Pre-Order Packs

G4N00CH

Can it be possible that AoC sells a Pre-Order Pack that only gives access to Alpha 2 and Beta 1 and 2? I want to test to play the game. I really don't want the in game items, and maybe I like the game enough to upgrade the package to include them. Do you think AoC could add those items for the next Alpha phase? Maybe more people participate.

JustVine

The point of the pre-order prices being so high is to filter out people who are not seriously invested in the testing experience and games out come. The package therefore will probably still be a high cost and still include cosmetics for a number of reasons.

The point of giving players embers instead of 'yet even more server time' is two folded:

1. Sub costs by nature must not have that good a margin nor is it likely they will increase the profit per player of this part of the game over time. There is an efficiency bonus to be earned as it gets popular but there is a hard cap on it after a certain point due to the physical limitations of server loads/costs.

2. Embers more directly keeps the money in Intrepids hands. Cosmetics support the game immensely more. The long term margin is far better over time when you factor in the fact that cosmetics profit eventually exceed the cost of development and creates reusable assets they would already have to make anyway.

In short embers is more of a powerful direct 'donation' to Intrepid and the assets team, whereas server time functionally has a hard cap on how powerful/useful it is to give them more money.

If you are serious about testing and investing in the game as a whole your embers 'donation' portion is disproportionately helpful and you shouldn't mind having it included if your 'really invested in the games outcome.