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Rethinking Realism: SD/POTC Not so Bad

MarkQuinn

MarkQuinn

Powder Monkey
Civrules directed us in a previous post to the interview video on Pirates! Many of you have seen it. If not see here:

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/sidpirates/media.html" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/sidpir...ates/media.html</a>

While watching a sea battle I witnessed a pirate sloop dodge an oncoming broadside like a boxer dodging a punch. Later in the interview Jeff Briggs of Firaxis admitted that you can avoid enemy salvos this way. I thought, "Hmmm ... realistic?"

Not at all. Then I thought about SD/POTC and while diehard naval historians would doubtlessly find a plethora of realism problems in those `ship-to`-ship duels, Akella have obviously done a lot more than designing "pretty ships". The battles look real, at least, and feel real. Much more so than what Firaxis are offering. So in turn I offer the following:

`Micro-realism` vs. `Macro-realism`

Both Firaxis and Akella have designed/are designing games with strengths in one or the other area.

On the `macro-realism` side Firaxis' Pirates! holds the clear advantage. The map is real. The life and exploits of your pirate are more inline with historical accounts of the true pirates (or at least the privateers/buccaneers), etc. But on the `micro-level`, many of the methods by which our pirates will achieve their fame or fortunes (or infamy in some cases) are more than `far-fetched`.

SeaDogs and Pirates of the Caribbean excell more on the `micro-level`. Battles are more realistic, the pace seems better suited for the pirate life (relatively speaking) and on the smaller scale it just feels more right than the `one-and`-`a-half` evenings required to play an entire game of Pirates!

So, basically, chose your poison when it comes to pirate realism. Do you like micro or macro better? As I have stated before I will always prefer the Pirates! series simply because I think it is a better, more `well-thought`-out and satisfying game. But more realistic? Depends a lot on what parts of reality you prefer to focus.

A game that combines the `small-scale` realism of SD/POTC and the large scale realism of Pirates!? Now THAT would ensure my final decent into madness. I think I might never get up from the computer again, lads.... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pirate2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p:" border="0" alt="pirate2.gif" />

mqbanner3.gif
 
All that said, by the way, I must wonder something.

The new Pirates! is using the same engine used to create Morrowind.

Morrowind is one of the most moddable (sp?) games ever made.

Doubtful that Pirates! will ship with modding tools such as The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, but that notwithstanding, anyone think (at this alltogether `too-early`-`to-even`-`bother-commenting`-stage) it might be possible to "mod out" what we don't like and "mod in" what we want?

Slower `ship-to`-ship contests. Slower reloading of cannons. Slower turning. The list goes on.

If we could do that and make the ship battles more like, say, Age of Sail II, Pirates! could indeed be the game that will end all games. It would have EVERYTHING except for a first person perspective which, admittedly, I am sorry they didn't include.

Thoughts?

<img src="http://publish.hometown.aol.com/markquinn2k3/images/newquinn02.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />
 
Indeed good points.

Every game has its high and low points. While looking at the movies, it is easy to say that what you see and feel will obviously be nothing compared to actually playing Pirates! (partly because the game is still far from being finished).
It is obvious that the prospective itself of many games from Firaxis is literally bigger than life, and I think that’s what makes their games so unique. You have more room to build and design a game how you like it this way.

Firaxis indeed has a reputation with me that when they release a game, it is superbly designed, and well built. I don’t think we will be disappointed with this game (although what Akella’s pirate games have in the realism section will lack somewhat in Pirates!).

Buying different games from different companies has taught me that what matters is not content, or how good it sounds, but what matters is the quality and design of a game. Firaxis has always created greatly designed games that are not rivaled by anyone else, and that is why I chose to go with Pirates!.

We will not be disappointed by FIRAXIS or ATARI, that is sure.
 
<!--QuoteBegin-MarkQuinn+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarkQuinn)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->All that said, by the way, I must wonder something.

The new Pirates! is using the same engine used to create Morrowind.

Morrowind is one of the most moddable (sp?) games ever made.

Doubtful that Pirates! will ship with modding tools such as The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, but that notwithstanding, anyone think (at this alltogether `too-early`-`to-even`-`bother-commenting`-stage) it might be possible to "mod out" what we don't like and "mod in" what we want?

Slower `ship-to`-ship contests. Slower reloading of cannons. Slower turning. The list goes on.

If we could do that and make the ship battles more like, say, Age of Sail II, Pirates! could indeed be the game that will end all games. It would have EVERYTHING except for a first person perspective which, admittedly, I am sorry they didn't include.

Thoughts?

<img src="http://publish.hometown.aol.com/markquinn2k3/images/newquinn02.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Darn you make me wish for something in particular now…

Some games have options in the preferences menu that allows you to set the whole speed of the game.

I really, really, really hope this is implemented in Sid Meier’s Pirates!.
 
what you were saying about micro and macro realism is what i was trying to get at - i appologize for poor wording and explaining in my previous posts - in that respect i couldnt agree with you more Mr. Mark Quinn
 
Well said Quinn! Keep in mind that it's been confirmed that in pirates! you will be able to:
make custom sails
import your own music
reskin your character

Thus is stands to reason that other mods will be HIGHLY possible and plausible. I can't friggin wait.
 
Pirates is using the same engine as Morrowind? Wow thats a great game.. although it looks nothing at all like Pirates! Pirates looks way better.. that makes me wonder, "Will the characters in Pirates! walk arround like they have a mizzen up thier back sides and never sit down?" <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" />
 
Pirates! looks almost to have an animated look to it - not sure if I like that yet...

The certainly have updated the Morrowind Engine - I wouldn't have known it was used had I not read it on the boards.
 
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