Sid Meier's Pirates! preview

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by Jamski
Yes them. So forget all your hopes NOW.

I was so excited about TOEE and MoO3... both built up to be the best game "liek eva!!!"

I'd like to think I learnt my lesson. Pirates will only be bought at least 8 weeks after release.

-Jam

Absolute excellent point Jamski

I too will wait. I'd like to think that I've learned something from past experience.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by child of Thor
1Ghz for Pirates.......just think about it for abit.......

You can't get a new box here that's slower than 1.7GHz (P4).

[Jamski]

Same here. I haven't seen new computers with less than 1.6 for at least a year.

-Jam

[alva]

Its got 48MB wow feel the power Strangely when i compare it with the pc's at work(p2 500mhz+), it doesnt come of too bad, maybe a few secs longer to boot w98, the same when opening a word 2000 doc. Im happy with it anyway, although CTP2 on gigantic maps can be a pain

Work/school PC's often have loads of programmes running in the background, also they are often installed insufficient memory.

[child of Thor]

well i guess i havent been keeping up with the tech race (but then why would i when i can play Xcom/Civ/CTP/SMAC/Daggerfall/Xwing/Imp2 etc?)

Still im glad they are sticking to the origonal idea with Pirates, and having many different elements to the gameplay - it was one of the strongest features of the game. A bit of Role play, some Strat(managing boats and crew), some arcade fun(Ship combat/land combat), and i guess adventure(finding clues to your families whereabouts). It was a great blend

[MrBaggins]

Seriously, coT... I think its time for an update.

You will notice a significant difference between a second gen Pentium and (effectively a 4th or 5th gen in comparison) P4 or Athlon XP. Get a real hard disk too, whilst you're at it.

Its the 21st century, don'tcha know?

[asleepathewheel]

looks good, but with atari, as the others have said...

no doubt it will underbeta'd and rushed out the door.

[Barinthus]

I sure hope they'll be diligent on beta-testing the game. I'd prefer them postponing the release in order to get a top-notch product.

Have anybody ever played the orginial version? I really enjoyed that game back then. A lot of fond memories of conquering the entire region. I never forget how I wanted to take this town because Treasure Convey or something like that was coming from that location but I couldnt do it by the sea due to powerful sea defenses so I marched my pirates across land and attacked from the land side. I think I had 500 men

[DrSpike]

Asleep: How dare you make such unsubstantiated allegations!

Oh......Wait........

[Grumbold]

By the time the game arrives, second hand 1ghz PC's should be dirt cheap.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Pretty ugly.

You're blind, right? The game is utterly beautiful!

Its DOES look ambitious. They want to make a RPG, a real-time naval combat sim, a swordfighting/beat-'em-up sim, an exploration/trading game, a RTS urban combat section and some kind of "escape from jail" action game - but all in one game.

Now THAT is what I would call ambitious. They are really biting off too much.

As UR said, it doesn't look much more complicated than the original. I think they can pull it off. Especially if they don't go too overboard on each individual aspect, and it doesn't look like they will, so far.

And, besides, SID is doing this one, instead of just overlooking the project .

Is there a US release date in sight?

Q4 2004

[Imran Siddiqui]

Behind the scenes:

http://www.gamespy.com/articles/march04/pirates/

[Imran Siddiqui]

nm

[GhengisFarb™]

Port Royale 2 comes out in April. It will do everything this game will and then some. Plus the graphics are significantly better.

[Urban Ranger]

We shall see.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Quote:

Pretty ugly.

You're blind, right? The game is utterly beautiful!

oh please, that's one of the most hideous land scapes I've seen in a game. I hope it's not the finished product.

That town-grid is pretty classy, too.

[Imran Siddiqui]

oh please, that's one of the most hideous land scapes I've seen in a game. I hope it's not the finished product.

You are pulling my leg, right? The game looks great, especially with the minimum specs it's going to have. It is using the same engine as Morrowind and Freedom Force.

What is so hideous about it?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
Port Royale 2 comes out in April. It will do everything this game will and then some. Plus the graphics are significantly better.

The graphics in PR2 are only a little better than Warcraft 2. Pirates! so far has shown better graphics.

And if PR1 is any indication:

http://www.gametab.com/pc/port.royale/1364/

Pirates! will do better .

Besides PR2 is being marketed as a trade simulation, like Imperialism II. Pirates! is an RPG/strategy game.

[Jamski]

It is using the same engine as Morrowind

Ok, guess we can start preparing for massive lag on a 128meg Gforce4

-Jam

[Qilue]

I imagine they will be using later generations (read - better optimised) of that engine.

[Jamski]

I really don't understand the optimism towards this release shown here.

Its an ambitious remake of an old classic, with Sid Meier involved, an out-of-house 3d engine known to be slow, that's being talked up like the 2nd Coming, and published by Atari/Infogrammes.

We have to learn from the past. This game has about a 95% chance of sucking donkey balls.

-Jam

[Bkeela]

Judging by all the Civ III fanboys out there, I wonder if they will include a random map generator for gameplay? I mean, who would actually want to play a historical game within the context of a real geographic setting?

Why even bother with a real map of the West Indies? Just include it later in a patch or something. Better yet, just let the mod community do it for you.

Bkeela.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
What is so hideous about it?

It's blotchy, uses poor textures, very poor building models, and it's all out of scale with some trees being half the size of a mountain and that ugly clutter of buildings being as big as a mountain in itself. Not to mention it seems to be suffering a bit from the really-bright-primary-colour-syndrome. What's with the flourescent grass and the glowing beach - is there a nuclear wastedump here?


The 'town' consists of only two different buildings layed out in a checkerboard gird. (with roads bizzarely surrounding each one)

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


The graphics in PR2 are only a little better than Warcraft 2. Pirates! so far has shown better graphics.

And if PR1 is any indication:

http://www.gametab.com/pc/port.royale/1364/

Pirates! will do better .

Since you've compaired their graphics, I will too.

#1


While I wouldn't call either of these particularily good, the image from Pirates! looks likes it's been dunked in a bucket of water.

And those hideous buildings sitting on the island like a pile of dog ****? I'll go with the more modest graphics from Port Royale.

#2


Both of these are pretty good, but Port Royale looks less like a disney film - again, Pirates! suffers from the primary colour syndrome.

#3


Hmmm, nicely rendered (or drawn, i don't know) and finely detailed 2D sprites vs. gotchy real time renderings?

[GhengisFarb™]

I'm sorry but Port Royale 2 just has a far better flow of graphics and style. The New Pirates! is cheesy and while both offer EVERYTHING that Pirates! offers, Port Royale 2 adds the whole option set of being able to own and build business in the towns, a fully functual intertown economy, and the ability to found your own towns.

Pirates! just covers part of Port Royale 2 and this looks to be further proof that the German developer Ascaron is far superior to Pirates! and Atari.

[child of Thor]

Well this title will certainly get interest up - even if its going to be a lot of people who will watch with sceptism from the sidelines before buying(100% damn good idea these days ).

Atari - ah that name means so much to me(past glories), going by the last relase of theirs i was interested in (Magic - the gathering, the old Microprose version is still much better) i'm not sure what to expect.

I sort of think Sid will not want to mess this up.......so i'm going to be caustiously optimistic about it. The graphics i couldn't care less about, as long as that killer gameplay makes it into this version i'll be happy

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's blotchy, uses poor textures, very poor building models, and it's all out of scale with some trees being half the size of a mountain and that ugly clutter of buildings being as big as a mountain in itself. Not to mention it seems to be suffering a bit from the really-bright-primary-colour-syndrome. What's with the flourescent grass and the glowing beach - is there a nuclear wastedump here?

And yet, still beautiful! Amazing, isn't it?

While I wouldn't call either of these particularily good, the image from Pirates! looks likes it's been dunked in a bucket of water.

Pirates is much better.

Both of these are pretty good, but Port Royale looks less like a disney film - again, Pirates! suffers from the primary colour syndrome.

The point is to make Pirates! look like a Disney film. Didn't you read the articles at all?

Hmmm, nicely rendered (or drawn, i don't know) and finely detailed 2D sprites vs. gotchy real time renderings?

The 3D buildings look 10 times better than the 2D.

Port Royale 2 adds the whole option set of being able to own and build business in the towns, a fully functual intertown economy, and the ability to found your own towns.

ie, too much stuff. Hell, I was led to Imperialism II by the promise of that economy stuff. Man, I wish I hadn't purchased the game... waste of money really.

Just give me a regular strategy/RPG pirate/ship game. No need for an in depth economic model and creating towns. Just let me be a ship captain.

[pg]

the graphics look good but it makes you wonder why they'd go 3d when nice 2d graphics are just as good. especially since what we've seen so far it seems like the only reason for 3d was high detail houses with lighting. i did read somewhere those aren't the final graphics though so who knows. i loathe that 3d engine after playing morrowind. let's hope they have lod or bsp trees at least.

let's also hope it's better than civ 3.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Quote:

It's blotchy, uses poor textures, very poor building models, and it's all out of scale with some trees being half the size of a mountain and that ugly clutter of buildings being as big as a mountain in itself. Not to mention it seems to be suffering a bit from the really-bright-primary-colour-syndrome. What's with the flourescent grass and the glowing beach - is there a nuclear wastedump here?

And yet, still beautiful! Amazing, isn't it?

Quote:

While I wouldn't call either of these particularily good, the image from Pirates! looks likes it's been dunked in a bucket of water.

Pirates is much better.

Quote:

Both of these are pretty good, but Port Royale looks less like a disney film - again, Pirates! suffers from the primary colour syndrome.

The point is to make Pirates! look like a Disney film. Didn't you read the articles at all?

Quote:

Hmmm, nicely rendered (or drawn, i don't know) and finely detailed 2D sprites vs. gotchy real time renderings?

The 3D buildings look 10 times better than the 2D.

Quote:

Port Royale 2 adds the whole option set of being able to own and build business in the towns, a fully functual intertown economy, and the ability to found your own towns.

ie, too much stuff. Hell, I was led to Imperialism II by the promise of that economy stuff. Man, I wish I hadn't purchased the game... waste of money really.

Just give me a regular strategy/RPG pirate/ship game. No need for an in depth economic model and creating towns. Just let me be a ship captain.

Have you been taking debate lessons from Fez?

[Sava]

that game looks good so far... I always wanted to be a pirate...


ARRRRGHHHH MATEY!

Imran, you can swab my poop deck

Raiding towns, shooting ships, escaping from jail!... AWESOME!

Although, Sid Meier gave us the crapfest that is Civ3... maybe I'll wait a few weeks after the release to see what people say about it.