Disney doing a good job?
 

Do you think Disney is doing a good job of running PotCO?

Though I believe POTCO has several issues which are in need of attention (such as SvS, PvP and some bugs which annoy the heck out of us :) ) - in the last 6 months they have put out a lot more material than they did in the first 6 - and - they have been somewhat quicker in responding to bug issues...

5 Months ago - I would of said no and gave a 3/10 - now I have to say yes and give a 6.5/10 - they have a way to go (NEW Storyline would be nice... *hint* - it would of gotten an 7.5/10 if there was a NEW storyline - and new Noriety Level would of gotten them an 8) but are more ahead than they were :)

Finally - I would ask everyone posting to be constructive with their posts... this thread will be monitored closely ;)

Absolutely.

The only criticisms people seem to have are:

1. Lack of content (they are obviously working on this)
2. Inconsistency in moderation/review (Name/Guildname approvals, and application of disciplinary actions)

The first is obviously being worked on. The decision to put POTCO out there early before having developed more content has been an issue. Concerns over competing MMORGs apparently prompted this, however looking at them.. POTCO is in a category by itself when compared. I've played a few of the others, some love them, some hate them. When the games were published has little to do with what games people select to play. Irregardless, big D is working on it, and appears to be listening to us. The confusing part is that they listen to what we complain about, listen to our suggestions to solve it, and then do something entirely different. But with time... even this process may smooth out.

Inconsistency... well this shows there are humans behind the game. This is a fact of life. Overall although a frustration to some, I dont think this is any major issue. Safest pirate game on the net for your kids to play.... guaranteed.


Yes I think they are doing a great job under the circumstance. Keep up the good work Big D.

I would agree with Max. Even with all the problems the game may have, I still think they are doing their best at this game :)

Well, I'm going with "No", for several reasons:

The huge inconsistency in the bug and glitch fixes - they took out seemingly innocent (and very fun) glitches and not only left many annoying bugs, but they added more (several times yesterday I got no rep from enemies killed, my doll lost attunement randomly [yes, randomly, I'm aware of the moves that cause you to lose it - this wasn't that], enemies attacked from halfway across the map, I was hit by every enemy I ran past [yeah, apparently their reaction speed is now supersonic], when I was doing the poke n' run enemies would magically "sprint" up behind me and attack, enemy ships would fire and then spin, immediately firing from the other side...).

Changes like the one made to hex eater appeared to have been made to merely slow everyone down in leveling. That's lame.

Actual additions have been minimal. The "Bosses" are sad - all they did was scale up existing models and give them new names. The weapon quests keep you busy for a few days at most, and really only because of the ones that want all that lore from ships like Marauders that don't spawn reliably.

Many of the most common requests have been ignored - upping the notoriety cap, money cap, weapon level caps, bigger closets, etc, etc. All of those should just be simple changes in code. Requests like more real quests, more islands (with actual stuff to do on them), new enemies, etc, would require actual work, and D doesn't seem interested enough to do it.

This is why I score them a 6.5... they do tend to be giving out more - but these areas should be addressed by now or in very short order.

Before I comment on this one - I agree that many of these were fun :) I'm also gonna leave Hex out of it for a sec and just go with everything else...

Its funny that the things broken that we enjoyed we call 'glitches' and the things we don't like 'bugs'... but in reality - they are all broken, and need to be fixed. True, its too bad they seem focused on the fixing on the 'harmless' breaks (or what we see has harmless as we have no true idea on what the code is doing to the stability of POTCO) and not addressing the more 'harmful' breaks...

But in the end - its all broken and would need to be fixed. Pirates were never -really- supposed to fly off ships (I think they would call that witchcraft back then LOL :D ). I know this was a favorite of yours (just a Hex was a favorite of mine - coming up) - but I think its focus was to stop SvS issues - and not directly against us :) It is a broken issue - it got fixed, lets hope they continue to work on the other issues you've listed.

Now for my Hex...

I'm probably the BIGGEST poster here on Hex (if not the biggest - then the most whiny haha! :D). I've posted more than once that then fixing Hex was wrong... I've sent in several detailed reports asking them not to fix it... I've logged more than a couple of Blogs of it Here in my profile... but - there is more to it...

I knew Hex was broken. I knew it would have to be fixed one day. Having creatures totally useless allowing me to just beat away at them I knew was not going to last forever. I wouldn't like it if the NPC's could hex me and I could never fight back and just die...

My messages to them were not to fix Hex - UNTIL they had a viable working bullet that allowed an enemy to be 'stunned' for a period of time and if they did revive - allow me to Hex them again.

Though they have done it backwards (took it away before putting in the real method)... on test now the Hex shot is doing just that (abit - its too short at 10 seconds and need to be increased - but it works :D - we can always push for more now that the code is right)

Changes never come fast enough when we want them - but I have to think change does come (and sometimes we don't want change - but it arrives anyway :) Thats why since Hex has been changed I've been working on new methods of obtaining my goals - the change (as with many others) have made me try different methods to accomplish the goal :)

Now - if they just increase it to 20 seconds... :D

As you said in another thread - amen to that brother :D "Build it and they will come - to play ;)"

I'm going to chime in on the money cap of 65k from a programming aspect. 65k is a magic number in programming. It seems to me that Disney used an integer data type to define "gold". An integer's upper limit is 65k (actually 65,535). Why did they pick an integer data type is probably because the most expensive thing you can buy in the game is the War Frigate for 60,000 gold.

So why not make the upper limit higher? The next integral data type available is a long integer that has an upper limit of about 4 million (4,294,967,295). Sure you could set the cap somewhere within that variable but there would be some wasted memory. Even if you don't use the maximum, an application reserves the maximum memory the data type allows for the variable (e.g. int = 32 bits, longint = 64 bits). It's a best practice to use the smallest data type per your application's needs.

Even if they decided one day to change the data type of "gold" to a long integer, they would have to go through the code, find every routine that uses "gold", and verify there will not be any sorts of conflicts between the different data types. I don't know how their code is structured but I'm sure the very idea would make them cringe at least just a little bit.

I can understand why they made the gold limit. I can understand some pirates are a bit miffed at gold falling to the bottom of the ocean because they've reached the cap. But even if you had the gold, what are you going to do with it?

Okay. I'm done with my programming theory lesson today.

i agree with max i give it a 6.5/10

need more content for higher lvl pirates....uncap gold and raise noterityand story line quest....one more let u hav more than 4 pirates w out payin more... but over all it ok ... so yes by me or i wouldnt be playin still.

Okay, I admit - I'm greedy. I don't care if something was intentional or not - if it's fun, don't take it out. Work on it and make it a legit feature, but don't take it out. The flying glitch was a massive happy accident IMO, and considering the TPing (come on, pirates go swirling up into the sky! LoL) and Voodoo usage, they could have explained it and made it work. Have it be a special skill that's unlocked with a quest...something. Just let me fly. :)

Well, I have the same attitude about hex eater as the "fun" glitches, because I loved it the way it was. The problem was with how they described it - instead of just draining Voodoo, it should have said drained and disabled (period). Yeah, it's unfair and unrealistic and all that, but it's a Disney game. It was easy, and I liked it that way. ;)

It sounds like they're going in the right direction now, but really - how are nades going to work with even 20 seconds? I'll be spending all my time re-disabling each one in the group... :(


Ah, now it makes more sense! However, they could maybe add money "pouches" without changing the data type, right? ;)

I wouold say, based on the fact that I'm still playing, others are still playing, and that the membership seems to be growing that they are doing a good job.

I do believe they have MUCH room for improvement. But, I would say "GOOD" is an acccurate description of their job.

Im sorry but im gonna have to say no they arent doing a good job for alot of reasons and i know they can do better.

I agree with Chris. It's a great game but they could do better.

Uhhh... iunno.

LOL :D Well with the fun ones - I think we are all a bit greedy ;)

I don't think General Flying was the issue - which is why it got ignored so long. It wasn't until it got used in SvS to kill other pirates on boats that they had to address it... we're just victims of it.

Maybe oneday they could allow code to be inserted which allows flying from normal ships and not SvS - but I doubt it. I have to say that your Flying - and my Hex - are gone... RIP :skull:

Well, getting it to work is first :) Yes - I find that 20 seconds will be too short for gernades (my other pet peeve) - but at least if they have the code in we can all pressure them for longer times :D

That really is the $65,000 question isn't it... we're still playing - so it may not be up to par... but it can't be 'bad' (maybe the Poll should of been a scale of 1 to 5 :) )

Ed Zachary! What Max sez.

Look, if we're woilling to pay the $10/month (or whatever you're paying) you MUST think you're getting good value. If not, WHAT ARE YE DOING?!

If yer a free player--come on--how can ye have complaints? It's free, ye know?

I will have to point out that anyone who is working on a game doesn't like leaving bugs in their game no matter how "fun" they are for the players.

Of course the POTCO staff is doing a good job. The staff is smaller than most other online games. They could work on content and getting rid of bugs faster but they're doing ok.

I'd like to also point out that if you don't know what it's like to make a game then complaining about adding in things faster and getting rid of bugs seems out of the question. I believe almost none of us here know what it's like to help make an onlnie game.

As far as how much you have to pay monthly, if you don't like paying 10$ a month try paying 80$ a year. It's 40$ cheaper than the 10$ a month for a year.
I also believe that other games charge much more money than what POTCO asks from us.

IMO they should at least try to make them legit. If they want to keep people playing, they need to allow players to play the way they want (and in my case, the way I always had), and certainly not knowingly take out things that people like. And think about it - despite the "additions" and "fixes", the game has just gotten quieter and quieter. What they're doing is just not working.

While I have not ever created a game, I've certainly played with a ton of code (and didn't even break anything, even on the PS2! LoL). Now, I've never seen what Pirates' looks like, but if it's like any of the other games I've messed with, certain values can be changed really, really easily. Oh, and the clothing deal - I've made new skins for the critters in Zoo Tycoon. Considering the age of the games, Pirates' clothing had better not be more complicated than that. ;)

I voted no.

They have test servers, but apparently completely ignore the feedback they get from test. I read countless gripes from testers about glitches in test from the last update, and lo and behold, we're all dealing with those glitches now, although they are being slowly corrected.

The game was prematurely launched. I think we all agree on that point. We have a year-old game with one story line. I've never played a MMORPG in my life yet I'm mastered on this one. I'm thinking it should have been delayed on release as to make it more challenging. If a doofus like me can master in the first year...

Disney seems to favor surface over substance - "give them new weapons (which are just glorified versions of what we already have) and dances and they won't notice there's nothing new that's concrete to cling to". Hey...I like new pretties as much as the next gal, but I'd MUCH rather have a new story line and increased caps than a turkey (or dried beef) dinner.

And the curse??? I'm sorry. What the H was the point in that? All flash, no meat. We can all PvP every day, all day. And, if the GMs are to be believed, we're in for another round of it over Thanksgiving weekend. To what purpose? To keep us occupied for a while so we don't notice lack of new content. That's my thinking.

I'm probably just being harsh, but I really think they need to get on the ball and deliver substantial new content ASAP.

I believe they are working.
Most of the updates that have happened in the last two or three months are only happening to stall us.

You don't need to know psychology to figure out that most of these updates are here to keep us excited before the "big update".
I believe most of us have been waiting for a new story quest chapter, am I right? The pirates staff has had more than enough "extra time" during these small updates to be working on the second story quest.
Give the developers some credit. They're a small staff doing their best. Give it another month or two and some "big" changes will probably happen.

I think that's the idea, but that's not what's actually happening (I'm know I'm not the only one still playing despite everything - if it weren't for my guild...). And if anything, the additions to date, for me, have been D crying wolf.

Well, I don't blame the "devs", because they're not the ones at fault. Mr. Lead Designer or whatever his title was, OTOH... LoL

And as far as a real update goes, I'm not holding my breath. Considering how quiet the game has gotten, I don't see why D would risk putting a lot of time and effort into something big. When SvS came out it D thought it was a big enough deal that they pushed it in commercials and everything, but the novelty seemed to wear off in days. Who knows what'll happen next...

No!!
 

Disney is not doing a good job, politically. They have gotten rid of many things people liked, and updated thing too fast. Though, in game material they are doing... O.K.
:12_1_138:

I like their idea of fun, parties, ideal custom ships... So overal i rate them a 76.3%

If you mean things such as the emotes and glitches like the skellie one, that was more than likely removed because people abuse them. And IMO they aren't updating fast enough. They need more things to do for high level pirates.

The only problem I have is with SvS and PvP. They "fixed" the flying glitch to keep people from cheating in SvS. However, the Ship invincibality glitch is still there. NOW there is the tripple shot on cannons. Not to mention how many people will combine that with the Unlimited ammo glitch. You now have people combining all 3 and cheating like crazy!!!!!

With PvP you have countless glitches there as well. It seems a good 90% of people who SvS and PvP have no idea how to defeat someone on equal terf....the cowards.

So my question has always been why in the heck did they spend their time changing the HEX shot, removing the wall hacks, kings glitch and, NOT fix the glitches that affect other players in a negative way?

Exactly Bella. Sure they're doing an okay job on certain things but they're leaving some really big things like all those glitches untouched.

See?
 

This is what I mean. No one was abusing the glitch. You complaining nothing fun for the 40's? Last time I checked, most of the men, (lvl 40's) where glitching, (skellie) They were only crashing because, ( if you have never played like I have...) you wouldnt know the rules that we made up for it.

Horus

The skellie glitch is still being done and is being used to cheat in SvS as Bella pointed out. Idk about you but that sounds like theyre abusing it to me.

Pretty much, the game used to be a giant search for enemies, and getting venom, and boring stuff like that. Luckily we're getting a little more action. Although, I wish they'd add smaller things to the game every week or so, so they don't overload themselves with multiple upgrades and jumping to fix one problem and causing another. They're doing good, it's just they're putting way too much against themselves to be anything big.

I have to say no, they haven't been doing a good job. Lately they have been at least doing something.

Deciding to do something about Hex shot and some of these things, umm 9 months later, I don't think is a good job.
Not fixing problems and going with a overall solution, not good. Just wonderful trying to hit a grenadier that backs into rocks out of reach. Just so all wall glitches and soldiers at Kings can run through anything.

40's only been downgraded, we can't say we have got a single thing to work further, yup also like 9 months. Thus why some of us see the 250 players that use to be in our guilds, at maybe three now.

People cry for something to go forward, content further on, new stuff.

We get what svs, filled with glitches and degrades because 40's rip everyone up, even if others cheat.

While this is geared to only making level 12 free accounts equal to level 40 payed accounts, there are going to be complaints, and low behold - guilds getting smaller.

You that think some of this a good thing maybe should think again, or why get in a guild that you will soon be talking only to yourself.

People leaving in troves speaks for it self, end of story.

I also had to vote no. I've been bored with the game for months; so bored that I decided to stop paying.

I started two new pirates after my first pirate finished her Black Pearl Boss battle. I got my first pirate to the voodoo staff, but don't want to just grind away on weapons to get to level 40; which seems to be the only real task left. Sure there are the clothing, the tattoo, the new (albeit, not much better) weapons, the menagerie quests, and running around trying to get every last bit of treasure to fill out your chest but, honestly, those don't beat story line quests.

SvS was interesting, but the amount of lag and then the cheating brought it down. The Halloween "event," which should have been a big to do to celebrate their first anniversary, was just a disappointment; come on, be honest... should an event last for 10 minutes?

I'm not even going to go into the ever increasing number of floating NPC and the number that attack from out of range at lightening speed that you can not hit back. I've sent in the bug reports and so have many, many others, but no one seems to care; instead they decided to mess up bugs that were at least fun.

I'm also going to ignore that they feel the need to completely neglect the adults that play between the hours of midnight and 6am; let me give you a surprise.... some people who play work 3rd shift and this is when they get home to relax, but please don't have the Halloween event during their hours; it's ok, go ahead and take down the entire game only during those hours; if you're going to argue that it's a kids game, why not take it down during school and first shift working hours when kids shouldn't be playing anyway.

Many of my Pirate friends have left. If one of my guilds didn't meet up every Thursday, I don't know that I'd still be playing.

I'll keep waiting for a new update that I feel the need to pay for so that I can participate, but I'm not holding my breath.

Not great, but improving.

Well I am on my fourth and final pirate, the others are at 40 and this one is at 33, and if by the time I reach 40 on the final pirate there STILL isnt any new quest to carry us to at least 50 I will probably just move on. That is unless I get the kick to just help out others with my 40's but even that gets very old after a while.

Why we still cant battle jolly roger is beyond me at this point. Why there remains no suitable quests to get excited about now exacerbates the point made above.

I realize some might not know but it isn't a matter of programming holding up future products but all the other political mess is dragging the game down. It is like having 25 sub-contractors trying to tell the builder what to do and instead of showing leadership and gowing forward with a decision it is easier to just mill through the data and take valueable, precious time doing so because, like my father in law the Psychologist in Nashville once told me - jokinly I must assume,

" You don't want to heal them (patients) if you solve all their problems they won't need to come back and that hurts the bottom line. Instead you want to help them just enough to keep them coming back."

I keep coming back, ergo, I must love the game despite the reasons listed on this thread not to. The proof is in the obvious.

it depends on what you are talking about. moneywise, definatly. i dont think they are doing too great with their games-they need more ideas.