10 replies to this topic

[Dificeman]

Well we are a little more then half way through Jan. Any word yet as to a timeframe of when we will see Beta open up?

[Jergis]

-I had hoped this game would be spared any barrage of beta questions as in other games. On the C-O and STO boards it is quickly getting annoying as all get out.

Back to Alganon: No, of course there's no word yet Dificeman, but i am sure we will find out soon. Sit tight and all that, i wouldn't expect to see any Beta action even considered until the summer months. This assumes they are still relatively on track for whatever 2009 release schedule they had planned.

Jergis

[Syndic]

I've been wondering for the last few days whether there has been any information to give on what the most current schedule is. Not that I'm pushing, just haven't seen anything mentioned in the last few months, other than now going to be in 2009. Also are we still looking at a 2009 release and if so I'm guessing here but right at the end of the year?

The reason I ask is that I've been told that a group of friends are looking for something new to play and hoping they don't get too settled into anything else until Alganon can show what it can do.

[Dificeman]

Jergis I don't know about other games as I haven't been keeping up with any but this one. And from past experience if Alganon doesn't go into beta till summer then I sincerely hope it doesn't get released this year. Most games from the past that I have helped to beta test try to rush through beta and push the game out and it ends up with a ton of bugs. With the way QOL seems to be wanting to take their time and get every thing right I would assume they plan to do an extensive beta. Which if the plan is still to release this year is why I asked about any eta on Beta opening.

Sorry but from your wording perhaps you should step back from the forums a bit. You seem a bit touchy on something that has only been asked once for quite some time now.

[Berek]

You have interesting timing, that you should start talking about a beta phase at the time that we start releasing more information about the game and our intentions .

There will be a few tidbits the next couple of weeks, but look soon after as our major push toward releasing content, interviews, and other information about the game. This is going to be an exciting time! I can't wait to start showing you some of this stuff in more detail.

[Jergis]

-Well, i certainly didn't mean to be 'touchy' and i am not looking to be argumentative or mean-spirited in any way, but this question just always surprises me when asked. The developers for a game will enter their Beta phase when ready. And when they do so, they'll post it. So when people ask if there is 'any word' on this sort of thing, and you look at the website and there ain't any word...

...maybe i am a bit pissy from seeing this question posted several times a day in other forums, but it still seems odd to me when people ask the question that way. I, too, look forward to more info on scheduling and all that stuff, but i figure they will let us know when they are ready. Let's hope that is the case.

Good journey to you.

Jergis

[Dificeman]

Ok i can see what your syaing I think. LOL when I asked if there was any word. Well I obviously know that havent stated any info for us yet on it as I keep up with the boards daily. I meant is if they had a timeframe in mind of what they believe will be the beginning of the beta phase.

As I some what stated earlier I prefer a long beta phase so that as many bugs and issues as possible can be found and fixed before release versus a short beta phase which goal is to simply squish major bugs and get the game out to th epublic in a rush for revenue.

I can understand about people steady asking about beta stuff. I use to keep up with many games just havent been the past year. And it is annoying when folks steadily ask and normally it isnt even anywhere close to the time they mention they might be getting ready for beta. However as I previously stated they entioned beta for this year and release. Since we havent heard anything I was just curious if they were still following the same timeline etc.

[Berek]

The same timeline is currently being followed, we haven't changed anything from the last announcement. Still, keep in mind that things may change depending upon current development progress. If there are any major changes, we will be sure to announce them so you are aware of what is upcoming. So far so good though .

[Eric]

I think its also subject to what each game developer considers beta. The beta for WoW, for example, was way different than the beta for Vanguard in terms of polish, bugs, and content.

I hope that QOL will wait until they have a pretty polished beta before going public with it so people don't get turned off because its buggy. The mass playerbase is very unforgiving towards betas even though a beta by its nature will be buggy and incomplete. To 90% of people its a free trial and not a chance to participate and help to make the game better prior to release.

You know what would be an interesting concept...give XP/items/skill bonus to successful/verified bug reports during beta. I don't know of any company that has tried an incentive based approach.

[Syndic]

One thing I must say about beta's and I've been in quite a few is that not many of them make it very clear or easy to actually report bugs.

It should be the first thing to say to players, preferred methods or reporting, have ways of reporting in game. Do like EQ2, have a /bug /feedback and /typo, so simple things like a spelling mistake don't get lodged in with more serious bugs. These things need to be doable from inside the game also. One thing I haven't seen is one that will take item linking, or quest linking so the important details are all filled in for the player, you know the stuff that the developers need like who, what, where then just let the player describe why it's bugged. Anyway I'm sure there are whole realms on betas and bug reporting.

Simply if you want players to report bugs make it simple and intuitive.

[Berek]

We will have ways to report bugs, certainly . We want you to be able to bring to us what you find in the game, or the beta does indeed only become a "preview" instead.