Pirates of the Caribbean Online

Pirates of the Caribbean Online
File:Piratesofthecaribbean-logo-englisch.svg
Developer(s)	Disney Interactive Alberto Campo (Lead), Schell Games, SilverTree Media
Publisher(s)	Disney Interactive Studios
Distributor(s)	Disney Interactive Media Group
Series	Pirates of the Caribbean
Engine	Panda3D
Platforms	Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Release date(s)
Genre(s)	Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Pirates of the Caribbean Online was a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based on the franchise of the same name. The game was first announced by The Walt Disney Company on April 26, 2005. It was originally scheduled to be released in summer 2006, to coincide with the release of the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, but its release was pushed back multiple times. The game went through two beta testing phases during 2007 and was officially launched on October 31, 2007. The game was officially available to players in the United States, United Kingdom, parts of Mexico, and Canada. The game ran in the Panda3D graphics engine. This game is being remade by a small development group, and beta is set to release in late 2015.

Gameplay

In Pirates of the Caribbean Online, players were able to create a customizable pirate, captain a ship, assemble a crew, and play the role of a pirate in the 18th century Caribbean. Player interaction took place in and around Port Royal, Tortuga, Cuba and Padres del Fuego with characters from the film series (including Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann) as major non-player characters. Gameplay also involved encounters with new characters and enemies unique to the game, such as Jolly Roger and his undead horde. In order to become a notorious pirate (the game's experience system), player's were required to forge alliances, complete quests for reputation and gold coins, hunt for buried treasures, battle evil forces and outsmart enemies.

In-game combat consisted of creating combinations, resulting in more damage. The game had a limited list of weapons available — cutlass, broadsword, sabre, blunderbuss, bayonet, musket, pistol, voodoo doll (of different classes with specialties such as buffing allies, cursing enemies, etc.), dagger (and also included throwing knives), grenades, and voodoo staff (with different classes similar to voodoo doll) — with each upgradeable. Players could play poker and blackjack in taverns, with the ability to bet gold on each game. These games were played against NPCs or other online players. The maximum amount of gold that could be carried was 200,000. Ships were very important; providing a way to travel and to fight. Players assembled crews to run the ships while in battle. However, crews only lasted while logged in. If a player remained logged-out for more than five minutes, they left the crew. Leaderboards enabled players to compare scores with other pirates and guilds. The ranking criteria of Top 25 players and guilds included overall notoriety, enemies defeated, ships sunk, Pirate vs Pirate battles, times in jail and blackjack and poker hands won. Based on player feedback, extensive revisions were implemented in 2009 to optimize Pirates of the Caribbean Online. Developers expanded the game by introducing new enemies and adding the ability to retrain weapons skills and revive fellow players. Also added was a stowaway transportation system, and the chance to defend Port Royal, Padres Del Fuego and Tortuga against invading armies of "undead" pirates ultimately ending in a fight with Jolly Roger (the game's nemesis). Other Pirates of the Caribbean Online changes concentrated on improving the website, adding weekly community events and improving customer service and player-to-player interaction.

Story

The game began on the island of Rambleshack, where the character has been jailed for some unsaid reason. They are in luck, however, as they share the cell with Jack Sparrow, who helps free them as Jolly Roger is laying siege to the island. Before they leave, they meet Will Turner, who gives them their first weapon (a Cutlass) and Sea Chest. As the player readies to leave, skeletons appear and attack William. The player escapes the warehouse through the back door, but must fight Skeletons that block their escape. At the dock, a ship (The Grim Reaper) captained by Bo Beck is waiting. After confronting an unidentified Undead warship, the game's main villain Jolly Roger appears. It is revealed that Beck was to bring Jack to Roger, but Jack paid a higher bribe and offered the player as a substitute. Jolly Roger then turns Beck into a skeleton, but lets the player live as a warning to Sparrow. Arriving in Port Royal, voodoo mistress Tia Dalma warns of dark forces of the EITC and Jolly Roger rising in the Caribbean, and that the Black Pearl is needed; but unfortunately the Pearl has been captured by the Royal Navy. As Elizabeth Swann is approached for help, she tells the player that the release of the Pearl would not be easy, but instead gives the player a ship (Light Sloop). Later, Captain Hector Barbossa then hands the player a Pistol. Finally, the player catches up with Jack in the Faithful Bride tavern on Tortuga.

Jack asks the player to help gather the Pearl's old crew so they can free her and they must perform a number of quests for each crewman before they will join. The first chapter of the story ends with the Black Pearl Boss Battle, in which players have to team up to sail the Black Pearl out of the fort it's kept in on a secret island by blowing up enemy forts and the main boss ship the HMS Goliath.

After obtaining much notoriety, Jack asks for the player's help once again. Jolly Roger has set up a rum blockade to drive Jack out into the open. The Player must find one of the Cursed Blades of El Patron and use it against Jolly. The Blades are located at Raven's Cove, a haunted and desolate isle that was turned into ruins by Jolly Roger and the EITC. The player meets Crazy Ned, the only living inhabitant of Raven's Cove. In order to get into the mines, the player must gain the trust of Ned by helping the friendly ghosts of Raven's Cove. After doing so, the player will obtain a key to an elevator to the mining area of Raven's Cove. This ends the first part of the quest and starts the second in which the player finds 2 ghosts in El Patron's Mine named Dr. Bellrog and his bodyguard, Kudgel. The doors that lead to El Patron's Ship, where the Cursed Blades are is sealed, so the player must do a series of quests given by Bellrog to unlock the doors. Once the player does so, the third and final part of the quest begins, the El Patron Boss Battle. Dr. Bellrog no longer has any need for the player and orders Kudgel to kill the player. After defeating Kudgel, the player must leave the cave and Battle El Patron himself. Afterwards, the player is able to choose 1 of the 3 Cursed Blades El Patron used himself. By doing so, the player receives an Evil Curse of Doom, whose use was not specified even until the closure of the game - though it was to be the basis of a future story quest.

As with any MMORPG there were several quests which players could undertake from various NPCs that involved retrieving an item by searching for it from game objects or by attacking enemies. PvP quests from the "privateering" islands were also a part of the game.

Development

The game was developed by the VR Studio, a group of technologists and artists that are part of the Walt Disney Internet Group. It was the second MMORPG developed by the VR Studio, the first being Toontown Online, which launched in 2003. An early demo of the game was shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show in May 2006. The game's official website was also redesigned at that time to include a trailer, some screenshots and some concept art.

On January 8, 2007, Paul Yanover of Disney Online showed video footage of the upcoming game during Disney CEO Robert Iger's keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show. He also announced that "we’re going to let you play this massively multiplayer online game for free for as long as you want." Several press accounts of the event stated that the game would debut during the second quarter of 2007. The game went through two beta testing phases during 2007 and was officially launched on October 31, 2007.

Expansions

There were many expansions and updates to the game after it was introduced and officially launched. Expansions ranged from minimal graphic updates to complete island overhauls, as occurred with Port Royal, Tortuga, and Padres del Fuego in 2009. Next came Privateering, where players could join French or Spanish Navies for player Ship vs Ship Combat. In 2010, Pirates Online underwent a massive weapons expansion, allowing players to have dozens of items at hand at the same time, and hundreds available to them in loot, and at stores. On May 17, 2011, the Queen Anne's Revenge was launched as a flagship to coincide in with the latest movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which was released in theaters three days later. The final expansion was Ship Customization, which added the ability to change a ship's hull style, rigging, sail color, and add an emblem to the sails. Additionally, the expansion added a new ship, the Brig, to the purchasable ship type roster.

Closure

On August 20, 2013, all members received notification that the game would shut down on September 19, 2013. Between August 20 and September 19, all members were automatically upgraded to a paid "Unlimited" account for free. During the game's final month, all members received double gold and double plunder.

In response to the closure, former players have created a private server of Pirates of the Caribbean Online named The Legend of Pirates Online, which on July 5, 2015, the project released its largest progress update to date featuring some key features and game areas of the original game, such as multiplayer interaction and Port Royal.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 72% Metacritic 60% Review scores Publication Score AllGame Game Revolution C+ GameZone 7.0 PC Gamer (US) 60 out of 100 X-Play Game Chronicles 7.5 Gamers' Temple 70% Game industry News

Pirates of the Caribbean Online received moderate reviews. Reviewers generally noted the game's family-friendly atmosphere, rather simple graphics, and easy yet tactical ship combat. The game was also voted for the Beckett Massive Online Game Survey, under the category for best online game for family friendly atmosphere, in which it won runner-up.

Awards

Year	Association	Award	Result	Ref
2008	Game industry News	Game of the Year	Nominated
		Online Game of the Year	Won
	Parents' Choice Foundation	Gold Award	Won
	Web Marketing Association	Outstanding Website	Won
	Webby Awards	Games Category	Nominated
2009	Webby Awards	Games Category	Nominated

External links

• Pirates of the Caribbean Online at MobyGames