On the deck with developers
 

In the past year, we've seen many changes in the Caribbean, but what lies ahead? In response to your recent questions, we asked the man in charge of Pirates Online development for answers - here's what he had to say:

My name is Greg Wiatroski and I am the lead developer on Pirates of the Caribbean Online. My job is to oversee the development of all in-game features. I work very closely with the Community, Marketing, and Publishing teams to decide which of many great ideas we want to make happen. Then we have to decide how and when they will get done. I work with a great team of artists and engineers who are all really committed to making Pirates a truly great game.

Ship Customization

We know that being able to express yourself is a huge part of the online game experience. We've always planned on letting players be able to make their ships as unique as they are. We plan on letting players customize their sails, masthead, and many trim pieces and accessories for starters. We've been debating having different pieces affect the gameplay mechanics. This would let players customize their ships for the style of play they prefer.

Loot and Inventory System

We would love to add a more traditional inventory system to Pirates. Think something along the lines of bags and slots - like your traditional RPG. This would allow us to do lots of things - like player trading, for instance. Hand in hand with the new inventory system, we'd like to offer the players more rewards. Again, think of the more traditional RPG loot: weapons that boost certain attributes so the player has to make some decisions about what skills they want to be better at.

Basic vs. Unlimited

We are always re-evaluating the access for Basic Players. Traditionally we add features for Basic members when we add something more for Unlimited Members. So keep watching the release notes, we are constantly adding to the game!

GMs and GM Ships

Our Community team is really excited about the opportunity to make in-game appearances. I was able to participate in the event we did to announce the upcoming Halloween event. I can honestly say it was really fun and we learned a lot from all of you. I think the players can look forward to many more events like this including meeting some very famous Pirates, participating in treasure hunts, pirate bounties, and other exciting adventures.

So what's the deal with Davy Jones and the Kraken? Do you have plans to add them to the game? Any hints on when that might happen?

Yes, we are definitely planning on adding Davy Jones and the Kraken to the game, and along with them will be all new Quests. Stay tuned for more details!

Is it possible to solo your way through the game, or do you need to join a Crew and/or Guild? Which would you recommend?

It is possible to solo, but a core part of our game is the ability for players to assemble a crew of friends. Crews and Guilds are both useful in different ways. Joining a Crew is like playing a pickup basketball game, where you play with different people every time. Crews work together and treasure is split according to the Pirate Code. Joining a Guild is more like playing in a league - you play with the same people every time.

Will you be adding more Guild features to the game?

We do have plans to add more Guild features. We don't have a full design yet, but keep a lookout for more details in the future.

Any plans to add pets to the game? Possibly parrots? Or is that too Pirate-cliché?

We love the idea of adding pets to the game, and that is definitely an option for future expansions. However, we have other major features we are focusing on rolling out first that will introduce more gameplay.

What is the biggest challenge you, or the development team as a whole, has faced with Pirates Online?

The biggest challenge has been introducing new content fast enough for our really hardcore fans. We are constantly having to strike a balance among bug fixes, broadening the content offering (e.g. clothing/tattoos/jewelry shops), and introducing more content for advanced players (Black Pearl, Davy Jones, etc).

Do the developers actually read any of the feedback that players send in or does Customer Service handle all of that?

Yes, we definitely do! We are constantly shaping the game according to player feedback we receive through Customer Service and from what we read on fan forums.

More can be found here:
http://apps.pirates.go.com/pirates/v...e_life_07.html

:SkullBullet1:

It's good to see some sort of update of what's on the horizon from the folks on the back end. With the plans they're stating, a revamp of how the game is designed and operates would be in order. From a developer's point of view, I can understand the time it's going to take for them to get this done. I'm definitely looking forward to what's in store!

I know I already saw this about three months ago.

I'm glad they're at least telling us they're working on things but it won't do any good if they don't release things when they say they'll be out. Does anyone remember that they promised the kraken would be out this year? IF it's not I'll never believe anything the devs tell us again.

Just trying to remain positive and remind everyone what they are working on. How long it will take is another story.

I wonder if they will ever raise the max notoriety lvl? What do you guys think?

Plus side to all this... they are at least working on all the updates we so desperately long for..
Down side.. doesn't hint to how long it will take to get said updates out..

Good to know tho thanks Aka!

Everyone keeps acting like it's taking an eternity for new content since POTCO officially launched. The way I see it is that they're on par with how ToonTown Online did. It took Disney 20 months from the time TT went Live to release the 2nd Cog headquarters. POTCO hasn't even been out 18 months yet. Sure the content provided in POTCO since launch isn't enough to get most people through until the next chapter is released. Not many games time it out perfectly. Disney hasn't had that good of a track record in that department, I'll admit, but they will get there eventually. It seems though that everyone's feeling like they've been playing this game for years when it's still a fledgling in the MMORPG world.

Also look at the cost of the game. Unlimited members are paying $10 a month (less if not paying per month). Most other MMORPG's out there require a $15-20 a month subscription fee. With a lower subscription fee, I'm sure Disney's development costs are lower than other games. For me this does show as POTCO doesn't even look as polished as other MMORPG's I've played (even ones I've played a decade ago) with what seems like basic features (e.g. inventory, item/gold transfer, easier ways to communicate, etc). I'm chalking it up to "we're getting what we're paying for." Also those that switch back to Basic Access (and pay Disney nothing) just because they're waiting on new content aren't helping because that's even less money to Disney's operating costs. I do agree that you shouldn't pay for it if you don't want to, especially if you're now getting any value from the game. That said, Disney is still a business and they need to show value & profit to their stakeholders.

I don't mean to say that we shouldn't feel forsaken and out of the loop on what Disney's plans are but seriously, it's not that bad. They'll get there eventually and I can be patient about it.

i wish they would hurry up!!!!!!!!!!

I have to agree with Sven, and I'm gad to hear that new things are coming soon. I've only been playing for about 3 months and I do love the spirit of comraderie and working together that this game engenders. I wish I had some info about which guild I should join, and had a better way to choose. The one I belong to on open, has tons of nice people, but they yak yak all the time about nothing. The one on test has gone silent and I never see them online anymore. If you all have any suggestions please say so. Thanks!
Andrea:piratear:

My best suggestion re. choosing a guild. Check out the ones listed below, and see if any of them suit your needs. Some have their own sub-forums, but a bunch are listed in the Guilds and Clans forum. Take a look.

I agree with Sven...under$10.00 a month is a good deal. Between leveling me pirates, guild & other events, & now the test site...this pirate keeps busy. Been playing almost a year, probably not as long as some, but at this point I am willing to give Disney time. POTCO has enough bugs for Disney to fix. If they rush into updates...imagine the chaos....

I have no issue with price as POTC Online is the best bang for the buck.....see my comments on that in the basic/unlimited discussion here:

http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/f...t=basic+access

:wheel:

This was removed from the news as it was posted back in Oct. '08. Please, only post news in the news forum.

Thank you.

:sign0096:

Thank you Batleth - I thought the same thing as Mac - that this wasn't new news.