Game Insider #28: April '09 Newsletter

[Kaionai]

I think people who are founder's shouldnt have to pay to play...

[Batleth]

Originally Posted by OFxZeppers

I dont disagree with what you say about them doing a good job.

How about offering us unlimited players a free 3 month extension on our accounts saving US some money instead of extending it to those thate are not contributing to the game? Havent we 'earned' anything? Certainly more than those that are not paying. I can tell you why, because their purpose is NOT to relieve those having hard times, but to generate MORE unlimited users by hooking them in with free play. The ploy about the economy is PR progaganda.

Remember, we're talking about Diney.

Originally Posted by Kaionai

I think people who are founder's shouldnt have to pay to play...

I disagree with that but perhaps a discount rate would be nice. When TT went from beta to open, they gave their beta testers a discount rate on their accounts. I haven't seen Diney do that with any of their other games since. Which is a real shame since this would be a great incentive to get a core base of users to start the game off with. As we're seeing now, there are not that many founders left and getting fewer by the day.

In the past few months, we've also seen events become a vital part of Pirates Online. Not only do these events propel story points (like the recent EITC conspiracy and attacks) but they've really helped to bring our community together. I encourage you to get involved in these events - they're a great way to meet your fellow buccaneers and release your inner-Pirate. In the future, these events will offer some pretty unique Pirate experiences, and we'll be rewarding those that participate in really special ways. As I've said before, while it's great to meet GM Captain Walter, what if he had a Quest for you the next time you met him or what if you came face to face with Captain Jack Sparrow?

Did they learn nothing from VMK? This entire course of actions leads to nothing but favoritism within the game. It causes resentment and jealousy. Either add content for all pirates or not at all!

[Aliese]

By reducing the polygon count on avatars, we've improved game performance - can you tell the difference?

Well, Big D, that really depends on what you mean. If you mean did I notice how you maimed my pirates, then the answer would be yes.

If you instead mean, did I noticed improved game performance, then the answer would be no.

[Commodore Larence]

I was dissapointed when I read this latest news-letter... I agree with the other person who said these things are getting very cheesey. It wouldnt be hard at all to throw in a few special quests to tide some of us over for a few months, few new clothing items or some thing, a tat, some jewelery. I was all set to come back from basic when I seen the news letter with all the images, then read what was in it lol...

Larence Tuppington

[Erich Uchiha]

We'll Commodore as they mentioned above, They need to work on basic game layout and preformance before they work on basic content.

Heck, aren't there like 10 people working on the POTCO game alone? I think New PR, PDF, And Tortuga are a pretty good addition for that amount of time. Heres my 2 cents on this. They tide us over with some storyline (Probably making it up as they go along) with the EITC as there working on content at the same time and when they finish the content they will mess with the story a little bit and sqeeze the content into the story. If they add new clothing jewlery etc. I see them saying "Due to the latest attack on the EITC we pirates have been awarded with new lootings" Or something along that line.

To sum it up, im very glad that the POTCO makes these newsletters every once and awhile it really gives older players something to look forward to, If you can call me an older player. (I joined February of 2008).

[Commodore Larence]

Originally Posted by indypirate

We'll Commodore as they mentioned above, They need to work on basic game layout and preformance before they work on basic content.

Heck, aren't there like 10 people working on the POTCO game alone? I think New PR, PDF, And Tortuga are a pretty good addition for that amount of time. Heres my 2 cents on this. They tide us over with some storyline (Probably making it up as they go along) with the EITC as there working on content at the same time and when they finish the content they will mess with the story a little bit and sqeeze the content into the story. If they add new clothing jewlery etc. I see them saying "Due to the latest attack on the EITC we pirates have been awarded with new lootings" Or something along that line.

To sum it up, im very glad that the POTCO makes these newsletters every once and awhile it really gives older players something to look forward to, If you can call me an older player. (I joined February of 2008).

I never said any thing negative about them sending out a news letter... I am just dissapointed with the content in it. More lame story lines that dont really affect the game that much. It is not that hard to put some side quests in the game, that is what people are wanting, most of us who have been playing since the game came out have nothing left to do. I am also not that psyched with the " Game Masters" in the game, I find alot of what theyre doing as just a way to waste time, and try to keep people interested in the game while they drag their feet developing things. They keep mentioning all this RPG talk when the GM's are going to be online, and half the time all they do is babble, they don't really seem all that into playing a role. They also are kind of coming up with all these bizzare RPG based story lines where they want you to come up with your own things to do, that benefit your character none at all. If I wanted to make up my own tasks and quests, I would be in my grandmas basement with my level 25 Wizard uncle sitting around an old card table casting spells with guys wearing alf tshirts, and drinking from cups with wookies on them. They tossed together all the new island updates in about a month because so many people (me being one of them) dropped their unlimited access. The new updates are pretty meaningless to me as far as game play goes, I run the game on a good system and have the settings set to what I can handle; all this lag they are fixing has never been an issue for me. They have cut down the character detail level to where it looks like Rune Scape now. I can tell the difference lol... I dont care what "big brother" is telling people, I know what I can see for myself. They are making tons of money off POTCO and not putting more effort into the game, just absorbing all the profit they can. The game ran for close to a year with no real updates to it untill now, all they had to spend money on was keeping the servers up, and paying their tech line people (who I would say do tech support for all of the Disney games any how). I am dissapointed because I want to play the game again, there is just nothing there to do now.

Larence Tuppington

[Dr. Zeppers]

Originally Posted by Commodore Larence

It is not that hard to put some side quests in the game, that is what people are wanting, most of us who have been playing since the game came out have nothing left to do.

Actually I think more of us that have been playing a long time, and have nothing to do are actually TIRED of the silly little side quests they keep adding in to try to keep us busy.
There was alot of similar discussion when the last batch of weapons quests were added in.

What I think most actually WANT is a new story quest, a substantial addition. I grow tired of the little tidbits personally, and I know i've read similar comments from our members here.

[Crazypirate]

Doesn't the graphics level controls allow players with slower computers turn down the graphics to prevent lag? Why punish everyone to improve the game for a few?

[Dr. Zeppers]

Originally Posted by Crazypirate

Doesn't the graphics level controls allow players with slower computers turn down the graphics to prevent lag? Why punish everyone to improve the game for a few?

Normally, i'd agree 100% with that statement.

Being a computer gameaholic, I have always strived for cutting edge hardware. And have run the game with dual highend ATI cards, running in Crossfire mode. Even then, this game tends to lag.. or at least did. Other games I play run in excess of 200+ frames a second in the wildest most stressful scenarios. I have since removed the extra card as I found they are highend enough to offer similar performance by themselves. Other games still run awesome, pirates still lagged.

Panda the graphics engine/coding used for POTCO is not the most efficient performance wise, however COST/Licensing wise I believe its free... IMO herein lies the problem. But to redo it all in a new engine would be a serious setback at this point.

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by OFxZeppers

Panda the graphics engine/coding used for POTCO is not the most efficient performance wise, however COST/Licensing wise I believe its free... IMO herein lies the problem. But to redo it all in a new engine would be a serious setback at this point.

Yep, it's free.
They update the Panda 3D engine about once a year. At least from record it looks like once a year. It will probably take them another five years or so for the engine to be pretty efficient.

Diney made the engine themselves and after the previous posts in this thread I'm sure most of us know why.

Redoing the engine would really take away their time. All we can hope for is that with it's updates Panda will get better.

[Nelly Darkpaine]

Id like some new pirate customization options, and more storage along with quests... it pretty much sucks at this point.

I have a new baby pirate Im working on, and Im trying to be as patient as possible to wait for new content for my Level 40.

[Commodore Larence]

Dont get me wrong, I want more than just side quests. I want a new story chapter more than any thing. I am just saying if we had some actual things to do while waiting on the new story chapter it would not be so bad. As it is now, there is just flat nothing left for most of us to do. If there were enough side quests for substantial rewards besides like 100 gold...etc.... I would be glad to piddle with those for the next couple of months while waiting on a new story chapter, and still pay for unlimited access. I personally think there should be a new quest added each week for a clothing,tat, or jewelery item; then taken away so that what people are rewarded with becomes all the more unique. As it is now, with a level 40 pirate, pretty much mastered all but a couple levels I can find just as much to do on basic, as unlimited.


Larence Tuppington

[Juliana Maria]

Originally Posted by Commodore Larence

I personally think there should be a new quest added each week for a clothing,tat, or jewelery item; then taken away so that what people are rewarded with becomes all the more unique. As it is now, with a level 40 pirate, pretty much mastered all but a couple levels I can find just as much to do on basic, as unlimited.

That would be nice.. to have a quest every week. I am sure it would be a challenge to come out with but if it was doable, I say bring on weekly quests! I'll agree the game has gotten boring for those who are fully mastered. That is why I started me second pirate. And I have to admit, I'm having fun again! WIth Maria I was rushing to get her fully mastered so when the new updates come and the notoriety cap increases, she could have a head start.... But with Juliana (my newest pirate) I'm taking me time and actually enjoying the game. It's making all the difference.. plus me new guild BBK makes it all the more fun! Plus I'm leveling her right this time, at least perfecting how I level her from experiences I had with Maria. And so far.. it's working...

[Eliza Creststeel]

The sad truth is - for those who came in from the beginning witnessed this game go through its birth pangs at its initial release, then the long drought (Was the budget or number of staff was severly cut?) with the assumption they had to merely maintain status quo or just limp along.

POTCO was already late in its release and obviously far from complete. And the staff appears to have spent a good part of the past year just trying to put out bug issues, let alone develop new material.

Hats off to these guys now or the new guys who have come in, because they have stepped back, and appear to have started back closer to square one. Granted the newsletter cheese and material of no substance is a bit grating.

Its going to SUCK for a while longer, but in the long run - it should get a LOT better. Question is - will any of us still want to be around? I took a month off in January and am considering doing it again in all honesty.

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by Eliza Creststeel

The sad truth is - for those who came in from the beginning witnessed this game go through its birth pangs at its initial release, then the long drought (Was the budget or number of staff was severly cut?) with the assumption they had to merely maintain status quo or just limp along.

The Disney games POTCO and Toontown have always had small staffs. It took them three years to make the game and then release it. If it took them three years to just make the game I can see why it's taking them so long.

Don't blame the devs for the shortage of staff members, though. The shortage is to save money. If the game had about thirty people working that'd mean a lot more money the game would have to make so the devs could get their money.
Their average pay, from what I believe after searching the net, is about 200 to 250 thousand dollars a year. The gaming industry is really speeding up.

I still think they should have put five years into the game instead of three. If they wouldn't have released the game just to get out before POTBS the game could have been good. As the game grows I'm sure more staff members will be included since the more money the game makes the more they can spend.