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Alpha 2 launch classes should include trinity + bard
KapStoan
Member
The team's plan is to have the game be feature complete by the end of Alpha. This means Alpha 2 could launch with just a few classes and then more and more will come out over time. Then when Beta starts, we would be seeing the classes they plan to have at launch basically firmed up and finalized.
My hope is that when Alpha 2 starts we are getting 1 representative from each part of the trinity, and another support class besides Cleric which I hope will be the Bard.
It would make sense to give everyone the complete trinity to make group content testing viable, but it will also be important to start to see how secondary support classes will figure in as a key group component.
Therefore I think the Alpha 2 launch classes should be:
My hope is that when Alpha 2 starts we are getting 1 representative from each part of the trinity, and another support class besides Cleric which I hope will be the Bard.
It would make sense to give everyone the complete trinity to make group content testing viable, but it will also be important to start to see how secondary support classes will figure in as a key group component.
Therefore I think the Alpha 2 launch classes should be:
- Tank
- Mage
- Cleric
- Bard
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Definitely agree on waiting - I have no input on Alpha 2 scope aside from classes. I just would hate to get Rogue, Fighter, Tank and not get something more unique like Summoner or Bard.
I do not however agree that we should expect ALL archetypes at Alpha 2 launch. Its OK if they trickle them in and as Narc has pointed out, it will be good during Alpha to take advantage of releasing something like the Tul'nar race (toenar) and getting a marketing boost from the announcement to get more attention. Summoner and Bard are possibly more unique than say, a set of melee or ranged classes or the idea of doing damage or healing damage, so they are such a unique variable I think they have to be included from the start of Alpha 2. But I think delaying Alpha 2 start so all classes are ready may not be necessary.
There is no dev plan to have them trickle in.
Any source for this? The one from the wiki just has Steven saying that A2 will have all the archetypes available, not that it will launch with them all from day 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkWLLLOlm2E&t=1380s
That means all of the Primary Archetypes will be available at launch and some of the classes will be available at launch. Some classes may trickle in during Alpha 2.
Because all of the classes have to be in when Beta 1 drops. Beta is feature-locked and the testing is for bugs.
So, the current plan is for all the Archetypes to be in at the launch of Alpha 2.
Of course, Ranger was planned to be in Alpha 1 and didn't make it.
Horde Mode and Siege Mode were supposed to be in Apocalypse and never made it.
So, I dunno that looking for another clip is worth the time because just because Steven says something is coming, doesn't mean it will turn out that way.
Great job on including that clip, though!!
(Haha. I am listening to another clip which is talking about Alpha 0 and Apocalypse slated as Alpha 1. The way Steven drops in new tests and new labels, for all we know, we could have an Alpha 1.5 with just 6 Primary Archetypes.)
Steven has said that Summoner and Bard are the most challenging Archetypes to develop, so those will be the last two to be finished.
Clip of this being stated by Steven in the last monthly livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxPKALH89iDebObQWakbkba7elsGrqkJj5
Who knows
And yes, I fully understand Bard and Summoner are the most complex. But I'd honestly rather have a Bard with half its kit so those few buffs could be tested and balanced iteratively, than see the Bard released months into Alpha 2. I'm sure there are plenty of interested people like me who would be happy to play an incomplete character while its getting more attention and updates. Might be kind of fun actually if the team really was focusing on bi-weekly changes for example.
I hope we can move on from A2 in about a year. But, I mean, it depends on how deep the pockets of Steven are and how bugfree the game is by then.
To get into Alpha 2, if you haven't already contributed money, will cost you $250 minimum. So that will be plenty to cover server costs for the duration of Alpha / Beta right?
About a year sounds right. By that time they should have seen everything they're going to see with the population size in Alpha 2. Maybe add another 3 months (Steven has said 30% buffer is their standard) to do another round of major changes and test them on Alpha 2 folks without shutting the servers down. Then Beta should start immediately after that, picking up right where Alpha 2 left off, but with a lot more people who are getting in at a lower price point.
How long will Alpha 2 last??
Its a premium paid just to get a chance to play in it. At the rate they appear to be developing content, it would seem fair to say that Alpha 2 could actually last 6 months. That is a long time to be in a perpetual server state. I come to this conclusion with the idea that 70% of the game is supposed to be in Alpha 2. Now if that is not at the start of Alpha 2, then Alpha 2 lasts even longer than 6 months. If Alpha 2 is 6 months, I think a lot more players will pay the premium as that gives a really good leg up on understanding the mechanics of the game and finding those important pieces of knowledge. Also factor in that 70% of this game is actually quite a lot as opposed to the 10%?(If even that) we saw in Alpha 1. There very well could be an Alpha 1.5 as a bridge between the 10-70% of the game content. I could see an Alpha 1.5 coming out next summer. If indeed they do an Alpha 1.5, then that could shorten the time for Alpha 2 as a lot of the systems would have been tested.