Pirates of the Burning Sea will be launched in Jun 2007.MMOsite editor Shine had a talk with Kevin Maginn,  Designer of Pirates of the Burning Sea, let him tell us more info about the game.

MMOsite.com: Players can choose to be an Adventurer, Navy, or a Pirate. What kind of experience will each class have?

Kevin Maginn: The adventurer represents the starting career.  An adventurer is loyal only to his nation; he makes his own way through the world, whether through merchant trade or privateering.  The naval officer has earned the trust of his nation?s navy; in exchange for following their orders,
he gains access to special naval content and naval equipment. Pirates are unique to the Pirate nation; they are loyal only to themselves, and have the ability to steal ships from others; they also have more PvP opportunities than the other nations.

MMOsite.com: How many types of skills are available in POBS? How can players acquire new skills?

Kevin Maginn: You purchase new skills from a trainer using skill points, which you receive when you advance in rank.  We will have 200 or more skills at launch, divided between captain skills to make your ship more effective, and avatar skills to make you a more effective swordfighter.

MMOsite.com: How does the character development system work?

Kevin Maginn: There are three important tracks for character advancement. First, as you complete missions and defeat enemies, you advance in rank, which provides you with additional skill points with which to buy skills. Second, rank advancement makes larger and more powerful ships available
to you; a new player starts in a relatively small schooner, but over time can acquire frigates, galleons, and even powerful ships of the line.  Third, rank advancement unlocks outfitting and other gear with which to customize and enhance your ship.

MMOsite.com: How many types of ships are available in POBS? It is attractive that players can design their own ship. How can players possess a ship designed by themselves?

Kevin Maginn: We originally planned for 22 ships at release, but with our player contributions, we will release with 40 or more ships, ranging in size from a tiny rowboat to a huge 104-gun ship of the line.  Ships created by players are put through a rigorous review and testing process, and if
accepted become part of the game, just as all our other ships.  To own a ship that you created, you simply have to work for it, just like all other ships.

MMOsite.com: In-game economy system is a very important part of a game, can you tell us something about it?

Kevin Maginn: It is a player-driven manufacturing-based economy that ties into all the other game systems.  Every item in the world is created by players, and the value of every item is determined by what other players are willing to pay for it.  There?s no crafting grind; any player with enough
starting capital can begin manufacturing useful goods.

MMOsite.com: What can players do on the land? Can players have their own house?

Kevin Maginn: Land-based adventures include all the kinds of avatar gameplay you might expect - duels, tavern brawls, jungle treks, infiltrating an enemy fortress, fighting your way through a mob of soldiers.  In addition, our highly-detailed town environments are where players can meet, group up, shop, trade, and socialize.

Players can not own houses in the first release of the game, but it is something we are planning for.

MMOsite.com: What type of story lines can players expect to find in the PotBS?

Kevin Maginn: Our core storylines are woven into the real history of the period, but with our own twists added on.  Players will find themselves discovering forgotten empires, attacking enemy fleets, managing trade companies, supporting or betraying pirate kings, and pursuing many other
swashbuckling-era adventures.

MMOsite.com: What kind of questing can we see in POBS Instancing, open quests, etc?

Kevin Maginn: Our mission system is designed to put a broad selection of tools in the hands of our content creators.  They are working tirelessly to ensure that the missions are not your usual kill-10-rats variety. Our missions feature scenario-based gameplay, where simply killing all the
enemies is not usually your objective.

MMOsite.com: As a game based on the history of the 18th century, how will you balance fun and realism?

Kevin Maginn: We are using realism as a starting point and inspiration, but fun gameplay always comes first.  Realism can be lots of fun, but when it is not, we cut it in favor of fun.  This is the reason our world travel happens on an abstracted map of the Open Sea - it just is not fun to
portray long, realistic travel times.

MMOsite.com: Finally, can you give us a rough timeline of the remaining targets in POBS development?
 
Kevin Maginn: We will be making our release date announcement at the Penny Arcade Expo, until our release, we are going to be creating content non-stop, and putting our beta testers to work finding the flaws in all of it.