sail to Playa de Sierra Maestra. Land there.

 

[Grey Roger]

Now changed to:

Return to Cuba. By this time the questbook should have updated to alert you that the 'Siroco' has sailed; if not, wait in the tavern or find other ways to pass the time until it does. Sail to Playa de Sierra Maestra. Land there.

You can return to Cuba before the first timer expires. Apart from the tavern, there are several ways to pass the time. For one thing, if you got Downing's letter from Port Royal then you can deliver it in Santiago. You can stock up on supplies. Or you can get some swords polished - the blacksmiths in Havana and Santiago are quicker than the one in Port Royale.