Test Release Notes - April 2, 2010
 

• The Avatar, Inventory, and ship data will be reset to the state it was before we turned on the new inventory system. Any progress made between then and now will be lost. Any avatars created since then will also be lost.
  
• New loading screens when starting and leaving the game.
  
• Various weapons have their minimum level requirement lowered slightly.
  
• Navigation bonus on sea charms only affects the Full Sail, Come about, and Ramming Speed sailing skills.
  
• Removed the roll-over sound when looking at items in your inventory.
  
• Added a sound effect for when you throw at item away in your inventory.
  
• Most tonics are now unlocked again for basic access members.
  
• Pirates will now receive pop-up notices beofore an Expedition Fleet appears.
  
• Giant Fly Traps now deal a venom effect when attacking.
  
• Treasure Fleet Ships will always drop at least one Loot Skull Chest when defeated.
  
• The loot drop rate for boss enemies is now double the normal enemy rate instead of 100%.
  
• The critical strike weapon attribute now functions correctly, giving the player a chance to deal extra damage per attack.
  
• If a Sea Charm is being used, it will be displayed when on the ship wheel or cannon.
  
• Added contextual tutorial pop-ups for the new invetory interface.
  
• Adding gold value to item descriptions.
  
• Loot containers no longer have the sparkle effect if there's nothing left for you.
  
• Bug Fixes.
  
• You only need to press shift once to open a loot pouch now.
  
• Tabs on the sea chest skill page no longer appear when another page is on.
  
• Selling charms, jewelry, and tattoos works now.
  
• Sailing skill recharge times adjusts as you switch sea charms.
  
• Fixed Crash when clicking on item descriptions from sinking ships.
  
• Nature aura displays health updates over affected pirate's heads.
  
• Infinite ammo charms work correctly now.
  
• You no longer get kicked off the ship wheel or cannon when switching weapons.
  
• Cursed weapons now affect the user's HP and voodoo.
  
• Fixed interior lighting on low settings.
  
• Added female pirate's riffle and bayonet animations.
  
• Weapons don't fade out as you get further away.
  
• Mojo voodoo Doll healing skills actually heal now instead of dealing damage.
  
• You can no longer use healing boost when your health is already full.

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First, great fixes, and I'm surprised they did all these fixes before putting them on open.

Second, what's the difference between an EITC fleet and treasure fleet?
Third, did anyone even get a cursed weapon while on test?
Forth, what does that little bug fixes mean!?

Fifth, well, the amount of loot chests we get from enemies has decreased. Guess that means it will be harder to get those lost weapons.

Well, too bad. Now I have to look for all my stuff again.... but... maybe it will be fun. All of us have to look at the upside of this!

I think I got a "Cursed Cutlass" on test but couldn't use it so I threw it away. I didn't know it was super rare though ha ha!

You don't always get treasure drops from boss's now... Treasure drops have become "more rare" but not very rare...

The Mac Bug is fixed Yay!!!!


-Kermit

How the characters' look now ? I've heard that they change it. True ?

True. Mine went from heroic and strong to dumpy and out of proportion. Hard to look at really. And he now runs like he needs some talcum powder...

I just really hope they dont make our live characters change to look like the new avatar models :'( :( :/

It looks like Basic Access get to use the Dagger weapon now. It does NOT look like a glitch at all, but there is a small glitch with the skill and rep. bar down at the bottom when you are using the dagger. At least for me, it is not there. Please tell me if it is the same with any of you. There was also in the skill upgrading part of my sea chest, it said "Throw Dirt". And below it said, "Unlocks at level 6". And at the Sidewinder, it said "Unlimited Access Only". So it looks like this is intended. Anyway, it doesn't really matter if the shapes of our pirates change. We looked sort of non-human anyway. As for the reset, I'm not that upset about it. Just remember people it is just the TEST SERVER and we are ONLY there to TEST things while having fun and we expect this kind of stuff!

First, great fixes, and I'm surprised they did all these fixes before putting them on open.

Sorry I didn't quote it but is it really on open now?????

Thanks for the answers mates. Can we see some screens of these new characters types ?

The new bodies have been out for a while - just for pirates created after July 21, 2009. Had to do some searching, but I remembered posting it before, 5th post in this thread:
(You can tell the type of body by the icon)
http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/f...ad.php?t=12513

It just added some weight to our pirates - it's not really that big of a deal. Ever since they first came out I had a feeling they would be changed. After a few months of it being our "normal" pirates, that feeling went away. However, if Disney thinks that this will help the game, then there really isn't an issue, at least for me.

edit: there is now..

2) There's no difference, it's referring to the EITC fleet.
3) I got a few, but was unable to use them
4) Bug fixes wasn't supposed to be included in the list itself, but rather to title the items listed below it
5) I'm just gonna guess, it might be easier to get it from the fleet, considering we always get a chest (it's guaranteed after all.. that might need to be tested..)

Thanks for the link! Yes! I remember that, it's not so bad :)

I wish they would just go ahead and add the new updates to the live game now... =/

The only bug that I have found on Test so far, is that on cutlass, instead of being able to press "1" to use sweep, I have to click on the skill to use it. Same with pistol, I have to click on the ammo to load a different kind instead of being able to press the number. I have not reported it because I wasn't sure if it was part of the update or not. Anybody else having this problem?

Edit: I figured out later that num lock was off and that's why it wasn't working lol.

Sorry!

Mate, I would like to thank you for being the bearer of good news for all basics. you, Sir, are a true hero!

I hear the new gold cap is 200,000 :D

Where'd you hear that? From what I hear there is no gold cap now.

Thank you! I try to do my best to keep up with the updates and to see what the basics can use and do. :D

Can someone clarify the whole body issue please. From what I understand is that the current body types will be changed on All pirates , not just the newly created. I don't want my pirates to change from buff to fluff.

My main test pirate (Left is before, right is after):


http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...the/before.png http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...mthe/after.png

Well, we just did a Fleet battle, but I didn't get a Loot Skull Chest. Maybe it is only to one ship in the whole fleet, but if that's the case, I'd have to say it isn't very fair.

If this is wrong, tell me how I would get a Loot Skull Chest from the Treasure Fleet.

These bodies are really more realistics, I like it ! Thanks for the screens.

The diference is that the upper body went from looking buff and the lower body looking normal, to the buff in the upper body going down to the thighs.

Guess the developers want to tell us that pirates were a little bit on the chunky side?

Yes. From hero to zero in one 45 second update. Thanks Disney. I wrote them to complain and got some lame letter back ignoring my complaint and commenting on something completely irrelevant instead.

It's just gonna be like the linked accounts... people complain, everything remains the same (as in, the same after the update occurred).

Yep, although I saw no use in the linked accounts anyways. Never used them, and it was just something people could use to cheat Disney out of some money.

Well it wasn't really cheating them out of money.. granted 4 people could play, but the account was still giving money to Disney - it gave families more for there money pretty much.

The main problem with it was people getting out of bans, but I get what you're saying.

Owoooo! An EITC fleet is on now. Hope I get a skul chest.

EDIT: I received two royal chests from the EITC fleet but that's it. So either, A)This treasure fleet is not the EITC fleet or, B) We get no loot skull chests from the eitc fleet.

I'm starting to doubt this whole "always drops one Loot Skull Chest" thing. You want to know what I got from the THIRD Fleet I joined in after the update? It wasn't a Loot Skull Chest, Treasure Chest, or even a measly ROYAL CHEST.
I got 6 straight Cargo Crates. The first time I've EVER gotten 6 items from sinking a ship. "Always gives at least one Loot Skull Chest?" I don't think so...
I still think that it's given to just one ship out of all the sailors that battled against the Fleet.

Edit:
I'd have to agree. Either A, B, or:

C) It's given to only one person/ship.

Also, don't you mean "This EITC Fleet is not the Treasure Fleet?" :D

I would send a report, it is more than likely a problem, as even they wouldn't be that biased as to giving out rewards.

edit: I received a response to an email I sent, and although the first paragraph, and majority of the second has nothing to do with my email, this is what I got in regards to the new body types:

I also took part in sinking the fleet, and got a couple royals, nothing else. I do like the pop-up warning they give you ten minutes before the fleet starts.

If you're a male pirate with the third body type it isn't too bad. But my poor Kat... I'm not sure of the exact date, but I know it was the week of the 18th of last June. My Kat is gonna go from looking like herself to looking like Melody Moonriver on the right.

http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/g...and_Future.jpg

I've had 10 months to get used to Kat the way she is, and I most decidedly do NOT want her looking like Melody, whose body type I still don't like. I just can't stand the 'new' body types for girls. It just isn't the same. I'm not gonna be happy about this change at all, if in fact it goes live. Assuming it does, D is gonna get letters from me every day about how much I hate them changing my pirate on me. But, for mow, just gotta wait and see.

Has anyone gotten a Loot Skull Chest from the EITC Fleet? I've gotten a few from bosses, but definitely not from the EITC Fleet. If anyone HAS gotten them, please tell what was inside - I'm curious as to what it holds ( CT, it holds the Lost Weapons, duh ).

I haven't gotten it, but prior to the latest version of the updates loot skull chests were 3 skull chests... it should be more than that now.

That female pirate looks like she is pregnant.

There was another EITC fleet. I got 25 gold and that's it.

Thank you! She just doesn't look right. And yet that's what this change is gonna do to Kat. :buds: A toast, to the end of the good looking pirates!

:hiuf3: New Gold Cap IS 200,000.

Sweet, thanks. Hope this means we'll have something new to buy soon.

Maybe one of those huge Goliath/Ship Of The Line type ships ( Not sure WHAT to call them with Frigate/Galleon/Sloop taken - let's call it a Mega-Gondola :D ).

Well, seeing as the weapons are so expensive - the staff costs 10,000+, and that can burn a hole in your budget - so it would make sense if the highest amount of gold WAS 200,000.

umm Kat the change is worse then what Melody looks like. Imagine lets say tk, the short one, imagine her with 3 times the rear and half of what she had on the other, it's not right I would never have made her look like that

Aliese and ex8404 had great images of what the updates have done to their pirates in another thread.

And not to go off topic.. but when these new bodies came to the game.. I remember someone on POF (Sven Niscadae - I think, sorry if i'm wrong) asked Disney if they could switch their pirates body with the newer model, and got a reply saying it can't be done. Looks like that's another lie..

But that was back then. With Today's technological advances that change is possible. Imagine what Tomorrow might bring.

An overweight Kraken?

Let's not get too far ahead of the game :piratetongueor4:

Disney usually releases updates on Fridays, right? I thought it would be on open this weekend, but.... Now I'm guessing Friday the 19th. I have found no more bugs but the fleet skull chest thing.

By the way, the thing I don't like about test is all the crashes. We had just sunk a ship of the line, then went out and sunk a flagship many times in our war frigate. My little lvl seven on test was desperatly in need of gold. Our ship had 13 out of 16 cargo spots filled with ROYALS when I suddeny lost Internet connection!

Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

There went several thousand gold...:agapirateju3:

Keep your patience up. In my opinion this is nowhere near ready for live. All of the crashes are bugs, I have been getting skull chests with practically nothing in them (Small amounts of ammo), every time an invasion happens I get booted twice during it. This is a small list but there are still a LOT of bugs to be worked out. I'd love to get my hands on this update with my level 50 on live instead of my level 34 (32 when reset) on Test but it's just not ready.

It should come this week since it has been two weeks. :) Most of the big issues have been fixed and the only reason they changed the avatar model types so it would be easier i guess for everyone to look the same. This will not happen to our live avatar models like i so kindly asked Disney. :)

Yup. That's what they told me at the end of July.

I guess they figured out how to do this or just weren't comfortable at the time they released it. At least big Sven will get some meat on his scuvy bones! :laughks2:

What bothers me is that they're not giving us any say in how our pirates look. I chose my original body type over two years ago (and while the profile is a little on the dramatic side, the back view, which is what I spend almost all the time seeing, was what I wanted), and to change so drastically now is insulting.

I could understand some minor changes to the proportions of certain areas, but to revert my pirates to before puberty is just gross.

I dont know which looks more ridiculous, the male pirate bodies or the female bodies. Guess I will have to tell my self everyday now that I might as well get over it cause me pirates will look ridiculous just like everyone else...

So the new stuff is nowhere near ready for release? That means they are releasing very very soon.

Most of the bugs are fixed. Some need to be fixed, or there will be complaints from open server players.

But what they've ended up doing by taking away the 100% loot drop rate from bosses is made the update boring. Simply because getting one loot drop after every five enemies is just boring. Sure it's perfectly fine, but when all you get from the drops is amo and tonics it gets boring. As if we'll ever get these lost weapons.

Only thing missing from this update is letting us use The Cannon Defences and Raven/Raven's Cove Island. :) :/ Hopefully that will come next.

I have to agree. The new drop rate has really just changed the whole feel of the updates...

I like the new drop rate otherwise some players will rush out and play 24/7 when the update hits live get every weapon possible in a week and then complain about having nothing to do! LOL

Some players will rush regardless of the drop rate.

Here's a little thing I found out - when using the Staff, there's no Charging Bar for any skill, so you could use two straight Desolations if you had enough Voodoo, or spam Soul Flay. The only problem is that without Charging, you'll run out of Voodoo much quicker.

That just could be a new feature i really think this is ready for open. :) It has been two weeks, so it just has to come. It has to. :'( :( :/ :)

The update will be here when it gets here. Two weeks for something "major" added to the game isn't enough time, especially considering that the entire first week, test was down, more than it was open.

Not sure if anyone else has experienced this, but earlier when I logged on - no weapons, no gold. It was fixed after I logged, but it shows that something is still wrong. On top of that, all my weapons showed level 0, and my notoriety meter was empty (didn't even say "notoriety" or a level). I sent a report in, but there's still a few things that need to be dealt with before release.

It's better for them to take their time with something like this.. rather than rush to bring it to open. Last time a small bug happened, it resulted in a bigger one, which led to them resetting the game prior to the updates. Imagine if that happened to Live, not only would a lot of people complain, but new players that just came would also be lost - and possibly lose interest if they don't know what happened.

You're welcome, lol. Ugh, now I'm especially impatient for the update because I already have a dagger and can't wait to use it! What skills can we use?

Same thing on the voodoo staff, I noticed. That was when I was recently basic on Live server!

So all those basics who got their hopes up, sorry!

Wel, there are a variety of skills for each of the weapons, there are:

For Cutlass:
Not In The Face
Skewer

For Pistol/Bayonet\Musket/Blunderbuss
Bayonet Disable
Unlimited _____ Ammo

For Dagger
None that I know of..... Yet......

For Staff
____ Aura

For Doll:
Red Fury

For Grenades:
None that I know of either.


There are plenty more for these weapons, and it's up to you to find them!

The only differences in dagger I have noticed is a skill that increases the attack power of the dagger. Not sure if its a numbered skill, or an automatic one - too low to find out personally.

It's mainly a skill found on most of the blades and Dolls we already have, such as the Pirate Blade Cutlass. It's an automatic skill that powers up the damage done by the weapon, however I don't see much of a difference. I think the Critical Hit ability found on weapons such as the Engraved Broadsword are more worth it, as it actually makes a MAJOR change ( I got a critical hit with a Bladestorm, and, to my estimation, it did around 3,000-3,500 damage. Other than that, that skill isn't much use.

Found a little bug that used to make people crash, but with the grenade pouch, and various other weapons with no special skill, you can now use healing boost instead of crashing. You can press the ~ ` or as you know it to be the scoreboard button in privateering and PvP modes around 3 to 4 times for a healing effect.

James, I'm pretty sure what Thunder said about the voodoo staff bar is a bug.

Since it's not in the release notes... and to take away the bar is like taking away even the littlest bit of challenge out of the game, which is to force you to wait to use the attack again.

I honestly think they should hold the update for another week or two, just to fix all the little bugs. Actually, IMO, I don't think they should release this new inventory system unless the second story quest comes out with it.

Call me crazy, but I don't want to be used to a new inventory system before a second story quest. I want it to be exciting for a long time, with two new major updates, instead of justo ne.

I didn't mention this in the first post, but they didn't actually remove the charging bar. You can still charge up if you want, but at some times, I can use Staff skills without the use of a charging bar. Disney still has a few things to work on before all this goes to Live, so be patient, everyone.

Well, on the test server, I could use 5. Asp, Adder, Throw Dirt, Cut, Swipe, and I think that's it. I don't know if it is just a glitch or something or what so don't get your hopes up TOO high! It could just be a mistake Disney made or something.

I don't see how Disney could mistakenly make the basics be able to use daggers and staffs and have some of the smaller skills not be locked, and the advanced skills locked. It's not like it would of just appeared there that we could use Throw Dirt when the dagger isn't even up for basics. Maybe it is a mistake but it didn't look like it on the Test server to me.

We shall see . . .

I hear rumors that the updaes be co'min this here Friday! Anyone else hear such a strange tale?

Friday? I surely hope not, it's not nearly ready. If it's a rumor, that's probably all it is mate-rumor. It's like when people say the Kraken is coming next month or something.....

The rumor is probably almost true it has been two weeks in fact and i did talk to live chat and they said they can't fix everything.( they didn't say this part but:-->) Plus they have other stuff to add to pirates test besides this. If there's anything more to be fixed they will surely fix it on open.

Things are sounding hopeful, I've talked to numerous people on the live game that have test access, and they say after the last update, most, if not all, of the bugs have been resolved. Also, there are many videos on YouTube that have comments on them saying the updates are coming this weekend! I really hope this is all true! BTW: Really Nice Profile Picture @Jamesvsthekraken :) - makes me laugh!

lol thanx, mate. :)

I hope they are rumors, btw, is anybody else kicked out of test right now. I can't even log in at the moment... It doesn't say the site is down, just having a cannonball with red spinning aroound it, and a blank area beside it.

Yeah they're doing maintenance. I bet they're fixing all the bugs and glitch's that most of you guys "complained" about. Yep, I'm sure this will come tomorrow or friday since they're doing maintenance now. :)

I hope you guys get the update, but I am staying off the live boat for a while. I don't exactly like large crowds, and test is more fun for me anyways. They best not reset tonight, or they die, and I am also hoping they fix the invasion lag and crashes.

Yeah, if they reset it again, I'm just going stay on live sever and not risk it any more.

Ok what gives its past 8:30 p.m. PDT and its still closed whats going on here? :'( :( :/

Who knows... 0_0, although, I'd rather wait for the test server to open back up and have the updates sooner, than have the test open all the time and have to wait longer for them to hit the live server. Who knows. I'ts Disney we're talking about here XD

Patience. They have NEVER been right about how long it takes to completely reset the test server...

Ok Test is back up! Someone please post the updates that happened on there, if any. I would do it me self, but i don't yet have test server access.

Well it got back on and now they reset again but the good thing is they got our body back normal, weird thing is we don't see the gold on the buttom tab i think they went back in time LOL :laughks2:

At least they are fixing things. Tester stop complaining and do your jobs. We the peoples of The Open Servers are counting on you all!