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Pirates of the Burning Sea: Looking at the Early Game

StraddenStradden Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696

In preparation for his full blown review, MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy takes a look at, and gives us his impressions of, the early game for Flying Lab Software's Pirates of the Burning Sea.

When Pirates of the Burning Sea first launched, I can recall being really excited to get into it, start swinging my cutlass, and battening the hatches. I had dabbled in the beta and was eager to see the game at release. Then, for some reason or another I never actually got around to joining the fray. Maybe my thirst for the Johnny Depp movies had faded and my lust to play a pirate disappeared with it, or maybe this was one time when the hype of a new launch was actually resisted by this humble writer. In any case, I've recently begun playing the title which is now two years live, and I'm slowly starting to wonder why I waited so long.

Read Looking at the Early Game.

Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com

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Comments

  • GyrusGyrus Member UncommonPosts: 2,413

    "PotBS is a game that relies heavily on instancing. Port towns are instanced, the open sea is its own instance, and each time you fight a ship on said sea you are transported to a private instance for you and your team/enemies. Still, unlike in other games where such a set-up might bother me, it doesn't here. The load times are short enough, and perhaps the necessity for having each section of the game presented in this manner makes enough sense for the loading screens to not throw off my sense of immersion. Of course I'd love it if there was nothing but hundreds of ships all over and in every port in one massive replica of the Caribbean, but something tells me that this development task would be nothing short of Herculean."

     

    Let us know how you feel about those loading screens after a week of play?

     

    As for the non instanced world?  WWIIoL.  Naval combat.

    It doesn't have to be to RL scale.  It doesn't have to include every little cove.

    The WWIIoL game may only include 3 types of ship - but it shows that it can be done.

     

    Oh... and if you intend to do a series (I don't know why since PotBS news stories tend to get a couple of hundred hits at most?) then PM me and I will tell you how to break the economy tutorials.

    And a few other bugs too.

    FLS would 'fix' bugs by closing the ticket.

    Nothing says irony like spelling ideot wrong.

  • ericbelserericbelser Member Posts: 783

    Sorry but that is an awfully shallow review. Some things that might leap out at you as you continue to play:

    Naval combat is not in any way shape or form "realistic"; as you advance it becomes progressively more and more based on "magical"-like special abilities and miraculous special item usage such as sudden repairs while zooming along at full speed.  The lack of any depth system to the water and other factors makes many of the lighter ships completely pointless rapidly. The sailing speeds are in many cases ridiculous and you will see many ships behave more like drug running racing boats than sailing ships.

    Avatar combat is incredibly stale and simplistic, not only is everything heavily instanced but you will fight over the same handful of scenario maps over and over and over.

    (This I will admit is dated, but barring some massive changes) The economy only seems complex on the surface, it is in fact incredibly simplistic and in many ways pointless.

    The PvP and "factional" combat system is dominated by gimmickry and exploitation of game mechanics and revolves much more around how each side manipulates the system than any kind of battlefield skill or even numbers.

    On the bright side, if you like catchy tunes and pretty colors it is a very pretty game...

     

     

  • GyrusGyrus Member UncommonPosts: 2,413
    Originally posted by ericbelser


    Sorry but that is an awfully shallow review. Some things that might leap out at you as you continue to play:
    Naval combat is not in any way shape or form "realistic"; ...
    Avatar combat is incredibly stale and simplistic, not only is everything heavily instanced but you will fight over the same handful of scenario maps over and over and over.
    ...
    On the bright side, if you like catchy tunes and pretty colors it is a very pretty game...
     
     

    Well on the brighter side :

    Both critics AND users rated it higher than Star Trek Online...

    http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/piratesoftheburningsea

    http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/startrekonline

     

    Nothing says irony like spelling ideot wrong.

  • StraddenStradden Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
    Originally posted by ericbelser


    Sorry but that is an awfully shallow review. Some things that might leap out at you as you continue to play: 

     

    Maybe you found it to be a shallow review because it ISN'T A REVIEW?

    Right there, in the introductory text, it specifically states that this article is being done as a prelude to a review. This was, as stated, really just a look at the first few hours of gameplay.

    Cheers,
    Jon Wood
    Managing Editor
    MMORPG.com

  • VesaviusVesavius Member RarePosts: 7,908

    This game is ok, but it missed the boat (pun intended) by attempting to open up personal avatars at launch, rather then just focusing on becoming the tall ship EvE imo.

    If it had just been a bag assed wide open ocean dotted with resource laden islands and the player ability to establish colonies on them it could have been awesome. I could go on about 1000 ideas how a pirate mmo could be good, but in the end what we needed in PotBS was more sandbox.

    Like so many releases around the time it went live, it had a ton of unrealised  'potentiol'.

  • ericbelserericbelser Member Posts: 783
    Originally posted by Stradden

    Originally posted by ericbelser


    Sorry but that is an awfully shallow review. Some things that might leap out at you as you continue to play: 

     

    Maybe you found it to be a shallow review because it ISN'T A REVIEW?

    Right there, in the introductory text, it specifically states that this article is being done as a prelude to a review. This was, as stated, really just a look at the first few hours of gameplay.

     

    Prelude to a review, never heard of one of those before, is that like reading the box? Or a press release by the company?

     The title of the article is "Looking at the Early Game"...not "looking at the tutorial"; apologies if I expected more than a brief shill piece.

    P.S. "Better than Star-Trek Online" is certainly true....but it's perhaps up there with "freshest road-kill around" :)

     

     

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726
    Originally posted by ericbelser

    Originally posted by Stradden

    Originally posted by ericbelser


    Sorry but that is an awfully shallow review. Some things that might leap out at you as you continue to play: 

     

    Maybe you found it to be a shallow review because it ISN'T A REVIEW?

    Right there, in the introductory text, it specifically states that this article is being done as a prelude to a review. This was, as stated, really just a look at the first few hours of gameplay.

     

    Prelude to a review, never heard of one of those before, is that like reading the box? Or a press release by the company?

     The title of the article is "Looking at the Early Game"...not "looking at the tutorial"; apologies if I expected more than a brief shill piece.

    P.S. "Better than Star-Trek Online" is certainly true....but it's perhaps up there with "freshest road-kill around" :)

     

     

    Well gee sorry, but they do introduction pieces all the time here.  Helps if you read the title and first few lines of the article.   Nothing wrong with them, their intent is to give a new players perspective of the game.    Just because you have become jaded about the game is no reason to condemn the article.

     

  • ericbelserericbelser Member Posts: 783

    Yep...an "introduction" piece on a game that has been out how long? Please.

  • erictlewiserictlewis Member UncommonPosts: 3,022

    First Off I was surpsized by this article.  Pirates has been around for quite some time.   IT is an SOE game in other words part of SOE station pass if you go that route.

    I found the review to be more of the same we see around here,  and that is what I call sugar coated big time.

    I played pirates in beta, I am sure there have been tons of upgrades since then.   My main problem with this game is it is a lot lke STO, in fact i was almost sure they used the same engine server mechanics.  The reason why is all the instancing.  Open seas is like sector space or vice versta.   Then you have the stearing of ships in combat.

    Needless to say if you dont like sto your not going to like pirates,  and the same can be said vice versa, with the exception of pirates was there first.

     And why are we doing a reviw on a game thats been out for 3 years, and has low population.  In fact its one that SOE is looking at right now to go the route of the matrix.

  • Butch808Butch808 Member UncommonPosts: 369

    this game woulda been the tits if they made it more like EvE and less like sid meiers pirates.

  • VesaviusVesavius Member RarePosts: 7,908
    Originally posted by erictlewis
     And why are we doing a reviw on a game thats been out for 3 years, and has low population.
     



     

    Well, i guess they take the view that MMORPGs are constantly in flux and need re-reviews now and again, especially after 3 years. A view I agree with tbh.

    The size of a game's pop should never be a reason to not re-review it... I can't even see how that it's even relevant. A live game is a live game and deserves to be looked at with an objective eye.

     

  • NeblessNebless Member RarePosts: 1,835
    Originally posted by erictlewis


    IT is an SOE game - No it's an FLS game (independent company) that runs it's billing through SOE.
     I played pirates in beta, I am sure there have been tons of upgrades since then.   My main problem with this game is it is a lot lke STO, in fact i was almost sure they used the same engine server mechanics.  The reason why is all the instancing.  Open seas is like sector space or vice versta.   Then you have the stearing of ships in combat.
    Needless to say if you dont like sto your not going to like pirates,  and the same can be said vice versa, with the exception of pirates was there first. - Having played both (STO in OB and PotBS just last month for Vet Trials) all I can say is if STO was HALF the game PotBS was/is it wouldn't be in such bad shape now.
     And why are we doing a reviw on a game thats been out for 3 years, and has low population.  In fact its one that SOE is looking at right now to go the route of the matrix. - Being that they don't own it all they could really do is cut the contract to handling the billing for FLS.  Whiether or not FLS would be able to find someone else to do it for them - paypal maybe - is a different question.  FLS has it's own servers and launchers so the billing part really would be the only issue.

    As a pre-board member I've seen alot of this game.  Personally I love the setting, the way some of the stuff is handled and the look and personally I absolutely hate some of the directions the dev's have taken it in.  None of which has anything to do with the OP article.

     

    He looked at the tutorial, and as a tutorial it's better than the stock one from launch.   Yes there is a lot to learn and yes if you don't read the pop ups you get you'll be lost.  But as he saw, it introduces the game nicely, makes you feel like you're part of the setting and get's a number of major points across.  One thing that changed that he didn't mention is each nation has it's own flavored tutorial, they're not all alike.

    As to why review an old game.  Why write WoW or AoC articles?  They've been out awhile too.  New players are always coming into the community.  PotBS is a game that should have been better than it is I agree but that doesn't make it a bad game.  From a straight PvE perspective it's better than some currently out there because it does require some thinking in ship combat.  Avatar combat I think was poorly done from the start and I don't like their big change as I think it made it worse but it is doable if not particularly compelling. 

    It's a nice looking game, it is over instanced, there are more land  maps now, it has pretty much zero replay (reroll as a different nation) valve as the quest missions are the same with the exception of just a handful, Ship combat does require some tactics (the bull in the china shop style won't cut it), pop is way down which hurts the overall game, Many of the PvE questlines are very well written, travel time in game is a real time sink .........

    All in all it can be a fun game.  I currently don't think it's worth $15.00 a month as a maxed out PvE player, but if you play other Station Pass games then it probably is at the discount you'd be paying for it.

    SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter

  • MrhockeyMrhockey Member Posts: 5

    The leveling in game is ok, mostly missions, some are quit well written and humorous if you take the time to read the txt. 

    The real end game is Realm Vs Realm and PVP at level 50. The leveling process gives you almost no training for the PVP. The PvP mechanics in the game are fantastic. It's one of the best combination of stragtic and tactical gameplay I've seen in a MMO. The core of the game is 6 person group PVP, and the larger 24v24 port balltes where factions fight for control of territory.

    The PVP is highly skill based.  A competitive, focused, group of 6 players can easily sink players in much more expensive ships. Character Skill and Ship builds are also a  huge factor in your success in PVP, like many MMO's there are thousands bulids but only a handful of effetive bulids.  Unfortunately, the Pirate classes are less suited to 6v6 and Portbattles, though they make excellent commerce raiders, gankers and small group fighters. So It's often better to roll a national if we wish to be comeptive in RvR.

    Because the game is so pvp based and so many people roll pirates the seas are flooded with gankers, and real hostility exists between the players of various factions. One must not enter a PVP zone alone and not expect to be engaged and often out numbered 6 to 1. The PVP is a lot of fun if your in a group of people who know what they're doing, it can be be a total boondoggle if they don't.

     

  • VetarniasVetarnias Member UncommonPosts: 630

    Is it just me who finds the title misleading?  "Looking at the Early Game"?  Maybe the author's early game, but PotBS was released two years ago.  Why wait two years before writing a review? Is this the amount of time MMORPG.com usually waits before writing reviews, or did you grace us with a review of Tabula Rasa before it went down?

    I also note that this article (and, I fear, his later review) lacks an awareness of the game's history, of what the main issues were and in some cases still are. 

  • erictlewiserictlewis Member UncommonPosts: 3,022
    Originally posted by Vetarnias


    Is it just me who finds the title misleading?  "Looking at the Early Game"?  Maybe the author's early game, but PotBS was released two years ago.  Why wait two years before writing a review? Is this the amount of time MMORPG.com usually waits before writing reviews, or did you grace us with a review of Tabula Rasa before it went down?
    I also note that this article (and, I fear, his later review) lacks an awareness of the game's history, of what the main issues were and in some cases still are. 



     

    Yea I thought it very misleading the games been around for quite a while, and its saying early game.

  • Leftnut59Leftnut59 Member Posts: 16

    Think of it as a foreplay before sex. Tried POTBS lasted about 3 days. Not sure what it was but, I did not find anything compelling to play any more.

  • ItsButtersItsButters Member Posts: 1
    Originally posted by erictlewis


    First Off I was surpsized by this article.  Pirates has been around for quite some time.   IT is an SOE game in other words part of SOE station pass if you go that route.
    I found the review to be more of the same we see around here,  and that is what I call sugar coated big time.
    I played pirates in beta, I am sure there have been tons of upgrades since then.   My main problem with this game is it is a lot lke STO, in fact i was almost sure they used the same engine server mechanics.  The reason why is all the instancing.  Open seas is like sector space or vice versta.   Then you have the stearing of ships in combat.
    Needless to say if you dont like sto your not going to like pirates,  and the same can be said vice versa, with the exception of pirates was there first.
     And why are we doing a reviw on a game thats been out for 3 years, and has low population.  In fact its one that SOE is looking at right now to go the route of the matrix.

     

    Let me address some of these points. It is like Pirates only in the most basic form, as far as i know. I played STO in Beta, and was underwhelmed.

     

    There are many different layers to the end game (ship combat) whereas STO seemed to be whoever had the larger ship won. In PotBS, you can have a much smaller ship, and still defeat one or maybe two larger ships. The mechanics lend themselves to this.

    I also must assume this pre-review is in part to the announced expansion Power and Presteige. This will add a whole new dimension to the game, introducing many new changes including Player Governed Ports.

    I can understand if someone played in Beta feeling ways, but if you have not played in two years, come back. Although the population has not "grown" from its original prelaunch base, it is still a large population. Before you slam it, give it a try again. This is by far one of the most fun, mature MMORPGS i have played. It does not represent a sense of true "realism", no. If you are looking for a true to life naval sim, this is not the ga

     

  • StrandsStrands Member UncommonPosts: 32

    Was in the Beta for this game way back.  Nice community, and really helpful gm's, I didn't get hooked, but some people did. One thing I will say, it was definitely Piratey!! Yarr!! 

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    Originally posted by ericbelser


    Yep...an "introduction" piece on a game that has been out how long? Please.

     

    One of the big issues with MMOs is that they rarely get reviewed again once the game grows and matures. The advantage of returning a year or even several years later is it give s a fresh look at what the game currently is, after countless patches, fixes and content additions. It gives a person who is presently interested in the game a better idea of what the game is and does than a review that was done at release. Not everyone is like you, Eric. Many people haven't played every MMO out there and aren't familiar with the gameplay and mechanics of each and every MMO, especially when it comes to games that deviate from the standard swords, spells and elves theme.

    Can you explain why you feel this article - or any re-review for that matter - is a bad idea?

     

    Personally, I think there's quite a few games that could use both introduction and re-review:

    - World of Warcraft (what one knew about WOW in 2004 is different from what it is now)

    - Everquest 2

    - EVE Online

    - Dark Age of Camelot

    - Entropia Universe

     

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • erictlewiserictlewis Member UncommonPosts: 3,022
    Originally posted by Loktofeit

    Originally posted by ericbelser


    Yep...an "introduction" piece on a game that has been out how long? Please.

     

    One of the big issues with MMOs is that they rarely get reviewed again once the game grows and matures. The advantage of returning a year or even several years later is it give s a fresh look at what the game currently is, after countless patches, fixes and content additions. It gives a person who is presently interested in the game a better idea of what the game is and does than a review that was done at release. Not everyone is like you, Eric. Many people haven't played every MMO out there and aren't familiar with the gameplay and mechanics of each and every MMO, especially when it comes to games that deviate from the standard swords, spells and elves theme.

    Can you explain why you feel this article - or any re-review for that matter - is a bad idea?

     

    Personally, I think there's quite a few games that could use both introduction and re-review:

    - World of Warcraft (what one knew about WOW in 2004 is different from what it is now)

    - Everquest 2

    - EVE Online

    - Dark Age of Camelot

    - Entropia Universe

     



     

    YOu have me on that,   I think most folks have an idea of what wow is about that one does not need a review.

    Eve probably does they have gone over a lot of changes, im still not going back 2 years I have been eve free and not interested.

    DAOC, rofl it probably needs a re-review I tried it a long time ago and there is a reason why I don't play games made by that company nowdays, Entropia never heard of that one so a review might be needed, EQ2 Im currently playing  it, it is sure not the same game as it was years ago.

    However I would like to add this as a caviot,  most folks try a game and they fall into 3 catagories. (1) love the game,  (2) take it or leave it, (3) have downright distain for it.   I think most fall into the first 2 catagories.   For me I fall into either catagory one or 3.  If I hate your game from the start there are reasons why, and it would take a who lot of changes to even get me to look at your new updates, and a free trial if you really want to wrangle me in.

    But lets call the article what it is, it should have been called a re-visit.

     

  • compass72compass72 Member Posts: 1

    As someone who has been playing PoTBS since pre-board back in January of 2008, I can tell you there have been some significant changes to the game. You don't realize it until you look back at some of the early reviews and think: 'Oh yeah, I remember that. That was a royal pain. Thank goodness they changed that.'

    The game will always have a steep learning curve for new players but thankfully there are more resources open to new players than before. There is a better bank of veteran players to help the newbies along. The tutorials are scaled better and broken up into sections rather than have one, long tutorial trying to throw everything at you all at once.

    Leveling is easier than before because there are more missions available at every level to ensure you don't stall out and starve for XP at a certain stage.

    The auction houses are filled with a better selection of goods and materials ever since they doubled the labor you get out of your structure slots.

    Doubloons are easier to obtain with daily missions available, changes to the loot tables, and as mentioned before...more missions.

    There have been new ship types, which keep the game dynamic fresh.

    The game will always shine in the port battle / RvR realm, which in my opinion is the game's finest feature. 24 vs 24 for control of a port, and its resources.

    As a synopsis: If you are on the open sea, and close to an enemy-controlled port, you can start sinking NPC vessels belonging to that faction and start to generate economic unrest on the port. You and 3 other friends can also flag yourself for PvP and generate the same contention by just sitting around the port (a new feature called 'blockading'). This blockading was developed in response to player requests that felt some NPC spawns were not sufficient enough to flip a port.

    After 3000 contention points, the port enters a PvP state where players can attack other players within a certain radius of the port (marked by a red circle on the area map). After 5000, a second, larger PvP bubble is generated, making it almost impossible to generate or counter the unrest without entering the PvP zone and risking your ship. These levels of 3000 and 5000 were reduced from their previous levels of 5000 and 7000. It's easier to generate PvP bubbles now. It's harder to counter contention without risking your ship.

    If the port reaches 10,000 contention points it enters a state of unrest where control of the port is decided by a port battle, scheduled 2 days later, consisting of as many as 48 players. The battle can last as long as 2 1/2 hours and can be accomplished by sinking every enemy ship or destroying the town defense gun, landing at the town and attacking the defending NPC garrison, along with the defending players.

    If one faction gains control of the majority of ports on the map, that faction is declared the winner, a cease-fire is declared and then the map and all ports revert back to their original owners.

    I have never seen an MMO with a more sophisticated set of RvR rules before or since. Even after 2+ years of playing, the game is still a lot of fun and I look forward to logging on and taking to the seas when I can.

    I know there are free trials of the game floating around somewhere, so if you want to know more, just send me a message and I'll see what information I can find on the matter.

     

  • PiratemartPiratemart Member Posts: 2

    Your review is valid as a first impression, and one that is made by a user that does not read all the prompts and documentation presented to them in game while they are playing. Some parts of this game *do* require more documentation, but assuming that all MMOs use the same approach to controls is a bit simplistic. As for help, there are two years of forum discussion over every aspect of the game to search, a player supported wiki (potbs.wikia.com) and many useful guides provided by FLS and players.

    That being said, this particular game does a good job of balancing many different approaches players may have to MMOs. There is a vast array of PvE quests/missions (over 6200) about 15% of which are for groups. There are several long chains of missions with historically referenced context that are a joy to the Role Playing user. There is plenty of opportunity for social networking with the 'team' aspects of the RvR and PvP in the game. Port Battles, part of the cyclical struggle for map dominance, involve 24 vs 24 group battles. Few MMOs provide a venue for such a large group of players to work together. Along the way to map domination many PvP zones are created where the battle skills of players are tested with suitable reward.

    The economy is broad, one can turn a doubloon making almost anything in game if one takes the time to research where the demand for the goods are (there are over 57 possible locations to buy or sell goods). Each account is limited to 10 different structures, which means the player must choose to work with others or buy more accounts to complete the more complex items in the game. Yes, it could be expanded to include other items, but even as it is, it provides hours of enjoyment playing the market.

    Some players may approach the game, as they do many other MMOs, trying to level as quickly as possible. They will find several paths to accomplishing this, but will find their experience lacking the skills needed to compete at the higher levels. To 'win' in this game takes skills in economics, group tactics, PvP tactics, leadership, patience and lots of practice doing each. You will not receive 'instant gratification' when playing this game, but for those who devote their play time to studying the various aspects of the game, the rewards are worth the effort to reach them. Few things of value in life are achieved without a struggle, so too with conquest of The Burning Sea.

     

  • RagemasterRagemaster Member UncommonPosts: 131

    Id just like to point out all the inccurate and general mis information that people are pointing out in this thread.  I keep hearing that people played it in beta, and <fill in stuff that was true 2 years ago here>

     

    Games progressed ALOT , over the last few years. Im glad massivley is doing a re review of it ,and hopefully will spend enough time to get to the good and not so good parts of the game.

     

    I just resubbed a few days ago, to have a secondary mmorpg  to play (eve my main) and liking it so far.

    My highest char is 35 Cutthroat, lowest is a 16 buccaneer (working on the buc, atm)

     

    Some major systems have been changed/introduced since POTBS first came out.

    http://www.burningsea.com/page/community/new     wont comment on them yet, as im still relearning the game.

     

    A few things id like to point out , about POTBS in general... First, its not a tactical naval game, yes there is strategy in battles pvp and pve, BUT dont expect an accurate portrayal of naval combat as it was in age of discovery. This game feels like an odd sort of mix up between eve online, world of warcraft, and dark age of camelot.

    LIKE EVE, this game has a player drivin economy. From your cannon ammunition to your ship itself, NOTHING is permenent, save your Avatar gear and Level. You run out of ammo? buy more. Use all your consumables? Buy more. Lose your ship? Buy a new one! Its what we call supply and demand.

    LIKE WOW, this game has a level system, where most of the games goodness  is at the top, AKA endgame. Like wow, there is solo missions (quest instances basicly) all the way to 50.

    LIKE Dark age of camelot, this games endgame is mostly based around an epic ongoing realm war. FLS calls it nation vs nation but its esnetially the same thing! Three nations, French, Britain, and Spain, are in an ongoing struggle to control the carribean. These three nations will fight over ports and the resources that lie within. Instead of epic castle sieges, in pirates you have epic port battles. I left  out the pirate facttion,  due to the fact that their goal isnt to take territory, but rather, to just gank everything and disrupt the nationals from completing their goals. Pirates lack (by design) reliable access to ship of the lines, which are the most used ship in port battles. Pirates also do not hold onto the lands they capture, they just plunder it for gold, woman and other valuables and then leave, kind of like Vikings.

    Also, FLS, FLYING LAB STUDIOS, is an indie developer, whoever said its a SOE game needs to get a clue. SOE just handles their billing. Smedley, much as he wants, wont be able to fuck up this game with poor management dicision.

    The thing that I like about FLS, and other indie developers like CCP, is that they actully listen to and communicate with the players. They post on forums, they write devblogs, they give us, the players, INSIDE information about what is going on. They ask for feedback, and actully develop based on feedback. Unlike some companies, that are higher than thou (LOOKING AT YOU, SONY, BLIZZARD, FUNCOM) that do whatever the fuck they want, and disregard the players because, us devs know what YOU players want most!!

     

    Looking at the past development track record of this game, and the planned future milestone as well as the new expansion thats in development,, its easy to see that FLS is commited to making its game even better, and will continue to do so. Their not here to make a quick buck and bail. This is their baby and their making it grow.

  • lowendahllowendahl Member Posts: 102
    Originally posted by Ragemaster


     
    Looking at the past development track record of this game, and the planned future milestone as well as the new expansion thats in development,, its easy to see that FLS is commited to making its game even better, and will continue to do so. Their not here to make a quick buck and bail. This is their baby and their making it grow.



    Why don't you tell people how long it took to get stuff like blockading into the game from when it was suggested... FLS has been slow to enact changes people have clamoured for, and has introduced changes most players objected to. To this day we're still missing features that were supposed to be in at release while they've spent their time on pointless changes and changes that have had to be cancelled after the devs came to recognize that the players were right.

     

    FLS has handled the game very badly. And for all their friendly banter on their forums they have proven reluctant to introducing great ideas from their players time and time again. I was back in the game recently for the free month, and any changes since I quit (or since beta for that matter) have been entirely cosmetic. All the major flaws are still there, still ignored by FLS in spite of many suggestions from their players.

     

    If FLS is making their baby grow then why the recent server mergers? And why will their servers soon be underpopulated again?

  • NeblessNebless Member RarePosts: 1,835
    Originally posted by lowendahl


    FLS has been slow to enact changes people have clamoured for, and has introduced changes most players objected to.



     

    I've always felt FLS made the game THEY wanted to play and fought tooth and nail to keep it that way, even though the player base didn't.  It was as if they couldn't understand why WE didn't see / like / embrace their vision.  And that came out in some of their early O-board posts; i.e. No crying in the Red Zone.

    They did finally accept they needed to change if they wanted to keep their game going and (very belatedly) have been making changes.  Alas it's probably too little, too late which will be sad as it's a fairly fun game when it works and I think the MMO environment will be deminished as a whole if we lose another niche game since there just aren't all that many out there.

    Best case scenario - 1 server with both US and EU on it (round the clock action) and a DDO style F2p setup (higher level group quest line, end game ships etc....) / reduced fee's.

    Worse case - an empty sea

    SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter

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