Pirates of the Carribean Online: Interview with Mike Goslin

In early February, WarCry traveled out to San Francisco to see Pirates of the Caribbean Online. We filed this preview. Today, we have a follow-up interview we've done with Mike Goslin, the Vice President of Virtual Reality Studio (part of the Walt Disney Internet Group). He talks with us about the game, where it's going and some concerns raised in our article.

WarCry: Briefly, explain to the average MMO fan why they might be interested in your game?

Mike Goslin: In our game Pirates of the Caribbean Online, players get to live the life of a pirate in the fantastic world established by the movies and the original theme park attraction. We will place the player in the middle of the action, complete with Jack Sparrow, sword fights, ship battles, undead monsters, voodoo magic, and everything else you'd expect from this great franchise.

WarCry: A difference between Toontown and PotC I saw was that inclusion of many more stats and other traditional MMO elements that are likely a bit deep for the younger children. Are you worried that this game will be too complicated for younger players?

Mike Goslin: Not really. We've done significant play-testing to make sure the game appeals to a broad audience - something for both hardcore and casual players. We want the game to have tons of depth but also be easy to learn, so we've spent time developing a fun and interactive tutorial that should help casual players get deep into the action and story quickly.

WarCry: While the voice acting in the clips of movie characters was not bad, it still wasn't "quite right" without the real actors. What are your plans for voice-overs?

Mike Goslin: As you know, the build that you saw was still a work in progress and many of the voice-overs are being updated. We will have some actors from the films in our game however we recognize the success of our game will depend more on the depth of the game-play and the richness of the world rather than on our ability to include every actor's voice.

WarCry: What are your plans for the UI between now and release, specifically in regards to combat?

Mike Goslin: We're constantly refining the combat UI as we test and improve the system. This will continue right up until launch, and beyond if necessary. This is one of our most important UIs, so we want it to just feel "right" to players.

WarCry: With the license you're carrying, why have you chosen to digitally distribute your game rather than put it in Wal-Mart, etc.?

Mike Goslin: We had quite a bit of success distributing our last game digitally. However, we're constantly evaluating the best way to deliver our game to consumers.

WarCry: Can you explain your goals when it comes to character customization and what you feel that adds to the game?

Mike Goslin: Pirates of the Caribbean is a very character-driven property, so we thought it was important to capture the wide range of personalities of that world, from the heroic to the humorous and from the beautiful to the grotesque. I think this gives players a broader palette to create their own character from and makes the game more interesting both visually and from a role-playing perspective.

WarCry: For a game aimed at young teens, are you worried that the inclusion of blackjack, poker and cheating in them will be inappropriate? (Please, also explain the system and how it works.)

Mike Goslin: I think in the context of a fantasy pirate world, card games with the added risk and reward of cheating are a fitting and fun aspect to the overall game.

In our card games, players can cheat by acquiring extra cards that they keep "up their sleeve". If they play one of these cards, they improve their chances of winning the pot, but run the risk of getting caught if, for example, the hand ends with five aces showing. If you get caught cheating, you are thrown in jail in addition to losing the pot.

WarCry: Your advancement system is not the norm in MMO-land. Can you explain your philosophy and why you went that route?

Mike Goslin: Our advancement system is designed so that players aren't forced to make decisions about specialties before they understand the game well enough to make an informed choice. If you like fighting with a cutlass, you'll advance as a swordsman and eventually can become and expert sword fighter, but we don't force you to choose this path from the start. This way, players get to try things out and build the character over time that suits them and their play preferences.

WarCry: Can you run us through your development and testing timeline between here and launch?

Mike Goslin: We haven't announced a release date yet, but we've been testing for several months now and will continue right up until launch. Development will continue beyond launch as we've already begun planning for new expansion content.

WarCry: In terms of subscribers, what are your goals with this game?

Mike Goslin: We are working hard to make the best game we can. If we do our jobs well, combined with the love of this franchise, I think a lot of people will want to play this game.