The State of the Game, December 2009

[Sven Osymthe]

I agree with a lot of what has been posted here, but to only some extent.

New enemies??!! The only new enemy that we saw this year is the Thrall Captains. Not one other enemy is new. They are only different levels and names assigned to old enemies. A Stump is a stump, regardless if it is called Corrupt or not.

That s true, all the new enemies are just renamed/re-leveled enemies we've all come to know, and I would like some new ones as well. But to me, it doesn't really matter what they are, just the level they are. Unless these new enemies are equal, or greater than the Thrall's max level, then they wouldn't even matter to me. Again, to me, the level is more important than the appearance.

I would also like to address the redesign of the islands. The old Port Royal, Tortuga and Padres were just as functional as these new ones, and in some ways were even better. The face lift the islands were given was interesting, but they did nothing to enhance or improve game play.

I agree with this a little bit. I like the old, and the new islands, but I feel as if the newer ones are more functional. The newer ones look like they were originally intended to be, unlike the old ones which were pretty unorganized. And on a negative note, the islands did do nothing to enhance or improve the game play, it did for some people, but to me it just brought in more lag.

Next, the caves. I really like the graphics improvements (level of detail) here. BUT, I feel that these new caves are almost completely a waste of developer time. The old Lava Gorge and Catacombs were truly caves. The new versions are nothing more than tunnels. The old versions were very functional and felt more like CAVES and CAVERNS, not just paths through a mountain.

I like some, but not all of the new caves as well. Not because they don't look like caves, but rather because there is very little originality. What I mean, all of the caves have pretty much the same appearance (different enemies, items, and what not, but in the end, all of them have the same "tunnel" like look). I would have preferred the old catacombs stay, and some more wide open caves as well, pretty much, keep some of the old and bring in the new.

Next, the GM events and role-playing. These are aspects of the game that people either love, or else they hate them. I personally have attended exactly ONE GM event. It was a lag fest and I garnered exactly NO information from it. After it was over, I felt that I had just wasted 30 minutes of good game play time. I have not attended any since then.

I completely disagree with this. From the looks of things, people must at least enjoy the events, one way or another, because if they didn't, they wouldn't go to it to make it a "lag-fest". And the events can't really be judged based on a single appearance, to get the most out of it, attending multiple is a must. I've gone to quite a few, and have learned a lot of what they are planning on releasing one day. The saying "don't knock it til you try it" comes to my mind here, you may have just attended a bad one, try finding a quieter one, and everything will be much better (the GMs will focus on what it is they aimed to get out of it, rather than putting up with interference from the audience).

The increases in Notoriety and Weapons levels was, in my opinion, the best thing that Disney did for the game this past year. It gave many, many pirates something to do again. Even grinding weapons is better than doing nothing with those pirates that we all had worked so long and hard to get leveled up.

I agree, this was one of the best updates of the year, although, not to me personally, but to a wide variety of people. I really couldn't have cared less if they updated the cap prior to a new story, I don't like leveling a lot, I prefer to enjoy the game with friends, rather than alone. Plus, once we all fully mastered, there is nothing left to do except repeat the same process as before.

Next the Invasions. I believe that the invasions are a method to help pirates reach those new level 50 marks. The rep earned during invasions is huge, and serves no purpose other than to pop your notoriety! The invasions themselves do relatively little for individual weapons levels, and does nothing toward any quests. Although it is fun to be able to say that we successfully defended our server, they can be monotonous after a while.

That is true, but indirectly. The invasions are intended to follow the story line, but at the same time, they offer pirates a easier path to 50, while encouraging them to take part in the invasions. As said before, the invasions aren't directly intended to help level anything, they do, but that is not the main point of them. They still want pirates to do as they did before, run around questing, leveling, and that sort of stuff until they master, rather than get the whole deal on a simple invasion. It does get monotonous, but nobody has to take part in the invasion, its there to be used, but not being forced upon us (unless we enjoy the practically free notoriety rep).

Comments in reference to the GM events and Captain Rott quests. One of my major problems with the GM role playing and the Captain Rott quests is that they are limited. Once the Rott quests were removed from the game, now there are an entire new generation of players and pirates who will never get the opportunity to do those quests. Same with the role playing. Once a role playing event happens, it is over. The role playing events are limited in scope, do not happen on all servers, with all players, even when they are prearranged, let alone when they are spurious. Other players will never get the opportunity to ever see these events. Now the entire segment about Constance Sorrow is coming to a close, and any player who may have just joined the game, or who may join the game in the future, will never know what this is all about. Role playing in a game such as this one is not truly viable, unless you can get the role playing to ALL the players. Not just all the current players, but to future generations of players. Having role playing events that can only be attended by some players, or events that leave the game, OR having quests that are limited in time, and then disappear:: These things are not good for the game.

I 100% disagree here. This is actually good for the game in the end. New players should not be given the chance to attend these events if they joined after the event took place. Just like in our everyday lives, opportunities come and go, if we don't take them when they come, we're just gonna miss out. And with this kind of approach, should Disney just open founder access back up to the rest of the people who join/joined? No. As others have said, the newer people can check the archives to find out what happened. Plus, if Disney took the time to work on reshowing everything to new players, that would more than likely delay them from more important things.

This year, that trend is continuing. Long time players have/are leaving in droves again. Even those who are staying are decreasing their game time. Large groups are moving to other games. Disney hasn't lived up to the hype they themselves put out throughout the year. I'm not going to address any supposed "promises" that were made. I'm just going to say that Disney made statements that they were going to do things, release stuff, and they haven't done so.

I think Whale and a few others perfectly summed this up. Friends leaving, and friends joining, that is not a reflection on the overall population of the game, rather those you have interacted with. Personally, I have never seen less than 20 people online, on my friend list. That may seem small to some, or large to others, but those friends are those who have been playing between the launch date, and the end of 2008 (with the exception of a some). Meaning simply, some people may have more friends leaving, but some people may have a large portion still playing. If someone were to judge how many people still played, they should check the server list, when i'm online there are a few quiet servers, but a lot of ideal and busy servers, meaning simply, people are playing.

As for the promises, again, Whale and a few others summed it up perfectly. None of us can judge how easy, or how hard it is to make adjustments to the game. The developers have multiple challenges that they must face, one, making sure people like what they're aiming to add, two, getting the additions to work properly, and three, follow the story line. For example, if we're sitting here with the main story being, Jolly Roger invading islands, where would a Kraken fall into this? How would we get the Kraken to work properly? And would all the players actually want the Kraken, or would they prefer a new story quest?

Content is what goes in your Journal. If it doesn't end up there, it isn't content.

Although many people agree with this, its just an opinion, not a fact. Small, large, good, bad, content is merely an addition to the game.

Personally, before ANY large amount of content comes in I would like them to address any issues that would take away from the enjoyment of that newer content. Such as, the amount of memory this game uses? The length of the load screens since the fog update? These are two things that are bothering me. I used to be able to play multiple pirates on one computer, no lag at all, but once the new islands came, it was hard to play one with no issues. As for the load screens, there is no reason that a game this size should take around 3 or more minutes to load once you log in.

[Basil Dreadflint]

Basil's OP;
Comments in reference to the GM events and Captain Rott quests. One of my major problems with the GM role playing and the Captain Rott quests is that they are limited. Once the Rott quests were removed from the game, now there are an entire new generation of players and pirates who will never get the opportunity to do those quests. Same with the role playing. Once a role playing event happens, it is over. The role playing events are limited in scope, do not happen on all servers, with all players, even when they are prearranged, let alone when they are spurious. Other players will never get the opportunity to ever see these events. Now the entire segment about Constance Sorrow is coming to a close, and any player who may have just joined the game, or who may join the game in the future, will never know what this is all about. Role playing in a game such as this one is not truly viable, unless you can get the role playing to ALL the players. Not just all the current players, but to future generations of players. Having role playing events that can only be attended by some players, or events that leave the game, OR having quests that are limited in time, and then disappear:: These things are not good for the game.

=Sven Osymthe;189427
I 100% disagree here. This is actually good for the game in the end. New players should not be given the chance to attend these events if they joined after the event took place. Just like in our everyday lives, opportunities come and go, if we don't take them when they come, we're just gonna miss out. And with this kind of approach, should Disney just open founder access back up to the rest of the people who join/joined? No. As others have said, the newer people can check the archives to find out what happened. Plus, if Disney took the time to work on reshowing everything to new players, that would more than likely delay them from more important things.

So much to say here.

I understand that a lot of players consider this as a 'story'. The truth is, it's a game. For Disney to develop new content, making it a part of a story line is perfect. But to put out facets, or parts, of a game that can only be played for a very short period of time, is really something that is going to end up KILLING the game.

People come and go. The players get tired, bored, or move on to other games. New players come in. If Disney continues to put out parts of the game, then shut them down and never play them again, then any new players who join miss out on the experience.

Case in Point.
I have a total of 6 pirates. I have 2 empty spaces yet to be made. All 6 of my existing pirates had the opportunity to do the Rott quests, although one of them wasn't high enough level to get all the parts. Now, if I create my next pirate, he will never be able to do the Rott quests.

If Disney continues along these lines, they will actually LOSE perspective new players. I don't know a single person who would want to join a game once they found out that there were lots of parts of that game that they will never get to see. I wouldn't want to join a game and find out that the only way that I could fully understand where I am and what is going on is if I had to READ a HISTORY BOOK, full of info about the story behind the game. (Remember, the target audience is ages 10 and up. How many 10 to even 16 year olds want to join a game when they have to read pages of History and Lore in order to understand the game? I'm WAAAY older than that, and I wouldn't! I'd go find a game where I could be playing and enjoying myself the very first time I played.)

Example:
Ever since the Port Royal invasions have been released, there hasn't been a single invasion on Tortuga. A lot of people think this is acceptable because that is the development of the storyline. Well, start a new pirate, or introduce a friend to the game and then try to tell them that thier pirate isn't going to be given a lot of the opportunities to progress and grow, to level, the way your pirate was.

Disney HAS TO find a way to let NEW players experience ALL the story line. NOBODY wants to join a game part way through it and find out that they missed out on all the opportunities.

Let me take this one step further.
According to the discussions below; It is perfectly acceptable that Disney takes away the Rott quests and never lets any new players do them, because it was a part of story line that has passed.

So logically, When Disney releases the next story chapter, is it also acceptable that they take away the Pearl Quest? Any new player coming in, or any new pirate one of us creates, doesn't get to do the first chapter, since the second chapter has already been released? They can go read about it in the archives!

I'm just trying to follow the logic a lot of you have already presented. The Pearl Quest is integral to a pirates development. So are all the weapon qusts, and so are the Rott quest, the invasions, and all the other things. A brand new pirate has to experience the entire story, not start in the middle.

Just like the weapons quests, Disney has to 'open' some of this other stuff at certain levels to small pirates as they grow and progress.

If Disney keeps this up, they will continue to lose players just from basic attrition, and never get new players to replace those that are leaving.

[ex8404]

Originally Posted by Sven Osymthe

Although many people agree with this, its just an opinion, not a fact. Small, large, good, bad, content is merely an addition to the game.

I still have to point out the flaw in the content argument. If content is "merely an addition to the game", then why have quests or stories at all? I have to offer the example of the TV show again.

Your favorite TV show comes and it is great. Perfect episode. Next week? Same script, word-for-word. The only change is that now, instead of a Chevrolet, our hero drives a Honda. The next week? Same old script but our hero gets a new suit and the wallpaper in the kitchen is nicer. And it goes on and on for a year and a half.

Same old script but the sets look SO much nicer. The producers can't understand why the ratings have tanked and they say things like, "What about all the new content? It is SO much prettier."

Content is scripted, playable and ongoing in that it drives the player from one "scene" to the next. Content is what makes the player move forward and strive to complete the "mission" at hand.

I am out of missions. I like what used to be enough to keep the account open but I don't level grind. I could train a spider-monkey to level grind. Becoming a Pirate Master is not my goal and it is not how we "finish" the game. The Pearl Battle marked the end of the game for me. But there was enough content in the form of weapons quests to keep me playing. And then I started a new pirate. That was OK... But a third pirate? Nope. On test? OK.

But I am done now. All around. Bring on some new content and I'll be swinging my cutlass again...

[JM Ohara]

I won't use the quote thingus here, it would be entirely too long. Suffice it to say you make an incredible amount of sense Bas. My pirates are a perfect example of this. Bear with me for a sec here people, little info so you get where I'm coming from.

I have 32 pirates, yes really. My big girl is 46. Two are over 20, 7 over 15, 4 over level 5, and the other 8 are sitting stagnating at level 1, 6 of whom have yet to land on the main servers, having never even touched a weapon.

On with the logic. So, because my big girl Kat was around for Rott, the invasions, and that whole part of the storyline, she's good. But the other 7 who started but could not finish the Rott quests, and the 24 who never touched them, should never be able to do them? Should never get the chance to speak to Constance in the Mire? Should never know what PR looks like under invasion. (Yes, they are all me. Assume with me that each is actually a different player here.) Should those level 1s who may not see game for months to come never get to do the Pearl Quest if a new chapter comes out?

What about this? I have a couple friends AFK from game, but coming back. Due to timing, they missed Constance. They missed all the invasions so far, and they won't be back probably till they are gone. How are they going to understand all the changes by the time they get back?

Then, the brand new players. How can you expect a new player to understand why the game is where it is, if they don't SEE it all themselves? Ok, so there are forums, like here, and D's own archive. Reading doesn't imply understanding. I still wish the nades quest hadn't changed here! Ok, many of you were not fond of the old quest. Kat may have been one of the last couple thousand to do it the old way. New players may hear talk about how it used to be. But will they ever understand what it feels like to have a mass of level 40's or 50's watching your back as you bumble through Kingshead for the very first time? That changed the way I saw the game. At that moment the game became more than just a solo endeavor. I feel sorry for all the new players deprived of the sight of 5 or 6 high level pirates at Kingshead. D really shot themselves in the foot on that one, because, for me, that is what made me determined to see Kat as far as she could go. It made me determined to PAY to get her there.

What do the new players have to change their mind about the game? Quests made easy enough to do solo? Running around seeing X's laid out in plain sight, instead of wandering around having to ask for help?

To me the entire game looks like they are leaning it into solo play. But then what is the point of guilds? Hmm? Should new players, thinking they can go it alone and don't need guilds be deprived of just how fun playing in a group can be? This pirate thinks not. D has gotten too far into messing with what isn't broken, and not progressing the story enough. Methinks D needs to take off an eyepatch, pull out an ear trumpet, and listen to the players!

[CarribeanThunder]

Originally Posted by TheHawke

...Should those level 1s who may not see game for months to come never get to do the Pearl Quest if a new chapter comes out?

What about this? I have a couple friends AFK from game, but coming back. Due to timing, they missed Constance. They missed all the invasions so far, and they won't be back probably till they are gone. How are they going to understand all the changes by the time they get back?

Then, the brand new players. How can you expect a new player to understand why the game is where it is, if they don't SEE it all themselves? Ok, so there are forums, like here, and D's own archive. Reading doesn't imply understanding. I still wish the nades quest hadn't changed here! Ok, many of you were not fond of the old quest. Kat may have been one of the last couple thousand to do it the old way. New players may hear talk about how it used to be. But will they ever understand what it feels like to have a mass of level 40's or 50's watching your back as you bumble through Kingshead for the very first time? That changed the way I saw the game. At that moment the game became more than just a solo endeavor. I feel sorry for all the new players deprived of the sight of 5 or 6 high level pirates at Kingshead. D really shot themselves in the foot on that one, because, for me, that is what made me determined to see Kat as far as she could go. It made me determined to PAY to get her there.

What do the new players have to change their mind about the game? Quests made easy enough to do solo? Running around seeing X's laid out in plain sight, instead of wandering around having to ask for help?

To me the entire game looks like they are leaning it into solo play. But then what is the point of guilds? Hmm? Should new players, thinking they can go it alone and don't need guilds be deprived of just how fun playing in a group can be? This pirate thinks not. D has gotten too far into messing with what isn't broken, and not progressing the story enough. Methinks D needs to take off an eyepatch, pull out an ear trumpet, and listen to the players!

I agree with absolutely everything mentioned above.

1: While I do see that you might not understand how the game got to this point, you're not gonna be doing the same thing over and over again, just for the new people, are you? As mentioned before: "You're not going to read the same page of a book over and over again, right?"
Two more examples:
1: Wouldn't you get tired of eating the same thing every day for dinner?
2: Would you go to vacation to the same place every year?

2: The old quests were actually good. The very last quests of having to constantly sink ships over and over again was pretty simple. Rather than that, we have to constantly sink a SPECIFIC ship ( I.E. Kingfishers ). Some people by that point would actually be Lv30+, so sinking ships under Lv30 would be somewhat pointless. Having to sink ANY ship of the Navy class meant that you could actually hang out at the Outcasts/Padres ships and sink Dreadnoughts and Corsairs all you want. As monotonous as it was, it was much easier. And at that point, you could actually sink Ferrets all you want, if you wanted to get the quest over with quickly.

3: "Should those level 1s who may not see game for months to come never get to do the Pearl Quest if a new chapter comes out?"
If I understood this correctly, my answer would be that, chances are they're never going to remove the Black Pearl Boss Battle, as it is part of the WHOLE storyline.

4: This game IS veering onto the point of everything being a solo thing. Having to dig up a Treasure Chest buried under a andom X's on a random oddly colored pile of dirt isn't much of a "Treasure Hunt" now is it?