POTCO Graphic Options

[Dr. Zeppers]

As of 1/30/2009 a new "Graphic Options" button has been added to the Pirates Online launcher. This helps to set the option appropriate for your system, which the game has not done that well at autodetecting in the past. Previously (and still in some cases) players have had to manually edit their "game_options.txt" file to set this properly.

Here is a small guide to making these settings with the newest release (as of 1/09) of Pirates Online game software.

When you first start Pirates Online, you are presented with the login screen (ie Launcher).
On the lower right hand side of the login screen is the "Graphic Options" button, as reflected here:
potco_login_graphicoptions.jpg

This pops up a box allowing you to select one of three options:

"Open GL" "DirectX8" and "DirectX9" (See image below). "Open GL" is the default. If this is what is set, and your having problems, I would recommend trying "DirectX9" first, as it is the most commonly supported today. "DirectX8" may prove to work better for some older systems, and may have better performance on some newer ones. Once set here, the game should launch using the graphics api of your choice.

potco_login_graphicoptions_select.jpg

To manually set the Graphics API:

You will need to create/edit the "game_api.txt" file located in the PiratesOnline directory if you have ever saved settings in the Options Panel.

1) Go to Start | Programs | Accessories | Windows Explorer.
2) Navigate to C:\Program Files\Disney\Disney Online\PiratesOnline.
3) Double click on game_api.txt to open it (usually in notepad), if the file does not exist, start and then exit the launcher, it should create one automatically. If not refer to the "Old" instructions at the bottom of this guide, they may be helpful.
4) This file will have only one word/option in it, the graphics API that is set for the game.
Change it to one of the following (without the quotes):

For Open Gl: "pandagl" (If you simply delete the game_api.txt file, it will default to this)
For DirectX 8: "pandadx8"
For DirectX 9: "pandadx9"
For DirectX 10: "pandadx10" <-- Some Vista users have reported this has helped them, not sure how well its supported.

5) Save the file start launcher, login and launch game.


To manually set the Graphics API the old way - (Old Method)
(Thanks to Sarah for recently reposting these instructions which I embellished a little)
Note: If you do this, and do not edit the game_api.txt file, it will be recreated as pandagl and reset the game_options.txt file API setting. (Unless you somehow still have a dated launcher).

You will need to edit the "game_options.txt" file located in the PiratesOnline directory if you have ever saved settings in the Options Panel.

1) Go to Start | Programs | Accessories | Windows Explorer.
2) Navigate to C:\Program Files\Disney\Disney Online\PiratesOnline.
3) Double click on game_options.txt.
4) Make sure "state" has "working" on the line directly below it. If you see "attempted_working" change it to "working."
5) Under "api", please change the text from "default" to:

For Open Gl: "pandagl"
For DirectX 8: "pandadx8"
For DirectX 9: "pandadx9"
For DirectX 10: "pandadx10" <-- Some Vista users have reported this has helped them, not sure how well its supported.

6) Save the file then launch the game.

If you don't have this file on your computer, you will need to create one in the PiratesOnline directory.

1) Go to Start | Run.
2) Type "Notepad" in the Open input box then click OK.
3) Add the following text precisely as you see it below:

state
working
api
pandadx9

4) Click File | Save As
5) Name the file "game_options.txt"
6) Save the file to C:\Program Files\Disney\Disney Online\PiratesOnline then launch the game.

These settings changes will instruct Pirates Online to only use DirectX 9 as the graphic API.

To force options other than DirectX 9 as the above example gives, replace "pandadx9" with:

For Open Gl: "pandagl"
For DirectX 8: "pandadx8"
For DirectX 9: "pandadx9"
For DirectX 10: "pandadx10" <-- Some Vista users have reported this has helped.

[jack bilgebutler]

I am having the same problem and I have tried that repair and the settings would still change when trying to launch. Do you have any suggestions? Tech support is useless.

[Poison elf]

Agh, I finally see what I don't have, lol. Test and live both, I never got the continue button on the graphic options window.

To make it stay you also need to go into the game_api file. Change pandagl to pandadx9. This will keep it from converting back to opengl soon as you log in again.

[Maximvs]

Just to note it - DRWR with the MAC has had sucess in getting his to work by following the steps found in the MAC Thread:

http://www.piratesonlineforums.com/f...t=10187&page=2

Just for those who have arrived here using a MAC and the above steps may not apply

[seafox]

I also did not show the 'continue' tab on the api/graphics opt window and I'm unlimited,not test...so I tried all the above and it still reverts to open....I choose each time I load and just press enter, but suspect some of my crashes are result of it staying on open...after each bug glitch form sent in, tech. says to try resetting the graphics opt(tech. support hasn't answered my last question on the missing tab yet.) I've experimented with different res. to try to enlarge the opt. window to see if the tab is there just below where I can't use it..but still no show...I wonder how much lagging and crashes and those infernally endless bug glitch forms they get back are a result of something as simple as players not being able to choose a graphic opt.. But...ye can't keep a good pirate down....to the briny blue me hearties!!

[Capt C Ray]

Seafox,

Since I am not able to bring the game up because I am at work, I can't guide you through it, but have you tried changing the graphic options while in the game? Might have to leave the game and come back to have the change take effect, but when you change options in-game, it gives you the option to save your changes.

[seafox]

You can only change the pandadx8 or 9 thing before launch, on pw page down at bottom you hit graphics options and you'll get an alert window that if you are experiencing problems, to try changing one of the three, open, dx8 , or dx 9 and suppose to have a "continue" tab below those circles....but mine doesn't show an enter or continue tab...so when I press my choice, nothing to do but use enter on keyboard (otherwise, you cant get rid of the box, and log in to game), then i log into game . The graphics options do not save, and always show that the "open" circle is chosen....and as I have a new computer, prob. needs to be dx9. I am going to use a avg removal thingy and see if its firewall is the issue, but getting rid of avg is like pulling teeth without painkillers...if ye think of anything tho let me know.

[seafox]

UPDATE I received this from Technical Support(yes, I felt like thumpin myself...)

[Hello Pirate pal,

Changing your graphics API can change how your computer plays Pirates Online and can often help out! If you can't see the continue button, you might need to make an adjustment to the font on your computer.

1. Right-click on the desktop
2. Select Properties
3. Select the Settings tab
4. Click on Advanced
5. Select Normal size (96 DPI) in the DPI settings dropdown
6. Click OK
a. You will need to restart the computer before the changes take effect
b. You may need to insert your Windows XP CD

This should get you all fixed up so that you can change your API and get back to plunderin' the high seas!

Azurell
Technical Support Representative]

Thats why I couldn't see the "continue" tab on the graphics options(remember, this is button on the log-in page at bottom,,,not one in game...) Whether the dx9 I selected stays chosen remains to be seen,,,although I also inserted that in folder(Thanks to POF for those instructions...When my mom visits, she changes font settings....mebbe, Santy will give her a laptop next Christmas....

[gizmot31]

i have tried everything everyone has said to do and i still cant get it to work plz help me beable to play again i really miss my pirates..It was working fine before the updates and now it wont. I gets to the loading part but when its time for it to go to where you pick ur pirates it crashes. I have been on the phone and live chat with disney.they tell me my computer doesnt meet the req for it but it worked be4 the updates and my computer is new then my kids and yet it works on my sons computer which is only a p2 and mine is p3 512 mem and my video card is a 128 geforce 5200 plz help pirate pals ty

[pmwaker]

When this happened the first thing i did was report a bug. The people at pirates fixed it but all the rest of the times all i had to do was change the game api. Try reporting it first.