They make cheap USB number pads... I know having to buy ones for a game sucks... But if the game is good it might be worth the $10. Then you also have a number pad for calc use

Oh, come on now people, I really want you to like this. The wife went to the spa so now I have the authority to purchase a title and it will be this or I will drink the purple koolaid of JO per Mateo''s instructions.

I think that your problem only applies to like 5% of the gaming population, which is why it probably wasn''t a big consideration for Firaxis.

That is very true, it is surprising that you cannot remap the keys.

I am about five hours into it. The gameplay so far is good. Not great, but then since I can''t dance (in the game or in real life), I am missing out on the whole romance aspect of it. Can''t start the family. Haven''t yet attacked a city, as I can hardly fence with the hampered interface.

I am going to have to install this thing on the desktop to really give it a go. There go my plans for Pirates on the laptop and WoW on the desktop. My dreams are dashed.

I''ll try to provide more detail once I get a few more hours into it. I am also going to find a wordaround for my control issue. I just think for $50, I shouldn''t have to struggle like this.

Gotta diagree...I think. As a huge fan of the original Pirates (I was in the Army back in ''86 when the first one came out. Almost took over my life on my C64 and Amiga), I think this really captures the feel of the original. Some games just aren''t made to play on laptops, I''m guessing this is one of them. This one gets a solid 9 out of 10 for me. Just not sure about the whole dancing routines...

Yeah this game looks interesting. I never played the original. The only thing I know about it is you need a numeric keypad to play it.

How is it on the sailing part? I mean is it a ""point the ship where you want it to go"" sort of game, or does it actually make you learn a little about winds and tides, how to set your sails, and all that?

Incidentally, is anyone finding this for $40? CompUSA had it for that price yesterday but didn''t have it in stock (surprise). Today I can only find it for $50, and it is definitely no more than a $40 to me at this stage.

The game actually says ""You should control the ship with the number key pad, unless you are using a laptop"" the first time you go sailing. So...

I''m on a desktop system, and I have to say I have been guffawing and yelling ""Avast maties, prepare to be scuppered!"" and similar highly embarrassing slogans for the last hour or two. This game is old school - drive your ship with left and right turns, full or reefed sails, and fight with chain shot or round shot. Historical accuracy types will cringe and mutter about carronades and chasers, but the rest of us will have fun upgrading our ships with copper plates, better sails, fine grain powder and so forth.

When you pull into a port, your choices are still old-school; the merchant, the shipwright, the tavern, the governor, split up loot, or check your status. If you played any games in the 80''s, you''ll know pretty much what you do at each of these ""stations"". Each one has humorous but functional (or is it functional but humorous?) animations and dialog on screen.

You can leave your ships to raid towns. There''s a backstory and you buy pieces of information on the dastardly noble who stole your family, then hunt down his minions and slowly de-minion him. You can buy treasure maps if you are lucky, and go and dig up some idiot''s gold (""I know there''s a bank in San Juan, but we''ll take our 7,000 doubloons and bury under a tree of skulls, I''ve been in this business long enough to know what works!""). Cue cheering crew.

When fighting ships, you aim to dismast or strip the sails on your opponent using chain shot, or hull and perhaps sink him with round shot. The latter reduces his guns and crew. Chain shot does damage to sails and crew mostly. After you have closed with him, the ship either strikes, or you get to fence in the midst of a battle.

Fencing is another mini-game designed to make grognards grogn and fans of the Three Musketeers grab a chandelier and start swinging. You can attack high, middle and low - oops, sorry, chop, lunge and slash - and you can parry/dodge/evade the same blows. You see your opponent telegraph his blow and get to attack - unless he''s got a skill or an item that enables a fast attack. You work to push him back across the deck until he''s forced into the sea; more humorous animations ensue. Well, if you win they do. This takes about 30 seconds. Then you loot and decide whether to keep or sink the ship. Some of the crew may decide to join you.

There are many ships sailing around, and they are labeled with name, nationality and mission - ""Pirate Hunter"", ""Heavy English Merchant"", ""Troop Transport"", ""Military Payroll"", ""Indian Canoe"", ""Dutch Smuggler"", etc. You can evaluate them and flee or close as you like.

As you explore, the map fills out. There are rutters you can acquire that yield knowledge of new settlements. If you select a nearby settlement, you can see a lot of detail - goods prices, garrison, etc. Further ones are just noted as to rough size. Many cities have guns that will shoot as you close, if they are enemies.

You can sail for more than one country. I''m English, at war with the Dutch and Spanish. The English reward me for capturing Dutch and Spanish ships; the French are war with the Dutch, so they reward me for those too; and so forth.

I have done no dancing, so I can''t comment on that. But so far, this is an old-school romp in classic Sid Meier fashion. It''s clearly a remake of the original. There''s been no attempt to turn it into a definitive fleet combat simulator, ship battles are always one on one (you can change your flagship only at sea, and that''s the one that goes in). The controls are a bit stripped down and perhaps quirky, but easy. Your world is accessed via, at most, nine keys and the mouse.

Graphics are great and slightly cartoony. Music and sounds are appropriate and even entertaining, but not overdone. The game is fast-paced and rewards you quickly and often. It seems to start out easy and get more challenging as you go along. But it''s not a break-your-head game, or even a break-a-sweat one. My first impression is that it is a laugh out loud, let people watch over your shoulder fun fest. Light, fluffy and polished. A tasty treat for times when WoW is down.

Robear good to see you post again - I thought you had dropped off the planet... I will have to pick this one up or put it on the Xmas list... Most ships of the line began engagements with round or heated round shot and closed the distance for broadsides - chain shot was used to unmast a vessel to reduce maneuverability and to provide a chance to board. Smaller cannon were used to fire a version of grapeshot to clear the decks of boarders and to maybe get lucky and kill the helmsman... Marksmen were also employed to ""thin the ranks"" of the officers and ratings leading the opposing ship... These battles were brutal and bloody and most ships had young boys running powder to the guns as well as attempting to wash the decks of blood so footing would not be so bad as to hamper the fighting...

Well done write-up, Robear. Thanks.

I have been looking for the mod tools that came with the LE, can''t find it. As for extra flags and sail designs, there are not many, so don''t see that as a huge bonus.

I played it for 3 hours last night though, damn, I like it. I am a Pirates! addict in just 2 nights without even know how to play.

Yes, that will end up being the solution.

Oddly, enough, the LE is the same price as the regular version. Go figure...