Ahoy!
We're about a month away from releasing patch 1.2. Ideally, we'd keep the suspense going until the release date, but such gaps in communication are bad for relationships. ːcharles_happyː If you remember our March update, each large patch aims to bring Caribbean Legend closer to a perfect Sea Dogs game, offering the best from freeplay and story playstyles, and uplifted to meet the modern day game standarts.
Like patch 1.1, this update will focus on ships, animations, quests, and locations, but with a special unplanned addition we'll reveal at the end of this diary.
Ships
So it begins! We're updating the whole damn game fleet to meet our new quality standards. By 2.0, we aim to have all ships redesigned and new ones added. Here's the plan:
- Remake both versions of the Kaleuche.
- Remake the Casador, and change the way she can be obtained.
- Remake popular rank 5 and 4 ships (already in progress).
- Add a new quest ship #1 (already in progress).
- Remake popular rank 3 and 2 ships.
- Remake national flagships of rank 1.
- Add new quest ships #2 and #3.
- Remake all remaining ships.
This is a massive task which will take around a year and half to implement, but even our minimum goal for 1.2 will add more ships than any update we had done in the last 12 years.
Locations
Originally we planned adding three new locations in patch 1.2, but one was cut, another was donated to us by the super talented Nikk, and the fate of the third one is still uncertain. Such content cut may be forgiven though, as we've also improved the quality of all jungles in the game, which took a month and a half but yielded great results.
Animations
Currently, we have two main areas of focus for animations: combat and immersion. Combat wise, we've already redone musketeer animations in 1.1 and will also add one combat addition in 1.2. However, this time, the main focus of 1.2 will be for immersion animations to enhance colony life and cut-scenes.
This a competition really, as it is still unclear which area of focus will be more beneficial for the game.
Just a tease of some stuff planned for 1.2:
https://youtu.be/U0ncJIPACV8
https://youtu.be/rCL6jvidlTg
https://youtu.be/3bGJI_MNzy4
https://youtu.be/IQixPqZsD-U
https://youtu.be/36ImgkCqnbM
https://youtu.be/DD1reQ4YI6g
Quests
Originally, I planned to finalize side quests that didn't make it to February release, ship an epilogue, and move to a big story DLC. However, after extensively playing the game myself and consulting with our narrative dept. we've shifted priorities:
- Companions' quests. (in progress)
- Vile Little God DLC upgrade and public release. As per our Discord poll. (in progress)
- Precise upgrades of the original story questlines.
- Free new side quests.
- Another side quest pack - this time as a DLC.
- Story epilogue.
This wraps up Charles' story and enhances the freeplay experience. I mean, there is very little point on pouring much effort into the story. What we need is more side content, more freeplay opportunities for all three heroes.
UX
In other words, any measures that make it easier to get into the game and improve the experience primarily for those people who were previously unfamiliar with the series. Initially, this body of work was planned as a large addition to 2.0 with the goal of finally bringing the game up to 2024 standards with one singe, massive update:
- Gamepad support.
- Revised translation (again!).
- In-game encyclopedia.
- Proper Steam manual.
- Interactive tutorials.
- Improved camera.
- Modern controls.
No time for that apparently. I assumed that we'd already brought the game from another era to a minimal-enough level where it was ready for a wide audience. But patch 1.1 and the first big sale shattered that foolish illusion.
Valve generously poured traffic, the sale was a success, but we got a lot of negative reviews. Most of them were quite true.
No, the game is not ready. No, it's impossible to complete it without knowing about time slowdown/acceleration, the abuse of "Sail to" mechanic, how the point of sail works, as well as the fact that you have to disable the combat mode to freely move around NPCs in a fight.
Priorites were shifted and, instead of one big QoL improvement at the end of the road, each patch will address these issues gradually. 1.2 will focus on improving in-game notification visibilty and adding tutorial pop-up windows, each supported with a video demonstration, explaining core gameplay mechanics. We have also started working on finding ways to quickly upgrade so called "tank controls". A painful lesson, but a lesson nonetheless. ːbartaxː
In the end, every constructive negative review is super useful, it's just a pity that it takes three blue ones for every red one to at least make up for the drop in rating. Honestly, I hate this, but I have to ask that if you really like the game and want to secure its further advancement, please consider leaving a positive review ːsteamthumbsupː. We need around 30-40 to be spared from dancing on the sharp blade of 70% User Rating.
...and I'll say goodbye for now. They are still waiting for a design document for the new armor.
ːjollyrː