Introducing the New Frontiers Boats!
Posted By: Sanya Thomas
2004-05-28 12:58:07
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In our New Frontiers expansion, there is an ocean, and oceans demand sailing ships and fighting boats. Here’s a brief overview of our plans for the system, going live this week or next. This is by no means the full documentation – look to the Herald next week for more information.
These ships are not like other sailing vessels you may own in other areas of the game. They come in three sizes, and (in the case of the two bigger models) the larger the boat, the more hook points for siege weapons. Larger boats also have more range to their speed, and more hitpoints. You can buy the attack boats from merchants in a number of places along the shores of the new frontiers, but you can only build one along your own home beach. Choose your launch point carefully, because once in the water, an attack boat can’t be picked up again. You should also watch the timing of your launch, and wait until your forces are mostly gathered, as the boats will disappear after thirty minutes if they have no passengers. (Once someone climbs aboard, the timer is is turned off and reset.)
Only New Frontiers ships may be used in New Frontiers. The TOA skiffs are not suitable for ocean travel, and are disabled.
Players board your ship and attach themselves to hookpoints before you can cast off. Once seatbelts are securely fastened, players cannot move, cast, attack, or perform any other actions with one exception: They may move to a spot next to a siege hookpoint on the two bigger ships and attach themselves there in order to use the siege weapons. Your passengers can only be attacked using targeted range attacks – AE spells, mezzes, roots, and melee will not affect them.
Siege weaponry may be used to sink other ships, among other things. The two bigger ships have siege weapon capability. Once attached to the proper hookpoints on deck (and the weapon’s operator is also attached to the right hookpoint), siege weapons can be fired while boats are moving or stopped.
The boats have different speed ranges (as a point of reference for the following numbers, know that the TOA skiffs move at the speed of 500):
Small boats (“Scout Boats”) require at least one person on board to get it to move, and seat a maximum of eight people. There are no siege hookpoints aboard this model, since she is the easiest to get launched and requires the least organization among players. With only her captain, a small boat is set to move at 395. With a full crew, she moves at 500.
Medium sized boats (“Galleons”) require a captain and a first mate to move, and seat a maximum of sixteen. The minimum speed is 290, but a full complement of sailors makes her go at 500. These vessels have two “small” siege hookpoints.
The largest ship in the fleet (“Warships”) must have four aboard in order to launch, and has room for thirty two invaders. Her skeleton crew speed is only 80, and moves at 500 when fully loaded. These monstrous boats have two “large” siege hookpoints, and two “small” ones.
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This is the basic plan for ships, and more details will follow. We will be implementing this plan either today or next week, and we are, as with everything else in this expansion, open to feedback on the design and implementation. Thanks, and enjoy the high seas!
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