<b>12.1(full)+pre_build13(base)+Update 21 Aug 06+Decimal money Fix+Mass Surrender Fix:</b>
well after last weeks extensive playtesting i managed to do, i have come up with what i think may be the best base build to carry on from - make a new beta out of etc. I dont know the history of this particular build, but after my tests it is a contender due to not having introduced many of the recent main bugs we had been finding. Other people could/should try out their best guess also and look for the main tell-tale bugs we had been finding in the recent betas. There are not that many of us, but if we each take(and keep note of) our own builds etc and report our bug findings it may help clarify which stage in the process Pieter should start from for a new beta?
I'm taking my time with this game/build - playing it like a regular game, so hopefuly i can find as many issues as possible - i'm not rushing straight to the points of known issues(i did plenty of that last week!), but rather enjoying the ride and digging deeper into the game. I'll keep a running report/update on what issues i'm finding as i go.
I will precede the bug/issue with the terms Fixed/Minor/Medium/Major to indicate level of problem as far as i can tell.
<b>recent bugs this build doesnt have:</b>
1. Double char bug
2. Starvation bug
3. Locked out bug.
4. 'Earthquake' dialogue correctly clears the showcase buildings on re-visit to Oxbay.
<b>Issues/bugs:</b>
<i>23/10/06:</i>
1. (medium)being too easy to barter down hireable officers with just 2 points on leadership(Introduced in pre-build13(base) + this continues is all later versions)
2. (fixed)first case of Decimal Money bug - so i've applied the Fix from Hook and in my game its fixed.
3. (minor)first case of party Officers not using up ammo+gunpowder when they fire(not a big bug in my book?)
4. (minor)Party officers disapeer going to store in Falaise de Fleur+extended greenford(introduced in Pre_build13(base)
5. (minor)Red flag bug(Franch hostile towards) - solution raise portugese flag to sail under in opening main quest.
6. (major)cant hire 'Beatrice' (char from AoP) in tavern - she will only talk to you for first bit of conversation, then impossible to talk to after(fixed in later versions)
7. (major)cant adjust Gamma/Brightness - sliders dont change the settings they should(fixed in later versions)
<i>24/10/06:</i>
8. (minor)When hull is damaged, underneath the ships name(in the Ships menu) it always says "full speed" - i've noticed this in later builds/betas also.
9. (fixed)Wilfred dialogue in the 'escort Albion to greenford' quest has wrong directions. We have the fixed files for this.
10. (minor)Govenor Silehards dialogue in the 'jail' sequence has a few cases of showing the '\n' in the dialogue e.g. "\nThey clearly mistook you for the spy" - "\nI think this money...." - "\nI have important matters to discuss with you." This is in later versions also.
11. (joke!)Some old grey beard stopped me to insult my mullet hair style!!! - lol <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> (NOT a bug - just testing your paying attention <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> )
12. (minor/medium)Sails on the 'Cutter' class of ship dont 'billow' with the wind, the top sail does but not the main sail of the two fore sails - This might be a problem from base game?
13. (minor)Ref random char conversations(yes i'll go there again!) - when you get interupted by someone and they say "I'm sorry monsieur but i'm talking with mister Bolliard, you'll have to wait your turn." This is a little crazy. Am i right in thinking the new routine for this great mod(i DO like it very much! - its way better than the stock dullness) first defines a random chance for a passer by to interupt you - then picks a random conversation from a shared list that both the player and random npcs can access?
I dont have an issue with it - just trying to show what i had been talking about before. None of my remarks here will ever be made to critise something in the mods, i'm just going to post straight up impressions of the game and any little things that i notice - and your perfectly within your rights to tell me to shut up! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
14. (minor?)With the Armour description in the inventory or shop/trade screen "Coverage 67% chance to stop/Percent of damage taken if <b>not</b> stopped, for: Sword 40%/50%, Gun 25%/50% - shouldn't it be 'Percentage of damage taken if stopped'? - so if the armour doesn't work you take full damage as normal? It might work like that but the description is a little confusing(or not?)
15. (medium)Who is 'Gordon Carpenter' in the cursed chest/black pearl info quest? you meet him after talking to Henry Peat when trying to leave Falaise de Fleur. He greets you like an old friend(and you do too?!) - but there is no reference of him in the quest book later.
Suggest: change dialogue to something like "Hey you! My name is Gordon Carpenter, Henry Peat told me you were looking for information about the Black pearl? Listen buy me a drink and i'll tell you what i know."
your reply: "Alright then matey, lead the way."
Then it can cut to the tavern scene as usual. I think this makes more sense as i dont think you know this guy at all? Also the last part of that quest log needs to include the info he gives you - at present the quest book entry ends with the info about Henry Peat, Gordons more specific info about a special artifact lost in the jungles being a way to stop the Black Pearl is quite important no?
16. (medium/major)Forts fireing at 'invisible' ships bug. I've seen this again, i had reported this before for a later beta also. I think what is happening is the forts now have a huge range to their cannons, extending beyond the distance in the radar/map icon when at maxed out zoom(so covering the largest area) - that means the forts cannons can fire over 2000yards(and much more i suspect). Is this normal? it weird seeing a fort fireing its guns at apparantly nothing!
17 (major)CTD! - in the 3D sailing mode when picking up floatsum from a sinking ship. After the voice "Cargo aboard!" i got this message in the log readout(top left):
"Captain we are out of gunpowder" then
"We have found 5cwt of gunpowder" then the CTD with an engine.exe error.
Could this be an issue with overloading the cargo space? i had a full hold prior to picking up he cargo. This isnt an issue in later versions - so i'm guessing this was a known issue at the time?
25/10/06:
18.(minor)In the find Raoul Rheims quest: quest book mentions going to the Pirate Island, but it might not be clear if this is Quebradas Costillas or possibly the pirate fort on Douwesen? Neither are marked on the in game map.
Suggest: a clearer entry in quest book for the player to refer to e.g. "govenor told me to go to the pirate island of Quebradas Costillas to look for Rhiems. I wonder what's the best way to approach the pirates?"
something like that? that gives a small clue that the player should think about what happens when they get there.
19.(minor) same quest(Rheims): encounter with Nigel Blythe on Quebradas Costillas - you interupt fight he asks what you want and you respond; "You can see this fellow is not resisting. I wont let you kill an unarmed man. Drop your sword."
Problem is the guy is armed+resisting(they are sword fighting when you meet them)!?
Suggest: different dialogue e.g. (you)"Hey! whats going on here - stop this nonesense at once i have to get past." - well something better than that, but then Nigel can be all piratey and attack you anyway as normal.
20. (major) Rhiems quest - when in smugglers lair in Conceicao and you enter Rheims old house to look for clues. The guy Evaristo Filho that interupts your search has no dialogue - it doesnt stop the quest as when you press akey the fight starts, but its weird having the blank dialogue box waiting for your input.
21. (medium)I've noticed a few times that there might be an issue with Patrol ships(belonging to a fort?) surrendering way too easily. I'm pretty sure its nothing to do with damage they are taking. latest example in this current build test game.
Sailing out of greenford to find the fort fireing on 2 pirates(class5 and class6) - in the vicinity are 4 british ships of varying class - all seem to surrender to the pirates(i guess?), even with one of the pirate ships surrenderd due to the forts attack? Also if you watch the log update when sailing around a port you will notice lots of updates over this ship and that ship surrendering(often not on screen). So whats up doc?
26/10/06:
Update for:
"12. (minor/medium)Sails on the 'Cutter' class of ship dont 'billow' with the wind, the top sail does but not the main sail of the two fore sails - This might be a problem from base game?"
I found the same problem with 'dead sails' on the galeoth also. Both the Foresail and Aftsails on this ship remain flat while the mainsail and topsails all look like they work(catch the wind). I think i'm going to call this a bug["dead-sail bug"] and having looked through Inez Dias help files for the TOOL modding utility here:
<a href="http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Downloads/TOOL/Help/" target="_blank">http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Downloads/TOOL/Help/</a>
I'm wondering if this extract might have something to do with it?
"To work in the game with sails etc., ship models need a set of locators. The Easiest way to put those in is by loading a model from the game and saving its locators to a text file (via the locators menu). Then load your new model and import the locators form that text file (again via the locators menu). The view / locators menu allows you to edit the locators for the purposes of the new ship"
Anyway it will be a while before i learn to use 3DMax and get to the bottom of this(if there is anything to fix!).
22. (very minor)Noticed all the replaced maps of the game world used in the game are the old origonal game maps(like in the origonal ships cabin+in csrtain shipyards)
23. (very minor)Is it possible to randomise wether or not a random loot spot will have loot or not each time it is revisited? I know this has been tweaked often - but i find certain places always have loot when re-visited. Im not sure how its all calculated, but can this be randomised - so the player doesnt always know where to go to find loot? combined with the great new looting bodies feature we can probaly tone down the random loot treasure quite alot?
On that note and Pieters confirmation about heavily reducing the finds of the really exclusive blades in the game(after my suggestion on that) in beta5. I'm thinking untill those blades can be sold exclusively in either stores or at the blacksmiths, we could go with tying to balance more finds of rare blades in random loot which when added with a random chance of the loot spot being empty might be a good compramise? this is getting a little complicated - sorry.
Still in terms of lesser/common goods in random loot(that you usualy sell for the money) coupled with now finding plenty on corpses - those goods could be toned way down in random finds? worth thinking on?
well after last weeks extensive playtesting i managed to do, i have come up with what i think may be the best base build to carry on from - make a new beta out of etc. I dont know the history of this particular build, but after my tests it is a contender due to not having introduced many of the recent main bugs we had been finding. Other people could/should try out their best guess also and look for the main tell-tale bugs we had been finding in the recent betas. There are not that many of us, but if we each take(and keep note of) our own builds etc and report our bug findings it may help clarify which stage in the process Pieter should start from for a new beta?
I'm taking my time with this game/build - playing it like a regular game, so hopefuly i can find as many issues as possible - i'm not rushing straight to the points of known issues(i did plenty of that last week!), but rather enjoying the ride and digging deeper into the game. I'll keep a running report/update on what issues i'm finding as i go.
I will precede the bug/issue with the terms Fixed/Minor/Medium/Major to indicate level of problem as far as i can tell.
<b>recent bugs this build doesnt have:</b>
1. Double char bug
2. Starvation bug
3. Locked out bug.
4. 'Earthquake' dialogue correctly clears the showcase buildings on re-visit to Oxbay.
<b>Issues/bugs:</b>
<i>23/10/06:</i>
1. (medium)being too easy to barter down hireable officers with just 2 points on leadership(Introduced in pre-build13(base) + this continues is all later versions)
2. (fixed)first case of Decimal Money bug - so i've applied the Fix from Hook and in my game its fixed.
3. (minor)first case of party Officers not using up ammo+gunpowder when they fire(not a big bug in my book?)
4. (minor)Party officers disapeer going to store in Falaise de Fleur+extended greenford(introduced in Pre_build13(base)
5. (minor)Red flag bug(Franch hostile towards) - solution raise portugese flag to sail under in opening main quest.
6. (major)cant hire 'Beatrice' (char from AoP) in tavern - she will only talk to you for first bit of conversation, then impossible to talk to after(fixed in later versions)
7. (major)cant adjust Gamma/Brightness - sliders dont change the settings they should(fixed in later versions)
<i>24/10/06:</i>
8. (minor)When hull is damaged, underneath the ships name(in the Ships menu) it always says "full speed" - i've noticed this in later builds/betas also.
9. (fixed)Wilfred dialogue in the 'escort Albion to greenford' quest has wrong directions. We have the fixed files for this.
10. (minor)Govenor Silehards dialogue in the 'jail' sequence has a few cases of showing the '\n' in the dialogue e.g. "\nThey clearly mistook you for the spy" - "\nI think this money...." - "\nI have important matters to discuss with you." This is in later versions also.
11. (joke!)Some old grey beard stopped me to insult my mullet hair style!!! - lol <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> (NOT a bug - just testing your paying attention <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> )12. (minor/medium)Sails on the 'Cutter' class of ship dont 'billow' with the wind, the top sail does but not the main sail of the two fore sails - This might be a problem from base game?
13. (minor)Ref random char conversations(yes i'll go there again!) - when you get interupted by someone and they say "I'm sorry monsieur but i'm talking with mister Bolliard, you'll have to wait your turn." This is a little crazy. Am i right in thinking the new routine for this great mod(i DO like it very much! - its way better than the stock dullness) first defines a random chance for a passer by to interupt you - then picks a random conversation from a shared list that both the player and random npcs can access?
I dont have an issue with it - just trying to show what i had been talking about before. None of my remarks here will ever be made to critise something in the mods, i'm just going to post straight up impressions of the game and any little things that i notice - and your perfectly within your rights to tell me to shut up! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />14. (minor?)With the Armour description in the inventory or shop/trade screen "Coverage 67% chance to stop/Percent of damage taken if <b>not</b> stopped, for: Sword 40%/50%, Gun 25%/50% - shouldn't it be 'Percentage of damage taken if stopped'? - so if the armour doesn't work you take full damage as normal? It might work like that but the description is a little confusing(or not?)
15. (medium)Who is 'Gordon Carpenter' in the cursed chest/black pearl info quest? you meet him after talking to Henry Peat when trying to leave Falaise de Fleur. He greets you like an old friend(and you do too?!) - but there is no reference of him in the quest book later.
Suggest: change dialogue to something like "Hey you! My name is Gordon Carpenter, Henry Peat told me you were looking for information about the Black pearl? Listen buy me a drink and i'll tell you what i know."
your reply: "Alright then matey, lead the way."
Then it can cut to the tavern scene as usual. I think this makes more sense as i dont think you know this guy at all? Also the last part of that quest log needs to include the info he gives you - at present the quest book entry ends with the info about Henry Peat, Gordons more specific info about a special artifact lost in the jungles being a way to stop the Black Pearl is quite important no?
16. (medium/major)Forts fireing at 'invisible' ships bug. I've seen this again, i had reported this before for a later beta also. I think what is happening is the forts now have a huge range to their cannons, extending beyond the distance in the radar/map icon when at maxed out zoom(so covering the largest area) - that means the forts cannons can fire over 2000yards(and much more i suspect). Is this normal? it weird seeing a fort fireing its guns at apparantly nothing!
17 (major)CTD! - in the 3D sailing mode when picking up floatsum from a sinking ship. After the voice "Cargo aboard!" i got this message in the log readout(top left):
"Captain we are out of gunpowder" then
"We have found 5cwt of gunpowder" then the CTD with an engine.exe error.
Could this be an issue with overloading the cargo space? i had a full hold prior to picking up he cargo. This isnt an issue in later versions - so i'm guessing this was a known issue at the time?
25/10/06:
18.(minor)In the find Raoul Rheims quest: quest book mentions going to the Pirate Island, but it might not be clear if this is Quebradas Costillas or possibly the pirate fort on Douwesen? Neither are marked on the in game map.
Suggest: a clearer entry in quest book for the player to refer to e.g. "govenor told me to go to the pirate island of Quebradas Costillas to look for Rhiems. I wonder what's the best way to approach the pirates?"
something like that? that gives a small clue that the player should think about what happens when they get there.
19.(minor) same quest(Rheims): encounter with Nigel Blythe on Quebradas Costillas - you interupt fight he asks what you want and you respond; "You can see this fellow is not resisting. I wont let you kill an unarmed man. Drop your sword."
Problem is the guy is armed+resisting(they are sword fighting when you meet them)!?
Suggest: different dialogue e.g. (you)"Hey! whats going on here - stop this nonesense at once i have to get past." - well something better than that, but then Nigel can be all piratey and attack you anyway as normal.
20. (major) Rhiems quest - when in smugglers lair in Conceicao and you enter Rheims old house to look for clues. The guy Evaristo Filho that interupts your search has no dialogue - it doesnt stop the quest as when you press akey the fight starts, but its weird having the blank dialogue box waiting for your input.
21. (medium)I've noticed a few times that there might be an issue with Patrol ships(belonging to a fort?) surrendering way too easily. I'm pretty sure its nothing to do with damage they are taking. latest example in this current build test game.
Sailing out of greenford to find the fort fireing on 2 pirates(class5 and class6) - in the vicinity are 4 british ships of varying class - all seem to surrender to the pirates(i guess?), even with one of the pirate ships surrenderd due to the forts attack? Also if you watch the log update when sailing around a port you will notice lots of updates over this ship and that ship surrendering(often not on screen). So whats up doc?
26/10/06:
Update for:
"12. (minor/medium)Sails on the 'Cutter' class of ship dont 'billow' with the wind, the top sail does but not the main sail of the two fore sails - This might be a problem from base game?"
I found the same problem with 'dead sails' on the galeoth also. Both the Foresail and Aftsails on this ship remain flat while the mainsail and topsails all look like they work(catch the wind). I think i'm going to call this a bug["dead-sail bug"] and having looked through Inez Dias help files for the TOOL modding utility here:
<a href="http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Downloads/TOOL/Help/" target="_blank">http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Downloads/TOOL/Help/</a>
I'm wondering if this extract might have something to do with it?
"To work in the game with sails etc., ship models need a set of locators. The Easiest way to put those in is by loading a model from the game and saving its locators to a text file (via the locators menu). Then load your new model and import the locators form that text file (again via the locators menu). The view / locators menu allows you to edit the locators for the purposes of the new ship"
Anyway it will be a while before i learn to use 3DMax and get to the bottom of this(if there is anything to fix!).
22. (very minor)Noticed all the replaced maps of the game world used in the game are the old origonal game maps(like in the origonal ships cabin+in csrtain shipyards)
23. (very minor)Is it possible to randomise wether or not a random loot spot will have loot or not each time it is revisited? I know this has been tweaked often - but i find certain places always have loot when re-visited. Im not sure how its all calculated, but can this be randomised - so the player doesnt always know where to go to find loot? combined with the great new looting bodies feature we can probaly tone down the random loot treasure quite alot?
On that note and Pieters confirmation about heavily reducing the finds of the really exclusive blades in the game(after my suggestion on that) in beta5. I'm thinking untill those blades can be sold exclusively in either stores or at the blacksmiths, we could go with tying to balance more finds of rare blades in random loot which when added with a random chance of the loot spot being empty might be a good compramise? this is getting a little complicated - sorry.
Still in terms of lesser/common goods in random loot(that you usualy sell for the money) coupled with now finding plenty on corpses - those goods could be toned way down in random finds? worth thinking on?
" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" /> We will test as heavily as we can while your busy in rl - it will probably be a good thing for this period you are busy, if maybe a slightly frustrating thing. rl is important - build13 can wait a little.
" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
" border="0" alt="piratesing.gif" />
ops2" border="0" alt="oops3.gif" />
" border="0" alt="danse1.gif" />