Public Test Server

The  (PTS) is a separate Planetside server that hosts experimental builds of the game with new changes and additions, for testing purposes before they are applied to the live servers. It often also allows players to preview various balance changes and weapon additions prior to their arrival in the main game.

Access
The Public Test Server is an experimental test server, and thus requires an entirely separate client and installation of the game to access. To download the test client, visit the Public Test Server help article.

The PTS is not always available, and will often be taken down randomly and without warning for various reasons. The server often goes up and stays up longest directly following PTS Updates, which can be found in the Planetside 2 Test Server: Announcements sub-forum on the main forums, alongside any other related information.

Gameplay
There are some minor differences from the standard gameplay as found on the live server though these differences are purely economic or related to character creation, other than the changes found on the experimental builds.

Characters
Characters must be created anew on the PTS. Any characters created on the live client cannot be carried over to the PTS. Characters are also not guaranteed to stick around on the test server; character wipes can and will happen with relative frequency, requiring testers to remake characters from scratch.

Certification Points
Certification Points can be obtained and spent in the same way as on the live server. However, unlike on the live servers, new characters are instantly given upon creation. This pool of certification points is constantly regenerating, and players will be granted thousands of additional certification points on each login.

Shop
To facilitate easy testing, alongside the massive certification boost, all weaponry and equipment in the shop cost only, including cosmetic equipment that is normally exclusively purchased with Daybreak Cash.

The shop also often contains bundles that allow easy and instant access to content that otherwise requires a lengthy time-investment to acquire, such as directive weaponry and implants.

Cash Purchases are disabled on the PTS. Players cannot spend any real money for content on the server.

Testing
The Public Test Server, as the name implies, is used for testing the game by allowing random users to perform their own Q.A. Use the /bug slash command to quickly report bugs found in game, or discuss changes and other behaviour (intended or otherwise) on the Planetside 2 Test Server: Discussion subforum.