Game manual

Corsairs Compass is a pirate adventure for phone, in 3D cartoon with an isometric view. You start from your port, sail toward a different archipelago each time, fight enemy ships, dig up treasures and return home to spend the loot on ships, upgrades, and buildings.

Each voyage lasts 3–8 minutes and is played with one hand. The game grows over weeks: new ships, more dangerous zones, sea monsters, up to the legendary Kraken.

Setting

Imaginary Caribbean, Golden Age of piracy (1650–1730), in a light fantasy tone:

• no modern technology;
• sea serpents, ghost ships, cursed maps and a Kraken are allowed;
• stylized violence with no blood, suitable for an audience 13+ (PEGI 7).

The four rules of the game

How to read this book. Next to each feature is the phase it arrives: MVP is the first playable version, V1 the complete game, V2 long‑term content.

Platforms

• Android MVP, iOS V2.
• Only horizontal.
• English and Italian MVP, other languages V2.
• Game for single player and offline: Internet is only needed for purchases, ads and cloud saving.

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The islands are not still. Follow the Compass and discover what they rest upon.

Note: the proper names in this chapter and the next are proposals, pending confirmation.

The Wandering Archipelago

In the world of Corsairs Compass the islands slip slowly across the sea. For that reason every voyage shows a different archipelago: the island that was to the right yesterday is now a bit more to the left today. Why they move is a mystery, and the game reveals it little by little.

The tone is that of pirate adventure: 70% wonder and danger, 30% irony in the dialogues.

The Compass and Ago

The captain receives as a gift a Bronze Compass that does not point north: it points to what its owner desires most. Often it is a treasure; sometimes it is much more.

In the Compass lives Ago, a tiny, grumbling, loyal spirit. He loves treasures, hates wind, rain and fish, and comments on every voyage. He is the guiding voice of the game.

"Over there. No, over there. I'm pointing you, not advising you." — Ago

The Four Factions

No mandatory reputation, no choice that locks content: the captain is free. The factions explain who the enemies are and where you encounter them.

Above all, without faction, sleeps the Kraken: the creature upon which the archipelago rests. Formidable, but not evil.

The Places

Porto Salmastro is your home: colorful houses around a sheltered bay, a wooden dock and a white‑red lighthouse. The harbor buildings (Shipyard, Workshop, Tavern, Cartographer's Library, Market, Harbor Vault, Lighthouse) are the places where you meet characters.

The sea divides into five zones, increasingly dangerous:

Special islands to discover:

• Fort Corona V1: white Navy fortress; knock down the tower and a large chest opens.
• Porto Conchiglia V1: shell village with lanterns, neutral, with repairs and rum.
• Testadura Isle V2: a skull‑shaped rock where the legendary treasure is hidden. But is it really just a rock?

The Chapter Story

Each chapter is a mission from one or two short voyages. Chapters unlock only by playing: Pearls can get you there first with ships and upgrades, but they do not sell or skip the story.

Prologue MVP. At dawn, on the dock of Porto Salmastro, old Ottavio hands you the Compass. Inside sleeps Ago. The tutorial starts here and is expanded with the first two chapters.

Three rival captains guard the fragments of a map. But it is not the map to any treasure, and there are those who want it for reasons very different from yours. In the end, before what sleeps in the Abyss, the captain must choose. Whatever choice he makes, the treasure will be his: it will change how the world remembers him.

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Thirteen faces, including one spirit. The names are proposals: they need confirmation and, if necessary, tweaks. Each character has their own way of speaking, which you’ll recognize even without seeing them.

At the Port

Ottavio "Gull" Scarpa

Mentor. Former captain with a wooden leg, hands over the Compass in the prologue and guides the tutorial. Warm and patient, he tells exaggerated stories but always says something useful. On his shoulder is the gull Biscotto, the only one who dares to contradict him.

"The Compass doesn’t point north, Captain. It points to what your heart loudly asks for."

Rosalba "Soup" Cortese

Tavern Keeper. Knows every gossip of the port and seas and sells rumors like others sell fish: fresh. Chatty, curious, ironic. Runs the Tavern “La Zuppa Salata”.

"Sit down, Captain. The soup is hot and the gossip even hotter."

Fiorenza Astrolabio

Cartographer. Studies the Compass and research in the Library. Distracted and brilliant, she loses the thread halfway through a sentence and finds it on a map. Knows more about the Compass than she says.

"This island wasn’t there yesterday. Or it was, but it was a bit further left."

Baldassarre "Nail" Martello

Ax Master. A gentle giant who sells ships and upgrades. Few words, huge hands, tender heart: he calls the ships “my daughters” and gets offended if they’re mistreated.

"A hole in the hull is a wound. Bring it to me and I’ll fix it."

Don Teodoro Ducato

Merchant of the Salt League. Buys gems and spices from his stall at the Market. Greedy but friendly, he talks about discounts, interest and “opportunities”. Treats everything as a deal, even a greeting.

"The gems? I’ll take them, at an honest price. For me, naturally."

Ago

Spirit of the Compass. Tiny, grumbling, loyal. Signals treasures, comments on the journey and complains about wind, rain and fish. He’s the guiding voice of the game.

"A chest! Actually two! Can I have at least one? A coin? A button?"

Pepe Sartiame

Nostromo. Speaks in sea terms and comments on every event with an invented proverb. Practical and optimistic.

"Port the sail to port, Captain! Blue flag, of those that don’t serve tea."

The Rivals, Brothers of the Undertow

Captain Scarlatta Venturi

First map fragment. Rules over the Whispering Reef. Elegant and dueling, loves fair challenges and always presents herself before firing.

"Scarlatta Venturi at your service. Pray, fire first: the guest has precedence."

Gedeone "Sweetbeard" Pece

Second map fragment. Former pastry chef, kind and stubborn, lives on an island that smells of sugar. Before firing he offers a cookie, and if you refuse he gets offended.

"A cannoli, Captain? Then we’ll argue calmly."

Vasco Tramontana

Third map fragment. Former Navy officer, grim and proud, talks about honor. He left the uniform after seeing what was to be done to the Kraken.

"Honor is my compass, Captain. Yours, at least, points to something."

The Royal Navy

Admiral Leopoldo Ferraguti

Admiral of the Royal Navy. Strict and honest, convinced he protects the routes. Hates pirates, but hates more being deceived.

"The routes are safe as long as there’s the Navy. You, Captain, are a floating contradiction."

Lady Vittoria Arpione

Monster Hunter. The antagonist: cold, alluring, never vulgar. Believes the Kraken is a resource to chain, not a creature to understand.

"A sleeping monster is a mine, Captain. It’s not my fault if no one had a shovel."

The Keepers

Granny Anemone

Keeper of the Tide. Lives at Porto Conchiglia and explains the truth about the Kraken. Serene and ironic, she tells huge things with the voice used to talk about the weather.

"It’s not the monster that moves, child. We are the ones who walk on its back."

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The whole game revolves around a simple circle: port → voyage → return.

1. At the port

Spend the Gold earned:

• buy new ships;
• upgrade the one you have;
• build and improve the buildings.

Then choose the sea zone and set sail.

2. At sea

Explore an archipelago specifically generated for that voyage. Fight, collect Harbor Vaults, dig up buried treasures.

Everything you find is "on board": it isn’t yours until you return home.

3. The return

At the end of the voyage a parchment summarizes:

• Gold and items;
• Experience earned;
• Enemies defeated;
• Challenges completed.

If someone calls you halfway through you can safely close: the game saves every few seconds and when you reopen it resumes exactly where you left off.

The long cycle

• The Captain’s level rises with experience.
• Each level opens harder zones, which yield better loot that buys better ships.
• Every day there are 3 challenges and an access reward V1.

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The ship is not a cursor: it has weight and inertia.

• The joystick on the left appears where you rest your thumb. It indicates direction, and the ship gradually turns toward it.
• The sails on the right have three positions: stopped, half, full. They determine speed.
• A stopped ship turns poorly: water is needed under the rudder. Those who learn to maneuver win duels.

The Sea

• Every voyage takes place in a finite area, surrounded by a fog that repels the ship.
• The mini-map reveals itself as you explore MVP.
• Islands and rocks are solid: hitting them at speed damages the hull.
• The hull does not repair itself at sea: the risk is real.

Wind, Night, and Storms V1

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Broadside MVP

The cannons are on the sides of the ship, each with a 60° firing arc.

When an enemy enters the arc and is in range, the broadside fires automatically a burst, then re‑loads. Your job is to maneuver so that the enemy stays to the side, not in front or behind. The shells aim ahead of the target’s movement but stay within the arc.

In V1 you can choose manual fire, with two buttons (left and right).

Ammunition V1

Boarding V2

A ship with less than 25 % hull can be boarded: a quick mini‑game, and if you win you capture the entire cargo.

Hull and Repairs

• The hull is the ship’s life.
• At port repairs are free in MVP. In V1 they cost Gold, with the Shipyard discount.
• In sea you can only repair with Planks and Pitch (+25%).
• The On‑board Carpenter V1 slowly repairs when not fighting.

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Every ship has a different character: the small ones are agile, the large ones are floating fortresses. The skins (sails and flags) change the appearance, never the stats.

Sloop MVP

The starting ship: small, fast, nervous. It forgives maneuver errors and escapes everything, but two cannons per side are not enough against Royal Navy ships.

Schooner MVP

Sleek and elegant, it is the first true pirate ship. It can be bought after about ten voyages.

Brigantine V1

Sturdy and reliable, the warhorse of the Caribbean.

Frigate V1

Six cannons per side: a single hit from a Frigate can sink a Cutter.

Galleon V2

Slow, huge, golden. The dream of every captain, and the only ship that can challenge the Kraken.

Upgrades

Every ship has 4 components, each with 10 levels, and upgrades apply only to that ship.

Large upgrades (from level 6 onward) require work time in the Workshop V1, which can be accelerated with Pearls.

Where things are done. Ships are bought at the Shipyard; upgrades are made in the Workshop, and its level determines how far they go (2, 4, 6, 8, 10). Research at the Cartographer's Library instead improves all ships together. The table "Building → what it unlocks for ships" is at the end of the chapter The Port.

"The Schooner is fast. But remember: treat it well." — Nail

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The port is your home: an island with fixed spots for buildings. Each building has 5 levels, and each level increases its effect.

Construction times V1. Building and upgrading takes real time:

• level 1: instant;
• level 2: 5 minutes;
• level 3: 30 minutes;
• level 4: 2 hours;
• level 5: 8 hours.

You can speed it up with Pearls or by watching an ad (−15 minutes, up to 3 times a day). Only one construction site works at a time; a second builder is purchased with Pearls.

The Dock MVP

Always present. From here you set sail and repair your ship.

"The loot only counts if it reaches home, captain." — Ottavio, on the Dock

The Shipyard MVP

Here you buy new ships (see Fleet). The higher the level, the cheaper repairs become.

"A hole in the hull is a wound. Bring it to me and I'll fix it." — Nail, at the Shipyard

The Workshop MVP

Here you upgrade hull, sails, cannons and hold. The level of the Workshop determines how far each component can be upgraded:

Upgrades from level 6 onward are big jobs: they require time in the Workshop V1, speedable with Pearls. The smaller ones and repairs remain instant.

The Tavern V1

Here you recruit sailors. At higher levels better sailors arrive, and in V2 Officers appear.

The Cartographer's Library V1

Here you conduct researches: discoveries that apply to all ships together, unlike upgrades which apply to a single ship. Some examples: Copper Bundle (less damage from reefs), Scope (cannons with longer range), Shipwright (the hull regenerates itself out of combat). Each research is done only once, and the larger ones require time.

The Market V1

Here you sell gems and spices for Gold.

The Harbor Vault V1

Each level secures an additional 10% of loot in case of sinking.

The Lighthouse V1

At night you see farther and encounter fewer nighttime enemies.

Building → what it unlocks for ships

The big jobs (high‑level buildings, upgrades from level 6, researches) require real time; Pearls speed them up.

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The harbor is the menu. When the game loads (and on first launch you accept the privacy policy) you enter directly into the harbor: no title screen, no list of items. Everything you can do starts here, by touching buildings or buttons along the edges of the screen. The style is that of a book: wood, parchment, rope and brass, with large text and thumb‑friendly buttons.

Harbor Screen MVP

Top bar. The captain’s level with the experience bar, Gold, Pearls with a “+” that opens the shop, and the settings gear.

The harbor. Tap a building to open its screen; buildings under construction show their timer. Dragging with your finger moves the view.

Bottom bar. Five items:

• Fleet: the ships you own and their upgrades, with shortcuts to Shipyard and Workshop MVP;
• Challenges: daily and weekly feats V1;
• SAIL: the big central button that takes you to zone selection MVP;
• Shop V1;
• Story: the plot chapters V2.

Future phase items remain hidden until they’re available: in the first game the bar shows only two.

Pause and Settings MVP

At sea, the top‑right button opens pause: resume, settings, or abandon the voyage (which counts as a sinking). The settings also open from the harbor gear.

Dialogues and Voices

Characters speak. Every line has its subtitle, always on, so the game is understood even with audio off or on a subway.

• Ago and Pepe comment the sea voyage with short quips;
• harbor residents greet and tell stories when you touch their building;
• the tutorial is narrated by Ottavio and Ago MVP, if voice quality is good;
• all other voices arrive in V1. They are generated locally, without recording actors, so they can be added or corrected quickly.

“A repaired ship at the Dock is worth twice a lucky one.” — Ottavio, at the harbor

“Cannons ready: the broadside keeps an eye on their flank!” — Pepe, at sea

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Coming home should be a pleasure. That’s why the port has its own life, but every system costs less than 30 seconds on return: no extra timers, everything offline.

Radio Ago and the Harbor Gazette [MVP: testo] [V1: voce]

At each return Ago comments with irony about the just‑completed voyage: records, blunders, enemies, factions. They are 1–3 lines, chosen from a catalog of phrases tied to conditions (“sunk on first trip”, “returned with hull at 5%”).

"Port news: the captain returned with hull at 5%. The dock thanks you, the dinghy less."

"Three cutters sunk in one voyage. The Royal Navy asked to talk to you. I said you were out."

"Sunk on first trip, negative record broken. Congrats, it’s a start."

"Only one merchant saved. Don Teodoro sent a note. I didn’t open it: it smells of invoice."

Faction Reputation V1

Each of the four factions judges you from −100 to +100, based on what you do: no mandatory choice and nothing is closed.

With a very low Royal Navy reputation the fine on your head triggers: more patrols, but better loot. A risk you can choose.

Trade Routes V1

The Market offers 2–3 contracts: “bring 5 spices to Porto Conchiglia within 2 voyages”. Goods occupy the hold and are lost if sunk. Reward: Gold and reputation with the Salt League.

Captain’s Almanac V1

Your memory book: bestiary (the monsters encountered, with a line from Ago), discovered islands, ships sunk by type, personal records. Completing a page gives small rewards, even free Pearls.

Harbor Events V1

At most one per return, with a card and two choices: Rats in the hold, Royal Navy raid (pay, hide or fight), Port party. They’re never paid for: protective items are also obtained by playing.

Beautify the Port V1

Decorative slots welcome statues, lanterns, flags and feats trophies. They attract visitors on a stroll, like a merchant, bard or spy, with lines and small morale bonuses. Decorations are free (won through feats) or cosmetic, in Pearls.

Feats V1

No “collect ten items”: missions ask for feats that give satisfaction, narrated by Ago.

Three per day, to be completed in one or two voyages. Some examples:

• sink a cutter with a single broadside;
• return to the dock with hull below 15% and loot intact;
• defeat two enemies within 30 seconds;
• complete a voyage without ever trimming sails;
• Spear‑Thrower: sink a ship with a hit.

One per week: the Feat of the Week, a chain of three stages with a mini‑story. For example The Ghost of the Lighthouse (indicative stages):

1. Investigate: find who turned off the lighthouse light;
2. Pursue: follow the spectral light among the islands;
3. Confront: challenge the ghost and relight the lighthouse.

At the end a trophy to display in the port, a title, a flag, Gold and free Pearls.

What satisfaction. A screen with the vault opening, Ago’s comment, the trophy appearing in town square. A series of days gives a growing bonus, and if you skip a day nothing happens. One free replacement per day for the mission you don’t like. Feats cannot be bought: optional advertising only grants +1 mission per day.

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The islands

	Island	What you find	Phase
	Islet	0–1 loot on board	MVP
	Jungle island	1–2 loot on board, 30% buried treasure	MVP
	Cliff	Only obstacles: watch the hull	MVP
	Naval Fort	A tower that shoots; if you destroy it, a big loot on board	V1
	Neutral village	Repairs at 50% cost, rum	V1
	Skull Island	The legendary map treasure	V1

How to find the loot

• Beach chests MVP: just pass by with your ship.
• Buried treasures MVP: marked by an X. Stop near the shore and press Dig. It takes 3 seconds, and if you get hit the dig stops.
• Map fragments V1: three fragments make a treasure map that leads to a legendary treasure.
• Wrecks V1: loot in open sea, sometimes guarded by a monster.

Items

Items occupy hold slots; gold does not.

Zones

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Every enemy has a recognizable behavior: some patrol, others chase, others flee. When badly damaged, some try to escape.

Navy Cutter MVP

Patrols the sea. If it sees you it chases and tries to get you in the arc of its fiancata (broadside).

Hull 60 · damage 6 · loot 30–60 Gold.

Merchant MVP

Does not shoot: runs away. It is slow but sturdy, and the hold is full.

Hull 120 · loot 80–200 Gold and spices.

Rival Captain V1

Defends its island and attacks you if you approach. Sometimes it guards a fragment of map.

Hull 200 · damage 10 · loot 150–300 Gold.

Navy Frigate V1

Aggressive, tries to flank you. Appears from the third zone onward.

Hull 260 · damage 12 · loot 200–400 Gold.

Sea Serpent V1

Hull 180 · bite 15 · loot: a gem. Appears at night, from the second zone.

Ghost Ship V2

Hull 300 · damage 14 · loot: two gems.

The Kraken V2

Hull 2 000. The encounter has three phases:

1. Tentacles: area attacks, announced by a signal one second before.
2. Suction: a vortex that pulls the ship.
3. Rage.

The prize is the legendary treasure.

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Crew and Morale V1

Each ship has a minimum and maximum number of sailors, who enlist at the Tavern. Every sailor beyond the minimum reduces cannon reloading time by 5%.

The morale ranges from 0 to 100.

Officers V2. Nostromo, Cannoneer, and Navigator are unique characters, each with a permanent bonus.

Research V1

Conducted in the Cartographer's Library, once only, and applies to the entire fleet. The more expensive ones require time.

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Two currencies

The golden rule. Pearls give power and speed, but everything can also be obtained by playing for free, just slower. The game is single‑player: paying does not take anything away from anyone.

What you buy with Pearls

• Ships immediately, even before the required level.
• Accelerators for construction, big upgrades and research.
• Gold: 1 Pearl is worth about 10 Gold.
• Consumables: Return Flags, Planks and Pitch, special ammunition.
• Loot Insurance: on that voyage, if you sink you lose nothing.
• Wreck recovery without ads.
• Second builder at the port.
• Skins for ships, sails and flags.

The shop V1

Ads: only if you choose

No surprise ads. The only ads are those the player chooses to watch in exchange for a reward:

• double loot at voyage end;
• recover the wreck after sinking;
• have an extra daily challenge;
• cut 15 minutes from a build;
• receive some Pearls per day.

Accuracy

• Every price in Pearls also shows the value in euros.
• No random paid prize chests.
• No fake countdowns.

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Captain Level

• Experience comes from defeated enemies, treasures, and completed voyages, with a bonus if you return without sinking.
• To level up you need 100 × level^1.5 experience points.
• The maximum level is 10 in the MVP, 20 in V1 and 30 in V2.

Challenges and Goals

• Daily challenges V1: 3 per day, e.g., “Sink 5 cutters”, “Collect 1 000 Gold on a voyage”, “Return home with at least 80% hull”.
• Achievement V1: permanent goals, linked to Google Play Games in V2.
• Chapter story V2: 10 short chapters that introduce the zones and bosses.

The Intended Rhythm

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MVP You sail, you fight, you return home

About 8 weeks.

• Sloop and Schooner.
• Hull, sails, and cannon upgrades.
• Low Waters and Coral Reef.
• Navy Cutter and Merchant.
• Harbor Vaults and buried treasures.
• Port with Dock, Shipyard, and Workshop.
• Rescue, Italian and English, tutorial.

V1 The full game

About 10–12 weeks.

• Wind, night, and storms.
• Ammunition, crew, and morale.
• Tavern, Cartographer's Library, Market, Harbor Vault, and Lighthouse, with build times.
• Brigantine and Frigate.
• Navy Frigate, Rival Captain, Sea Serpent.
• Two new zones.
• Daily challenges.
• Pearls, shop, advertising with rewards.
• Tests with real players.

V2 Content and long playtime

• Galleon.
• Kraken and Abyss.
• Ghost Ship.
• Boarding, Officers, chapter-based story.
• Cloud save, achievements, seasonal pass.
• iOS version.

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Corsairs Compass is the working name. Here are some alternatives to consider. Before choosing, verify that the name is available on Google Play and as a trademark.

Avoid names too similar to existing games (Sea of Thieves, Tides of War, Pirates Outlaws).

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