Factions play an important role in Pirate Dragons as they control the towns where you can trade goods, upgrade ships, and learn new skills. There are four factions created randomly at the start of a new game. Each faction will have distinct colors and a faction symbol that is displayed on their flags and their ships' main sail.
The factions are created after you've chosen your faction colors, style, and symbol. The AI factions then use the remining choices, so they'll never use the same options as you've chosen. Factions can have different personalities - some may focus on trading goods, others may be quick to go to war, and others may take it upon themselves to rid the world of pirates. How aggressive the factions will likely be something you can set before starting a new game.
Once in the game, you'll be able to ally with a faction or set out on your own. Your reputation with each faction will depend on how you interact with them. Attack and destroy a faction's ships or pirate their cargo, and you'll make an enemy pretty quickly! At the same time, you may make a new friend if two factions are rivals.
Faction Colors and Flags in the Overhead View
You can increase your standing with a faction by completing quests, destroying or pirating rival faction ships, or trading goods with them. The more a faction likes you the better prices you'll get when buying goods, repairing your ships, or training in new skills. High faction standing will also unlock new quests and other rare rewards. If you partake in piracy, some factions may seek to hire you while others will send fleets to destroy you!
Faction Symbols and Sails in the Battle View
-Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna jon@supersixstudios.com
It's been a while since my last update here, but we've been very busy working on some big updates to Pirate Dragons!
We have a new trailer to showcase all of the new stuff and I'll detail some of it here as well! https://youtu.be/KLBB9eA3jnA You can also view the trailer and all of the new screenshots on the Pirate Dragons steam page.
A new Dragon - the Draguana!
The draguana replaces the placeholder dragon that was in the game previously. He has access to all five of the breath weapons, a special lightning attack, and can even carry swivel gun cannons on his back!
The world also got some improvements including a better a looking ocean, more detailed islands and towns, and the addition of some new points of interest.
The lightning attack got an update, using the Draguana's spikes as part of the attack. The spikes turn color and glow while the lighting attack charges. Then the lightning snaps forward, creating a lightning storm over whatever ship you are look at. Ships not only take damage from the attack, they also react to the force and dip lower into the water, slowing them down.
I'll be updating with even more new stuff in the near future, including factions, ambient creatures, more attacks, fortifications, and the economy!
I preview a lot of the in development work in the Pirate Dragon's discord as well. Join us there for some sneak peeks as I develop more.
-Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna jon@supersixstudios.com
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuperSixStudios
Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/qjMQMA79xe
Commanding Your Ships
In Pirate Dragons, not only do you play a dragon, but you'll also build and command your own ships in battle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBzcpLVn0JU (VO is placeholder)
Entering the tactical view pauses the game and allows you to issue orders to your ships. You can tell them to move to a specific spot, attack another ship, or hold position.
Normally this 3v3 battle is very close, but I'm able to issue commands during the battle to increase the changes of victory and decrease the damage my ships take. Even if you win a battle, you'll need to repair the damage to your ships, so the more efficient you can be, the more profit you'll make!
I skip around a bunch in the video and don't show most of the damage I'm doing to the enemy ships as I wanted to focus on the tactical view. Eventually battle scenes will have islands and other obstacles that you'll be able to use to gain even more tactical advantages.
-Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna jon@supersixstudios.com
