General Discussion

MMORPG.com Staff Writer Carolyn Koh recently took a tour of Flying Lab Software's Pirates of the Burning Sea. Today, she writes this report of her adventures on the high seas.

Pirates of the Burning Sea (PotBS) is based on the history of the “Golden Age” of Piracy, and on the historic landmass – or should we say, the open sea of the Caribbean. It is the Age of Sail, somewhere in the early to mid 1700s and trade is the moving force of the day, interrupted or boosted by the Pirates, Privateers and the nations vying for control of trade routes. The nations of Britain, Spain, French and *ahem* “Pirate” are represented in PotBS as playable factions and players choose to ally with one or another. The reason for the “Burning Sea” moniker is found in their lore, in the recovered scraps of the memoirs of Rear Admiral Jack Soothby, Royal British Navy, 1593 describing how Herman Cortes burned his fleet at Puerto del Principe in Cuba.

“... I remember the sun setting and the flames growing to their largest height. The light from the fires was a false second sun—visible as far east as Mathew Town, as far west as Trinidad, and as far south as Port Royale…

... Thousands died when Cortes’ fleet was torched to the waterline by his own hand—an event now known as the Night of the Burning Sea. ”

Read the whole thing here.

His name was Hernán Cortes not Herman.

This game is really fantastic. But don't try to play it like its a DIKU clone...its clearly not.

Originally posted by ocman1

His name was Hernán Cortes not Herman.

Cortés 

*pings Jon to fix the typo*

*ponders the missing accent marks*

Originally posted by ocman1

His name was Hernán Cortes not Herman.

The game is very good, I think--but it's not for all people or all playstyles. I think that's good, but quite a few here seem to think that if a game's not aiming to become #1, then it's worthless.

Thought this was a weird report at first.  Why a brief article on the dev led, media friendly tour, when the game is in open beta, meaning any mmorpg.com staff could be playing it right now and giving a pre-release review?

I thought about it some more, and I'm guessing its because the dev-led tour leveled you up, and took you to some sights quickly and easily.

Still, I think you might have given a more informative, and non-repetative, mini-review, if you had just had a reporter from the site level up to 15.  From what I hear, it's not that hard.  And, even if the review/outcome was the same, at least it wouldn't seem like marketing "spin".

Just my two cents. 

Originally posted by Bountytaker

 And, even if the review/outcome was the same, at least it wouldn't seem like marketing "spin".

More and more articles written by mmorpg.com staff are looking like marketing spin. So sad.

Originally posted by smg77

 

Originally posted by Bountytaker

 And, even if the review/outcome was the same, at least it wouldn't seem like marketing "spin".

 

 

More and more articles written by mmorpg.com staff are looking like marketing spin. So sad.

Although I like PotBS, I have to agree that the articles on the site are just for advertisement dollars.  Nothing informative or new or insightful.  Just "This game is great!" stuff.  Every game they review or comment on is the best thing in the world.  I find it hard to believe every game is so good.

Of course they they win probably ban my account since I said something negative and not glowing about a game.

I think the review was right on, even thou I am now a fan of the game. The only reason I could see for such an invite and hand guided tour is to show what you can't see in beta. Allot of which they did are not accessible to the masses till launch. Giving them the tour of mid to top level play allowed them to see things the average beta player will never see. It is , after all beta.

Nice review, it is stuff like this I look forward to doing later in the game, I can't wait :)

Originally posted by smg77

 

Originally posted by Bountytaker

 And, even if the review/outcome was the same, at least it wouldn't seem like marketing "spin".

 

 

More and more articles written by mmorpg.com staff are looking like marketing spin. So sad.

Couldn't agree more. I just come here to see what the peeps are saying in the forums. All these game sites are too afraid to give a bad review because not only could they lose advertisment $ but also the exclusive interviews from the Publishers/devs as well.

Comes down to "don't bite the hand that gives you feeds you"