Preview – Century of Pirates.

Qplaze TM presents:

Date of release: March, 2007.

Do you know what knipple shot is?
Did you hear the sails burst under the shots of case-shots, and the snapping of ship’s boards when they right against each other? Did you feel the heaviness of Aztec gold in your hands and the breath of saber slipped in the inch of your ribs? Did you see how rage in the eyes of your enemy changes into the emptiness of death? How the wind smells after the broadside of 30 cannons, and the smell of blood on the deck of captured ship?

Did you ever felt the taste of victory – when ship’s company of 30 filibusters boards fully laden Spanish galleon?

No? Then you have an opportunity to know!

The year 1647, the Caribbean Sea basin. Huge, but starting to weaken, Spanish Empire, finishing the conquest of South America, increase it’s strength with the gold of killed Indians. England, pretending on the role of leading sea power, and ambitious France fight with Spain for treasures of both Americas. Caribbean islands are the arena for this fight; the place, where new colonies born; the scene for puzzling political intrigues, plunder and violence never seen by the world. Tortuga and Port Royal go down in history as a capitals of filibuster’s states; states of pirates of Caribbean Sea, murderers and brigands, but and heroes too.

In the time when determined man with a brave squad can get untold wealth in a one bloody night, and pirates take supper with kings, young man comes to the Caribbean islands to gain glory and riches. We don’t really know if he succeeds – his name was not held in history – but you know that.

Because he, is you.

It is you, who will rent ships and command flotillas, captain boarding and dueling with other captains, drink in taverns with murderers and cutthroats, look for pirate’s treasures in the jungles, kiss governor’s daughters and storm cities. It is you, who’ll get the collection of scars, titles and lands – or, as all pirates, find your end in embrace of Sea Devil.

It is you who will chose his part in this war, chose the ships to plunder, chose the place to die – in your own bed on your own island, in a dirt doss-house or, as a real pirate – die in the sea, of enemy’s sword or bullet.

Are you ready? Century of pirates is waiting for you!

Did you ever think about who were you in your past life – hero or slave, seafarer or grave-digger? You start your career in Caribbean Basin choosing your name and biography – until the moment when you decided to spend all your savings on a little, maneuverable ship and brave crew knowing no fear of blood. May be you’ve passed your youth under the sails, your voice is hoarse out of shouting and cheap rum, notches on your wooden leg are reminders about a couple of boardings managed by you? Or on the contrary, you are coddled French noble - elegancy itself, from silver buckles on your shoes to a tip of your deadly sword – separated from royal court for quarrelsome temper and a great number of duels? Or may be you’re an armchair scribe abandoned European universities for uncertainty of the New World, purblind but having skills of managing surgeon’s knife and cutlass? Or may be somebody else?

Also, you’ll have to choose some skills you gained before – you certainly studied oratory or military science, fencing or navigation, didn’t you?
In the future, while gaining the experience, you’ll improve your skills and get new perks, you ever could dream of.

Your ship will enter the port of the nation you belong, and then it is you who’ll deal with your fate. Caribbean of XVII century – this cauldron of nations, languages, gold and blood – can swallow you up in a moment, if only you are not careful. Many pirates furrow the seas of Caribbean basin, hiding from hunter’s ships and attacking unprotected merchants and heavy Spanish galleons. Any flag can’t guarantee you safety, any fortress can’t protect you – but also it can’t protect anyone from you. All ways to the richness are before you – it is you, who will choose.

The easiest and relatively safe way to become rich - is a trade. All nations ports sell and buy different goods at different prices, so you can spend many years buying rum in Jamaica and selling it off in Tortuga, and in the end you’ll gain great wealth. Trade will never make you somebody’s enemy, but can attract pirates – so keep your cannons ready and repair your sails in time. But trading in tobacco and cotton you will never gain glory – if only you want to gain it.

That’s why, those who look for the glory and wealth in Caribbean sea always choose another way – the way of sea-robbers and brigands.

Your ship can try to board any ship it can overtake, and who’s cannons will let it come closer. You will lead boarding crew and it is you, who will fight with enemy captain in a face to face battle.

After it all enemy ship’s fate will be in your hands – you can sink it, plunder it, make it your own ship, interrogate it’s captain for useful information – may be he had hidden a sack with gold somewhere? But have no hope that this way will be easy – from this moment you’ll be a pirate for all nations, in all peaceful port you’ll be blamed by people. Of course, Englishmen will not be very upset when you plunder Spanish ship, and the French will not be disappointed by your robbery of English ship – but take into account, getting friends is much harder than making enemies, and even terror of the seas sometimes needs safe harbor. Sooner or later, pirate for one nation can become a hero for another one – but for that you must buy letter of marque from friendly governor.

Under the cover of this paper you’ll be able to kill and plunder in the name of the crown – and for your own enrichment, of course.

Fighting for one of the parties you’ll be rewarded by titles and lands, you’ll be able to get title of nobility, to buy your own estate and even get married to a girl of noble family – isn’t it a dream of any adventurer?

But may be you dream of something more than this? May be you trust rumors about great treasures of Indians, about temples lost in the jungles hiding golden statues and heaps of jewels? May the gold from plunder and war is not enough for you?


So, challenge your fate, and may be you will find, what you look for.

But now, when you don’t have many ships sunken and battles you won in your list, remember – any ordinary thing can put an end to your adventures – revolt on the ship, for example. During long voyage, an absence of good loot, lack of food or rum can be a cause for your sailors to throw you overboard. A couple of holes in the sails, you didn’t order to patch; wrong selection of accoutrements for first volley or successful thrust of your enemy can be also fatal for you.

There are no trifles in life of real corsair.

For long days of waiting for good loot, your ship will be a home for you and a tavern in the nearest port will be a base and paradise for your tired sailors. There they will spend their lire and piaster, heal their wounds with fresh rum, and you will meet necessary people, learn news and just have a rest.

Don’t be surprised when in friendly port, governor himself will be interested with your person – caper with safe ship and brave crew is a good battle unit, and your participation in military operations can be very desirable. Do not refuse – plundering of the ship can’t compare with a pillage of the city.

Of course, to attack and capture fortified fort or to clamber up on the city wall is much harder than overtake weaponless merchants in the open sea – but you are the pirate, and you will not stop in the face of impossible.

Features of the game:

• Excellent game graphics and sound;
• Complete freedom of action;
• Three confronting nations and pirates;
• Complicated relationships system between confronting parties, possibility to influence on political situation in the region;
• Opportunity to get different quests from colony governors, and private persons;
• Detailed map of the Caribbean basin with 35 really existed cities;
• 11 types of the ships with different characteristics: from fishing-boats to royal warships;
• Controlling of ship’s activity and crew’s mood;
• Sea battles with enemy ships and littoral fortresses, maneuvering and different artillery types using;
• Well considered system of hand-to-hand fighting, 5 types of weapon, fights with Indians and pirates, with warship’s officers and enemy captains;
• Getting and causing of different wounds and injuries, probability of losing of an arm, leg or eye;
• Ability of developing your character – 6 main characteristics and unique special abilities;
• Kidnapping of your enemies;
• Search of treasures with the help of bought, seized and presented pirate’s maps;
• Accidental events on the land and at the sea;
• Trade in useful in a long trip things;
• Ability to sell, buy and improve your ships;
• Getting of ranks and titles being on a service of any nation;
• Buying of your own estate and setting up of bank accounts;
• Changing of weather (Seasonal, Monthly and Weekly);


12.01.2007