New ships

Le Suffren/Redoutable
The Great Redoutable that bravely fought against 3 British and almost boarded HMS Victory has been added to the game as an imported ship.


Le Duguay-Trouin/HMS Implacable
The great tragedy for the age of sail history happened when the ship that participated in Trafalgar was sank by a decision of some idiot in the British Government in 1949
https://youtu.be/vObkluMUvWo

• We have made amends, the beautiful ship has been fully restored and is now available for sailing in all its glory in Naval Action.
  
  • Blueprint added to shipyards.
    
  • Permit added to chest.

Admiraal De Ruyter has been added to the game as a ghost ship (it is in but not available because it still requires some tuning. It will be available soon.

New paints have been added to Paint DLC for Redoutable and Implacable.

Fixes

• Fixed the rare case where player could spawn in two instances in the same (for example when attacked by to players or NPCs)
  
• Slowed down NPC Port Battle Raiders by 2 knots (they are now 2 knot slower than player ships), Removed penalties to HP and Structure.
  
• Fixed a soft exploit for Labor contracts which allowed generating extra 200LH out of air for an abnormally low cost. (Thanks Captain S. for pointing us to this exploit)
  
• Moved a Mortimer town protection zone 5% upwards away from the Windward passage. They could sill reach this zone but much more rarely.

New player starting mandatory mission Welcome to the Caribbean has been delayed. It is in game but require some more tuning and testing. It will be delivered as soon as final testing is finished. As a result here is an expected patch flow for this expansion

1. Part 1 - New ships - Will be completed by end of Feb (new flags will also be added)
   
2. Part 2 - New player mission and additions and improvements of NPC agression on the OW (inlcuding adding solo privateers to patrol zones in limited numbers)
   
3. Part 3 - Cheap edition and new pricing schedule (some pleasant surprises for all captains who own the current version will be in this part)

Hello Captains!

We have achieved a lot last year: new ships, new missions, trading improvements, thousands of bugs fixed and launched the game. 2019 was better than 2018. Naval Action has been placed into a Steam's Best of 2019 by Valve and was named one of the best releases from Early Access (by revenue)

This could only happen because of you Captains! Thank You. We wont let you down.

Of course some grumpy landlubbers will still complain it was all alts, but who cares ;). Please ask those "alts", really ask them to get us on the steam top sellers list in 2020 again.

Please propose things that you consider critical that fill the new content rules described below or edit your old posts and link them there.

Under way

• Transferred from 2019 2H. New player mission
  
  • New player experience is finishing its development.
    
  • This mission will rework the starting couple of hours for all new players and will show some of the best features from the start (including large line fights in heavy ships) as it was happening in the early sea trials.
• New ships
  
  1. Redoutable - Imported ship (this month subject to Valve Approval)
     
  2. Implacable - crafted ship (this month)
     
  3. Wrecker - crafted ship (February)
     
  4. HMS Victory Classic Edition - Admiralty Imported Gift ship (1st half of 2020)
     
  5. Rotterdam - Combat Indiaman (1st half of 2020)
     
  6. Gross ventre refit will return this or next month
     
  7. Pandora will become available on Steam for purchase
• Low cost edition
  
  • Low cost edition is long overdue and will be developed and shipped in 2020. It bring a lot of new faces into the game and will increase gameplay quality for all owners.
• Upgrades, Combat model, damage and penetrations tuning
  
  • New upgrades (crafted and looted)
    
  • Cannon, upgrades
    
  • Battle sails and wind curve rebalance
    
  • Hull leeway which will make looting much easier
• New rewards for main battle activities
  
  • PVP Leaderboard rewards
    
  • Better patrol rewards
    
  • Solo patrol rewards improved
    
  • Port battle missions with rewards

On skills and progression and rules for new content (promised in 2h of 2019)

• We have cancelled work on changes in progression, current skill book rework, and perks for the following reason
  
  • Changing anything players already have causes immense negativity as it is taking something away from them.
    
  • Features made for new players can feel that they are done at the expense of old players, who feel they are unfair to the existing community (people who supported the game before), So even if the new progression is amazing it could feel like a robbery for old players even if it is better.
    
  • Thus...
• We will only add new content if it fulfills the following rules
  
  1. It must solve a specific problem of the majority or reduce negative outcome for the majority.
     
  2. It must be beneficial for both new and old players
     
  3. It must not take anything away that players worked hard to get.
     
  4. One example for a skill tree that fulfills the above mentioned rules could be a Bravery Skill Tree
     
     • Bravery skill tree gives benefits and bonuses to crew when fighting outnumbered
       
     • Bravery skill tree levels up when fighting outnumbered
       
     • These two things reduce negativity for the majority as everyone is ganked from time to time and everyone would love to get higher chance to sink someone in those situations

On new content

Overall we feel like our hands are tied with the current content.
Even positive changes like the PVP 20 Min balancer was very hated, really hated by many initially. Now - many months later it is universally accepted by most pvp players. Its not perfect, not the best but a lot better than anything we had before. Such changes cause a state of uneasiness and beta feel and should not happen when the game is already released.

As a result our focus will only be on to following priorities

• New ships
  
• New missions, events, rewards, and activities
  
• Quality of life improvements
  
• Removal of toxicity from community communication
  
• Some improvements in AI

On moderation

Moderation systems in game will need to change drastically to promote friendly community. Current system of in game chat moderation is slow and inadequate.

• Developer's assigned moderators were causing claims of bias and negativity. As a result moderation will probably move to the community.
  
• Moderation could be done by
  
  • voted player representatives who will moderate their nation in all chats (help, nation and global)
    
  • clan leaders and officers who will be able to moderate their clan members in all chats
    
  • reports on players will come to player representatives and clan leaders by mail
    
  • clan leaders will receive some motivation for taking action on the reports on their members
    
  • The systems are going to be worked on this year. meanwhile please use report and ignore for people whose style you do not like

On AI

One important area neglected for a very long time will be Artificial Intelligence. The NPC Ships will learn new tricks and skills

• Will position better for broadsides
  
• Will learn to chase and escape better (useful for player fleets and auto-escapes during disconnects)
  
• Will choose targets better and focus fire better
  
• Will sail better closer to land
  
• And some other improvements like better operation as a group

AI improvements become possible as Game Labs as a company continues work on Ultimate Admiral: Age of Sail strategy game, and this year will also start work on a new single player focused game with first person view from deck - Sea Legends - about smugglers and privateers in the Mediterranean and North sea. This research will be shared and will greatly benefit the improvements of quality of PVE combat in Naval Action.



Overall - we have a great 2020 ahead of us. If you want something added to the plan feel free to do it in comments. Please stay on topic when discussing issues. Remember that all feature proposals and changes proposals must fit the 3 point framework

1. It must solve a specific problem of the majority or reduce negative outcome for the majority.
   
2. It must be beneficial for both new and old players
   
3. It must not take anything away that players worked hard to get.

Captains

Admiralty wishes you wealth, health and happiness in the 2020. Please accept the following traditional christmas gifts in the redeemables in game.

• Kiritimati Masts made from the strongest trees found in the famous Christmas (Kiritimati) island visited on 24th December 1777 by the famous Captain Cook.
  
• Edinorog guns that will make your opponents fear your ship.
  
• Elite Christmas gift – Danish 2nd rate Christian.

Redeemables must be claimed before 10th of January 2020. Login any time before that to claim them by going to the Gifts/Rewards section in port.

Holiday conquest truce has been declared. All hostility missions and NPC raids will resume 2nd of January 2020.

We received several questions on how trading works. Here is the brief explanation needed to avoid conspiracy theories.

This high profit trading is not a mistake. OW is risky and you can lose everything. One successful run should set you up for a while, one robbery should not discourage you from trying again. Game should not waste player time by forcing him to do 100 runs. 1 run is as risky as 3. This is a final view on trading.

Making profit

• Source - Supply: resources are brought for trading to county capitals (mostly based on their historical origin)
  
• Demand - Consumption: resources are consumed in county capitals
  
• Weak demand - resources can be also sold in any non-consuming port but at a lower price
  
• The further is the consumption port from the source of the resource - the higher the profit (can reach high multiples)
  
• 1 very long trip using wind boosts can make more money than several short trips

Supply

• Types of supply: there are cheaper trading resources and there are very expensive trading resources. Every county capital has a variety of resources from cheap to expensive
  
• Cheaper resources: are brought in great quantities consistently
  
• Expensive resources (Madagascar jewels): are brought to Caribbean from time to time
  
• If expensive resources are not there - trading IS NOT NERFED - they just were not brought yet (they are rare and expensive for a reason). Just buy other goods or find another less competitive county capital to exploit (hint: or hit other traders getting all the goods for free).
  
• You can no longer place contracts on trading goods (One of the best community proposals that was implemented). This allows you to buy the goods if you are in the port right after their delivery by NPCs

NPC Traders

• You can get expensive resources by hitting NPC traders or Player traders too.
  
• NPC traders no longer very cheap heavy goods and are only dedicated to trading. You might hit those jewels near the very distant port and half a million

This will be enough to get you started.

Community Request: well constructed trading guide (video or paper), if we like it it will be posted across all game channels for fame and glory.

Captains. Part 2 of the Seasonal update has been deployed and two hot-fixes provided

• Shipbuilding changes
  
  • Historically when building ships shipbuilders had a choice to use fresh wood or season it in seasoning sheds and have stronger, slightly lighter timber. Ships built from fresh wood rot easily and were heavier and weaker.
    
  • Starting this patch captains will be able to season woods (provided they obtain the blueprint)
    
    • Seasoning Shed blueprint added - new building
      
    • Seasoning woods blueprints added
      
    • New frames and planking types added (indicated by the letter (S)
      
    • Tools blueprint added
• Trading and NPC privateering overhaul
  
  • Price system and trading resource drop systems changed
    
  • Trading goods is now one of the most profitable activities on the server
    
  • Trading NPCs are no longer constantly overloaded
    
  • Trading NPCs sometimes carry expensive loads (especially if you hit them on the end of the trading run with expensive goods)
• Privateer chest added to game. Privateer chest will drop from
  
  • NPC Port raiders
    
  • NPC Privateers in the OW (capital protectors)
• Increased drop of Victory marks and Combat medals from Raid Chest

• BR for both Player port battles and NPC Port battles have changed
  
  • Battle Rating will now depend on port investment points
    
  • More investment points = more ships required to protect and defend.
    
  • Overall points have been lowered based on the points
    
    • 55-50 points - 20,000 BR for deep, 2500 for shallow
      
    • 45-40 points - 10,000 BR for deep, 2000 for shallow
      
    • 35 and lower - 5000 BR for deep, 1350 for shallow
• NPC Raids
  
  • Points for capture zone entry have been slightly increased
    
    • Combat ships now give 15 points instead of 10
      
    • Trading Transports now give 325 points instead of 300
• Did not make it due to other issues
  
  • Removal of Capital waters limitations.
    
    • In one of the following hotfixes only distance will be limiting port choice of attack.
      
    • Capital waters will no longer act as choke points
• Point changes
  
  • Important historical production or trading centers have their investment points increased to 55
    
    • Cartagena
      
    • Caracas
      
    • Bridgetown
  • Several significant historical centers have their investment points increased to 50 points
    
    • Bluefields
      
    • Portobelo
      
    • Puerto Espana

• 36 Pounders are now allowed on all 32lb french ships
  
• Leopard finalized and ready for release
  
• HP and thickness caps have been increased due to forthcoming cannon rebalance
  
• Increased strength of Upper parts of explosion shockwave - which will demast top sections more often
  
• BR changed for Ingermanland and Wapen

Once the feature is deployed privateers will be re-introduced into the game. Privateers will capitals and sometimes venture into important channels. Privateers will sail in strong mixed fleets with intercepting heavy frigates and fast lineships and will provide strong challenge to players operating deep in the capital waters territories.


Hotfix was deployed on 30th November 2019.

• Privateer fleets route testing
  
• NPC Raid patterns have changed for lower level ports.
  
  • NPC Raiders will ALWAYS try to fill the BR limit by lowering class of ships.
    
  • So for example for 10000 BR port NPCs will bring 18 Saint Pavels or Bellonas instead of 1st rates. They will continue to use 1 ship.
• BR Limits for shallow ports lowered even lower
  
  • Nassay 2900
    
  • 2000 BR limit ports reduced to 1350
    
  • 1350 BR limit ports reduced to 900
• Chinese localization file update

Hotfix was deployed today, Sunday 1st of December

• 2 capitals of the Caribbean have updated Privateer fleets
  
• Privateer chest is now dropping from those fleets.
  
• Weight 250 tons so almost any ship can carry it out.

Captains, finally the update has been deployed.

• Wind patches
  
  • Wind is the movement of air from high pressure to low pressure areas. When sailing you will encounter an open world representation of uneven pressure systems existing across waters around the world from lakes to oceans. By sailing into or close to a wind gust you will be able to get a wind boost and gain extra speed. This will dramatically affect gameplay, travel and accessibility. This is not the last feature we plan to add in terms of wind, but it is one of the most important ones as it saves time, yet still logical and realistic, even if a little bit exaggerated.
• NPC Port Battles
  
  • Raiders will attack ports on all Servers.
    
    • On war server - for testing purposes - for a week, NPC Raiders will just probe ports and will not take control even if they win the port battles. This will give some time to practice and prepare for the real raids that will start in a week or two.
      
    • On Peace server raiders will start trying to take control of the national ports (belonging to the NPC governments, giving in 2-3 days the chance for player to recapture them to their clan control.
  • This feature is extremely important as it brings
    
    • Peace server attacking port battles against NPC
      
    • Peace server investments
      
    • Peace server taxation and clan control
      
    • Peace server defensive port battles against NPC
• Player Raids for Peace and War servers
  
  • Some ports will give missions to raid rich enemy ports in the vicinity. Your goal would be to take 3-6 captains with you, and steal the chest from the trading ship with escort located in a mission near the port that you have to raid (all escorts must be killed). Once you get the chest you must bring it back to the mission giver. If you want to open the chest elsewhere you will have to find a special key. Chest will contain a portion of tax income, and portion of all investments in the raided port. If you do not have a good mission in the vicinity - find somebody who is raiding another port and steal their cargo. Player raid rewards are fully player driven. If all ports are poor, all missions are going to be poor. If ports are developed rewards will make you rich.
• Fire
  
  • Fire and fire shock mechanics improved. Curves added to control the amount of crew firefighting. Small fires will not require a lot of crew to put down, where 1 meter fire will need maybe 2 crew members, but let the fire grow and crew requirement grows exponentially. If 30% of the ship is in flames = more than 80% of the crew will be firefighting (or running).
• Loki Rune
  
• Ship Logbooks
  
• Other changes
  
  • Due to travel speed increases - rewards for delivery quests was lowered
    
  • Mortar brig damage increased by 30%
    
  • Clan allies limit increased 2x
    
  • Attack timer slightly lowered to 8 seconds
    
  • Overloading is not allowed in battle instances
• Localization
  
  • Ukrainian language added
    
  • Chinese community translation added.
    
  • Russian community translation added.
• Of course - New Bugs and issues were introduced

P.S.: Expect several hotfixes and additions in the next 2-3 weeks.

Captains..

Small patch has been deployed today 11th September 2019

• All ships (with the exception of imported ships) will be allowed to capture by the Admiralty on the War server.
  
• Oak, Fir, Mahogany, Sabicu planking has been allowed for NPC captured ships
  
• NPC captured ships will have from 1 to 4 upgrade slots (compared to previous 3).
  
• Increased the probability to get a better ship from the admiralty notes and for premium ships
  
  • crafted ships still have a 3x higher probability to get a better ship
• Added the following ships to NPC fleets compositions
  
  • Niagara, Rattlesnake, Pirate Frigate, Trincomalee
• Removed the following ships from NPC fleets
  
  • Bellona, Santisima Trinidad

• Fire shock bug fixed - it is now correctly showing when ship is in fire shock, and is not showing when ship is not in fire shock.
  
• Increased the amount of people required to fight the fire from 6 to 15 per square meter of fire
  
• Increased the size of the fire that causes ship to go into fire shock.
  
• Speed for all ships of the line with the exception of bellona, christian and santisima (rare lineships) slightly reduced

Captains

This is a cumulative patch-note for the today's changes and other minor changes done since last patch

• Changed Patrol ROE
  
  • OW roe was a success and is now spread to all battles even in Patrols (with the exception of 1V1 Zone)
    
  • 1v1 Patrol mission now works for ALL vessels in the center of the zone with the exception of basic cutters
• Pirate nation no longer can enter both sides of the battle
  
• Fixed bugs with delivery missions (that stopped you from delivering the delivery)
  
• Fixed bugs with Christian Paints
  
• Fixed bugs with rattlesnake heavy and Le Requin paints
  
• Fixed sail transparency bugs after applying paints on some ships
  
• Fixed bugs that affected behaviour of NPC Combat vessels if you were on the Trading ship (allowing fast xp on indiamans for example)
  
• Changed shroud cay mission distribution to rookie missions (1-3 star complexity)
  
• Several gold sellers were banned permanently

OW ROE = Patrol ROE
Rules:

• Battle open for first 2 mins for all to enter
  
• After 2 mins battle will still be open but only for weaker side - lower BR- with possibility of alternating the weaker side.
  
• Once Battle ratings become equal (difference lower than 13%) - the battle will close for all sides.



Captains

• Massive update with more than 240+ paints and skins was a success and Painter is now the best selling DLC overcoming Rattvisan.
  
• Around 5-10 paints will move to refits and Navy editions in this forthcoming update.
  
• We plan to continue adding new paints but the process will be slow. It takes a lot of time to prepare a good paints as it not only requires taste and lots of experiments (paints should look ok in all weather and light conditions), but also lots hard technical work from texturing and paint/material creation to memory management (they all have to fit into texture memory limits) to LOD generation (simplified visuals for long distance images to save memory).
  
• Please propose new paints in the relevant topics that we posted.

We are working very hard on the new update and its launch date is getting closer and closer. There are no definitive dates yet. But we are very excited about the forthcoming features. They will truly tie the rvr together, and bring 3 important features to the Peace server.

• NPC will try to capture rich ports from large clans using unique raiding mechanics on both Peace and War servers. If NPC's manage to capture the ports the port will then have to be recaptured. We do not know the intentions of NPC raiders on the port assets (yet).
  
• Most importantly this means that ports could be recaptured from NPCs, which will open clan control, taxation and investments for the Peace server, and long overdue map fluidity.

NSFW HMS Leopard (1775-1790) will be a new imported DLC ship added in this seasonal content update.

• Small groups will be able to raid rich ports for profit and glory. They could become a second or maybe first source of admiralty rewards and money for adventurers like you. They are oriented for all segments of players and will be accessible even to those who only have 1.5 hours in the evening.

Captains

Small patch has been deployed today

Changes and fixes

• Fixed Bug that sometimes increased horizontal angle of fire for cannons for NPC ships
  
• Improved loot table drop system to remove rare cases of same items dropping in consequential opening of chests
  
• Fixed 3 potential exploits thanks to @qw569 research
  
• Fixed bug with labor hours for upgrade manufacturing
  
• Fixed bug with perk requirement for Wasa and United states shipbuilding
  
• Fixed bug that did not generate proper knowledge slots for trader ships

Changes in the previous weeks

• Fixed labor hours bug for hull repair, rum and rig repair manufacturing
  
• Added Admiralty flags for several nations
  
• Improved bot distribution on the OW map (some areas did not have bots generated)
  
• Fixed certain bugs in localization (typos and placements)