Skull Fort Glitch/Hack??

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    Lengthy story and I'll apologize in advance, but I think this is the first time I've seen this on video.

    This evening, I found a group to play with and we managed to find a fort relatively quickly. We immediately went to it and sunk the galleon that was posted on site. After a couple waves, we managed to sink their ship and kill everyone on board. Almost immediately after collecting the key, we noticed several Galleons close by including a sloop. Naturally, we left the island with the key and I dropped off at another nearby island while my crew managed to dodge the others. After an hour and half or so, other ships started to fight and sink each other and eventually folks became bored and left. Our ship in the process had been sunk, but I was safely an island away watching the fort with the key.

    My crew returned to the fort and did recon to ensure no one was there. To everyone's surprise, the door was OPEN! So immediately I started getting questioned as to whether or not I had the key. The ship came back around, picked me up, and I returned to the remaining crew and showed them the key. I managed to get both a screenshot AND video of this. So my question to Rare is, HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE??? We wasted several hours of our time for absolutely nothing.

    Were multiple keys floating around the server? How is this possible?
    Is this a glitch?
    Is this a hack?

    Some answers would be helpful to better understand the mechanics of the game so we can prepare in the future. Is this an intended mechanic of the game? I'll be posting on Twitter as well to hopefully get some answers. Link to the Youtube Video is below:

    link text
    WTH?

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  • GutterAngel
    Captain
    Insider

    A key will open any fort. It's possible someone had a key from an earlier fort on the server that they couldn't open up for whatever reason. They could even open another fort door and take the loot while you're still fighting the waves for it.

  • Lucky Monkee
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @viralwhite most likely is that there were two keys, not done it myself but there have been talks that you can use another key to open a new vault.

    So it is possible that a crew did another skull fort in that server, waited for a new one to pop, cleaned it out and let people fight over it.

    If that's the case, my hat is off for those people.

    So it's probably not a glitch or a hack, you can now calm down.

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    Update
    So I logged off and the remaining crew invited me back into the game because they wanted to check the other forts. We just went down to Crows Nest and found it full... w.t.f.

  • GutterAngel
    Captain
    Insider

    @viralwhite so you have your answer right there. They took crows nest key and opened your fort. Sneaky pirating right there.

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    @gutterangel So my question is, no one from Rare has ever confirmed that multiple keys can float around a server? Is this the first ACTUAL proof?

  • CallMeBackdrafT
    Vanguard
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    Founder

    @viralwhite if a crew clears a fort but doesnt use the key they can use that key on any and all forts on the map for instance you finish a fort and look trough the floor boards and see the loot sucks, you go on with your voyage and wait for the next fort to spawn and if it has better loot use it on that fort.

    Me and my crew did the following a couple of nights ago:

    Beat a fort and as we acquired the key a galleon came up so we left with the key on board and kept it there, went on with our day and continued our Athenas voyage, as soon as we finished we saw another skull cloud sp we went to it, fought of another galleon and opened the door with the fort still active and cleared the vault. We then fought said fort and got another key, put it on our ship and did another athenas low and behold another fort pops up and we did the exact same as before. We did the same after that fort and only after the 4th fort we went back to the initial fort and used our fourth key to open that vault and get the loot.

    It was a fruitfull voyage, but to answer your question a key could allways be sailing around on the server ;-)

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    @callmebackdraft That's horse s***... nothing against your comment... I just personally think one active key at a time. Too much work for people to do just to find that someone elected to keep a key.

  • GutterAngel
    Captain
    Insider

    @viralwhite I've had a key from an earlier fort and gone and done a new fort. It's not really a new thing.

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    @gutterangel Then show me a single video/pic online of someone completing a skull fort only to find the door open (With most of the treasure missing) and I still have the key in my hand... you wont find it.

  • CallMeBackdrafT
    Vanguard
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    Founder

    @viralwhite i respect your oppinion however i do think it is a valid strategy especially if you have a try hard crew that keeps coming back to a fort, or waits there for over 2! Hours (yes i had that happen before).

    And in our case we only had one active key on the server at once seeing as we opened and cleared the vault before we killed the captain on that respective fort to get the key ;-).

    And if someone comes to a fort and starts fighting for it while the vault is open, that should be easy to spot and that crew can then elect to not beat the fort or get the key. Point is 1 key opens 1 fort and even hoarded keys would mean that there is a previous fort on the server with loot in it still as was the first fort in my previous story which sat there for over 9! Hours till we got back with the key.

    Sail with me sometime and we can do the same thing if you want, no issue ill give you real life proof.

    I was sad i didnt record video proof so i could show you what we did but i guess you aren’t interested in a 10-12 hour video ;-)

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    @callmebackdraft And I respect your opinion... however, I still argue that my strategy of hiding the key away from the island should not allow an opportunity for another crew who has "hoarded" theirs to come in and randomly use their active key from a previous fort. Sorry, I can't agree with that game mechanic. That's alot of work for a crew to keep others away only to find their treasure and time gone/wasted.

  • aliasmask
    Marauder

    Hmm, what happens if you save 3 keys? Does all the loot from the next fort disappear, stack or does the next skull fort not happen?

  • CallMeBackdrafT
    Vanguard
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    Founder

    @viralwhite as you stated in a previous comment your crew found another fort with the loot still in it, as i stated our initial fort had loot still in it for over 9! Hours.

    If you have a key there is allways a fort with loot to use it on, only three forts to check (keel haul in the north west, shark fin in the north east and crows nest in the south east) your time is never lost as long as you have the key, just go do a voyage and swing past the other forts if this happens and you will have your loot ;-)

  • GutterAngel
    Captain
    Insider

    @aliasmask I was just wondering the same thing, lol.

  • CallMeBackdrafT
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    @aliasmask havent checked that, we never had two keys on our boat at any one time.

    Would be a cool check on an empty server though

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
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    @callmebackdraft Again, I UNDERSTAND what you're saying... I'm disagreeing with the game mechanic at this point. Most people would've given up at this point... I was lucky enough to have a crew that managed to think about checking the other forts. Simply put, one server should = one active key. If you don't turn it in after X hours, your loss. That's how it should be...

  • CallMeBackdrafT
    Vanguard
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    @viralwhite what about the loot in the fort ? Should it then actually stack, so two SH skulls and chests on a fort that didnt get looted ?
    And then the try hards/no lifers come into play that just camp the fort for over 3 hours ? Because 3 hours after the last fort was beaten (captain killed) the next fort pops, why should the initial crew be punished for that ?

    Just wondering how you look at that situation, because that actually happens, ive had it happen to me that a crew camps the fort for hours at a time and how would it be fair for the conquerers to be punished for that.

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    @callmebackdraft Had we not gone to look at other forts, wouldn't we have been punished unknowingly to someone opening our fort with another key?

    Maybe the solution here is a simple explanation by the devs as to the intended mechanics of how multiple keys in a server work. Shall we atleast agree to start there and say that would be appropriate?

  • fluidsc
    Master
    Insider

    so what are the odds that you went to the wrong fort?

  • FuzzyPyrate
    Master
    Insider

    I thought I read somewhere on the forums that:

    A: A fort key isn't supposed to open another fort's vault.
    B: You couldn't take a key too far from a fort otherwise it become useless.

    When did that change?

  • Viralwhite
    Marauder
    Insider

    @aod-fluid

    None... I stayed behind at sunken grove (I think that’s the name?) and watched the entire time as my crew sailed around.

  • fluidsc
    Master
    Insider

    @viralwhite said in Skull Fort Glitch/h**k??:

    @aod-fluid

    None... I stayed behind at sunken grove (I think that’s the name?) and watched the entire time as my crew sailed around.

    yeah they had to save a fort key i guess... weird that anyone would bother to do that. lol.

  • aliasmask
    Marauder

    What I REALLY want to know is, can you wait inside the vault and have a new fort spawn there. It would be hilarious to have a group win the fort and then find you inside. Personally, I would put all the kegs near the door and blow it when they open the door, but that's just me.

  • CallMeBackdrafT
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    @aliasmask in theory you should be able to however, every three hours AFTER a fort is beaten you have a 33.3333333333....% chance that the fort pops on you because its random every time, they dont cycle 1 after the other.

    So that could be a very long wait

  • GutterAngel
    Captain
    Insider

    @viralwhite Hey man, I was just politely answering your inquiry. I don't feel the burden of proof when you already had it proven to you in person. You can find posts talking about this subject from months ago, of that I'm sure. People can get up to some sneaky antics over the fort keys. I like that one type of key opens all of the forts vaults. It opens things up(pun) for interesting times like the one you had. I disagree with your opinion, calling for a change that limits those kinds of tactics you went up against. I don't think it should be changed because you think a fort is a lot of work and you didn't get the loot from one. Sorry you had a bad experience and don't agree with how the fort keys work.

  • Crimsonraziel
    Master
    Insider

    @oneeyed-w1lliam said in Skull Fort Glitch/h**k??:

    I thought I read somewhere on the forums that:

    A: A fort key isn't supposed to open another fort's vault.
    B: You couldn't take a key too far from a fort otherwise it become useless.

    When did that change?

    Never, because it never was that way in the first place? I don't know... but you can use the key of another fort since release. I'm pretty sure about this, cause I did it with one of my first keys about a week or two after release.

  • Crimsonraziel
    Master
    Insider

    @callmebackdraft If you are inside the vault when the fort gets active, most likely you would get a black screen and get teleported back to your ship.

    But … I had a fort turning active as soon as I got out of range of the island at least 4 times. One time my crew was waiting for the skull as we collected some kegs at the fort and noticed that the "cool down" was over and a new fort should be active. Eventually we left and our fort became active.

    Might be pure chance/coincidence, but could also mean there is some mechanism that prevents fortresses from turning active while you're on the island or very close to. Would make sense at least.

  • OnkelOicz
    Master
    Insider

    @viralwhite No it is not the first time this had happened, but yeah its something they left for the players to discover.

  • OnkelOicz
    Master
    Insider

    @crimsonraziel That is true, if there is a ship within the sound of the music (Music that plays when you are close to a fort) it cant start, this was put in place to fix people locking themselves in the vault

  • LoboFH
    Marauder
    Insider
    Founder

    If this is a thing it needs to be patched.

  • Crimsonraziel
    Master
    Insider

    @lobofh It's working like intended, everything is fine.

  • Smootwala
    Master
    Insider

    @aod-fluid They probably didn't like the loot in their own fort and opted to wait for the next skull fort to pop to get better loot. i.e seafarer's chest with explosive barrels vs Exquisite spices and villainous skulls.

  • LoboFH
    Marauder
    Insider
    Founder

    @crimsonraziel dijo en Skull Fort Glitch/h**k??:

    @lobofh It's working like intended, everything is fine.

    When devs say it's working like intended and not an overlooked mistake I will believe you.

  • Crimsonraziel
    Master
    Insider

    @lobofh Do as you wish.

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