The Pottermore Insider blog has been updated with some new details about the experience. They answer some more questions about dueling, potions and more!
‘… It’d be nice to know IF Wizard Dueling will be available to beta testers again. I don’t care when, just a yes or no.’
Yes! We know that you like Wizard’s Duel – a lot. This section of the site has proven to be immensely popular and we’ve been making a number of improvements behind the scenes to ensure that it runs as smoothly as possible. We just need to finish making and testing our changes.
‘potions take way too long to brew #pottermore :/’
We’ve noticed that people are finding that the potion brewing times are too long, so we’re making some tweaks to these. You’ll see the changes implemented in the coming weeks.
In a new press release yesterday Sony revealed their new eReader, Reader Wi-Fi, which is the worlds first eReader that will allow you to borrow eBooks from your public library; it is also the lightest eReader on the market! The reader uses Wi-Fi, which gives you the additional freedom to buy, borrow or get eBooks for free wherever there’s a wireless connection available. There is also a special offer that Harry Potter fans will find most enjoyable:
Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore download offer
Sony’s first offer in its collaboration with J.K. Rowling’s eagerly anticipated Pottermore website (www.pottermore.com) is a specially-created limited edition of Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1) which includes a voucher that enables Harry Potter fans to download the first Harry Potter eBook title, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, from Pottermore. Pottermore, a unique website which builds an exciting and immersive online experience around the Harry Potter books and is the exclusive retailer of the Harry Potter digital eBooks, is partnered by Sony.
The eReader is available for purchase right now in Europe for £120.00 and will be released in the USA in the middle of this month [it is unknown whether the free copy of Philosopher’s Stone will be available in the US as well). It is available in multiple countries so just check the website!
The Pottermore Insider blog has been updated once again with another status update for Welcome Emails. They have answered some Frequently Asked Questions about Beta Testing, some answers may be seen below, the rest are available on the website.
‘Dear Pottermore. I’m taking the time to write this to remind you that I am not a squib. I want my letter now, please.’ We know that you’re all checking your inboxes every time we send an update announcing that Welcome emails have gone out. As you’ll remember from our previous Insider post, we need to start the Beta with a very small number of people in order to properly test Pottermore and collect feedback. We know that waiting can be frustrating but the good news is that, as the Beta progresses, we’ll be increasing the number of emails we send out at any one time.
‘… Will you at least put up a schedule to let us know when the next batch of Welcome mails come out for us still waiting?’Beta phases are fluid and it’s important to watch and see how a site reacts to increasing amounts of users and activity. Every time more people are added to Pottermore, we take a pause and look at how the site is responding to see if everything is working as we expect it to and whether we need to make changes before we let more people into Pottermore. We are planning on giving more people early access over the next week or so and then we will pause sending Welcome emails for a while so that we can see how things are going.
Unfortunately, we can’t create a schedule to share, as we need to respond to what we learn with each group of new users. That’s also why there are gaps between the batches of Welcome emails; it all depends on what we’re learning from those who are currently on the site.
‘… Is it only when you send a batch out that we have the potential to receive an email? Or are there always emails being sent out?’ We always announce on the Insider and @Pottermore when Welcome emails are sent out, but sometimes these can take a while to arrive in your inbox, so you might get yours after the announced time. It’s always best to wait for your email to arrive before you try to log in.
‘… I’ve been hearing this rumour that if you haven’t received your welcome letter yet and someone who has adds you as a friend on Pottermore, you may get in faster. Is there any evidence that this is true?’We aren’t quite sure where this rumour started but, no, it isn’t true.
Once again I am going to take the time to say that I will not be posting any Pottermore spoilers on the site because even I myself haven’t gained access and I know I would hate to find out what is on the site before I am able to see it myself. It is also against the Terms and Conditions to post screenshots or information from the site; BUT if anything is sent to us directly by Pottermore I will post it.
Entertainment Weekly has posted up a quick review of Pottermore, JK Rowling’s new project, discussing what goes on when fans enter the site.
First things first, for those who were worried that this would be just the skeletal frame of a game used to sell audiobooks or ebooks or plush sorting hats or whatever: it’s not. Even though the site is currently limited to material relating to the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, there’s still more than enough to make your entire afternoon disappear like a temporus suckus spell. You begin your journey by going through various interactive tableaux representing scenes from the book: the arrival of the Hogwarts letters, platform 9 3/4, Diagon Alley. For the most part, there’s not terribly much to do with these at first, other than zooming in and clicking on objects to learn their history and grab some collectible items for your trunk. However, there is actually a decent amount of textual content—including character backgrounds and location histories—that was purportedly written by Rowling herself, and the author promises to reveal a number of other story lines she wrote that never managed to make it into the books themselves.
The real fun comes with the community elements. Once you’re sorted into a house […] you’ll be able to interact with your fellow housemates via a number of activities. Individuals can earn house points in the site-wide House Cup, and you can even engage in a wizard’s duel using your customized wand and the spells you have learned. If potions are more your thing, you can buy all the bezoars and flobberworm mucus you need at Diagon Alley and whip up a batch or two in your cauldron, but don’t overspend or else you’ll find your Gringotts vault empty. All these elements represent the kind of useless but still desperately desired reward system that can turn horribly, wonderfully addictive. It’s hard to tell at this point exactly how addictive when it’s nobody else but us chickens in here, but Pottermore seems especially designed to destroy work productivity the world over.
Just a quick note that I will NOT be posting any spoilers from Pottermore for 2 reasons:
I am sure a lot of people want to wait to experience it themselves without seeing it here first.
It is against the terms to post screencaptures or take any of the information from the site.
I will, however, post screenshots and information if it is sent to the site directly by WB or the Pottermore team.
The Pottermore Insider Blog has been updated to let fans know that Beta testing for those million fans who signed up has begun! They will be staggering the entrance to the site so you still may not get your email for a few weeks. According to the entry:
As Pottermore Beta users, you’ll be exploring all the different elements of the site and, hopefully, sharing your thoughts with us along the way. How? By using the ‘Beta feedback’ button. You’ll find it located at the bottom right-hand corner of every page on the site […]
It’s important for us to know what you enjoy about the site, what you would like to see improved, and that you tell us about any parts you think aren’t working smoothly. As well as the ‘Beta feedback’ button on the site itself, we’ll also send each Beta user a survey to complete, asking some detailed questions about the Pottermore website.
All this information will be collated and analysed to help make Pottermore as enjoyable, interesting and easy-to-use as possible.
They have also posted some information about registering for the official opening in October.
If you have submitted your email address to be notified when registration is open to all, then you’ll be hearing from us soon, and you’ll be able to register for entry in October.
If you asked to be notified when registration was open to all but also registered for Beta, then you may receive two emails from us. Youdo not have to register for October if you already have a validated early access (Beta) account. In other words, if you received a Beta ‘Congratulations!’ message then you can ignore the ‘Pottermore registration is now open’ email (although do feel free to forward it to your friends!).
The Pottermore Insider blog has been updated with a list of all the questions and answers fans had to solve during the Magical Quill Challenge! Fans that pre-registered should be getting their welcome emails any time now but we are not sure of the date(s). All we know is that we will be entering before the official launch in October.
Day 1 Clue
How many breeds of owl are featured on the Eeylops Owl Emporium sign?
Answer: 5
Multiply this number by 49.
Solution: 245
Day 2 Clue
What is the number of the chapter in which Professor McGonagall cancels the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff?
Answer: 14
Multiply this number by 42.
Solution: 588
(Note: if you read the Day 2 clue in a language other than English you would have been asked to multiply the answer by a different number to ensure you saw the right language page.)
Day 3 Clue
In the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match, in Harry’s third year, how many points is Gryffindor leading by before Harry catches the Golden Snitch?
Answer: 60
Multiply this number by 35.
Solution: 2100
Day 4 Clue
How many students take part in the Triwizard Tournament during Harry’s fourth year?
Answer: 4
Multiply this number by 28.
Solution: 112
Day 5 Clue
What is the house number of the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix in Grimmauld Place?
Answer: 12
Multiply this number by 21.
Solution: 252
Day 6 Clue
How many chapters are there in HARRY POTTER and the Half-Blood Prince?
Answer: 30
Multiply this number by 14.
Solution: 420
Day 7 Clue
How many Deathly Hallows are there?
Answer: 3
Multiply this number by 7.
Solution: 21
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