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Alpha Two Phase II testing is currently taking place 5+ days each week. More information about testing schedule can be found here
If you have Alpha Two, you can download the game launcher here, and we encourage you to join us on our Official Discord Server for the most up to date testing news.
Next Q n A questions
Chicago
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
Dear intrepid, we appreciate the monthly updates and sneaky looks into the games development however..
We as a community feel as though there are some huge questions that are not being addressed, we understand that you dont want to release a timeline as deadlines can be missed and due to murphys law but there are other things we would like to know, onthe next QnA please address some of the following questions
A roadmap of the game, not with dates but something that consists of, what is left in development before A2, what is currently being worked on and what has not been started yet
Some information on freehold skins, this one is important as they have been available to purchase in the shop for years but despite multiple people asking there is no information as how this will work
An update on name resorvations and the character creater,
Some information with naval content
I love how ambitious the game is, but at this point i think people would prefer you guys to pick a direction and stick with it, release something and build on it with updates and patches,
Please include questions you would like to see in the next QnA below!
We as a community feel as though there are some huge questions that are not being addressed, we understand that you dont want to release a timeline as deadlines can be missed and due to murphys law but there are other things we would like to know, onthe next QnA please address some of the following questions
A roadmap of the game, not with dates but something that consists of, what is left in development before A2, what is currently being worked on and what has not been started yet
Some information on freehold skins, this one is important as they have been available to purchase in the shop for years but despite multiple people asking there is no information as how this will work
An update on name resorvations and the character creater,
Some information with naval content
I love how ambitious the game is, but at this point i think people would prefer you guys to pick a direction and stick with it, release something and build on it with updates and patches,
Please include questions you would like to see in the next QnA below!
2
Comments
I'll link the thread below so you can read how that went down.
In the meantime, have some patience ... and remember that invoking the "Ashes Community" into your opinions can alienate other players with differing viewpoints.
https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/48117/the-devs
I mean fair point but once somethibg is for sale in the cash shops ie freehold skins there should be some viable information as to how it works if they are asking $$ to purchase them, i could go through every post asking for this over the last few years to clarify "we" but it would take me all day
Each month, we learn more about what's eing worked on for Alpha 2. We can guess what they still need to work on based on what they haven't shown us yet, like Augment Schools.
I think it's likely we'll get a demo of Freeholds and Freeholds Skins once that system is demo-ready. Probably before Alpha 2. We don't even have the last two articles for Know Your Nodes, so... I dunno why you would think we'd get Freehold info this month. It's not impossible, but...
What kinds of updates are you hoping for with name reservations and the character creator?
We can expect them to let us know when the character creator release is near ready.
What kind of naval content info are you hoping for?
And it's unfortunate. I empathize with their reservations because of the last road map. The team was specific and didn't meet those targets. People felt disappointed.
The idea the OP is trying to hold the dev team "hostage" is incredibly perverse. There's a reason this request is common.
Some players, supporters, and fans feel like they're the ones being held emotionally hostage. Because they have quite literally no idea what to expect.
The problem wasn't that people were disappointed, the fundamental problem was that goals weren't met. A response that signals responsibility might look something like a commitment to meet goals better next time. Even more than that I don't see being vague and keeping people in the dark about targets they have internally anyway, as helpful.
If goals aren't met the second time, then people should know. They can think about and discuss, "OK, why weren't goals hit a second time."
You can see how the approach is backfiring. It's a major reason why you see people meme about a 2077 release, draw parallels to Star Citizen, or say things like the game is never coming out.
There is nothing wrong, for example, with releasing a roadmap broadly suggesting "OK, we expect A2 sometime in 2024" or heck, even "between 2024-2025" and committing to that. And that's a completely reasonable request.
Absolutely accurate.
The OPs points are directionally valid though. There are many people in the community that do feel:
And like:
Seeing a lot of posts about cosmetics even in threads that aren't specifically about cosmetics.
And:
I'm sure the thread appreciates the use of "I" here.
My intention isn't to be disagreeable. I've praised IS for many things. Aim to bring rational discussion in a respectful way. I think that's important
I do not agree.
They must have internal deadlines short and long term. They should adjust them as they want. But there is no reason to make them public. It brings them no benefit.
Of course we are curious and want to know. But to satisfy that curiosity is not a reason.
Assume alpha 2 starts on 2025 and release 2026. Is a lot of time. +/- 1 year makes no difference, isn't it?
I listed reasons already. Aside from those, there are other ethical implications. For example, selling in-game visuals, game time, and other extras for a product that may not launch until 2027 (this is just a hypothetical date to make a point,) well, a lot can happen in 4+ years.
Some people may not be able use it then, may not want to use it then, or may have made a different decision had they had that information.
You can technically assume anything, that wouldn't make it accurate or helpful
So... it might be a reasonable request, but... Steven is not going to cave on the roadmap if he's holding fast on the Know Your Nodes articles.
There is absolutely NO obligation to buy in-game visuals, game time, and other extras, @effusivemind. Steven has said so himself.
Players (including yourself) have reasons not to buy those things ... and that's a perfectly valid choice.
However, with no pay-to-win items and no obligation to buy, please tell forum-goers how that is unethical.
I'm not sure what pay-to-win, or even obligation has to do with what I mentioned. Ethics is much broader and applies to many more situations than just paying to get ahead, or feeling obligated to do something.
I literally provided clear reasons for why in the text you quoted.
To the question of, "Whether this is an ethical practice," the answer is "no." You're not honoring someone's autonomy and ability to decide by omitting information relevant to making that decision
If the practice is so "unethical" then why have millions of players signed up for the various cosmetic packs and game time?
We're all waiting on your answer with bated breath ...
This one definitely made me absurdity-lol...
"If the predatory practice is so unethical, then why have all the 'marks' been prey, huh?"
Um... no.
A quick glance, you can see where development is likely at.
Overall
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Release_schedule
Alpha 2
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Alpha-2
Is this a joke.
The irony is it...
Not saying I agree or disagree on it being unethical but.... this logic cracked me
So you saying all the pyramid schemes and scams are good as well because they get millions of people to invest lol
I would love to ask for a roadmap (without dates!) or even a simpler question like: what are you planning on showing us in 2023 (no dates required!!).... But yeah its just not what they do in these QnA's for the most part.
If I actually wanted my question answered, I might ask: how close together will people be able to put freeholds?
hmm---yes I share that curiosity. I mean...we...we all share that. To follow some of the plurality of other posters in this thread
But I think we can infer what is being worked based on what they choose to release in the monthly updates.
I think it's wise on their part to not tell us what hasn't been started yet. If people knew that 60% still needed to be developed, I think it may dampen their enthusiasm and decrease engagement.
Is Ashes a scam though?
Last I checked, we're seeing active development of an MMO with regular monthly updates ... and weekly (sometimes multiple times a day) feedback from the Intrepid Community Team.