I know this is a game and games don't always have to make sense, but... it wouldn't make sense for the pirate's plunder to be deducted from our already-docked score, as they're stealing cargo that has not yet been docked. So I agree with nattylux on this one...
If you think of the cargo as being revenue, then the plundered cargo is lost revenue. Otherwise it doesn't matter if the cargo is sunk, because more ships are going to be coming onto the screen anyway.
It all depends on just how ruthless the pirates are... in *theory*, the pirates could be so ruthless so that they attack every single ship that comes in and we never get to unload a single piece of cargo, meaning our score stays at zero for the whole game. So the point of this map then would NOT be stop our score going down, but rather to stop our score staying static. I'd agree with that, because who wants their score to stay static? No-one. We all want our scores to go up, right? Like I said though, that's all theory, and only those who've played the new beta of the game will be able to tell at the moment whether the pirates are just a mild petty annoyance or a true obstacle to get rid of.
I'm not sure I follow. If you assume that each ship is going to be docked and its cargo tallied until there is a crash, then it makes sense to subtract the cargo that the pirate plundered. In other words, every ship that enters the screen is going to be docked, so every ship that is not docked due to the pirates would be taken away from the total dockable cargo.
Well, I should have made it clearer... my post was in response only to the second part of your statement, where you said: "Otherwise it doesn't matter if the cargo is sunk, because more ships are going to be coming onto the screen anyway." So I'm saying it DOES matter if your undocked cargo is sunk (because your score would stay static and static is pointless). In addition, I was also saying I disagree with the first part of your statement, where you said: "If you think of the cargo as being revenue, then the plundered cargo is lost revenue." To respond further on your newer comments: Yes, but the assumption you make that "each ship is going to be docked" is for the existing maps, and the idea is that this new map will introduce a new gameplay element. Put simply: Pirates rob you, and you can't drop off what you no longer have in your possession. And if we're talking what is the "total dockable cargo" amount, as you say, then again, in *theory*, it's actually an infinite number, because what is dockable is dependant on how long you play the game for without crashing. Also, what would happen if you have only docked two items and pirates come along and steal four pieces of cargo? Do you get a negative score? Do you have to then dock a further additional two items before your cargo-count gets UP to zero? Bear in mind I'm basing all this on the notion of "reality", which may or may not apply to computer games.
It still doesn't matter if cargo is sunk, because you can bomb the pirates. Your score would not be static, since once the pirates have been bombed you can resume docking ships as usual.
EXACTLY! That's the whole point. The point is to bomb the pirates to stop your score staying static. No-one's saying the pirates in their current-form are a deal-breaker as to whether a game is won or lost, but they are just another obstacle to look out for... I can well imagine this being a tricky obstacle to overcome as it is, because while you're focused on bombing some pirates, you're being distracted from the fact that two of your other ships could be about to crash into each other! Perhaps think of it in parallel terms with the cyclone in Cyclone Island: The cyclone there doesn't kill us or blow our cargo overboard thereby deducting points we've already earned... It's just a gameplay element that distracts us and hinders us from fulfilling our core objective: unloading cargo.
@BrettArchibald @walkyl9 One logical problem with deducting points before a ship is docked is that you currently only get points when you've unloaded the cargo - not when a ship enters the field. Also, the playing field is pretty small - you definitely want to get rid of those pirates, if only to just make some room. It's tougher in a crowded harbor. And when the pirates are attacking, they make a big obstacle in your way. @dyepbr It's unlikely. It takes a couple of months to develop a game like this, and then a couple of weeks for Apple to approve it. @brerlappin Thanks! We think so
I know it's probably too late, but one possible way to add more weight to the pirate situation is to force us to dock a plundered ship, instead of sinking it or directing it off the screen.
Ok, we're all set to submit the update TODAY! Woot! We are keeping the mechanic as I described earlier. And the pirates say "ARR!" when they're attacking you. And then you kill them. It's totally sweet Also, our beta testers are getting way too good. It's just not right that I'm not #1 on this level, and it hasn't even been released. Damn you, Jujubi! We'll see how long it takes Mrs. Little White Bear to beat her Check out the high scores for Cannon Beach.
I am just thinking of motivating factors that make you want to sink the pirates. I know you've stated your thoughts natty, but being able to move the plundered ship off map is just an annoyance that doesn't create a sense of urgency, at least in my mind since I can just move it off screen (knowing more ships will come). How about if subtracting plundered cargo doesn't work, the plundered ship can NOT be moved off map thus creating another map obstacle? That way there would be a lot more motivation to get rid of the pirates. You could also add maybe a timer where the ship eventually sinks into the depths after some time has passed? I don't know, just a thought.
ARRRR! * sings drunkenly and loudly, to the tune of "Yellow Submarine" * WE ALL LIVE IN A PIRATE SUBMARINE, PIRATE SUBMARINE, PIRATE SUBMARINE. *hickup!* WE ALL LIVE IN A PIRATE SUBMARINE, PIRATE SUBMARINE, PIRATE SUBMARINE. *hickup!* *hickup!*
Haha - thanks, PJ. @AttackOfThePwned As always, we are tweaking the mechanic yet again But we are submitting tonight - hard deadline. Will post back as soon as we do and tell you how it works. I think it's even better now. @AaronAMV upsidedown is right - we are totally out of beta slots. Like, completely. Trying to work out the situation with Apple, because we're going to need more beta testers eventually...
Submitted! Hurray! We submitted the Cannon Beach update last night! Hope it gets approved soon... So we made the pirates a lot meaner in the end. Here is how the pirates are going to work: 1. The pirates attack a ship 2. Steal the ship's cargo (if the ship is empty, they look around for 2 seconds to see that there's no cargo) 3. And then SINK the ship, which ends the game. So you need to sink the pirates BEFORE they sink one of your ships. You do this by firing your cannon at them. It takes two shots to sink the pirate ship. I think you guys will love it!
