When do you unlock the whole map for free-roam?

[komi]

I've played up the point where you get access to your own ship, and I was hoping from here on out I'd be able to just free-roam the whole map. But it seems that the entire southern half of the map (e.g. the area around Jamaica) is blocked off by a desynchronisation wall.

Can anyone tell me at what point specifically do you unlock the rest of the map for free-roam? I have no interest in this game's story and only want to play the story missions up to the point where I have access to the entire map for free-roam.

[The Dukenator]

There are some areas that require story progression to unlock.

The entire map you see is what you can explore.

[Basan™]

If I'm recalling it correctly I think that from ever since you've got the Great Inagua as your HQ's hideout and do that main memory quest to Conquest the Fort just beneath it you won't have any more issues regarding map roaming. Meaning that it'll be forever unlocked from that point onwards, I'm almost betting.

Heck, I do recall that shortly after I've exited Havanna the 1st time I could roam pretty much through the entire map just being a tad more careful around those red areas just because your Jackdaw vessel still hadn't got enough strenghtening upgrades for it to survive that sort of encounters without a notch of thorough thinking approach before engaging foes. But even if you ponder upon it a tad you can do with surviving and even winning quite a few of those against better vesseld fights.

[komi]

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

There are some areas that require story progression to unlock.

The entire map you see is what you can explore.

Well I can see plenty of places on the map that the game won't allow me to explore, namely anything south of Cuba.

Originally posted by Basan™:

If I'm recalling it correctly I think that from ever since you've got the Great Inagua as your HQ's hideout and do that main memory quest to Conquest the Fort just beneath it you won't have any more issues regarding map roaming. Meaning that it'll be forever unlocked from that point onwards, I'm almost betting.

Heck, I do recall that shortly after I've exited Havanna the 1st time I could roam pretty much through the entire map just being a tad more careful around those red areas just because your Jackdaw vessel still hadn't got enough strenghtening upgrades for it to survive that sort of encounters without a notch of thorough thinking approach before engaging foes. But even if you ponder upon it a tad you can do with surviving and even winning quite a few of those against better vesseld fights.

Ok thanks, I haven't gotten to any place called Great Inagua yet, so maybe I'll keep playing the story until I do. Unfortunately for me its not just red zones and enemy ships blocking the southern half of the map, there's a big wall of static and when I try to sail past it the game says "desynchronisation imminent" and then kills me if I keep going. I assumed that meant there was some kind of story-based block on exploring the rest of the map.

[The Dukenator]

Just keep progressing thru the story. They'll explain things along the way.

That static wall is there on purpose, mainly to block certain locations until story progression and to show the map borders.

The forts will make it difficult to pass them, unless taken down. Wait til the story explains them since you'll need to upgrade the ship to be able to take them on.

The diving bell is unlocked as part of the story. Needed for the underwater locations.

The bottom half of the map have much higher level ships that have better rewards. These are not the Legendary ships that sit at four points on the world map.

I waited til I completed the story to fully explore the map, even though it can be done before then.

[komi]

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

I waited til I completed the story to fully explore the map, even though it can be done before then.

I'd rather not wait that long, as I don't really care for the story missions anyway. I was hoping there might be a specific mission beyond which I don't need to play the story any more to be able to explore the whole map. After all, that's what open-world games are supposed to be about :)

I'll see what happens when I get to the "Great Inagua" section, as the poster above mentioned...

[komi]

Well I managed to get up to the point where you access "Great Inagua", and now the southern part of the map seems to be accessible too. There are some big forts making it hard to sail around Jamaica (they always attack me on sight for some reason, even though I'm not wanted) but at least that stupid desynchronisation wall is no longer there.

Thanks guys for your help.

[The Dukenator]

Originally posted by komi:

Well I managed to get up to the point where you access "Great Inagua", and now the southern part of the map seems to be accessible too. There are some big forts making it hard to sail around Jamaica (they always attack me on sight for some reason, even though I'm not wanted) but at least that stupid desynchronisation wall is no longer there.

Thanks guys for your help.

Cuba is the large island with Havana, while Jamaica is the smaller island with Kingston.

As the game is set in a historical setting, the game fictionalizes things.

The forts can be taken down, including one that is part of the story.
Underwater locations can't be accessed without the diving bell, that is unlocked as part of the story.
The desynchronization wall is intentional as you are exploring Edward Kenway's memories, thru the Animus.

But whatever.

[komi]

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

Cuba is the large island with Havana, while Jamaica is the smaller island with Kingston.

I know, that was my point. Prior to unlocking "Great Inagua" I was unable to sail to Jamaica or anywhere else south of Cuba because of the desynchronization wall. Now I can sail to Jamaica, but both ends are guarded by forts that attack me on sight for some reason, just like the ones in Cuba and other parts of the map, even though I don't have a wanted level.

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

The desynchronization wall is intentional as you are exploring Edward Kenway's memories, thru the Animus.

I understand why they did it, I just don't like it. If I'm playing an open-world game I want the freedom to explore that world, not have to unlock it by trudging through story missions. That's why I was asking how far into the story I needed to get before the world properly opened up.

[The Dukenator]

Depending on the game, you have to progress thru the story to unlock access to the open world and understand its game mechanics.

The forts have an area of conflict. When you enter that area, they attack. Same with any ships you encounter along the way.
If the forts are defeated, they become friendly. The ships o nt when defeated.

This is a game with naval combat.

[komi]

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

The forts have an area of conflict. When you enter that area, they attack. Same with any ships you encounter along the way.
If the forts are defeated, they become friendly. The ships o nt when defeated.

This is a game with naval combat.

It just doesn't make sense to me what the point of the wanted level mechanic is if forts are still going to attack me anyway. If I'm committing crimes and gathering a reputation for it, then fine it makes sense for ships and forts to attack me. But if I'm flying under the radar and haven't done anything illegal, than it really breaks immersion to still have forts be automatically hostile. But then again, the more I play this game the more I realise that realistic immersion isn't what Assassins Creed is about...

[Basan™]

Originally posted by komi:

Well I managed to get up to the point where you access "Great Inagua", and now the southern part of the map seems to be accessible too. There are some big forts making it hard to sail around Jamaica (they always attack me on sight for some reason, even though I'm not wanted) but at least that stupid desynchronisation wall is no longer there.

Thanks guys for your help.

No problem, glad to have been of assistance.

And the forts attack you because they've got both a stay away secure for them area, which is layed down in red for you. And on top of that, have you ever considered that the Jackdaw is upon their wanted list pretty much like a Pirate person would already be?

I've always managed to get into Kingston and sail to every red zone protected area by using a tad notch of my brain and, more importantly, scouting their surroundings beforehand in order to pick the less troubled pathway into it.

[komi]

Originally posted by Basan™:

No problem, glad to have been of assistance. :cozyroe:

And the forts attack you because they've got both a stay away secure for them area, which is layed down in red for you. And on top of that, have you ever considered that the Jackdaw is upon their wanted list pretty much like a Pirate person would already be? :baa:

I've always managed to get into Kingston and sail to every red zone protected area by using a tad notch of my brain and, more importantly, scouting their surroundings beforehand in order to pick the less troubled pathway into it. :winter2019happybulb:

Yes fair point, I just felt it a bit odd. The wanted level mechanic is supposed to gauge how much heat in on you, right? And bribing those guys in port is supposed to get enemies off your back? Yet it doesn't seem to affect forts or ships in the red zones. So that whole system is confusing to me, I don't really understand the benefit of bribing my wanted level away if I'm still going to be attacked anyway. Oh well, as you say, it is possible to get to places like Kingston now if you sail extra carefully...

As for your idea that it's due to the Jackdaw being recognizable and attracting attention, I understand what you're saying, I'm just not sure it holds up for me from an immersion standpoint. Historically pirates had plenty of tricks up their sleeves to disguise their vessels ... flying false flags, altering their rigging, repainting their hulls, etc. It just doesn't seem believable that Kenway would be dumb enough to sail around flying the black flag if he's just transiting an area and isn't intending to attack anything. Pirates weren't soldiers, they didn't just go around making their presence known in front of god and everyone, they usually preferred surprise, ambush, and shock. It's a shame that for a game about pirates there isn't some sort of mechanic to represent this.

[The Dukenator]

Black Flag was never about being a pirate, due to the naval combat.

The many people Kenway encounters throughout the story are based on real people, who may have been actual pirates.

The black flag itself has many meanings. Many pirates had their own version.

Historically, pirates were captured and given choices. It didn't end well for many of them.

Freedom Cry dlc has you play as Adewale, who is met during Black Flag. The area is smaller and requires story progress to unlock access to the sea.

There isn't much to explore, but you have to liberate many to unlock upgrades.

[komi]

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

Black Flag was never about being a pirate, due to the naval combat.

The game sure advertises itself that way though...

[Captain Flappy]

Originally posted by The Dukenator:

Black Flag was never about being a pirate, due to the naval combat.

The many people Kenway encounters throughout the story are based on real people, who may have been actual pirates.

The black flag itself has many meanings. Many pirates had their own version.

Historically, pirates were captured and given choices. It didn't end well for many of them.

Freedom Cry dlc has you play as Adewale, who is met during Black Flag. The area is smaller and requires story progress to unlock access to the sea.

There isn't much to explore, but you have to liberate many to unlock upgrades.

it is about being a pirate... just not a historically accurate one.