Operation: Blackout

Operation: Blackout was an Elite Penguin Force event that began on November 15, 2012 and ended on December 6, 2012, even though it was originally planned to end on December 4. Rumors had already started in 2011 due to the 'Behind the Scenes' video by Club Penguin containing footage of an employee working on a computer with big, black bold letters on the screen saying Operation: Blackout. It was confirmed on Herbert's, Polo Field's and Billybob's Twitter accounts. Polo Field also blogged about the team creating audio for November. Operation: Blackout was the first time Herbert made an appearance as a mascot.

Herbert's plan
Herbert's plans consisted of taking over Club Penguin Island, ruling the island as the Dictatorship 'Club Herbert' and capturing every class leading EPF agents (consisting of G, Dot, Jet Pack Guy, Rookie and The Director of the EPF. The Blackout consisted of blocking the sun and stealing its energy to keep Herbert warm, using a High Frequency Infrared Reversion Laser in his fortress. Herbert also utilized the laser's feature of using energy from the sun to destroy the Everyday Phoning Facility, consequently destroying parts of the EPF Command Room itself. Due to Herbert keeping the sun's heat from reaching the island for an ever-increasing time, the island and it's inhabitants were suffering from a vast increase of snowfall and a rapidly decreasing overall temperature. Due to Herbert's plan and the island's rapidly decreasing overall temperature falling to dangerous, life-threatening sub-zero levels, EPF Agents broke into his fortress to stop his plan and save the island and it's inhabitants from destruction. Herbert used his plans to take out revenge on the EPF and freeze their leaders (and presumably you, the player, as there was one last empty freeze-chamber left, along with the other chambers), who had previously frozen him in Operation: Hibernation. Due to Herbert's plans of capturing and freezing the The Director of the EPF, this enabled him to use this arisen opportunity to find out the true identity of the mysterious leader.

Prologue
Gary had been mysteriously kidnapped (by Herbert) and Field-Ops went offline. The EPF had gone into Red Alert.

Briefing
When the Blackout had begun, EPF Agents received the Spy Tablet. The Director of the EPF used these tablets to communicate to agents their briefing and orders.

Chapter 1
On November 15 when the Blackout had started, EPF agents were briefed and ordered by The Director of the EPF to infiltrate Herbert's Base. Agents were provided with disguises to sneak into Herbert's Fortress and slip through his defenses. The agents located Security Terminal 1 and bypassed it.

Chapter 2
On November 16, agents received the Grappling Hook, which they used to pull a lever inside Sector 1 and open the doorway that was blocked. The agents located Security Terminal 2 and bypassed it.

Chapter 3
On November 18, agents received the Plasma Laser, which they used to cut through another blocked doorway to access Sector 2. Afterwards, the agents located and bypassed Security Terminal 3. Around this time, previously, Dot had been captured and frozen in the freeze-chamber that was the 2nd to the direct right of Gary's.

Chapter 4
On November 20, agents received the Deflection Vest, which they used to evade a laser security system. Afterwards, the agents located Security Terminal 4 and bypassed it. Around this time, previously, Rookie had also recently been captured and frozen in the freeze-chamber directly below Dot's.

Chapter 5
On November 22, agents received the Smoke Goggles, which they used to see through a smoke screen and infiltrate another area of Sector 2, which contained Security Terminal 5. After the agents breached the smoke screen, they located and bypassed Security Terminal 5. Around this time, previously, Jet Pack Guy had been captured by crabs and frozen in the freeze-chamber directly below Gary's.

Chapter 6
Around the time of Dot, Rookie and Jet Pack Guy's capture, The Director of the EPF's identity had been discovered by Herbert. On November 24, The Director of the EPF was captured and frozen in the freeze-chamber to the direct right of Gary's. Agents received the Anti Lava Boots, which they used to walk across the lava pit inside Central Lock Down and enter Herbert's HQ. After the player had bypassed the final Security Terminal, which was inside Herbert HQ, the High Frequency Infrared Reversion Laser self-destructed itself and was consequently destroyed.

Finale and Aftermath
All the captured agents were freed. Penguins around the island rejoiced and the sun finally revealed itself, finally free from the clutches of the Solar Laser. Herbert, upon discovering that the Solar Laser had been destroyed and of his defeat, yelled in dismay. The Director congratulated you for freeing Club Penguin from Herbert and his Dictatorship, and reveals their true identity to be... Aunt Arctic! Rookie became a meetable character for the rest of the event. Afterwards, Herbert had retrieved the destroyed Solar Laser. Months later after the Blackout, Herbert ended up using the destroyed remains of the Solar Laser to create the Hot Sauce 3000, part of his next plot.

Free Items

 * For items obtainable from the mission interface, see here.

Trivia

 * In Issue #365 of the Club Penguin Times, Herbert P. Bear asked how to build a high frequency infrared reversion laser, which he would then use to blackout Club Penguin Island, using the name "Hubert P. Enguin" to fool Gary to get the answer on how to build it.
 * Herbert was technically a dictator during this event, having taken over the entire island and making undesirable laws. Before this, it was unknown what the government of Club Penguin Island was, if any.
 * This is the first time Herbert was meetable in-game.
 * Club Penguin has been working on Operation: Blackout since 2010 and was supposed to be held in 2011 after Operation: Hibernation. It was postponed to 2012.
 * Herbert's website (clubherbert.com) was updated through the event, and the last thing he said was "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME", hinting his return.
 * When ClubHerbert.com came out, there was a picture of Gary and Dot, the top two on Herbert's to capture list, taped to the wall and some penguins believed that they were captured. Then a picture of Rookie was added and it was believed that he was also captured. (This rumor proved to be false due to the update of ClubHerbert.com and Rookie appeared in the Club Penguin Times issue #368)
 * During Operation: Blackout, players were not able to complete the test to become an EPF agent due to the Everyday Phoning Facility being destroyed.
 * During Operation: Blackout, there was a Snow Cat outside the Lighthouse and at the Dock carrying supplies.
 * It was confirmed in a video that the Director is Aunt Arctic.
 * The clouds during the blackout look like the Storm from the Halloween Parties.
 * This party set a Club Penguin record, with 1.8 million penguins logged on November 24, 2012, the largest amount of penguins logged in at a specific time.
 * Rookie made official appearances during the last few days of Operation: Blackout.
 * The last capsule at Herbert's Fortress was completely empty, but it was revealed to be for you. Herbert mentions in the newspaper that the crabs must capture you, or his plan would fail. He also says that you are as dangerous as The Director. This turns out to be true, as when you arrive at the Herbert HQ, you are allowed to fill the empty spot.
 * The tagline for this party is similar to the tagline for the Future Party.

Glitches during the party

 * There was a glitch when the party first came out where in the Paradise played the Holiday Party music instead of its own music.
 * Even though the VR Room had been closed due to the fire of the Tube Transport, it still can be accessed normally with the link http://play.clubpenguin.com/?login=true&rm=213#/login/ and you can still play the PSA Missions.
 * You can still play PSA missions by using the link above. It will not ban your penguin.
 * There is a glitch where you can enter the main command room and also a glitch where you can see Terminal 5.
 * The ClubHerbert.com website was not updated when the other four agents were captured, while when Gary was captured it was updated. This has been fixed.
 * There has been a glitch when Club Penguin was updated for the snowstorm, everyone got a free Membership. But it only lasted 10 minutes. But it was confirmed that every time the island gets updated, the same thing will happen.
 * There is a glitch where you can defeat Herbert before November 24. You can also see the High Frequency Infrared Reversion Laser destroyed and the skies blue.
 * There was a glitch that when you are in the underground HQ, and open the catalog, when you try to buy something it says Would you like to buy undefined for undefined coins? You currently have [your number of coins]. That glitch was fixed.
 * There was also a glitch that allowed you to access a terminal without getting the next item.
 * The operation steps couldn't be seen, so they couldn't get the free items and complete them. The glitch was later fixed.
 * There was a glitch that allowed you to get to the Herbert HQ and, therefore, defeat Herbert early.

November 24 to 29 - December 5

 * This phase only occurred for players when they destroyed the Solar Laser, which could be done at any date after November 24, until the operation ended. However, the sky would be bright for all players after the 29th, regardless if they completed the operation, or were an agent or not.

Club Herbert Rooms
When the Blackout began and Herbert became Dictator over Club Penguin, he re-calibrated the tour guide information. The new information and names were as follows:

Music

 * Main Theme
 * Herbert's Fortress
 * Paradise
 * Stage