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pirate movement mechanic

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Thu, 01/20/2011 - 12:54
drktron
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Joined: 07/18/2010

I'm continuing to work on a pirate game and I'd like to know what you think of this movement mechanic or any suggestions on how to improve this.

Currently the gameboard is modular consisting of 4x4 inch "sea squares" put together (a different board each game). Each Sea square consists of 16 small sea spaces (1x1). I also am considering using 9 sea spaces per sea square instead. Ship movement on the board is regulated by a "Wind" deck that each player draws from. The wind deck consists of cards of movement values 1-4 plus some have bonuses to certain types of ships. The movement 1 card also allows the player to move the "storm" to a different sea square. The storm occupies a sea square (4x4). Movement within the storm is limited to 1 and the storm prevents ports from within the storm from producing their goods. Ships adjacent (one sea space away) to the storm may ride the storm and add one to movement. Other cards would affect ships within the storm (say storm damage: lose a cargo,etc.)

Getting back to movement: Each ship has a sail rating (currently 3-5 but this may be adjusted). A player draws a hand of wind cards equal to his ship's sail rating. On his turn he plays a wind card of his choice to move and replenishes his hand at the end of his turn.

In addition, I was planning on having the players use the wind cards in their hand to pursue ships in combat and the wind deck for non-player ships to attempt escape(or pursuit). The combat system is not fully developed yet so I can't go into detail.

So let me know what you think and I'm open to suggestions.

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Thu, 01/20/2011 - 18:22
#1
dnddmdb
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Joined: 01/06/2009
Combat Suggestion

So Every player plays cards from their hand as supplied by the wind deck to move? Sounds pretty cool.

As far as ship combat goes, you will need to be careful. You will need to get a good balance right, because if Pursuing ships have an advantage (in speed terms), then your mincemeat if not attacking. If defending ships have a speed benefit, then attacking won't get you anywhere.

One idea for combat is that once two players are engaged in combat, no player may replenish wind cards until they are out of combat, or the defender may replenish 1 card if both players are out of wind cards:
So:
1. If I plan on attacking a vessel, I save up the best cards I can get.
2. When I engage, we do combat (or whatever).
3. On Defending ship's turn, he may play wind or continue combat. He doesn't redraw wind cards (until we are both out)
4. If he is out of range, I must now pursue or give up. If I make it within range, combat happens again. If he is out of range because I have chosen not to pursue, have no wind or too little wind, then he escapes and combat ends.
5. If either player is defeated, then combat is also over.
6. Repeat from 3.

Just a suggestion.

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Sat, 01/22/2011 - 23:14
#2
drktron
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Joined: 07/18/2010
Thanks for your suggestion.

Thanks for your suggestion. This is very similar to what I had in mind so far as the pursuit part of combat goes. Still working on the actual combat mechanic. Also the nice thing about the wind deck is that it can be used for the non-player ships to try and escape battle. Say in your example step 3 the nonplayer trade vessel you are attacking will try and escape, just flip over the top card of the wind deck; you, the attacker will have to play a sufficient wind card from your hand to pursue. Of course the number of flips the nonplayer ship can make over the course of battle is limited by its sail rating.

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