• 

  November 11th Veterans/Remembrance Day is celebrated by many throughout the world. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, which ended the fighting in World War I back in 1918 however it doesn't just honor that occasion, it is a holiday to celebrate the cause of world peace. What this day is really about is honoring our troops and their loved ones, both retired and current, for all they have done for this country and our world.

  From all of us here at Sony Online Entertainment to all of our present and former troops, their families, and supporters of freedom and peace, we give you our thanks. We salute you!

   

  We would like you to meet some of the Veteran's that work here at SOE!!

  Tracy "Owlchick" Seamster Game Designer The Agency

  Alan "Brenlo" Crosby Sr. Director, Global Community Relations

  
  

• Rum was "a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor", according to a 1651 document from Barbados. So why drink it?

  Rum is made by fermenting sugar cane juice or molasses, which is a by-product of sugar manufacturing. Just before, during, and long after the Golden Age of Piracy, sugar was in great demand in Europe and elsewhere as a sweetener. The islands of the Caribbean were ideal for growing sugar cane and plantations, run by slavery, quickly sprang up. It was not long before it was discovered that molasses left in the sun would ferment, producing a fiery drink that was said to cause "rumbullion" or "rumbunctiousness" in anyone who drank it. The island of Jamaica called it "Kill-Devil", the Royal Navy called it "Grog" (when mixed with water or lime juice), and many others called it "Demon Water" and "Pirate's Drink".

  Under any name it was indeed a harsh, rough drink, suitable for sailors and pirates and few others. Rum quickly replaced brandy as the drink of choice aboard ship in both the Royal Navy and in pirate crews; besides being cheaper than brandy, it killed the algae which frequently grew in the water casks aboard ship, and tasted better than soured beer. Pirate captains were known to ration out rum for their crew to keep them happy in between capturing ships; possibly it was to keep them just a bit too tipsy to mount a mutiny. Certainly there are several tales in which pirates, having drunk too much rum the night before, were too drunk to fight the next day.

  The trade in sugar and molasses was extremely profitable (in itself fueling the slave trade), and explains why pirates were often just as happy, if not more so, to take a cargo of sugar than one of gold. And with a by-product like rum, what more could any pirate need?

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum

  http://www.articlestree.com/food-and-drinks/origins-of-rum-tx225039.html

• 
  
  

  Tell us what you think about the Station Launcher! What do you like? What needs improvement? How can we make it something everyone will appreciate? You can give us valuable feedback about your Station Launcher experience by clicking on the "Station Launcher Feedback" button at the bottom of the launcher screen (or click on the image here) and taking the short survey. With your help we can make Station Launcher even better and deliver a fantastic experience for everyone.

  
  
  

  Make sure you tell your friends about Station Launcher and get them to try it out too! They can find the beta download at http://launcher.station.sony.com/.

• Beta Release Update is Live!

  During the past month, the Station LauncherTM development team has been going at it nonstop in working to bring you a Station Launcher product that improves and simplifies your online gaming experience - by managing all your games, updates, and downloads from one convenient place.  We're reading your feedback on the Station message boards to better understand what you've liked and what you haven't liked about the Station Launcher beta experience.  Because we're in a beta phase, your feedback provides guidance that enables us to fix problems you've identified, improve them, and ultimately helps us build the best experience possible for you. 
  This morning we released a Station Launcher beta update that addresses several key issues that you've written about in the Station forums.  The past month of work by our team here has been focused primarily on addressing and fixing some of those major challenges encountered since the first Station Launcher beta release.
  Here is a rundown of what you can expect in this update: 

  • Preferences are now saved - There's a fix for a "Lost Settings" bug that was commonly reported and caused many players to lose their saved preferences.
  • Improved Network Resiliency - The update enables Station Launcher to be more resilient to network fluctuations and reduces the need for players to retry file downloads.
  • Improved Auto Launch behavior - When clicking on a shortcut to a game, the customer will immediately be presented with the Game Update screen for that game.  The "News" pane will also be opened automatically.  Previously, players were taken to the Game Select screen and forced to wait for 5 seconds, before being allowed to proceed.
  • Game Update screen now includes "Show All Games" - There's a button on the Game Update screen that's now labeled "Show All Games," instead of "Back to Games".
  • Ability for Vanguard players to enter a game with selected character - There's now an "Enter As..." support for Vanguard players; a menu on the Game Update screen allows a customer to enter the game with their character already selected.  This is also supported within EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies.
  • Automatic Directory Location selection - When you switch to a different server version, Station Launcher will create a directory based on the name of the new server.  Previously, you had to manually choose a directory location.
  • Multi-Instance Support - Players will be able use the application to play more than one instance of a game.  This does require additional setup steps and is recommended to be used only by advanced users.
  • We want to know more about your Station Launcher experience - We want to make it the best experience possible for you.  We want to know how its functionality is working for you, and understand what you think can make Station Launcher even better.  When you click on the "Station Launcher Feedback" button, you'll be taken to an online survey to share your experiences.  Be brutally honest with us.

  Here are the Known Issues within Station Launcher.  We're continuing our work to resolve these: 

  • Interrupted Downloads - Game updates are interrupted when you leave the Game Update screen.
  • Multi-Instance Support - Additional support for this ability has not yet been added to the application, including the user interface and command-line syntax.
  • Minimize from Task Bar - The application does not toggle to and from the minimize state on the Windows task bar as is common in other Windows applications.
  • "Enter As" while using UK English - The "Enter As" feature - the ability to enter a game with a selected character -  is not working when the language is set to English (UK).
  • Update Scanning - The scanning for files has become slower and sometimes gets "stuck", especially when quickly switching between different server versions.
  • Chat Copy - One can paste into a chat session within Friends, but cannot copy selected text.

  The team here wants everyone using Station Launcher beta to "keep it coming" - keep sending us your feedback and thoughts about the latest release.  Post your suggestions and comments on the board, and also leave detailed feedback through the new survey link that's available to you in Station Launcher.  Let us know if the new fixes are working for you.  If you're enjoying Station Launcher, tell your guild mates who haven't yet tried it, to try it out and let us know what they think.  All of your input enables us to improve, refine, and deliver the best Station Launcher experience for everyone.
  Offer your feedback on the Station Forums.

• 
  

  Greetings Everyone!

  We have a few emails that will be sent out soon that you don't want to miss! Make sure you are signed up to receive SOE Emails. What's included when you sign up?

  • You'll receive the quarterly newsletter for whichever games you select as well as any marketing and promotional materials for those titles, such as account winbacks and special offers.

  To make sure you receive the next one, do the following:

  • Click on My Account on the top bar of any Station page • Click on Change Email Setting • Select those you wish to receive. • Click on apply. (If you aren't sure you are getting the emails, click on Make Changes even if you don't change anything, just to refresh the setting.) • Or you can just visit this link.

  
  

  How come I never seem to get any of the emails? There are a couple of reasons you may not be receiving the emails from SOE:

  • Update your Email Address: An incorrect Email Address is a common reason for not receiving the emails from the station. To update your email address, click on My Account, go to email preferences and then click change next to the email address currently assigned to your account.

  • Email is being blocked: If your e-mail system has a block, junk, bulk, or spam mail folder, you'll want to make sure that it allows e-mail from The Station@sony.com [station-mailer@sony-online.com]. You will need to check the options, properties, or preferences of your mail system to determine how to set this up.

  • Options not saved: There's a chance that your options were not set correctly when the system changed over to this system. To fix this, click on the [Clear-All] link and click on Make Changes. Then select your options again and click on Make Changes again. That should refresh the list.

• A group of eighty or more men on one ship looking to capture other ships for fun and profit is a disciplinary disaster waiting to happen. None knew this better than the captains trying to control them. So the Pirate Articles, or Code of Conduct, was born.

  Early Pirate Articles, or Chasse-Partie (Charter Party), were a set of rules by which the first buccaneers operated. These became known as Articles of Agreement, and varied from one captain to another. They were strict rules that provided for discipline, specified how much each crewmember could expect to receive when treasure was taken, and how much a permanently injured man could receive as compensation.

  Each crew member was required to sign or make his mark on the articles, then swear an oath of allegiance to the captain and the rest of the crew. Once this was done, the new crew member could vote for officers and in other situations that were important; such as going after a ship full of gold but also heavily armed. Of course, signing the articles also meant that if you were ever captured, you'd likely hang from the end of a rope, as such documents were often used to prove a pirate's guilt in court.

  Few actual pirate articles survive, for the reason above; pirates would often burn or throw them overboard to avoid giving the court evidence. One famous set that survived belonged to Bartholomew "Black Bart" Roberts, most likely because his crew, demoralized at their beloved captain's death, forgot to destroy them.

  Who would ever have guessed that pirates would have the first democracies in the New World?

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_code

  http://www.cindyvallar.com/makingmark.html

  http://www.thepiratesrealm.com/pirate%20code.html

  Discuss this article in the forums.

• The naval sidearm of choice in the Golden Age of Piracy, the cutlass was a pirate's most reliable weapon and all-purpose tool.

  A cutlass is a broad cutting or slashing sword, usually with a cupped or basket hilt to protect the hand of the wielder and with only one edge sharpened. The blade was short and might have been curved or straight; efficient in close-quarters combat both above and below decks. In addition, the cutlass was useful in cutting heavy ropes, canvas, and wood, making it of even more use to the common pirate.

  The word "cutlass" is probably derived from the Latin for a cutting instrument, cultellus, which made its way over several centuries and through several countries such as Italy and France before reaching its final form.

  While the cutlasses one sees Hollywood use in its swashbuckling movies are not technically inaccurate, they are usually patterned after later model swords, such as those called hangers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

  The cutlass was such a mainstay among sailors that it is recorded it kept its place among official navy weapons lists until as late as 1949. How's that for a slice of history?

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://www.thepirateking.com/historical/cutlass.htm

  http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/swords.htm

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlass

  Discuss this article in the forums.

• Beginning at 9 AM PDT on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, SOE Account and Commerce flow, and the Station Store will all be unavailable due to maintenance. We expect this maintenance to take approximately 4 hours.

  We apologize for this interruption and will resume all affected services as soon as the maintenance is completed.

• Grenadoes, or Grenades as we know them now, were a common weapon aboard ships during the Golden Age of Piracy. Most grenadoes were between 2.5 and 4.5 inches in diameter, consisting of a hollow cast iron ball with a hole in one end. The grenadoe would be loaded with gunpowder and whatever small bits of shrapnel suited the moment; nails, grapeshot and anything else that would cause a lot of damage. A tapered wooden peg served as both stopper and fuse, keeping the contents in and yet guiding the path of the spark when lit.

  Pirates and Royal Navy alike used these weapons to clear a ship's deck prior to boarding, and they were very effective, usually exploding upon impact and killing many men in a radius around it. These first grenades were primitive and pretty unstable, however; it was not uncommon for them to explode in the owner's hands rather than after they were thrown.

  Adding to the danger of this was the hand mortar that launched grenadoes. Similar-looking to a flintlock pistol, it had a much heavier stock and much larger, shorter barrel to accommodate the iron balls. The trick was in firing the thing. Did you light the fuse on the grenadoe before loading and firing the mortar, and hope the mortar did then fire? Guns in the Golden Age of Piracy were notorious for jamming. Or did you jam the grenadoe, fuse down, into the mortar and then fire it, trusting the act of firing to light the fuse on the grenadoe's way out? Fuses jammed into grenadoes and then lit were very prone to exploding immediately.

  Either way, grenadoes were more often than not a useful tool in a pirate's arsenal, and well worth the risks commonly associated with using them. Sam Bellamy, Blackbeard, and John Paul Jones were all known to have used these dangerous yet highly efficient weapons with success.

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/weapons.htm

  http://www.cindyvallar.com/tactics.html

  http://www.thepirateking.com/historical/grenadoe.htm

  Discuss this article in the forums.

• 
  
  

  It is difficult to believe that so much time has passed since we heard those first unbelievable reports that two planes had crashed into the buildings of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and yet another in a Pennsylvania field.

  The anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, offers a time to remember and to reflect about this unforgettable moment in history, and to reconsider the effect that September 11 has had on the United States and the world. Let's all take a moment today to remember all those who were affected by these events and to reflect on what was learned that day about patriotism and tolerance.

• This week we feature a player from Pirates CSG Online.

  Real Life First Name: Harold.

  Forum Handle: Captain Ron

  Game Handle: Capt.Ron

  Where do you live?
  Upper Westchester, New York.

  How long have you played Pirates?
  16 months now.

  Do you play Stargate, Star Chamber or Legends of Norrath?
  No.

  Do you play any physical TCGs?
  Just Pirates.

  What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most?
  Since my father taught me how to play chess at a young age I developed a love for all strategy board games. I also like stats and the meaning of those numbers within those stats and role playing games have all of that. I LIKE ROLE PLAYING GAMES TOO.

  What type of work do you do?
  I am a Electronics electrician for the NYC Transit authority.

  What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other than Pirates?
  I love to paint model figures, play miniature games like Axis and Allies, DnD, HeroScape, and Warhammer 40k. I have a 1000pt IronWarriors Army. I love to Play Futbol (soccer for us Americans).Most important I love to see my three kids kick that ball with me. It puts a smile on my face.

  What is your favorite deck type?
  PIRATES OF THE SPANISH MAIN. (WizKids please make a Spanish Main 2!!!)

  What is your favorite card (playability-wise), and why?
  CrimsonCoast Jackhawkins. Gives you a same action twice and your crew can not be eliminated. Good for dueling too. Put him on the Raven.

  What is your favorite card (art-wise), and why?
  Spanish Main Captain Blackheart ( hey, that picture fits his ability. SAC, CAPTAIN.)

  What type of TCG player are you? For example, are you an Art Lover, a Competitor, an Innovator?
  Competitor, A student of this great game.

  What do you like best about Pirates?
  The game is so in depth, so many options to go with. Every game you play has its little story. The std format with all its UTs and Events makes for great play.

  Could you describe, in brief, a memorable game you had, or opponent you faced, and why it stands out in your mind?
  JUNE 17, 2007 40ptstd tournament. I played PaladinSG HARBY vs RevansNeck What a great game, Islands where set in a straight line. He collected the first 12 gold. I took out his harby with my revansneck and set sail close to his home island to steel 5 gold coins from his runner. Sail back to my home port to win 16 to 12 with 18 seconds left. I also beat Capt.Strack in this one, but lost to Brocka (talk about the who's who in Pirates Online) Either way I was new at the time and that tourney was my coming of age. I CAN PLAY WITH THE BIG BOYS.

  Do you run or work for an OSG or TCG Fan Site?
  No.

  What is one thing no one would ever suspect about you?
  I am the same I believe online and in my Life. I try to be fair, helpful, and friendly to all. Most importantly I like to defend those whose can not defend themselves. I feel better.

  Feel free to leave Capt.Ron a friendly note on the Pirates CSG Online forums!

• In which we learn that the passage of time and a skilled pen can turn a life into legend.

  Pirate of the Week: Edward "Blackbeard" Teach c.1680-1718

  Edward Teach, or Thatch (or even Drummond) is a figure shrouded in myth. Little is known about his early life. He may have been born in Bristol, England around 1680. There is also speculation that places his birth in London, Philadelphia, Jamaica, or Virginia.

  Wherever his birthplace, he went to sea as a young man, like many of his contemporaries. He served on an English ship in the War of the Spanish Succession, including Queen Anne's War, as a privateer along the Spanish Main. He would have seen many battles and almost certainly helped plunder Spanish ships of their treasures.

  When England withdrew from Queen Anne's War in 1713, Teach, trained as a privateer, turned his skills to piracy. He was not alone in this lateral career move. Benjamin Hornigold, a highly successful privateer, had also turned pirate and took Teach under his wing. Once Hornigold established his pirate base on New Providence Island (now Nassau), other privateers-turned-pirates joined them and the start of many legends of the Golden Age of Piracy began.

  Edward Teach was a formidable captain and his crew was well-disciplined. But was their discipline a result of fear, or respect? Lurid contemporary newspaper accounts described a vicious, cold-blooded killer, seven feet tall, with a long black beard that smoked from cannon fuse woven into it and lit on fire. Flashing black eyes pierced one's very soul and reminded victims of hell, while every word from his mouth was of damnation and death.

  Blackbeard was said to have shot his own first mate to "remind his crew of who he was", and to dare them to see who could last the longest breathing in "the fumes of hell" (pots filled with brimstone and lit on fire) while shut into the hold.

  He was said to have taken fourteen wives but treated each one of them poorly, giving them to his men when he tired of them or perhaps beating them.

  Despite this nasty reputation, there are no verified accounts of him killing anyone, or torturing anyone to the degree that some of his contemporaries such as Edward Low did.

  This did not stop him from cultivating his barbaric, homicidal image. For one thing, it made his job much easier; merchant ships had only to sight his flag to give in, convinced the legions of Hell were about to bear down and destroy them if they didn't. For another, it kept his crew in line during lean times. Blackbeard was not afraid to fight, but some of the prizes he took were short in the treasure department, providing food or drink instead of gold and jewels.

  Despite this his crew remained loyal. Food, drink and weapons kept them on the sea until they could hit a richer target. Even if that ship were loaded with cocoa and sugar instead of gold, clever Teach had contacts in North Carolina who would gladly declare his prizes derelict and take a share of the cargo, giving gold for the rest.

  These contacts, which included corrupt government officials, were also more than happy to grant Blackbeard "pardons" for his piracy, although he continued plundering merchant ships and selling them the loot. Teach knew the system and exploited it to the fullest.

  Blackbeard's legend really took off when in the early summer of 1718 he entered the mouth of Charleston harbor in South Carolina with a flotilla of four ships. He blockaded the harbor, bringing shipping to a halt, and took several merchant ships, one of which had some important Charleston citizens aboard. Teach held these people for ransom, demanding only a chest full of medicines for their release.

  Once the medicines were delivered, Teach released his hostages and escaped with his entire fleet northward, towards North Carolina and safe haven.

  Two of his ships ran aground at Beaufort Inlet, the Queen Anne's Revenge and Adventure. Whether he did this deliberately or not remains a topic of much speculation; certainly some of his crew believed he did it in order to keep most of the treasure in the ships for himself. History seems to bear this out, in that he also marooned most of his crew, stripped three ships of all treasure (making Stede Bonnet furious at him for it), and took the fourth ship to Bath, North Carolina to accept a pardon.

  With the pardon secured, Blackbeard retired to Ocracoke Inlet to enjoy his loot, even welcoming another notorious pirate, Charles Vane to the party.

  But not everyone was convinced of Blackbeard's apparent retirement. He had accepted pardons before and continued taking ships. Governor Spotswood of Virginia was not happy that there was a near-legendary pirate settling so close, and that the North Carolina government was apparently turning a blind eye to that fact.

  Spotswood sent Captain Maynard out with two hired sloops to take Blackbeard in and end his threat once and for all.

  Maynard and Teach met at Ocracoke Inlet in an epic battle that was the crowning glory on the legend of Blackbeard. It was said that Blackbeard was stabbed at least twenty times and shot five times as well before blood loss brought him down. Maynard beheaded him and hung the head from his bowsprit.

  Legend says that Blackbeard's headless body swam around the ship Adventure from 2 to 7 times before sinking out of sight.

  After Teach's death his legend only grew. From claims of buried treasure to his own skull made into a drinking chalice, the romanticized view has far outdone what even the clever and resourceful Teach actually accomplished in his lifetime.

  With the discovery of the wreck of the Queen Anne's Revenge in 1996, there is an opportunity to both refute some of the more outlandish claims, and find out even more interesting facts about history's most notorious pirate.

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbeard

  http://www.ncmaritime.org/blackbeard/default.htm

  http://www.qaronline.org/rcorner/genhistory.htm

  Updates on the excavation of the Queen Anne's Revenge!

  http://www.qaronline.org/

  Discuss this article on the forums.

• If you can’t make it to Las Vegas for Fan Faire this week, but would like to be connected to the news as it happens, we have a number of options for you! You can watch SOE President John Smedley’s Community Address live on Friday night, or if you would rather tune in while playing the game we can make that happen too!

  Players of EverQuest, EverQuest II, and Star Wars Galaxies can listen live to SOE President John Smedley’s Fan Faire Community Address live this week by using Station Voice from within the game clients.

  Read more to learn how to do this for each of the three games.

  Star Wars Galaxies

  Players of Star Wars Galaxies can listen in on the Community Address by entering /voice join swg.broadcast.fanfaire on the command line from any live server. Players online after the broadcast channel is live will also be able to join the address channel by clicking on the “Fanfaire” channel on the voice bar.

  Broadcasts will also occur in SWG before the address begins to remind everyone that they can tune in.

  Please note that you must have the voice bar active and enabled in these games in order to join the channel and listen in, and that the channel will be a streaming broadcast of the Community Address, and not a two way conversation with Fan Faire attendees.

  EverQuest

  Players of EverQuest can listen in on the Community Address while playing on the EQ Test server Friday night. Shortly before the address is scheduled to begin, a new button will appear on the voice bar to allow you to join the address. The address will also show up on the channel list while it is happening, so you can find it in either way.

  Please note that players currently connected to the EQ Test sever may need to relog to see the button on the voice bar. Also note that Station Voice is only available on the EQ Test server at this point, and can not be accessed from live servers.

  In-game broadcasts will be made prior to the Community Address to help you remember that you can listen in while you play!

  EverQuest II

  Players of EverQuest II can listen in on the Community Address by entering “/voice join test.fanfaire” (without the quotes) on the command line from any live server. Because Station Voice is live on all EQII servers, you do not need to be playing on the EQII Test Server to listen in on the address.

  Just as with EQ, in-game broadcasts will be made before the Community Address begins, to help everyone remember that they can listen in. There will be a clickable link in the broadcast that you can use to automatically join the channel.

• 

   

  You've heard about the Flickr account set up for Fan Faire but did you know we have created other exciting ways to share and enjoy the Fan Faire experience?

  A Twitter account has been set up so you and your friends can get updates while the event is taking place!! Head on over to Twitter, click the green check mark with the word "Following" next to it and you will now get the updates. You can even enter your cell phone number and get the updates as a text message. The SOE Staff will be updating the Twitter throughout Fan Faire so tune in for updates! To stay up to date Twitter also offers an RSS Feed! You will need a Twitter account to access the feed.

  You can watch video clips taken at Fan Faire on You Tube! We would also love for you to tag and videos you take at Fan Faire and upload to You Tube with "fanfaire2008".

  All attending Fan Faire 2008 are welcome to share their photos with the community through the newly created Flickr group. The group is listed as "SOE Fan Faire 2008". The group was specifically created for this upcoming Fan Faire so all attending are able to enjoy each other's pictures. Do you already have an account with Flickr? Make sure you tag all of your photos, blogs, and other submissions related to Fan Faire with "fanfaire2008". We hope this will serve as a way to share your Fan Faire memories with everyone!

• Come see the team at Jillian's during Gen Con!

  With more than 26,000 attendees last year for Gen Con in Indianapolis Indiana, this year's event is expected to be even bigger and better! This will be an event to remember so be sure to get out there and enjoy!

  While you are in the area, Sony Online Entertainment would like to extend an invitation to our Gen Con Meet & Greet. Join us August 14th, 2008 for a night to remember.

  Hosted by the SOE Community Team, you will have the opportunity to meet members of the Community Relations team as well as the developers of our Online Strategy Games. So be prepared to discuss your favorite SOE Card game with them!

  Quick Details:
  When: August 14th, 2008 7-10PM
  Where: Jillian's
  141 S. Meridian St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46225

   

  Meet us at Jillian's from 7 pm until 10pm for a good time socializing with SOE employees, friends & other players. Free food will be served including pizza, mini-burgers, multiple dips & chips, fries, and chicken. Free drinks including Hosted Deluxe Well, Beer, House Wine & Non-Alcoholics will be offered throughout the night.

  Come join us for a night of socializing, food, drinks, games & fun!

  
  
  

  21 and older only (photo issued government ID required)

• SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT PRESIDENT TO DELIVER SECOND ANNUAL
  "COMMUNITY ADDRESS" AT FAN FAIRE IN LAS VEGAS
  Pre-Registration for Live Webcast Now Open

  WHAT

  See what's new at SOE! To kickoff the 2008 SOE Fan Faire, SOE President John Smedley will provide opening remarks to more than 1000 video game fans at the Hilton Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The second annual "Community Address" combines a live presentation with a streaming video broadcast online. Smed will give both Fan Faire attendees and gamers worldwide the kind of inside look at SOE products usually reserved for industry insider events.

  SOE's Fan Faire is a unique social event in which players of SOE 's most popular titles congregate to meet their online, game-playing peers. Fan Faire guests will have the chance to demo new titles throughout Fan Faire weekend, August 15th-17th, including the highly anticipated Free Realms™ . This year's event boasts a plethora of game-themed live events including tournaments, contests, live quests, a variety of panel discussions and tons of great gaming-related contests.

  WHEN

  Friday, August 15 th at 6:00pm PST.

  WHERE

  To listen to the webcast, please go to:

  http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=50659

  WHO

  SOE is hosting its annual Fan Faire event in Las Vegas for fans of its massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming lineup including the hit titles EverQuest ® , EverQuest ® II, EverQuest ® Online Adventures, PlanetSide ®, Star Wars Galaxies™ and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes ® . This year's Fan Faire will also feature upcoming titles such as Free Realms™, The Agency™ and more.

  For more information on the SOE Fan Faire visit: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/.

• 

  This year's Fan Faire will be held in the famed Hilton in Las Vegas from August 14th-17th. Today, August 8th,is the last day to pre-register, so don't delay! Pre-registration can be completed the official Fan Faire website: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/index.vm

  Hilton Hotels Corporation owns 2,645 hotels in more than 80 countries. The Las Vegas Hilton is the largest Hilton in the entire world and contains 3,174 rooms within the building. It was recently renovated this year and has 100,000 square feet of gaming space. With wonderful amenities in the Hilton, and a great schedule for Fan Faire planned out, we look forward to seeing you August 14th!

  For all those attending, here are a few maps of the inside of the hotel where the events will be taking place. Feel free to use these to map out strategies for maximizing seeing as many panels as possible, or print them out so you reduce the risk of getting lost during the three day celebration.

  The event schedule has been updated with new panels and other fun events. These new exciting additions include the G.I.R.L - Gamers In Real Life Breakfast, a developer preview of the Agency, and a VIP Rock N Roll Karaoke Party at the Las Vegas Sports Center. A full schedule of updated events can be found at: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/index.vm

  

  The Ballrooms & Pavilions

  Friday, August 15th

  Pavilion 1
  10am- 11pm "Station VoiceTM powered by Vivox." 11am- 12pm Station Launcher
  12pm- 2pm EverQuest II: Live Quest: To Tame the Savage Beast
  2pm- 3pm EverQuest II: Guild Hall Preview
  3pm- 4pm EverQuest II: Anatomy of an Update
  4pm- 5pm EverQuest II: History and Lore
  5pm- 6pm EverQuest II: Anything Goes

  Pavilion 2
  10am- 11am Podcast
  11am- 12pm Customer Service
  2pm- 3pm EverQuest: Game Mechanics
  3pm- 4pm EverQuest: Quest Workshop
  4pm- 5pm EverQuest: Raids and Missions
  5pm- 6pm EverQuest: General Session

  Pavilion 3
  10am- 11am Legends of Norrath
  11am- 12pm Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game QA
  2pm- 3pm The Agency: Developer Preview
  3pm- 4pm Welcome to Free Realms
  4pm- 5pm The Art of Free Realms
  5pm- 6pm A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Monumental New Title in Development
  
  

  Saturday, August 16th

  Pavilion 1
  11am- 12pm Customer Service
  2pm- 3pm EverQuest II: Preview the Upcoming Expansion
  3pm- 4pm EverQuest II: History and Lore
  4pm- 5pm EverQuest II: Anatomy of an Update
  5pm- 6pm EverQuest II: Anything Goes

  Pavilion 2
  10am- 11am SOE Marketing Panel
  11am- 12pm SOE Community Panel
  12pm- 2pm EverQuest Live Quest: Portal Fragments
  2pm- 3pm EverQuest: Game Mechanics
  3pm- 4pm EverQuest: Quest Workshop
  4pm- 5pm EverQuest: Expansion Highlights
  5pm- 6pm EverQuest: Special Feature Addition

  Pavilion 3
  10am- 11am Legends of Norrath
  11am- 12pm SOE Community Panel
  2pm- 3pm The Agency: Developer Preview
  3pm- 4pm The Animation of Free Realms
  4pm- 5pm Free Realms: Designing a Casual MMO
  5pm- 6pm A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Monumental New Title in Development

  

  Conference & Board Rooms

  Friday, August 15th
  

  Conference Rooms 8 / 9 / 10
  12pm- 2pm Star Wars Galaxies Live Quest: Battle of the Echo Base
  2pm- 3pm Star Wars Galaxies: Trader and Entertainers
  3pm- 4pm Star Wars Galaxies: All About Combat
  4pm- 5pm Adding Content to Star Wars Galaxies
  5pm- 6pm Star Wars Galaxies: Storyteller, roleplaying and events

  Conference Room 7
  10am- 11am Pirates of the Burning Sea
  11am- 12pm Pirates of the Burning Sea
  3pm- 4pm Vanguard: General Game and Development
  4pm- 5pm Vanguard: State of the Game

  Conference Room 12
  10am- 11am Live Gamer
  2pm- 3pm PlanetSide: Roadmap 2008 and Beyond
  3pm - 4pm MxO: The Ongoing Story
  
  

  Saturday, August 16th

  Conference Rooms 8 / 9 / 10
  2pm- 3pm Star Wars Galaxies: Collections
  3pm- 4pm Star Wars Galaxies: Heroic Encounters
  4pm- 6pm Star Wars Galaxies: Galactic Assembly

  Conference Room 7
  10am- 11am Pirates of the Burning Sea
  11am- 12pm Pirates of the Burning Sea
  12pm- 2pm Vanguard Live Quest: Trouble on the Trade Route
  3pm- 4pm Vanguard: High Level panel
  4pm- 6pm Vanguard: Create a Quest!

  Conference Room 12
  2pm- 3pm PlanetSide: Design Session
  3pm- 4pm MxO: Developing the Story and Live Events

  

  Center Rooms

  Thursday, August 14th

  Conrad Room
  4pm- 8pm Early Bird Registration and Badge Pick Up
  4pm- 8pm Legends Lounge Open
  10pm Late Night Legends of Norrath Play Session
  
  Baron Room
  8pm Welcome Reception
  
  

  Friday, August 15th

  Conrad Room
  9am- 8pm Registration and Badge Pick Up
  9am- 8pm Game Room Open
  9am- 8pm Vendor Bazaar and Phat Lewt Store Open
  9am- 4pm EverQuest Best of the Best Tournament
  12pm Silent Auction Begins
  
  Baron Room
  6pm Annual Community Address from John Smedley
  
  

  Saturday, August 16th

  Conrad Room
  9am- 8pm Registration and Badge Pick Up
  9am- 8pm Game Room Open
  9am- 8pm Vendor Bazaar and Phat Lewt Store Open
  9am- 4pm EverQuest II Tournament
  4pm Silent Auction Ends
  10pm Game: Champions of the Force Play Session
  
  Baron Room
  8pm Grand Banquet

• 

  There is going to be a stress test of the new Station Launcher this weekend, August 8th through August 10th and YOU are invited! Tell your friends... tell your loved ones... tell your guild mates... they are all invited too!

  

  Station Launcher will include:

  • Launching Station Games - One place for all your games - launch games from one location, no separate logins, and delete shortcuts on desktop.
  • Easy, Behind-the-Scenes Updating - Ready to Go Anytime - Automatic Updating, updating can take place while computer is in use, and manage download settings for each game through preferences.
  • Connect with Friends using Station Friends - All SOE friends listed on one application, stay connected to friends in-game, game characters names private, see what SOE games your friends are playing when you are online, send and receive tells, and connect with legacy friends.
  • Purchase Station Games, Updates and Items- purchase & download a variety of content, able to pre-load games, stay current on Station news, and subscribe.
  • Localization - Station Launcher will be available in several different languages, choose the one you wish to use.

  

  Sony Online Entertainment is expecting to launch Station Launcher in the near future. Station Launcher will be faster than the current launchers, easier to navigate and secure.

  Station Launcher will allow each player to customize their preferences in many areas, and will offer a new way for players to keep in contact with their friends who play SOE games. Players will be able to chat with their friends while they are in-game or out of game and the most exciting thing about this is that it works across games - Play EQII and chat with friends in SWG!

  

  All new aspects of the Station Launcher will make game access easy and convenient, as well as automatically keeping all the games up-to-date. No more waiting when you haven't logged into a game in a few weeks. The update will be there and downloaded just waiting for you to play!

  Visit http://launcher.station.sony.com/ for more information including frequently asked questions & answers, a user guide and a link to directly access the forums.

  

  

• 

  All attending Fan Faire 2008 are welcome to share their photos with the community through the newly created Flickr group. The group is listed as "SOE Fan Faire 2008". The group was specifically created for this upcoming Fan Faire so all attending are able to enjoy each other's pictures.

  Do you already have an account with Flickr? Make sure you tag all of your photos, blogs, and other submissions related to Fan Faire with "fanfaire2008". We hope this will serve as a way to share your Fan Faire memories with everyone!

• 

  Are you an aspiring artist looking for some professional guidance for your career or advice on your artwork? Then stop by and see Joe Shoopack at Fan Faire 2008 in Las Vegas!

  Joe Shoopack is the Director of Artistic Development for SOE studios. Joe is driven to continually improve the art culture and quality at SOE studios. He is proud to have contributed in helping multiple artists gain recognition for their artwork from Legends of Norrath selected for the latest Digital Art Annual. (Some works from the annual by SOE artists are pictured below)

  

  In addition to maintaining quality across SOE studios, he also helps define individual career growth paths for the artists at SOE and is involved with art schools and recruiting efforts. He has previously worked as Associate Art Director on Star Wars Galaxies and as an Art Director on EverQuest II and its first 3 expansions. Joe has shipped over 30 game titles and is also an accomplished pen and ink editorial illustrator.

  

  Joe Shoopack is truly a respected artist and valuable addition to SOE studios. Anyone with an interest in an art career is more than welcome to stop by and meet him. He will be available to look at individual art pieces or portfolios and offer guidance on portfolio building for games, commercial work, or just for fun.

  

  Joe will be at Fan Faire conducting art portfolio reviews in the Conrad Room from 2pm-3pm on Friday and Saturday in the career pavilion.

• Beginning at 9:00 AM PDT on Thursday, July 31, 2008 all SOE account and commerce flow and the Station Store will be unavailable for maintenance.

  We expect this maintenance to take approximately three and a half hours. During this maintenance period game servers will still be accessible. We apologize for this interruption and will resume the affected services as soon as the maintenance is completed.

• In which we learn that choosing a cool name is no immunity against the vagaries of fortune.

  Pirate of the Week: Israel Hands 1718

  While Israel Hands did not seem to have a notable career before 1718, in that year he met Blackbeard and became enmeshed in the legend forever after.

  Hands must have been an able sailor and leader of men, because Blackbeard made him his second-in-command. Such honor was not without risk, however. Blackbeard one day accidentally shot him in the knee while aiming at another man. When Hands asked why he had done that (as any loyal second might), Blackbeard replied that "if he didn't kill one of them every now and then, they would forget who he was". In March 1718 he was given the ship Adventure by Blackbeard himself, after it was captured from Captain David Herriot. Hands participated in Blackbeard's famous blockade of Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, and afterwards settled with him on Ocracoke Island. When Blackbeard was defeated by Captain Robert Maynard, Hands and other crew members were captured and put on trial in North Carolina. In return for his life, Israel Hands testified against corrupt North Carolina officials who had made deals with Blackbeard and taken his loot in exchange for supplies.

  It is not really clear what happened to Hands after that. One source claims he died a beggar on the streets of London, much fallen from his days of freedom and plunder on the open ocean.

  Robert Louis Stevenson immortalized him in Treasure Island, using "Israel Hands" as a name for one of Long John Silver's pirates. And why not? It's a great name for a pirate, real or fictional.

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://www.kipar.org/piratical-resources/pirate-fame.html#H

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Hands

  http://www.privateerdragons.com/pirates_famous3.html#H

  Discuss this article in the forums.

• 
  
  

  Player of the Year 2008

  The judges have spent many hours sifting through nominees and debating who is worthy of the prize at hand, a free passage to Fan Faire 2008 held at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. With such pressure over who to grant this opportunity of a lifetime to, outsiders who have tried to touch the Tylenol bottle in the community area have taken their life in their hands. After rigorous days spent concentrating and much deliberation, a conclusion has been reached! It is a pleasure to announce the two winners of the 2008 Player of the year contest:

  Rikoo Rakoo
  of Vanguard's Xeth Server
  
  ~ and ~
  
  Tnexus the Forgotten Hero
  of EverQuest's Prexus Server

  Rikoo Rakoo has truly inspired many Vanguard players he has come across. He is actively involved in game, creating fun activities open to everyone. Rikoo posts his adventures online for all to read, and those who read enjoy his tales. He is an avid poster on the forums and co-hosts the Voyages of Vanguard podcast informing listeners of what is new in Vanguard. He shows his passion for the game by helping those around him enjoy the game as much as he does. With multiple nominations it is clear that Rikoo Rakoo is a valued member of the Vanguard Community and more than deserving of the 2008 Player of the Year.

  Just as deserving is our other player of the year, Tnexus the Forgotten Hero. Tnexus has displayed the true meaning of dedication through his actions and thoughts. Playing EverQuest for 9 years, Tnexus takes pride in his knowledge of the game and sharing it with others. He has made good friends through the game, and continues to meet new people and help them with their journeys. He has held numerous leadership positions in guilds and for the website EQOutrider.net. Tnexus showed his fun-loving side by doing 15 epics just for fun and to enjoy. He has actively participated in attending Fan Faires and obtaining EQ related merchandise. With such dedication to the same game for so long, and all of his wonderful talents, it is a pleasure to award player of the year to such a worthy individual.

  Other players are not to go without mention. With over 100 entries there was quite a competitive pool this year, the judges had a hard time reaching a final decision. Honorable mentions go to emu.ninja of the Matrix Online for creative writing and providing players with entertainment outside of the game. MasterCosmo of Stars Wars Galaxies for his "Mother Teresa" qualities. Another honorable mention goes to Zunnoab for his in and out of game dedication to EverQuest and his server.

  We thank everyone for their participation in our 2008 Player of the Year contest. Once again, we would like to congratulate our winners Tnexus and Rikoo Rakoo.

  We look forward to seeing you both at Fan Faire!

• SOE presents Fan Faire 2008 at the Las Vegas Hilton August 14th-17th Fan Faire will be returning to the lively city of Las Vegas for 3 days and nights full of gaming, socializing, and fun! The upcoming Fan Faire is predicted to be one of the best; this is not an event you will want to miss! Fan Faire 2008 will be packed with sneak peeks at three monumental new games in development, plus special activities, roundtables, developer forums, and live in-game tournaments and quests for many games. In addition there will be many advantages to attending. An extended All-Access pass will allow you to receive an invitation to the beta testing of Free Realms and the new expansion pack for EQ II. Be prepared to receive gifts and in-game items as well! Players are actively talking about Fan Faire in the forums. The excitement is building up with only 17 days left until the big event takes place. "Registered... see you there!" ~ Jod_ledgemai, SWG "Just registered the whole Family... hope to see yas there" ~ Tigiar, SWG "*dances* We have our minimum of 10 guildies (for the discount and the table and stuff) even with at least 3 of the ones who plan to attend not in the list yet. *impish grin*" ~ Rijacki, EQII "Will be there, with a bunch of my guildmates." ~ Kalthanan2, EQ "I shall be attending! :-D YAYYYYYY! /dance dance" ~ Winter, EQII "I'll be there with bells on :-D ...Someone has to represent the old E'ci (now Tunare!)" ~ Merekitty, EQ "I'm going to be there. Sorted out flights and hotel today. Hope the 14 hour flights and time difference doesn't kill me :-D" ~ NeillM, SWG "I'll be there! I've had my plane tickets and hotel booked for a good while now... now I'm just trying to save money so I can eat while I'm there !" ~ Tharkis, EQ "The best DO go to Fan Faire." ~ Jyve, EQ "More Tigers!" ~Nadadini, EQ "If I'm not in the tournament it's not the best of the best..." ~ Swampfunk, EQ "I'm going, and I'm looking forward to seeing everybody there! :-D" ~ DominoDev, EQII "I'm looking forward to poking the Devs, seeing Vegas and letting my geek-side run free. :-D" ~ NeillM, SWG "The discussions of what the future holds for Everquest II is what I'm most anticipating and a chance to look at the next expansion. See you all in Las Vegas." ~ TheFever "I plan on attending! =). I turn 21 on August 16th, so it will give me a reason to go to Vegas and Gamble as well." ~ Tigris67, EQ "Registered, hotel reserved, plane tickets bought, and getting married while I'm there... Woot! I hear there's even going to be Darth Vader" ~ Freica, SWG   For a full list of details & to register, check out: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/ All additional questions, comments or concerns can be directed to: FanFaire@soe.sony.com

• Real Life First Name: Stevie. Yes I am a real Stevie, not a nick-name but what a nurse in an Arkansas hospital named me.

  Forum Handle: Da

  Game Handle: Da

  Where do you live?
  I currently live in Ocean County New Jersey and Newark, Illinois. I work in NJ and get home to Illinois as often as I can.

  How long have you played Pirates?
  Table Top - Since the release of Pirates of the Revolution. Online - Since the first year. When I started there were perhaps 15 or 20 online. My first "buddy" was the Sword Lord.

  Do you play Stargate, Star Chamber or Legends of Norrath?
  No.

  Do you play any physical TCGs?
  Pirates and Star Wars.

  What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most?
  I picked up a board game by Avalon Hill in 1965. It was the "Afrika Korps", and then I got hooked on all strategy games. I played in an 80-participant game of the tactical game "Squad Leader" in the basement of San Diego State gym in 1971. The game lasted 4 weekends simulating the winter '41/42 Russian counter-offensive. Pure and enjoyable chaos!!!

  What type of work do you do?
  I have been in Nuclear Power since 1971, first as a reactor operator in a nuclear-powered submarine, then as a reactor inspector with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and currently I am a regulatory specialist in one of the largest nuclear utilities. I am retired from the NRC and plan to retire again between October 2009 and June 2010. My other job is......Santa. I never want to retire.

  What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other than Pirates?
  I was in Civil War Re-enacting (mounted Cavalry, both Union and Confederate) for 20 years, movie extra and fledgling stunt man (bad move on my part and still in pain from that), I did French & Indian War re-enactments for about 10 years (French Marine) and mainly I love to cook on open fires and camping.

  What is your favorite deck type?
  Pirates of the Revolution, the set I got started in.

  What is your favorite card (playability-wise), and why?
  Da, my custom card made by my son, an art teacher in Illinois, as a Christmas gift.

  
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/15812450@N08/2325833302/in/set-72157604088307774/
  

  What is your favorite card (art-wise), and why?
  The ship, Paul Revere. It's everything a sailor would love.

  What type of TCG player are you? For example, are you an Art Lover, a Competitor, an Innovator?
  Collector and Competitor.

  What do you like best about Pirates?
  Red_Corsair, ShadowMouse (miLady), Mongo and Lady E (milady too), Sword Lord, Khhhhhhaaaaaan, the Flying Pink Geeko, Jester and Lady Jester, Doc DownUnder, Strack, Carnage (Shinny of shinny bones), Fang, Short, CBW, all of the Horse, Numnutz, RS and 'Clads too (forgive me), DeeJay, The Shinny Knight, Cissy, KeelHaul, Betholder, Bill Dratz, Captains Yippy and Ron, LoneWolf...wolfieooo, Philineous, Ket and Sire Tupe. Friends present and past. If I forgot someone, forgive me and remember; I am an Old Man with only one active gray cell, lol.

  Could you describe, in brief, a memorable game you had, or opponent you faced, and why it stands out in your mind?
  My first game, a 4-participant FFA with XXX, Targe and Sword. XXX came in so hard and fast tearing through myself, Sword and Targe that we would taunt him by offering to send him to "Anger Management" sessions.

  Do you run or work for an OSG or TCG Fan Site?
  No.

  What is one thing no one would ever suspect about you?
  I am very focused. The first time I met my wife while we were both in high school, I asked my neighbor (I had just transferred in) who that girl was. "My girlfriend," he replied. "No," I answered, "I am going to marry her!" That was 39 years ago and we have been married for 35....my first and only date.

  Feel free to leave Da a friendly note on the Pirates CSG Online forums!

• Not Barbossa of "Pirates of the Caribbean" fame, but Barbarossa, "Redbeard".

  Pirate of the Week: The Barbarossa Brothers 1470-1546

  Oruc, or Arudj, was one of four brothers born in the 1470s on the Isle of Lesbos to a Muslim Turkish knight and his Christian Greek wife. Initially the brothers helped their father with his pottery business, using his boat to trade across the sea. Then the maritime life caught hold of three of the brothers; they became sailors while the eldest remained with his father and inherited the family business.

  Arudj was a successful sailor and trader. He knew five languages; Italian, Spanish, French, Greek and Arabic, and thus could drive a hard bargain at any port he visited. With his younger brother Ilyas he plied the waters of the Levant between Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt. Arudj's brother Hizir chose to sail the Aegean and there make a name for himself.

  It might have ended there. Successful traders and wealthy men, Arudj Reis and his brothers could well have faded into history as no more than merchants and traders. But the Knights of St. John, based on the island of Rhodes, were not happy that Muslims had expelled Christians from the Holy Land and were now spreading across the Mediterranean. They took up privateering, attacking trading vessels and any non-Christian ship, taking captives as slaves or imprisoning them in Bodrum Castle.

  Arudj and Ilyas were on their way home from a trading voyage when the Knights of St. John attacked their ship. The sons of a knight, Arudj and Ilyas fought back, trying to defend their ship, but were overwhelmed. Ilyas was killed and Arudj wounded and taken prisoner. For three years Arudj was a prisoner in Bodrum Castle, until his brother Hizir, in a daring raid, managed to help him escape.

  From then on it was war. The successful merchant sailors became privateers themselves, vowing vengeance against the Knights of St. John and any Christian ship to cross their wake. Arudj received help from the governor of Antalya, an Ottoman prince, in the form of eighteen galleys and a letter of marque to fight the Knights of St. John. In this, Arudj proved himself as capable as when he had been a trader. He captured several ships and attacked forts on the coast of Italy in his first run, returning triumphant to present his sponsoring Sultan with his treasure.

  After some political maneuvering when his sponsoring Sultan fell from favor in the Ottoman court, Arudj set out once again, charged with raiding the coast of Italy and Christian-controlled islands in the Mediterranean. In 1503, Arudj made the island of Djerba his new base (moving from Alexandria), and moved into the western Mediterranean. Here the treasure was richer, and more dangerous. In 1504 Arudj captured a Sicilian warship on its way from Spain to Naples, and two large Papal galleys. In 1505 he raided the coasts of Calabria, and in 1508 the coast of Liguria.

  Arudj seemed unstoppable and his accomplishments drew other corsairs to him from all over the Mediterranean. Arudj and Hizir became the founders of the Barbary Corsairs, and were notorious for their fierceness and success. It was Arudj who bore the red hair and flowing red beard, earning him the name 'Barbarossa'. After Arudj's death, Hizir would dye his darker hair and beard with henna, a russet red dye, to carry on the name and the fear and terror the sight of Barbarossa evoked.

  Despite his unrelenting ferocity, Arudj was said to only employ violence if it was necessary, or cruelty only when disobeyed. He was loved, respected and feared by his sailors and family, and his fame only grew when from 1504 to 1510 he transported fellow Muslims from Christian Spain to North Africa, taking them to safety.

  Later in 1510 Arudj, joined by his brother Hizir, returned to raiding the Mediterranean, repulsing Spanish attacks on North African Muslim cities and raiding the coasts of Sicily and Southern Italy. In 1512 the exiled ruler of the North African city of Bougie asked them to drive out the Spanish. During the battle Arudj lost an arm, which he replaced with one of silver, earning him the nickname "Silver Arm". This grievous wound did not appear to slow Arudj down at all. Later that year Arudj and his brothers succeeded in capturing twenty three ships in a month around Andalusia, Minorca, and Liguria.

  In 1516, Arudj captured Algiers from the Spanish and installed himself as the Sultan there, fending off all attacks. He was known for attaching sails to cannon to get them across the North African desert to wherever he needed them, which must have been quite a sight for the locals. In 1517 Arudj renounced his sultanate for the protection of the Ottoman Empire, which was easier than having to constantly fend off the Spanish himself. Arudj became governor of Algiers, supported by troops sent by the Ottoman Sultan.

  The frustrated Spanish ordered the nearby ruler of Tlemcen to attack Arudj by land, but Arudj found out and struck first, taking Tlemcen and executing its ruler. In 1518 Charles V of Spain, finally heeding his subjects' pleas, marched on Arudj at Tlemcen with an overwhelming force. Arudj held out for twenty days, but in the end was overrun and killed.

  Arudj's brother Hizir took over the Barbarossa name and continued his brother's mission, taking Tlemcen back from the Spanish in December of 1518, and going on to raid, plunder and pillage Spanish ships, forts and cities from Italy to Southern France. He continued his brother's practice of escorting Muslims to safe haven while smashing all fleets sent against him, including a large Christian fleet assembled by Pope Paul III to fight the Ottomans. This was the Battle of Preveza, in 1538, and Hizir's victory assured Turkish dominance over the Mediterranean for the next thirty-three years.

  The Ottoman Sultan made Hizir Fleet-Admiral of the Ottoman Navy, and for fourteen years he ruled the Mediterranean, surpassing even his brother Arudj and assuring that the Turks would remain a Mediterranean Sea power for three more centuries, ranked behind only Britain and France.

  In 1545 Hizir Barbarossa retired to his palace in Istanbul, leaving his son Hasan Pasha as his successor in Algiers and writing his memoirs in five volumes. In 1546 Hizir died of a fever, with three Arabic words to announce his death to a mourning empire; "The chief of the sea is dead."

  Interested in reading more? Check out the links below.

  http://www.thepiratesrealm.com/Barbarossa%20Brothers.html

  http://www.cindyvallar.com/BCcaptains.html

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oru%C3%A7_Reis

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbarossa_%28Ottoman_admiral%29

  Discuss this article in the forums.

• SOE's Third Annual Block Party