JD I am unlimited and I totally agree with you. I too am a 2008 survivor. If I want games within games I am better off playing Mario Party. I am a consumer of this product and if the product is going bad you have the Obligation, not the right, to complain about the product you are getting.

All of us have different gaming taste.

In mY post, I DID NOT talk down basic members. I don't see Unlimiteds better that Basics, nor do I see anybody better or worse than anybody. You DO have a right to complain. When I said "those not paying nor dedicated" I meant those who have left the game, yet still critize it! On top of that, do I honestly care if somebody is "loyal" to the game or not? No. Feel free to play the game however, and whenever you want. BUT, and this question is not directed at you, nor anybody, jason, if you don't like playing the game, whats the point of waiting around and complaining, when you can be playing a game, WITHIN the game? I'm sorry if my post offended anybody, but I had no intention to do so. I do too have a right to complain, as much as does anybody part of the POTCO Universe.

Many valid points have been made on both sides of this and those points have been made alot in the 2+ years I've been here. (Man do I feel old now, oh thats right, I am old :))

I have seen my share of friends and guildmates leave this game. Those who leave and don't return have more than likely found a game where they are happy. Good for them I say, gaming is all about what you enjoy. There are others who will probably leave whether new content is introduced or not, it's the nature of a lot of MMO players to move from game to game. For the hard core MMO players who come here, this is simply not the kinda of MMO they are used to so they will leave as well. Some will and do come back when new things are put in game, when they finish the new parts they leave and will come back when the next new thing comes out.

There is no right way or wrong way to play or feel about the game. It's a game, it either provides the enjoyment we want or it doesn't. If you're getting what you want from the game great, I'm glad you are. If you didn't get what you wanted out of it and have moved on, I wish you well and hope you find what you're looking for. If you're like a lot of posters and are stuck somewhere in between, not getting what you want but still holding out hope that you will, I sincerely hope it gets here soon for you.

captain grizzy,

Will not quote in my post your whole post, no need to.
All I can say is "right on":dancetl6:

Oh ya, I'm old also....

Well put Grizz :) Though I think it's nature to complain somewhat when somthing doesn't go your way, one usually gets upset more when its over something they really do like and wich for it to be even better.

I know thats my case. Again - I've posted many times for new story, new story, new story (one only need to search me to find them ;) ) - but its not because I hate the game, I love the game - I think it has potential to go very far, and it hurts when it doesn't match the potential. I don't go easy on Disney either - they are THE company that sets the bar higher than others in their products and I expect higher from them (and the money they get from me yearly is proof of it).

Unlike last year though - I can't say theres been nothing going on. JR is like the new Boss Battle - with benifits :) Its great entertainment for 1/2 an hour - and you get good REP :D And thats what a game should provide me - good entertainment for my money.

Now, if I can just get that New Story, fix a bit of SvS for me and Custom Ships or a new Royal Frigate in my stocking this year - I'm all set baby! yea!

I agree well said Mr. Grizzly!

I think part of the problem deals with expectations. I have played a lot of MMO's and believe me this one is well managed and attended to. If I send a report or problem in it is answered in days if not 24 hours - not weeks or no response at all. They are constantly making tweeks and changes to the game to improve game play for all. They are always having special events and you can actually interact with the GMs here. Disney is involved with the game and with the players. You don't see that in other games.

There is no chat spamming by gold sellers here, Port Royal is not cluttered with player kiosk shops selling whatever at outrageous prices, No bots filling up all the leveling grounds so you can't complete quests, I don't have to worry about about getting PVP'd while leveling. The hacking is minimal (needs to be dealt with for sure). I left these games behind and I can tell you I don't go back and post in thier forums. If the game is not fun for me I leave. Done.

I have played some really bad games and some really poorly managed games and I can tell you this one is really great. There are always things that can be improved and there will always be those wanting more. I just have a different perspective.

I am done posting in this thread. I wish you all happy Plundering.

Captain Whale

Sarah has touched on some of the things that I would want to say here.

When I first posted this, a year ago, it was boredom and frustration at Disney's lack of new material. If you have an hour to go back and read 14 pages of posts, you will find that there were some really good points brought up then, and that most of those points are still valid today.

Look back. There were tons of discussions then about the release of the game in the UK. Has that happened? The ads for the UK had ship customization in them. Has that happened? The game is over 2 years old now, and where and when is the next story chapter?

Last year I wrote about all the people who had, or were, leaving the game. This fall has been another mass exodus. Players that I have been friends with for more than a year, and in some cases, almost 2 years, are barely ever on, are talking about not coming back, or have left entirely. Would this be happening if Disney had done more development of the main part of the game?

The primary quest that you are given when you start a pirate is the Black Pearl quest. Every other quest is designed to help you get to the right weapons, skills, and strength in order to be able to defeat the Goliath and rescue the Pearl. The quest was always called Chapter 1.

After 2 plus years, where is Chapter 2?

I liken this to a book. If I were to start reading a book, and was totally intrigued by the exceptional writing style, the extraordinary story line, the fantastic charater development, and all of a sudden, the book just stops, I'd be really ticked! If the last page of the book just said, There's more, and it will be coming soon, I'd initially be upset, then I would go hound my local bookstore for the next volume. After 2 years though, with only teasers and brief descriptions of the story to come, and no continuation of the story, I'd give up. I'd tell people about it. I'd describe how there was this really great book that was never finished, and how I've waited more than 2 years for the next part. BUT, I'd also tell my friends to NOT bother buying or reading the book!

This is exactly how Disney has treated the development of the game. They put out a very good initial cut. Yeah, it had bugs, and yeah they have had to go back and fix things. 6 months of not being able to do Boss Battles really put a bad taste in some pirate's mouths. I knew a lot of people who left as soon as they did their Boss Battles in March of '08.

Then, in October and November last year, the mass exodus of players, just as their first year subscription wore out, was what prompted the OP of this thread. The amazing things is, we are seeing the same thing again this year.

Yeah, this past year has seen the advent of the remade islands and caves, the introduction of the invasions, a weapons and notoriety cap increase that made the game something to do again, even if it just means grinding weapons. But in reality, grinding weapons is grinding weapons.

The other major change in the game is the interactive events with the Disney GM's. But these are just sporadic and they are hard to be a part of. The masses of people that try to attend make them almost impossible to have any fun. Disney has dropped the ball here. They should have these things going on all the time. There should be GM's in game almost 24/7, and they should be accessible on all servers.

There are many, many threads that give a lot of ideas and suggestions about things that could be done to the game. Things that would make the game more interesting. Things like: ship customization, larger storage, possible new ships and weapons. While these items might give us all something to do for a short period of time, they too would soon wear out.

As Sarah said: What we really NEED is the next story chapter. A QUEST of immense magnitude. A purpose in game play that would keep a pirate busy for months on end. (Assuming you only play a few hours a week, and don't play 24/7.)

If you want to hear my real frustration, it's more the fact that quite a few of my long time friends are leaving. I blame this on Disney and their inability to introduce any content of magnitude.

As I approach my 2nd anniversary of game play here, I look back at what the game was when I started, and what it is today. I see a lot of stuff that has changed, but I don't see anything that has added to the game overall. If I were to start a brand new pirate today, he could be fully mastered and completed of all the quests in the same amount of time as the one I started in July '08. (Which was my third.) Quite honestly, with all the rep that can be earned today form the new side quests and the invasions, I think a new pirate today could be fully mastered much faster than he could 2 years ago. So, what Disney has actually done has been to make the game easier to play and complete than what it used to be.

And that's the real item here. You can COMPLETE this game. They haven't added to that. Once you reach a level that you have finished the quests, earned the weapons, maxed out your warship fleet and gold, taken back the Pearl, THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO DO! This is the frustration of the players, and the reason why this thread even exists, and the reason why all the long itme players are leaving!

When I made my 'fair-weather' comment, it was probably not the best comparison. After all that would describe someone who would praise the new features only to complain once the newness has worn off.

I have no loyalty to Disney or the game itself. In fact, during the long drought (and posting a list of mostly 'fixes' and 'work-arounds' doesn't change that the game was nearly dead for a lot of last year), I was loyal to my friends and guild. I played because I ENJOYED their company and our experiences and chat. They were --- and still are --- my primary reason for being here.

Maybe that's what gets my hackles up on this topic. There are plenty of games to go and mindlessly slaughter and destroy. There are MMOs with much broader scopes and more intense challenges. There other pirate games. So, we have choices. Maybe its being an old salt... because I don't play other big MMOs and don't know what all I could be missing. I do know how much more I'd being paying and how far behind the top players in other games I would be. The choice is there...

But, we chose this one. We don't have to stay. The dinghy is right over there if you want. I've taken time away before too. However, I gave up on whining in public - because it doesn't work. It doesn't change anything, but bring down other's morale. Perhaps we all feel a little better to vent and get it out.

The big D has ways for us to vent or make suggestions and I'm sure we use it. If you don't, you need to. I just chose not to spout frustrations in such a fashion here - since there are NEW players who are enjoying their experience.

This is off topic but they do server maintenance all the time late at night. They just do it at like 3:00 A.M. or something along those lines.(Of course you might stay up late with this game.

I kinda like the sound of it, Space Pirates Online.

After I finish the pearl quest and my membership expires, I won't come back until there is a new chapter. Disney has....... FAILED (dramatic music)!!!!!!!!!! So many members left its unreal. If Disney doesn't care any more, what is one player to them. I think we should go on a day of strike. Or we should go on and BEG for a new chapter or something. And go around in groups all over the islands. Maybe even say Disney has FAILED! Which they have!

I guess where this thread went wrong is that instead of some people disagreeing with the OP and expressing their opinion in favor of POTCO and some agreeing with the OP and expressing their frustration with POTCO it became personal for those that are content to wait for D's glacial pace of adding real updates and started attacking the posters behind the avatar for voicing their opinion instead of discussing the state of the game. Yes you are correct everyone has the right to express their opinion on the GAME but not to tell others what they can and cannot post, that authority is with the Mods, or feel or what they should play.

go get 'em, tiger.

I agree we need more stuff!! ESPECIALLY a Chapter 2. After you finish black pearl and leveling, there's pretty much nothing else to do except go to Tormenta, help people with quests, or maybe do invasions. Not much.

Yeah it is fun, but it gets boring after a while. My weapons just seem to be getting old, and I have nothing to look forward to in the game. I almost got a War Galleon, just need more rep, but after that, then what? I really don't like the designs of Frigates anymore. Ship customization would be awesome. Maybe after you max sailing and or cannons you could unlock it. Maybe a legendary ship if you maxed out cannons and sailing.

We have all expressed what we think needs to be fixed, many have posted to Disney directly and they do ask for our opinions. What else can you do?

If you say vote with your wallet, then do so. After a while - this just becomes piling on.