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why this game sucks as is, and needs mods like I need oxygen

S

Slick

Landlubber
I feel ripped off, and I know I'm not alone. Know that I am not intending to start a flame war, just wanted to share my opinions in a forum - which is technically the entire point of said forum.

I mean really, all of the quests involve finding `so-and`-so and then defeating them in a fencing match on their ship, then being given a 1/4 of a map necesitating the same quest to be carried out 3 more times. Also, isn't it odd that they can manage to get a whole new ship every time? Even when you do eventually get the whole map walking around on land is not especially fun either, it just looks and feels goofy.

The dancing is also a low point, I think it would be way more fun if they somehow incorporated a KOTOR friendly VS. mean type deal with this. Where, you could play as a real bad*** pirate and just threaten everyone until they give you stuff.

I liked how in POTC you could wander around towns in 3rd person, and jungles, and islands, and ships (meaning you take on the whole crew, not just the captian)- and so forth. That game was hijacked by disney and released early and it surpasses a game that could really have been a working progress for nearly two decades.

But, the thing that really irks me about this game is it's aging system. You're looking at about 17 (`18-35`) years in your life unless you manage to find the few items that actually have a point and can prolong your life. Well, factor in the "divide the plunder" feature which slices off 6 months every time and you're looking at about `12-15` if you're lucky. Then, factor in the painfully slow sailing and cut that by a 9/10. Meaning, you'll spend 10.8 to 13.5 years sailing from point A to point B, and then to Z, back to A etc. Plus, factor in how you're guy gets slower on his feet with age and fencing becomes impossible - you're not looking at a very productive lifespan.

In my opinion, this game has just too many flaws to cut into my `Half-Life` 2, BFME, etc. playing time. I now use it as a coaster, and not surprisingly - it's not even very good at that.
 
Hey, it's not for everybody. Some of us actually think spending 10.8 to 13.5 years sailing from point A to point B is great fun. Some of us even--amazingly enough--LOVE the dancing!

If you want something like KOTOR, well, the sequel came out for PC just yesterday. (And yeah, I'll be retiring my pirates for a while to go save the galaxy.)
 
<!--QuoteBegin-eewallace+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eewallace)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hey, it's not for everybody. Some of us actually think spending 10.8 to 13.5 years sailing from point A to point B is great fun. Some of us even--amazingly enough--LOVE the dancing!

If you want something like KOTOR, well, the sequel came out for PC just yesterday. (And yeah, I'll be retiring my pirates for a while to go save the galaxy.)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

KOTOR 2 is out? Hells Yeah!
 
Yeah, sorry you didn't like it Slick. I think (as do many others) it's a great remake of a classic original. It has some issues that would be great to change, but it's a blast IMHO.

But then again, I didn't care for KOTOR at all. And I'm a HUGE Star Wars Geek!
 
I am also sorry you didn't like it, but remember that it is designed to be a remake of an original - which was very historical. And people didn't live long in those days, and people did spend a lot of time dividing the plunder and sailing about and so forth.

The game you are asking for isn't Pirates! It's something else - which might be a good game, but isn't the game I want to play. I like the innocent nature of the game, I like the fact I have to be a decent, honourable person and so forth. I like the fact `no-one` really dies and there isn't much blood.

It's a Swashbuckler game - like the 7th Sea RPG, it is cartoony and cool. And I love it for that.

So, use it as a coaster if you will - I think you're the one missing out.

Cap'n Darius
 
Well said, Darknight!

I think many of those who complain about this game have forgot the basic fact that it is a remake and not a sequel. I think that if there's to be a sequel, we'll get to see some more complex plotlines etc. in that one, but the present Pirates! is merely meant to be addictive fun (ala the original), and that it is!

Also, I agree that sailing around takes a bit too much time in the characters' lives (not playing time though, unless you don't know how to tack into the wind), but, then again, I think the career length is perfect as it is. You can easily finish all the quests (if you want to) by the time you are 40 and then you'll have a free hand to do whatever you want to do...

A fault that I see in the game, that would be simple to fix, is the point cap system that is used now. If the point cap was removed from the wealth score, you could choose not to play a nice guy and reach the max points simply by plundering... It would thus make the game more `open-ended` than it presently is.
 
I'm going to go ahead and DISAGREE with everyone else and AGREE with slick.

I don't care what they call it remake or sequel, as much as it was addictive and fun for a little while, there is no sense in doing a remake if you're not bringing anything new to the table.

And it isn't just the plot lines, the quests/bugs are just sloppy. Perhaps an argument could be made that it was a graphics update, except that this game isn't even identical to the original pirates (unlike the Larry VGA remake) to qualify for that.

Again, this is fine for a bargain bin game, but for a major release, I certainly beg to differ.
 
Sorry you didn't like it v4 - they did add dancing, as well as loot, and the land battles are MUCH improved over the original versions. But, while I enjoyed the game (and still enjoy it) quite a bit, I'd sure like to see a complete redo of the game, with the same flavor. And yes, I agree, that some of the quests are a bit sloppy. But, I still think it's a great game and in keeping with the traditions of the originals.
 
Yes. It's not desgined to be something extraordinary, but it makes an interesting experience for a while. Not a long while, but a while. I agree it isn't worth all that money (unless you're one of those original Pirates! fan, probably).
 
In the name of those unhappy with this game I feel urged to post.

Pirates original was the best pirate game ever untill Sea Dogs came out, well, untill Sea Dogs became playable, that game mixed a bit of Pirates fun with a deeper less gamey approach. I thought Sea Dogs was the way to go for pirate games in the future.

Pirates! is a revamped version of the classic, there are alot of classic Pirates fans out there, including me, that will enjoy it to some extent, there's room for everybody and the more pirate games we have the better.

However, I personally prefer a more "Pirate Naval Simulator" approach, and as we now have the technology for such an ambitious project I feel disappointed with Pirates! Bad luck I guess.

But all is not lost, there is a mod for POTC that turns that game into Pirates Gold! except for the world size which is ridiculously small (thanks to Disney!), of course I didn't expect Pirates! to match POTC (modded or not) deph level as we're talking about different genres here (Arcade vs Simulation), but for me Pirates! is just too much arcadey.

Sid Meier is one of the greatest minds of the gaming industry, so is Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of "Super Mario", Pirates! is an arcade game, Super Mario is an arcade game, if you watch the evolution of these two franchises you will notice a big difference, the ultimate Pirates! game in the series is almost exactly what it was ages ago, or at least plays like it, I'd say it's got a `make-up` done.

Super Mario suffered a revolution by the time the Nintendo 64 console hit the market, it was a complete different game, from head to toe, new ideas replaced the old ones, it was still Mario, but better. Then again a new Mario appears on the Gamecube console, different yet again with a new twist.

I must paraphrase another big man from nintendo, he said: If we continue to make what we did years ago people will find gaming <b>boring</b>.

Pirates! is fun (untill Sea Dogs III comes out whatever it's called), it's a quality product, but it is the same Pirates game I used to play ages ago, sorry if my rant is annoying, but I have the right to expect more from Sid Meier.

<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/william.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":will" border="0" alt="william.gif" />
 
nope, yer right. It IS pretty much the same game we all played ages ago. It's funny, for us old timers, the game is awesome but sometimes may not be deep enough for a total pirate game fix. I wonder if I had never played the original, would I still enjoy the new one as much?
 
I think I would. I don't look for depth in a computer game. Then again, I don't play computer games. I owe <i>one</i>.

I am not a gamer in that sense - I'm a roleplayer and a wargamer. And it always amuses me when people call what the gaming industry calls "RPGs" RPGs. They aren't - they are grotesquely limiting games with nice graphics. Even something like Everquest - which is pretty open - is very, very limited in comparison to a tabletop RPG.

So why do I like Pirates!?

Because it is graphically nice - it looks pretty and it looks the part. It allows me to be a Pirate captain <i>without the complexity</i>. I don't want to have to worry about rudder pins and so forth - the simplicity of the game is great. And here is the other thing;

It is complex enough to make sure no two games are identical, but each game has a similar core to it. And there is a underlying story there - one which you can expand in your imagination.

Yes, I am a roleplaying and wargaming geek. Which perhaps places me in a different category from the rest of you. But my games of Pirates! are wonderful experiences. To me, that first ship takedown isn't just a "oh well, best go after the Barque because it is there!" it's a, "The Governor has told me of this - I owe it to him and my country!"

I can trace the ebbing of my pariotism, my character's development from naive captain trying to be pro English to a selfish `sea-wolf`. The girls I dance with are <i>named</i> in my mind - as are my crew specialists.

When I rescue my future wife from the clutches of the evil Mendoza, I <i>always</i> put into a rich port somewhere. Why?

Do you really think I am going to be carrying stuff that'll keep a Governor's daughter happy? She's going to need a new dress etc.

Yes, perhaps I am reading too much into it. Perhaps I'm not the average computer gamer (in fact, I know I'm not - I only play one game). But Pirates! is ideal for what I want it to be - it's a vehicle for storytelling.

I don't know if that is what Meier, Firaxis and Atari wanted to make. But when used as that, it is excellent and I don't think it could be better. It's detailed enough to allow it, and vague enough to not make it impossible.

Cap'n Darius
 
I kind of agree with all of you at once. I have only had the game for like 4 days and I am absolutely loving it, although I can see that soon enough the novelty will wear off, but I feel that this is because of one fundamental flaw in the gameplay... its just plain to easy. And I kind of agree with slicks point about the quests being repetitive, but overall I'd say its a great game, oh and I am one of those people who never played the original.
 
Hey Zaph, try Swashbuckler level! EWWWWW!

Darius - I love your RPG style to Pirates. Playing any Pirate related table top RPGs? I just started a Freeport d20 campaign for Dungeons and Dragons. great fun!
 
Cap'n Toast,

I've played 7th Sea, which is very good - although it does benefit from throwing the background out totally and just playing in the world of Sid Meier's Pirates! / POTC (which I have done - and it rocks!)

Cap'n Darius
 
Well Zaph, you are a better man than I. Swashbuckler's fencing makes me cringe.

Darius, how about the Swashbuckling Adventures stuff that kinda links d20 to 7th Sea? Green Ronin also put out a d20 historical spanish main game - that looks plenty piratey. I heard grea things about 7th Sea but it appears to no longer be in print.
 
I have a copy - and D20 sucks. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Cap'n Darius
 
yeah, looks like ebay can provide copies of 7th Sea. I wonder if it's worth getting the Swashbuckling Adventures that's supposed to be compatible with both systems or if one should just stick with the original. I hear good things about the Savage Worlds 50 Fathoms set too.

Talk about a thread hijacking <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
YOU SAY: I feel ripped off, and I know I'm not alone. Know that I am not intending to start a flame war, just wanted to share my opinions in a forum - which is technically the entire point of said forum.

I SAY: Okie dokie

YOU SAY: I mean really, all of the quests involve finding `so-and`-so and then defeating them in a fencing match on their ship, then being given a 1/4 of a map necesitating the same quest to be carried out 3 more times. Also, isn't it odd that they can manage to get a whole new ship every time? Even when you do eventually get the whole map walking around on land is not especially fun either, it just looks and feels goofy.

I SAY: Well I thought most games was finding `so-and`-so, eg. HL2 I need to do this so I can kill that creature sorta thing. Note also that they were Barons or higher ranked so they got plenty of money to get another ship.

YOU SAY: The dancing is also a low point, I think it would be way more fun if they somehow incorporated a KOTOR friendly VS. mean type deal with this. Where, you could play as a real bad*** pirate and just threaten everyone until they give you stuff.

I SAY: Dancing rules, what the truck!?!?!?!? as for your KOTOR implementation, its already there, they hate you they shoot you and blast you out, they like you, then you can dock and promote you.

YOU SAY: I liked how in POTC you could wander around towns in 3rd person, and jungles, and islands, and ships (meaning you take on the whole crew, not just the captian)- and so forth. That game was hijacked by disney and released early and it surpasses a game that could really have been a working progress for nearly two decades.

I SAY: I did too, but the controls suck, and it was too easy when you get a big ship and a fleet. The problem with POTC, was that its too small, too fiddly and worse of all the game bored me when I finished it, only the MODS here made it fun to play again. Pirates I played it 1 month more than I did before I done everything I could, yes my first game that I attempted to do alot of things.

YOU SAY: But, the thing that really irks me about this game is it's aging system. You're looking at about 17 (`18-35`) years in your life unless you manage to find the few items that actually have a point and can prolong your life. Well, factor in the "divide the plunder" feature which slices off 6 months every time and you're looking at about `12-15` if you're lucky. Then, factor in the painfully slow sailing and cut that by a 9/10. Meaning, you'll spend 10.8 to 13.5 years sailing from point A to point B, and then to Z, back to A etc. Plus, factor in how you're guy gets slower on his feet with age and fencing becomes impossible - you're not looking at a very productive lifespan.

I SAY: Get smaller ships, pirates were to raid, pillage and plunder they werent a standing army. If you get smaller ship you go far, if not then you gonna be slow as.

YOU SAY: In my opinion, this game has just too many flaws to cut into my `Half-Life` 2, BFME, etc. playing time. I now use it as a coaster, and not surprisingly - it's not even very good at that.

I SAY: HL2 bored me to death, it was great story, but it was just endless killing and I wonder if Freeman was actually a [EDIT]physicist[/EDIT] or a serial killer you tell me.... whats BFME?

These were my opinions <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />
 
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