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Frogfather Friday -- Paid vs. Quest Promotions

AuthorMessage
Developer
Hello again, Pirates! Let’s all gather ‘round for another edition of “Frogfather Friday – Ohhhhh!”

So, I was talking to this friend of ours, “Sneaky Kendrick”, and he was wondering, “Companions like Iago, and Tonka, why do they need to be paid to Promote? Why don't they have promotion quests like Bonnie Anne and El Toro?"

Excellent question, “Sneaky”, and you are absolutely correct that not all Companions receive Promotion quests. As to why that is, allow me as a well-traveled, highly-melodic, upwardly mobile amphibian patriarch to explain that promotion quests are no small endeavor. Such a thing as these are even up to 3 to 4 times as long as a regular quest, so you can imagine it takes quite a bit of time to arrange. So many companions, so little time – you see where I’m goin’ here? You pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down? Some things in the Spiral have to be done a little bit at a time.

On closer inspection, and with a few exceptions, you might also find that only the Companions that talk during a quest are those that receive Promotion quests, such that they’re considered a cut above, a set apart, special, if you will. And while we honor these special Companions with special Promotion quests, it’s still important for the other Pirate Companions to remain capable as well, so we do a good thing and promote them with gold, in place of hoppin’ all over the Spiral like some frog with his bow-tie on fire - wouldn’t that be a pain in the neck, ohhhhh Froggedabowdit! This way for them, that way for those, snappin’ your fingers, tappin’ your toes, we gotta keep all these Companions movin’ and a Pirate’s time is valuable - caporkchops?

Anyway, thanks for lookin’ in over here, Sneaky! If anyone has further interest on the subject of Companion prowess, allow me to forward you to my associate, Ratbeard who tends to scurry around the Forums a bit:

https://www.pirate101.com/forum/test-realm/companion-fix-suggestions-8ad6a4164592de9a0145b120e6d66cc7

Otherwise, let me keep hearin’ from all yous Pirates on this subject or any others and we’ll keep the conversation going for our mutual interests. Nevermind I’m busy taking care of my Jonah Town affairs and various Spiral interests, I’ll always have time for a Pirate who pops in for a visit, wants to have a clarinet jam session, or just has any questions for their devoted FrogFather. Until then, do me a flavor, yes? Look out for each other, have a great time on your adventures, and always, always, always respect the Spiral.

Ciao for now,
FF

"Frogeddabowdit!" -The FrogFather (aka Jay Gordon, Piratical Producer)
Commodore
Feb 29, 2012
892
The Frogfather on May 2, 2014 wrote:
Hello again, Pirates! Let’s all gather ‘round for another edition of “Frogfather Friday – Ohhhhh!”

So, I was talking to this friend of ours, “Sneaky Kendrick”, and he was wondering, “Companions like Iago, and Tonka, why do they need to be paid to Promote? Why don't they have promotion quests like Bonnie Anne and El Toro?"

Excellent question, “Sneaky”, and you are absolutely correct that not all Companions receive Promotion quests. As to why that is, allow me as a well-traveled, highly-melodic, upwardly mobile amphibian patriarch to explain that promotion quests are no small endeavor. Such a thing as these are even up to 3 to 4 times as long as a regular quest, so you can imagine it takes quite a bit of time to arrange. So many companions, so little time – you see where I’m goin’ here? You pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down? Some things in the Spiral have to be done a little bit at a time.

On closer inspection, and with a few exceptions, you might also find that only the Companions that talk during a quest are those that receive Promotion quests, such that they’re considered a cut above, a set apart, special, if you will. And while we honor these special Companions with special Promotion quests, it’s still important for the other Pirate Companions to remain capable as well, so we do a good thing and promote them with gold, in place of hoppin’ all over the Spiral like some frog with his bow-tie on fire - wouldn’t that be a pain in the neck, ohhhhh Froggedabowdit! This way for them, that way for those, snappin’ your fingers, tappin’ your toes, we gotta keep all these Companions movin’ and a Pirate’s time is valuable - caporkchops?

Anyway, thanks for lookin’ in over here, Sneaky! If anyone has further interest on the subject of Companion prowess, allow me to forward you to my associate, Ratbeard who tends to scurry around the Forums a bit:

https://www.pirate101.com/forum/test-realm/companion-fix-suggestions-8ad6a4164592de9a0145b120e6d66cc7

Otherwise, let me keep hearin’ from all yous Pirates on this subject or any others and we’ll keep the conversation going for our mutual interests. Nevermind I’m busy taking care of my Jonah Town affairs and various Spiral interests, I’ll always have time for a Pirate who pops in for a visit, wants to have a clarinet jam session, or just has any questions for their devoted FrogFather. Until then, do me a flavor, yes? Look out for each other, have a great time on your adventures, and always, always, always respect the Spiral.

Ciao for now,
FF
I have long enjoyed the promotion quests- despite the length of a few. My personal favorite promotion quests are not those that simply involve hunting down a weapon of some sort- no, I love the ones which delve into the histories of our companions, making them feel more than simple assistants on the battlefield. I love how it makes them feel real, like they've experienced their difficulties themselves and how it affects their personalities. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed Bonnie Anne's promotion to Highlander so much- it proves to us that she has a family, and she's not on the best of terms with some of them, a realistic imagining for her. She's my favorite companion for several reasons, and the fact that we know she has a backstory and a family is one of those reasons. She feels realer to me. Well... As real as a 3D, anthropomorphic fox with a gun can feel. Hehehe....

I love the thought put into the promotion quests. It incorporates my favorite thing in the world of fictional games and stories into them, some of the time- character development! It makes for a more enjoyable experience for me. Despite my love for the promotion quests, I'm completely fine with the paid promotions- I don't have enough extra time to run across the Spiral when I'm trying to save it. XD Though the costliness gets a bit irritating when I'm low on gold, but with access to Friar Sand, it stops being such an annoyance and more of a luxury in comparison to the rather long companion promotions. Besides, some of those battles do take a while... XD But I don't mind either one, really. They're both very fun and I appreciate the thought put into the promotion quests, but I also enjoy not having to run a million miles for my companions to receive new weapons and upgrades. XD Reasonable enough, correct?

As for the clarinet offer... I'm more of a pianist. XD But oh well!

Ciao!

Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
I have a question for you, why have some of our companions not been promoted yet? I'm thinking of mostly my Cool Ranch companions - Froggo Villa and Mustang Sally.

Petty Officer
Nov 15, 2012
69
any idea if we will be getting sea creatures as companions like Aquatic animals like penguins and stuff like that

Pirate Overlord
Mar 10, 2009
6204
I like Highlander just adore the promotion quests and I will do anything to trigger them. When I know one is close to one I will sell a favorite chair to get the gold for that needed tome to get them to the level. I love learning about their pasts and thoroughly enjoy the hilarity of some of them. The voice work and writing in the is just first class and beyond well done. They are a true highlight of the game for me.
I totally understand the need for the gold promotions too. I know resources need to be put elsewhere to keep this game so wonderful and the trade off is just fine with me.
I am satisfied and having a blast, although I am VERY much looking forward to the new ones.

Gunner's Mate
May 28, 2013
294
Personally, I feel the balance between quest vs paid is perfect. The quests are for the companions we all can get (the Starting 5, Bonnie Anne, Ratbeard, Old Scratch, the Presidio 5, etc), while the class only companions (Mustang Sally, Stormy Sky, Iago, Emmett, and about a billion others) are gold. There is simply no way quality animation can be provided for everyone. Although - those wonderful writers, animators and voice actors need work too!

But my all time favorite is Bonnie Anne's family quest. I can think of no possible way it could have been improved. Major kudos to everyone involved.

First Mate
Mar 30, 2011
483
In my opinion Quest Promotions are better, they add a new chapter to the story and tell you about the companion's life before they joined your crew, it helps you get to know your companions, like a real captain should :P, as for paid promotions, I don't 100% enjoy not being able to quest for the companion's promotion, I guess it just feels like if you promote them via quests, it feels like you worked hard for their promotions. But this is just my opinion :P

Admiral
Nov 23, 2011
1407
I think the designers struck the right balance on this issue. The promotion quests are fun, and they do enrich those companions by developing their personality an filling in some of their back story. But it would be impossible to make much progress on the main quest line if too many of the companions had promotion quests.

So far, I think el Toro's promotion quest is the most fun. ("No... that's just my shoe").

-Michael

Captain
Dec 11, 2010
748
:D I agree that special companions should be the ones getting promotion quests. Although defining "special" is a bit tough. For example I really like Hoodoo Cornelius and Bones Mcgee.

Hoodoo Cornelius could be considered more special since he is a bundle companions, however Bones Mcgee is special to me individually despite being a side quest reward.

Both promote for gold but clearly they are different in the ways they can be considered special.

I think that Bundle companions and the Aztekosaur companions should receive some or at least maybe the cat pirate seeing as he is a VERY special companion along with Ninja Pig.

Dread Pirate
Jun 13, 2011
2037
Frogfather, I honestly like promotion quests for companions, because, so far, from the main storyline companions, such as Ratbeard, Bonnie Anne, Old Scratch, and El Toro, they bring out much of their backstories, going through their character developments, and provide plenty of adventure and action for Pirates! And I've no doubt we'll get to see more new promotion quests from our previous main storyline companions and new ones for new companions, such as Gracie Conrad, Monkey King, and even Catbeard, too, one day. Promotion quests are amazing! Paid promotions, they're fine, too. They're just short payment errands, but they're fine, too.

The one thing that would make it a bit more interesting for promotion quests is that unique side companions that are universally granted through side quests, examples given being Shiruku Neko, Rooster Cogburn, Zeena, and Ju Hao, should have promotion quests, instead of them having paid promotions like most side companions that are granted through various Pirate classes only and much of Crowns Shop companions. I would really like to undertake interesting adventures from our unique universal side companions and give them interesting character developments, such as getting to know much of Shiruku Neko's past, for example. I would be amazed to see her past unfold to our pirating eyes! Give them some attention through promotion quests. Think of this.

Wouldn't it be amazing for these kind of promotion quests to happen for unique universal side companions? I would really like to see them happen!

Admiral
Jun 02, 2013
1472
We know people would like to see zeena have a promotion quest because she is a good companion

Petty Officer
Oct 11, 2012
63
I agree with what some of you are saying, though it is sometimes hard, and I know it would be hard for king isle to add in, but I think it would be really cool if all companions or at least some more of them got quest promotes. That would give every companion a chance to improve and there will be a more diverse companion lineup. Right now the only companions that we keep through all the worlds are the ones with promotes, I think others deserve some. Maybe just add a few promotes for companions like:
rooster cogburn or whatever his name is...
catbeard
monkey king
the school moo shu and Aquila mid quest companion

I think that would make battles more interesting....these companions don't deserve to be stuck doing boring work like pet wrangling just because they don't have epics

Ensign
Mar 21, 2014
44
I did not get Mormo's promotion quest still and we both are level 19.

Fearless Zenobia Nightingale

Pirate Overlord
Mar 10, 2009
6204
Musteatsoup on Jun 30, 2014 wrote:
I did not get Mormo's promotion quest still and we both are level 19.

Fearless Zenobia Nightingale
Are you sure? He promotes at 15 and 37. Check out this guide and see what picture he looks like.

Ensign
Mar 21, 2014
44
Chrissy Th'Blesser on Jun 30, 2014 wrote:
Are you sure? He promotes at 15 and 37. Check out this guide and see what picture he looks like.
Yeah I know all his promotions and what he looks like and he is so cute but strangely he never asked to meet me in the tavern cellar.