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
