For all players both Test and Live

[LadyDi]

After reading what became a pretty heated discussion, I chose to contact Disney and ask some questions. My main question was what was their view of players on Test using glitches or exploits in order to level up quick.

This is the response I got:

We've taken many measures to eliminate opportunities for grief play in Pirates of the Caribbean Online, and appreciate your help in this effort. We take the issue of "glitching" and cheating in-game rather seriously.

Such actions can not only take the fun out of the game for everyone involved, but can cause very serious errors within the program that can affect all our Guests.

Our Member Agreement states the following about cheating: "Use of any software, code, device or other mechanism that allows automated gameplay, expedited gameplay, or other manipulation of gameplay or game client will result in immediate termination of the Account. Disney reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to determine what constitutes manipulation of gameplay or game client." To read the Member Agreement in full, please see the URL below: http://disney.go.com/pirates/online/...agreement.html

If you see further instances of this action, we encourage you to utilize the "Report a Player" button in the game. To do this, simply click on the Pirate you would like to report and select "Report" in the menu that is displayed.

In the meantime, the best way to avoid troublesome player behavior is to play in a "Quiet" Ocean.
Each Ocean is a copy of the Caribbean in its entirety. Playing on a "Quiet" Ocean is a great way to focus on getting tasks done before heading to an "Ideal" or "Busy" Ocean to build a crew. To switch Oceans: - Go to the "Map" page in your Sea Chest. - At the top of the map is the name of the Ocean you are currently in, select the arrow below the Ocean's name.

Click on another Ocean name and you will be teleported to that Ocean. Pirates not on your Friends List will not know which Ocean you went to, so it will be difficult, if not impossible, to follow you. We appreciate your continued support of Pirates Online, and hope to see you in Caribbean again soon!

Thank you,

Juan
Pirates of the Caribbean Online

[jason davy]

I understand that it is necessary for pirates on test to sometimes exploit glitches to level faster because some things that may require testing can only be done at higher levels. I do not in any way agree with exploiting (harmful or unfair) glitches on open, but test is a completely different story; test is where these glitches should be accepted and used. If Disney SERIOUSLY thinks that players should take ages to level up a character on test instead of quickly being able to test any situation, then they are obviously ignorant of the purpose of their own program. Which it seems to me that they are- inviting tons of new testers and releasing large updates on test, then releasing it all on open before many bugs and glitches are fixed.

[LadyDi]

I keep reading the excuse to exploit glitches as a quick way to level up so you can test harder parts of the game. I think of it this way, if Disney needed lots of big pirates, I think they would've given you one, and three empty spots.
I have been on since beta 1, building several pirates all big enough to test any part of the game.
From past experience being a Tester of Toontown too, they usually allow new testers a while to level up fairly before releasing new content.
If you read the response you can also see that exploiting can cause very serious errors within the program.
There isn't a good excuse for not playing on test as you would on open. Playing from beginning as the game was intended.

[Sven Niscadae]

Originally Posted by LadyDi

If you read the response you can also see that exploiting can cause very serious errors within the program.

It's true. Unexpected use of software, especially huge compilations of code as with MMORPGs and other server/client architecture, can literally confuse other parts of the program. I've seen wacky enough things happen in my daily software support job. Who knows, those exploiting bugs and glitches on Test may be tampering their environment, possibly causing more bugs.

Regarding leveleing fast, if one really works at it, it shouldn't take too long to get up in the 30's. My better half got her first pirate to level 17 in a week and to 34 within two weeks after that. No glitches, no exploits - just regular game play and determination.

[Dr. Zeppers]

Originally Posted by jason davy

I understand that it is necessary for pirates on test to sometimes exploit glitches to level faster because some things that may require testing can only be done at higher levels. I do not in any way agree with exploiting (harmful or unfair) glitches on open

Im with you up to this point Jason, but this next line is not entirely accurate IMO

, but test is a completely different story; test is where these glitches should be accepted and used.

Accepted to the degree of the first part, but not to be "used" on a whole. Your level 20, you have nothing to test that requires you to level, youve found and reported the glitch. So, do you continue to 'test' the glitch to level your character? is there any purpose in this.. you level to level 30, next update theres a quest for level 25 pirates, and you may have to start over to test it properly.

If Disney SERIOUSLY thinks that players should take ages to level up a character on test instead of quickly being able to test any situation, then they are obviously ignorant of the purpose of their own program.

In some cases but a well planned tester would have his 4 pirates staggered in levels, as one starts over, the other 3 keep moving up. No need to test a glitch beyond its existence.

Which it seems to me that they are- inviting tons of new testers and releasing large updates on test, then releasing it all on open before many bugs and glitches are fixed.

Hello, this is nothing new, they have done it this way from the start, lets not make it sound like this is their new approach.

[Achilles]

Bravo!!... well said LadyDi,

If you read the response you can also see that exploiting can cause very serious errors within the program.
There isn't a good excuse for not playing on test as you would on open. Playing from beginning as the game was intended.

I often tell my Mates on test,.. play the game, level up,.. there will and may be some deviation from normal game play, but play as you would open, test as you go, this is the game,.. not these obscure unorthodox methods like (hypothetical) "run back jump forward, slash cutlass, while simultaneously hitting F-9 while running against a wall”… sort of thing.
Every game I know of has exploits and glitches, Test was not about that, going out and finding all the out of the way crevices and obscure errors, we all know there are many to find in normal play. One could spend a career of searching for the “glitches" in a game, I know for a fact the Developers will handle all the “normal” game play errors and discrepancies long before fixing the obscure and ambiguous glitches on Test and Open. Many are not relevant to normal game at all. Furthermore I fear searching out these types of the unusual glitches is actually and inadvertently perpetuating the knowledge of such “glitches” as many others seek to duplicate what is being discovered by unusual and abnormal methods. I do not say that anyone is necessarily scheming to perpetuate these glitches, but I have heard the discussions around Abassa too many times of others teaching another of a glitch that was ”discovered”. (discovered is loosely stated)
Working these glitches as a “Testing” career or in on the open servers as stated, “causes very serious errors within the program”.

Thank you LadyDi for coming forth with this knowledge.

It may be a hard truth for some to hear,.. but I do hope all can heed it’s warning and put aside any differences.

In sincerity,

-Achilles

[Poison elf]

This is a questionable area in any game with using glitches or exploits. I recall this discussion and really don't feel this should be a method to just level, even on test.

After all, with basic normal game play takes maybe a couple weeks, if ya go about it serious at all to level up to 40.

Now to look at this.

No code or mechanism etc. has been being used in this, so that part has nothing to do with it. So what it really comes down to is the regular all around disclaimer.
Basically, "Disney reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to determine what constitutes manipulation of game play or game client.

Or for that matter, the just what ever we feel like part not listed in the original post.

"All Account data may be deleted, altered, moved, or transferred at any time for any reason or no reason at all in Disney’s sole and absolute discretion."

Seems to me something that "can cause very serious errors within the program that can affect all our Guests." should maybe be fixed at two servers before hitting many live servers.

I can imagine now the attitude some will have with the people wanting to just play on test like a live server and not testing a thing. When those that are testing end up reported for trying to get "very serious errors within the program that can affect all our Guests." out of the game.

So I wouldn't recommend running hog wild worrying about others, that have been holding quite a few things back only as reports. I am sure they wouldn't feel so inclined when they get in trouble, when they could just release it to a bunch of kids on live and let them take the heat.

So some want it better for others, some want trouble for others. Where is this going?

So as a guild member that watched his guild GM take this "we can do anything we want attitude" with a perma ban, I have to be pretty leery of people out looking to just get others in trouble.

As for normal play a fact that it will be taken care of, just when would that fact come in play. When svs glitch for all players that play normal svs stuck in French, against Spanish reported on test. Maybe the fact of spawning ships reported on test not showing up on the compass in Tortuga release. Guess there is always the fact of Hex shot changed 9 months later. I haven't seen any post on these facts, where was this found and time frame of fixes for that matter? Or any contact what so ever in all these issues?

So while one can stand invincible, in a wall glitch unseen, fight creatures that can't get to them, may seem ambiguous to some. Some of us would rather not see something that "can cause very serious errors within the program that can affect all our Guests." As well as normal play issues at the expense of some that want to just play normal game play like live server, on the test server.

Its to bad Disney just does not feel that way and do something about these problems, or talk to the people that knows whats going on. Then again with a year of characters with nothing to do at 40, what could be expected?

To hear a Gm of all the new upcoming players that have joined that guild on test say play normal, don't test something, what a disappointment. No wonder so many things have gone no where here. Because all those things skipped on test, are all those things someone is going to try and find on live. Leading to what "can cause very serious errors within the program that can affect all our Guests."

[Rackat]

To hear a Gm of all the new upcoming players that have joined that guild on test say play normal, don't test something, what a disappointment. No wonder so many things have gone no where here. Because all those things skipped on test, are all those things someone is going to try and find on live. Leading to what "can cause very serious errors within the program that can affect all our Guests."

To be fair, I do believe what was meant was to "play the game as it is meant to be played" with the obviously, to me, implied "report problems as you go".

I despise glitchers on Open, and I deal with them on Test. I am hoping that on Test they are finding and reporting them, not just heading back to Open to share them with their mates.

[akamystic]

I think we should clarify.....finding and reporting issues is the correct protocol. Play the game as intended. Yes we hear of various glitches and issues and might look for them. However, once confirmed they should be reported in detail. Not utilized for any other purpose.

Purposely trying to exploit issues/glitches to level up or cheat is completely unnecessary, unacceptable and flat out aggravating!

[Aliese]

Regardless of personal opinions on glitches/exploits, I don't see why Disney should punish players for exploiting flaws in their game. I actually e-mailed them a while ago about that, and got a different response (that players wouldn't be punished [so no sense in reporting]). Why the change? Or, is there a change? Were they talking about third-party programs?



And as far as the "Test" server...if it were really for real testing, then yes, IMO they would give players the ability to create a maxed pirate to test high level stuff on (like they can ). In one of their own announcements, though, they talked about Test as being, among other things, a place to see new content first. Yep - sounds legit! LoL

[Poison elf]

I personally have been against these cheats, and as the original post states using this to level fast.

I am not going to stand by though and let people get tricked like this into getting ban. So I will give a example, of what I have seen first hand.

Player A does a rule break in speech. Doesn't matter really what, player B in speech with this player reports it. Player A and player B are ban.

Example I gave in my first post, invulnerable, in a rock, leveling. Go ahead report it. Hmm how should I do this since the player in the rock can't be targeted, or even seen who it is. Guess I could also glitch the rock to see who it is, there, got a nice screen shot and all. Report it nice and dandy, and thank you for the ban we both just got for glitching a wall.

This here is the problem with posts like this and getting everyone ban. There is no way anyone can tell me to not try to eliminate these cheats before reaching live with what ever excuse they can conjure up.

Rachat, I would like to believe that, but I find that entire post completely off base. Specially with the FACT being even normal stuff has not been taken care of. I use things like curse every day on all different characters. That is normal game play by all means, yet to this day it has never given, or come close to giving a 30% increase in damage. I have tested this, spirit mastery with 5 points in it, and these things never have functioned right. Let alone something like fury stating quite a bit more damage than lightning, but does not do it.

So the result of this is only one thing. Disney not in contact with those that can help. Nor are these issues taken care of. Last but not least, posts like this leading people to get them self in trouble, or can't possible report it legitimately.

[jason davy]

Originally Posted by OFxZeppers

Accepted to the degree of the first part, but not to be "used" on a whole. Your level 20, you have nothing to test that requires you to level, youve found and reported the glitch. So, do you continue to 'test' the glitch to level your character? is there any purpose in this.. you level to level 30, next update theres a quest for level 25 pirates, and you may have to start over to test it properly.



In some cases but a well planned tester would have his 4 pirates staggered in levels, as one starts over, the other 3 keep moving up. No need to test a glitch beyond its existence.

Oh, absolutely. I didn't mean use glitches for the sake of using glitches... I simply mean that for some things, it may be necessary to get a certain pirate to a certain level quickly (especially if they are going to release everything on open not even a week after it is introduced on test). It just irks me when people are so actively opposed to anything that remotely deals with a "glitch." Test is a place to test, and in my opinion, just playing the game as an open player (especially as one who has already "beaten" the game) seems like it could lead some major loopholes in testing.

Originally Posted by OFxZeppers

Hello, this is nothing new, they have done it this way from the start, lets not make it sound like this is their new approach.

Using a recent example is by no means suggesting this is "their new approach." However, inviting tons of new testers certainly was "their new approach" so either way, I'm not sure where that came from.

[Rackat]

Originally Posted by Poison elf

Rachat, I would like to believe that, but I find that entire post completely off base. Specially with the FACT being even normal stuff has not been taken care of. I use things like curse every day on all different characters. That is normal game play by all means, yet to this day it has never given, or come close to giving a 30% increase in damage. I have tested this, spirit mastery with 5 points in it, and these things never have functioned right. Let alone something like fury stating quite a bit more damage than lightning, but does not do it.

I want to clarify that I was only speaking to Achilles' post. I may have misundertood, but I thought you were responding to his post.

Achilles:
I often tell my Mates on test,.. play the game, level up,.. there will and may be some deviation from normal game play, but play as you would open, test as you go, this is the game,.. not these obscure unorthodox methods like (hypothetical) "run back jump forward, slash cutlass, while simultaneously hitting F-9 while running against a wall”… sort of thing.

To me it was implied that if you find the glitch, report it. I apologize if I misunderstood what you were referring to.

[Achilles]

Originally Posted by Rackat

I want to clarify that I was only speaking to Achilles' post. I may have misundertood, but I thought you were responding to his post.



To me it was implied that if you find the glitch, report it. I apologize if I misunderstood what you were referring to.

Oh,.. (perkps up in chair,.. i didn't catch who was meant at first,..lol.. my old wits arn't as sharp.. )


Yes,.. what you said Rackat is what I meant too. (I think, forgive me if i'm not following topic right)

-Report the glitches... aye.
-drink rum
-Don't make a career out of looking only for glitches since the normal gameplay is what needs testing primarily.
-drink more rum
-play test like you would open but with more perspective on testing the game leveling with some deviations whiles testing/leveling.
-share some rum, keep most for self
-hoping i was clear and following topic properly..lol... old and feeble brains

[Dr. Zeppers]

Finding glitchs and reporting them, absolutely.
But once a glitch has been identified and reported, in reality there is no further need to utilize the glitch.. plain and simple.

They are NOT put there for you to use to level up quickly to test anything special. Your decision to use them is no further warranted than your decision to use them on open. The need to level up fast to test.. well im sorry, thats not really a valid excuse. I may have even agreed with it earlier, but in retrospect, I see that its not really appropriate at all.

I have read posts on here, with testers begging other testers to NOT report the glitchs so they WOULD make them to open. So there is a problematic element increasing now on Test, which was previously limited. Test is there to test. Test game play, test if everything works, and if you find a glitch report it so it can be fixed when deemed necessary. Consider that if you keep using a glitch, you might actually cause/trigger more glitchs, that wouldnt even be in existence if the first glitch wasnt existing and made use of because the first glitch damaged integrity of the game environment.

Test in itself is not designed for testers to "find the glitchs", no test server is. We hope those that are used to take advantage in the game are found and resolved prior to being moved to open, but its not realistic. Games ALWAYS have glitchs, and always will. You fix one glitch and another will pop up. Test the game normal game play, make sure that works. Make note of any unusual/problematic issues, and if you happen to find a glitch, report it.

If you know of a glitch on open thats been reported, and users want fixed, then sure.. check to see if its fixed with each Test release, and re-report it if it is not. No need to continue using it "because its there".