AOS vs. Sid Meier's Pirates of the Spanish Main

[deterrumeversor]

Is talonsoft out of business[&:]? Everytime I visit their website it says it is down for maintainence[:@]. I currently have AOS II and while I like the game (graphics and detail are awsome); I found that it is very limited (linear, ie. do this or[:-] don't play) like the average 1st person shooter game.
Does anybody make a game like the old "Sid Meier's Pirates of the Spanish Main " anymore? What I liked about that game was that you had freedom of movement and a strategic purpose/goal in life (just don't marry the old ugly spinster..lol).

[06 Maestro]

ORIGINAL: deterrumeversor

Is talonsoft out of business[&:]?

TalonSoft was bought out by Take 2 Games about 4-5 years ago-I’m surprised they still have the URL. For the past year, Matrix has been trying to breathe new life into these great old titles.

[Panama Red]

An updated AOS II is called Age of Sail II: Privateer's Bounty. It fixed some of the problems in AOS II.

[ETF]

AOSII Privateers is awesome IMHO. Never been surpassed in tactical naval combat for the time period. Still play LAN games with a coupld of my buddies. It is a blast!

[delatbabel]

Is it possible to obtain a copy of AOS II Privateers somewhere, and how?

[MacDuff]

Try Navel Warfare Simulations (NWS).

http://www.navalwarfare.org/

[Panama Red]

Another site: http://www.buybundle.com/product.php?prodkey=778399002584&vcitemid=42386644&vcid=1447&from=gbase
 

[Zap]

Thanks link. I like the period and sea warfare. The price seems right. Seems it has some minor problems. But Im sitting on the fence with several games in mind. Still waiting for the ideal wargame that will fulfill my fantisies. But for the price I think I can take the leap. However, my tendency is to wait for the improved Matrix addition. Would that be a wise way to go in your opinion.

[ETF]

No I would purchase it now. Matrix will be some time before a release is out for AOS. I would be guessing but I would imagine at least 2008 sometime.

[rhondabrwn]

ORIGINAL: MacDuff

Try Navel Warfare Simulations (NWS).

http://www.navalwarfare.org/

Specifically...

http://yhst-12000246778232.stores.yahoo.net/ageofsaiiprb.html

I love NWS [&o]

[histgamer]

Personally i think the original AOS II is much better than PB, I have both and i think that PB is much more arcade like while AOS has a more original feel.

[Panama Red]

Flanyboy:
One of the main problems of AOS II is that ship unrealistly manuver much to fast versus PB. As a past sailboat racer, I know that large sailing ships do not turn on a dime like AOS II allows them to do. They turn much more slowly like PB and thus PB is much more realistic.

[bradfordkay]

To me, the biggest problem with AOSII (and AOS: PB) was the fact that any smaller vessel grappled to a larger vessel would have its hull ground to sawdust. Like, Panama Red, I am a veteran sailor, and so I tried every possible way to reduce the damage (like approaching at a dead crawl from downwind, etc), but always my brig would be sunk when it tied onto a vessel that had already struck its colours in order to install a prize crew (whereas IRL the capturing ship would just send a crew over on a small boat and not have to grapple).

This completely ruined the campaign game for me, as I could not capture the enemy vessels to increase the size of my fleet.

Yes, PR, the maneuverability in AOSII was badly fidged, but AOS:PB never did fix the ease with which a square rigged ship could sail into the wind, so they both were highly suspect in this area.

Now for playing out single battles, I loved the game - though I knew that it was no true simulation of war under sail. It certainly was gorgeous, and if they could fix those two big problems I would still be playing it.