Current News September 30, '09
 

New Game Updates on Test
http://piratesonline.go.com/#/news_b...pdates_on_test
September 30, 2009

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Pirates Online keeps getting better! And we need your help to test a huge update we've just released to the Test Server. If you have access to the Test Server log in now! If you don't have access, be patient - we'll be sending out more Test Server Invitations to players in good standing very soon. Plus, these great new features are coming to the Live game very soon:

• Jolly Roger's Undead Invasion. Pirates must keep Jolly Roger's undead skeleton army from invading Port Royal! We're running this event randomly several times a day but this is just for testing purposes. When the Invasions start in the Live game, Jolly Roger won't keep to a schedule or invade daily.

Tips for Surviving the Invasion:
- Divide and Conquer. Crew up then spread out to defend all the attack points. Jolly's army attacks the town from three locations: 1) The main dock 2) the bridge in the center of town and 3) Port Royal beach (where the shipwright Darby Drydock is located).

- Experiencing Lag? Close ALL programs beside Pirates Online, this includes any IM application or a web browser. Try a 'Quiet' or 'Ideal' server. Try lowering your graphics settings.

• Townsfolk and enemies now notice players and react accordingly.
• These plus other great new features are now on Test.

We're working to resolve issues that have already been reported, but if you find any issue related to gameplay while on the Test Server please report it here.

This isn't bad. What I think is funny is that the Undead have no levels and it takes so long to kill any of the normally-low-level Undead ( meaning the Pirates, Witchdoctors, Conquistadors, and Bandidos ).

Time for war!!!!!!

Can't wait! The only thing I don't like is it says that the invasions will NOT follow a schedule, which kinda makes you have to wonder when and where he'll show up. But then again, that just adds to the suspense and excitement :D

I think the main reason for the enemies not having levels is because without levels its an equal match. The low levels can fight along side the high levels. The only difference is your individual health bar. Obviously being a higher level you'll have your advantages. health, slightly higher damage, etc...

Lets also not forget, pirates have been itching for something like this for a long time. Disney wasn't wanting to blow the entire thing by giving us waves of enemies a small militia can wipe out in a minute or two. They were looking to give us something that we'd actually have fun with multiple times, instead of the same old GM events. Remember, 1, 2 pirates can't alone take out a level ?? skeleton, which is why they did it in the first place!

How long will these invasions will last, is it for a few days or months, maybe forever?

If you read the grog blog, it says that it is going to keep happening until "The relics are returned to the place they were burried". In other words.. where we dug them up. So until another quest comes is my guess.

I hope its a really long time.

Call me a noob, but what is the Test Server?
CS~

Its a server that disney updates before the regular servers to look for bugs and glitchs to stop.
Its like a whole nother game!

What is it though?
Can we access it? XD
CS~

Actually, it's not. It's just POTCO with new releases. The POTCO devs have it so they can make sure bugs are fixed before they release them to the public and so they can test new features.(They meaning us that have access to the test server)

It is only in the sense that it is a separate install of POTCO, which does not connect to the open servers, but to the test server instead.
Otherwise, its still POTCO ;) couldnt mistake it for anything else!

Only if you have received an invitation from POTCO to do so. When they decide they need an influx of testers, they look to the list, and select members in good standing. There is a sign up form on the official site to basically get put on the waiting list.

Wonder if that will happen again soon. Been on the waiting list for 2 months now. Guess that's why it's not a hurry up list. :laughks2:

Yikes.. I better start leveling up like crazy then ☠

I pictured this in my mind 1 year ago, for what i thought would be the Muertos Moon. I pictured that a ghost ship of Jolly would be hanging outside PR firing Fury continuously at pirates or that some undead would be going about killing pirates.... Looks like Disney fulfilled my dream.. sort of... but yet im happy

Me too...:dancetl6:

Hmm, so, to look for bugs and other glitches?

As buggy and glitchy as the main game is,,, I'd hate to see how the testing phase would be.

Nah, just joking. I'd love to be a tester, it's just that this is such a glitchy game.

Not to be annoying, but could you give me the link to it? I'd kinda like to sign up. :D
Thanks,
CS~

Noticed no one had posted this, thought I'd share a little insight onto the duration of these invasions.

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October 01, 2009 06:08AM
ADMIN GM Cayman Trench
Until the relics are returned to Port Royal, Jolly Roger will have free reign to invade the island whenever he sees fit.

October 01, 2009 07:37AM
ADMIN GM Cayman Trench
Invasions are not a "holiday" feature Chele, they will play a major role in world events going forward. Who else might invade? And what other islands will they try to take over? We're getting ahead of ourselves - Pirates, stop Jolly Roger from invading Port Royal!

when they said who else might invade that raises my hopes that Davy jones is gonna invade the islands next :)

In the last week or so, Disney has sent out invites to the test server to people who were on the waiting list. I don't know how many people were invited, but I do know that there are at least a few new faces on the test servers.

If you are on the waiting list, hang in there. Disney takes their time in inviting people. Also, remember that your account has to be in good standing. Not that it has to be unlimited, basics get invited, too.

It is my understanding that a player needs to have Unlimited Access and be in good standing. This Host GM reply on the Grog Blog also includes the link to sign up:

I too would like to see Davy Jones but as someone mentioned earlier he can only come ashore once every 10 years.
Still the mutant fishmen could carry him ashore in a barrel of water like they did in the movie on the sand bar ROFL

1 day for us is like more than a week for pirates.

You have to be an Unlimited Access to do the test server?
I am planning on getting one, but sheesh, that's a little greedy, don't ya think? XD
CS~

They do not charge you for another account if you have test access, Chris. You're basicly "working for them", your test access is free. I guess they feel a paying pirate on open will be around for a while and therefor make it a req for test.

Jolly isn't so stoppable anymore...He has burned down the mansion for two days that I have been on test. Another enemy invading? Us pirates would be overwhelmed at this time. The invaders have the strength of Bosses now & the lag makes it difficult. It's alot of fun, but it isn't easy...Jail has become "Home Sweet Home" for many a pirate including myself. But, you just pull your bootstraps up & charge right back into the fray. It's great!!! Hmmm...maybe I should buy stock in the tonic business.....

To be truthful, this chase after Jolly was really fun for the first 3 times. All of which, I found some way to glitch off of the game and not be able to log back on until Jolly was gone. It was purely the lag that caused this, and if it's that bad when the server is Quiet, I am not going to love the lag when there are all of those people in Abassa. It is fun, but this is just telling us we may not even be able to touch Jolly when he reaches Abassa.

I don't have test access though. XD
At any rate, I'm not too much looking forward to his invasions...
BTW, has anyone seen those ships with lightning above them? Are those part of Jolly Roger's gang, or is that something else?
And can anyone explain why I heard lightning during a battle yesterday?
(Wow, I'm such a noob to this game. XD)
CS~

The lightning over Skeli ships has always been there, same with the lightning. They show up when your graphics are set to high.

;)

hmm i wonder when we can actually see this get added to the live game i hope its this week. :)

Not certain about when, but the scuttlebut is this week or next. But Disney seems to have changed the invasions for the pirates to lose...Like someone said b4...maybe we weren't meant to win the battle. It seems when we get close JR glitches or we get booted. Today he waltzed right up to the mansion practically untouched & burned it...I was using a long range weapon on him...but after I hit him 3 times, I got zapped & went to jail. He seems to appear now on the least guarded way of resistance while the other undeads keep the pirates occupied elsewhere. It's a great strategy if there are not alot of pirates online which I expect will be the case on open...Only my opinion, but since I have been there for most of the invasions, I see the pirates getting beat most of the time now. This wasn't the case in the beginning. Maybe more lower levels fighting now? I really don't know. But the barricades being defended by high level pirates are the ones getting hit the hardest which I guess is the way it should be. They are kept busy while JR goes his merry way to the mansion...Like I said this is just my prospective..others may see things differently.