Incredible, you release an App only offer that was broken, you are told it's broken, you say it's not, then you realise it is broken, say you are working on it yada yada yada, Raid finishes.
Not forgetting that it alienated any players that don't have the FB linked account, twice if you count the 50 gold giveaway.
But today you want me to believe that it will change (again).
Well your letter means nothing to the players. Lets start with the SSRBs too much damage for a chore target most of the community have not even done them ( I Haven't).
Then lets go to the new legion base part targets. Raid is over so i go to fill up on base parts so I hit the new ones. Now I have to repair for about 6 hours due to your team changing the targets from what they were in the raid. In the raid my tank ship shot down most of the projectiles. Now in these new targets it only shoots down about half of them which equates to more damage. Why didn't your team leave them alone and put the same targets that were in the seige raid in the base part targets why just why did you change them?
OH I KNOW WHY CAUSE PLAYERS ARE NOT FIRST COINING IS FIRST!!!!!
Your team could have put the same targets (instead of changing them) that were in the raid onto the map and we could have filled up with base parts for maybe 1 or 2 hours repair, but instead for the sake of coinage you change them so the damage is about double.
I don't believe any thing you say about players first....
You really need to have some of your team actually play the game...experience it so they will know what we are talking about when we do complain...when things are very boring, Like chores. This game use to be so fun but how would you know if you didn't play. I really hope you're telling it like it is..I will hang in there to find out. I will tell you, I, for one, am very very tired of refits each raid...it's getting very old. tks
Okay we have read your statement. I think you will see that nobody believes anything you just stated. Why you might ask.... You guys have been working on this "Players first" thing for a few weeks. But you have also stated that you are going to change the FM again. But you are changing the top 2 targets. You are not changing the lower targets. You are still leaving the 111's that should have went away over a month ago. How do you come out with a statement about wanting to put players first and then say you don't fully understand where the players are in terms of tech. But also plan to screw the upper players by changing the targets on them so soon after the last change. How does that change benefit the players? That change is only there to cause the top coiners to coin refits no other reason. How did the lack of a bonus on the 100 and 102 targets in the raid benefit the players? That could have been set as a 2.5 mil bonus for a total of 7.5 mil for the set.
I will play the wait and see game on your changes but I am not optimistic in actual changes for the good. Your track record is quite poor in terms of benefiting the players.
This whole thing can be filtered down to a single sentence that gives all of the content in the message:
"Heading up that leadership team is our new GM, Michael Rubinelli."
Thats it. They hired a new guy to replace the departed GDA and GDR. Everything else is flowery BS.
The community has been anything but complacent. Complacent players have already left the game and the folks left have been screaming their **** heads off for a while now.
Well, Michael Rubinelli, a man of much experience with failed companies, let's just see how you do...
Ok, let me play devils advocate here for just a moment.
I understand words come cheap, but I am glad to see that you are willing to admit there has been a problem with the way things have been handled as of late. So, thank you for that.
I speak only for myself of course, but I have noticed a slight change of course lately. Nothing definite jumps out at me, but there just seems to be a different, more enjoyable flow and feel to the game lately.
Sure, we still have chores, and yes, things are harder to achieve for some, more than others. But this game has been that way from day 1. Its never been easy for anybody, we have ALL struggled at some point in the game. And a lot of times its been the players own fault for not following the "Rules for Success" that have been set forth. I have been guilty of this myself. We are all not meant to be on the same plane. There will never be an overnight success story in this game. Its a process, and it takes patience and time to get to the level of play that some are at.
But, then again, sometimes Kixeye sets the hurdle to high for players to jump over. Its a fine balancing act that is hard to achieve at times.
There is fault on both sides, and I'm pointing the accusatory finger at neither.
Yes, I too get frustrated and come to the forums to voice my discontent with the way things are going. Sometimes a little too much.
But, I still love to play the game, or I wouldn't be here. And I've invested too much time to just walk away because something didn't go my way.
With that being said, I hope your words come with swift and decisive action.
If you truly want to make the game fun again - the key is:
a) People with top end tech (ie, investment in the game in building and gaining it) can do chores/raids/whatever for close to free - because we already spent the time investing. b) People without top end tech should still be able with using coins/time grind themselves to the top.
I know when I started this game 5+ years ago I was able to get something grinding it out with SW's , BCX ,Preds etc - I couldn't get the top end prize, but that was ok, I could get something that made my game better. Eventually I was able to win the MCX and I finally had a top end hull at the time, it was fun and exciting, and here is the fun part - it was high end for 6+ months! The same was true for the punisher when it came out, it was high end for a while!
Now? Now we build Fangs and Hunters, just to be given a 'new better' proto-tide, then we build Buccs/Hydras, just to be given a proto-cent to be able to do the top end targets.
The Rat race gets old. The creativity gets lost. You force us by locking us into targets with hulls, with specific builds, and a continual rat race because the boat we just built for a specific purpose is no longer the one able to do the target.
This raid was almost a great event for us with top end hulls - the 106 target was fantastic - with great driving and effort I could do it for free, the 104 on the other hand? Not so much. There was no path in the 104 that allowed me with a decked out missile manti fleet AND a decked out scatter manti fleet avoid damage, no matter what I was pushed into at least 50 min of damage. That is not fun.
What is fun is driving scatter mantis carelessly and killing the 104 and the 106 fast, and taking some damage or driving the missile mantis slow and carefully and killing the 104 and the 106 for no damage. Having to drive the scatter mantis slow and careful and take damage is not fun.
So whoever designed the 106. More of that, less of the 104. And please, please stop forcing us into your hulls. Let us be creative, its more fun that way.
"A lack of community engagement has caused us to lose touch with the speed that players can realistically progress." That has to be the biggest load of horse manure I've heard in years! We talk but you don't listen.
"A lack of community engagement has caused us to lose touch with the speed that players can realistically progress." That has to be the biggest load of horse manure I've heard in years! We talk but you don't listen.
that's what "lack of community engagement" means, there/here's the community, they haven't engaged with it.
make one of each clas boats 1 1 / 2de rep slot or make sure that you can turn 1 slot on each clas boats so you can not reproduce 1 boat at a time but from each clas 1
May 2nd marked the seven year anniversary of Battle Pirates - a game I'm incredibly proud of. Over the years we've seen exciting new factions, incredible player tributes, and tons of emergent gameplay. But if there's one thing I've learned in my tenure, it's this:
Complacency is death.
Unfortunately, Battle Pirates has become a bog of complacency. A lack of diligence has allowed balance-breaking bugs to escape and go unnoticed for months. A lack of community engagement has caused us to lose touch with the speed that players can realistically progress. A lack of planning has forced the team to wildly over-tune stats, targets, and events in order to shoehorn value into new content.
All because of complacency. Well, complacency isn’t going to cut it and it’s time for us to right this ship. So what are we doing to fix this?
First, I’ve put a new leadership team in place. Our issues don’t stem from the talented individuals working long, difficult hours to execute on the nuts-and-bolts of the game, it’s about how we’re deploying those resources. Heading up that leadership team is our new GM, Michael Rubinelli. A State of the Game post will go up in the next few weeks in which he will discuss the long-term look for Battle Pirates. Additionally, our new Lead Designer WrongThinker will be putting up a post on Wednesday introducing himself, as well as the second part of our correction strategy, which I will now spoil.
Battle Pirates has adopted a philosophy that dictates everything we do. It’s simple: “Players First.” Content and features will continue to ship, because that’s how the game is supported, but with every new feature, we will always ask: how does this enhance the player experience? How does this make a player’s life better? Easier? More fun? If the only answer to why we’re putting something in the game is money - I don’t want it in the game.
Finally, we’re tripling down on our community engagement efforts. Expect to see more developer presence, more AMAs, more live streams, more unadulterated proof that the Battle Pirates team is exactly as invested in the continued success and longevity of this game as you are.
The fact that we’re in this position is no one’s fault but our own. The time of complacency is over. You’ve shown us that you’re here for the long haul, and it’s time for us to show you that we’re here for it too.
Long live Battle Pirates!
Will Harbin
CEO
Right...sure...don't believe a dang thing you said...All talk and no action...You guys all suck, you're worse than politicians. All you care about is money...screw you.
Don't wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain
This last raid was the first one that I opted out of since I started playing. Years and Years ago. TBH, I haven't played much at all the last couple of wks. Partly due to real life....but mostly, because its just not that much fun any more. Until the last couple of wks, I have been the one telling my guys "don't quit...give it some time to straighten out". (but it doesn't) "Take a short break if you need to..but come back". And you know what? They usually do. Because they, too, have enjoyed the heck out of this game. So they try. But so far...it hasn't changed for the better. I'll give it a bit more time...see how things go. But not long...…….
Sorry to say, but when the CEO come in and dont even bother to post this himself (aka a copy paste of the letter on forums takes 2 min) and has his employee do it, sorry that a lack of engagement to start.
Second, Players First as been officially announced 2 months ago, and we have yet to see a change in direction. So in the end, empty words.
A change of leadership. Hasnt that been the case on a yearly basis for the last 3 years only to make things worst. We need good leadership who understand the game and communicate with the players and actually listens.
Lack of community engagement, what a joke. Many community members have lived and breathe this game, made you tube shows to present and discuss your game with there own free time, and yet this team, this company from top to bottom involved in it has failed to listen.
The only thing true in this statement is that the situation is all your fault, cause it is. These forums have been vibrant and players both pubicly and in private messages have been telling you how wrong you are. Many players jumped ship even after being in close communication with the team only to be ignored and basicly laugh at. Players know this game better them most of the team in place.
The problem isnt the lack of engagement, but the lack of communication, lack of openess by the team and the sad greedyness motto that management as put in place.
You want a renewal and new direction for Battle Pirates. You want it to live another 7 years. Make a change from top to bottom including yourself. Kixeye needs new management, new business model and an appropriate staff to execute this new vision. Changing the pawns wont change anything and things wont fall into place.
The vibrant community that once was as become filled with apathy and has stopped caring about the game or to bother even playing it. A complete overhaul is needed, otherwise, in a short time, this game will head into the same graveyard as past great game that made kixeye what it is today.
And
the flying pig has just **** on my head, oh no it has not because pigs dont fly and
nothing will change, as a player with a low 4 mil ID and on for over 6
years , what the fk is a new ceo going to do 2 raids a month to get less
money in, get back to the black water days, but we know that wont
happen, congratulations to kixeye for **** a good cash cow up, even trump could not do better
Like the others, I'll just have to wait and see. This game used to be AWESOME! I would love to see the fun return to the game, but it has become laden with chores which have, at least for some, become difficult to complete. Simple resource necessities have become challenging for some to obtain. The expectation for players to have dedicated fleets to so many of the different aspects of the game combined with the crazy built times have been a source of frustration for years. Yes, tokens help, but they are not enough. I've played this game for a long time and I've seen my share of broken promises, yet I've stuck with it. (Many would say foolishly so). Many of your remaining players are hanging on a string and it's not going to take much for them to leave. You've been asked if not pleaded to time and time again to bring a balance to the game. Don't screw this up or you will see this game crumble like many others.
This is the second raid I did not play. Usually I have been able to play at the lowest level and grind out some prizes. Once again I decided that 1.5 hrs damage for 4k points was not worth playing. Hopefully they will make it fun and doable no matter what level you are at in the game, not just the ones that coin moderate to heavy.
Im waiting to see if Kixeye realy take Players First as they make changes. So far we have seen nothing other than abuse and kixing(changes unannonsed) ! Players have used lots of time coins and work to get bases up and running just to see Kix changes make most of it almost useless without even making some sort of refunding. (As pixel coins)
So time will tell if it indeed will show players First, so if water get tohigh again i guess it will def. be easyer to jump ship and quit.
About development of the game, there realy need to be some way of simplefy graphics in events, now lagg is our only known outcome when raids are running.
And REALY You need to make a test enviorment of grid to test changes before they are implemented. Maybe some of the problems would have been found before they are pushed out.
"A lack of community engagement has caused us to lose touch with the speed that players can realistically progress." That has to be the biggest load of horse manure I've heard in years! We talk but you don't listen.
I think he meant that Kix hasn't been engaged with the community. At least, that how I read it.
I am a player with a 3k player id, i started just after the black water days, i have heard all this before. I remember when on a raid week there were over 100k players, this raid you were lucky to have 30k, i used to play for hours a day now i log on to do chores and repair ships so i can do another TLC then log off and play another game. I used to coin a fair amount now hardly any, thanks for the 50 gold, it helped and did not cost you anything. When a ship is a must have for a raid or FM and it costs 40 mil points only top players might be able to get it. Bounty keeps changing, the one a couple of months ago was ideal and i had fun but the last one sucked and i don't plan on doing the next one. Until i can see results i will not be playing or coinging.
Ohh its that time of year again the we will improve predecessor statement so that in december when they do 1 thing right they can say look we are listening and fixing stuff give us money again.
For the first time in the years I joined battle pirates I hear that it's about the players . Amazed because so far it's not what we've seen . It should have always been about the players because in the long run even those that don't coin have their use considering the fact others coin to help em out . Interesting thinking Will Hardin. As of Chris Rampage yeah he has given his heart and soul in the game . And he's still needed . In my humble opinion that is .
How about opening up the preview servers to the whole community again? You need to hear from ALL of us.
Maybe if the community at large could provide feedback that was coherent and actionable, they'd consider it? Given what normally shows up in posts, something tells me that's not going to happen any time soon.
When you look at the progress of the game, it is going at a very quick pace. I see no reason why a newcomer would stay, because it requires so much to start and the fleets we use take so long to build.. a manticore took what? 20 days? for 1? A FM fleet of dragons about the same. A new guy has to make fleets to get the hull and specials, then build them? I fully support some changes, makes the game different, But seems like its really fast and uranium, base parts and even more difficult to get.. The legion parts base already has more repair time per fleet, than the scourge ever did. I enjoy the game and I have heard this before, I have also heard people saying the game is dead, for the last 5 years. People will always whine at the simplest things. I like where the game is going, maybe slow it down a bit, so the "normal" guy can build the ships for it.. Right now, I have missed 2 raids because it took so long to build the fleet, this was the first I got to really participate in.. and after 1 more.. now I am sure I will have to build a honking skirmish fleet that doesnt exist yet. Just for the skirmish raids that are coming.
Lootmaster
Hit Insector and out of sector in: 300, 466, 477, 478, 400, 1, 372, 371, 38, 368, 223, 407, 173 and I forget any others
I have seen 2 different Alliances (minimum) walk away for this game in utter discuss. Good product with lousy management means bankruptcy. I'll by it for a $1 and turn lose my students and my friends, Then write a book, How to Manage IT for Success, for Dummies --> PMP / ITIL / Python / Linux / Unix Instructor.....
Not forgetting that it alienated any players that don't have the FB linked account, twice if you count the 50 gold giveaway.
But today you want me to believe that it will change (again).
Then lets go to the new legion base part targets. Raid is over so i go to fill up on base parts so I hit the new ones. Now I have to repair for about 6 hours due to your team changing the targets from what they were in the raid. In the raid my tank ship shot down most of the projectiles. Now in these new targets it only shoots down about half of them which equates to more damage. Why didn't your team leave them alone and put the same targets that were in the seige raid in the base part targets why just why did you change them?
OH I KNOW WHY CAUSE PLAYERS ARE NOT FIRST COINING IS FIRST!!!!!
Your team could have put the same targets (instead of changing them) that were in the raid onto the map and we could have filled up with base parts for maybe 1 or 2 hours repair, but instead for the sake of coinage you change them so the damage is about double.
I don't believe any thing you say about players first....
I think you will see that nobody believes anything you just stated.
Why you might ask....
You guys have been working on this "Players first" thing for a few weeks. But you have also stated that you are going to change the FM again. But you are changing the top 2 targets. You are not changing the lower targets. You are still leaving the 111's that should have went away over a month ago.
How do you come out with a statement about wanting to put players first and then say you don't fully understand where the players are in terms of tech. But also plan to screw the upper players by changing the targets on them so soon after the last change.
How does that change benefit the players?
That change is only there to cause the top coiners to coin refits no other reason.
How did the lack of a bonus on the 100 and 102 targets in the raid benefit the players?
That could have been set as a 2.5 mil bonus for a total of 7.5 mil for the set.
I will play the wait and see game on your changes but I am not optimistic in actual changes for the good.
Your track record is quite poor in terms of benefiting the players.
I understand words come cheap, but I am glad to see that you are willing to admit there has been a problem with the way things have been handled as of late. So, thank you for that.
I speak only for myself of course, but I have noticed a slight change of course lately. Nothing definite jumps out at me, but there just seems to be a different, more enjoyable flow and feel to the game lately.
Sure, we still have chores, and yes, things are harder to achieve for some, more than others. But this game has been that way from day 1. Its never been easy for anybody, we have ALL struggled at some point in the game. And a lot of times its been the players own fault for not following the "Rules for Success" that have been set forth. I have been guilty of this myself. We are all not meant to be on the same plane. There will never be an overnight success story in this game. Its a process, and it takes patience and time to get to the level of play that some are at.
But, then again, sometimes Kixeye sets the hurdle to high for players to jump over. Its a fine balancing act that is hard to achieve at times.
There is fault on both sides, and I'm pointing the accusatory finger at neither.
Yes, I too get frustrated and come to the forums to voice my discontent with the way things are going. Sometimes a little too much.
But, I still love to play the game, or I wouldn't be here. And I've invested too much time to just walk away because something didn't go my way.
With that being said, I hope your words come with swift and decisive action.
The clock is ticking.
# PLAYERS FIRST
a) People with top end tech (ie, investment in the game in building and gaining it) can do chores/raids/whatever for close to free - because we already spent the time investing.
b) People without top end tech should still be able with using coins/time grind themselves to the top.
I know when I started this game 5+ years ago I was able to get something grinding it out with SW's , BCX ,Preds etc - I couldn't get the top end prize, but that was ok, I could get something that made my game better. Eventually I was able to win the MCX and I finally had a top end hull at the time, it was fun and exciting, and here is the fun part - it was high end for 6+ months! The same was true for the punisher when it came out, it was high end for a while!
Now? Now we build Fangs and Hunters, just to be given a 'new better' proto-tide, then we build Buccs/Hydras, just to be given a proto-cent to be able to do the top end targets.
The Rat race gets old. The creativity gets lost. You force us by locking us into targets with hulls, with specific builds, and a continual rat race because the boat we just built for a specific purpose is no longer the one able to do the target.
This raid was almost a great event for us with top end hulls - the 106 target was fantastic - with great driving and effort I could do it for free, the 104 on the other hand? Not so much. There was no path in the 104 that allowed me with a decked out missile manti fleet AND a decked out scatter manti fleet avoid damage, no matter what I was pushed into at least 50 min of damage. That is not fun.
What is fun is driving scatter mantis carelessly and killing the 104 and the 106 fast, and taking some damage or driving the missile mantis slow and carefully and killing the 104 and the 106 for no damage. Having to drive the scatter mantis slow and careful and take damage is not fun.
So whoever designed the 106. More of that, less of the 104. And please, please stop forcing us into your hulls. Let us be creative, its more fun that way.
This last raid was the first one that I opted out of since I started playing. Years and Years ago. TBH, I haven't played much at all the last couple of wks. Partly due to real life....but mostly, because its just not that much fun any more. Until the last couple of wks, I have been the one telling my guys "don't quit...give it some time to straighten out". (but it doesn't) "Take a short break if you need to..but come back". And you know what? They usually do. Because they, too, have enjoyed the heck out of this game. So they try. But so far...it hasn't changed for the better. I'll give it a bit more time...see how things go. But not long...…….
Sorry to say, but when the CEO come in and dont even bother to post this himself (aka a copy paste of the letter on forums takes 2 min) and has his employee do it, sorry that a lack of engagement to start.
Second, Players First as been officially announced 2 months ago, and we have yet to see a change in direction. So in the end, empty words.
A change of leadership. Hasnt that been the case on a yearly basis for the last 3 years only to make things worst. We need good leadership who understand the game and communicate with the players and actually listens.
Lack of community engagement, what a joke. Many community members have lived and breathe this game, made you tube shows to present and discuss your game with there own free time, and yet this team, this company from top to bottom involved in it has failed to listen.
The only thing true in this statement is that the situation is all your fault, cause it is. These forums have been vibrant and players both pubicly and in private messages have been telling you how wrong you are. Many players jumped ship even after being in close communication with the team only to be ignored and basicly laugh at. Players know this game better them most of the team in place.
The problem isnt the lack of engagement, but the lack of communication, lack of openess by the team and the sad greedyness motto that management as put in place.
You want a renewal and new direction for Battle Pirates. You want it to live another 7 years. Make a change from top to bottom including yourself. Kixeye needs new management, new business model and an appropriate staff to execute this new vision. Changing the pawns wont change anything and things wont fall into place.
The vibrant community that once was as become filled with apathy and has stopped caring about the game or to bother even playing it. A complete overhaul is needed, otherwise, in a short time, this game will head into the same graveyard as past great game that made kixeye what it is today.
Im waiting to see if Kixeye realy take Players First as they make changes. So far we have seen nothing other than abuse and kixing(changes unannonsed) ! Players have used lots of time coins and work to get bases up and running just to see Kix changes make most of it almost useless without even making some sort of refunding. (As pixel coins)
So time will tell if it indeed will show players First, so if water get tohigh again i guess it will def. be easyer to jump ship and quit.
About development of the game, there realy need to be some way of simplefy graphics in events, now lagg is our only known outcome when raids are running.
And REALY You need to make a test enviorment of grid to test changes before they are implemented. Maybe some of the problems would have been found before they are pushed out.
Regards.
For the first time in the years I joined battle pirates I hear that it's about the players . Amazed because so far it's not what we've seen . It should have always been about the players because in the long run even those that don't coin have their use considering the fact others coin to help em out . Interesting thinking Will Hardin. As of Chris Rampage yeah he has given his heart and soul in the game . And he's still needed . In my humble opinion that is .
Hit Insector and out of sector in: 300, 466, 477, 478, 400, 1, 372, 371, 38, 368, 223, 407, 173 and I forget any others
Born and Raised Insector hitting. Get over it.