I feel for you Tampa. I realize the frustration. I mentioned this before! Imagine playing your heart out to finally get a key and you get an empty chest. It's like an empty present on Christmas!
I get that the keys are a bonus on top of the usual credits. But come on, Fireworks always give you a Fireworks Magic Pin for every 10 over-threshold placements. And you always get that pin, not you get a key that might give you a pin.
And even if you get something it sounds like some of the prizes are the thrones that have been for sale up until today. Well, they're retired items, sure, but very common.
The idea of the keys is good. The execution, I'm not liking so far. I'm sure it'll work itself out. Give it time. All VMK things tend to do that.
As far as old pirates goes... I loved that game! It was stable an worked and was fun. This new one, while it has potential, well... well they've over done the plumbing and now it's all gummed up. Heh.
Oh, and me? I've not yet won a key. Only one win under my belt yet today (out of two games played). Ah well...