East India Trading Company
From Pirates Ahoy! Wiki
| East India Company
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|---|---|
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| Publisher(s) | Paradox Interactive |
| Designer(s) | Nitro Games |
| Engine | Based on Shadowgrounds? |
| Platform(s) | Personal computer |
| Release date(s) | Q3 2009 |
| Genre(s) | Real Time Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| System requirements | EIC PC Requirements |
| Input methods | Computer keyboard |
East India Company is a campaign driven computer game currently being developed by Finland|Finnish company Nitro Games. It is set for release somewhere around Q3 2009. Distribution will be box set as well as digital distribution through Gamers Gate, Steam & Direct 2 Drive
The game is based on the history of European conquest of South Asia and Southeast Asia by means of their East India Companies. In the game, the player takes on the role of the Governor Director of the East Indies. The task is to conquer the East Indies and establish a trade empire to rule over all others.
The game features real-time naval combat when enemy ships engage the player's fleets, and real-time land combat when the enemy tries to invade one of the player's colonies. East India Company combines trading, naval warfare, and management. Players can create a fleet to conquer the enemy with powerful warships and privateers.
Contents |
Background
In "East India Company" players will enjoy building the world's largest trading empire and engaging in vigorous battles within a breathtaking cinematic game environment, in both single player and multiplayer modes.
Players will fight, manage and rule nations from Europe to the Far East with eight nationalities to choose from: British, Dutch, French, Danish, Portuguese, Swedish, Italian or Spanish. Starting modestly, you will build your fleet, establish connections to far away countries, and keep the rivaling nations at bay. Choose from an array of ship classes and types of transport and military vessels, create different fleets and assign them to specific trading routes. Controlling well situated ports and upgrading them is one key to success.
Conflicts and wars are inevitable. When hostile fleets engage each other, the spectacular naval battles are fought at a real-time tactical level. Devastating broadsides are fired with a deafening roar and cannon balls tear through enemy ships and their crew. At tactical level, you command ships in your fleet in RTS-mode or can take direct command of any of your ships to experience the battle up close and personal. Fight against the other European powers to create a trading empire that will rule above all others in this groundbreaking game!
There are some 40 different cities, towns and villages, from London and Calcutta to small African villages. In addition, there are locations linked to missions and some hidden locations that are not shown on map. Trade items vary from port to port, as do ships player can acquire.
Campaign & Features
EIC is campaign driven. The Grand Campaign spans the entire 200 years from 1600 to 1800 but there are also a number of shorter campaigns. Campaigns have specific campaign missions that player must accomplish along the way or else the campaign is failed. These missions include importing large amounts of specific items like tea and spices, but also conquering Indian ports and sinking ships of rival companies.
There are eight playable nations to choose from: Great Britain|Britain, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden and Spain. Tasks may be given by the company or the crown.
Ships & Fleets
There are 11 ship types in the game, including the Cutter, the Schooner, the Sloop, the Brigantine, the East Indiaman, the Frigate, the Galleon, the Flute, the Xebec, Ship of the Line Light and the Ship of the Line Heavy.
Different ship types come available at certain years and they can affect the balance. For example, at the start of the 17th century galleons are the most powerful warships, but when frigates that are faster and have more firepower come available galleons experience rapid inflation.
At this time nothing is known about the type of cannons you are able to equip nor what other weapons are available. Cannon shot however is limited to normal cannonball, grape shot & chain shot.
Enemy ships boarded or forced to surrender can be looted after the battle and even included into your own fleet. There is the limitation of 20 fleets and 5 ships per fleet. In addition, you might not be able to take enemy ships into your fleet if you do not have enough crew members to operate all vessels.
Fleets can be re-arranged, combined or split up only whilst in port. It does not matter who owns the port in question.
Trade
Basic idea of trading in EIC is simple enough: buy item x from port y and then transport it back to your Home Port and sell it for profit.
Items are divided into three categories: Main Trade Items (MTI), generic trade items and export items.
All prices are dynamic however and this has major impact on trading. When you buy items from the ports where they are available, their price there can gradually rise. The logic being that the less there is available the higher the price. On the other hand, as you sell items back in your Home Port, the price you get for them can gradually decrease, the logic being that lowering demand will result in lower prices.
This works the other way around too. If there is a lot of items on sale somewhere, they will be at cheaper price. If your Home Port has not received certain item for a long time, its price will soar.
Naturally, you could just stop buying/importing, say silk, if the price development is unsatisfactory and start trading something else instead. But, as you have to meet those import quotas, you might not have that option. To prevent a situation where she would get only small profit or even negative profit, player must be aware of this price development and sort of "play the market".
Conquering ports lets you to upgrade trading posts which not just gives you price discount but also makes more of the local MTI available in that port. Warehouses can be used to store items, so you can buy them when the price is low and sell them when the price goes up.
Oh, and there is only 2-3 ports for each MTI in the game, so securing your access to them is vital. Ivory for example is only produced in two african ports and tea in three indian ports. If rival nations rule those ports and you are not their ally, then no ivory or tea for you.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy plays important part and it can have major effect if you use it wisely. Negotiations are based on relationships between all the companies, not just the two that are negotiating. Enemy of my enemy is my friend and so on, you know. There are multiple things affecting diplomacy. AI companies also take into account the relative power between your two companies. If you are stronger they are inclined to accept even deals that are not profitable to them. You can even go as far as threaten them with war and so in effect extort other companies. Companies that feel they were treated unfairly will remember it for a long time and even threats of war do not work forever. AI companies also remember gifts or deals that are profitable to them. Player is able to do a lot of things through diplomacy.
Engine
Licensed engine from another Finnish developer, Frozenbyte, for another project back in 2004. Since then, Nitro has been developing it further quite extensively so it would be 90% of it is in-house now.
Modifications
On the 10th June, Kim Soares announced that there were to be a number of changes that could be made to the game, read them HERE
External links
- East India Company official site
- Pirates Ahoy! East India Company news page
- Pirates Ahoy! East India Company image gallery
