We're putting an end to the news spam and leaving this page behind. The Sea Dogs series is taking a big leap forward, and we are ready to explore the new world. We don't know what awaits us there, but the hope of making a proper Sea Dogs re-launch on a modern engine such as Unreal Engine surely drives us forward. This is one final push with the Storm engine, and then we're there.

Learn more![docs.google.com]

Let fly! ːjollyrː

What started as a little side project now turning into a full scale release on Steam with over 15k demo installs, 300k+ Steam page visits, thousands views on Twitch and an insane feedback from our community.

Today's items:

• Version 0.9.9. release!
  
• Updated 1.0 changelog.
  
• New global map and textures.
  
• Last chance to grab pre-release access.

Find out more on Patreon![www.patreon.com]

Let fly, pirates!
ːjollyrː

ːjollyrːThis is one of the biggest visual leaps Sea Dogs series ever had. We've revamped over 200 textures along with the Global Map - most of the work involved manual reimagining of textures that hadn't been updated since the 2000s. The effort has started not so long ago, so we are definetely planning to bring more in the post release era.

Take a look for yourself and don't forget to watch in fullscreen and 2K.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9InsWxBoTg

ːjollyrːOwners of the Exclusive Edition[www.patreon.com] will get the pre-release access and the opportunity to experience everything for themselves tomorrow. If you haven't secured your copy yet, fear not! Feb 8th marks the beginning of the final round of sales for the Exclusive Edition and it will last until Feb 17th.

Good hunting, pirates
ːauthorityː

This is a huge release changelog that we have announced some time ago. Being the result of three years development, it won't fit here, so please follow the external link below. I broke Steam, when I attempted to upload it as it is.

Nine pages of blood, tears and doubloons.[docs.google.com]
[discord.gg]Good hunting.
ːjollyrː

As Steam Next Fest approaches and the release date draws near (Caribbean Legend becomes available on February 15th), we have some exciting updates to share:

ːjollyrː We've made significant improvements to the demo, addressing all major stability issues identified so far, and we've raised the level cap to 10. This means you can enjoy at least eight hours of gameplay!

Please note that while the demo doesn't feature updated textures (which is a significant update), the story mode, or a substantial portion of the full release content, it still provides the ultimate pirate freeplay experience!

ːjollyrː We'll be discontinuing the demo permanently on February 12th, making way for Caribbean Legend: Sandbox – a free version of the game with no level cap whatsoever.

ːjollyrː To celebrate, we've organized a Steam key giveaway for the full version of the game!
Participating is easy – simply download the demo, play the game, capture a screenshot, share it on Twitter using the hashtags #caribbeanlegend and #SteamNextFest, and don't forget to tag @ValkyrieInitia1.

Once Steam Next Fest concludes, we'll select three lucky participants who will receive a complimentary Steam key! This is the second and the last free giveaway we are doing for Caribbean Legend.

ːjollyrː 10 days until the release! Caribbean Legend sets sail on February 15th, with a $24.99 price tag after the release discount. Normally, we would offer a 10% or 15% discount for a week, but we're giving all Sea Dogs and Open World RPG fans a chance to snag the best deal possible – a 25% discount for two whole weeks!

ːjollyrː We will also be adjusting prices for different regions of the world, ensuring fair pricing according to local spending power.

ːjollyrː Important reminder: Exclusive Edition owners will enjoy pre-release access on February 8th. This edition boasts a ton of unique content, and your last chance to acquire it will be from the 8th to the 17th of February. Hop aboard our Discord[discord.gg] to ensure you don't miss the ship on this final opportunity!

Good hunting, pirates.
ːauthorityː

Gun crews - at the ready! Board the Steam page of Caribbean Legend and download the demo now!

This is a slice of the full game, still in development, therefore it might not display the target release quality. New textures, a 200-hour storyline, and most of the new content will be available closer to February 8th for owners of the Exclusive Pre-Order. The global release is set for February 15th!

Have a great sail and please share any feedback either here, on Steam, or on our official Discord server[discord.gg].
Good hunting!
ːjollyrː

P.S. The next batch of Exclusive Edition Steam keys will be available for purchase from February 8th to February 17th.

We're thrilled to bring you our most significant update yet! As the release approaches, let's adhere to the Navy code (if there is one) and keep this announcement brief.

ːjollyrːWe will release two big titles in February.
ːjollyrːCaribbean Legend: Sandbox is a free game featuring the Sandbox mode (aka Freeplay) with no limitations.

Free, unlimited Sea Dogs experience.[docs.google.com]
[discord.gg]See ye'all and let the gun crews do their godly work on February 13th and February 15th!
ːjollyrː

… and a Happy New Year! It has been a super productive couple of months for us. If we double the same amount of effort for a couple of months more - the release is going to be something to remember.

This dev diary will be focused on the progress we have made recently, and even though we can’t show you the best part just yet, you are in for a treat!

But first, let’s go through the master schedule again:

Jan 15th: Release for the owners of the Early Access Edition.

Jan 15th: The third and the final pre-order push - last chance to purchase Exclusive Edition/Early Access.

Jan 15th: Steam page release for an unannounced title.

Jan 22d: ???

Feb 8th: Release for the owners of the Exclusive Edition.

Feb 12th: ???

Feb 15th: Caribbean Legend Release Day.


The original game was quite notorious for obscuring important mechanics and stats. Well, that’s not the case anymore. No matter what perks you choose, what attributes you buff or what equipment you wear, you will immediately see the changes in stats of your build.

Two more experience bars added to allow better progress tracking. Skill Points never had their own bars, even though they are more valuable than level ups. One look at the character window and you will see everything you need.

Stealth was never the most fun and well thought feature of the series. We added a few adjustments to make it less reliable on save/load. First, check out the eye indicator on the character’s portrait at the top left. The closer you get to a hostile guard, the more intense it gets.

You still have options if they catch you. Stealth is now heavily dependent on: Stealth skill, character’s notoriety, clothes, amulets and social perks. Early game, when your character’s mug is not very well known, you can get by with amulets. But it will take either an expensive trading license or a much better prep in the late game though. The game will always tell you of your chances to pass a stealth dialogue check.

Originally we promised 9 new items to you. Welp, we got 29 , armament mostly . Some of which will be available only to the owners of First Wave or Exclusive Editions. We found a place for each in the balance, often introducing new and fun way to play the game.

As an experiment we increased the location size of the capital of Guadeloupe. After the release we will do the same to other cities in the game, thus giving you a better sense of townspace and colony life.

New jungle locations are a different story though. We managed to produce two of them, but they will require a significant improvement before we allow them into the release build. Maybe later?

The game will have 98 achievements in total, and I guess we will need to add two more to make it a nice round number. Below are the 25 new ones - try to guess what lies behind each title, but rest assured that you will need at least two full playthroughs to get them all!

• Dating Sim
  
• My Soulmate
  
• Very ******* funny!
  
• My temple, my rules!
  
• Vile Lil' God
  
• Clean Hands
  
• Caribbean Legend
  
• Hi, dad
  
• Pension and Benefits
  
• Deadman
  
• Hogar, dulce hogar
  
• All your base are belong to us
  
• El Comercio
  
• Point Blank
  
• First of many
  
• No Regrets
  
• So it begins!
  
• Money do buy happiness
  
• Live By the Sword
  
• The Most Notorious Pirate
  
• Lootbox Hunter
  
• A*!
  
• Honoring the Classics
  
• Caribbean Virgin
  
• Three's Crowd

We promised you new skins for the main character, and now it’s time to deliver.
Added a second tier of the French Navy Uniform along with a new quest to make it.

Currently we are making a new model for the leather armor. The screenshot below is a WIP, but it represents the idea of having headwear for top-tier armor in the game, like helmets or hats, allowing a better feel of progression.

Old models will get an update as well, for example we plan to add leg armor to a heavy chestplate.

Thanks to super talented Antix we have more diverse animations now. At this moment, we focus on the combat animations and musket handling. Big one, really, something that was never intended to be included in the game, but the most welcome addition to be sure!

https://youtu.be/y-J7b28U8og
WIP. Will probably consider other variants of this one.

https://youtu.be/PUxO5xt8J28
New heavy strike. Musket handling should be more lively now.

https://youtu.be/H_zQL4m6Gto
WIP. Something to consider post-release, the game is super stubborn when it comes to real-time musket equipping.

https://youtu.be/bXJ3Y2w2zvo
The left one is the new dodging move.The one at the right is the old.

https://youtu.be/--ryIA5S0p8
More dodging. Feels more natural now!

We have all kinds of crazy plans for the animation department. Next ones in our to-do list are street musicians, gamblers and fishermen to spice up the colony life.

Same as with animations, this was not planned, but thanks to our community we have a way to improve the oldest and the ugliest textures that had been with us for almost 20 years! Thank you so much, КА!

It is tedious work, but the effect should be noticeable in the release build.

Examples:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ebvl890DZaukH-YOMP-pmetSDvw1ySFU/view?usp=sharing


As bonus, we have also uplifted textures of the sails. Sea scenery is already looking fantastic and now it is even better. New sails complement the new sea, improved weather, updated sky so well!

Now, what is the way to make the old naval combat formula a second life? How to make it more tactical and fun? Right, change some numbers!

• The Caleuche (Ghost Ship) now requires 100 Navigation Skill. She is the strongest ship in the game.
  
• You can’t hire Navigators with more than 75 Navigation Skill in taverns.
  
• Helen McArthur and Longway are the best Navigators in the game now.
  
• Ships get x2 to hull HP. Unique ships get x3.
  
• Ships get x0.75 to max crew. Unique ships get x0.85..
  
• Grapeshot loses all efficiency after depleting more than 50% of the target’s crew. Bombs don’t.
  
• Bombs cost much more and you can buy or loot much less of them in game.
  
• The game takes in account the rank of the player’s flagship and adjusts quest naval battles to it.
  
• The heaviest warships in the game now cost a fortune to command.
  
• 1 and 2 rank warships can be encountered in the open world only after the player reaches level 30.

Therefore, the game encourages you to command lighter vessels until the mid-game. It makes naval combat more tactical, forgiving and more welcome to experiments. You don’t have to reload a game after a bad volley or grind from the start to get yourself a warship before the midgame. But if you do get a warship early, it wont auto level your enemies accordingly or punish you. You will have a fun time ruining everyones day as long as you can afford to operate such a monster.

The OST is complete - over an hour of new music, making almost two hours in total. Fits the 200 hours of content we have. Check out the new national themes - playing for French, English, Dutch and Spanish towns!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53hIPEf5rL4

And… That’s all for today, folks! See you all soon on January 15th! ːauthorityː
Happy New Year

With only a few months remaining until the release, it's the perfect time to resurrect our Dev Diary series. After a much-needed one-week vacation following our previous crowdfunding campaign, we're back in full swing, ready to tackle the challenges ahead.

• We've sent the build to Valve for their final approval.
  
• I did a complete playthrough of Cyberpunk 2027.
  
• We've conducted interviews with several talented 2D artists to update our key art and in-game portraits.
  
• Questwriting is underway. That’s a lot of text and documentation.
  
• Adding new nextgen visual features to the engine.
  
• Adding more items like weapons and loot.
  
• New music tracks incoming!
  
• Looks like we have one more 3D modeler now. Good opportunity to make new land levels.

While we can't reveal everything we've accomplished over the past couple of weeks, we're excited to share a few enticing sneak peeks.


Our composer has been diligently working on completing the OST. Only six tracks remain to be composed, which will encompass national themes and music for Justice Island, also known as the City of Abandoned Ships.

Here's a work-in-progress French theme, offering a glimpse of what we're aiming for:
https://youtu.be/bRyuz-SA5o0
New music track (WIP): French Americas

Originally, we had planned to remix the legendary themes from the first Sea Dogs game, invoking a sense of warm nostalgia. However, we are now considering the possibility of creating entirely new compositions.

We have another track to share with you today, one of the new tavern themes. There's no better place for gambling, drinking, seduction, and shady activities than a tavern!

https://youtu.be/M1pU1y7gWvw
New music track: Party Like 1660


As mentioned previously, we faced challenges in our 3D department. However, the situation has improved, and we're excited to announce the addition of more land locations to the game. We've already added two new ones in the past two weeks. The video below showcases one of these locations, which will serve as an office for a smuggler specializing in heavy ship armaments.

https://youtu.be/dyaaLjUonTI
Wait a sec, how did he get those inside?

But that's not all. We really want to expand our jungle locations. The original set felt limited and somewhat repetitive, so we're considering not only adding more locations but also making them distinct and introducing additional gameplay mechanics.


This serves as a testament to how crowdfunding enhances game development. Initially, we only had a couple of new items planned for release, but now we've expanded our arsenal to include over ten unique weapons. Our goal is to make each new weapon stand out, providing players with fresh and exciting experiences. Some of these new weapons are downright unconventional but undeniably enjoyable.

Consider the customizable barrel musket: if muskets aren't your preference, simply remove the long barrel and stock to transform it into a stylish pistol.

True high-tech.

The Sclopetta grenade launcher is effective but requires both hands to operate. If you prefer wearing heavy armor and swinging a big axe or broadsword, this compact weapon might come in handy.

You are gonna need a lot of crafting materials for that special ammo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRWqzfbW7pw
And please, don’t forget to equip a powder tester!

Lastly, behold the sexiest pirate cutlass in the Caribbean.

That wraps up today's update. The next diary is scheduled in two weeks. Don't forget to add our game to your Steam wishlist and follow us for the latest updates. Join our Discord community; tonight, we're hosting a stream and a podcast!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2230980/

[discord.gg]

No walls of text today, there will be plenty of them tomorrow. ːseawolvesː
Just enjoy how Caribbean Legend sounds like.

https://youtu.be/rlLM3qG28bY

And pay attention to the Main Menu. Yesterday we had discussion on Discord about the abundance of small and super fun features, that make this game a must-buy. The lantern is a good example of such a feature.

Don't mind these cyrillic words on screen - all they tell is how awesome you are.

This dynamic Main Menu that tracks your in-game path to power is one of such features, and it has surprises of its own.

[discord.gg]