Musings from the Sunless Sea: in three parts

Sunless Sea
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After putting in my 30+ plus hours on the steam version of the game. I have found myself burning my nights away on Wikipedia learn about all sorts of Sailing related topics. And as a consequence all this new knowledge has my head bubbling with ideas. But since this is the internet, I may as well throw out a bunch of things at the wall and see if any of it sticks. So i present my musings in the subjects of Trade, Ships and Combat

Part1 Trade

One of those things folks have been kinda vocal about is the lack of trade opprotunities. And while the game is not without a few opportunities, the fact is that Stories are at the heart of game. Im sure there will be more ways to earn some echoes as the game expands. But if I may, I propose to you the developers to consider adding a Shipbrokerage exchange. A company of the likes of London’s Baltic Exchange, or perhaps is spiritual successor in the neath.

Being that you start the game with a little Tramp Steamer, it would making sense in London that you could find a trade listing somewhere in Fallen London.

At the counter in a smokey hall sat a man whose eyes were as black as his hair and a grin that was as equally dark. He spoke in an odd manner with every sentence sounding like a question. Some of the captains down at the wharf say the broker was as shifty as the devils over at Palmerson, others say he just happens to be Irish.

In game you can go to this guy and he will give you two options to make some money. The first option is to run his goods to various ports and return with the bill of lading. It wont make you that much in terms of echos. The second option is more lucrative but the risk is enormous, he will give you a list to choose from various ports that have need of a certain good, that will pay at a profitable amount for that good, however you have to buy those goods yourself and you have to get it there in a certain time frame, otherwise prices will go back to the normal rates. So you mat find yourself staring at the map wondering if you can make that route in that time frame or not. How much time you might save by cutting across that terror raising abyss. Beware though some of those listings will be designed to purposely fail, so all you wind up with is being next to broke and a whole lot of terror.

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The next two topics will play off each other

Part 2 Ships

Well gentleman, its still very early in development, but I can only hope that there will be options upon options for a Zailor such as me. Currently we have 6 classes of boat available to use. Our starter Tramp steamer, the smuggler cutter, the more combat oriented Corvette, the strangely modern Cargo ship, the frigate and the formidable Dreadnought. First off is a little strange for a civilian to be able to purchase there very own warship even in the neath. Maybe you might find yourself directly in the service of the British Navy after you’ve proven yourself, you might be able to get yourself assigned to such ship.

But as of right now the only, with the available engines and current ship types, only the starter tramp steamer and cargo ship are viable. Also currently all ships have the same 6 slots available: Forward, Deck, Bridge, Engine, Aft, Auxiliary. To start I have to say I hope to see more classes of Tramp Steamer. Yes, younger cousins of the starting boat. Maybe one that comes with an extra 10 hold with a little more hull, or maybe a vessel that has the same stats as the starter ship but gives stats in hearts. Or how about this, a ship that has two auxiliary slots.

But if i want to make my way in this world by hunting the zee. Perhaps there should be a class of Trawler, that has no deck slot, but instead boasts two slots in the forward and maybe two in the aft,(stop giggling!)

When it comes to equipment , ill talk about guns in the next section. As far as engines go i have no doubt that things will be adjusted with some fuel efficiency ratings. But hopefully we will see multiple engines in each level of engines. An engine with the same speed as the starter but greater fuel efficiency, a second engine with more speed but less efficiency. Or even an engine that gives a time bonus in combat(more on that later) Or if you buy a tricked out engine in Gaulder’s Mourn, speed and fuel economy is normal at speed one, but if you crank it into gear 2 goes into overdrive and eat fuel for a spectacular getaway.

Auxiliary: right now you have a choice between Rattus Faber engineers and Torpedo netting,(unless ive missed something) but how about a fire control system, should you accidentally set your ship on fire because you use the wasd to navigate and you unknowingly hit the ‘F’ key or if those Faustian Corsairs set your ship on fire or something, or you can use cause trouble for enemy crew if they are close enough. Or maybe you can use that slot for some additional Hull reinforcement.

The notorious Aft slot: so we’ve been told this is coming. And since its fun to speculate. How about A Wench System to haul a ship with you instead of risking crew. Tryworks to help turn that unprocessed mass you get from sea beasts into fuel and food. Some sort of weird air intake system for more engine power

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Part 3 Combat

SO some folk say combat is a bit repetitive. it doesn’t take much before you can one shot the Pirates of Lower Barnet. But even then other pirates can become a race against the clock and prayer that they dont hit you with a devastating salvo at first chance. how well you do in combat is a combination of your equipment and irons. Although there is currently no measure of how much damage your gonna do.

also as of right now you can buy a harpoon gun and sell off you starting canon and you will still be able to do a harpoon attack, salvo, a devastating salvo and a wild salvo(if irons are above 50)

You start off with a small gun, that not even marked as a cannon. being attached to the Forward its closer to a swivel gun than a real cannon. But that starting peashooter shouldn’t be able to do a devastating salvo but for sake of balance give this light gun a -1 to the amount of time needed to fire a salvo. Now if you had both the starter gun and a real cannon, you wont get the -1 bonus, but instead you get a damage bonus. Also think about this maybe you can choice in the shops of a regular cannon or a heavy cannon. The heavy cannon deals more damage but adds +1 or +2 seconds to the fire time.

Then there is the Devastating Salvo, it takes longer to fire and needs more light to work, but maybe it could also dependent on the amount of crew available to work the guns like you have to be above a certain percentage or number of the crew to do it. So in combat a well timed harpoon attack can save you from immediate death from a Pirate Frigate that is throwing out devastating salvos.

Another thought is for there to be special attack cards or evasion cards that are gained via story quests. Like after talking to some old timer on mutton island and doing him some favors he tells you of the time he save his ship with a smokescreen or some other risky maneuver.