Pirate sim + graphics?
 

Well I just got into SH3, just watched Dead Mans Chest so now I feel like robbing merchants and blowing them out of the water, terroizing sea lanes etc. All the pirates games look kind of arcady though, and I really want something that feels like SH3 but as pirates. I want to be able to stand on deck, look across the water to the horizon, I want to be able to use a telescope to watch my prey, I want to see crew on deck etc etc. Is there any game that gets even close to this?

Yeah it would be nice, I can't think of any.

Age of Pirates looks really good (looks beautiful, looks like you can walk around your ship, watch the crew etc). Average to crappy reviews, sword fighting looks boring and apparently a ton of bugs, but it appears that patches and mods really improve the game (kind of like Imperial Glory). Think I'll try it out.

SH3 for that age would be awesome.

I have Age of Pirates, but got bored ( a lot of repetition ) with it pretty quick. If they would have applied SH3 stuff to it it would have been much better:up:

Came across a game called 'Pirate Simulator' :) That's the working title at least, it's still in development. Screenies here http://www.galaxyproductions.net/piratesimulator/

There is some discussion on a couple of 'pirate game' forums about it and the developer is saying that the focus is on realism, features etc. Gameplay is the most important part, but the graphics obviously aren't going to hurt the eye ;) They're not under deadlines from publishers either and that they will only release when the game is finished.

They've just signed up for the beta, originally they wanted the release for summer '07, looks like they'll have beta testing during march or april so maybe mid year? The game will be downloadable so no worrying about distribution I guess.

:D the Beta looks promising.

Lets see what comes with it

Also check out this forthcoming title "East India Company" currently under development in Sweden, looks like this could be "the one"....
http://www.eicgame.com/

That does look amazing, great graphics and the crew really makes the ship feel alive. You also get a cutaway of the ship for crew/ship management etc which is cool, and of course you can choose different careers (soldier, pirate, merchant etc). I'll keep an eye on this and Pirate Simulator (the name says it all), both look very promising. There's just something about ships of this age vs modern ships, more romantic/exotic I guess. SH3 with those damn first person bridge views :shifty:

WOW! The last 2 upcoming games look very promising...however, I'm still hopeful for a game covering the Napoleonic War using a similar micro-management system as SH3. But the East India Company seems to be the closest so far...although I would prefer to command a Ship of the Line.:cool:

Mike

WOW! My dream come true!

I've been waiting for a pirate games since I played Pirates! on the C64.

Despite all the setbacks, I'm still interested in the genre:

However I wouldnt be too enthusiastic about both of these titles.

Pirate simulator is a private effort - it might be good, but looking at the screenshots it might never be really finished. I commend these guys though, have thought myself about started my own game btw ..

EIC looks very promising but they haven't updated their site in ages. It looks like they are waiting for more funds ..

Well if UBI would just pay somebody to make a Pirate or a Jules Verne game with the Silent Hunter engine .. That would revive the genre as much as SHIII did for the U-Boat sims.

Have you tried Pirates of the Carribean with Build13 Mod, Build 13 has done what GWX has done for SH3. Includes new characters,weapons,ships,Islands,interface and much more. This mod has been 3 years in the making and it rocks:rock:

Here is a link for you if your interested, Go to POTC mod section for info and grab the build from main page www.piratesahoy.net

Some interesting things in the works there. I definitely would love a realistic pirate game.

Gunner, maybe I will check out POTC with that mod. How is the game stock?

stock game is OK, although there are some bugs that were never fixed with a patch since there never was one released, so modders took it into their hands and did a superb job.You can buy POTC for $10.00 to $15,00.so all you need is stock game. install Build 13 over top. Choose your main character at start, play as a pirate, loot'n an plunder'n ships, Forts, smuggle, or aquire a letter of Marque and sail as an officer and work your way up to Admiral, marry one the Governor's daughters,aquire land and fame, Also one of key features is Build setting h folder which you open up and tweak your game to your preferance by turning mods on or off, many selectable choices,There is main quest and plenty of side quests, you can play them or not, its your dhoice :yep:

Thank you sir! I'm going to check it out for sure with a price like that.:yep:

@Gunner: I bought the game, after your and other's recommendations, as it was very cheap ..

:shifty:

Sorry, no pun intended I am old enough to know thats not your fault .. you are entitled to likeing the game and so am I to say that - the game, even with build 13 installed, is the most ridiculous junk I have seen in a long time - it is absolutely off to compare this with the original Pirates! as most of the time you will do boring things like running through silly looking land environments, wondering why a PC game could have release with such a painfully inadequate interface, and looking for a way how to switch off the awful soundtrack.

My verdict: the mod may be nice, but the game sucks so much that it really doesn't matter. Every fan of the original Pirates! and Pirates! Gold should stay clear of this - otherwise he might buy a console as well.

I have Age of Pirates, but got bored ( a lot of repetition ) with it pretty quick. If they would have applied SH3 stuff to it it would have been much better

imo both series seem pretty similar. Mainly roaming the seas looking for targets, and imo sh3 is pretty repetitive too. Think I'll give AoP a go. Sitting on a boat in the middle of an ocean with an amazing backdrop is half of what makes these games ;)

Pirate simulator is a private effort - it might be good, but looking at the screenshots it might never be really finished.

It's in alpha testing, so things are progressing. The same team that is heavily involved in community mods for potc/aop so it's likely the game will be pretty good. I don't think they would have attempted a game that doesn't satisfy much of that community.

EIC looks very promising but they haven't updated their site in ages.

True. Expect the worst, hope for the best.

Well if UBI would just pay somebody to make a Pirate or a Jules Verne game with the Silent Hunter engine

Why not just a stable AoP with better hand 2 hand, deep crew/vessle management (love that cutaway EIC screen), engaging diplomacy, bustling towns and a huge variety of missions? :D

I know this isn't strictly speaking the point of this thread so forgive me getting a little off-topic... In POTC, is there as far as you know any mod or planned mod that would replace the very limited play area (a scattering of fictitious tiny islands in the middle of, well, endless empty sea) with a proper real-world area to sail in?

It's one of the things that's always put me off POTC and Age of Pirates - I like the real-world maps used in Sid Meier's Pirates and Cutthroats, etc.

They have already modded the hell out of it (see my post above about build 13), but imo its hopeless. These programs are feckering console games and, no matter how many tons of new textures you put on top of them, will never offer anything of substance to the realism folk

POTC may not be everyones cup of tea, for me I love play'n the game with mods.I don't spend much time on land exploring, many people wanted that feature, so it was left in. Prefer to be out on the open sea loot'n an pluder'n, sacking the occasional fort and town.Interface may seem junky to someone new,I'm used to it since I've played the game since release and startrd tweaking and modding the game to my own tastes. As for the world map, the additional Islands were imported to game from Russian mod, as there are to few islands in vannila game.
Doesn't look to be a decent pirate game released to soon other than ones already mentioned.
Pirates Of The Burning Sea looks very promising, but is an online game only unfortunatly.In the meantime will continue play'n SH4:arrgh!: