How long will the beta be?

[feuerdog]

I would think that SOE would want to get the game ready for the holiday season, but that may be too soon.

The core mechanics will be fairly stablized from the tech test I'd hope, but there are still tons of things to test and balance.

There will still be core mechanics issues that will pop-up.
There will be alot more testing and polishing on the server side as the numbers of players saturate the beta.
There will be plenty of technical issues as people with older, newer, and different PC configurations enter the beta.
The sheer number of beta players involved in the next few days will highlight a bunch of issues that have not been present yet, or somehow overlooked.
They want 3 continents worth of content ready for release and I don't think anyone seen any real testing on the other continents.
After all that is sorted, there will still be issues related to basic game balance to adjust. Weapons, vehicles, certs, controls, interfaces, resources, timers, speeds, etc, etc.

My guess,....we are looking at a 1st quarter 2013 release at the earliest.

BUT, it all depends on how well the beta testing progresses. I'm pretty sure there is some wiggle room involved with projected release dates and the finalization processes.

[igster]

Agree with the posts about it being a longer beta period than the other games mentioned.

We should thank the devs that we are going to get our hands on the game really early. They have been working their socks off.

A bit too much expectation is being put on the beta with people saying stuff like they want to take a week off to play it.
- It's not the release
- The servers won't be up 24/7
- There are likely to be very rough edges and big old hairy bugs
- There will be major features not in the game
- There will be character wipes and server crashes
- Balance will be off

We should not be seeing it as a release of the game and the end of PS1 but we should see it as a chance to provide loads of feedback to make the game absolutely awesome when it really does come to being released.
- We will get to see for real how much amazing work has been done so far
- How the devs have looked to make changes to the gameplay and whether they are working
- Constructive criticism should be given (feedback will drive the improvements)
- We'll start to get much better feedback on the gameplay elements now full outfit squads will be in the beta now (<<< This is the biggest thing about the beta imo)

The tech test software and the beta software will be almost the same version.. development rarely has multiple 'branches' and with the number of bug fixes and improvements the devs will be making I expect that the last tech test build and the beta build they let people into tonight is likely to be the same version if the last tech test build was stable and didnt crash a lot.

(The last thing they would want to do is to change the software a lot and let a lot of people into the beta at the same time)


Looking forward to seeing you all in the beta tonight!!!
VS Werner R gonna rock the beta!!
/excited!!

[AlexCool]

2 months ... surely

[frunction]

When you can buy HATS

[wasdie]

As long as it needs to be.

Unlike a retail game, they can start making money off of the game in beta with the cash shop. The launch of a F2P game is very ambiguous.

Once it hits open beta, it's pretty much released.

[Valtasar]

But how many people will be able yo participate in the closrd beta?

[SavageB]

I can see the beta lasting for a long time.

[Astrok]

Originally Posted by Valtasar

But how many people will be able yo participate in the closrd beta?

it gos as followed.

1.subbed ps1 players.
2.players that ever had a sub for ps1
3.people with pcgamer/twitter keys
4.everyone that signed up for beta

so in short everyone that pressed the sign up for beta will get in .

[Salad Snake]

Originally Posted by Astrok

so in short everyone that pressed the sign up for beta will get in .

Heh, well that was the answer I was looking for most. Don't mind waiting a while though considering there's a lot of real work to be done by the devs AND testers when we get in. Having been in a closed beta before I hold no illusions that this is a glorified demo like BF3.

[Baneblade]

Beta will be as short as possible. There is no money in Beta.

[Snipefrag]

Beta will be for a long time, 4, 5 or 6 months. They want three continents (only 1 is anywhere near ready), certs, command structure, a solid framework, cash shop.. loads of other stuff which is nowhere near ready. Don't set yourselves up to be disappointed by expecting it this side of Christmas. Let them take their time, work with them in beta and make the game as good as possible for release.

[megamold]

Originally Posted by Snipefrag

Beta will be for a long time, 4, 5 or 6 months. They want three continents (only 1 is anywhere near ready), certs, command structure, a solid framework, cash shop.. loads of other stuff which is nowhere near ready. Don't set yourselves up to be disappointed by expecting it this side of Christmas. Let them take their time, work with them in beta and make the game as good as possible for release.

i could be wrong here , but i tought esamir was pretty much ready also ?

i think they want to give us 2 cont's for beta ( indar and esamir ) and keep the 3rd one for when they decide to launch.

[Piper]

Originally Posted by megamold

i think they want to give us 2 cont's for beta ( indar and esamir ) and keep the 3rd one for when they decide to launch.

Be surprised if they didn't get all three into beta at some point, they'd like people crawling over every last square inch looking for geometry/sticking bugs if nothing else I'd imagine.

[Snipefrag]

Originally Posted by megamold

i could be wrong here , but i tought esamir was pretty much ready also ?

i think they want to give us 2 cont's for beta ( indar and esamir ) and keep the 3rd one for when they decide to launch.

I might be wrong but I believe Amerish is coming first and then Esamir. They will have to thoroughly play test each continent if they want 3 for release, that will have to happen in beta. The only thing i have to base my judgement that they arn't near ready is we haven't seen any ingame shots of either of those continents.. or even any indication from the devs that they are coming anytime soon.

[megamold]

Originally Posted by Piper

Be surprised if they didn't get all three into beta at some point, they'd like people crawling over every last square inch looking for geometry/sticking bugs if nothing else I'd imagine.

i dont think so actually since we know for a fact lots more continent are coming after the first 3, i doubt they will do a beta for every new cont they decide to release.

and some small map errors are not that damaging to the game as say a CTD bug or something like that.

but we will see soon enough i geuss