This game is basically what happens when someone wants to clone EVE but not pull both the triggers on a double barrel shot gun. The ground game is just aweful and very repetitive. The sea part of the game is fun and refreshing. The economy is tricky, kinda like EVE and is all tied to logistics and territory control.
Because the DEV's of the game wanted to forgoe the open ended PVP problems that plague EVE like blobbing 500 people in one system they dumbed down the PVP into instances that are either 6 vs 6 or port battles that are 24 vs 24. This makes the PVP more like Guild Wars except it hurts when you loose, like EVE. The problems EVE has, therefore, are not the problems PotBS will have. Does that mean it has no problems? Nope, because you can do multiple 6 v 6 at the same time. So your 100 v 100 EVE fights are now 16 6 v 6. And while 24 v 24 port battles are going on, 6 v 6 can happen outside that. So, avoiding one solid fight has just tempered it into *possibly* multiple manageable battles. Problem is that people can camp outside these instances to gank once you leave that one fight you iirc. Moreover, there is a TEF system akin to Star Wars Galaxies and WoW where you can put up a PVP flag anywhere which is just begging for exploitation, which is already happening with 5-6 on 1 ganks. Once a faction has won the server, everything resets and port contention starts over from scratch. That has me scratching my head a bit why they did that but w/e.
In the end the game has merit. It has a host of good things. Small bands of players can affect the entire server without being devastated by blobs like in EVE. But it has its prices in shady game mechanics and immersion for sure. Also, Carebears will have a tough time in this game. I also see players exploiting the alt system on other servers and bolstering a side that is winning by making alt societies that won't have a hard time living in certain areas because XYZ faction has it on lockdown. Very, very shoddy mechanics on that one. Dedicated gamers will dictate the game completely whether its PVP or the market.
Also, all the servers are in Seattle, even the European servers ( which are going to be moved to VA or PA ). East Coast gamers combined with English speaking EU gamers can put the Roberts server on lockdown 24/7. I am EST and playing on Roberts atm.
Yarr.