I'll update this as I see fit. Not outright complaining about anything, just tossing out the problems people may identify with.


1. Usernames - In order to protect your identity and ensure child safety based on their child safety policy, Pottermore does not allow you to choose your own username. As a result, you're given something identical to this:



While that sounds like a fantastic way to protect one's identity, it does request your date of birth, first and last name, email, and permission to send products to your email. All things kids can easily get carried away with it. My problem with this in particular is that, if you ask me my date of birth up front, before anything else, it should be acknowledged that I am of age, and therefore, should be able to choose my own username. I can guarantee I won't remember this username at all (especially with their 'Keep Me Logged In' and the inevitable monthly cleanout of cache from Chrome to keep speeds going). They send it to you in a registration email, which is nice. Although that email...

2. Registration Confirmation - This is understandable as Pottermore is fucking huge, and most likely requires a shit ton of processing power and servers to send invitations out to all the emails in the universe trying to apply. It's probably Hogwarts' biggest student headcount as of yet. But the fact it can take anywhere from 24-72 hours can make the wait a little frustrating, especially if you really wanted to tackle the content immediately, and be around your username long enough to remember it. Speaking of registration...

3. Registration - Want an easy way to crash Pottermore? Look none other than your own sign up. Even after you've registered, you still have access to go back to previous pages, that should be secured and you know, inaccessible after you've used them. Instead, you're capable of  making multiple names, for the same email. This may be a browser specific issue, a site issue, or even a rare occasion, but I actually have three of those usernames attached to my account now in a test function. I wonder if the next problem will be incorrect passwords if it will only identify one?

4. The Wait - As stated before, registration takes about 24-72 hours to receive an email in order to verify your account. It's after you get this email that's the kicker.



YOU GET TO WAIT AGAIN 8D. Reminds me of the DMV.

Edit: So I received my email and invite into Pottermore! All gungho to play, I set off into the world and was excited to learn what was going to happen.


And then I was severely disappointed.


5. Moments - Moments are essentially the pages you go through. Now, the problem that is here happens to be a series of issues. 1. This is 2012. Very rarely do we see sites that run specifically on Java or on HTML based functioning (Aka, click a link, new page, click a link, new page) especially on interactive websites. It's now flash based or something similar. Pottermore however, relishes in the fact that it makes you load every page in order to get to content. This can be aggravating as sometimes, especially on slower computers, the 'Moments' will not function properly, freeze up, or otherwise stagger your mouse everywhere. Another issue here is that every Moment has 'three' views. Set up like Cel Animation, there are three layers of an image, in which you can move .0005 degrees left and right in order to 'search' for hidden items and content. Don't get your hopes up, as while the items you find are cherished among HP fans, they very quickly fade out unless you're heavy into fanfiction and fanart. In addition, moments are heavily time consuming when looking for items, and even more so if you really want to collect them all. I was tempted to "Tab" the images to quickly find all the 'clickable' items just so I could move on.

6. Items - Speaking of the items, there's a bit of confusion with the navigation set up in Moments. When you see a Red Quill, it means a rare item/content is around on the page for you to find. However, some items are collectables, some items reveal miniature already-known pieces about the books, while others, like my favorite Backstory of Characters content, are treasure to collect. And then there's the messy effect of Chocolate Frog Cards. These are a delight to find, but add on to what seems to be 'padding' in here...But in short, the real problem is that the navigation set up, collection inventory, and way you find items in general, tends to get aggravating and confusing after a while, especially if you want to keep track.

7. Drag And Drop - This is a minor issue. In Gringotts. When you get your vault, you gotta open it. But it never shows you how! The secret? Drag and drop the key to the keyhole. While it may be a clever and easy way to decipher, younger kids might get frustrated.

8. The Shopping Interface - Again. This is 2012 guys. We really should be pushing for more instant feedback from our computers. Having us click to open the shop, click to open an item, click to buy an item, click to go back to the shop interface, click to another item, click to buy that item, click to go back to the shop-----See what I mean? This is heavy throughout much of the content, but it is greatly shown here. It took perhaps 10 minutes to purchase all the items in Diagon Alley just using this system. Also, be sure to keep that Shopping List handy. Many people may not have the reflex of previous games where only the important items show. In these shops, like the Apothecary, you can buy all the things and realize---you don't need them....Yet.

9. Objects In The Inventories - This only came up once, on Shrine's side. When she was going through her Moments, sometimes her inventory did not show up at ALL, such as the trunk. Refreshing solves this.

10. Sorting Hat - The Sorting hat isn't the problem, but it is where you will first encounter it. Videos. For fast computers and connections, this is a nice boost. You're greeted with the face of JK Rowling.........Who tells you you're about to be sorted. With a warning that 'this is your only chance to be sorted', she has a bit of warning that probably should have been added. Many times, throughout the game, videos of her will pop up to tell you, in all honesty, redundant information. It's nice, refreshing, and personable, and makes you feel like she cares, but when you think about it, it's doing less for your individual game play, and more crashing your game, browser, and computer.

11. Potions - Here's the problem I have with Pottermore. For all the dedication and love that Harry Potter fans have, we need to look at the audience. The site first signs you up with the acknowledgement that you have the age and maturity of a 10 year old. It then produces extremely interesting content like spell casting (which is a wicked version of Dance Agents) and potion making. But here lies the problem. Pottermore, I am severely disappointed in you. I'm really disappointed in Sony for not producing a more instant feedback game setting. I'm even more disappointed that they would make the decision of making Pottermore "Real-Time Based".



That is 40 minutes real time. You WAIT 40 minutes. And the kicker is, if you don't claim it within that 40 minutes is up? You gotta start all over and you don't collect House Points, the whole point of the game. Now which audience are we marketing to? First, we have expectations that we are children, as these are children's books. But then, we are given games that satisfy adults. But THEN, we are given real time. Real time is a big problem for me especially. I don't have the time.. I play great games like Warcraft and Skyrim, that constantly update content or have so much content in them that it's impossible to only play once. Pottermore looks to be that way as well. But the problem is, is that they have consciously made the decision to pull a Farmville on you. You must wait for your crop to grow. And if you don't collect it in time, it will wilt, and you waste money, and must start over. Now, we have a loss of time, and a loss of house points. When you are above the age of 20, time becomes a precious commodity (really, for ANY age if they've developed a sense of self respect and desire to achieve and become all they hope for). This is a huge let down on my end. I enjoyed Pottermore, and even bore about the Moments, as slow and consuming as they already were, and to be presented with this intention of spacing my time out, when I just don't have it, is a huge let down.

Granted, with two screens, I can definitely monitor potions on one, and draw in the other. But when I get involved in my work, or if I have to make an emergency twist out of the house, I lose that potion. And don't just tell me to 'not play'. If I am an avid Harry Potter fan such as many people, I enjoy it and find it important on the same level as any other dedicated fan. But I am also clear on my priorities. A potion that takes 40 minutes to create is not going to get me a degree, a job, or even allow me to produce content for my watchers and products for profit. If I have 40 minutes to spare, I then choose between Skyrim, Warcraft, and Pottermore. I got news for you: Two of these things have far more content right now than the other, and it they don't start with P."

Now this might be just a personal pet peeve, but as I am someone who believes this Generation needs to up its game as the age of leaving your parents becomes 25-30, and jobs are becoming harder because our economy is crashing through in multiple countries, and the gap between the knowledge of the previous generation and today's is widening---I just can't find time for a potion to replace a human being's importance. Come on JK. You make school look bloody fun for your characters, but monotonous and repetitive to a degree equal to that of Ragnarok Online's grinding system? I expected better.

To put my point into perspective, here is a showdown of the cauldrons you can purchase, how many points you get per potion, and how long each potion takes to brew.

In order to accurately use your time wisely, you will be wasting 4.3 - 4.7 minutes per house point. 334 points per 24 hours. You would need to make Antidotes in Brass for the fastest point gain, followed by Copper with the Awake, Sleep, and Antidote potions. The Cauldrons don't actually run on a "bigger is better" mechanic. It seems to function on an affinity of a potion. While this might be clever, talk about a time waster if you don't understand it.

Pewter Cauldron
Cure For Boils - 45 Minutes - 3 (House Points per potion)
Herbicide - 60 Minutes - 9 (House Points per potion)
Sleeping Draught - 70 Minutes - 11 (House Points per potion)
Awakening Potion - 55 Minutes - 9 (House Points per potion)
Antidote To Common Poisons - 40 Min - 7 (House Points per potion)
Forgetfulness Potion - 60 - 9 (House Points per potion)
330 Minutes - 5.5 Hours = 48 Points.


Brass Cauldron
Cure For Boils - 39 Minutes
Herbicide - 51 Minutes
Sleeping Draught - 60 Minutes
Awakening Potion - 47 Minutes
Antidote To Common Poisons - 30 Min
Forgetfulness Potion - 51
278 Minutes - 4.6 Hours = 48 Points

Copper Cauldron
Cure For Boils - 34 Minutes
Herbicide - 45 Minutes
Sleeping Draught - 53 Minutes
Awakening Potion - 42 Minutes
Antidote To Common Poisons - 34 Min
Forgetfulness Potion - 45
253 Minutes - 4.2 Hours = 48 Points

You would have to make 4 Sleeping Draughts in order to make 48 points.

12. Randomization - Now, this may not be true. But for the fir----ALL OF THE chapters of Moments, all the items Shrine and I found were the exact same thing. This is a little disconcerting, simply because they encourage you to collect everything, but at the same time, you have the ability to trade and gift your found items to other friends. If everyone's getting the same thing, how does this function exactly?

13. Quidditch - This is just a let down. I was really hoping for an epic release of a full fledged flash game or just really, a hell of a lot more interaction in the Quidditch environment. What do we get? A snitch to catch, and it takes all of five seconds. 8|

14. The End - Here's my problem. It goes along with my issues in the Potions category. The End. How long have we been waiting for Pottermore exactly? I'll give you some time to answer that...


Now how long do Elder Scroll fans wait between each game release?


Now that you've thought about that (the answer is 6 years for Elder Scroll fans), can someone tell me why the end of Pottermore is the first book? So much time spent to produce this, by Sony nonetheless, and we're given one book to explore. The padding of spells, potions, and dueling isn't enough. Not for people who really wanted to thrust themselves into this world. Now I feel like I really am playing Farmville. I just had a great time going through this book and reading everything, buying everything, collecting everything. And now my only choice is to leave, or deal with a series of people who, thus far (at least in Gryffindor's Commentary), are not exactly showing the kindest of reactions to others. The majority of comments over all, are wands, usernames, and houses. Similar to having to wait on friends for ingredients, to expand your land, or to do anything really useful with your characters in Farmville. It feels like a really short year at Hogwarts.

Now let's wait another year for Book 2, shall we? (And yes, I understand this is still considered a 'beta', but considering the length of time it's taking them to produce online content, not nearly to a degree of detail or content-filling as say, a Warcraft Patch, it's a little underwhelming in the end.)

15. The People - In the end, Pottermore ended short. In roughly 3 hours, we managed all of it, and that's just because we took time searching and commenting over things. To end this, there are two more problems. For one, there is clearly a huge ass amount of people on here. When you look at your house points, and then the House Point total? You feel insignifcant at times. You look at the scoreboards and wonder if it's worth it to clock 5 points every 40 minutes with potions, or dueling, or overall just commenting (which functions on a Gaia Online feature: Spam more, More Points.). There's really only so far you can move ahead.


I'm pretty sure that in the future, Pottermore will be great, and even enjoyable past the rollercoaster feelings I've gotten thus far from playing it. But for right now, I consider my task done. It can sit on the internet until the second book releases...the third...the fourth...the fifth...


I'll be honest. I'll probably only play it for the sake of learning more about JK Rowling and her development of the books. Her insights are amazing, and I wish they were more precious and input into the game. They really made me keep going through the Moments. But for now, I feel a severe lack of...well. Potterless.