zones with hidden entrances/caves/lagoons

The detail of the zones is incredible--even down to the rocks on the beaches.

Why not do more with the zones?

Hidden caves, treasure, and even runes to find and complete a task or puzzle would be interesting. Some of us miss the quests that we completed in the game and the narrative that went with them was very clever.

The entrances or clues found could lead to new areas to explore, (an area like what they did with the frostwolves maps), for a group or individual who wants to do something using their minds instead of click-boom-pick-up-boxes.

Or even being able to summon a unique monster for you or your guild to slay for gold, diamonds or bloods if you figure out the puzzle.

 

@Bigpoint: How about a trial run of this during the winter event? If the clues are collected in the correct order and you click on a particular coordinate (or landmark) in one of these maps you create an icemonster that a single very strong player or several mid range players could slay for dias or bloods or ships plates? The location changes every 4 hours so to avoid anticipation by hangers on who might hit the beast themselves. At least one person in a group has to have completed the quest and when a group is created all members of that hunting team gain something. The main rewards go to the player who shot last (as in the Oasia monster).

There could be a separate map that the coordinates opens and takes the entire group into--this would also avoid opportunists.

This could be awesome--consider it?

 

I like how you think! That would be awesome instead of ''click-boom-pick-up-boxes''. I find it much more interesting to fight big bad guys with some story instead of classic ''copy-paste'' enemies we fight over and over again in pve. It could also be monsters that have abilities like ''if monster 1 dies give monster 2 - x'' ''If x or more monsters are on screen (are seen) deal x less damage'' something something.
Treasure we could find after a task or puzzle, sweet! - instead of all the quests with ''kill x of that'' which are boring.
The pve aspect of the game is underdeveloped and could be great if the team gave it some focus. However, they focuses on the big hitters in pvp (almost impossible to unlock in the current state of the game for normal players). Why not some pve content which costs a little that everybody will enjoy?

 

...and that will keep newbies interested and logging in. The initial tasks in the first few zones have a nice storyline, but again..."kill so many of this" is boring, I agree. Something more of a puzzle that needs to be solved would be a nice spice to add. I like your idea of the monsters gaining the abilities and *hit points* of the "pack" as each is killed until you have one big, mean bugaboo. That would encourage group or guild participation to knock off the last beasty.

Oooo how about during events days that the event ship associated with the event is the only ship that can find that special monster though others without the ship can be in the group? Interesting way to use event ships because the poor babies aren't trotted out much compared to piris, devastators and ahabs.

I agree Bigpoint has nooooo idea what an awesome game this could be--and how much easier it is to get peeps to spend a smaller amount of cash but a bit more often and in pursuit of a puzzle that need be solved.

They have the "shells" of some interesting monsters already because they are used in special event maps--that dang disappearing dragon or the hydra could be the base shell of some nasties. Actually having a monster that appears and disappears in a regular zone map, (or special map that is unlocked for an entire group) when it is uncovered would be one heck of a chase. It disappears into an island mountain, or a stream, and you have to find it and flush it out again, or, as it attacks you/your group it hits from various angles and then disappears again. If you don't destroy her quickly, her eggs hatch and then you've got her and dozens of smaller nasties attacking you/your group. she is so focused on you that others in the zone can't hit her--only you or your group can.

Hydras hunting in pairs or trios, another good idea because that monster could gain the heads of it's fallen kindred as well as the hit points.

Or.... certain monsters, if captured by a guild can be kept on the guild island as guardians---and not be solely around the towers and fortress. This monster would travel all over the guild island area and hunt down attackers who regroup for attack waves.

A different captured monster could be "trained" to accompany a guild in a plunder or in the defense of an ally fortress. It would attack until killed, but when killed adds its "hide" to protect it's guild ships during that plunder--adding some extra hit points. Tell me that such a beasty would not be worth solving a puzzle then trying to capture.

I could think of a dozen story lines for any of these events.

This is already a good game but could be so much more if they would just really look at it.

 

Oh dang, Frank. What are we doing wasting really good ideas here when no one in BP even reads these forums? *WE* should design a pirate battle game and make the bucks.

Look at the survey votes--everyone else wants something different than click-boom-pickup boxes. BP is going to kill this game by changing the balance with bigger and bigger ships, guns, ammo when really, they should be doing creative things to get players to engage with what is already here--they will make more money as well as keep players in the game and competitive.

The only thing that is going to happen the way things are headed now is all of these new ships and sets are going to make those lowlifes who sell developed accounts happy.

 

If I got the skills to do so, I would love to get this game up and running - But first I would establish solid communication between my customers if I was responsible for PS. I would read the forum, comment on some hot tropics and make come-and-ask-about-PS tropics. Then try to make the most wanted possible (servermerge ec.), say to the forum we got a plan and a deadline to that and that. Try the best to keep that deadline (or tell why it isnt possible). Thereafter I would discuss small idea's in my team to give the game a ''fun''-factor for all, while I also invest the most time to clean up the important requests. Then if I got players back to the game I would then start to add slightly better items to keep the old players interested (and to make money) and add new events/features to keep players in the game (which makes money).

I would like BP to follow the first thing I mentioned - communicate, communicate, communicate and be honest with their customers.