Re: Pottermore v.10
 

Today I started brewing a potion on my home computer, turned that computer off, traveled to work, opened up Pottermore on my work computer, and returned to the potion. It had continued to brew while I was logged off. I was able to finish it before the time ran out. That is good to know in case I ever have to unexpectedly leave my potion again.

I filled out the survey, too, and suggested that it would be nice if they had more activities throughout the moments. I think having to cast a spell to see Fluffy is a good activity, for example, and having more activities would be fun.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I, too, filled out the survey, but I will likely do so again and be more specific on suggestions: when I originally completed it I put my suggestions in a broader scope of how I think Pottermore could be bettered.

But I agree with your proposal. I think it would be nice if the moments had "unlockable content" rather than clicking on an object and receiving new information. I think it would be more entertaining, more personal, and more worthwhile if the users earned the new information, rather than just stumbling upon it. And one could unlock this content by hiding it, for instance, behind Fluffy's door that you had to cast Alohomora on, by catching the Snitch, etc.

Another aspect of the project that I mentioned in my survey is that Pottermore was originally described as a way to not just follow Harry but experience what Harry experiences in the stories. While Pottermore's illustrations provide an excellent setting, I do not think it accomplished the task of really steeping the user into the story, and I think that could be remedied, in part, by providing more interaction with the elements of the story. I would like to feel as if I am a part of the story, rather than an onlooker, and I think that is an achievable desire.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I am sure the Sony questions were necessary as part of the partnership betwen Sony and Pottermore. There was no way they were going to leave that out. They want to know if we (the little people) understand the need for the advertising and the partnership...

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

ugh the Sony questions annoyed me. I mostly clicked 'N/A' or whatever the option was. I just didn't know what to answer there.

But yeah, I filled out mine as well and mentioned how much the brewing annoys me. It just takes WAY too long and I hope that this is a general complaint because that is def the thing that kind of keeps me from brewing potions and collection house points. Otherwise I also think that there is not enough activity. I mean it's cool to collect stuff but for example the golden snitch thing was sooo boring. I could read the book if I want to reread the series but I just want pottermore to be more for the active stuff.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

The Sony questions are forthe Sony marketing team to measure the influence Pottermore has in their image. If it's a positive, negative or neutral one, but also if it's worth for them to even be a partner in Pottermore. I'm not a marketing person, but the questions sounded very typical of those used to see if advertising is working or not. I thought it was interesting for them to ask what WE think is Sony's part in Pottermore, since the "truth" role they play is not totally known, they want to know what it looks like. Wonder if the majority of the answers got it right...

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

Yeah, I imagined they just wanted to avoid any legal problems, but I suggested it anyway because I thought that using the existing movie soundtracks would be more plausible than getting new music altogether - which not only would be expensive, but could also not work in terms of reception by the fans.
That said, there needs to be something; when on Pottermore, you really feel like something's wrong with your computer speakers! :yuhup: Maybe just simple sound effects could be an improvement.

It's one of the main reasons why I want the Pottermore Insider to provide stats on the users - not that it's likely to happen, but still.

Okay, I might have been exaggerating in order for whoever is going to read our surveys (poor man!) to get the message :lol:, but I wouldn't mind more action in that part of the story: maybe you could recreate on the chessboard Ron's final moves, and get to see the animation.


I was wondering, how many of you guys actually re-read the book while completing Pottermore?

Also, Gobstones: they need to happen.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I did. :) It made Pottermore last longer for me.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I didn't reread, it's just too time consuming and frankly I don't have the patience for it. I want the new info, the books I know well enough not to want or need a reread at this time.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I did not. I did re-read some passages if I was curious about some point in them, but that was it; I did not read the books in general. But I'm a fairly unusual user of Pottermore, I expect.

By the way, regarding your sig: Unless the cliff is less than about 50 feet, you will likely be crushed by their falling bodies. Just FYI.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

The difference between a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff...

Actual reason for the post: BrianTung, I'm trusting you wrote a nice letter to the Pottermore survey team on the open feedback regarding the calculation of House points? I know they basically got a Hermione-length essay on Sorting from me.

As for what constitutes a "usual" user of Pottermore, it would be my guess that most of the older users who've read the books didn't go through and re-read, at least not the first time: I was too busy figuring out how the site worked during the first chapter, and then just wanted the extra information, the shopping/wand quiz, and the Sorting after that. And my guess is that the average Pottermore user is significantly older than the Pottermore team expected: more late teens/mid-twenties than minors. (Although that could be skewed by the fact that that's the age group who's going to be posting about Pottermore on social media sites, and by the fact that 11-year-olds are unlikely to be able to stay up until 3 or 4 am to complete the Magical Quill Challenge.) But going by the 6 people on Pottermore I know in real life, 1 is in their 50s, 3 are in their mid-20s, and 2 are under 15, so I think their real audience right now is people who grew up with the books and movies.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I've read the books so many times over the years, especially Book One, so I didn't re-read.

The only thing I recall looking up was on the first night of the Beta sign-up when one of the clues was how many owls are on the sign at Eyelops Owl Emporium. I didn't remember that. :)

It sounds as if most people wrote a lengthy post to Pottermore about all the problems. I really hope they read them and keep a tally of how many times people mention potions, sorting, glitches, etc.

The way the questions were phrased on the survey were sometimes sometimes strange, and I wonder what they will make of the results when they analyze them.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

And thanks everyone who is writing long letters about problems with the site! You are helping us all!

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I sent my survey in just now with a few suggestions. The major things I mentioned were a need for more character backstories (and how IMO unnecessary the "from the story" bits were); the too-long potions times; the need for more interaction in the moments; and the need for a bit more interaction with friends.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

:lol: Yeah, I hope CellarDoor didn't take me too seriously.

Yeah, thanks for reminding me, because I haven't yet, actually. I've been a bit busy, so haven't done a whole lot on Pottermore; I just today started brewing again after a hiatus of a week or so.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

That was the only part I read though. I know the book pretty well, so I hardly even read what pottermore had to say about each character/chapter. :whistle: I just went through it for the extra stuff. :lol:

I did the survey too, but I didn't add a huge pile in the comments. I figured someone else would say everything that needed to be said. :p

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I wrote an essay to pottermore. Not a super long one but still. I always wanted to have more action. Like the golden snitch. I hoped that would have been more excited. I just like the interactive stuff on pottermore. Because I feel like I can reread the book whenever I want to. well yeah and my general potion complaint but I said that before.

they better have about 1000 employees who go through every single comment from the betas. and actually improve stuff.

I am rereading the book now. Actually I am not even done with PS on pottermore yet simply because I haven't had the time and I wanted to go through by detail not just look over and rush through it. So yeah I am rereading it now and then I will finish the book on pottermore.
Also I hope then I won't have to wait FOREVER for CoS to be available. I heard it's like spring 2012 now?! ***.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

:rotfl: *dead*

Let me tell you, you're absolutely the first one to make that (incontrovertible) observation regarding my signature; in the past I got a certain number of "cute"'s and "sappy"'s, but never a physics-based comment! Kudos.

:lol:


Forgive me for the OT; on with your regular schedule.

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

I would add a huge pile in the comments, or at least thump on the things you want to see changed most (whether that's issues with Potions, dueling, Sorting, House points, object collection, lack of communication) because I bet they'll look at how frequently the complaints were made when determining what to work on. I mean, if one person complains about something, they're not as likely to be heard as if everyone comments on it.

(That said, I think they know dueling's down, potion-looping is a problem, they had issues with the Magenta Screen of Pottermore-Is-Never-Available, and everyone wants some kind of ambient sound: I wouldn't comment on those things, because I think the team already knows they need fixing.)

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

Part two of the House Crests:

http://insider.pottermore.com/

Re: Pottermore v.10
 

Looks like they heard us. New update to the Insider says they'll be extending the beta (good news for those who have issues, bad news for those waiting to get in), and they'll be taking the site offline for a couple days to do some decent maintenance work. The fact that it's for a few days, and with warning, gives me some hope that there will be some decent additions and fixes; perhaps even duelling coming back. I think this could be a good thing.