Piracy problems and suggestions

[Nameless One]

I'm playing a game with Lanun and I noticed a couple of features that could use some imrpovement in order to make the Lanun more enjoyable civilization.

1) Lanun pirates make gold when they win battles. I noticed that they also make gold when they defeat sea monsters. If I'm informed correctly pirates earn by stealing cargo from their victims, and sea monsters have no cargo, so pirates shouldn't earn from defeating sea monsters.

2) The Black Wind doesn't earn gold when it wins, making it useless for piracy. It is a hero based on Pirate unit so it should have the same effects I think.

3) Boarding Crews with Hidden Nationality cannot attack ships of other civs from their own ships unless you are at war with the civ in question, making them much less useful for piracy.

4) Naval units with Hidden Nationality prefer moving through cities of other civs when under "Go To" orders, which makes them attack the units defending the city, which is impossible to achieve by moving the naval unit directly into the city of other civ.

The Lanun are otherwise great. Their special ability is great, almost all their units have special graphics and Guybrush Threepwood is just awesome with his Sing ability. (he could use a couple of new songs for the next version though)

 

[Angel-Julia]

1)they sell the sea monster head as a tourist souvenir.


BTW, There is also a problem when the AI is faramir and using hidden nationality units.

5) I was not at war with faramir at the time, suddenly when attacked it said in green :“you are under attack by faramir”
Then in red it says: “A pirate dies while attacking your boat”

I was not at war with faramir (this was 5 turns before he declared war on me, it’s easy to guess his intentions) so I guess he was attacking with hidden nationality units. If he was attacking with hidden nationality units it should have said “you are under attack by barbarians” so to not alert me to who’s hidden nationality units were attacking me.
d as a tourist souvineer.

 

[Chip56]

I was not at war with faramir (this was 5 turns before he declared war on me, it’s easy to guess his intentions) so I guess he was attacking with hidden nationality units. If he was attacking with hidden nationality units it should have said “you are under attack by barbarians” so to not alert me to who’s hidden nationality units were attacking me.

That happens when the attack occurs while you are looking at something anywhere else on the world.

 

[Angel-Julia]

That happens when the attack occurs while you are looking at something anywhere else on the world.

I know, but what about when you are at peace with them? does that mean they are attacking with hidden nationality? if he is attacking with hidden nationality then it shouldent say that it's faramir's hidden nationality unit

 

[Chip56]

does that mean they are attacking with hidden nationality

yes he is.

if he is attacking with hidden nationality then it shouldent say that it's faramir's hidden nationality unit

Normally it doesn't.
But if you are looking at some other place at the world than you get the message "you are under attack by xyz" followed by your unit sucesfully defended/ died against. And that "you are under attack by xyz" message only comes when you are looking somewhere else and it doesn't check for hidden nationality. The second message would normally say agains xyz's whatever but in case of hidden nationality it only says against whatever.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

but it probably should.

 

[Angel-Julia]

i think it would be better if it checked hidden nationality for attackes happeninh off screen.

his failed hidden nationality attack allerted me to his war plan, giving me 5 turns to re-arrainge my boarder defence, so when he declared 5 turns later i was all ready for it.

somehow this just seems wrong, i think a failed hidden nationality attack shouldent allert me to who was behind it. (even though you could guess by checking who built the wonder)

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I don't think it should say that the barbarians were behind it (even thought the HN units may appear barbarian on screen), it just shouldn't give the message at all (but still tell what unit killed what)

Actually, it might be cool if it could tell you who is suspected to have attacked, but sometimes be wrong (e.g., if an HN unit attacked you from directly inside someone else's boarders, you might suspect that the owner of the territory was also the owner of your assailant. This would probably be better implemented through events, which could lead to diplomatic penalties and give you an excuse to go to war, which would be treated as if started by the suspected attacker (maybe even if they were not really responsible )

 

[Angel-Julia]

i agree, maybe not saying the barbarians, but definitely not saying who it was.

it also depends on the unit,

eg. if a hidden nationality mace man attacks you, then you just look at the wonders page to see who built Council of Esus.

on the other hand, if using a hidden nationality captured giant spider, then it'd be better to put the blame on the barbarian so it'd look just like any other giant spider attack, if labeling the players hidden nationality spider differently then barbarians spiders then it'd raise some suspicion.

i also noticed sometimes the AI would use a pirate ship loaded with non-hidden nationality units, and declare when landing the units. the hidden nationality on the pirate ship is useless as i can see the nationality of the units onboard.

anyway i guess this is all a discussion for a hidden nationality thread.

nor back to Lanun's serpent head on a stick, the Japanese see stewed serpent head as a great delicacy

 

[Chip56]

if labeling the players hidden nationality spider differently then barbarians spiders then it'd raise some suspicion.

Dont worry in both cases the normal message (battle onscreen) only says you have been attacked by a spider.

 

[Bad Player]

I'm playing a game with Lanun and I noticed a couple of features that could use some imrpovement in order to make the Lanun more enjoyable civilization.

1) Lanun pirates make gold when they win battles. I noticed that they also make gold when they defeat sea monsters. If I'm informed correctly pirates earn by stealing cargo from their victims, and sea monsters have no cargo, so pirates shouldn't earn from defeating sea monsters.

2) The Black Wind doesn't earn gold when it wins, making it useless for piracy. It is a hero based on Pirate unit so it should have the same effects I think.

3) Boarding Crews with Hidden Nationality cannot attack ships of other civs from their own ships unless you are at war with the civ in question, making them much less useful for piracy.

4) Naval units with Hidden Nationality prefer moving through cities of other civs when under "Go To" orders, which makes them attack the units defending the city, which is impossible to achieve by moving the naval unit directly into the city of other civ.

The Lanun are otherwise great. Their special ability is great, almost all their units have special graphics and Guybrush Threepwood is just awesome with his Sing ability. (he could use a couple of new songs for the next version though)

Good points!