Release Notes - December 16, 2008

[Edward Edgemenace]

As a person affected by the "velvet rope," I'd like to point out that I agree with Poison Elf.

Yes, I paid for unlimited. When it ran out and I reverted to basic, cannon ammo, dagger, grenades and staff were locked. Cutlass, pistol and voodoo doll skills were still PARTIALLY accessible by using the keyboard. I did not ever think that was accidental. It seemed like they were intended to be locked from earning those skills, not from using the skills your pirate had earned. (Actually, it was a relatively small sub-set of them.) For whatever reason, they've changed their minds about that.

I am glad that it is more consistent now. As Zeppers said, it is a step in the right direction. It certainly is less ambiguous.

For me personally, I'm sad that I can't effectively help people level cannons behind PDF anymore. I'm sad that my pirate can't (in good conscience) take the wheel (when requested) in SvS to help someone make a come-back...my level 40 basic pirate is now approximately equivalent to a level 9-level 12 unlimited pirate. When I try to help out now, it isn't even comical, it is just sad. But, such is life - no big deal.

One of my hobbies as basic, was to get Josie McReedy quests for molusks, then go use hex eater on them on abassa/tormenta to help whoever was there. I'd also clear seabeards out of the way for people. Now all I can do is add 5% crew bonus...I can barely survive a molusk (sometimes...but often not.)

Now, after the change, there is very little I can contribute to the overall well being of POTCO in-game. I can camp in Governor's Gardens - those level 9 sergeants I can usually handle. But I'm sure some will suggest that that is kill-stealing. /sigh.

Seeing knee-jerk comments (maybe just uninformed?) like Sarah's above, make me shake my head. They took skills away from PAYING customers that were dissatisfied and reverted to basic...not away from freeloaders, glitchers or griefers. They did it to alienate people who pay when there is content to pay for.

Unlimited access players can sell and buy back a war frigate to get their gold back down from 65,000. Basics like me, with several max-gold pirates, can only donate gold playing poker. I suppose that is viewed negatively too?

Seeing changes like this, make me wonder what Big D is afraid of. They didn't fix other horrific glitches with basic access that drive newcomers away. (E.g. Teleport then open a chat window by pressing ENTER crashes the game 100% of the time, in preview mode. Work-around is to click mouse in window after TP or when ship lands - which you usually don't have warning about.) If they are worried about losing revenue because people are going back to basic, then ADD THE KRAKEN so that basic is insufficient. If they are worried about PvP or SvS, then I hope they realize that changes like this (while perhaps more consistent) drive would-be players (and therefore returning, paying customers) away.

Unfortunately, I think Poison Elf was right on target - allowing basic and unlimited to mix, makes it too unpleasant for would-be paying (returning) customers. It is also sometimes moderately inconvenient to some unlimited pirates. (Not as inconvenient as the pervasive glitchers, but annoying in its own small way.)

[dpx]

Originally Posted by Edward Edgemenace

Seeing changes like this, make me wonder what Big D is afraid of. They didn't fix other horrific glitches with basic access that drive newcomers away. (E.g. Teleport then open a chat window by pressing ENTER crashes the game 100% of the time, in preview mode. Work-around is to click mouse in window after TP or when ship lands - which you usually don't have warning about.)

I'm sure if people would report glitches, instead of finding them and either exploiting them or ignoring them, Disney would fix them. I think most people tend to go to a forum such as this to report bugs, when the developers (in this case, Disney) need to be contacted about it. How is a forum community supposed to fix something they didn't make?

Originally Posted by Edward Edgemenace

ADD THE KRAKEN

I've read on the Grog Blog little snippets of them hinting that this might happen

[Sarah]

Seeing knee-jerk comments (maybe just uninformed?) like Sarah's above, make me shake my head. They took skills away from PAYING customers that were dissatisfied and reverted to basic...not away from freeloaders, glitchers or griefers. They did it to alienate people who pay when there is content to pay for.

No knee-jerking here. I understand players being dissatisfied with lack of content, I know I am, but if you decide to stop paying (for whatever reason), you should be placed back into whatever basic access abilities are allowed everyone on basic. Yes, you earned higher skills, but do you honestly think it unfair that because you worked for them while paying for the game, you should be able to keep them when you decide not to pay? What would be the point in anyone paying after leveling? Disney isn't alienating anyone waiting to pay when there is new content released. Disney is doing what any for-profit company is out to do, trying to keep you buying their product.

[Edward Edgemenace]

Originally Posted by dpx

I'm sure if people would report glitches, instead of finding them and either exploiting them or ignoring them, Disney would fix them. I think most people tend to go to a forum such as this to report bugs, when the developers (in this case, Disney) need to be contacted about it. How is a forum community supposed to fix something they didn't make?

I know from firsthand experience, that "properly" reported glitches are never fixed satisfactorily. I know that Disney admits to monitoring this site, anyhow. And I know others here on this forum that also report glitches "properly" as they are isolated or reproduced consistently. Are you suggesting that "infinite-ammo/skeleton glitch" has been fixed?

Originally Posted by Sarah

No knee-jerking here. I understand players being dissatisfied with lack of content, I know I am, but if you decide to stop paying (for whatever reason), you should be placed back into whatever basic access abilities are allowed everyone on basic. Yes, you earned higher skills, but do you honestly think it unfair that because you worked for them while paying for the game, you should be able to keep them when you decide not to pay? What would be the point in anyone paying after leveling? Disney isn't alienating anyone waiting to pay when there is new content released. Disney is doing what any for-profit company is out to do, trying to keep you buying their product.

I don't think you (nor Disney) has thought that through. People take a break (for whatever reason,) is quite different from leaving permanently. Just as "unlimited pirates" showcase abilities for new basics, so did "formerly unlimited pirates." They've lost that and much more, from spitefully degrading abilities of formerly unlimited pirates. But I seriously doubt they've encouraged even one pirate to repurchase unlimited, as a result.

[Diego Birmingham]

If pirates wanted to be Christmassy they could (theoretically) decorate their ships. Town decorations are done by townspeople.

[SGTRice]

lol i dunno... i guess you get what ye pay for.

[Poison elf]

[QUOTE=dpx;106690]I'm sure if people would report glitches, instead of finding them and either exploiting them or ignoring them, Disney would fix them. I think most people tend to go to a forum such as this to report bugs, when the developers (in this case, Disney) need to be contacted about it. How is a forum community supposed to fix something they didn't make?


I would disagree to this statement as well. To even the point other than reporting some things - to even posting some here to get others to report it.

Before the build came out that changed hex shot, I reported and listed it and others things that to this day have never been fixed. Though I think the point buy back was one of the better things they have done, changing things like cutlass and dagger to do so, left many with skipped combos others never can have.

Another one is the quick cast desolation been out for a couple months now.

So, being reported, also being posted here, I even took it a step further. In the tavern take over, I did the quick cast right in front of a GM and asked what he thought the effect to little pirates is, with desolation and skipped combos for things like the curse?

Both things are still in the game to this day. So those thinking these things just get fixed when reported, I think are barking up the wrong tree.

I agree with Edward there is nothing to bring unlimited back. I get on vent now and then and talk to people that left around svs update.

What can I tell them, cannon reduced, dagger reduced, all pvp reduced. One upgrade weapon event, to not get unless you are fully mastered. Basically can't tell them anything but perhaps they can buy skill points back, that it in itself with above problems.

I can't agree that Disney is trying to keep people buying their product, what evidence is there of this? Pirates at level 40 with everything mastered has what incentive to come back from 6 months ago?

[Edward Edgemenace]

Originally Posted by Poison elf

How is a forum community supposed to fix something they didn't make?

lol, exactly. Well said.

Originally Posted by Poison elf

...What can I tell them, cannon reduced, dagger reduced, all pvp reduced. One upgrade weapon event, to not get unless you are fully mastered. Basically can't tell them anything but perhaps they can buy skill points back, that it in itself with above problems.

BASIC members are allowed to "buy back" their skill points, but that is catastrophic in most cases. The skill points bought back cannot be reallocated past rank 2, only on the very few skills that remain unlocked. When I say that my level 40 Edward functions like a level 9 to level 12 unlimited, I mean it. The extra health points allow me to survive on the colossus flag sometimes, but only if I run well enough. (Yup, I went to jail during double gold.)

Just FYI, if anyone asks you, a fully mastered formerly unlimited (now basic) pirate can do these 17 things:

Cannon: Round shot, chain shot, grape shot. (same)
Sailing: Full sail, come about. (Before 12/16/2008: open fire, ramming speed, take cover and leadership via keyboard only.)
Cutlass: Hack, slash, cleave, sweep. (Before 12/16/2008: brawl, taunt and blade storm.)
Pistol: Lead shot, venom shot, bane shot. (Before 12/16/2008: hex eater, silver shot and steel shot.)
Voodoo doll: Poke, swarm, heal. (Before 12/16/2008: curse, scorch, cure, grave shackles and life drain.)
Dagger, grenades and voodoo staff entirely locked. (same)

But lose these 64 abilities:

Cannon: Firebrand, thunderbolt, explosive, fury, barrage and shrapnel.
Sailing: Open fire, ramming speed, take cover, leadership, tacking, treasure sense and taskmaster.
Cutlass: Flourish, thrust, brawl, taunt, blade storm and endurance.
Pistol: Hex eater shot, silver shot, steel shot, dodge and eagle eye.
Voodoo doll: Curse, scorch, cure, grave shackles, life drain, focus and spirit ward.
Dagger: Cut, swipe, gouge, eviscerate, asp, adder, throw dirt, sidewinder, viper's nest, finesse and blade instinct.
Grenades: Throw, long volley, explosive, stink pot, fire bomb, smoke bomb, siege charge, determination, demolitions, toughness and ignore pain.
Voodoo staff: Blast, soul flay, pestilence, wither, flaming skull, banish, desolation, concentration, spirit lore, conservation and spirit mastery.