How can the writer be critical of lacklustre av-com in a "Age of sail" ship combat game or only give a 7 score when Eve won mmorpg.com game of the year award with no av-com or characterisation whatsoever!?
It would probably have gotten a better score if it had no av-com. A badly implemented feature is not better than not having the feature at all.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
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
Players can attack ports, and that creates a PvP zone around that port. You cannot escape PvP in a zone. If you want to ship good in or out of that port, you have to run for it. Think of it as kind of like Star Trek Online, except you build your own ships, there is meaningful PvP, there is a persistent world, and there is good crafting.
How can the writer be critical of lacklustre av-com in a "Age of sail" ship combat game or only give a 7 score when Eve won mmorpg.com game of the year award with no av-com or characterisation whatsoever!?
It would probably have gotten a better score if it had no av-com. A badly implemented feature is not better than not having the feature at all.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
i can sympathise with the reviewer and new players when they say its odd and difficult to understand - but its not beyond mastering and learning the tricks - and when you do you will forget the first impressions you probably had.
i disagree with the reviewer that there is no tactics to it - there is. you need to know when to fire a gun in boarding combat, for instance, and the reviewer obviously missed the fact that firing certain specials in a particular order will trigger debuffs etc.
i too wish it would improve but as i say it can be fun and very much engaging once you spend enough time learning it.
no real comment about the review just a question about the game
is this an open pvp game or can players choose not to be pvp active ? as it sounds interesting but i tend to avoid open pvp games so i would like to know
unless you flag yoruself pvp then pvp is only in the red circles around ports that are in contention. Now since this is the carribean there are coke points and if i port is in contention near one the red circle could block off that route causing you to sail way around an island to get someplace if you want to stay out of the red. Let alone if the port you want to sail into is red. Also the port battles are voluntary ( 24v24) battles for final control of a port.
In theory the game has consensual PvP. In practice 2-3 red PvP circles will make the middle of the map into one big PvP zone. You are left with the ports on the periphery which tend to be low level ports and the empty sea where nothing happens. If you want to do higher level missions or higher level crafting you will most likely have to sail into the red and thus become PvP flagged.
How bad this gets depends on how easy the devs make a port gain contention points and how quickly a port goes into the red and stays there. Shortly after release ports might be inaccessible to non-PvPers about once a week which suited most casual players just fine. In order to increase the PvP, contention gain was spiked and contention decay nerfed into oblivion and red circles stayed around for longer. Soon the casual non-PvPer was stuck in a port with only a few subpar options where to go without entering a PvP zone.
PS
The reviewer failed to mention the closed society production lines that have reduced the economy to a shadow of what it started as. When players realized that the only reason to produce something is to make ships for PvP, they also discovered that the best way to do it was to do it all in-house since that gave them access to most ships and thus allowed them to PvP more.
In theory the game has consensual PvP. In practice 2-3 red PvP circles will make the middle of the map into one big PvP zone. You are left with the ports on the periphery which tend to be low level ports and the empty sea where nothing happens. If you want to do higher level missions or higher level crafting you will most likely have to sail into the red and thus become PvP flagged.
How bad this gets depends on how easy the devs make a port gain contention points and how quickly a port goes into the red and stays there. Shortly after release ports might be inaccessible to non-PvPers about once a week which suited most casual players just fine. In order to increase the PvP, contention gain was spiked and contention decay nerfed into oblivion and red circles stayed around for longer. Soon the casual non-PvPer was stuck in a port with only a few subpar options where to go without entering a PvP zone.
PS
The reviewer failed to mention the closed society production lines that have reduced the economy to a shadow of what it started as. When players realized that the only reason to produce something is to make ships for PvP, they also discovered that the best way to do it was to do it all in-house since that gave them access to most ships and thus allowed them to PvP more.
Just so.
This game had its shot and failed to deliver. Too many game mechanics that take away from the game, instead of make it better.
Economy is trashed, PvP is both too constrained by red circles and combat lockouts, and not open enough to allow gankers to be countered. In the end, this game failed to deliver the experience people wanted, and it tanked, hard.
Maybe the next Pirate game will be better. This is just another "zombie" game on the SOE barge of the undying called Station Pass.
This is a niche game like Darkfall, and Darkfall has also naval battle in it but a lot more to do than PoTBS...................but it got a 6
I really don't understand MMORPG.com scoring system (if there is one)
pvp? potbs has it
rvr? potbs has it
player run economy? potbs has it
loads of single and group missions, as well as mission chains? potbs has it
"epic" end-game group dungeons? potbs has it
what does darkfall have more?
and you can't compare the naval battles of darkfall to potbs! heck even the avcom in darkfall is limited to swinging a sword and back again as clumsy as it gets.
Sieges for example (both by foot and by boat)
A world that people can explore and fight for.................on their feet (or mount).
PoTBS has a very limited avatar function.
The naval battles in DF can be as good as PoTBS, for your info.
The only thing is better in PoTBS is the way the ships move, they are much more realistic, and it takes a little bit more skills to turn the ship the right way, but that is pretty much it.
Naval combat make only 25% of content/activity in Darkfall
In DF naval content is just one of the options, while in PoTBS is the main event.
This is a niche game like Darkfall, and Darkfall has also naval battle in it but a lot more to do than PoTBS...................but it got a 6
I really don't understand MMORPG.com scoring system (if there is one)
pvp? potbs has it
rvr? potbs has it
player run economy? potbs has it
loads of single and group missions, as well as mission chains? potbs has it
"epic" end-game group dungeons? potbs has it
what does darkfall have more?
and you can't compare the naval battles of darkfall to potbs! heck even the avcom in darkfall is limited to swinging a sword and back again as clumsy as it gets.
Sieges for example (both by foot and by boat)
A world that people can explore and fight for.................on their feet (or mount).
PoTBS has a very limited avatar function.
The naval battles in DF can be as good as PoTBS, for your info.
The only thing is better in PoTBS is the way the ships move, they are much more realistic, and it takes a little bit more skills to turn the ship the right way, but that is pretty much it.
Naval combat make only 25% of content/activity in Darkfall
In DF naval content is just one of the options, while in PoTBS is the main event.
uh, well port battles are similar to sieges.
24 vs 24 and you need to either destroy all the enemy ships or capture the defending port; with avcom.
or you can blockade a port in pvp to rise contention if that suits your idea of a siege best.
Originally posted by Troneas uh, well port battles are similar to sieges. 24 vs 24 and you need to either destroy all the enemy ships or capture the defending port; with avcom. or you can blockade a port in pvp to rise contention if that suits your idea of a siege best.
Yes I know, but DF has that too..............but it has the normal sieges too (the best of any PvP MMORPG).
My popint is that what PoTBS does, constitutes just a portion of what DF can offer.
Sure the naval battles are more challenging in PoTBS, but then again, that's the main attraction of the game.
But DF naval combat is not too far behind.
Also do not get me wrong, I am not saying that PoTBS is a bad game or that it doesn't do the job right.
I am all for promoting niche games.
This was more a critic on the way MMORPG.com gives the score in their reviews.
DF was marked down, because apparently was too niche to attract mainstream players (which anyway I believe is wrong in principle).
Then you have a naval MMORPG which is as niche as you can get and it gets 7, even if DF can offer more features and a more "complete" experience (or more options) than PoTBS, which is mainly limited to the sea and naval battles.
Only noticeable thing is that PoTBS is published by SoE, while DF is developed and self-published by an unknown developer.
But I am sure there is a better explanation to judge so differently 2 niche games, when DF of the 2 is the one that should get a sligtly higher score than the other.
Players can attack ports, and that creates a PvP zone around that port. You cannot escape PvP in a zone. If you want to ship good in or out of that port, you have to run for it. Think of it as kind of like Star Trek Online, except you build your own ships, there is meaningful PvP, there is a persistent world, and there is good crafting.
So not like Star Trek Online at all then.
i belive the STO reference was how you have to manuver your ships to bring your guns to bare or to turn your damaged hull away from an enemy .
Magic is impressive, but now Minsc leads! Swords for everyone!
I can only assume the author didn't go past level twenty as he would of know "button mashing" only brings a quick death. You must use tactics with your selections or you will never master the ground combat. It may be somewhat clunky, but it is one of the few MMO ground combats that do utilize tactics.
I thought the reason it didn't catch on better was the flaw of how one got replacement ships. Most causual players won't risk ships to PvP when they have trouble replacing them due to cost or availablity. Had ships been easier to obtain, I think more people would of attempted PvP more and kept the society interested in the end game. Insurance didn't seem to make a bit of difference in bringing new players to the PvP part of the game.
Originally posted by Troneas uh, well port battles are similar to sieges. 24 vs 24 and you need to either destroy all the enemy ships or capture the defending port; with avcom. or you can blockade a port in pvp to rise contention if that suits your idea of a siege best.
Yes I know, but DF has that too..............but it has the normal sieges too (the best of any PvP MMORPG).
My popint is that what PoTBS does, constitutes just a portion of what DF can offer.
Sure the naval battles are more challenging in PoTBS, but then again, that's the main attraction of the game.
But DF naval combat is not too far behind.
Also do not get me wrong, I am not saying that PoTBS is a bad game or that it doesn't do the job right.
I am all for promoting niche games.
This was more a critic on the way MMORPG.com gives the score in their reviews.
DF was marked down, because apparently was too niche to attract mainstream players (which anyway I believe is wrong in principle).
Then you have a naval MMORPG which is as niche as you can get and it gets 7, even if DF can offer more features and a more "complete" experience (or more options) than PoTBS, which is mainly limited to the sea and naval battles.
Only noticeable thing is that PoTBS is published by SoE, while DF is developed and self-published by an unknown developer.
But I am sure there is a better explanation to judge so differently 2 niche games, when DF of the 2 is the one that should get a sligtly higher score than the other.
this was a re-review; and darkfall is only months old.
at launch, i would have given potbs a 5; but after two years there is no denying that much content and some polish was added to the game (albeit with some undeniable mistakes along the way). surely darkfall can polish the game in the future and get a better grade as a result.
How can the writer be critical of lacklustre av-com in a "Age of sail" ship combat game or only give a 7 score when Eve won mmorpg.com game of the year award with no av-com or characterisation whatsoever!?
It would probably have gotten a better score if it had no av-com. A badly implemented feature is not better than not having the feature at all.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
Of the MMOs released in the past four years, which MMO do you feel had worse av-com than what PotBS currently uses?
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
Originally posted by ste2000 Only noticeable thing is that PoTBS is published by SoE, while DF is developed and self-published by an unknown developer. But I am sure there is a better explanation to judge so differently 2 niche games, when DF of the 2 is the one that should get a sligtly higher score than the other.
What does that have to do with anything? So what SOE 'published' PotBS in that they pressed the CD's, folded the boxes etc.... the same as Gamearena in Aus did and another company in Russia did and what SOE will do for one of the other new games recently in the news (can't remember the name now) here on MMORPG. Sony is a vast corporation that I'm sure has it's fingers in a number of games one way or another.
PotBS was developed by and is 100% totally managed by Flying Labs Software (FLS). FLS did contract with SOE to handling it's billing and allows SOE to put it on it's Station Pass program, but other than that SOE has NO say in PotBS's development.
So scratch that excuse for why DF and PotBS were scored different.
How can the writer be critical of lacklustre av-com in a "Age of sail" ship combat game or only give a 7 score when Eve won mmorpg.com game of the year award with no av-com or characterisation whatsoever!?
It would probably have gotten a better score if it had no av-com. A badly implemented feature is not better than not having the feature at all.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
Of the MMOs released in the past four years, which MMO do you feel had worse av-com than what PotBS currently uses?
You should have asked which mmo has av-com that would work well in Potbs as swashbuckling combat for boarding ship..
You are making the same mistake as the writer by comparing it with land combat av-com. It's different in Potbs & too hectic for most people to comprehend but given time there are tactics that can be learned.
Of the MMO that have ever been released, which MMO do you feel has worse ship combat that Potbs currently uses?
ANSWER: ALL The Potbs ship PVP is far superior & more interesting than ANY hack/slash game!
I find it a shame that they produced a sandbox historical game that does a lot to capture the flavor of the period, and yet when I tried it out, I didn't find any kind of rp/community.
i'm sorry, but you didn't look hard enough.
there are several RP societies in the game. one that comes to mind is the st. george squadron a british society, involved in all aspects of the game and they are quite big : http://www.st-george-squadron.co.uk/board/index.php
additionally, one of the new content introduced over the past few months is a RP quest chain which covers several levels and its particularly fun to do (it starts at the lower levels).
Yea, well, you should not NEED to even have to look "hard enough" to find the community in the first place.
Anyway, my issue with this game is all the instancing , it just do not feel like an open world. In a tiny little port , every single door is a load screen, every little event seems to come with some sort of load screen. And i would even say this alone gives the impression that you won't see other players easily, since what's the odds they'll pop up in the same little instance as you?
So while the game have its merits, it's not worth a subscription. If they want to revive this game, they must follow Turbine's move with DDO and make it F2P .
Basically what I was going to say. If I have to look hard for it, then its not nearly robust enough, especially taking into account the wonderful environment provided.
Because than i would not feel like the captain of a ship,, rather i would feel like i am the ship itself, and it might be minor for some, but being able to step out of my ship and slice some pirate dices makes a HUUGE difference for me and adds incredibly much to the fun factor.
Always been interested in this game.the avatars tho an combat from what i read are its week points.Newegg has it on sale might try it yet.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." Robert E. Howard, The Tower of the Elephant (1933)
How can the writer be critical of lacklustre av-com in a "Age of sail" ship combat game or only give a 7 score when Eve won mmorpg.com game of the year award with no av-com or characterisation whatsoever!?
It would probably have gotten a better score if it had no av-com. A badly implemented feature is not better than not having the feature at all.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
Of the MMOs released in the past four years, which MMO do you feel had worse av-com than what PotBS currently uses?
You should have asked which mmo has av-com that would work well in Potbs as swashbuckling combat for boarding ship..
You are making the same mistake as the writer by comparing it with land combat av-com. It's different in Potbs & too hectic for most people to comprehend but given time there are tactics that can be learned.
Of the MMO that have ever been released, which MMO do you feel has worse ship combat that Potbs currently uses?
ANSWER: ALL The Potbs ship PVP is far superior & more interesting than ANY hack/slash game!
Why should I have asked that when that has nothing to do with the conversation? I'm glad that you enjoy the ship PvP. I used to enjoy it, too. Had Troneas or I been referring to that then your random interjection would have some level of relevance. I stated that the Av Com was the worst in the past 4 years of releases and he said it wasn't. Since he contested that, I am curious what MMO he feels was released in the past four years with worse Avatar Combat.
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
I have to disagree with the review about avatar combat. In fact, I think avatar combat is the part I enjoy most about the game. Avatar combat is shallow compare to other games and it doesn't work well for end game pve raids and massive pvp, because of the lack of mechanism for co-operation aside from buffs and debuffs.
BUT despite all its flaws it does capture the feel of the age of sail very well. Normal pve feel satisfying with your avatar taking down multiple enemies at once with smooth and realistic sword play animations. Small scale pvp such as boarding combat, duels and skirmish are fun too.
Ship pvp on the other hand, although I can see the depth, I never really "get" it and so did not enjoy it much.
Comments
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
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
So not like Star Trek Online at all then.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
i can sympathise with the reviewer and new players when they say its odd and difficult to understand - but its not beyond mastering and learning the tricks - and when you do you will forget the first impressions you probably had.
i disagree with the reviewer that there is no tactics to it - there is. you need to know when to fire a gun in boarding combat, for instance, and the reviewer obviously missed the fact that firing certain specials in a particular order will trigger debuffs etc.
i too wish it would improve but as i say it can be fun and very much engaging once you spend enough time learning it.
unless you flag yoruself pvp then pvp is only in the red circles around ports that are in contention. Now since this is the carribean there are coke points and if i port is in contention near one the red circle could block off that route causing you to sail way around an island to get someplace if you want to stay out of the red. Let alone if the port you want to sail into is red. Also the port battles are voluntary ( 24v24) battles for final control of a port.
In theory the game has consensual PvP. In practice 2-3 red PvP circles will make the middle of the map into one big PvP zone. You are left with the ports on the periphery which tend to be low level ports and the empty sea where nothing happens. If you want to do higher level missions or higher level crafting you will most likely have to sail into the red and thus become PvP flagged.
How bad this gets depends on how easy the devs make a port gain contention points and how quickly a port goes into the red and stays there. Shortly after release ports might be inaccessible to non-PvPers about once a week which suited most casual players just fine. In order to increase the PvP, contention gain was spiked and contention decay nerfed into oblivion and red circles stayed around for longer. Soon the casual non-PvPer was stuck in a port with only a few subpar options where to go without entering a PvP zone.
PS
The reviewer failed to mention the closed society production lines that have reduced the economy to a shadow of what it started as. When players realized that the only reason to produce something is to make ships for PvP, they also discovered that the best way to do it was to do it all in-house since that gave them access to most ships and thus allowed them to PvP more.
In theory the game has consensual PvP. In practice 2-3 red PvP circles will make the middle of the map into one big PvP zone. You are left with the ports on the periphery which tend to be low level ports and the empty sea where nothing happens. If you want to do higher level missions or higher level crafting you will most likely have to sail into the red and thus become PvP flagged.
How bad this gets depends on how easy the devs make a port gain contention points and how quickly a port goes into the red and stays there. Shortly after release ports might be inaccessible to non-PvPers about once a week which suited most casual players just fine. In order to increase the PvP, contention gain was spiked and contention decay nerfed into oblivion and red circles stayed around for longer. Soon the casual non-PvPer was stuck in a port with only a few subpar options where to go without entering a PvP zone.
PS
The reviewer failed to mention the closed society production lines that have reduced the economy to a shadow of what it started as. When players realized that the only reason to produce something is to make ships for PvP, they also discovered that the best way to do it was to do it all in-house since that gave them access to most ships and thus allowed them to PvP more.
Just so.
This game had its shot and failed to deliver. Too many game mechanics that take away from the game, instead of make it better.
Economy is trashed, PvP is both too constrained by red circles and combat lockouts, and not open enough to allow gankers to be countered. In the end, this game failed to deliver the experience people wanted, and it tanked, hard.
Maybe the next Pirate game will be better. This is just another "zombie" game on the SOE barge of the undying called Station Pass.
pvp? potbs has it
rvr? potbs has it
player run economy? potbs has it
loads of single and group missions, as well as mission chains? potbs has it
"epic" end-game group dungeons? potbs has it
what does darkfall have more?
and you can't compare the naval battles of darkfall to potbs! heck even the avcom in darkfall is limited to swinging a sword and back again as clumsy as it gets.
Sieges for example (both by foot and by boat)
A world that people can explore and fight for.................on their feet (or mount).
PoTBS has a very limited avatar function.
The naval battles in DF can be as good as PoTBS, for your info.
The only thing is better in PoTBS is the way the ships move, they are much more realistic, and it takes a little bit more skills to turn the ship the right way, but that is pretty much it.
Naval combat make only 25% of content/activity in Darkfall
In DF naval content is just one of the options, while in PoTBS is the main event.
pvp? potbs has it
rvr? potbs has it
player run economy? potbs has it
loads of single and group missions, as well as mission chains? potbs has it
"epic" end-game group dungeons? potbs has it
what does darkfall have more?
and you can't compare the naval battles of darkfall to potbs! heck even the avcom in darkfall is limited to swinging a sword and back again as clumsy as it gets.
Sieges for example (both by foot and by boat)
A world that people can explore and fight for.................on their feet (or mount).
PoTBS has a very limited avatar function.
The naval battles in DF can be as good as PoTBS, for your info.
The only thing is better in PoTBS is the way the ships move, they are much more realistic, and it takes a little bit more skills to turn the ship the right way, but that is pretty much it.
Naval combat make only 25% of content/activity in Darkfall
In DF naval content is just one of the options, while in PoTBS is the main event.
uh, well port battles are similar to sieges.
24 vs 24 and you need to either destroy all the enemy ships or capture the defending port; with avcom.
or you can blockade a port in pvp to rise contention if that suits your idea of a siege best.
Yes I know, but DF has that too..............but it has the normal sieges too (the best of any PvP MMORPG).
My popint is that what PoTBS does, constitutes just a portion of what DF can offer.
Sure the naval battles are more challenging in PoTBS, but then again, that's the main attraction of the game.
But DF naval combat is not too far behind.
Also do not get me wrong, I am not saying that PoTBS is a bad game or that it doesn't do the job right.
I am all for promoting niche games.
This was more a critic on the way MMORPG.com gives the score in their reviews.
DF was marked down, because apparently was too niche to attract mainstream players (which anyway I believe is wrong in principle).
Then you have a naval MMORPG which is as niche as you can get and it gets 7, even if DF can offer more features and a more "complete" experience (or more options) than PoTBS, which is mainly limited to the sea and naval battles.
Only noticeable thing is that PoTBS is published by SoE, while DF is developed and self-published by an unknown developer.
But I am sure there is a better explanation to judge so differently 2 niche games, when DF of the 2 is the one that should get a sligtly higher score than the other.
So not like Star Trek Online at all then.
i belive the STO reference was how you have to manuver your ships to bring your guns to bare or to turn your damaged hull away from an enemy .
Magic is impressive, but now Minsc leads! Swords for everyone!
I can only assume the author didn't go past level twenty as he would of know "button mashing" only brings a quick death. You must use tactics with your selections or you will never master the ground combat. It may be somewhat clunky, but it is one of the few MMO ground combats that do utilize tactics.
I thought the reason it didn't catch on better was the flaw of how one got replacement ships. Most causual players won't risk ships to PvP when they have trouble replacing them due to cost or availablity. Had ships been easier to obtain, I think more people would of attempted PvP more and kept the society interested in the end game. Insurance didn't seem to make a bit of difference in bringing new players to the PvP part of the game.
Yes I know, but DF has that too..............but it has the normal sieges too (the best of any PvP MMORPG).
My popint is that what PoTBS does, constitutes just a portion of what DF can offer.
Sure the naval battles are more challenging in PoTBS, but then again, that's the main attraction of the game.
But DF naval combat is not too far behind.
Also do not get me wrong, I am not saying that PoTBS is a bad game or that it doesn't do the job right.
I am all for promoting niche games.
This was more a critic on the way MMORPG.com gives the score in their reviews.
DF was marked down, because apparently was too niche to attract mainstream players (which anyway I believe is wrong in principle).
Then you have a naval MMORPG which is as niche as you can get and it gets 7, even if DF can offer more features and a more "complete" experience (or more options) than PoTBS, which is mainly limited to the sea and naval battles.
Only noticeable thing is that PoTBS is published by SoE, while DF is developed and self-published by an unknown developer.
But I am sure there is a better explanation to judge so differently 2 niche games, when DF of the 2 is the one that should get a sligtly higher score than the other.
this was a re-review; and darkfall is only months old.
at launch, i would have given potbs a 5; but after two years there is no denying that much content and some polish was added to the game (albeit with some undeniable mistakes along the way). surely darkfall can polish the game in the future and get a better grade as a result.
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
Of the MMOs released in the past four years, which MMO do you feel had worse av-com than what PotBS currently uses?
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
Just hopping in to say I DO like the game, and WILL be playing it for the foreseeable future.
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What does that have to do with anything? So what SOE 'published' PotBS in that they pressed the CD's, folded the boxes etc.... the same as Gamearena in Aus did and another company in Russia did and what SOE will do for one of the other new games recently in the news (can't remember the name now) here on MMORPG. Sony is a vast corporation that I'm sure has it's fingers in a number of games one way or another.
PotBS was developed by and is 100% totally managed by Flying Labs Software (FLS). FLS did contract with SOE to handling it's billing and allows SOE to put it on it's Station Pass program, but other than that SOE has NO say in PotBS's development.
So scratch that excuse for why DF and PotBS were scored different.
And since you weren't sure about DF:
Developer(s) Aventurine SA
Publisher(s) Audiovisual Enterprises SA
SWG (pre-cu) - AoC (pre-f2p) - PotBS (pre-boarder) - DDO - LotRO (pre-f2p) - STO (pre-f2p) - GnH (beta tester) - SWTOR - Neverwinter
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
Of the MMOs released in the past four years, which MMO do you feel had worse av-com than what PotBS currently uses?
You should have asked which mmo has av-com that would work well in Potbs as swashbuckling combat for boarding ship..
You are making the same mistake as the writer by comparing it with land combat av-com. It's different in Potbs & too hectic for most people to comprehend but given time there are tactics that can be learned.
Of the MMO that have ever been released, which MMO do you feel has worse ship combat that Potbs currently uses?
ANSWER: ALL The Potbs ship PVP is far superior & more interesting than ANY hack/slash game!
i'm sorry, but you didn't look hard enough.
there are several RP societies in the game. one that comes to mind is the st. george squadron a british society, involved in all aspects of the game and they are quite big : http://www.st-george-squadron.co.uk/board/index.php
additionally, one of the new content introduced over the past few months is a RP quest chain which covers several levels and its particularly fun to do (it starts at the lower levels).
Yea, well, you should not NEED to even have to look "hard enough" to find the community in the first place.
Anyway, my issue with this game is all the instancing , it just do not feel like an open world. In a tiny little port , every single door is a load screen, every little event seems to come with some sort of load screen. And i would even say this alone gives the impression that you won't see other players easily, since what's the odds they'll pop up in the same little instance as you?
So while the game have its merits, it's not worth a subscription. If they want to revive this game, they must follow Turbine's move with DDO and make it F2P .
Basically what I was going to say. If I have to look hard for it, then its not nearly robust enough, especially taking into account the wonderful environment provided.
I love this game,
BUT I would NEVER play it without AV - combat.
Why?
Because than i would not feel like the captain of a ship,, rather i would feel like i am the ship itself, and it might be minor for some, but being able to step out of my ship and slice some pirate dices makes a HUUGE difference for me and adds incredibly much to the fun factor.
Just my two cents.
Always been interested in this game.the avatars tho an combat from what i read are its week points.Newegg has it on sale might try it yet.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." Robert E. Howard, The Tower of the Elephant (1933)
Thing is av-com is not a major part of Potbs & was never intended to be, tbh it's not that bad either.
It is clunky and far from intuitive. IMO, the current version of av-com in PotBS is, by far, the worst implementation of avatar combat to be released in the past four years. Yes... even worse than some of the MMOs that have come and gone during that span.
the avcom is far from perfect but i wouldn't describe it as "the worst implementation of avatar combat".
Of the MMOs released in the past four years, which MMO do you feel had worse av-com than what PotBS currently uses?
You should have asked which mmo has av-com that would work well in Potbs as swashbuckling combat for boarding ship..
You are making the same mistake as the writer by comparing it with land combat av-com. It's different in Potbs & too hectic for most people to comprehend but given time there are tactics that can be learned.
Of the MMO that have ever been released, which MMO do you feel has worse ship combat that Potbs currently uses?
ANSWER: ALL The Potbs ship PVP is far superior & more interesting than ANY hack/slash game!
Why should I have asked that when that has nothing to do with the conversation? I'm glad that you enjoy the ship PvP. I used to enjoy it, too. Had Troneas or I been referring to that then your random interjection would have some level of relevance. I stated that the Av Com was the worst in the past 4 years of releases and he said it wasn't. Since he contested that, I am curious what MMO he feels was released in the past four years with worse Avatar Combat.
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
I have to disagree with the review about avatar combat. In fact, I think avatar combat is the part I enjoy most about the game. Avatar combat is shallow compare to other games and it doesn't work well for end game pve raids and massive pvp, because of the lack of mechanism for co-operation aside from buffs and debuffs.
BUT despite all its flaws it does capture the feel of the age of sail very well. Normal pve feel satisfying with your avatar taking down multiple enemies at once with smooth and realistic sword play animations. Small scale pvp such as boarding combat, duels and skirmish are fun too.
Ship pvp on the other hand, although I can see the depth, I never really "get" it and so did not enjoy it much.
As much as I would like to agree I shall not as I think this game is great even though it may be "Dated"but just so was Super Mario 64.
Now who DIDN'T like that game?
<Halp>
I'm Canadian EH?
I have been playing PotBS since the closed beta. It had a rough start and everything, but now it is a blast. You don't get a game like this anywhere.
made a new 'trailer' last night for it too, just showing off some of the ship combat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8FkEcXPH3I
I would encourage everyone to give it a shot again or for the first times, its a blast.
The new Power & Prestige expansion launches on August August 24th, 2010
More details here .