Bored of sinking ships

I’ve been hit with a case of boredom. I think it’s probably the result of overly repetitive and undiversified gameplay. More so, I think it’s the recognition of this fact that has lead me to this current feeling of lull surrounding Pirates of the Burning Sea. On one hand I enjoy ship battles against other players. On the other hand I don’t enjoy having that be the only thing there is left to do in the game. Too much of a good thing is bad; no really, it’s true.

Last night I spent 2 hours sinking other players. I had a hand in sinking so many ships that I can not recount to you any one particular battle. I lost zero ships last night and actually gained a great deal of coin from the loot of my victims. Last night was full of all good things yet I am left feeling unfulfilled. It hit me today that I have experienced all there is to do in the game at this time. I’m producing the highest quality goods in the economy, sinking level 50 players, sinking level 50 NPCs in max group sizes, explored the entire map, done all of the quest lines, and if there’s anything I’ve forgotten to mention I’ve probably done that too. It’s been a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs lately. I feel like I finally have the game under control but them suddenly the ride has come to a stop…

The simple and unavoidable fact of the matter is that I am left without choices. Choices are important in a mmorpg because without them repetition sinks in. Repetition is the cancer equivalent in mmorpgs. It will break down and destroy the very basic enjoyable things in a game when it sets in. I invite anyone reading this to analyze the game you are currently playing or any games you have played in the past. Think back to why you are bored with (or quit) the game. Chances are it has something to do with repetition in some form.

FLS (PotBS Devs) need to diversify gameplay. If this is not done then many others will quickly come to the realization that they have only one choice left. When that choice is explored to its fullest, and it will be, they will be bored too. Although I have been playing since August I anticipate it will take other players only a fraction of the time to realize the same truths. There is only so much you can experience in a small square instance of water. There are only so many ways you can fire a cannon, only so many ways you can sail a ship, and only so many ways you can sink your opponent and generally speaking every class plays the same.

Pirates of the Burning Sea is still a good game and I have not quit playing. I’ve peacefully decided to take a break. I want to feel a desire to log in. Without that then I can’t justify subscribing once the free month is over. While I may speak negatively about the game I’m content that I have not done so without providing solutions and alternatives. I’ve put a lot of thought in to a battleground system, risk vs reward, and mixing up the gameplay, and the economy.

Don’t let the fact that I’ve become discouraged deter you from the game. Get yourself a buddy key and play the trial. Pirates is still the most unique and different approach to a mmo yet. Hopefully I feel like logging in soon. I want to keep enjoying it.

Okay, that concludes today’s therapeutic writings! I feel better now.

Update: I’m almost ready to log in again. Almost.

Update 2: I logged in late this afternoon and did some PvE. I felt neither excitement or boredom. A very “bleh” feeling.

  • I just picked up potbs and so far i’m enjoying it. The sailing model is a little bit too unrealistic and arcade-ish but oh well.

    I was hoping for something like Pirates! where you could attain titles and land from all the nations. I think right now it feels too much like your good old realm-vs-realm type.

    I think they should have started all players on the same slate, but still allow the classes. Then it’s up to the player to “grind rep” with either nation by doing quests or engaging in privateering/warfare for a side to win acclaim within that nation.

    That way, if you stay somewhat neutral to all nations, you could possibly engage in trading across all factions. If you chose to be a pirate, you couldn’t sell goods other than in the “rebel” ports, etc.

    I think that would have opened up more choices.

  • I came to this realization last week, and I’ve only been playing since open beta. I haven’t logged in since Saturday. I don’t think I will again.

    I concur it’s worth trying, but most every (PvE) battle is the same, which leads to repetition awfully quickly.

  • it is obvious that if you play any game nonstop for several months you will get tired of it. Just getting to the top level as fast as possible will not make the game last either. I have been playing PotBS casually for 2 weeks now and I am still only lvl 13, so there is plenty of gameplay left. Btw, I still play City of Heroe as well, which kept me interested for almost 3 years. I guess am not hardcore player, but maybe those games are not targeting players like that. What do you think?

  • I suspect the first content update with the ship dungeons will be more to your liking. The ship dungeons present a lot of different ways to play through the same encounter with different rewards.

    I think the big difference between CoH and Pirates is that we have a lot of elder game content coming, content that will expand out from the bsaic ship combat. The goal was to create a solid foundation to build out from. Now that we’ve done that, we’re beginning the building out process.

  • I’ve been playing a couple of weeks and reached level 21 as a Spanish Privateer. The ship battles are great when you first set out, exciting and well visualized. But the game feels ‘explored’ far too quickly. You can (and probably will) sail from one end of the Caribbean to the other fairly early, stopping at ports of choice along the way.

    After a pretty short time you’ll wonder what is next? Is there anything more to see? Anything particularly different to do?

    I’m a bit disappointed and probably won’t hang around for longer than my first month. Sadly I had a similar experience with Tabula Rasa. I wonder whether mmos are increasingly catering for a slightly more casual audience, making it much easier to get in and get started, but ultimately leaving the games short of depth.

  • @ Rusty: I’ve read about the ship dungeons. I think you’re right in that they will be more to my liking. I’m definitely sticking around to see them.

  • You have to admit, you’re a pretty hardcore player, Keen. It wasn’t uncommon for people to write similar blog posts a month after WoW launched as well. They reached the end of the game and found that there was nothing left for them to do. While you may not have reached the end, you definitely seem to have exhausted your options.

    My only suggestion is that you play PotBS more casually. It seems as though your heart is truly devoted to WAR though, which makes you subconsciously view this game as a holdover, so there’s probably no real remedy aside from enjoying it for what it is…

    Maybe I’m wrong though!

  • It’s true. I am a pretty hardcore player and that classification definitely carries a lot of weight in my comments. While I might get only 3 months of play out of a game some people can go on for a year or more and not even scratch the surface of what I’ve done. Their enjoyment as a result of it could be the same as or more than my enjoyment during the few months.

    No doubt about it my heart is truly devoted to Warhammer Online. DAOC is and always will be my favorite MMO. It’s one of the few games I stopped playing that I actually loved from start to finish. As a result I’m incredibly hyped about Warhammer under Mythic’s development. Without question Warhammer will be my next DAOC – a mmo that I stick with for years.

    But, because it’s in my blood, I try as many games as I can and then I talk about them with people. I never want to see any game fail and when I dislike something about a game I end up disliking that I dislike something more than the something I dislike! *takes a breath* Whew, did that make sense?

  • Just somethig that I notice again and again.
    Expectations creat disappointments. Being hyped over something over a long period of time does come at this price. Look at Bildo, he is getting hyped over things all the time, then once he gets it (PotBS, TR, LOTRO), his blog is full of disappointment,lol

  • […] If I could reach the end-game I might find a decent PvP game.  As it stands I’ll have to take Keen’s word for it, though he didn’t seem overly impressed […]