Seeing as this has become an open forum, here are my opinions on the game.
I've been playing Burning Sea since the beginning of July and from day one I've been hooked on the game. One of the biggest differences from POTCO is the learning curve. You can't jump right into the game and know everything. It takes time and patience to both learn and understand Burning Sea, as it's so involved. When someone had first told me that about the game, I'll admit, I was a little intimidated. But seeing as my entire guild was starting out together in a strange new place it made the learning experience relatively painless. It definitely does help to have some people learning the ropes along with you, or to have people who are already experienced with the game teaching you what to do.
As far as it being more along the lines of a traditional MMO, it is definitely that. You interact more with your environment. You actually go into instances, which are little battles. Think of the Boss Battle times 1000. Each career line has 1000 missions, each one with different enemies to fight and quests to complete along the way. Unlike Pirates where there is only one main boss, thus far. So, four career lines, 4000 missions. Also, the missions are what I like to call 'Choose Your Own Adventure Style', the choices that you make in the missions effect the direction of your character. Which is really nice. You get various rewards for completing these from clothing, to weapons, to skills, etc. What you earn in the game actually serves a purpose.
As far as the economy in the game goes, it's definitely involved. You can choose to simply purchase your needed items from the Auction House, or if you'd like, you can manufacture goods for yourself, your society, or to sell for profit, whatever you like. Your involvement in the actual economy is completely up to you. And yes, with the production of goods, ships, and all that, there is a lot to be done, but your Society is supposed to be there to help you along. Everyone producing the various materials needed, or at least those who want to. You earn money quickly in the game, so that's not really a problem.
The game play itself is an absolute pleasure. The lag is minimal, even on a busy server - and the server that I play on, Antigua, is the busiest at the moment. And the glitches...forget it. Nothing like we see in Pirates. No quick cheats. No exploits in the system for people to easily coast through the game. Which I really like. Also, as far as the leveling up goes, it's a breeze. Honestly. No mindless button mashing to level various weapons. Yes, you are given less weapons in this game, but it doesn't even make a difference. You can purchase upgraded weapons - swords, daggers, pistols, grenades, etc - or again you earn them through missions as rewards. Everything in this game serves a purpose.
Loot from sinking ships: This game gives you the option for rolling on any loot that you get from sinking an enemy vessel. You can win with the highest roll or you can simply pass on anything that you don't want. Which keeps your cargo hold from filling - something that irked me to no end in Pirates. You take only what you want/need. And even though you do not get to actually man a cannon (something that initially worried me) after a few days you don't even notice. You're not a simple crewman, but a captain on Burning Sea. Ordering your crew to do what you wish, fire when you wish, use certain ammo, certain skills. And although this sounds complicated, you pick up on it quickly enough.
Customization: This game also has a tailor as well. But unlike on Pirates, you do not have to pay to change your clothing, your hair, your eye color, things like that. It's all free. Right down to the eye patch and the peg leg which you earn through a quest. Completing missions for your career line also grants you further customization options. And yes, we have pets as well. With the ships, you can change the name, the color, the flag that you fly as well as the sails. And with the flag and sails, there's a great system in place that allows you to create your own designs and use them in the game, which is really fantastic. I heard this gripe countless times in Pirates, and Burning Sea offers precisely that.
Historically based game: This is not a fantasy game. There are no undead creatures running around. No staffs or voodoo dolls. Yes, we get fewer weapons in this game, but the weapons that we are given (pistols, cutlasses, grenades, maces, etc) can constantly be upgraded with different skills and attacks earned as you level.
Options, options, options: You can roll as British, Spanish, French, or Pirate. Choose to be a Naval Officer, Privateer, or a Freetrader. Each option gives you a new facet of the game to explore. Each career level - NO, Privy, or FT - allows you to take your character in a different direction. And since the leveling comes so quickly, you can definitely explore them all.
Friendly Players: I have yet to run into a problem with people not interacting with one another. My own society has connections with quiet a few others, despite our lower levels compared to the level 50s (current highest level). Within your nation, reguardless of what side you choose, they're very welcoming to new players of all types. We've gotten countless invitations to join other societies, other societies simply offering to help us level and build our economy for the good of the nation. I think that within the nation, everyone is friendly. However, for example, if you're British, don't expect a 'hello' from a Pirate or a Spaniard. That's just how it goes.
User Interface: You can customize exactly how your screen appears. You can change the font colors in the chat, change the actual size of the chat box, move it to where you like. You choose where you compass goes, where your hot bar for your skills is, all of that. You can customize your screen to appear however it is that you want it to be. So, if your chat is taking up too much space, change it - shrink it, move it, adjust it how you want.
I don't want to sit here and simply just complain about Pirates, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I honestly loved the game when I first started playing it, but for me, after a while it simply got old. Repetitive. Boring. Pirates was my first try into an online game and it simply left me for looking more. But the one thought that has been constant through my mind while playing Burning Sea is that Pirates Online plays out like a tutorial for this game. The actual tutorial for Burning Sea is more involved than all of Pirates - more challenging, more exciting, more stimulating. And yes, I've said that before. Burning Sea is simply everything that Pirates Online needs to be, wishes it could be, and should be to survive as a game. I left Pirates with a heavy heart, leaving behind a level 40 and a level 30, although since leaving I haven't regretted it in the slightest.
Like I have mentioned in my post above, if anyone is interested, my buddy keys are up for grabs if someone is looking to try out the game for 14 days for free. Just PM me and I'll get back to you - no strings attached.
Kat - Blades of Daring on Burning Sea