Frequently Asked Questions

How do I play?

Pirate101 is a free online game that you download and play with other people in a fun virtual world.

To play Pirate101, follow these steps:

• Login with your KingsIsle (also your Wizard101) account or register for a new account on Pirate101.com
• Click “Play” on the Pirate101 homepage and follow the instructions to download and install the game on your computer
• Click the Pirate101 icon on your computer desktop to start the game
• Follow the instructions to create your Pirate and play Pirate101

If you are new to online gaming, you may want to print out our Quick Start Guide for easy reference to the basics such as how to move, how to chat and what to do in Pirate101.

How do I chat in Pirate101?

My game is lagging, what can I do to fix this?

The first thing you should try is turning off your Quest Helper. You can do this by pressing Ctrl and T on your keyboard. If that doesn’t help try going into your Options menu during game play and changing the resolution, graphics detail, and turning the Full Screen option to off.

Can I transfer a character between accounts?

Yes we can transfer characters between two accounts if:
a) both accounts (the from & to) are linked in a Family of Accounts
b) both accounts pass our security checks
c) both accounts have a Membership for a 1 year term

If your situation meet these conditions, send an email to support@pirate101.com and let Captain Ahab know the Source Account, the Destination Account, and the name of the character(s) to be transferred and he will look into the transfer for you.

All of Captain Ahab's decisions are final when it comes to character transfer requests.

What are Realms?

Pirate101 has several Realms for players to enjoy. All the Realms are identical so you can switch between Realms easily when you’re not in a duel. All you have to do to switch Realms is click the gear icon on the Pirate101 game menu, click "Options" and then click on the globe icon on the right. There you can select a different Realm or area within a Realm to move to.

Why Switch Realms?
If you are meeting a friend in game you want to make sure you meet on the same realm so you can find each other!

Players may choose to switch between Realms that are more or less populated based on their play style. If you are looking for players to adventure with, you may wish to switch to a Realm with a higher population.

If I quit, will my Pirate be deleted?

Your Pirate is safely stored in Skull Island. Even if you uninstall Pirate101 from your computer, your Pirate and all its bounty and experience are still safe.

When you reinstall, it may look like your Pirate is still wearing his/her starter outfit, but they’re not. It just takes some time for your computer to download all of the clothing and items your Pirate is wearing, so don’t panic! You can also verify that your Pirate is still wearing their higher level gear by checking in your backpack.

If you played as a Pirate101 member and your Membership expires before you start playing again, your Pirate will return to Skull Island. There you can continue to play in the Free to Play areas of Pirate101, renew your Pirate101 membership to gain access to all Zones or play in zones you bought with Crowns.

If you decide you no longer wish to keep one of your Pirate characters, you can delete them yourself at the Pirate selection screen by selecting the Pirate you wish to delete and pressing the Delete button. You will be prompted to enter a code to verify that you want to delete that Pirate.

If you accidentally deleted the wrong Pirate, contact customer support through the Contact Us link on the Help & Support page.

Where did my stuff go?

Before you panic and yell at poor Captain Ahab, please make sure you've thoroughly checked your BANK and SHARED BANK for items you cannot locate on your character.

If your backpack is full, items you acquire through quests or duels are placed in your BANK.

Can I Trade items?

Currently, the trading of items between different accounts is not allowed in Pirate101.

Items that you want to place in the Shared Bank can be moved between Pirates on the same account. If you can't use the item, sell it to the Bazaar, and if it is marked No Auction, you can sell it at the regular shop keepers throughout the Spiral.

Can I move items between Wizard101 and Pirate101?

Items are kept separate for Wizard101 and Pirate101. Any gear or items you find in Wizard101 cannot be moved into Pirate101, and vice-versa.

Why is my ship or house full of crates?

If you arrive at your Ship or island and all your items have been mysteriously replaced with crates, don't worry, the movers are not hauling your items away.

When you see crates at your house or ship – relax, it just means that those items are still being downloaded on your computer. They will appear normally once your computer has downloaded all the information.

During this process, your housing button may appear grey, which means you will have to wait until everything in your house has downloaded before you can start redecorating.

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What do I do if I forgot my password?

If you forgot your Pirate101 password, simply go to Pirate101.com, click the Login treasure chest and then click "Forgot." You will be asked to enter your username and a new temporary password will be sent to you. Please follow the instructions in the email carefully.

What do I do if I forgot my username?

If you forgot your Pirate101 Username, simply go to Pirate101.com, click the Login treasure chest and then click "Forgot." You will be asked to enter your email address and your Username will be emailed to you.

What do I do if I forgot my Master Password for Parental Controls?

To reset your Master Password you need to:
1. Login to the Pirate101.com website
2. Once logged in, click on the “My Account” Treasure Chest
3. At the top of the screen, there is a field to enter your Master Password. To the right of the Submit button, there is a blue “Forgot Password” link – click it.
4. An email will then be sent to the Master Password email address you set up previously.
5. Use the temporary password in the email to login to the Master Password.

What kind of computer do I need to play Pirate101?

Pirate101 is currently playable on any computer that can run Windows XP or newer.

What You'll Need to Play Pirate101 on a PC
OS: Windows XP
CPU: 1GHz Intel
RAM: 512MB
VIDEO: Geforce 2 Equivalent (or better)
DISK: 5 GB Free
NET: Internet Connection Required
Administrator/Power User rights required to install and patch the game.

What You'll Need to Play Pirate101 on a Mac
Intel-based Macintosh system running Mac OS X
(note: Wizard101 will not run on iPads, iPhones, Android devices, or PowerPC systems)
Operating System:: Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) or newer
Disk Space: 5 GB of free disk space
RAM Space: 512 MB of RAM

Can I run Pirate101 on a Macintosh Computer?

Yes, you can now play Pirate101 on a Mac computer. Download Pirate101 for Mac.

Why do I need to download Pirate101?

Think of Pirate101 like a downloadable virtual world video game that can be conveniently downloaded from the internet rather than purchased at a store. Pirate101 is a perfect blend of a sophisticated, 3D video game (like a Playstation or Xbox game) set in an ever-expanding online virtual world. To experience 3D graphics and good game play speed, the initial game must be downloaded to your computer. To experience the ever-expanding and changing worlds and to socialize with other players, your computer download must also be connected to the internet.

The Pirate101 download is quick and easy. You will be able to start playing the game within about two minutes of logging in the first time only. The rest of the game will continue to download in the background without you even noticing!

How do I reinstall Pirate101?

If you need to reinstall Pirate101 or are installing Pirate101 for the first time on a different computer, you do not need to sign up for a new account. To download Pirate101, login to the Pirate101 website and click the “Play” or “Download” button on the homepage. You can also download Pirate101 here.

I can't connect to the game, what do I do?

If you are having trouble connecting to Pirate101 there could be a few things that could cause this. To troubleshoot follow the below steps:

1) Check your Internet Connection. If it isn't working, neither will the game!
2) Make sure the Game is online. Sometimes we need to bring Pirate101 down to make repairs. Announcements about these downtimes can be found on the window that appears when you run Pirate101.
3) Make sure that your anti-virus/internet security programs are not blocking Pirate101. If they are add Pirate101 to the allowed list or lower the access settings.
4) If none of these steps work, contact Captain Ahab at the bottom of the Help & Support page. Click the "Contact Us" tab and Captain Ahab will follow up to troubleshoot the issue further.

If I get an error message, what do I do?

If you received an error message when you tried to log in and play Pirate101, read the instructions on that error message which will direct you to possible reasons you received the message.

What is the Pirate Graphical Client?

Pirate Graphical Client is a file that you download as part of Pirate101. It contains the 'graphics' of the game, including what your clothes look like, the color of your pet, the trees in Skull Island and other information about your Pirates and the world.

Sometimes this file can seem to take a bit longer to download than the others, particularly if you've reinstalled Pirate101 recently.

What is a DxDiag and how do I send one to Support?

A DxDiag is a utility designed to display the specifications of the user's hardware, as well as to test DirectX software, including sound and video. If you are asked for this information in an email, it helps the support group relate your gaming issue to your personal computer.

To create a dxdiag.txt just go to Start -> Run (or Search in Vista) and enter dxdiag and click OK. Once the program has run its course, click "Save all Information" and it will output a txt file that you can attach to your reply email.

How do I obtain and send a Captains.log file?

It's quite easy to send a Captains.log file. If you received a request from Support through email, reply to the email and attach the file.

Navigate to your Pirate101 Folder (usually Program Files/KingsIsle Entertainment/Pirate101 unless you're a Windows 7 User, then go to C:/ProgramData/KingsIsle Entertainment/Pirate101) then go to the Bin Folder then select "Captains.Log". Then just drag the file into the body of the email.

If this is too large for your email server to attach or send, then open the game folder, go to the bin folder again and locate the Captains.log. Right click on the log file and select Save as Zip (or similar wording - will vary depending on your specific operating system). Then, go back to your email and attach the newly zipped Captains.log.zip file.

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How much does it cost to play Pirate101?

Pirate101 has a Free Trial that you may sign up for and play immediately at no cost to you. The Free Trial content allows you to play through a small part of the Skull Island game world, and you can play for free as long as you like.

You may also become a Member of Pirate101 and have access to the entire game plus other special features. Read more about Membership benefits!

You can also choose to Pay as you Go through Pirate101 by purchasing individual areas with Crowns, our KingsIsle game Currency. Each area is purchased separately as you progress through the worlds of the Spiral, and once you purchase an area, you own it forever for all characters on that account. Learn more about Crowns »

What is a Membership?

A Membership is special account privilege with a recurring fee that is billed periodically (monthly, twice yearly or yearly). A Membership allows a player access to the entire game plus special features during the time they are a Member. Membership renew automatically at the end of the billing period. Learn more about Memberships »

I thought this game was free?

Pirate101 has a Free Trial that never ends, you can play in a portion of Skull Island for as long as you like. If you wish to explore beyond Skull Island, you will need to purchase a Membership or Crowns.

How often will my credit card get billed?

Pirate101 Memberships are recurring. If you purchased a monthly Membership, you will be billed monthly. If you purchased a 6 month Membership, you will be billed every 6 months. If you purchased a 12 month Membership, you will be billed every 12 months.

When will my credit card be charged?

If you become a Member on the 15th of the month, it will renew on the 15th of each month (or whatever interval you opted for) thereafter until canceled.

For Example:
Monthly plan - became a Member 2/15/10, will renew on 3/15, 4/15, etc.
6 month plan - became a Member 2/15/10, will renew on 8/15/10, 2/15/11, etc.

3 IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:

1. There's usually a "float" of a day or few between a transaction being done and it showing up on a bank statement (which is what gets some folks in a jam).

2. You can cancel at ANY TIME prior to the renewal date (please don't wait until the day of) and retain full access until the end of the current paid term.

3. If you have a family group, since each account has its own Membership, it will bill on its own date. So, if they were NOT upgraded to Membership together, you could potentially have an account billing on date X and another billing on day Y (if you need to have them all together, cancel them, then upgrade them together when they've all expired).

HANDY TRICK:

If you'd like to ensure only a 1 month Membership, you have a few options to implement!

1. Become a Member as you did originally, then right after receipt of the email Membership confirmation, just go back in and "cancel" - it's a pre-paid plan, so you'll retain full access through the current paid term.
2. Purchase a Pirate101 prepaid game card & redeem it for a month's Pre-Paid Time - that gets a pet too!
3. Go to the Pirate101 home page & click on "Gift Certificates" under "Shop" - you can email a gift certificate (added bonus, no chance of unexpected renewals & removes any association between billings & credits).
4. Purchase Crowns & redeem them for access passes - they never, ever expire or renew!

I need to change/update my credit card info. How do I do this?

You can easily change or update your credit card info at any time from your account at the Pirate101 website.

Follow these steps to complete the process:
1. Go to www.pirate101.com
2. Log in with your username/password
3. Click on "My Accounts"
4. Click "Login Master Password" in the upper right hand corner. Enter your Master Password.
5. Click "Manage"
6. Click "Manage Payment Info"
7. Here you may either edit or delete your credit card, and then save your new information.

You can also choose to not save your credit card information on the site. This will not prevent recurring charges but will prevent additional purchases being made on that account.

What are Crowns and how do I get them?

Crowns are one type of currency in Pirate101. Gold is another.

Crowns are used to purchase items such as mounts, pets and clothing in-game. Crowns can also be used by non-Members to purchase access to areas that are unavailable to free-to-play players.

You can purchase Crowns by logging in to Pirate101 and clicking the Buy Crowns link under "Shop".

How do I redeem my Card or Code?

If you have received a code in a magazine or through a promotion, here are the steps to redeem your code:
1. Log in to Pirate101.com with the account you want the item placed on.
2. Click the "Redeem Code" under Shop. Enter your code.
3. Log in to the Pirate101 game with that same account and on to the character you want to receive the item.
4. Click the Crown icon, and then click the "Redeem Gift" button.

A panel will appear that will allow you to redeem any of the items on the list.
If you log in with the incorrect character, do not redeem the item, simply log out and log back in with the character you want to receive the item.

How do I cancel my Membership?

Memberships are automatically renewed at the end of each purchased term. In order to cancel charges you will need to change your Membership to "End Membership" before the term ends. In order to make the change please do the following:

1. Go to www.pirate101.com
2. Login with your username & Password
3. Go to "My Accounts"
4. Login with your Master Password
5. Click Manage
6. Click the account you would like to end the Membership for
7. Click "Change Membership" on the right
8. Click "End"
9. You will be prompted with a confirmation. Press 'OK' if you want to proceed.

This will stop billing for the next term and revert your account back to a trial basis. To see when your account will be set back to trial go to My Accounts and you will see the Membership end date next to your username.

*** If there is NOT an "End Membership" button, this means the account is either already on Free Trial status or you have already ended the Membership for the account.***

Please note, as per the Terms of Service Agreement:

REFUND POLICY Pirate101 Memberships are non-refundable unless there are technical issues that prevent initial access to the game and cannot be resolved by customer service. All purchases for in-game items are non-refundable.

Refunds will not be given to players who have been banned from the game for any reason, including violating the terms and conditions of use.

If you have any further questions about canceling your account, please contact Captain Ahab through Contact Us located on the Help & Support page.

Why do I see a $1 charge pending on my credit card?

Authorizations occur between our billing system and your bank's billing system to ensure that the card is valid and the necessary funds are available in your account before the order is charged.

You may notice a $1.00 transaction, which is actually a pending authorization request between our billing system and the bank that issued your credit or debit card, so you won't end up paying the extra $1.00.

When you check your bank account or credit card statement, payment authorizations are often listed as "pending." These transactions might remain in your account between 1-14 business days, depending on your card-issuing bank. Please keep in mind they are authorization requests only, not actual charges.

You may contact your bank to confirm the charge for your purchase or to check on the authorization status.

I only have a four digit Postal Code!

Some postal codes are only four digits and our billing system requires a minimum of five digits. No worries - just place a zero in front of your four digit postal code and you'll be playing Pirate101 in no time.

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Why was I muted?

Players are muted for violations of the Terms of Use.

If you were muted for an extended period of time, we chose to mute your account rather than outright ban your account from playing Pirate101.

When you were muted, you were sent an email explaining the violation and the repercussions. If you wish to appeal the mute, you can reply to the email you were sent. If you did not provide a valid email address when you registered for Pirate101, you cannot receive notifications from us regarding your account.

What happens when I get reported?

When you report someone, or you are reported, a message is sent directly to Captain Ahab that includes the chat logs of everything that was said before and after that report.

Captain Ahab then reads the log and assesses the situation. He determines how bad the offense was, looks up prior offenses for the reported individual, and based on that assessment he issues sanctions such as muting or banning and sends an email to the offending account explaining the violation and the sanctions.

If the report was falsely made, that is determined as well, and the player who made the false report is investigated as to whether or not they have made previous false reports. False reports are just a egregious as valid ones, and similar sanctions can be levied against repeat offenders of false reporting.

Everything that a player enters into the chat window is logged. These larger chat logs are also routinely checked for those infractions that are not reported.

What is considered a reportable offense?

We appreciate that our players want to make Skull Island the best it can be, and we've placed the tools in your hand to report players for inappropriate behavior. We ask that you use the reporting feature to identify truly egregious behavior, such as creative profanity (swearing around the filters), solicitation of usernames/passwords, predatory threats, racist comments and other such actions as outlined in the Terms of Use. The old story of “the kid that cried wolf” has a lot of bearing in this situation and we trust that all reports received by players are valid and require support intervention.

What is NOT considered a reportable offense?

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Will my Wizard101 Membership work for Pirate101?

No, Wizard101 and Pirate101 will have separate memberships. However, there are great ways to save if you play multiple games!

• If a single account has both Wizard101 and Pirate101 monthly memberships, each game will be at the $6.95 per month pricing that is currently considered “family pricing” in Wizard101. This means if you already have a 1 Month Membership for Wizard101 at $9.95 per month, you can add Pirate101 for just an additional $3.95 per month!
• If any family/linked group of accounts has two or more 1 Month Memberships regardless of which games, those will be priced at $6.95 per month as well.
• For our Crowns players, Crowns are at an account level and can be spent in both Wizard101 and Pirate101.

Will you be able to play Wizard101 and Pirate101 at the same time with the same account?

No. Much like you can’t play Grub Guardian and Wizard101 at the same time with the same account, you will not be able to play Wizard101 and Pirate101 at the same time on the same account. If you would like to play the games at the same time, you will need to make a new account and add it to your group of accounts so that you may transfer your crowns between accounts as necessary.

Can I use the mount and items that I’ve purchased in Wizard101 in Pirate101?

There are no plans for a shared account bank to transfer items between Wizard101 and Pirate101. Items purchased in Wizard101 or Pirate101 are for those games solely and are not transferable. Many of your wizard’s items simply wouldn’t make sense in a Pirate’s environment and vice versa, but the issue is more of a technical one than one based on game play.

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If these didn't answer your question about Pirate101, you can find more information in our Knowledge Base or posted in our Message Boards.