Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
Alpha Two Realms are now unlocked for Phase II testing!
For our initial launch, testing will begin on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 AM Pacific and continue uninterrupted until Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10 AM Pacific. After January 6th, we’ll transition to a schedule of five-day-per-week access for the remainder of Phase II.
You can download the game launcher here and we encourage you to join us on our for the most up to date testing news.
pay to win headstart
Chicago
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
i came across a video the other day stating that early backers will either have a 1 or 2 day head start before servers launch? i am fine with intrepid selling monthly cosmetics and anything that doesn't actually affect gameplay but this in my opinion is straight pay to win? i cant find any other information on it is anyone able to confirm this or hopefully i am wrong jaja
0
Comments
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Head_start
I was wrong
Early access was limited to everyone who purchased the founder pack (or above) during the Kickstarter or summer crowd funding campaign. The current packs in the shop don't grant access to the head start servers anymore. Last we've been told is that the early access starts 1-2 days before launch for everyone eligible.
The only people who get Headstart are the Kickstarter Backers. No other customers get Headstart.
Before upgrades, there were 3,285 Kickstarter Backers who have 2 day head start, and an additional 4,698 backers who have 1 day head start.
There will be 1 or 2 Head start servers per region (NA/EU/OCE). Having head start doesn't allow you to go to any server, just one of the designated head start servers.
So while it is P2W (its an advantage you paid for) it won't affect the overall game as it will be limited to specific servers.
Looks good to me.
At best it can be considered an advantage imo. Sure being able to start 1-2 days before everyone else will make a difference depending on the time one commits during this headstart. But what you can actually do during that time can hardly be considered "winning". You cannot establish a Node beyond Lv 3 (source: Wiki; chapter "Node advancement") according to current information, which means a small group with a headstart can possibly start out with one mayor in place by the time of the "public" start. They can however not maintain that position in any other way as the "late players"; they have no access to unique content that will be unavailable to them and they won't be given anything that within the game system grants them a distinct advantage.
But I get it. I won't be going on a headstart server either, I want to be there when the land is still untouched.
Same. I suspect the vast majority will want to start on a fresh server that doesn't have HS players. It will be interesting to see if the HS servers manage to thrive after launch, or if they are avoided by new players and suffer from under-population.
The tiny amount of xp and low level mats will have zero effect after a year.
As @bloodprophet said, there won't be any difference after a few days ... other than the overreaction and speculation ahead of launch.
Happens every new MMO.
nodes are so deactivated which seems to be a factor for progression since the mobs level up with node progression to a degree so they might even be level locked to a degree if there no high level mobs due to this however were not sure how much oof an impact mobs levels have around nodes atm.
i guess the biggest thing for headstart would be starting a gold grind to try and secure a house in a node when it levels up early on but again you can just not join a headstart server to avoid that
the only big thing i see is getting headstart on gold to buy a node property cause if u get in early and the node advances up your property gets bigger and bigger howerver it also a bit of a gamble too since ur node might not hot level 5+ for the mansions and things
Another overreaction.
Nodes could be destroyed and rise again as frequently as once a month (doesn't always happen, but could happen). Nodes can also suffer from atrophy if mismanaged.
Over time, however, players will have many opportunities to get enough gold to obtain housing.
If getting the "first house" is important to you, that's a great goal.
But, that doesn't lock everyone else out in the future.
I guess they will pick up numbers after the first days or weeks as by then it won't matter anymore where you start.
This.
Well im not saying it draws a line im just saying stating a game will have 0 pay to win features whilst having pay to win features is concerning
I'm not concerned anymore because the head start wont be for all servers. also, the node and housing system will be disabled. i don't expect those players to gain a huge leveling advantage, since leveling in aoc will be completely dependant on node progression. something along the lines of being level 10-15 and still fighting level 1 mobs
Will I join a HS server? yeah.. for 1 day.. guess what, most of my guildies dont have HS and will be rolling in a non-HS server.
So there are plenty of 1-2 day headstarters who will ultimately go into a NON-HS server to stick with the guilds.
Most of these current Alpha Guilds arent even Kickstarters and wont have Headstart options...
Being able to make that decision just by itself to me makes it not P2W. The "advantage" you gain from the head start becomes completely irrelevant just by switching to a server to where it does not apply. It is not a continues advantage by any stretch.
Okay then let's take a look a the definition(s) of P2W and also look at the currently available information regarding the true scope of what we are talking about here:
(Edit - as I now looked at the Wiki myself I honestly can't be bothered to check out definitions for Pay-To-Win anymore, I think the argument falls apart just by looking at the Wiki.)
First let's go to the Wiki and see what we can gather about headstarts. From the Wiki: "The number of head start servers is estimated to be three. This is subject to change."
Taking the expectation that we might get 1mio players in Europe and North America each and assuming that we get 3 head start servers for each zones that would affect 6 (3%) of all 200 servers to begin with. Of course we would need to wait for number like total Alpha 2 and Beta sales to accurately gauge the number of total players but you get the idea. It would also be interesting to find out how many people actually could have this headstart. Around 19'600 players Kickstarter backers (source). So if they evenly distribute over 3 servers they make up less than 50% of the population meaning with enough dedication other players will be able to revert every decision these people have made. And that's only assuming that for once every backer is still interested in this game at launch and everyone is playing an equal amount of time. And I have a feeling that a lot of hardcore gamers who did not have the funding to fund this on Kickstarter would like a challenge like this.
And probably the most important note on the topic I found on the wiki is this:
The game functionality is limited during the head start period so that players cannot decide the world-scape earlier than others.
During the head start, the node system will be deactivated.
The core mechanic of the game cannot be accessed during the head start. The main source for quests, story progressing, zone development, POI discovery & expansion, solidifying political power is simply not there.
Any level advantage one can gain would have to come from basically grinding. Which is a HUGE slow down on all aspects of character progression.
Basically with just this information the worry of this being P2W should be gone from your mind, @Chicago