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I changed my mind about an open beta
JeanPhilippeQC
Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
Previously, I was firmly against an open beta with the argument that would be a slap in the face of those who preordered a pack on Kickstarter or the online shop. However, I changed my mind. Why? Because it could be a way to get the game more popular and better known of the gaming community. At default to not having a free trial after launch, people can try it and eventually buy a subscription when it’s come out. The only way I would be okay with that is the open beta happens sometimes after Beta-2 and secondly, it's shorter than both paid betas.
We can see something like that (from the longer to the shortest):
Alpha-2 (right now unknown length)
Alpha-1 (lasted 1 month)
Beta-1 (could last 2 weeks)
Beta-2 (could last 2 weeks as well)
Open Beta (could be 1 week)
We can see something like that (from the longer to the shortest):
Alpha-2 (right now unknown length)
Alpha-1 (lasted 1 month)
Beta-1 (could last 2 weeks)
Beta-2 (could last 2 weeks as well)
Open Beta (could be 1 week)
0
Comments
Sure, this is different than how most games have been marketed he last decade or two, but isn't AoC different from most game in the last decade or two? I am not saying I am sure of this, just that it is a possibility.
*After all, you probably know that old saying about the word 'assume.'
This makes no sense, you are effectively saying their business stat is to not have people get a taste for the game (or even stress test their servers lol?).
Their goal to have have AoC be a big mmorpg as any other business, but it doesn't mean they are going to stop their vision just to appeal to masses. On top of that there will be PLENTY of people that will want to play they game that are into this type that have no bought it, there will be uncertain people as well. Allowing people to test out a product IS is confident in so they can have a strong release will make their business better.
I don't know how you think a mmorpg is not going to do a stress test int this day and age anyway on their servers anyway. You don't get a stress test from a closed tiny beta. MMorpgs have always had a open test in the past decade+. This reasoning doesn't make sense for them to not to do it so they have have better gauge at how to be ready at launch as the game continues to pick up actual hype when they start marketing.
Of course there isn't an official word when it is ages away....That is like saying Riots mmorpg has no official word on open beta. Normal dev language to be to talk about it when they get there. Else u will have mixed language between alpha and beta and have peoples perception mixed up.
Yall being to edgy with the gatekeeping. Looking at the past history of mmorpgs there are test and they are kind of needed so the major sever issues we already have are not even worse. From mmorpgs, to even live service games like nightingale and the issues wayfinder had which were horrendous.
IS is a newer studio they are going to want to test thing out and make sure they have a strong release to make sure things don't break on top of marketing the game. And i wouldn't expect to hear anything about open beta or beta anything until after alpha.
Everything can be "super obvious" until it just doesn't happen. I was simply making sure that people don't get the wrong idea.
I'm just making sure there is some actual grounded reality, technically anything is possible sure. The chance of no open test is highly unlikely and talking about open beta that is super far away is not something you do even more so as you are selling packs that can offer different information in itself.
I don't know how you can have that vibe "until it doesn't happen" and where you are getting this confidence from.
Be it beta #2 or if there is a stress test one after that. If people that can openly buy it and be in the test that means it is a open beta and not closed.
Their packs being buyable you can already make a argument its a open beta. Open doesn't mean its free by the way.
And like I said, there's been no word of this happening. Of course Steven's salesman past could always shine through and the reason for absence of that word could be that he didn't want to lose money on key bundles, but that'd be a pretty bleak outlook on his approach.
Closed beta means not open to the public, open beta = open to public
Throne and liberty was a closed beta required you to sign up and have a key for it.
Open beta does not mean free beta.
Edit*
To add to this Open beta being linked to often being free is a fair judgement based on the fact its for marketing and stress testing. So you want the maximum amount of people so that can often be the case. As that technical testing is important to make sure your launch doesn't have huge errors.
Second edit*
Not really going to argue if they will have a free one more not for AoC, that depends on them and how successful they see their product being. Testing for worse case scenario can only be a benefit and something they can do in waves in a controlled environment.
Worse case is palworld with no testing and major issues and server wipes
I'm referencing games and how it works as examples...It means you were not able to play the throne and liberty testing unless you were selected because it is a closed test. If it was a open one anyone in the public would have been able to have access to it.
If you have no direct way to gain access to a test and need to be given a code from a player or a sign up as they are not letting everyone into the beta. That means it is a closed testing.
That is not true you are just saying that. The term open means public, closed means not everyone has access. That is how it works.
Closed test are often free so there is no actual link there. I don't remember paying money to test Wayfinder nor once human both which were closed test. Nor did my friend pay for Throne and liberty closed test. That may be the definition you want from it for your point but that is not actually how it works lmao.
I can use the same logic when people sign up for a closed beta their expectation is its free.
My main point, we've heard no word of open beta testing for the main release. Even though Intrepid have already laid out their plan for testing.
They have also used the term "open beta" for APOC and there it meant "access for free", so take that for whatever its worth.
https://web.archive.org/web/20201112004135/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/332437/Ashes_of_Creation_Apocalypse_Launches_December_18_nbsp.php