Opposing Viewpoints: Book 15 Reactions

Sonja and I have been blogging for a long time and it's sometimes difficult to find something we don't see eye to eye on. In the wake of Pirate101's Valencia Part 2, and presumably Book 15, teaser video, players have surprisingly mixed reactions. Sonja and I will tackle two different angles of the response in order to provide a more complete picture for readers. To start out, read her post HERE.

Quest for Book 15

Wizard101 has never gone more than a few months without a major storyline update - not even way back in 2008 when the game started. Not to mention that's along with major systems being put into place - pets, the Bazaar, and so forth. These are fundamental things that make Wizard101 what they are, and Pirate101 got some of the that but there were and still are some major pieces missing. Beyond that, it seemed as though the story had stopped.

In a newsletter from Professor Falmea, we learned that Pirate101 was "unsure where to go with the story." Most people took that to mean that they weren't sure what should happen next. However, if one examines the apparent completeness of Blind Mew's layout of arc one, the only conclusion you can draw from a statement like that is that they're unsure whether to continue the story. This was part of a heated discussion that erupted many a time on social media and elsewhere.

Rebirth of Pirate101

Those who stood faithfully by Pirate101's side were right - against all signs and odds, three years later, Valencia Part 2 (which is presumably all of Book 15) is on its way this summer. There were short video pieces played during KI Live. This, to me, was an opportunity for Pirate101 to be born again. In my view, it is not a set-in-stone schedule of updates for the game, but rather, a last chance for players to prove that the game is worth continuing to update the story on.

Looking for More

To my surprise, there were mixed reactions. It amazed me after all the asking for Book 15 that people would still not be satisfied. After all, Pirate101 is such a solid game with so much potential that I'd take a single new storyline zone and be happy. However, others were not satisfied. After three years, it seemed surprising that only Book 15 was coming. Even then, that content wasn't complete, as noted by One-Eyed Jack during KI Live. 

I think part of the negative reaction to the amount of content produced in the span of time the company had may have to do with the teaser itself. If I were doing a teaser, I'd probably be running around, too. Why? Because I enjoy the environments and the spaces and cities and so forth. That's my kind of thing. There aren't any major dungeons or battles really showcased, just the area. We come close to seeing quest dialogue, but don't pick up anything yet. Perhaps as we come closer to its release, we'll receive more in-depth views of what's coming.

The Test Run

I don't think that anyone believes it took three years for Pirate101 to produce what they did, but there are some conflicting beliefs on the nature of this release. My personal opinion is that this is a trial run. If Valencia Part 2 performs well, perhaps the story will continue. That's a big IF. I don't think it was performing as well as KingsIsle had hoped before, and that's why production slowed. However, enough players drove the message of Book 15 that eventually KingsIsle decided to give it a try. It's important to understand that this is only a theory, and does not reflect what has happened at KingsIsle.

My hope and my wish is that players will shower Pirate101 with memberships, crowns purchases, and so forth to show them not only that we still care, but that we are willing to demonstrate that with our wallets - and that speaks volumes. If Valencia Part 2 comes out positively, it may signal a new direction for Pirate101, and that's a win for both the game and the players.

You Decide

What are your thoughts on what we've seen so far? Do you want more? Will you be playing Valencia Part 2?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!