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After playing this game for roughly a week, maxing out everything a free account can do, I’ve decided that I will not pay for the unlimited access. There are a number of reasons why, but I believe it better to address the changes I believe could make this game successful. I will reference ideas from other MMO’s as examples.
First priority: The graphics engine. The engine in this game is horrible. The graphics in the game are mediocre at best, but the performance is terrible. Take a machine that can run games like Supreme Commander at full settings flawlessly and Pirates Online requires its settings lowered to be playable. Either the engine needs to be seriously tweaked, or rebuilt completely. Second: Content. I know that running an MMO is a costly endeavor. I know some form of income must be present to keep the game alive. From straight monthly fees (World of Warcraft), no fees with purchasable content (MapleStory), or only requiring user to buy the game/expansions (GuildWars), there are a multitude of options for making money. However way they do it, they need to make the game sellable. They need to give reasons for users to pay for it. However, at the same time, they need to be able to recruit players with enough content to draw them into the game. There is where I feel Pirates lacks. The severe limits imposed upon free players do not provide enough encouragement to upgrade the account. It took me less then a week to max out a free character, and afterwards I didn’t want to play anymore. I thought about taking advantage of the 50% off deal for the first month, but after reading that the character would basically revert back to the way it is now once that month expired, I decided against it. It’s my suggestion that they use a model similar to other games, like Runescape for instance. Basically, make half the game accessible to free players. As an example, remove the level and rank limits on skills, but keep some of the skills locked – Like Doll magic is mostly unlocked, and Voodoo Staff magic mostly locked (unlock just enough to get a taste of it, enough for players to desire more). Unlock most, if not all, of the current ships and create additional “Exotic” ships that, say, have additional crew space, allow below-deck cannoneers, more cargo space, etc. Remove the notoriety limit, but keep the free-play penalties. Create areas that free players can fight, and areas limited to only paying members to fight. These areas can have unique mobs with extra, more luxurious, drops. Unlock enough weapons for a player to use up to the higher levels, but leave a good amount, including the best stuff, for paying members only. For vanity items, like Tattoos and piercings, you can leave most of these things locked, but make a small bit unlocked. Third: Cost. I feel that there is a direct relationship to the monthly cost and the un-lockable content. The more you pay for the game, the more you should expect to get. With the way the game is now, taking into account all the items mention above, I would not pay $10 a month. $5 a month, however, I’d be willing to pay for what they have now. If the game was more like the suggestions I posted above, I would be fine with $10, mainly because I will still have a reason to play if I decided to let the account expire for a short while. Fourth: Bugs. There are a lot of glitches and bugs in this game. I won’t go into detail here, I just feel they need to be addressed. I feel this game has a lot of potential, and it can provide a unique style of game compared to the others out there. It just needs a lot of work. Please, feel free to suggest additions or changes to this list; I’d like to hear what other players think. A thought that came up while I waited for approval on this... Can anyone think of a Pay-to-play MMO that does NOT have some form of professions? Or at least some type of non-combat oriented activity that benifits the character? |
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I completely disagree with this post. Big D, don't listen and keep the freeloaders limited to what they've got. Keep them wanting more to do...they'll crack and pay for at least a month to test it. No need to have a bunch of non-paying people crowding the seas where the bigger ships are (or the higher level land masses), bothering, disturbing and getting in the way of your paying customers. Quote:
$10/month is pocket change and you're just making yourself sound cheap....or maybe your just a youngster with a low allowance. |
Wow, didn't expect to see so much hostility here. Alright, first...
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Let's take a look at Runescape. That game is roughly $6 a month to unlock all the content. Neary 80% of the continent is locked, half the skills are locked, and all the best gear and accessories are locked. Yet, even without paying a dime a person could play a character for years. Runescape has over 1 million payed subscribers. I've played the game for years and have been an off-and-on subscriber. The whole purpose behind this thread was to express suggestions on how this game could become more sucessful, not complain about the price. Also, http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart7.html POTCO isn't even on that chart. |
i have to aggree that more should be available to f2p, and heck the whole game needs more to do.
an explanation: f2p can reach lv 10 in notoriety and lv 5 in three weapons.....oh and they can watch a few cutscenes and do about 5% of the story quest. then what? either pay or quit, i'd have to imagine most quit because, although they still have what i call "new game fever", they aren't sure if the game is worth $10 a month because they played for what, a week and now the game's over? take a look at the game, what is involved in playing? grind grind and grind, i can do that for free in maplestory, what makes pirates different? if you think about it, only the story line (which is mediocre at best right now) makes pirates any better than MS.....ok except for the fact that pirates aren't a playable class in maplestory because pirates > ninjas. my point is that POTCO needs more to do apart from the "go get me this and sink 20 ships" quests and constant grindng. bosses, unique stuff to collect and show-off....and better pvp, big time neccessity here 'cause that's currently all a lv 40 can do that's, um....productive (for lack of a better word) all that needs to be added for this game to be a good game. pirates isn't bad, but it isn't good either, and disney needs more frequent updates too, things get stale after a while.... (blabs on for about an hour or two while everyone else goes to sleep, i think i'll stop now...where's my anti-flame sheild?) |
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Sure as many a 40 pirate will tell you the 'grindfest' is too much (almost 1/2 REP required for a 40 pirate is earned outside of any storyquest)... but its not a year yet (and even then the first three months I think was more post-beta than true game so really only the last 6 months count) - time will tell I guess.. |
I've got to chime in here. I don't understand the hostility either.
I think miralto's weekly races are a spectacular way the game has found new life for my level 40. The one recurring theme in his races, is FAIRNESS. For me, that makes them enormously worth-while. I hope big D can find a way to promote his weekly event, maybe partner with POF or something...I really have no idea here, but it just seems RIGHT, ya know? The myriad suggestions from the original poster above, I think are reasonable. Worth consideration by Disney, at the very least. In my personal opinion, they should focus on fixing bugs, (eliminating more exploits that should be restricted to test servers) more than adding more content. Unlike the OP, I don't think lower prices would help very much. I *DO* think that every single splash screen & nag warning & alert & locked message, should remind people that they can use game cards instead of credit cards only. The privacy implications are significant: the game cards are a good solution, that currently is down-played a bit too much. P.S. I think separate areas for PvP and SvS for paying vs. free is a fantastic idea. Many problems (real or percieved) would be alleviated. |
There are parts with this I agree with while others not so much. I don't see the cost per month really a issue, I am sure some of the same people that have cost issues like this have no problem getting a few gallons of gas to go to the movies or something. My own view is that it is fine for limited characters, and if they want more than pay. If anything I would say limit them more in some areas like svs, where I have seen many using glitches or what I consider a cheat, against paying customers.
Just recently I have been on the test server, and there is no doubt some issues. Yesterday I probably saw over 20 things I sent in. I agree the graphics has major problems and is getting to the point more and more, you must have vista and a certain video card. I would last state that many of these bugs in the game are listed, and have been sent in. The most important step of this process is doing something about these problems. Its lacking in this area of importance to what should be fixed, versus perhaps a typo in a quest dialog. As others I would like to see a future, but am unsure. I would like the level 40 cap increased, customization of ships and something to use gold in. As well as a increased story line perhaps to worlds end or something. None of this will mean anything if it first and utmost isn't playable. |
Should I point out that alot of competing MMOs have ZERO free play?
Most of them you can get a guest/trial passes for, but thats like a 14 day trial of a basic account. The guest/trial accounts are limited even further than the 14 days. 14 day POTCO guest account pass = Full access, as if you paid for 14 days. I will agree that the game could use more content to entice more members to pay. I disagree that offering more of it to free basic players is going to help. A high volume of the free/basic players cause alot of the troubles in the game to begin with not having any responsibilities (such as maintainig a paid account). There are some good decent Basic players out there. But the volume of troublemakers are of this account type simply due to the repercussions. |
guess i'll throw another reply out there for good measure, oh but first, maximvs (sorry if i spelled your name wrong) i also have an anti fire potion active XD
Zeppers, i didn't notice much about f2p being a hassle, but now that i think about it, i often am ksed by f2pers (doesn't say much 'cause p2pers ks me too lol), and i often get randomly crewed up with f2pers when i wanna take out high level flagships.....no offence but a lv 10 can't make it on a flag ship, high level enemies see that lv 10 and say "ooo, lunch!" lol another thing about other mmo's: while it is true that many of your larger mmo's requier payment without any permanent f2p, there are a hundred fold more 100% f2p games that often times can be just as good as these high end p2p games....not that it makes much of a difference or even relates to this at all but i just thought i'd throw that out there. Edgemenace: i really should use full reply rather than quick reply but...... .....gosh i already forgot what part of your post i was gonna reply to hang on..... ah those events you mentioned, didn't know such player-made events existed, you'll have to tell me about this, sounds interesting. disney should work on making some fun interactive events/mini-games to give high levels a break from the grind, it would attract new people and keep the old folks in lol again to maximvs..........i seriously thought this game was out more than just 6 months in it's open version, my sense of time must be out of whack......again lol *re-activates anti-flame sheild and anti-fire potion, also uses a super set and eats a shark* -rs player and part-time pirate: theblastmage |
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The best deal would be 80 dollars a year. Can you believe paying for a game first at about 30-50$ before you even paly it while pirates can be 80$ for one year? The game is cheap in my opinion so I am with you 100%! To Zeppers above post. I agree. I have seen some pirate online games that look like the ship battles are about the same as the battle ship game but with different ships. |
Dont basics get enough:
All Island access 3 weapons 2 ships Access to every shop Able to join guilds Able to make and join crews Able to fight all kinds of enemies Lv notoriety up to 14 All weapons up to lv 7 Able to get Max gold Able to do All side quests Able to do Entire Carver quest Able to make 2 pirates Able to Befriend other pirates Thats alot of features compared to ToonTown |
I have seen many $50 games and they are real bad.
Look at pirates it does have potenial and its only $10 $40 difference! |
i'm running out of things to say now, someone say something i can retaliate against (kidding lol)
on topic here, the only thing i have to say is about swash's post, yer info is slightly off. f2p pirates can only reach Not. 10, and weapon lv 5 now, my f2p pirate can't get any rep off of her doll and it's only lv 5 and i was unable to gain rep past lv 10 not. on my current account before i became p2p again. looking back at the posts i also have one other thing to say about ironhawk's post. most of the games that require you to buy the game in stores give you an equivalent ammount of membership equal to the value of the box price (eg. WOW charges $29.99 to buy the game but you get 2 months of membership with it). there are but two games i can think of that have better or equivalent deals than disney, and those are runescape (a little over $60 for a year) and Dungeon Runners (if you just go out and buy a bunch of the boxes off the shelf you get 6 months for $20, which totals for $40 a year, $60 if you pay online). and since neither of those are purely pirate based......potc wins lol pirates rule, ninjas drule, false sigs are also great XD---theblastmage (i need to make me a sig one of these days) |
No they go to 14 i guess they lowered the lv cap for basics.
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Until there is MORE content to provide for those paying, I do not think any MORE should be given to free accounts. The more you give basic players, the less need or incentive they have to pay/subscribe to the game.
Comparing "free" access to other PIRATE MMO's of similar stature fairly, has POTCO generally beating the others already with thier free access and game play hands down. If someones comparing a non-pirate MMO to POTCO, well fine, go play your other game. Most here arent here just to play a game. Im here because I like to play pirates games. I sympathize with the OP in the sense I know they were trying to be constructive in thier recommendations. However when making comparisons, make sure they are fair comparisons. From an overall MMO perspective POTCO is lacking. From a pirates MMO perspective, it fares much better, its only real competition being POTBS, which is absolutely ahead of POTCO in many aspects. However thier game play style (hand to hand and SvS, etc) leaves a bit to be desired <yawn>, and the "world/player based economy" makes it a level of MMO many want to avoid (Potco's cheaper, and free play is 1000% better than POTBS's 14day guest pass). Can POTCO use more content? ABSOLUTELY!!!! Should they offer more for free? They already offer more than any of thier competitors, why should they? |
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I'll give you an example. Toontown started off having no cog Hqs what-so-ever and all the playgrounds except Acorn Acres and Goofy's Speedway. Now if you look at it today it's grown quite a lot. Imagine what POTCO will look like in two to three years. I can imagine three story quests, at least fifty new enemies, the level caps up, and more. It all takes time. Also remember POTCO released before POTBS and there's news that it was released fast because it wanted to get more members than POTBS. If POTBS came out sooner, than that means less $ for POTCO/disney. Nothing good ever comes out of rushing things! As far as enough things for free playing members I think it should be lowered. I can get about half from free access. If I reach level 40 then I can just end my subscribition until more things come out and still be entertained. Well you heard it, in my opinion the free access stuff should be lowered! Just my opinion. Don't they get enough anyways? |
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Some of the elements of the game that should be really good, are not. Specifically, PvP and SvS. As an unlimited access level 40 player, I found PvP to be a bit disgusting - more about glitching than about just playing. The single worst aspect of PvP, is that (except for glitching) the outcome is predetermined. The higher level player ALWAYS has such an enormous advantage, it is usually silly to even play PvP at all. (Which, I might add, is why I very rarely did. The few times I did click 'Yes' I usually won, even if levels were one or two higher than me.) PvP mismatches are the rule, not the exception. How often did you get "matched" to someone more then ten levels lower or higher than you? 50%? 70%? 90%? But that disparity is nothing at all, compared to unlimited vs. basic. If you have a level ~20 unlimited player, I'll go ahead and try to combat you with my level 40 basic. Guess who will win? We can do any combo you like - no tonics, no glitching, whatever. But as hard as I could try, I wouldn't stand a chance. As a better test, you could try to match up a level 12 unlimited against a level 12 basic. There wouldn't be much point. I hope it is obvious, which one would win without hardly even trying. Yes, even if their basic opponent was glitching. Yes, even if they were sucking down tonics faster than Gunner drinks barrels of rum. The original poster suggested separate servers for basic vs. unlimited. For PvP and SvS that would alleviate some problems. For questing, that would be counter-productive. One of the selling points currently, is envy. Seeing unlimited players doing a wither in Fort Charles is a rather special moment, for a basic member who had difficulty making it up the hill, just to get into the fort. Now, for SvS, the problems are a bit more extreme. The ship classes themselves are astonishing. A baby pirate I created can do "-6" points of damage to a typical war frigate in SvS. Three round shots in 15 seconds - a total of 18 points of hull damage. (Broadsides are about 1/3 the speed, therefore deliver 1/3 the damage, therefore aren't worth considering.) It would take several basic members continuously firing, several MINUTES to breach the outer hull. If at any time, the boat owner noticed them, he could repair 10-20 times faster (just on one spot, no glitching) than they could damage him. That same basic member can stand on a repair spot and do +30 hull points of repairs per second. In SvS, that is the best utility a normal basic can hope for. Now my basic, since it formerly was unlimited and FULLY mastered, can do quite a bit more. For a round shot, "-288" is a typical inner hull hit. But "-17" is also common, particularly against glitched war sloops. For me, SvS is especially frustrating, when I usually (always?) see my round shots hitting more accurately than people's thunderbolt. HOW? Good Lord! thunderbolt auto-targets and auto-corrects for you, people! It goes TWICE as far! How can you be missing targets that are close! Every time I see people with such bad aim, it makes me want to scream! After I've hit them 20-50 times, but they haven't yet sunk, then they hit me ONCE after missing me 5-20 times and I do sink, I do scream. That's where Dr. Zepper's miracle cure comes in handy, lemme tell ya! Now, is that the three-thunder-in-one-shot glitch? Possibly. More likely, it is normal rank 5 thunderbolt combined with open fire. Now, am I inept? Gosh, when I won the "open" round of the Ironrat Cup, people didn't think so. When I placed first in the glitch-fest privateering contest, I don't recall too many people saying that I don't know how to sail or cannon. If I am so completely shut down, right out of the gate, by SvS, what do you think people who create a pirate for one day think? What do you think people on their 5th or 6th day of the preview think? They try PvP once. They get vaporized. Not fun. Masochists try it a second time. Their vapors are scorched into the earth by flaming skull. Not fun. (Well, ok, maybe fun for true masochists.) OK, moving right along, they try SvS, now that they have a "big" level 12 pirate. Moving forward out of their protective bubble, they sink. Not fun. If there were "basic only" servers, "mixed" servers and "unlimited only" servers, some of the problems would be mitigated. ------------------------- Have you ever wondered why it is so rare to see a basic member level 40? There ARE lots. About 30 pirates per day hit level 40, right? Where do they all go? What is it about an expired subscription, that (for most people) makes it so unthinkable, to load the game back up? |
Kind of off topic, but there have been wayyy less paying members for runescape (since I last checked) since they took out pking. Thats what really kept me interested in the game for so long. Once they took out pking, I was done. Made a rune pure, spent probably over 10 mil the whole time, and then they took away pking.
I even heard a kid threw a brick through jagex's window O.o K, way off topic, lol. |
pay buy the years and save 30%, yes there need to be more content, i still play and have max out all 4 pirates, because i enjoy the game. when my year up will probally renew as long as new content keep coming. they do need to raise noterity and weapons caps or allow more than 4 pirates.
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I'm going to agree with everything stated here in the main post. For ten dollars a month it is practically a rip off. Now don't get me wrong I fully understand that it is pocket change I personally get a 90 card for 25 dollars. Because I don't want the game charging me every month for 10 bucks to my card and I forget I'm paying for it.
Now do you know why 10 dollars is to much people? Here's why. Level 1 quest: I need crab claws you can find them on Rumrunners! Level 29 quest: Okay we need some nails to repair this ship before I join you and Jack, you can get nails from crabs here on Driftwood. Notice the trend? I'm doing the same thing over and over and over. So! Why should I pay ten dollars to do the rest of the quests with in the game when I did them for free already? Regardless of how it is explained to you. I could be getting claws, legs, eyes, nails, shells at the end of the day what am I doing? Killing crabs. Now yes I know some of you will argue, oh well sometimes you gotta search a fort, or sink ships or get skeletons, or flies! Guess what doing all of that over and over and over for each quest is the same thing as killing crabs it's repetitive there is no individualism to each quest. In other words a quest that a unlimited member is doing should not be doable by a basic access member. Yet pretty much a basic access member can do all of those quests given the ability to level up, and even if they can't level if they have a friend or two who pays at level 40 their level doesn't even matter anymore. So why pay less then 10 for the game? Because like I said it's the same thing over and over, if the game had more of a unique value to it I would love to pay 10 a month. For instance, I need to get something off a ship well how about instead of only raiding flag ships you can do that with all flag ships. Then what you do next is run inside the ship go to the hold. Search their crates and barrels for all you need. If your lucky one ship can do it if not you need another ship. Fight your way through it. That right there makes the battle for plundering any item from a ship unique every time! If you have let's say 10 ship deck settings for each kind of ship and each side, the changing of where enemies may appear is always different that you can never be sure where to run to to not trigger them to follow you. It keeps you on edge and ready! That is more fun then up I sank a ship yay rum barrels I need eight more! I think the problem with these threads is this, someone comes up with what is wrong with the game. Most of the players who are very you know big on this game don't play other games that are MMO's or they don't understand the idea of an MMO. Now I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone because if you don't understand it then of course you would think this game is great. This is my first MMO and I loved it, I'm even one with the golden founders title I even like I said pay every few months for a card. So now why do I have so many issues with the game, because no game not one, not even games that aren't MMO's I'm talking about all games even board games sometimes! Are not the same thing over and over. Boardgames for instance, the dice roles are different one person won't always win, and depending on that game I.E. Monopoly there is a lot of room for change with in each game. Console games give you better challenges to meet as you get further and further in the game. MMO's have VAST VAST VAST worlds and area's to travel across finding new enemies new valuables and other such things that make you want to see what's around the corner. THAT is what Pirates Online is lacking, and for the record Pirates of the Burning Seas (ten dollars a month) and has 1,000 things more then this game has. Now for those of you who are going to say well yea this game is going to improve and have more added to it, yes so will Pirates of the Burning Seas and what you have to think about is that is another pirate MMO so it is a direct competitor to this game. Because of that, they will add to their game just like this will add to it's game. So how does Pirates Online do better? They need to add more faster! Look at the forums see what the people want and add it. Using City of Hero's for instance they add EVERYTHING the people want. Their threads will have new suggestions every day, and by the end of the year everything people suggested that year is in the game. That's what it takes to keep your players just give them what they want even if only 3 players want it. You know why? Because those 3 players can each bring in 3 players and all those bring in 3 of their own do you see the trend? You pull in more gamers to come on in by giving them what they want. That's what this game is lacking and it was well stated by Mr. Seagull he gave direct reasons and short and to the point. I gave a novel I know but I was trying to back him up because many seem to take it as an attack on the game. That and they aren't understanding the problems that need to be fixed. At the end of the day those problems when they are fixed you will have a better game, much more fun with the game and more players to form crews with, so here's my question. What is the problem with that? |
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It's not a rip off and worth it. If you're paying 10$ a month you're ripping yourself off! 80$ a year is 40 less dollars and by the end of the year you shoudl(I would hope!) have enough money to pay 80$ a year again. The OP posted about complaints as to being a basic access member and how the game should be better. The game is only a year old and if you expect a lot from it you'll be disappointed. Wait a few years and you'll be happy. Basic access members shouldn't get everything unlimited access members get considering they're not paying for the game. If you don't like the game then stop complaining and quit.(Not talking to you jessie) |
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If your going to post all these points about the game then compare them to another - make sure to compare them right (hence 10 a month compared to 70 startup plus 15 a month changes things, just a bit)... :) No arguement that more content is needed - just the price diffference to what you get should be compared as well :) |
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If pirates isn't worth 10$ a month then obviously POTBS isn't worth 15$.(I believe it's 15$ like you said Maximvs) P.S. I believe pirates is worth 10$ a month but I'm paying 80$ a year. |
Price may have changed when I bought it it was 10 a month, however I also had a 30 day trial but did not start the game for the fact that I did not wish to give them info of how to charge me after the 30 days was up. I would of liked to use my trial first but it wasn't letting me so I never got to the game play mode. However I like all the things I see they put into the game.
I understand that the game is a year old but even games like Final Fantasy XI or World of War Craft even City of Hero's sure these are not pirate games but the point is that they had so much in them when they went live that new things being added to these games are just even more awesome. This feels like a game that was incomplete being advertised way to early. I have a core group of friends ten to be exact who will not touch pirates because of what they saw in the TV advertisement. Graphics, plus they saw lagging in the commercial if their is lagging in the advertisement that's bad. Now I might sound hypocritical I love the game because it was my first MMO it's pirates of the Caribbean and I can have fun with it. However I get board with it after a few minutes or so. That is why this added content people talk about should be aggressively asked for. That way I can relax for an hour and have a great time in the game. |
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As I've said before it was released early so it would get more money than POTBS. I know it was at least released early just to get out before POTBS. Nothing good comes from rushing. Pirates probably would have come out October 31st of this year if it wasn't rushed. It would have been better, so I do agree with you that it could have been better. Hopefully within the next few years it will get better and make up for being rushed. Hopefully they can add in things players want. A game is never good if players don't see things that they want. An example of players getting what they want is ship customization, more islands, etc.. |
The problem with giving it a few years is that it may not have that. Since other games are out now people are going to go to other games because of graphics and class systems, weapons, being able to be a pirate royal navy or french. Since a game will have more of what people like in a game they leave games like this, if the game makes no money or not enough they aren't going to keep expanding the game.
So what I am trying to say is with in the next year the game needs to really make improvements that will make up for being rushed that way the year after that they can add the fun things. For example I want to customize my ship so badly, however would I like to travel across fifty different areas on each island. Going through mountains, rivers, jungles, caves, ancient ruins looking for art a facts? I would take that over changing my hat any day! |
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The thid post - check this out - http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart3.html |
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