1 - Our ships need Windstones to enter the stormgates, pirates aren't magical so we cant just use a spiral door to go to different worlds.
2 - There are multiple choices for how our parents died. I think avenging their death would be a great idea for a future quest though.
3 - Most likely yes, when new chapters start coming out, more areas will be open.
4 - Eventually we will have to, its possible he doesn't have his piece anymore and we would have to go find it.
5 - Someone found a Krokotopia Skyway Message pop up to buy the area in beta. Hopefully we do I would love to visit some of the Wizard101 worlds, or atleast the skyways.

Johnny

Blind Mew on Jan 17, 2013 wrote:

1. They're ancient magic, dating back to the times when the legendary heroes of Aquila first sailed the Spiral Paths between the worlds. The Immortals helped forge them, and the secrets of their construction have been lost. In story, they keep the stresses of the Stormgate and the Path from destroying your ship. From the outside looking in, they let us keep you from going to other worlds until you're ready.

2. Yup. We went live with only about 60% of the Main Quest - resolving your parents' plot line is something we intend to do much closer to the end. Depending on the choice you made, it might not be a guy - how do you avenge a storm? On a side note, that Sky Squid is still out there, too...

3. I'd say that's profoundly likely. See the 60% note above - we need room to grow, don't we?

4. Yup. All in good time. As to why Avery sent you to MooShu instead of Catbeard (who's much closer, after all), that was an oversight we shall rectify in dialogue, probably when Book 13 goes live (or sooner).

5. That's pretty likely too.

Wow! I had no idea about how Windstones were made. Such a tale about Windstones could have been told in the game, too, but that was quite a story. Hope I get to travel to Aquila real soon!

Are there going to be more parental death choice dependent and pirate class choice main story Companions? I enjoyed having Subodai, Sarah Steele and Lucky Jack Russell on my adventures, as I chose Swashuckler, so I'm hoping to see more unique main story Companions like them! There's bound to be more of them who knows their parents someday soon.

Only 60% of the Main Story? Sounds like we're a bit more than halfway there to El Dorado! The exciting race for Marco Pollo's Map still goes on, eh? Pirates VS the Armada, who will win? Hope it ends with us Pirates triumphant in the race and finally reaching El Dorado! And when it does, will there be more treasures possibly greater than El Dorado in the next major story arc?

As for avenging the parents' death, it would be nice to happen in different ways, be it from Sky Squids, storms, Armada attacks, mutiny, or shipwrecked, they ought to have unique ways of avenging their deaths. Perhaps Mr. Gandry may have a point about the shipwrecked choice back in the game's character creation choices, maybe they COULD be trapped in a dungeon somewhere, perhaps, still alive, even after their ordeal. You never know what could happen.

Visiting familiar worlds from Wizard101 would be nice. MooShu's got loads of lands besides MooShu's Jade Palace island, where the Emperor of MooShu resides in Wizard101, and it's got loads of evil and trouble in many forms and creatures. Maybe even more. After seeing this, I realize now that there's much more of them than what they appear to be in Wizard101. Who would have known? The Sprial's got thousands of lands in their worlds.

Will we ever get to fight the rest of the Armada Elites before taking down Kane? It would be amazing to battle each and every one of them before bringing the main Armada Commander in charge out of the picture for good.

Are there bound to be more evil forces, more dangerous and powerful than the Armada after the first main story arc is finished? Pirates may have a huge destiny forged on their hands.

Ok, I just had an odd idea.

It seems storyline questions are very popular on the message boards - can't we just have an entire Storyline Section with these little questions asked and answered like the Windstones question or little storyline bits? On an off-note, I do have another few questions if you're willing to answer Blind Mew...

1. Why is Cool Ranch so much longer than say MooShu or Valencia? We had an entire all out Wild West panopticon out there, while in Valencia we got a bit of Aragon and didn't even visit the inside of the Machine or the OTHER Armada fortress.
2. It seems little bits and places are very quest exclusive, mainly in Port Regal (Parrot Island and Monte Royale). Are they going to be re-explored for something important?
3. Would you EVER consider having players help design their own promotion quests for side companions or designing interesting bits like the Mechanical Birds? It would be a very rewarding experience, I can imagine. I'd really love to see the Magnificent Seven, for example, get promotions to say 'Peacock Sheriff' or 'Buffalo Ringmaster'.

Please answer these, somebody, especially the last one!

CaptainFlint193 on Jan 22, 2013 wrote:

Ok, I just had an odd idea.

It seems storyline questions are very popular on the message boards - can't we just have an entire Storyline Section with these little questions asked and answered like the Windstones question or little storyline bits? On an off-note, I do have another few questions if you're willing to answer Blind Mew...

1. Why is Cool Ranch so much longer than say MooShu or Valencia? We had an entire all out Wild West panopticon out there, while in Valencia we got a bit of Aragon and didn't even visit the inside of the Machine or the OTHER Armada fortress.
2. It seems little bits and places are very quest exclusive, mainly in Port Regal (Parrot Island and Monte Royale). Are they going to be re-explored for something important?
3. Would you EVER consider having players help design their own promotion quests for side companions or designing interesting bits like the Mechanical Birds? It would be a very rewarding experience, I can imagine. I'd really love to see the Magnificent Seven, for example, get promotions to say 'Peacock Sheriff' or 'Buffalo Ringmaster'.

Please answer these, somebody, especially the last one!

1- I'm pretty sure we aren't done with Valencia and Monquista. They are short, but as you can see we were only allowed in one skyway area while there. I'm sure there are more areas that we will re-visit in future chapters. Especially Valencia where Kane resides.

3- I think it was confirmed that the Magnificent 7 companions will be getting promotion quests in a future update to the game.

CaptainFlint193 on Jan 23, 2013 wrote:

Number 3 - really? Where?

I believe J Todd Coleman said so on his Facebook page a couple months ago.

CaptainFlint193 on Jan 19, 2013 wrote:

Wow, Blind Mew...I am sorry, but the insights only give me more questions to ask!

Firstly, are we ever going to have YOU involved in an important quest line again? You seem to be EVERYWHERE. Skull Island, Scrimshaw, Port Regal, etc. It would be a shame if you weren't in the storyline again.

Second, have you ever thought about creating promotion quests for the side quest companions? Their stories are just so amazing. I'd love to personally see Buffalo Bill promote to something cooler.

You said 60% of the story is already done - what entails in the other 40%? From my understanding, we'll be involved in a war in Book 13 and obviously find Marco Pollo's Map, El Dorado, and stop Supreme Commander Kane, and also resolving our parent's stories. I recall a quest in the Valley of the Gold Monkey where we went to a series of caves and a mysterious voice cried 'Son, we are in the shining city! We are in El Dorado!' followed by Dead Mike saying 'Captain - it's your parent's from beyond the grave!'

Blind Mew? I already thought it strained credulity for him to appear anywhere in Skull Island where he was needed - for him to suddenly pop in on a world in the distant Spiral would be too much, unless he were a secret agent for Royal Intelligence or something. Hmmmmmmm...

Ah, promotion quests. They were an idea we hit upon rather late in development - they let us tell some really cool stories, and I think they added a ton to the game. They also take a LOT of work to do well. To give every companion a promotion quest for every promotion would require more quests than are currently in the game, main and sides put together. Not something I'm prepared to commit to - I've got a main story to finish! That said, more promotion quests are coming, and some of the more colorful companions who appear late in the game will get them going forward - it's just not obvious yet because they won't promote until Book 16 or whatever. The Magnificent 7 will promote, with a quest.

The other 40% - you expect a straight answer? That would be telling. But, I can say this: getting the rest of the Map is a big part of it, (and getting the pieces Kane has will be quite an obstacle). There's another major storyline and quest that is NOT map related that offers a little diversion from that. There will be twists and betrayals along the way, the consequences of actions taken in haste, lots of attention will be paid to the mystery surrounding the PCs parents, and El Dorado features prominently in the climax.

We've laid out the primary PC goals for the story - to get to El Dorado and stop Kane. The real questions for the back half of the Main Story is: what does Kane want? Where did the Armada come from? Why is Kane building that Machine - what's it for? Why does Kane want what he wants? Can he be stopped?

Blind Mew on Jan 28, 2013 wrote:

Blind Mew? I already thought it strained credulity for him to appear anywhere in Skull Island where he was needed - for him to suddenly pop in on a world in the distant Spiral would be too much, unless he were a secret agent for Royal Intelligence or something. Hmmmmmmm...

Ah, promotion quests. They were an idea we hit upon rather late in development - they let us tell some really cool stories, and I think they added a ton to the game. They also take a LOT of work to do well. To give every companion a promotion quest for every promotion would require more quests than are currently in the game, main and sides put together. Not something I'm prepared to commit to - I've got a main story to finish! That said, more promotion quests are coming, and some of the more colorful companions who appear late in the game will get them going forward - it's just not obvious yet because they won't promote until Book 16 or whatever. The Magnificent 7 will promote, with a quest.

The other 40% - you expect a straight answer? That would be telling. But, I can say this: getting the rest of the Map is a big part of it, (and getting the pieces Kane has will be quite an obstacle). There's another major storyline and quest that is NOT map related that offers a little diversion from that. There will be twists and betrayals along the way, the consequences of actions taken in haste, lots of attention will be paid to the mystery surrounding the PCs parents, and El Dorado features prominently in the climax.

We've laid out the primary PC goals for the story - to get to El Dorado and stop Kane. The real questions for the back half of the Main Story is: what does Kane want? Where did the Armada come from? Why is Kane building that Machine - what's it for? Why does Kane want what he wants? Can he be stopped?

I absolutely devour each post you put up, Mew. Would is strain credulity too much for Blind Mew to join my crew? When I first met him, I was intrigued and kept thinking as I played through the game the first time, that I'd eventually be able to recruit him, but, alas, that is not the case . . . yet!

Also, if the Magnificent 7 are getting promotion quests, are we going to be able to recruit Timmy?

I like the idea of promotion quests, but I'd say that, for the first 50 levels, you guys hit the nail on the head as far as how many the player would be willing to do. Especially as our crews get bigger moving into the next worlds, it would quickly become exhausting to do 30-45 min quests every time we gained another level before we could move on. That being said, if you guys create them, I'll do them, no matter how many companions I have to sail all over the spiral for.

Glad to hear that betrayals will feature prominently again! Avery's dishonesty with us in the early story, I thought, set up a great tone. In Cool Ranch you feel like a hero, in MooShu you feel like a freedom fighter, but in Skull Island, you really feel like you're making your way through the chaotic, backstabbing world of pirating (as we have come to glamorize it, anyway!)

Thank you once more for your posts! Again, can't we just set up a storyline questions thread? I have loads more...

Well, my main question is - what is the OTHER STORYLINE?! Does it have to do with the Mechanical Birds?

And my second question stems from Ratbeard's second promotion quest 'A Pirate Most Fowl'...Ratbeard's father was a famous pirate? Details, man!

Oh, and can we expect Book 13 anytime soon or shall it be a while? Book 16....how many books do you plan for this entire thing? And what happens when we hit the storyline post-Armada...?

1:I thought Catbeard gave his peice of the map to Captain Gunn and that's how he got it.
2:How vast did the Titans' War make the Spiral?
3: How about we meet and befriend (aka beat up and recriut) a Wizard City wizard for some unknown reason?
4: Are we ever going to defeat Huan the Barbain-Khan of the Amber Horde, for a side quest?
5:Won't we need a windstone to got to El Dorado?
6:Why are the're two stormgates to Aquila and three Stormgates to Valencia when we can only use one of them?

coolster50 on Jan 31, 2013 wrote:

1:I thought Catbeard gave his peice of the map to Captain Gunn and that's how he got it.
2:How vast did the Titans' War make the Spiral?
3: How about we meet and befriend (aka beat up and recriut) a Wizard City wizard for some unknown reason?
4: Are we ever going to defeat Huan the Barbain-Khan of the Amber Horde, for a side quest?
5:Won't we need a windstone to got to El Dorado?
6:Why are the're two stormgates to Aquila and three Stormgates to Valencia when we can only use one of them?

1) I don't recall ever having heard that - who's your source?

2) Pretty vast. Ultimately, as vast as we need it to be.

3) At several points we've toyed with the idea of meeting a Wizard, but they never quite worked out. We're still chewing on it, though...

4) For now at least, Hunan will remain relegated to Subodai's second promotion. I have no current plans for him to return to the narrative, but who knows what the future will hold?

5) That's a safe bet. I'm sure it will be very easy to get, too...

6) Each Stormgate is keyed to a particular color of Windstone: you can't use a gate unless you have the right color. And each Stormgate goes to a specific Stormgate at the destination world. The Valencian gates in Skull Island and MooShu each go to different destination Skyways in Valencia. In time, you may gain access to the other gates...

Cunning Finnigan S... on Jan 31, 2013 wrote:

Seems like a lot of telling he'd have to do there. And we can't have that! Those cliff-hangers are all that keeps a reader wanting to come back and read more or in this case, play more.

I think the Other Storyline is still in development and isn't ready for public eyes yet. I don't think it is a story line outside of the El Dorado story line but definately will be a huge thread keeping the whole tapestry together, as Blind Mew said.

We'll find out about Ratbeard's father soon enough in his next promotion (I sense that in total every main line companion should have at least...eh 3 promotions. 4 tops)

I would assume maybe between 20-30 books might be planned but i've been wrong before. Book 13 could be coming pretty soon but I would anticipate a little more waiting. (maybe 14 with 13. I have literally, no idea how these updates are going to work. Wizard101's updates are soooo much easier to predict. One Book expansion with a +10 level cap increase, new spells, etc. in about a time frame of 6-8 months between each other if a side world doesn't come out. Here I couldn't say because they have many more books and the levels don't seem to match with them)

Cunning Finnigan Sharp
Level 17 Swashbuckler

By the way, on a quick side note: Anyone else wish people could get this hyped on Wizard101 when it came to the story? It seems those who play that are more worried about surviving a battle than hearing at least one word of the story at all, let alone want to know. I'd love to know more about Morganthe's intentions and early stages of Wizard101 just as much as learning Cool Ranch was their first developed world and why the Armada wants to find El Dorado. Maybe...to become human-ish and have a soul? Interesting...
Such a pity. But I've made the assumption that most here hate or are less fond of Wizard101 so no need to waste time with that if ye do lol. There's piratin' to be done!

I know, right?!

Everyone keeps talking about the little weird bits and overall scheme of things in the Pirate101 story, but in Wizard101 I keep seeing people complain 'this is too hard' or 'I kept losing this battle'. No one wants to know anything about Malistaire or Morganthe or any story bits whatsoever!

Blind Mew on Jan 31, 2013 wrote:

1) That would be telling. You'll find out... The Birds are indeed related to it.

2) Hmmm... No plans to dig into that any time soon. Though we will learn a good deal about Bonnie Anne's background in her next promo.

3) I cannot speak to schedules - those announcements will be forthcoming. The curent plan (subject to change as needs arise and conditions develop) is to have the El Dorado storyline extend through Book 20 - but this is not graven in stone.

As for after that... we have a seed or two planted, and are letting the ideas simmer a good long while. No rush there.

Bonnie Anne's background? Ok, you are making me drool with excitement for these stories....

Well, let me ask this: what other backgrounds will we learn about? Old Scratch when he was alive? Ensign Emmett's reason to turn pirate? You are just making us ask EVEN MORE questions, Blind Mew!