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Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's Daniel Stahl at E3
Last week the unstoppable Jasmine Hruschak was one member of Massively's crack team who braved the traffic of Los Angeles to take in the sights, sounds, hawking, yelling, and craziness that was the Electronic Entertainment Expo. While she was there, she interviewed Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl, and put forth a few questions from the Massively team. Stahl was able to drop a few hints about the future of Star Trek Online in his responses, so join me past the jump as I deliver the highlights from their conversation!
Cryptic North studio formed to polish Champions Online
In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Cryptic's Jack Emmert announced the formation of Cryptic North, a studio reborn from Pirates of the Burning Sea's Flying Lab and currently set to work on polishing Champions Online. Led by Flying Lab co-founder Russell Williams, Cryptic North is looking to grow the team by recruiting Seattle-based talent. When asked if the new studio will be working on any projects independent of Cryptic's Redwood City, California branch, Jack Emmert called that a "definite possibility." Be sure to read the entire interview over at Gamasutra for more. [Thanks to Psi for the tip!]
Pirates of the Burning Sea outlines plans for 2012
Remember Pirates of the Burning Sea? Yeah, it's still sailing along after its 2010 free-to-play conversion, and the dev team at Flying Lab Software is gearing up to celebrate the game's fourth anniversary in high pirate style. Brain "Fodderboy" Taney has offered up a lengthy dev blog detailing what's next for the nautical MMO, and he outlines two main goals: immersion and the desire to "layer" the game. Immersion is fairly self-explanatory (and in case it's not, Taney says that it entails bringing more authentic 18th century elements to the game). Layering requires a bit more verbiage, but it basically boils down to improving "the game experience for all the different kinds of players we have in our community (e.g., casual, hardcore, PvE-only, PvP-only, etc.)," Taney says. There's quite a bit more, of course, but you'll need to head to the official PotBS website to read about it.
The Tattered Notebook: Leapers, gliders, and Beastlords, oh my!
E3 has come and gone, but EverQuest II fans are left with more questions than answers. Children of War has just launched, and already, players are wondering what's coming down the road. We do know about some of the more immediate changes, such as the rebuilding of the Dragon Ring and Spires live event, new mounts, and the Freeport Revamp. But there were some hints at much bigger changes down the road -- and few details on how exactly it would change the game. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll break out the crystal ball and speculate on whether EQII is growing closer to EQ2X and whether we might in fact see the arrival of Beastlords in game.
Choose My Adventure: Sink or swim!
Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in! I really thought you all would choose one of the nations to play in my last poll, but no, you clearly signaled that I should stick with playing a pirate! As a result, I fitted my ship and went out to sea as Arienne Sauvage, Woman of Wealth and Taste. (Although that's up for debate) Read on for a recap of my week in Pirates of the Burning Sea, including ship combat, the community, and some pirate humor!
Choose My Adventure: A pirate's life for me!
Ahoy, mateys! Welcome to the start of my swashbuckling adventures on the high seas. The votes are in, the polls have closed, and the winner for Choose My Adventure is Pirates of the Burning Sea. It was the runner-up last time, so it's nice to see that it's finally the belle of the ball. For my introductory column this week, I'll take a closer look at the poll results (which were extremely close!) and then set off on the dangerous seas. Read on for a look at my first moments in game, and then pick my path for next week!
Angling coming to Pirates of the Burning Sea
"Teach an avatar to fish," the saying goes, "and he'll flood the auction house with smelly seafood." These words were never so true nor relevant than they are today, as Flying Lab announced that the ancient art of angling is making its way into Pirates of the Burning Sea with patch 2.6. Scallywags, landlubbers, and buccaneers will be invited to take up a rod and pull slimy gold out of the sea when this hobby hits the game. Designed as a fun way to pass the time, fishing will add a new challenge to PotBS. It makes sense, too, considering just how much, y'know, water is present in the Caribbean. Expert anglers will need to know and master the different types of fishing lines and lures while criss-crossing the ocean in pursuit of rare and unique species. Haul up a good catch and the local fishmonger will be happy to exchange your chickens of the sea for practical goods. The studio even hinted at a grand prize -- the region-exclusive trophy fish -- but did not elaborate. Players are welcome to give this time-treasured sport a try on the test server once 2.5 hits.
PotBS devs share some cake with Massively
How did you celebrate your third birthday party? We imagine that the Pirates of the Burning Sea developers celebrated it a lot like you might have: with pirates, talking birds and the occasional PvP fight. Of course, you probably didn't choose to participate in an interview with the best MMO website in existence, mainly because it more than likely didn't exist back then. Our trusty eyepatches in place, we waylaid Russell "Rusty" Williams (Flying Lab's CEO) and Jason "Mr Nutty" Gettel (Lead Designer), who answered some of our "burning" questions. So sit back, put your bib on, blow out your candles, and click past the cut to see what they had to say on this special anniversary!
Pirates of the Burning Sea: The third anniversary
Pirates of the Burning Sea just turned three years old, so we decided to take a look back at some of the history, controversy and changes that happened along the way. How do you sum up the history of an MMO, no matter how short? Do you simply make a timeline, establishing landmark events? What about the players -- how do they feel after sailing around the sea for all this time? Well, we decided to do a little bit of each. What we found was a game that is still rich in its content, still varied in its playerbase, and still moving forward. The game has had its issues like any other, so on this anniversary we decided to showcase how the game has affected people with a series of mini-interviews with the players themselves. Click past the cut to see what treasures we dug up!
Pirates of the Burning Sea celebrating third anniversary with a new build
It's been a couple of months since Flying Lab Software opted to steer its Pirates of the Burning Sea MMO into free-to-play waters. In the interim, the seas have been smooth and things have been pretty quiet in terms of updates. Flying Lab hasn't been resting on its laurels however, and has just released extensive patch notes for the 2.2.83.0 update that ties in with the game's third anniversary. First up is a new mission and series of minigames (and a new coat reward item) accessible from the Royal Society NPC in your nation's capital. Treasure Aisle, the game's item shop, also features time-limited extras in the form of a black cockatoo and a celebratory monkey (yes really). In other patch-related news, San Juan has been given an extensive graphical overhaul, a new live event chat channel has been added, and a boat load of stability and performance fixes have been introduced. Read the rundown on these -- and many other -- tweaks, additions, and fixes at the official Pirates of the Burning Sea website.
Pirates of the Burning Sea now sailing the free-to-play seas
The time has come for freewheeling free-to-play fun on the seas of adventure. Today marks the official relaunch of Pirates of the Burning Sea after a long period of bug fixing, tons of beta testing, and a series of upgrades to the game. If you're in the mood for some seafarin' scalawag scuffles, you risk nothing beyond a download and some gaming time. Definitely can't beat that pricetag for pirate goodness. For those who haven't been keeping up on the news from Pirates of the Burning Sea, have no fear! We've gathered up a handful of articles behind the break that offer a look at dev blogs, interviews, and even our own super-secret tests of customer service. Click on the link, mateys, and get ta readin' while Flying Lab finishes patchin' the servers against Davy Jones' evil.
Pirates of the Burning Sea delays F2P conversion
We haven't heard much out of Flying Lab Software since its announcement of Pirates of the Burning Sea's impending free-to-play conversion. Early this morning, Flying Lab producer Michelle "Misha" Williams posted on the game's official forum, confirming that the transformation will be pushed back. In an email originally sent in late October, PotBS account holders were informed that the F2P switcheroo would occur "on or around November 22." Williams relates that both SOE and Flying Lab determined that a delay was in everyone's best interest. "While some of us had visions of tons of new players spending their entire Thanksgiving weekend doing their Christmas shopping in Pirates of the Burning Sea's Treasure Aisle, we've had to measure that against the risk of putting out a build with too many bugs on a short week when many folks crucial to responding to potential problems aren't available to do so," she writes. Williams goes on to outline a few of the reasons for the delay, including the account-level gymnastics that SOE will be performing apart from Flying Lab's game code. Check out the full report on the o-boards.
The Daily Grind: Should multiple accounts be policed?
Pirates of the Burning Sea recently amended its in-game rules to reflect an official stance on the practice of "alt-flipping," a tactic used by players with multiple accounts to manipulate the game's Conquest system. In a nutshell, Flying Lab devs have labeled certain uses of the tactic as griefing and stated that it will be policed as such (including possible bans). Interestingly, Flying Lab also goes out of its way to state it has no problem with multiple accounts per se, saying that in most cases multiple accounts are a perfectly acceptable gameplay tactic. This seemingly opens up a can of worms over what is considered legitimate and/or acceptable gameplay, particularly when the game's design intentionally features a "cutthroat, competitive [...] system that drives players to find any edge they can get over the opposing forces." Dual-boxing is nothing new in MMORPGs of course, and games like EVE Online even advertise it and run discount promotions for alt accounts. What about you, Massively readers? Do you dual-box, and more importantly, do you feel alt accounts should be policed? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's The Daily Grind!
Community Detective, Issue #9: Pirates of the Burning Sea
Yarr! Hmm, not really. YARRRRRRR! That's a little better. Ahoy, mateys. Talk Like a Pirate Day may be over, but that isn't stopping me from navigating the rough waters of Flying Lab Software's Pirates of the Burning Sea for this week's issue of Community Detective. The game's a fair bit of fun, and since it recently joined the F2P bandwagon that all the cool kids are jumping on these days, it's likely to become more popular in the near future. As such, much like I did with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online, I wanted to get a look at the game's community and customer service apparatus both before and after the payment model switcheroo. So how are the social aspects of the SOE-published title shaping up? Well, the customer service is pretty spot on. The community? Well, I'll be kind (for now) and simply say that it leaves a little something to be desired. Sail past the cut to learn more.
Flying Lab details Pirates of the Burning Sea F2P conversion
Flying Lab Software, makers of the Pirates of the Burning Sea historical naval MMORPG, recently decided it was time for the subscription-based business model to walk the plank. While Flying Lab CEO Russell Williams penned an introductory devlog breaking the news late last week, the piece was light on the details, setting the stage for a more in-depth look at the decision from a gameplay perspective. Flying Lab game designer Jason "Mr. Nutty" Gettel checks in with another devlog designed to address introductory questions that current players and tire-kickers may have about the title. While there's nothing revolutionary about Flying Lab's take on RMT (it features the standard item shop, along with the equally standard no-game-breaking-items-for-sale mantra), it's good to see it spelled out after Williams' somewhat cryptic announcement. One interesting wrinkle that bears watching is the way Flying Lab is implementing perks for Captain's Club members (the new name for monthly subscribers). Among other things, subbers will enjoy an experience bonus as well as increased loot and faction gain over their F2P brethren. Read the full article on the game's official website, and be sure to look for Massively's exclusive Flying Lab interview in the coming days.
Pirates of the Burning Sea to go F2P with next expansion
Having just cranked out the shiny new expansion Power & Prestige for Pirates of the Burning Sea, the team at Flying Lab Software has opted to set a course for another uncharted destination -- the free-to-play waters! Indeed -- it appears that the company has been planning this move since the tail end of last year, and what's more, it has already coded in the free-to-play elements -- currently in testing. While no specific date has been given, the hope is to release this change in the fall along with their next expansion content pack. Russell Williams, CEO of Flying Lab Software noted the change in a statement: "Since we launched Pirates of the Burning Sea in January 2008, players have been battling on the high seas to control the Caribbean. With Power & Prestige's Port Governance, we've added a whole new level of immersion to the struggle for power. Players also have access to a wealth of new content, and have a whole new fighting school to master. We're also excited to make Pirates of the Burning Sea even more accessible by making it free-to-play in the near future so that even more players can enjoy the amazing ship battles, in-depth missions, and the rich Caribbean setting." More information regarding the decision can be found on the Pirates of the Burning Sea website, for those curious. In the meantime, good thing that Talk Like a Pirate Day is coming! We can get to practicin' on our piratin' talk before it be time to weigh anchor and set sail on the F2P sea, mateys.
Pirates of the Burning Sea expansion launches tomorrow
Flying Lab Software has announced the new live date for Power & Prestige, the first expansion for their Pirates of the Burning Sea MMORPG. The update, originally scheduled to sail in August, is bringing quite a few new features to the high seas title, including ship revamps, port governance, and new mission content. Community manager Tom "Rhaegar" Atkinson-Edwards checks in on the official website to give us the low-down on what to expect with the patch. Due to the expansion's extensive content and complexity, the folks at Flying Lab are estimating a 12-hour downtime tomorrow as they work their magic. You can view the full update notes for the expansion on the official Pirates of the Burning Sea support website.
One Shots: Where's the rum gone?
The crew at Flying Lab is still hard at work polishing up the upcoming Power & Prestige expansion to its game, Pirates of the Burning Sea. Meanwhile, devoted seafarers are checking out the new adventures on the test server, as the new expansion has gone into open beta and is set to launch soon. This fun screenshot of freebootin' adventure comes to us from regular contributor Steven K., who has been enjoying some privateerin' fun lately and writes in: "I've just been accepted into the Bretheren of the Coast. More importantly, I've been gifted a shiny new frogsticker and a pistol I call 'One-eyed William.' Here I am at the dock's of Morgan's Bluff. I'm certainly finding the old saying true so far... 'A pirate's life for me!' " Have you been enjoying some time in a game we don't see that often? Are niche titles your favorite type of MMOs? Well, don't be shy! Send your images in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to check out and give you the credit for being adventurous. %Gallery-85937%
Pirates of the Burning Sea expansion delayed
Those of you looking forward to the graphical improvements, ship tuning, and assorted extra features coming your way in Pirates of the Burning Sea's first expansion will have to cool your heels for a couple of weeks. Flying Lab Software community manager Tom "Rhaegar" Atkinson-Edwards posted official word on the Power & Prestige delay on the game's official website yesterday. While no firm timetable has been set, it's not time to walk the plank just yet, as Atkinson-Edwards states that the team is currently shooting for a revised date in early September. The expansion brings skill revamps, ship revamps, port governance, and a boatload of new missions to the world of Pirates of the Burning Sea. If you absolutely can't wait to see what the expansion has to offer, check out the open beta via the official website.
One Shots: Buckles need swashin'
One of the things that's especially fun for me, as the person who writes One Shots every day, is having regular contributors who like to touch base every so often and show off what they're doing. It's kind of like catching up with a friend you haven't seen in a while. Today, I got a note from one of our regular contributors, Stephen K., who has sent in several screenshots of Ryzom. He's decided to throw us a curve today by sending in a screenshot of Pirates of the Burning Sea, and writes in: "Cap'n Svven Svensson has only just arrived, but you can easily discern the disgust on his face. Nothin' worse than an empty cage! 'Hmmph,' snarls Svensson as he stares at the British soldier slumped in the one cage that is occupied. 'Me thinks we need to find you a friend!!' He's arrived in the Burning Sea just in time to help elect the new Governor, and pamphlets championing various 'candidates' lay trampled on the docks or swirl high above the rooftops in the stiffening western breeze." If you'd like to share your adventures from time to time, we're always looking for regular contributors! All you have to do is email a screenshot to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a note to tell us what's going on in the image. To be a regular, just send them in every so often and keep us in the loop on what you're up to. We'll post your images out here on Massively and give you the credit for sending them in! %Gallery-85937%
