Anatomy of a Screenshot

[BattleDrumz]

Here's what we can learn about E:TW's naval combat system from a newly released screenshot featured in Total PC Gaming (link to original .jpg--> http://www.totalpcgaming.com/images/...05_Shot_05.jpg ) **Please note that this is an early alpha screen. Graphics and Gameplay mechanics will likely change considerably before release.**



Features:

1. game clock
2. speed settings (normal, fast-forward, and pause)
3. mini-icon: ship moving
4. mini-icon: ship is afire!
   
5. mini-icon: ship engaged in melee
6. mini-icon: ship firing
7. battle status bar
8. minimap with wind direction (apparently not working yet)
9. mini-icon: ship under fire!
10. either broadside port/starboard or mount cannons port/starboard
11. chose ammo type (ball, chain-shot, or cannister)
12. drop anchor button
13. ??? maybe dress battle line
14. board enemy ship! (melee)
15. disengage from melee (cut ropes)
    
16. flee to open waters!
17. movement control. Adjust direction and speed (sails)
    
18. ??? rally on admiral's ship?
19. ship stats. Shows manpower, hull damage and sail damage.
20. ship is at anchor. not sure what the gold bar means...

Key:

Obvious
99% sure
Dubious :hmmm:
Meh?

But, what can we learn from this?

First off, we can generally assume that ships will not be manuvered as armies are in previous TW games (click/right-click on destination) but instead by a "control bar" (17). This is rather exciting!

Second, this implies that the battlemap will not be a "fixed" amount of realestate but a continuing ocean-scape that follows the fleets (this is my own hypothesis, I have no proof)

Third, this reaffirms the fact that crew and ship are separate. Ships need repairs and crews need fresh meat to fill their depleted rank. It also supposes that crews gain veterancy rather than ships; though the screen doesn't show this.

What the screen-shot says is Naval battles will be ver, very tactical and will need lots of thought to be truly competitive (especially online against me! I'll be looking for ya!)

Hope you enjoyed my thread! Rep me if you did.
Cheers

[Ulf]

why would you want to drop your anchor during a battle?

[BattleDrumz]

why would you want to drop your anchor during a battle?

dunno.... to set up a screenshot?

jk, anyway, I would imagine to prevent your ships from drifting apart during a stormy battle... or to defend a harbor mouth....

i dunno.

Cheers

[Ulf]

or to defend a harbor mouth
Cheers

actually this makes quite a bit of sense...can't believe I didn't think of that

[quadrille]

why would you want to drop your anchor during a battle?

Maybe to make one of those PotC style turnarounds while being chased?

[stradar1]

Maybe to make one of those PotC style turnarounds while being chased?

HAHAHAH could be possible id like to see if that will work ingame

[Titanus]

why would you want to drop your anchor during a battle?

Weighing anchor during a naval battle was used as a tactical maneuver.

[Black Fox]

hasnt any1 noticed the two small green bars by the ships picture and by the number 80 (the number of men aboard the ship) it means that CA is putting health bars in this could be good or bad...

[daffyff]

hasnt any1 noticed the two small green bars by the ships picture and by the number 80 (the number of men aboard the ship) it means that CA is putting health bars in this could be good or bad...

It's for sail damage and hull damage. It would be no different than the damage percentages for siege weapons and engines in med2. In fact I wonder why health bars weren't in there to begin with. In any case, this would be valuable information during a sea battle. I'd hate to have to scroll over every ship for a damage report.

[Agent Provocateur]

Weighing anchor during a naval battle was used as a tactical maneuver.

Only if you were at anchor to start with. The manoeuvre being "lift the anchor and let's get the hell out of here"?

Anchoring your line was an accepted tactical disposition, though not necessarily the best against a determined enemy. The French and Danes famously did it at Aboukir Bay and Copenhagen respectively. You basically drop several anchors (4 min) and by pulling one in and letting another out you can actually change the facing of the ship. However, you give up the tactical advantage to the enemy as they are free to manoeuvre. Neither Abokir nor Copenhagen were ringing endorsements of the anchored battle line.

[MarquisWu]

why would you want to drop your anchor during a battle?

they did this to make a fast turn :p well at least in pirates of the carribeans

[daffyff]

gold bar on 20 may be the progress of dropping anchor being that it took time to drop and more time to raise.

The ship may repair after battles, much like siege weapons.

13 may be grouping options.

10....maybe fire portside/starboard. Fire! buttons have been mentioned.

15 has an x on it, so maybe thats more like release grapples? 14 makes me think melee or prepare to board.

If one of the ships in the main battle screen was selected, we may be able to glean more info.

[BattleDrumz]

gold bar on 20 may be the progress of dropping anchor being that it took time to drop and more time to raise.

Ahh, good point. I was also thinking that perhaps the anchor and gold bars at 20 are separate things... the anchor is obvious but perhaps the gold bars are a "placeholder" for general stars? In other words, the fleet admiral is at anchor and he has 5 command stars...

What do you think?

15 has an x on it, so maybe thats more like release grapples? 14 makes me think melee or prepare to board.

As for 14 and 15, I think 14 may be 'get ready to board' because of the way the human figure looks (which seems like a standard boarding pose), whereas 15 could be 'prepare to repel boarders' or 'abandon the boarding attempt' (because the icon has the grappling hook, but also a cross, which indicates something like 'stop'). Also, I assume 10 and it's opposite are broadside commands, because I highly doubt the battle would start without the ships having their guns mounted already..

Duh! now that you mention it, that makes a lot more sense. 14 is engage melee and 15 is disengage melee (cut ropes). I'll fix the thread to support this idea.

What do you think the little '3' in the circle next to the wind direction / mini map indicator is? I think it could be the windforce indicator..

That is the most reasonable guess. Therefore, I agree.

Good posts, all! I'm glad I'm not the only one excited about this.
Cheers

[daffyff]

Ahh, good point. I was also thinking that perhaps the anchor and gold bars at 20 are separate things... the anchor is obvious but perhaps the gold bars are a "placeholder" for general stars? In other words, the fleet admiral is at anchor and he has 5 command stars...

What do you think?

That is very possible and I would agree onit 100% if it wasn't for the progress bar feel of it. y'know what I mean? It appears like something that wants to be filled or emptied, while rank is usually a fixed thing (during battles at least).

I can still see that maybe they are seperate entities. Is it possible that that ship is at the moment 1/2 way through switching its cannons from starboard to port?

[Yoda Twin]

The detail in controlling ships in Empire will be huge, it seems that this games gonna provide lots of fun battles.

[jarnomiedema]

Well done BattleDrumz! Definitely +Rep from me..

As for 14 and 15, I think 14 may be 'get ready to board' because of the way the human figure looks (which seems like a standard boarding pose), whereas 15 could be 'prepare to repel boarders' or 'abandon the boarding attempt' (because the icon has the grappling hook, but also a cross, which indicates something like 'stop'). Also, I assume 10 and it's opposite are broadside commands, because I highly doubt the battle would start without the ships having their guns mounted already..

What do you think the little '3' in the circle next to the wind direction / mini map indicator is? I think it could be the windforce indicator..

In any case, I'm really looking forward to the naval battles!

[english tyrant]

+ rep good post
but I still don't see how you can manage all those ships in that much detail at the same time.

[Dulce_et_Decorum_Est]

I wonder what the significance of the in-game "3" is to the upper left of the speed control.

[Lord Zimoa]

Wind speed in Beaufort maybe?

LZ

[Kinjo]

14 is a boarding action and 15 is mostly likely to unanchor the ship if the anchor is down.