pirates-of-the-burning-sea
Latest
A booming economy (and a lack of PvP) in the PotBS beta
The Pirates of the Burning Sea NDA lifted the other day when the beta went open, and so lots of bloggers are posting their own impressions of the game (we at Massively got to post ours a while back, but hey, we're cool like that). Tobold, though, has an interesting post up about a favorite subject of mine in the game: the economy and crafting system. Once again, you can read my thoughts in the crafting writeup from a while back, but Tobold says something I hadn't considered-- that it is extremely easy to raise a fortune in PotBS.Or is it? Tobold says you can make a lot of money just by using your stored labor (which stores up in real-time-- my favorite innovation in the game), and right now, that's true. But having played the beta for a while, my prediction is that prices in starter and close-to-starter ports will drop pretty sharply after the game comes out. Right now, PvP is still in its infancy in the game (either because people are still learning how to do it, or because pirates haven't geared up yet to the point where they can really crush newbies). I was able to sail around the world to trade without any trouble at all. But in the live game, it'll become that much more dangerous to travel across the seas, and that will push the system to where FLS wants it: with PvP and the economy as two sides of the same paper.Right now, it's easy to make a ton of money because money is moving fast around the world. When the game comes out, and the real pirates make their way to the open seas, the economy will fall much more into the pattern that FLS is trying to get it in: goods at home will be bought and sold cheaply, and to make the real production and trading money, you'll have to travel through dangerous waters and survive to sell at the other side.
Cinemassively Specials: PotBS Machinima preview
When I was growing up, Sid Meier's Pirates! was one of my favorite games. Released in 1987, you could choose your own destiny by being a dirty swashbuckler, or serving your King. Pirates of the Burning Sea brings me back to those simpler days, when the biggest dilemma was whether to use a rapier or a cutlass in battles of honor. Alas, I went for the Leisure Suit Larry style of MMO, otherwise known as Second Life. Oh, how things could have been if PotBS had come out sooner ...During a recent conversation with an SL friend, Bebop Vox, of Natural Selection Studios, he mentioned that he was in the closed-beta program. When asked about the Machinima capabilities, he admitted that they were a bit rough around the edges. However, when the NDA lifted today and he showed me this video, I wasn't expecting that kind of quality at all!As you can see from this short clip, you can sail the gorgeous seas and engage in gun fights with a rival crew. At the end of the day, you can relax with a brew in the local bar. I'm sure you can even meet a real lusty wench or two, although you could do that in SL as well. There's no doubt about it - PotBS is the action-packed MMO that we've been waiting for, and Massively has all the dirt you're looking for on it!
PotBS NDA lifted, open beta details
Have you read our in-depth mission preview and crafting hands-on for Pirates of the Burning Sea, and discovered a burning inner desire to try your hand (or hook) at life on the open sea? Well today may just be your lucky day. Beginning December 7th, closed beta testers and members of FilePlanet's Founders Club will gain access to the PotBS open beta, and the general public will follow four days afterwards on December 11th, a day on which we anticipate many businesses shutting down to a sudden and unforeseen outbreak of scurvy. In the meantime, the non-disclosure agreement signed by closed beta testers has been lifted, so those among us who were fortunate enough to have been playing the game in quiet anonymity will finally be able to share our experiences on forums and the like. So chat it up!Not wanting to leave Australian and European fans behind, the Flying Lab Software folks also reaffirmed their commitment to finding publishing partners in those territories. There's no news (and subsequently no pre-orders) in this respect as of today, but they wanted gamers abroad to know that they have not been forgotten.
Massively's Pirates of the Burning Sea mission preview
Not that we're excited to be playing this game or anything, but we can safely say Pirates of the Burning Sea is the most fun we've had in an MMO in a long time. One of the best parts about this rollicking high-seas adventure is how they deal with missions and questing. Each mission you receive falls into two basic categories, but before we even venture into those waters, we'd like to talk about the personality of the missions in this game. Our first character in the game, naturally was a pirate – heck, who are we kidding? So was our second one because we had so much fun with the character creation – and we quickly learned that this is a game where you simply must read every scrap of text on the mission screen. This isn't because you will miss sneakily placed information or anything, it's because the banter is just so much fun. This is a game with a sense of humor, and every response your character makes to the questions she is asked is definitely worth the time taken to read it.
PotBS stress testers can now set sail in the closed beta
If you signed up at FilePlanet for the Pirates of the Burning Sea stress test, you might be pleased to hear that Flying Lab Software has given all stress tester accounts access to the closed beta now that the stress test is drawing to a close.The Flying Lab Software team had already announced that they would be inviting anyone who reached level 5 by the end of the stress test into the closed beta, but since almost everyone met that goal, they apparently decided it'd just be easier to bring every single stress test account in. If you didn't sign up for the stress test, you're out of luck, but hey, at least you can read our PotBS crafting hands-on!As for the rest of you; go on ye no-good pirate scoundrels! Set sail on the burning sea in search of gold to loot, grog to drink, and bugs to report!
Massively's Pirates of the Burning Sea crafting hands-on
Yarr matey! Lift the gunwhales, lay out the plank, and shine yer cutlasses, there be... crafting to do? Sure, crafting and trading might not be the traditional pasttimes of choice for the pirates of lore, but we here at Massively have been sailing the seven seas (well, actually, just one of them) in the Pirates of the Burning Sea beta, and I am fascinated with the crafting system. Flying Labs has mixed some old ideas in with some new innovations, and put together a crafting and trading system that just might rival the fun of more traditional piratical activities.For a short walkthrough on what they've put together (and a look at the economy tutorial quest), hit the link below.%Gallery-11209%
Massively's Massive Giveaways - Pirates of the Burning Sea part 3
Okay, so maybe you're one of the folks who are just burned out on pirates. Perhaps the idea of ship-to-ship battles gets you going, but you're the type who prefers to stay on the good side of the law. Never fear! There are many other things to do in Pirates of the Burning Sea than just being a pirate! As the PotBS community site points out, the game will feature something many EVE players know all about -- economic gameplay. To quote them: "Economic gameplay has no level restrictions. If you can dream it, you can build it." Curious? Then get on over to Fileplanet and get into the PotBS stress test now!To go along with the idea of making your own goods and amassing much wealth, we're announcing the final prize for today's Pirates of the Burning Sea giveaways. One lucky winner will walk off with the uber-piratey prize -- a wooden treasure chest chock full of PotBS swag, courtesy of the folks at Flying Lab Software! As they told us "We'll give the winner a wooden treasure-chest with two PotBS t-shirts; one that says "Support Piracy" and another that says "Getting Booty since 1720" as well as the official PotBS map!" As always per the official rules, you must be 18+, a U.S. resident, and not afraid to make your own fortunes. So if you want to be entered, leave a comment below before tomorrow (11/16) at 8:30 PM Eastern, and you too could walk away with this treasure chest full of sweet PotBS booty!
Massively's Massive Giveaways - Pirates of the Burning Sea part 2
If you haven't gotten to downloading the Pirates of the Burning Sea beta for the stress test this weekend, what are you waiting on? Jump in, choose your look, choose who you'll ally with, and start your career. Just from what we've seen on the official PotBS site, we're chomping at the bit. Ship to ship battles in an MMO? How can you not dig that idea?For this, our second Pirates of the Burning Sea giveaway, we're offering up even more pirate booty to all you scallywags! For this giveaway we're picking six lucky folks to get one of the following prizes: A "Surrender the Booty" t-shirt, a t-shirt that reads "Pillaging, Drinking, Flogging, Wenching. Just Another Day On the Job...", another copy of The Government Manual for New Pirates, a pirate-themed deck of cards perfect for swindling yer friends, or a great big pirate coffee mug. That be some fine booty, matey! You just have to be 18+, a resident of the U.S., and eligible under the official rules -- oh, and ye must leave your answer before 6:30 PM tomorrow (11/16) to be entered to win.Now, ye landlubbers -- tell us your opinion on the following... Who would win in a fight; Johnny Depp as Capn' Jack Sparrow, or Graham Chapman (of Monty Python) as Yellowbeard? Or do you think a third pirate altogether could take both of 'em out? Let us know!
Massively's Massive Giveaways - Pirates of the Burning Sea
Yarr mateys! If ye be wonderin' whar be the posts today for tha' giveaways, we be here to tell ya high-fallutin' landlubbers that we be bringin' 'em to yah! (Wow. It's hard to type like that.) That's right -- today we're celebrating the opening of the stress-test for Pirates of the Burning Sea with our own little cache of pirate booty. For those of you not in the know, PotBS (one of our personal picks for eagerly anticipated titles) has opened up the beta to a whole mess 'a folks for stress-testing purposes. All you have to do to get involved with that is to head over to Fileplanet and sign up. You know you want to play this game before everyone else! Of course, if you're out for some pirate booty while your stress-test copy is downloading, then you'll want to drop in a comment below! For this giveaway we're offering a "Got Rum?" t-shirt, a copy of The Government Manual for New Pirates, a deck of official Piratin' cards (perfect for those on-board poker games), and a Pirate coffee mug able to hold 17 ounces of yer best grog! As always per the official rules, you must be 18+, a U.S. resident, and not a scurvy dog. So if you want to be entered, leave a comment below with your vote on the eternal struggle -- Ninjas* or Pirates -- by 4:30 PM tomorrow. (11/16)*Note: Voting ninja will not disqualify you, but we may look at you funny.
Pirates of the Burning Sea stress test, pre-orders
We've got exciting news from the the high seas (otherwise known as our favorite upcoming pirate-themed game, Pirates of the Burning Sea). First up, there's a stress test scheduled to start tomorrow and last until Sunday, so for those of you curious about the game, head over to FilePlanet to sign up. And next on the agenda, game pre-order boxes have become a reality! Head over to your local Best Buy, Fry's, EB Games/GameStop, or CompUSA to make sure you have your pre-order reserved -- and set yourself up with two weeks of pre-launch playtime (with the ability to keep your character after launch), a vanity pet, a unique sword, and a game soundtrack CD.
Pirates of the Burning Sea experiencing a bad spot of weather
SOE has been having technical issues with its Station game portal today. The issues particularly affect the Pirates of the Burning Sea community. According to a post on the game's official community site, "fans may experience challenges submitting User Content, posting on the Pirates of the Burning Sea forums, as well as difficulties logging into beta."They assure us that the technicians are working hard to fix the problem, though, and that we can expect things to be fine and dandy again soon enough. But until then, beware ye landlubbers, there be harsh weather upon the burning sea today. Arrr!
Pirates beta diary recounts game's opening moments
Perhaps mindful of the beta-envy that afflicts those of us who aren't fortunate enough to get into the early rounds of testing for a game to which we are really looking forward, Flying Labs has posted a rather lengthy first-hand account of the first few moments of the Pirates of the Burning Sea by a fan named Misha to satiate our appetite for all things pirate. And from the sound of it, this beta tester has a certain talent for story telling."Bilge Rats had boarded [the] ship, so when we came aboard, five of them stormed to me and the crewmen I brought along! I blocked the first two swings, but a third hit me in my arm and blood stained my shirt. I was furious, and smashed my small sword against the face of one of my foes, and thrust my dagger into the throat of another one."I have a habit of rolling my eyes and just plowing through tutorials without stopping and smelling the roses. Whether Flying Labs really did that good a job with the opening moments of the game, or whether Misha just has a knack for creative embellishment, I know I'm looking forward to starting my swashbuckling career.
Pirates of the Burning Sea's supernatural side
Gamespot has added a preview of Pirates of the Burning Sea that is solely to do with the supernatural content found in the game, and makes us anticipate the game's release even more. Apparently, a significant portion of content (10-15%) will take place in an area known as the Bermuda Triangle -- you may have heard of it. Happenings in the Triangle tend to lean towards the decidedly-spooky, and the quests that Gamespot managed to see involved zombie armies, voodoo priestesses and possessed crew mates. Some of the finer details in the preview show the effort that developer Flying Lab Software is putting in to make their game unique. An interesting part of the article tells of how the remains of a vanquished zombie can be donned and used as a disguise, to hide within enemy ranks. However, since the NPC monsters themselves move at walking pace, if you happen to break step and move a little too fast, the other zombies will realize something is up and turn on you.
Flying Lab unfurls second round of flag-making contest
In the seventeenth century, it was a fairly well known fact that pirates just weren't very creative folk. Swashbucklers? Sure. Dastardly dogs? Absolutely. Drunken, whoring scallywags? Even on their worst days. But they couldn't put a brush to a canvas if their very lives depended on it. Consequently, Flying Lab Studios has put out a bounty on creative pirate-lovers, offering fame and fortune in exchange for flag-designs to adorn the NPC pirate ships in Pirates of the Burning Sea.In a related forum thread, they've given the backgrounds on a number of gangs to offer inspiration to erstwhile flag-makers, as well as offering tips and submission guidelines for those new to the art. We weren't able to track down what specific kind of loot they're giving winners, but the prospect of having user content included in a retail game is almost exciting enough on its own.
Pirates dev: PvP and crafting are "different parts of the same system"
Female-Gamer keeps up their great Pirates of the Burning Sea coverage with an interview with dev Isildur, aka Kevin Maginn. It's an excellent read, especially if you're excited about the economic possibilities in Pirates. It sounds like they've been through a few iterations of the system, and Maginn seems pretty happy with what they've landed on. It's actually closer to EVE than crafting in games like World of Warcraft, in that player craft are actually necessary in a war-driven economy, and PvP will definitely affect how and where crafting gets done. Maginn goes so far as to say trading and PvP are different parts of the same system, in that to make the best items in the game, you'll have to fight other players to get to them.He also says the beta is currently going through an expansion, so if you haven't been invited yet, your chance may be just around the corner. But even if not, there's only a few months left to wait before we all start shipbuilding and sailing the high seas.
Pirates of the Burning Sea economy preview
Female Gamer has posted an Flying Lab Software-approved look at the "player driven economy" in Pirates of the Burning Sea. It's got a number of different innovations, starting with the fact that players don't just craft items-- they actually create their own logging camps, mines, shipyards, or plantations, and those "structures" have to be put in a certain area (where the enemies aren't) on the map.Crafting with those structures is different, too-- instead of simply collecting mats and hitting craft, there's an ingredient of "stored labor" in those recipes, and that labor is generated by the player-created structures. So instead of clicking the button to craft something and then waiting, you must wait first, build up "stored labor," and then you can click at will to create whatever you want. There's also a charge in doubloons to create each item, and those charges can be raised or lowered depending on what you're creating and where.FLS also chose a blind bidding system (similar to FFXI apparently, which I haven't played), in which bidders guess at the minimum price rather than aim for the highest bid (as in WoW). Just like EVE, you've got to be where an item is to receive it. That's annoying, but it fits with the setting, since there aren't exactly magic mail systems around. And finally, an auction house only shows trades in the same region of the game, so there are "trader" possibilities, where players will be able to take goods from one section to another and try to buy low and sell high.All in all, it sounds really interesting-- a combination of new innovations in MMO trading, and a number of compromises made based on the setting. Pirates, we're told is scheduled to release around January 2008.[ via VW ]
Pirates of the Burning Sea: PvP details on port control
Avast ye scurvy rapscallion dogs! Arrreckon you want some PvPbooty so pay close attention. Alright, that's enough pirate-talk for one post. Isildur, developer/buccaneer extraordinaire has posted the nitty-gritty details on capturing ports and adds his own insightful commentary on the strengths and weaknesses for the first four maps or battlegrounds for ship-to-port combat to be ready for some keel-haulin' once the game sets sail. The maps look great and I'm happy to see real tactics like wind and positioning play a key-role in the overall outcome. It's also good to know that if the attackers land immediately they won't automatically win, they must face a series of challenging encounters first. Attackers won't be able to just land anywhere either, there are certain landing points and the entrances to the town and fortress are only opened until all their respective gun emplacements are destroyed. Before the battle starts, players will wait in a ready room, which is an avatar room -- no ships allowed in here, and within this room there are three exits for each spawn location. Players have 10 minutes in this room before the battle begins to formulate any plans, organize their groups and choose the location where they will spawn from. It's also important to note that the Pirates of the Burning Sea is still in beta and the way these four Final Battle scenarios play-out may not be set-in-stone.
Pirates of the Burning Sea dev details SOE publishing deal
Massively multiplayer swashbuckler Pirates of the Burning Sea was recently announced to be sailing under the flag of Sony Online Entertainment's Platform Publishing. While joining hands with a publisher is generally considered good news, some fans following the game throughout its development have expressed concern over SOE's involvement, citing its indelicate handling of Star Wars: Galaxies. Addressing these concerns is Russel Williams, CEO of developer Flying Lab Software, who updated the game's official website with a surprisingly straightforward explanation of what the publishing deal entails.Williams specifies the responsibilities carried by each party in the deal and is quick to point out that Flying Lab Software retains complete ownership of Pirates of the Burning Sea and remains independent. "Platform Publishing is a channel for independent developers to compete on the same level as a big publisher – without selling their soul," says Williams. He goes on to stress that the deal will ultimately allow Flying Lab to focus on development of the game and deliver it on time this Fall. "I've put my money where my mouth is. And I want more developers to do the same." Aye, Mr. Williams! Aye!
