Potential

[Dr. Zeppers]

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?

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by OFxZeppers

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?

Of course we all know the game is almost a year old but we need to remember that more things will come.
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?

[Edward Edgemenace]

Originally Posted by Swash

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 SAY WHAT?
Able to do Entire Carver quest
Able to make 2 pirates
Able to Befriend other pirates

Thats alot of features compared to ToonTown

Having spent quite a bit of time both as unlimited and basic, I do think I should point out a few things from a better perspective.

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?

[James tthe lighthearted]

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.

[davy redflint]

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.

[Captain Jessie Hawk]

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?

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by Captain Jessie Hawk

I'm going to agree with everything stated here in the main post. For ten dollars a month it is practically a rip off.

Pay the 80$ a year like I do.
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)

[Maximvs]

Originally Posted by Jessie Hawk

Pirates of the Burning Seas (ten dollars a month)

Did the price change cause it was 15... not including the purchase of the game itself...

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

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by Maximvs

No arguement that more content is needed - just the price diffference to what you get should be compared as well

And if you've played pirates of the burning sea at all then you'll know how horrible the ship battles are.
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.

[Captain Jessie Hawk]

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.

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by Captain Jessie Hawk

This feels like a game that was incomplete being advertised way to early.

The game was released earlier than it should have been.
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..

[Captain Jessie Hawk]

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!

[BladeSlicer]

Originally Posted by theblastmage

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

I got on a flagship with a high level crew and survived by using a voodoo doll and standing somewhere casting spells.I'm a lv11 what makes me differant from a lv10.

The thid post - check this out - http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart3.html

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by BladeSlicer

I got on a flagship with a high level crew and survived by using a voodoo doll and standing somewhere casting spells.I'm a lv11 what makes me differant from a lv10.

The thid post - check this out - http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart3.html

Looks like Toontown is still right up there on the activity.