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Ratbeard Q & A

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AuthorMessage
Ensign
Apr 26, 2014
12
Fiorenza Rosanante... on Jun 10, 2019 wrote:
I like that idea of some parts of the ship taking wear and tear damage. Sails, rudder, and cannon seem to be the most logical targets.

Is that coding possible? Would it be even more time consuming than giving us another bundle with or without a new companion?
A damage system probably wouldn't be much fun in game but rather annoying in some situations. For example, imagine doing a quest to destroy some ships, forgetting to repair your best gear, and having it break. It would probably happen far too often to players that it wouldn't be that fair. Especially with multi-layered fights like the Scylla at The Passage in Aquila, or in the Pirate's Regatta where good ship gear is needed. It would also probably take a bad toll on the ship part economy, with players having to keep buying ship gear either by their gear already breaking or to buy ship gear before it breaks, both emptying the coffers of the bazaar and our gold. It would be more fun for max levels who aren't going to be using their ships nearly as much as someone who is still questing.

Still, I think this idea could be improved on. I wouldn't want ship gear to completely break, but instead, have it be damaged. For example, have the armor piece of a ship lose some of the health it provides. I wouldn't want the damage to be too much, but not too little, and noticeable enough that it could be considered a threat in much bigger nautical battles.

A new bundle also seems nice, I would like to see what else the spiral offers.
Community Leader
Hey Ratbeard, there's been a bit of a controversy in regard to the pirate zone working in ranked and spar PvP. The last piece of info I could find on it is here, https://www.pirate101.com/forum/the-spar-chamber/does-pirate-work-in-ranked-8ad6a4144f695690014f8a1e170a25ca?page=1 , which says that it likely does not work. Out of curiosity, do you know if it has been updated to function in ranked and/or spar PvP? I'm mostly curious, not really asking for it to be changed one way or another.
Writer, Editor, Administrator, and Pirate PvP guy at FinalBastion

Check us out for all things Pirate101 and Wizard101 PvE/PvP

Community Leader
This game needs more players, needs to draw more people to it.
Making things MORE difficult is not going to help
(although it may make sense to END GAME players... the game is not ABOUT end game, its a much broader experience)

Making more items take damage would complicate the game where it doesnt need be made more complicated.It would DISCOURAGE new players trying to learn the game.
If you want more out of this game, you want to find ways to bolster interest in this game, not to satisfy end-game pvp players, its DEFINITELY not all about PVP. (ive played the game for years and have yet to play a single PVP match... i have 0 interest) That doesnt mean that PVP in itself cannot be improved for those with interest.

Do things to bring in MORE players.
Making the game harder wont do that.
For those with memories.... this was a big problem when the game started.
Harder than Wizard101... the "fans" didnt like it.

In playing a new character again, i have noticed once thing that is majorly discouraging when trying to get started in this game. This game has a HUGE curve on gold accumulation.

Your pirates first 20-30 levels are a struggle just to fund/proceed, getting only 2-4 gold for an item when selling.

Adjust our ability to get gold earlier on and this will help some in my opinion.

I was a HUGE player of Disney's Pirates of the Carribean online back in the day, and LOVED their ship combat, and was rather disappointed with Pirate101's ship combat engine at first, but for the level of play and the focus group it was designed for IMO it does quite well.

Adding more comprehensive features that will inevitably complicate things may sound interesting, but its not going to improve the game, and bring in more players.
Dr Zeppers (aka Silent Sam Stern)
Piratey parodies I like to make.
I be a crazy pirate for goodness sake!
Artist & Admin of Skull Island TV
Lieutenant
Jan 27, 2015
151
1) I agree with the comment of the gold issue when you are a new beginner. I don't remember when the update occured hat added more gold chests through out the spiral, but even with that change. It is very hard to train/hatch/ feed a pet, get tomes, and get gear when you are a new player. It's so daunting a player not more familiar with the spawning places of chests (or lucky enough to start at Christmas or in christmas in July) might feel it's a hurdle too large to overcome.

2) The amount of time it takes for a crew member to level using the brawling activity really needs to be changed. Sometime after I think level 10, it makes you almost stop playing in order for your crew to catch up.

3) Pirate almost requires a certain amount of farming that wiz doesn't (for gold, for nautical xp, for gear). For some this may become monotonous.

4) It would be interesting to see why some bloggers (not sure if allowed to mention them here but one has to do with sauce) started doing walkthroughs and then quit. Perhaps someone like Vanessa Mythdust could reach out to wiz and pirate bloggers and find out why they don't do more on Pirate or quit doing pirate.
Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
Will you be correcting the cabin glitch soon? Or at least sanctioning those who use it?
Dread Pirate
May 27, 2009
2131
It's now been a month since Ratbeard posted in his own thread. It's obvious that Wizard101 and the Deckathalon Events are an "all-hands-on-deck" situation, leaving no one manning the Pirate101 cannons once again.

We pirates are stuck below deck in the brig.

Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
Willowydream on Jul 9, 2019 wrote:
It's now been a month since Ratbeard posted in his own thread. It's obvious that Wizard101 and the Deckathalon Events are an "all-hands-on-deck" situation, leaving no one manning the Pirate101 cannons once again.

We pirates are stuck below deck in the brig.

He could be busy on something for us....are you abandoning the Pumpkin Patch?
( need a ship emoji here. )
Bosun
Dec 28, 2012
361
anecorbie on Jul 9, 2019 wrote:
He could be busy on something for us....are you abandoning the Pumpkin Patch?
( need a ship emoji here. )
The impending Wizard101 test realm is taking up his time as well. I'd suspect once things calm down on the Wizard side of the Spiral, he'll come back here for a bit.
Dread Pirate
May 27, 2009
2131
anecorbie on Jul 9, 2019 wrote:
He could be busy on something for us....are you abandoning the Pumpkin Patch?
( need a ship emoji here. )
No, I'm not abandoning the Pumpkin Patch, but the "loneliness weeds" sometimes take over.

Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
Willowydream on Jul 11, 2019 wrote:
No, I'm not abandoning the Pumpkin Patch, but the "loneliness weeds" sometimes take over.

( Passes Willowy Linus' blanket - takes a weedeater to clear the Patch. Then sits down to join her. )
Ensign
Apr 02, 2015
10
i know that having high will makes charming gaze more likely to succeed but does that same logic apply to high will-based pets as well?
Commodore
Feb 12, 2015
970
anecorbie on Jul 11, 2019 wrote:
( Passes Willowy Linus' blanket - takes a weedeater to clear the Patch. Then sits down to join her. )
Can I be Linus? Stubbornly refusing to give up on the game, and determined to hold on to it for as long as I can?

I would like a blanket too, it's so warm and comfy.
Dread Pirate
May 27, 2009
2131
Lookit Light on Jul 12, 2019 wrote:
Can I be Linus? Stubbornly refusing to give up on the game, and determined to hold on to it for as long as I can?

I would like a blanket too, it's so warm and comfy.
We welcome all sincere Pirate101 supporters to join us in the Pumpkin Patch, awaiting the arrival of the Great Ratbeard, who we believe will once again someday rise over the pumpkin fields and reward the faithful.

We believe that he will share hints and answers, and possibly the most rarest of all treasures -- upcoming plans.

Commodore
Feb 12, 2015
970
Willowydream on Jul 15, 2019 wrote:
We welcome all sincere Pirate101 supporters to join us in the Pumpkin Patch, awaiting the arrival of the Great Ratbeard, who we believe will once again someday rise over the pumpkin fields and reward the faithful.

We believe that he will share hints and answers, and possibly the most rarest of all treasures -- upcoming plans.

And pumpkins?
Commodore
Feb 12, 2015
970
Willowydream on Jul 15, 2019 wrote:
We welcome all sincere Pirate101 supporters to join us in the Pumpkin Patch, awaiting the arrival of the Great Ratbeard, who we believe will once again someday rise over the pumpkin fields and reward the faithful.

We believe that he will share hints and answers, and possibly the most rarest of all treasures -- upcoming plans.

Hey, wait a moment! Ratbeards don't normally hang out in pumpkin patches, non even the Ratbeard. If we want to catch a Ratbeard, we gotta wait at a tavern. For the Great Ratbeard himself, we should set our trap at the Black Spot, where he's been known to grab some prime Yum, and trade words with a certain long-eared friend of his. (For more information, check out How to Catch a Ratbeard, available from a certain smelly friend of mine for the low price of 10,000 Scrip plus a few starfish.)

... I still want the blanket.
Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
Lookit Light on Jul 18, 2019 wrote:
Hey, wait a moment! Ratbeards don't normally hang out in pumpkin patches, non even the Ratbeard. If we want to catch a Ratbeard, we gotta wait at a tavern. For the Great Ratbeard himself, we should set our trap at the Black Spot, where he's been known to grab some prime Yum, and trade words with a certain long-eared friend of his. (For more information, check out How to Catch a Ratbeard, available from a certain smelly friend of mine for the low price of 10,000 Scrip plus a few starfish.)

... I still want the blanket.
I'm not sure you got the reference that Willoydream was using; "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" where Linus expects the Great Pumpkin to visit the "most sincere" pumpkin patches and bring presents to the children.and aren't we getting a little off track?
Commodore
Feb 12, 2015
970
anecorbie on Jul 18, 2019 wrote:
I'm not sure you got the reference that Willoydream was using; "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" where Linus expects the Great Pumpkin to visit the "most sincere" pumpkin patches and bring presents to the children.and aren't we getting a little off track?
I knew that. And anyway, I realized we'll never catch the Ratbeard that doesn't want to be caught... except for getting stuck on a volcano.

Back to the Pumpkin Patch, I guess! Great, now I want pie.

And now, I proceed to move all the prime Yum, How to Catch a Ratbeard copies, and One-Eyed Jack lookalikes (And blankets) to The (Ratty) Pumpkin Patch, in the hopes that the Great Ratbeard will one day rise again and reward the faithful.
Commodore
Feb 12, 2015
970
OK, time to get back on track.

I believe that a primary reason Pirate is in a player slump right now is a lack of enticing Side Activities. Max-level Pirate feel like they've got nothing to do. PvP, Nautical PvP, and Pet Sparring are just not attracting much attention right now. If those can be revived to a condition where players feel it is worthwhile for them to play again, then I imaging a large number will come back or stay for those alone!

I'm aware that many of the community leaders have some good ideas that could be implemented, like in this page on Final Bastion.

As for Nautical PvP, I actually have some ideas for it myself, if anyone would like to hear them.

In Pet Sparring, I think a simple fix would be if better rewards were given to higher-level Pets, to allow them to keep up with training better. Plus community or developer advertisement. Does anyone remember the Spiderfight? If we had more things like that, community interest in this may grow!
Developer
Willowydream on Jul 15, 2019 wrote:
We welcome all sincere Pirate101 supporters to join us in the Pumpkin Patch, awaiting the arrival of the Great Ratbeard, who we believe will once again someday rise over the pumpkin fields and reward the faithful.

We believe that he will share hints and answers, and possibly the most rarest of all treasures -- upcoming plans.

Despite the snark, I can't help loving this metaphor.

Captain
Feb 11, 2010
644
Hey !

Since it is Christmas in July and we finally got our own Krampus, I'd like to see its issues looked at. The zone is really glitchy (the Lobby at least). Whenever you leave it glitches the zone out and there's black. Otherwise, glad to see you back and hopefully I'll post here more lol.
Lieutenant
Jan 27, 2015
151
Do you think Ratbeard has any idea how excited we get with the littlest of his postings

Makes me want to join the pumpkin patch myself. Not big on pie though and don't bake...anyone for making pumpkin cookies?
First Mate
Dec 29, 2012
479
Ratbeard,

During your absence, you may have missed issues raised by the community that have surfaced from your side of the wheelhouse (hamster wheel?):

1. The skeleton key bosses still drop level 25 and level 10 items as rewards.

2. The last two PvP season rewards are severely underwhelming.

3. There hasn't been a new pack since you worked on Ashes of the Armada.
Commodore
Feb 12, 2015
970
Ratbeard on Jul 23, 2019 wrote:
Despite the snark, I can't help loving this metaphor.

There he is! It's the Great Ratbeard!
Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
I've reported this before, but had received no reply about it: my Jump Talent is still bugged! In a PVE situation in a team-up, if a player uses Barricade; I'm not able to Jump over it! I'm forced to go around or often I'm stopped in my tracks completely. This also effects all companions with the Jump talent.

I can Jump from ship to ship, I can even jump over an enemy's barricade/obstacles, but this problem with a "friendly" Barricade is the pits. It has been on-going since the first Ranked PVP patch, and needs to be corrected for further PVE fights.
I understand why it was implemented in PVP, but PVE is different and my talent should work under those situations.
Dread Pirate
May 27, 2009
2131
Ratbeard on Jul 23, 2019 wrote:
Despite the snark, I can't help loving this metaphor.

Snark, or homage?

Being a sincere Pirate101 supporter, one has to believe, or the Pumpkin Patch becomes a place of weeds, as anecorbie pointed out.

I sincerely believe that someday there will be actual answers to at least a few of our questions, or what is this thread really for, sir?

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