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i think its time for an alpha 2 timeline
Chicago
Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
the monthly updates are great but at the end of the day i think having players test the game would benefit the game and the community immensely, we are post 2 years alpha 1 now with no time frame or any sort of roadmap insite, about 10 months ago it was stated that the community could start spot testing in several months ( by definition is 2-4 ) but we have not heard anything on this latley either, you guys are doing an amazing job with the monthly updates, however with every update we do see it becomes clearer that there is more that we dont know about the game and if every single aspect needs its own monthly update we are going to be years away from A2, we still have three classes, naval content, crafting ( could be 5 months of streams by its self ) augments, skill trees, nodes, pvp/caravans, honestly another combat update is needed at this point, the list goes on and on, steven stated that A2 was not close but also not years away pretty much saying it would release next year, but it would be extremley nice for the community if we could see a roadmap, we are not asking for specific dates but maybe milestones that need to be crossed before the A2 launch, what is left to test, what is left to be seen in future updates,
we know that A2 will persist until launch but i think the earlier that people get in and start testing the better, obviously the game will be done when its done and noone wants you to rush things but the Q&A questions are always catered away from any real questions about the development of the game and it is extremely hard to get a real answer on these things, i hope that the game is not 4-5 years out but i know it will be done when its done, anyway what is everyone's thoughts?
we know that A2 will persist until launch but i think the earlier that people get in and start testing the better, obviously the game will be done when its done and noone wants you to rush things but the Q&A questions are always catered away from any real questions about the development of the game and it is extremely hard to get a real answer on these things, i hope that the game is not 4-5 years out but i know it will be done when its done, anyway what is everyone's thoughts?
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And he likes to bake Pies.
Let the man and the rest of the team bake.
they could give us a roadmap but I have a feeling people that are asking for it would be the first to shit on Intrepid if they need to delay those milestones for a few more months
This is true and i agree but a road map of what is left to do and goals wd could cross off would have no stress of not meeting goals, actually the oppisite the community would be happy every time a milestone is met
I feel like the milestones are really obvious. Putting them in an order isn't going to particularly help anything.
Let's not forget they also already had some experience with this for alpha, having to push back their target dates.
Also let's not forget they have been a smaller team, went through a pandemic and are only now hiring to the number they feel comfortable.
Believe me I want to test this thing out like it's my high school crush but I want this game to be my final resting place more than I want a quick fling.
They will give dates when they are in the position to, anyone one of these post trying to have devs post dates so you can attempt to hold them accountable is pretty silly, and the reason you won't be given even a rough timeline.
My other thoughts is I'm tired of seeing post like this, just let the developers make the game and have some ability to wait.
Diablo 4 has a new season if you need something to play.
I mean its always the same argument, but as i said you might have missed this, im not asking for a release date im asking to see what is left to develop, im not looking forward to A2 to play the game, i bought A1 for the sole reason to suppkrt the project and didnt even log in, id like A2 to release to help find bugs etc, its is definitley not obvious what is left in developmentment, obviously it comes back to " let the team finish" and we are doing this but as of this moment the team has raised close to $20m in pre sales and cosmetics and i would bet its considerably more, so i think the community has a right to exprct some sort of roadmap, given no dates are required but we would lile to see where we are in development because as of now this game is mostly community funded, i know steven has put alot into this too before you tell me
We've been over this before, @Chicago ... so I'll post my quote from back in Feburary:
The pre-order packs are not required to play Ashes of Creation ... they are optional.
If a player wants to purchase a pre-order pack that's totally fine and their choice.
However, leveraging that purchase to hold Intrepid hostage on a release date (or roadmap) isn't acceptable behavior.
Supporting the project of your own free will where that money is not required for them to finish the game does not entitled you to know about development like you are a shareholder. The idea you think a "community" is entitled to know what is left and the progress only means to use that to try to hold them accountable and put pressure on a studio. Communities can be positive and can swing to be negative and toxic over the most small things when given a reason.
You made a pretty accurate list of what is left. Intrepid probably provided allthe information that led to you knowing what these items on the list are. What would you need the roadmap for at this point?
Aside from that, demanding something as a right that wasn't mentioned as a "service"/perk for purchasing one of their packs seems like an attempt to altering the deal after it was sealed. Sure, they are not as fast as anyone expected, hoped and wanted, but I fail to understand how demanding more information of this sort is going to help unless you want direct resources their way that'll help them tick boxes on that list faster.
I'm not getting tired to mention that this is a highly unusual project, the scope is bigger than that of what most MMORPGs tried to be on release while the team had to be recruited when it was already on Kickstarter- "too soon" some might say. Then you had basically 2 lost years due to lockdowns where nobody knew how exactly things would pan out further, recruting got even more difficult in that time. And with the size of the project, it is not unusual for the development to take 10 years. Why is there no roadmap? Because when it comes without dates people will sh*t on that roadmap as pointless information that was already out there. When it comes with dates, people will sh*t on Intrepid if they fall behind and will continue to do so until they by some miracle manage to catch up without quality going down. Look at how people already lost their mind over part of the freehold acquisition process being a bidding process. This would hand them a Plan to Karen for the rest of the entire development process crying how "basically nothing has been done".
IMO the only hard deadline is March of 2025 - that is the last month where A2 could launch while still being in the mentioned scope of the March 2023 livestream. Anything beyond that to me is a handout of cookies. Though I am aware not everyone feels like that.
if your lucky you might get a to do checklist to show what still not finished for A2 but u wont get a date until they know theyll hit it
Oh, well since you think it's time, then it must be!
If we apply the typical MMO development to AoC, the last thing you would have seen is maybe some brief sections of gameplay in UE5 on twitter but with the last public test was of course, Alpha 1. If the last full public gameplay was A1, that is what people would be primarily basing their opinions on.
I can tell you now that significantly less people would be following the game if A1 was the primary content source. In fact, it would probably come under stupid terms like "scam" and "vaporware".
I know this reads like a tangent on the pros of open development but it relates to the original post. We need these updates to keep the player base hooked while the game develops because, and lets face it, the game is not ready yet. Even the livestream gameplay is glammed up purposefully to show content but the whole world isn't put together.
AoC has a lot of moving parts but they clearly aren't yet working all together. When A2 comes around, they will be working together. The livestreams are great for showing them individually and also because we get to give feedback on individual systems as opposed to the game as a whole. This is only going to be a benefit for the game.
Waiting for a muchly anticipated project like this is painful at times because testing the big step - that I agree with. But it isn't the NEXT step.
A2 will be here when it is ready. Public testing can't be rushed because regardless of what you may think, the public perception of A2 when it releases, really matters. If it were rushed, it could seriously effect the health of the game. Don't underestimate the herd opinion. It has broken more games in recent times than anything else. I'd wait another year for A2 to be near perfect for testing than rush it out in "several months"
I'm curious to know if anyone else feels this way.
A2, unfortunately, has to be good due to the public nature of it. They really don't want to come out of the first week of A2 with a TL-like backlash. That said, "perfection is the enemy of good"
Nobody like to have a boss looking over their shoulder at every detail and scheduled item worked, so I think we've gotten as much detail about what's going on, internally, as we are going to get. And realistically, more details won't help. Camelot Unchained sends out development updates with details and ticks items off a list all the time. They're worthless and I don't even read them.
I mean please show me where i was demanding
you are quite ridiculous mate, but let me respond just because you seem to enjoy changing the narative of what the OP is about and changing my words, first of all, in no way am i being toxic, everything i discussed in this post and the forums is the place to do it, is always respectful, we can disagree but this is a place for feedback not hate.
now, as you stated yes we are supporting the game with our own money, and we have heard multiple times that '' you dont need' to purchase these packs the game is funded to completion '' but lets be honest here, the money from the packs is what is paying for the team to grow, yes it may have been funded to completion but with a 2040 release date?, furthermore, the game is unable to be tested, anyone unless you are a youtuber or streamer is unable to test A1 or A2 without spending alot of money on these packs so basing your argument around '' you dont have to give them any money'' is a bit dishonest when yes if you want anything to do with the game you do need to spend money,
now i would like to point out as you keep getting this wrong, i am NOT asking for a release date, i am not asking for ANY dates, what i am asking for is a timeline of what is left to develop, intrepid obviously have these answers and its impossible for them to miss deadlines on things with no given date, i personally think i would benefit the community immensely to be able to see this, the Q&A questions that ever ask anything about this are always looked over or skipped and it is extremely difficult to get any real information about this game, not to mention steven blatantly advertising that A2 packs will only be on sale for a few more months during a live stream is 100% a marketing tactic because they will sell more with fomo,
any posts made about this topic are immediately met by people like you calling them toxic and everything under the sun, impatient etc etc wich in turn makes people not want to speak out about this sort of thing, if steven wanted to reply with some real information or someone from the staff id be more than happy to listen to that but they dont need people like you defending them against everything that is said on here, anyway mate no hate just replying, keep it civil
I feel you didn't read my post then pulled stuff and went full victim. "communities are toxic" if you follow game development and communities you would udnerstand that and can compare many communties trying to tear apart games be it they are in the right or not.
If you can't understand this point you shouldn't be trying to advocate for them having a roadmap since you don't understand the damage that can cause.
Based argument around you do not need to give money is completely valid until proven other wise. You are not a share holder, giving money does not put you in that position, stop being entitled. You don't need to buy in to watch development or see Alpha being played, alpha isn't a game it is part of development to help them with their product, not for you to test to decide if the game is worthy of paying money for. If you want anything to do with the game you can watch players, and make smart post on the forums and help with feed back as with any other people. The devs pay attention to that and use that to help with their development.
You seriously don't get it, i don't care if you are not asking for exact dates the results are the same. You find out what is left than consumers create timeline sin their head when they feel certain things will be done by and find more and more valid reasons to complain and push the goal mark.
If someone doesn't know where they are at with development including going back over stuff if need be with other changes, or different levels of development done on certain content, t is silly to try and get something on pen to paper so you can start holding it over their head.
In your post you are like talking about hoping not wanting to wait 5-6 years. You are putting time on the project even if you are saying you are not trying to do it. It is simply again the first step and information that does not need to go out for consumers.
Community doesn't benefit, the game will release information when they are ready nothing changes. You say the community will benefit but honestly it just sounds like you want information for yourself. Being given information will not change anything except give a bone communities that can quickly turn toxic as well use as leeway against people. Alpha 2 will be announced when they are ready to announce it.
I don't know why you say they avoid questions, during QA they answer questions and time frames of certain things. Don't blame the dev for the questions given to them, Steven goes out there and talks to different live streams and answers things pretty fairly....
FOMO is your own problem, the game is not releasing in alpha so there is no real reason you will be missing out. Spending the 400$ will help you understand some things with the game and give you a bit of a edge to all people that are playing and not playing since it will be streamed and shared. The experience of alpha more than likely is not going to be the experience of release as things as turned on and off, or things are wiped, etc.
No one calls it toxic is is boring post met by lack of understanding and inpatients. Toxic element comes after there is a date and you have people that don't follow things as much starting hate trains on a game because things aren't developed fast enough for them or they create their own false sense of dates / time. Which again leads to people asking how long on certain things and the next step wanting dates.
Ask I've said to other post, let...them....develop...the...game. Stop asking for things that just have them rushing, they have their timeline, they have their budget. When it is ready that is when consumers should know, not having a task list or time frame that servers no other reason but to give consumers a reason to complain.
Other industries use Gantt charts, something like that would be nice to see as players,
But intrepid has no obligation to show us that, and its in their better interests to NOT show us that, because things take time to make, have delays, and sometimes plans have to change. Some people cant help but to flame someone when things dont go according to plan.
He knows what to say
2. We all want to play, and if you supported the game financially, good on you.
3. We haven't even seen all the classes yet, so there is no way they can really even estimate on when A2 will go live. Give it time we will see them and A2 when it's "feature complete".
4. "let him cook" "takes time" and all those other unnecessary statements are just as old, tired, and worn out as people demanding "dates" and "timelines"
5. I have high hopes for their development process, quality, and the level of enjoyment many people will get when the game is eventually released.
6. Y'all rock, glad to see so many interested and excited, and have a fantastic rest of your pre-Friday.
And if it had done, we'd all have been disappointed with the result. They know what they're doing. People just need to give them time to do their thing.