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Even after everything that has been discovered, the seas still hold a lot of mystery as seen inSailing Era. As the title implies, sailing is the name of the game. After an introduction, you’re given command of your very own ship and expected to start making the rounds.
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It begins by having you jump from one port to another before you’re tasked with looking for landmarks based on coordinates. It may sound easy, but navigation can be surprisingly precise. Every time you leave port, you should take note of some handy tips to ensure that you return in one piece.
How To Navigate
to complete all aspects of the game, you’ll need to set sail and explore. Depending on which sailor you pick,your starting point will be different which means so will your surroundings.Your home country will be one of the following:Portugal, Arabia, China, or Japan.In addition to following different stories,you’ll be navigating different oceans that can be full of islands or require you to rely on a coastline for safety.
Your biggest advantage is the internet since the game bases its world map on the real world. The game is controlled via mouse and keyboard, soyou can jump between an internet browser with a map and the game with ease.You’re expected to navigate via coordinates that can be incredibly precise, as indicated by the counter of the compass in the corner. However, it’s much bettersimply to learn the name of your destination, punch it into the map, and then orient yourself to match.
Since you can use a real map, you don’t need to rely on leads or directions to find ports or even make discoveries.Once you set sail, you’re free to go wherever you want,you simply need to prepare for it. Having a crew with good morale and enough supplies is a start, but the sea is random.Wind can change on you suddenly, you can be hit by storms that take control of your ship, or you can be attacked by pirates. With this in mind,it’s best to bounce from port to port, so you can consistently refill supplies and restore morale.It also unlocks fast routes for auto-sailing, allowing you to save more time.
Unlike ports that you can see from afar, discoveries need to actually be spotted.This is done by toggling the Lookout Action, made possible by the crew member assigned to it.Whenever you reach an area that you think has an important landmark (natural or otherwise) turn on Lookout and sail around until it appears.You’ll learn something from the discovery and can report to a port for money and EXP.
Always Have A Fallback Plan
The sea is a beautiful and harsh mistress who you need to respect. If you can’t, then you and your whole crew will literally be dead in the water. When starting out,you’ll naturally want to stay close to known areas so that you can get the hang of things.
However, you’ll soon pick up quests and leads that will take you out into the vast seas and oceans.When that happens, always have a clear and direct route back to a safe space.Extra save files are nice, but it’s also good to keep a successful streak going.
Don’t Spam The Lookout Action
There’s more to sailing than just directing a boat from place to place. A lot of it is just about having an experience, finding something new, or chasing up a legend. From the standard boat position,you’re able to spot ports and even resources floating in the water.
To find hidden areas, specifically to make discoveries, you need to use lookout mode.This creates a 360-degree field of view which significantly slows down your sailing speed but allows find secrets in the water.Don’t use it too much though, or it’ll quickly drain your supplies and leave you vulnerable.
Avoid Fights Unless You’re Looking For Them
Another aspect of sailing that may make you think twice is piracy. Since it’s not easy to make a living being constantly on the water, pirates will anyone unfortunate enough to come their way.Unfortunately, this means that you’re a prime target.
While sailing around, you’ll be able to spot pirate ships from a fair distance to have enough time to react.They usually travel in fleets of at least two to three ships, so be wary.Unless you’re strapped for resources or are hunting a bounty, focus on avoiding them.
Watch The Compass Closely
What many sailors will tell you is that the most important tool to have on a ship is a compass, with a map being a close second. The Sailing Era compass takes up the top right corner of the screen. Although the screen shows a lot of geographies,the compass is necessary to give you an idea of your exact coordinates.
You have to learn to read it,so you may find discoveries based on specific details and determine the right direction.It may take some time to get used to it, so move from port to port for practice.
Beware Open Water
A boat can only do so much to save you from being lost, it all comes down to you.It doesn’t take long before you talk to a key or side character who sends you out into uncharted watersto find whatever. Still, Sailing Era takes its depiction of the actual oceans and seas very seriously, so they are gigantic.
It takes only a few seconds before you’re surrounded by nothing from the ocean.When this happens, you may be hit by bad weather, pirate fleets, or just wind not being on your side.If you’re planning on heading out to sea, have a clear destination in mind.
