|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Multiplayer Game is fought between The Golden Buccaneers and their arch rivals, The Crown.
Similar to the Single Player Campaign, the game objective is based around Infamy Points. Each
faction will start a multiplayer level with a set score - Infamy for the Buccaneers
and Renown for the Crown. The objective for both sides is to reduce their opponent's team score
to zero to win the game.
|
A Crown Hunter Class ship clashes
with a Buccaneer Hawk Class.
|
The fastest method of reducing an opponent's score is by
sinking their shipping. The point loss for sinking a vessel
depends upon its overrall effectiveness. Each ship has a rating
that takes into consideration how powerful or useful it is to
that faction. For example: a Crown Hunter Class ship is fast
and light, but relatively easy to sink, so has a rating of 20.
Whereas a Buccaneer Raven Class ship is fast, sturdy and has a
decent armament, so has a rating of 60.
A balance must be struck between choosing the most powerful
ships at your faction's disposal and the risk associated with
actually losing them.
The other method of reducing an opponent's score is by destroying
their buildings. Like the ships, the buildings are also rated
by their usefulness to their faction - losing a house or two
won't really impact a score, but losing the Governor's Hacienda
or the Barracks building will reduce a score significantly.
|
|
|
|
On most levels (not all) each faction will have a Home Base or two
where your team's ships will spawn and where ship repairs and re-arming
can take place. Buccaneer bases can repair one vessel at a time, while
Crown docks can accommodate three ships simultaneously. This is balanced
out by the fact that the Buccaneers can field their Monk Class auxilliary
ship that provides a repair and re-arm facility at sea.
Home Bases are important locations that will require protection from enemy
shipping. Not only do they provide your faction with repair facilities,
but also house most of your faction's buildings, that will cost your
team points if destroyed. Additionally Home Bases generate Treasure Boats
that can be captured by your opponent. These are extrememly valuable
targets as they provide one of the few methods of actually increasing a team's
score. If a Treasure Boat is captured by the opposition and returned to their
own Home Base it will generate 100 points for their score.
Visually the two Home Bases are very different - the
Buccaneer Bases are predominantly of wooden construction and build into coves,
while Crown Bases are of more permament, stone construction and generally sitting
proudly on stretches of coastline.
|
|
|
A neutral town ripe for destruction
|
There are many land based targets dotted throughout levels, each with their
own allegiance. Buccaneer controlled buildings are yellow roofed or have yellow
flags draped from them, while Crown owned buildings have blue roofs or flags and
neatly white-washed walls. Neutral buildings have orange roofs and generally look
more drab than either of the duelling factions.
Buildings owned by either the Buccaneers or the Crown will cost either of
those factions valuable points if they are destroyed. Neutral buildings, however,
will provide additional points to whichever side destroys them. Point gains from
destroying neutral buildings is only slight, but even 50 points gained at the
right time can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
|
|
|
|
As mentioned above under Multiplayer Objectives, the ships are
the main source of Infamy loss for both factions and the level of
loss varies considerably between the smallest, lightest ship
available to a faction and those considered the
most powerful in the fleet.
|
As a general rule, the larger a ship is, the more powerful it is and thus
more valuable to the fleet. There are some exceptions, however, as some
ships have unique abilities that set them apart from the others. The
Buccaneer's Chimera Class sloop, for example, is the only ship with front
facing cannons, which gives it the ability to damage a ship that it is chasing.
This unconventional armament is complemented by an even stranger rear-mounted
"mine dispenser" that drops gunpowder barrels into the water. These barrels
are set to explode shortly after entering the water and if their release is
well timed, the damage they can inflict to a nearby ship is nothign short of
devastating.
For a closer look at some of the vessel types available to
both factions, check them out in the
Ship Classes section of the website.
|
The Crown Vanguard Class ship
"RCS Trojan"
|
|
|
|
|
There are numerous pickups available in the multiplayer maps that
affect the game in different ways. Arguably the most valuable are
the Treasure Boats. These are always located near Home Bases and
are recognisable by their brightly coloured sails - Buccaneer Treasure Boats
have yellow sails and Crown Treasure Boats blue (see pic below).
|
A blue sailed Crown Treasure Boat
|
If a Treasure Boat is captured by the opposition, all players will receive a
message informing them of the capture - both visually and vocally. The vessel
that effects the capture will then display a flag off the stern of the ship to
mark it as the treasure carrier. This vessel should now be seen as a priority
target for the other side, as the Treasure Boat will confer a 100 point score
boost to the capturing faction if they manage to return the treasure to their
own Home Base. If this is done, then another Treasure Boat will spawn to replace it.
Other valuable pickups are Pirate Willy and The Duchess. Pirate Willy sails a
small boat with a red and white striped sail, while the Duchess can be identified
by her black sail. Both are extremely valuable pickups and possession of them can
often swing the course of a battle.
|
|
Each of these two characters is allied to one of the factions in the game, with
Pirate Willy allied to the Buccaneers and The Duchess allied to the Crown. If any
player picks up the character allied to their faction, their team score will slowly
increase over time. Picking up the character allied to the enemy faction will result
in the enemy score decreasing over time. If members of your team hold both of these
pickups, then your score will increase while your opponent's decreases and vice versa.
|
If any ship carrying either Treasure, Pirate Willy or The Duchess is
sunk, then that pickup is immediately dropped back into the water and
may be picked up by any other passing vessel. (Note: players may not
pick up their own Treasure Boat - if this is dropped it will remain in
place until once again picked up by the opposition).
There are also lesser pickups scattered about in the form of fishing boats,
lifeboats, luxury yachts and even crates of chickens! These pickups will
give a small score boost to the faction that picks them up and then
respawn after a short period of time. While seemingly insignificant, a
quick 20 points of Infamy could swing the fortunes of one faction over
the other in a close run game.
|
A Crown Hunter Class ship carrying
The Duchess
|
|
|
|
As players sail about the multiplayer levels they will notice the
odd shipwreck - normally located near rocky coastline. These shipwrecks
are not simply included to add a bit of variety to the coastline, but
provide a very valuable service for both factions. Any ship that alights
near a shipwreck will be repaired of all damage. This repair will happen
slowly, but does give players an opportunity to repair their vessel
without having to return to their Home Base.
Every level contains at least one shipwreck and they are positioned so
that either faction can reach them without unfair advantage to the other.
(Note: Shipwrecks only offer a ship repair function and do not re-arm a ship's
gunpowder stores)
|
A Buccaneer sloop stopped near a shipwreck
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
