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Book 15 Thoughts

AuthorMessage
Captain
Feb 11, 2010
644
As my access to the message boards comes to an end (for now), I'd thought I'd share some of my opinions overall of Book 15.

I did enjoy the story. The unicorns are well modded, the voices are pretty good, the music is enjoyable, and Florenza is beautiful. But, to me it felt way too short for the first arc finale, compared to Wizard101's first finale and past expansions. I felt yes, it was good, but it seemed like I always felt like something's missing. I thought about it, and decided this- there are too little side quests.

I liked the side content, yes. But there really wasn't enough. In other worlds there are several long side quest chains that teach you about some of the world's past, and reasons for the peace to be disturbed, such as Moo Manchu in Mooshu and The Book of the Banana in Monquista. There are also those side quests really fun to do, my favorite being the Jolly Rancher line. I didn't really see any of that in here, the only one being the small conflict between the guinea pigs and this Capo of the Five Families. Which leads to my questions...

First off, Who is Capo? What are the "Five Families"? Are they the crab clans? This world left me with a LOT of questions, especially with the crabs, because according the website's description of Valencia, the guinea pigs and crabs serve as the middle class, but in here the guinea pigs are the middle class and the crabs are all criminals serving under Kane. Why, in general, are the crabs put as antagonists, with the exception of Louis and Birgus? For example, the Tortellinis and Rigatonis? Just how did this come to be? Hopefully it'll be answered in a possible future Rogue's Gallery for our Valencian comrades.

Next, the Guinea Pigs. Where did they come from, and how did they come to be? Like the situation with the crabs, not much is said about them. Our Presidio companion even points out they're "new". Maybe I missed something from Gaspard's RG, maybe it's left out.

In general, I think from the looks of this it was done within a month and slung together and passed as "the thrilling conclusion of the first arc". I liked it, but I didn't love it. Most of the models were reused or modified from an older one, not a lot of new things to get, and just way too short. I managed to finish the whole thing within a day and a half, and I couldn't really be motivated to pay attention to the story, only in the beginning and sort of the end. I was a little let down, because I know KI can do better than this. The dialogue really irritated me, because there wasn't really any comic relief or emotion, really. It just all went by too fast. But, I still want you to know, I did like it, but I felt there could've been more. It's just Florenza, Clock Works, Beat Kane, done.

Hopefully KI can turn around and listen to the players. You should know, many people such as myself really care about this game, and we just wanna see the game's true potential.

Thanks,

Black Wolf Bowman
Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
CaptainBlackWolfBo... on Jun 15, 2016 wrote:
As my access to the message boards comes to an end (for now), I'd thought I'd share some of my opinions overall of Book 15.

I did enjoy the story. The unicorns are well modded, the voices are pretty good, the music is enjoyable, and Florenza is beautiful. But, to me it felt way too short for the first arc finale, compared to Wizard101's first finale and past expansions. I felt yes, it was good, but it seemed like I always felt like something's missing. I thought about it, and decided this- there are too little side quests.

I liked the side content, yes. But there really wasn't enough. In other worlds there are several long side quest chains that teach you about some of the world's past, and reasons for the peace to be disturbed, such as Moo Manchu in Mooshu and The Book of the Banana in Monquista. There are also those side quests really fun to do, my favorite being the Jolly Rancher line. I didn't really see any of that in here, the only one being the small conflict between the guinea pigs and this Capo of the Five Families. Which leads to my questions...

First off, Who is Capo? What are the "Five Families"? Are they the crab clans? This world left me with a LOT of questions, especially with the crabs, because according the website's description of Valencia, the guinea pigs and crabs serve as the middle class, but in here the guinea pigs are the middle class and the crabs are all criminals serving under Kane. Why, in general, are the crabs put as antagonists, with the exception of Louis and Birgus? For example, the Tortellinis and Rigatonis? Just how did this come to be? Hopefully it'll be answered in a possible future Rogue's Gallery for our Valencian comrades.

Next, the Guinea Pigs. Where did they come from, and how did they come to be? Like the situation with the crabs, not much is said about them. Our Presidio companion even points out they're "new". Maybe I missed something from Gaspard's RG, maybe it's left out.

In general, I think from the looks of this it was done within a month and slung together and passed as "the thrilling conclusion of the first arc". I liked it, but I didn't love it. Most of the models were reused or modified from an older one, not a lot of new things to get, and just way too short. I managed to finish the whole thing within a day and a half, and I couldn't really be motivated to pay attention to the story, only in the beginning and sort of the end. I was a little let down, because I know KI can do better than this. The dialogue really irritated me, because there wasn't really any comic relief or emotion, really. It just all went by too fast. But, I still want you to know, I did like it, but I felt there could've been more. It's just Florenza, Clock Works, Beat Kane, done.

Hopefully KI can turn around and listen to the players. You should know, many people such as myself really care about this game, and we just wanna see the game's true potential.

Thanks,

Black Wolf Bowman
Please let me interject, that though fast, Florenza is well written with some great dialogue; some somber, some hilarious:
Countessa ( quoting from The Princess Bride ) "Kane knows, He knows Kane knows and Kane knows he knows Kane knows."
Countessa: "Show him Pyramus and Thisbe!"
Hawkules then proceeds to quote Shakespeare from The Midsummer's Night's Dream: "Oh Grim-looked night!....."
Riggatoni: " He'll suffer?"
Countessa: "Humiliations galore." ( another The Princess Bride quote )
Pigmalion ( ROFL ) really? I had to stop for a few minutes and just laugh!
And the names of the crab clans: Riggatoni, Tortellini? Were the writers having Italian food for lunch that day?
The entire Presidio Companions quest promotion "Bob's Your Uncle" has some of the best writing in this game, and the quest is long and challenging.
The dialogue in the Great Machine is absolutely well realized, although I am just a bit disappointed by Queen. But I believe we'll see more of her, maybe soon?
Ensign
May 01, 2012
34
Ya, some of these same things were bugging me. We know so little of what is really going on in Valencia and the people that are running things from behind the scenes. Perhaps KI is alluding at them to play major roles not in the Pirate101 storyline, but perhaps in the Wizard101 story.

However, this does leave KI area to expand Valencia with, as I am sure we have not seen the last of her and the Armada quite yet. Many questions can be answered from these ethnic groups like crabs and guinea pigs to the mystery that surrounds the bureaucracy in Valenica.

The update in my opinion, had some rather good highlights though: especially the Presidio 5 Companion promotion. This promotion quest was insanely well designed and is perhaps the most planned promotion quest in the game, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Though maybe we could keep them just a slight bit smaller so they don't take up like 4 hours. I also enjoyed the encounters with these mysterious crab clans: so much is left to be found out: like why would Kane trust in those that he considered to be lesser beings and imperfect to his design? Not to mention Phule's actions (I won't spoil it for those that haven't played).

What I really think could've been improved was Queen's involvement in the storyline to develop her as a threat just as worthy of being feared as Kane. I doubt we've seen the last of her, Kane, and even Bishop, not to mention Phule.

Other than that, and the bugs, I found the new update to be exceptionally made for such a short deadline and I hope that Blind Mew and the other rushed workers have more time for the next update to make the storyline truly amazing again!

"We will make Pirate101 great again." ~ Unofficial quote from Blind Mew that never actually happened...
Admiral
Jul 27, 2012
1196
anecorbie on Jun 15, 2016 wrote:
Please let me interject, that though fast, Florenza is well written with some great dialogue; some somber, some hilarious:
Countessa ( quoting from The Princess Bride ) "Kane knows, He knows Kane knows and Kane knows he knows Kane knows."
Countessa: "Show him Pyramus and Thisbe!"
Hawkules then proceeds to quote Shakespeare from The Midsummer's Night's Dream: "Oh Grim-looked night!....."
Riggatoni: " He'll suffer?"
Countessa: "Humiliations galore." ( another The Princess Bride quote )
Pigmalion ( ROFL ) really? I had to stop for a few minutes and just laugh!
And the names of the crab clans: Riggatoni, Tortellini? Were the writers having Italian food for lunch that day?
The entire Presidio Companions quest promotion "Bob's Your Uncle" has some of the best writing in this game, and the quest is long and challenging.
The dialogue in the Great Machine is absolutely well realized, although I am just a bit disappointed by Queen. But I believe we'll see more of her, maybe soon?
I absolutely adored the Contessa's improvised cover for the pirate crew as 'travelling circus performers'. I laughed with great enjoyment when she added, "Show him Pyramus and Thisbe!"

And then they did! I laughed so hard! I dearly love A Midsummer's Night's Dream, and to have a snippet of some of the hilarious performance of the 'Rude Mechanicals' in the play actually performed was sheer delight. And Bonnie Anne's little added piece was perfect.
Bosun
Dec 28, 2012
361
Yes, I doubt we've seen the last of Queen, Phule, maybe Bishop, and Kane is too good of a villain to not re-use.
Captain
Feb 11, 2010
644
Update: On the comedy, I probably did not see a lot of it in the test realm. I skimmed it through because it's just not as engaging as the first part of Valencia was. Now that I can take my time on it, I see it (Bonnie's sarcasm to Hawkules was pretty funny), it's there, but I just feel it's sort of forced. I feel Bonnie is just so irritated by everyone lately....

Another thing I forgot to add was we only get ONE companion because every other enemy besides the other unicorn enemy is just reused, reskinned, or just added fast new little animations. I really had hoped to maybe get a few new companions. Contessa (and for some reason all female companions except Zeena in general) just doesn't do it for me. She died in the first battle I put her in!
Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
CaptainBlackWolfBo... on Jun 16, 2016 wrote:
Update: On the comedy, I probably did not see a lot of it in the test realm. I skimmed it through because it's just not as engaging as the first part of Valencia was. Now that I can take my time on it, I see it (Bonnie's sarcasm to Hawkules was pretty funny), it's there, but I just feel it's sort of forced. I feel Bonnie is just so irritated by everyone lately....

Another thing I forgot to add was we only get ONE companion because every other enemy besides the other unicorn enemy is just reused, reskinned, or just added fast new little animations. I really had hoped to maybe get a few new companions. Contessa (and for some reason all female companions except Zeena in general) just doesn't do it for me. She died in the first battle I put her in!
1. Yes, she's squishy, you as a swashbuckler know this is a weakness of SB companions.
2. Did you try to protect her? Or use a buff?
3. Above all, did you make her use her Gallant Defense? ( IMO, just a quick way to die. )
We knew that Crabs were part of Valencia, is that the re-use you're referring to? We knew there would be tons of Armada, so why make new models of them? Since the only new enemy are the Unicorns then it makes sense for new models; although you may have a point as to the Ridolfo/Iago look a likes, but these are rarely used.
It's a small world with very few quests, it would be strange to have side quest companion recruitment.