Hey all - I loved how the previous story thread was going, but 13 pages and 300 odd posts was just too much to keep track of.

So - I'm going to begin a new one. The update going live seemed a perfect time to do it.

If I didn't get to your questions, don't worry: the last ones asked will be the first ones I address in this new thread. Once my first avalanche of posts is done, if I missed your question, feel free to ask it again here.

By the way, in addition to this thread, I'm soon going to post some "liner notes' about Marleybone and Aquila, what we were thinking, how we got there, that kind of thing. As soon as they're written, I'll post them in the appropriate world forum and link to them here.

@Baronzemo0123:
1. ...I know it is probably telling but who is caligistro is it a valencian or someone else that's the way I'd like to put it so you don't spoil anything

Glad you liked it! As for Caligostro, that would indeed be telling. By One-Eyed Jack's standards, I let too many cats out of the bag at the end of Book 14 already, so I'll just repeat what we revealed there: whoever or whatever Cagliostro is, Valencia is where you'll look for it.

2. Meowiarty it was nice to see him in chains after wizard101 will he ver have any important role or was that his only role in the game

Uncertain. I really like what we were able to do with him, and love writing dialogue for him. He may return, but even if he doesn't I think we did him justice, and that was my goal. And he wasn't in chains, by the way, just behind bars. I expect he has it rather cushy in there, due to his influence.

To be continued...

@Baronzemo0123: (last one!)
5. Last is that I know you said once that monkey king should be receiving his promotion at lvl 65 so does that mean in the next update he will receive his promotion.

What I said was, he'd promote within 3-5 Books of Book 12. That was back when I figured a Book would be 5 levels. This update went a bit beyond that, cramming 15 levels into just 2 Books. So forget about level. The soonest he'll promote will be Book 15, but he could promote in Book 15, 16, or 17 - or even later. We want the world to be appropriate to the promotion, so sometimes we stretch or compress the target range a little. He'll promote, don't worry. All in good time.

@Coolster50
5) Finally, why don't the Foxes of Albion get better independence the Civil and legal way instead of trying to make Marleybone lose the War (I mean they are toast if MB loses the war, don't they know that the Armada is heartless, soulless and ruthless?) It makes more sense and is less bloody, in my opinion anyway.

Well, bear in mind that the Radicals don't speak for all the Foxes of Albion - they just happen to be most of the ones you run into in Book 13. Back home that there are many Foxes working tirelessly to win home rule, but it's been generations with very little result. The brutal truth is that it's not yet in the Dogs' interest to change things. Thus, some of the Foxes are looking to violence as a solution. The Radicals don't know much about the Armada - they see the threat of crippling Marleybone as leverage they can use to get what they want. Bonnie Anne agrees with you, if it's any consolation.

Should you be break dancing at your age?

Wow.
When I asked a few questions a few months back I had no idea it would turn into a 300-odd thread and a SECOND story thread. Yowzas. Well, onto the questions....

1. Is it more likely for you guys to create side-storylines in an existing world with side skyways (i.e. Gibbonia to Monquista, Albion to Marleybone, Florenzia to Valencia) rather than entire side worlds like Grizzleheim was designed for Wizard? It would be pretty neat having a nice side story.
2. Duck Holliday seems quite the scoundrel, in his own words. Are we going to learn more about him in a future promotion?
3. I was really surprised with the Professor Challenger NPC, as well as all the 'Doctor Who' references in Fetch! I was a bit disappointed that 'the Professor', Wizard101's version of the Doctor, didn't appear. Any thoughts?
4. The Banana Seed Heresy was mentioned in Monquista before we get to Aquila - will it be expanded upon?
5. I assume Gracie Conrad, Catbeard, and Hawkules will all eventually receive promotion quests, correct? And as you mentioned in an above post, whose class does Argos join?
6. Speaking of Argos - if he joins a class, does that make him a side-companion? Because as a keeper of Marco Pollo's Map Piece, shouldn't he have an important character role like Catbeard?
7. Will the situation in Rajah, as a completely controlled world courtesy of Marleybone, be talked about?
8. Umm...Electric Boogaloo? I don't quite get the reference....

Hey, Blind Mew, since you started fresh with the new story thread, I ask you this.

That certain Valencian genius Captian Avery mentioned during the game's 5th Puppet Show, who constructed Supreme Commander Kane and the Clockwork Armada troops and their Elites during the Polarian War years ago, I think that certain genius must be the same Valencian creator, King Casimir, correct? His name was mentioned in the game's website, but not in the game itself... yet. Will his name be mentioned in the game soon? And will we ever get to hear of King Casimir's origins about the Armada's creation before his passing... I guess?

This isn't a question, just a comment.

A lot of people say Cool Ranch is too long, stressful, and hard. ( A couple of people asked about it, too. )

I actually take Cool Ranch as a challenge. With a short break in book 8.

i was a little confused about catbeard saying we had the piece of map the whole time. we were supposed to get it from him but since we never did. does that mean that there wasnt one to begin with and that he just lied. so we did all that work basically for nothing? just wondering

merciless martin roland

Peabotz on May 23, 2013 wrote:

Should you be break dancing at your age?

Nice...

CaptainFlint193 on May 23, 2013 wrote:

Wow.
When I asked a few questions a few months back I had no idea it would turn into a 300-odd thread and a SECOND story thread. Yowzas. Well, onto the questions....

1. Is it more likely for you guys to create side-storylines in an existing world with side skyways (i.e. Gibbonia to Monquista, Albion to Marleybone, Florenzia to Valencia) rather than entire side worlds like Grizzleheim was designed for Wizard? It would be pretty neat having a nice side story.
2. Duck Holliday seems quite the scoundrel, in his own words. Are we going to learn more about him in a future promotion?
3. I was really surprised with the Professor Challenger NPC, as well as all the 'Doctor Who' references in Fetch! I was a bit disappointed that 'the Professor', Wizard101's version of the Doctor, didn't appear. Any thoughts?
4. The Banana Seed Heresy was mentioned in Monquista before we get to Aquila - will it be expanded upon?
5. I assume Gracie Conrad, Catbeard, and Hawkules will all eventually receive promotion quests, correct? And as you mentioned in an above post, whose class does Argos join?
6. Speaking of Argos - if he joins a class, does that make him a side-companion? Because as a keeper of Marco Pollo's Map Piece, shouldn't he have an important character role like Catbeard?
7. Will the situation in Rajah, as a completely controlled world courtesy of Marleybone, be talked about?
8. Umm...Electric Boogaloo? I don't quite get the reference....

Yeah, pretty cool huh? I've always loved this kind of interaction with players and fans, and will gladly continue as long as my workload allows. Now, on to questions:

1. I certainly want to, and it's come up in discussion a few times. I agree that it would definitely strengthen our setting by having things go on that aren't abiout the Armada and El Dorado. The wrinkle is, of course,schedule. I'd hate to skimp the main story or insert a really long delay in continuing it because we did a full side update instead of a main one.

2. I'm fond of leaving it vague... Though we might touch on it someday.

3. I grew up on the original Doctor Who, back in the cardboard monster days. References were an absolute must, since this was our Britain analogue. As for Challenger, I love turn of the century fiction, and thought he'd make a fun addition. Perhaps he needs to go to Azteca someday... with his colleague, Professor Nickelmass.

4. There's a whole big line of sidequests in Book 3 that deals with the whole "which came first" and banana seeds religious schism. Those quests offer a decent introduction to the story element. Will it come back up? I have some ideas about returning to Monquista - we created the whole religious schism as our hook if we ever return for more than Stormgate authorization.

5. If they talk in quests, we're committed to giving them promotion quests. And Hawkules, he never stops, talking, does he? As for Argos, he's a Privateer grant, I believe.

6. All the map keepers aren't on the same level of imporatance - look at Clark and Egg Foo Young, for instance. We liked the idea of giving Argos away, but not as a universal companion: we're trying not to do more than one of those per Book, and Hawkules wins that contest hands down. So what about Book 13? Well, I said we try... Gracie was critical to the plot, and ultimately we love the character of Catbeard too much not to have him join the player's crew.

7. Future dealings with or in Marleybone could easily sprinkle more details about Rajah. It's our analogue to Colonial India - for now I think that's enough.

8. Oy. I'm a child of the 80s. I don't think I've ever actually seen it, but the phrase has been part of me and my friends' jokey vernacular for 30 odd years now. Man I'm old... Suffice to say, it's easily googled.

Blind Mew on May 28, 2013 wrote:

Yeah, pretty cool huh? I've always loved this kind of interaction with players and fans, and will gladly continue as long as my workload allows. Now, on to questions:

1. I certainly want to, and it's come up in discussion a few times. I agree that it would definitely strengthen our setting by having things go on that aren't abiout the Armada and El Dorado. The wrinkle is, of course,schedule. I'd hate to skimp the main story or insert a really long delay in continuing it because we did a full side update instead of a main one.

2. I'm fond of leaving it vague... Though we might touch on it someday.

3. I grew up on the original Doctor Who, back in the cardboard monster days. References were an absolute must, since this was our Britain analogue. As for Challenger, I love turn of the century fiction, and thought he'd make a fun addition. Perhaps he needs to go to Azteca someday... with his colleague, Professor Nickelmass.

4. There's a whole big line of sidequests in Book 3 that deals with the whole "which came first" and banana seeds religious schism. Those quests offer a decent introduction to the story element. Will it come back up? I have some ideas about returning to Monquista - we created the whole religious schism as our hook if we ever return for more than Stormgate authorization.

5. If they talk in quests, we're committed to giving them promotion quests. And Hawkules, he never stops, talking, does he? As for Argos, he's a Privateer grant, I believe.

6. All the map keepers aren't on the same level of imporatance - look at Clark and Egg Foo Young, for instance. We liked the idea of giving Argos away, but not as a universal companion: we're trying not to do more than one of those per Book, and Hawkules wins that contest hands down. So what about Book 13? Well, I said we try... Gracie was critical to the plot, and ultimately we love the character of Catbeard too much not to have him join the player's crew.

7. Future dealings with or in Marleybone could easily sprinkle more details about Rajah. It's our analogue to Colonial India - for now I think that's enough.

8. Oy. I'm a child of the 80s. I don't think I've ever actually seen it, but the phrase has been part of me and my friends' jokey vernacular for 30 odd years now. Man I'm old... Suffice to say, it's easily googled.

Are you sure Argos is in this update? I know Privateers who finished the main story and did not recruit Argos. And I finished on a Musketeer and did not unlock him in the Crown Shop

Blind Mew, will we get to recruit Erika the Red someday? I would love to have her on the crew since she was with Marco Pollo's crew in their quest for El Dorado, and I'm sure there we'll get to see her soon. I really want to have Erika as part of the crew really soon as a universal grant companion in the main story!

This is a bit out of the topic, but answer me this. I've sent my idea about dungeon checkpoints and described about it. Will you apply the dungeon checkpoints feature soon? I'm all for longer dungeons in the game, but I would also like to see checkpoints appear in those longer dungeons. I'm sure many Pirates like that idea, so I'm hoping you do, too, Blind Mew. If this is more of Ratbeard's forte, then I'm sure he will agree to this. Thanks!