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Pirates of the Burning Sea: Power & Prestige Expansion This Summer, Beta Signups Begin
MikeB
Community ManagerAdministrator RarePosts: 6,555
Flying Lab Software has announced that the upcoming Power & Prestige expansion will be setting sail this summer.
The standout feature of Power & Prestige is port governance, which just as it sounds, allows players to elect port governors, who can then manage and develop the port, which includes setting tax rates, improving the port's infrastructure, as well as bolstering the port's defenses.
Other features of Power & Prestige include over 60 new missions, a total overhaul of Avatar combat, improvements to the game's lighting, and of course the expected tweaks and fixes included in every update.
In addition to setting a release window for the expansion, Flying Lab Software has also announced beta signups, with the beta test to take place on a new testing server dubbed "Sandbox."
View the official announcement here for more information or to sign up for the beta! Keep in mind that signing up for the beta requires an active Pirates of the Burning Sea subscription.
Comments
FLS' time would have been better spent fixing the core issues of the game. With the complete failure of the server mergers a mere expansion isn't likely to turn things around.
Edit: BTW, 'Prestige' is spelled incorrectly in the title.
Always was slightly interested in this game but never really pursued it. I'd like for this game to have been successful but I guess it must be bad based on what people say.
No, it was a pretty fun game when it first started out, especially if you wanted more than a button. Unfortunately, they played a few bad hands early on, including a lack of end-game content, too many servers, which led to thin populations on many servers, which choked the economy. On the other hand, a crowded server would often have FFA PvP zones all over the place that severely limited where new players could go without getting ganked. And they seemed to keep tweaking class balances based on whoever shouted loudest in forums, which is never a good idea.
Still, the combat was a wonderful breath of fresh air compared to most MMO's, and the economy did a lot of things right too.
A Modest Proposal for MMORPGs:
That the means of progression would not be mutually exclusive from the means of enjoyment.
That is one thing they did right. They reduced the pay outs on the dailys last patch. The insurance is still a bit much IMHO, but it isn't as bad as it used to be. The problem I see, is that the daily's were in at their inflated rates for so long, that it has taken it's toll on the economy allready, their are more big ships in the game than ever would have been possible without them. In fact, they had to increase the labor (2x production) just to keep up with the influx of daily cash. To me, that screams that something is wrong with the daily's. And they finally did something about it.
As for the game it'self, it was/ is fun. The PvP is probably some of the most competative I have seen in an MMO in a long time. And with that, it is relatively easy to get into, but can take a while to master (Unlike a game with PvP that is on par IMHO, Eve which takes a long while to get into for a new player, and has the same learing curve to master.) That is one of the biggest plus's of the game IMHO.
As for end game content, you can play WoW if you want your "endgame content". PotBS has endgame, it's the RvR campaign, and PvP in general. Both are fun, but to be honest, neither can be properly enjoyed without getting plugged into your nation and playing as a team.
Feels odd defending FLS, but on thoes things they are actually starting to come around. Even tho some of the patch notes so far scare me to death. Ship changes, and class changes have not been something FLS has managed to do very well after their original class/ ship guy left. He understood how the numbers worked, and how to balance them and make each class unique while maintaining balance. The cahnges since have not reflected well on the devs knowledge of how the changes are going to effect the game. At least they have not messed with the sailing mechanics much (Variable wind direction).
- Ice_Hole of OMG Im Drunk
I disagree with this. The game has been bleeding players since beta. There are just too many issues with the core game design. If there ever was a game in dire need of a NGE PotBS is it.
Player density has been shown to not help by the failure of the server mergers.
This could have been a great niche game, but FLS has proven time and again that they are unable to turn it into a good game. They don't even seem able to identify the problems with their game. In view of their past efforts there is no reason to think this vaguely described expansion will be any different.
At this point FLS should
1) Hire someone competent to redesign their game
2) Start listening to their players - many good suggestions have been made on their forums. -If players saw the new avcom would bring ping-kiting why didn't FLS?
or
3) Turn it into an Eve-clone with sails. Eve's core design works, and FLS seem unable to design something that does...
and
4) Use their existing art and other resources to make a single player game.
Other than this they might as well stop throwing good money after bad. If the core issues are not fixed PotBS will continue to drop in numbers until it either turns into a ghost town and dies or turns into 1 server of a few die-hard fans who may just be able to cover operating expenses.
The lack of interest this expansion has created is in itself a worrying sign for the future of PotBS. Anyone remember how many posts PotBS generated before it launched?
I was in the open beta. It had potential but also had it's problems. It could have been better.
The thing I think would help is if the developers played their own game for hours a day. They might get a better feeling what may need improving. I suspect it does not happen that much.
I would have bought this game but I had a feeling it would not amount to it's potential. I still hope it will get better.
Yes the game has some flaws but the people that have stuck with it over the years are addicted because of the pvp/port battles. I get so bored playing every other game out there when I hit max level because there is no point to the end game. Pirates has spoiled me in the rvr aspect of an mmo. Killing people and taking their beloved ports is exciting. Also winning pvp fights top some of the best playing experiences you can get.
A big problem is new players not getting enough pvp experience before losing their expensive boats. To many veterans use expensive or hard to get boats that new players just cannot compete with. If new players could handle losing enough to learn the tricks of pvp in this game it would be flooded with players. once you taste success in pvp in potbs you never want to leave the game. Many people come back after being bored with other mmo's.
Don't let a few opinions keep you from trying this game.