What lessons did the development team learn on Sea Dogs that it’s translating to make Pirates of the Caribbean a fun, successful game?
More than anything, I think Akella has tried to expand gameplay options on land so that when you return from sea you can spend some time exploring a town or an island, and it’s a more rich and rewarding experience. Pirates also allows you to jump quickly back and forth between key locations, like taverns and shipyards, so that if you’re in a hurry to buy a few things, hire some men, and get back out to sea…it’s quick and easy to do. Like most developers, I think they’ve looked at their past work and tried to build on the positives while addressing any shortcomings or things they weren’t able to include in a previous game.