Release Date: Sooner or Later?

[HELLFISH88]

So given the ever intensifying excitement around Planetside 2 we are all confronted with a vexing problem: Do we contain our excitement and give Game development the time it need's to release a balanced and polished product or should we ride the wave of enthusiasm and try too launch the game as soon as possible?

I for one would be willing to wait up to a year for a refined product. We've waited this long and I would rather give it a bit more time to guarantee that we are not disappointed.

Opinions?

[Bags]

How about they rush it and put out a balanced and polished product?

[Surge72]

While I would love a polished and refined product, I don't think I'd be able to hold out a year with as much excitement and enthusiasm as I do.

[Bags]

Heh, yeah I really hope it's out by summer next year, as I'll be starting my 4th year and hopefully have an internship at the same time. No time for planetside then.

[HELLFISH88]

Summer seem's like a great release time assuming they have put as much time and effort into the game as it appear's they have. Both Summer and Winter primo release season's so it may end up being determined by when our competition ship's.

[LordReaver]

I think it should ship when it's done.

[Bags]

If they release beta reasonably soon they can take as long as they want to develop it.

[HELLFISH88]

SHHHHH! If you say the B Word too much you may wake up Tramell Isaac. I don't feel like getting choked out.

[Bags]

Originally Posted by HELLFISH88

SHHHHH! If you say the B Word too much you may wake up Tramell Isaac. I don't feel like getting choked out.

Good. Why is he sleeping when he could be working on PS2?

[Traak]

The later the better. By that time I will have a gigantic multi-monitor setup, a place to stay, a car, a life, and be ready to rock.

[Hamma]

I voted later, I'd much rather have a more refined polished product. And for SOE's sake I think they need to focus on later.

[Desoxy]

I also voted later because in this day and age your launch needs to flawless: Just look at Brink, it may be in a playable state now, but the majority of players already moved on and will probably never look back..

In my opinion they should start a beta (or even an alpha, who needs all features implemented anyway?) as soon as it is feasible in order to avoid things like BFRs that sound good on paper but simply are not fun in these large scale battles (I doubt their QA department is big enough, maybe I am mistaken though).

BUT they have to include the right kind of players in beta: People who know that "beta" means "testing the product in its rough and edgy state and giving feedback" and not "WOW, I GET TO PLAY BEFORE ANYONE ELSE!!!" (aka seeing the beta as an early demo). Maybe they should do a "preorder gets you into beta" thing, those usually work well. Plus you get to see things falling into place, which is usually quite interesting on its own.

[Death2All]

Originally Posted by Hamma

I voted later, I'd much rather have a more refined polished product. And for SOE's sake I think they need to focus on later.

I agree. As bad as I want to play it right now, I'd rather them take their time and release a quality product with a miniscule amount of bugs rather than them rush it out only for it to be a horrible mess.

[Lonehunter]

I'd like to see Beta by the time Battlefield 3 comes out. Of all the FPSs claiming to have "Massive" battles, Battlefield get's the most attention. It'd be nice to open their eyes to what massive truly means.
So as long as we get Beta this year, they can take their time finishing the game.

[kaffis]

Originally Posted by Lonehunter187

I'd like to see Beta by the time Battlefield 3 comes out. Of all the FPSs claiming to have "Massive" battles, Battlefield get's the most attention. It'd be nice to open their eyes to what massive truly means.
So as long as we get Beta this year, they can take their time finishing the game.

This is kind of how I'm feeling. Beta's a good opportunity to steal some thunder from BF3 without risking sales. It's the chance to say "you call that massive?" without going directly up against it without making it a hard deadline.