Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Comments
Years from now you're going to wish their was never a Cash Shop
If i'm paying $15 a month for an MMO - I expect the entirety of the MMO to be fully Playable without ever having to indulge my Wallet any further
If Intrepid wants ts Customer to further Support this MMO, then they can do that without ever having a Cash Shop.
In short, I've seen this happen before - it always results in a Backfire.
Edit: Here is a reference: http://aocwiki.net/Mounts#Mount_Skins
Regardless, it doesn't matter if its a Skin or Mount - when i play Alpha & Beta & Launch - I'm not going to use it. Neither am I going to use a Mount for awhile
- Because i want to experience what a " Non-backer " will experience if its their first time playing - thus providing better FeedBack
- Also because i don't like Rushing through everything
@KratzDespite all i've said, i too want this MMO to succeed. But i won't be naive nor gullible as to what might happen based on all the Cash Shops I've seen in other MMOs. And i won't be discouraged to express how i feel about it - because I've seen " it " happen
" I just call it like i see it "
... and it really makes me worried that a part of the Community wants a Cash Shop
Not a good comparison. Especially since there are other Variables to consider - variables that cant* be correlated with a Fast-Food Place of all things
More or i less i see what you mean though XpCheck the question at the bottom.
If you're not the link clicking type:
How do the Kickstarter mounts work?
There has been a little confusion over how the mounts from Kickstart will work and when backers can expect to obtain them. In order to clear up any confusion over the system, allow us to offer a brief overview detailing how exactly the mount rewards will be obtained and utilized by any applicable backers.
– Basic land mounts will first be obtained through an early quest that is present for all players within any of the starting areas.
– Once you have obtained your mount in the game, you will be able to assign your cosmetic skin from Kickstarter to the character of your choice from your account management screen. Once this skin has been assigned to the character, you may use the skin to apply the appearance of your Kickstarter mount to the mount you have earned in game. This does not remove the skin itself, as you can apply it again to any other applicable mount in the future.
– If you wish to remove the skin from a character on your account, and assign the skin item to another character you may do so. But it can only ever be active on one character/mount.
- The Dawnbreaker is also a mount skin and will be used in a similar fashion as above, but is only applicable to a certain class of mounts.
– Aquatic mount skins like the Tidesnapper, are again also used in a similar fashion, but are only applicable to the aquatic class of mounts.
@Eragale If you know how a wiki works then you should know that if you scroll down on the wiki page you will find the source of the information. In this case the source information are screenshots of Steven confirming on discord what I told you . Here they are for your convenience:
Because you clearly believe that the convenience shop is a slippery slope that will lead to the downfall of the game.
I believe otherwise, and I've clearly stated why I would appreciate and like one.
All of our society is geared towards consumerism and manipulating us to part with our hard earned... it's something that is unlikely to ever change. And as long as they remain true to their initial ethos of non p2w, cosmetic items, why is it so bad?
Intrepid has not run an mmo before, so you cannot firmly state without a modicum of doubt, how the future will proceed.
Especially given that Intrepid, isn't a large company with the bottom line being their main focus, most of the mmo's that you considered failed through cash shops will have been set up and run by corporations and driven by stock holders. Intrepid are doing this because they are individual gamers, they hold the ideal that they are making a game they want to play. I doubt they want to be bombarded with 'buy me now!!!' whilst playing.
Are our desires for a cash shop so wrong? Sure I could support intrepid another way, but being a selfish human, getting something for my support is more satisfying to me.
Sure, I could roleplay all of my characters in clothing that fails to represent their character, but I'd rather not. I have a fraction of useable time that most humans have, hence I place a lot greater value upon my time, so getting cosmetics only in game (for each fleeting existence of an rp toon) will be more than horrendous for myself.
So yes, I firmly support the existence of a convenience shop, though yes, I'd choose for everything to be also available in game and also purchasable with in game currency.
I am open and happy to be convinced otherwise, but so far all I'm getting is that some of us are a lot more optimistic (based on Intrepids ideals and player focused actions so far) than yourself (based on completely differently games under completely differing circumstances)
Much love
Personal trust/distrust is not in itself a valid argument for discussion xD
The reason for the trust/distrust is, and that's already been discussed :P
Also, feelings about capitalism in general is neither a good argument either, nor something that needs to be discussed, but that's just my opinion as I find it boring and pointless to discuss.
Given that this thread is now six pages long, could you kindly help a brain damaged woman out by reconfirming your personal reasons for your distrust?
I still have no clue as to why you want to remain worried about other people being fine about cash shops?
As to whether something is relevant to this discussion or not, surely that's just personal opinion, and whilst I respect you holding your own, please kindly respect the fact that I see others opinions against the cash shop as arguments only against an inherent detriment of living in a capitalist society. Convince me otherwise.
I am aiming to get involved and understand your point of view, if you merely want to state your opinions without discussion because you would find said discussion 'boring and pointless' that's your choice, but I feel that grumbling without helping others to understand your point of view, ultimately means that it is more likely to be ignored by those who are able to actually make the decision about it all.
Just in my opinion though.
The most controversial thing they did was to delay a live stream, oh boy!
Trust really shouldn't be an issue. I understand that many publishers were dishonest and people might have trust issues, but there is no reason for worry regarding IS.
As for the cash shop, and that is simply my opinion, if it is just cosmetics and free of p2w, then I am completely fine with it. A cosmetic-only cash shop will benefit everyone, as it will generate more income that can be used for development or better services.
The fact is that not many people would play P2P sub game that also has P2W cash shop. If any developer / publisher would do this, they would simply have empty servers.
This is the reason why there is nothing to worry about here.
Only if game would go F2P, then there would be a reason to worry.
And the cosmetic only* approach gets fuzzy when even at a cosmetic level some element of it gives a competitive edge eg different audio/effects/visual cues in competitive play.
So far the impression is that the cash shop in Ashes has cash only content, I principally don't agree with this. I believe that the all* content provided by the cash shop should be achievable through in game methods along side direct purchasing.
This would be the best case scenario/compromise.
Understand @Kratz that you ongoing financial support is appreciated i am sure, however if 10+ other new potential players are deterred by the cash shop* and don't subscribe. then Intrepid might end up looking towards your cosmetic only support,
Then subscription numbers cant sustain and the game goes f2p like all the other MMOs that offered a cash shop before it.
What would you suggest to be in the cash shop instead of cosmetics that you would like to get for donating?
Elderscrolls online was a subscription, had a cash shop...went f2p..
Swotor....Lotro....
Gw2 was buy the box no subscription with convenience* behind a paywall cosmetic cash shop but it was f2p.
By all accounts any MMO with a cash shop degrades into a f2p game all good intentions aside.
WoW/activision Blizzard can do whatever it wants with it massive fan base and get away with polishing a turd.
The we had the KS>summer campaign skin exclusive* asset flip. With the summer skins more exclusive then the original KS rewards cosmetically* offered for a small* alacarte additional fee, apparently the best outcome for a bungled crowd funding extension....
waved a magic wand in front of us and the problem disappeared right....
The problem with direct exchange is basically p2w currency converter so adopting GW2 methods won't work.
The fact is the cash shop could be perceived as a concern is because it provides a get out of subscription model fail safe mechanism that already undermines the subscription in the first place.
Before cash shops you would see a player in game with awesome gear and wonder in awe how such things were obtained, what deeds, trails and adventures were required to obtain such things, perhaps you would ask the geared adventurer and acquire information to set you on the path and perhaps make a friend on the way.
Now it's oh look that guy has a wallet....sure likes to pose in the middle of town for 12hrs.
Any way the cash shop is a thing, I personally hope it's specific content is obtainable via in game means.
I might be anti cash shop but i am pro Merchandise.
Have faith
"I don't trust them"
*Uses same logic*
All thieves are alive, you are alive therefore you are a thief. You thief.
Everyone is alive, therefore everyone is a thief....of death. ( Couldn't resist)
I would propose that instead of debating if we are going to see P2W in Ashes, how about we debate whether a micro transaction system has a positive / negative place in the game to begin with.
I would like to think that Steven and crew have been watching this thread for a while if not using alternate forum accounts to pipe in themselves, after all, they are part of the community just as much as we all are.
Perhaps micro transactions is one of those things that we as a community can influence. If not the existence of the cash shop then perhaps its implementation and mechanics.
Would seem that many here like myself hanker for the "golden days" of all content inclusive without a cash shop. Thoughts?
I would rather expect the worst and be proven wrong, then be assured the best and receive disappointment.
the ultimate thief is death. therefore not all thieves are alive, but they will all eventually die.
I've been promised the same game on many occasions, so please forgive a skeptical old fool for cynically scrutinizing and perhaps being overly critical, I am not doing it out of spite.
If i didn't have some overall level of confident optimism regarding Intrepid/Ashes I wouldn't have backed the game.
I want it to succeed too.