Pre-Alpha: Aug 13, 2023

Adamantine

https://forums.mmorpg.com/discussion/501793/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen-outlines-august-testing-and-q-a-schedules-mmorpg-com

Whow.

Those who have access to pre-alpha get to finally play the game.

Adamantine

Thats $750 by the way:

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/pledge/

Sovrath

Adamantine said:

Thats $750 by the way:

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/pledge/

If you give $750 to the game's development why wouldn't you get access of some type?

Dattelis

I feel like this was in 'pre-alpha' before covid

Kumapon

Dattelis said:

I feel like this was in 'pre-alpha' before covid

It's been in pre-alpha since 2017. 

Slapshot1188

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

Adamantine

Sovrath said:

Adamantine said:

Thats $750 by the way:

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/pledge/

If you give $750 to the game's development why wouldn't you get access of some type?

Wait, what ?

Where did I suggest anything of the sort ?

I literally just gave you extra information, for context.

I didnt tell you you should pay that neither did I claim I would have paid that.

Adamantine

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

Scot

Adamantine said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

I remember Chris Roberts using the term "on paper" for the earliest stages of SC development, but that may have been "on parchment" actually.

Slapshot1188

Adamantine said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

Actually there literally is.  Pre-Alpha means… before Alpha.  Thus everything before Alpha.

Kyleran

Slapshot1188 said:

Adamantine said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

Actually there literally is.  Pre-Alpha means… before Alpha.  Thus everything before Alpha.

I think in the Bible they call that Genesis.

olepi

Slapshot1188 said:

Adamantine said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

Actually there literally is.  Pre-Alpha means… before Alpha.  Thus everything before Alpha.

In actual software terms, pre-alpha, alpha, and beta have actual meanings.

Unit test is what happens before alpha. Make sure people can log in, access their items in the database, the client is working, save game is working, etc. Once these pieces are tested, they are put together into the first .... ALPHA.

Alpha is not expected to really work, it is the first time all the pieces that passed unit testing have been put together into the whole product. Alpha is usually short, after you fix the basic bugs you progress into ... beta.

Beta is when the whole thing has been put together, the pieces passed their tests, the first alpha has been run, and you mostly expect the product to work. In the chip industry, beta design software still cannot legally be used in production work. Beta has a real meaning.

In the game industry, these terms have been hollowed out, and really mean nothing now. My experience is with the chip industry CAD software, where each copy costs $100,000 at least, and alpha, beta, and production have real and legal meanings,.

Slapshot1188

olepi said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Adamantine said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

Actually there literally is.  Pre-Alpha means… before Alpha.  Thus everything before Alpha.

In actual software terms, pre-alpha, alpha, and beta have actual meanings.

Unit test is what happens before alpha. Make sure people can log in, access their items in the database, the client is working, save game is working, etc. Once these pieces are tested, they are put together into the first .... ALPHA.

Alpha is not expected to really work, it is the first time all the pieces that passed unit testing have been put together into the whole product. Alpha is usually short, after you fix the basic bugs you progress into ... beta.

Beta is when the whole thing has been put together, the pieces passed their tests, the first alpha has been run, and you mostly expect the product to work. In the chip industry, beta design software still cannot legally be used in production work. Beta has a real meaning.

In the game industry, these terms have been hollowed out, and really mean nothing now. My experience is with the chip industry CAD software, where each copy costs $100,000 at least, and alpha, beta, and production have real and legal meanings,.

No matter what you want to call it.  PRE means before.  So Pre-Alpha means Before Alpha.

So, folks can argue about what Alpha means, but I have never heard someone argue that PRE does not mean before...

ValdemarJ

Who cares about dev terms.

Will it be a true MMORPG? As in not like the fake ones that claim to be MMORPGs, but aren't.

Sovrath

ValdemarJ said:

Who cares about dev terms.

Will it be a true MMORPG? As in not like the fake ones that claim to be MMORPGs, but aren't.

It's supposed to have more focus on grouping if that's what you mean.

Kyleran

Sovrath said:

ValdemarJ said:

Who cares about dev terms.

Will it be a true MMORPG? As in not like the fake ones that claim to be MMORPGs, but aren't.

It's supposed to have more focus on grouping if that's what you mean.

For better or worse.

Kumapon

Just an update


VR is changing the art direction.  They are changing to a WOW cartoony art style. By doing this, it will probably set them back another decade...lol

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/_2023/august/

Theocritus

WHen I hear the words "pre-alpha" I think of someone sitting at a table brainstorming ideas.....It shouldnt be a term used for a game that people are trying to play...I thought alpha pretty much covered that the game is nowhere near ready?

Sovrath

Kumapon said:

Just an update


VR is changing the art direction.  They are changing to a WOW cartoony art style. By doing this, it will probably set them back another decade...lol

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/_2023/august/

I ... I ... I just can't.

ValdemarJ

Sovrath said:

ValdemarJ said:

Who cares about dev terms.

Will it be a true MMORPG? As in not like the fake ones that claim to be MMORPGs, but aren't.

It's supposed to have more focus on grouping if that's what you mean.

It's possible I was

a little and am not prepared to seriously answer the ridiculous question I posed.

Kyleran

There is a big "Pantheon Art reveal event" tomorrow on YouTube. Whoo hoo, party hats and streamers for all. 

This Thursday, September 21st at 6PM PDT (-7 GMT) we will be sharing the updated Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen art via YouTube. Join the community and dev team for a video premiere watch party and be one of the first to see the unique style that our art team is bringing to the game. 

We hope to see you all there.

https://www.youtube.com/c/PantheonRiseoftheFallen 

Nilden

Sovrath said:

Kumapon said:

Just an update


VR is changing the art direction.  They are changing to a WOW cartoony art style. By doing this, it will probably set them back another decade...lol

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/_2023/august/

I ... I ... I just can't.

Really looks like some serious progress there...

• Concept art for the Fire beetle completed
• Concept art for the Skeleton completed
• Concept art for the Hornet completed
• Concept art for the Bear completed
• Concept art for the Boar completed
• Concept art for the Fox completed

Scot

Sovrath said:

Kumapon said:

Just an update


VR is changing the art direction.  They are changing to a WOW cartoony art style. By doing this, it will probably set them back another decade...lol

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/_2023/august/

I ... I ... I just can't.

This could be a show stopper for me, the graphics were fine before but too cartoony just turns me off. It will be what five to ten years before launch anyway mind you. 

Slapshot1188

Scot said:

Sovrath said:

Kumapon said:

Just an update


VR is changing the art direction.  They are changing to a WOW cartoony art style. By doing this, it will probably set them back another decade...lol

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/_2023/august/

I ... I ... I just can't.

This could be a show stopper for me, the graphics were fine before but too cartoony just turns me off. It will be what five to ten years before launch anyway mind you. 

The only art type I really cannot get into are pixel like Minecraft and over the top anime style.  I can deal with cartoony or realistic.  I just need the animations to look right.

Sovrath

Scot said:

Sovrath said:

Kumapon said:

Just an update


VR is changing the art direction.  They are changing to a WOW cartoony art style. By doing this, it will probably set them back another decade...lol

https://www.pantheonmmo.com/newsletter/_2023/august/

I ... I ... I just can't.

This could be a show stopper for me, the graphics were fine before but too cartoony just turns me off. It will be what five to ten years before launch anyway mind you. 

If it really does lean more towards the whimsical world of Warcraft style I might be out.

It’s difficult for me to be engaged with games like that.

olepi

Slapshot1188 said:

olepi said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Adamantine said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Isn’t every game always in pre-alpha until it reaches Alpha?  Like, literally right after the first line of code it’s pre-alpha 

There is no universal definition of such terms.

Actually there literally is.  Pre-Alpha means… before Alpha.  Thus everything before Alpha.

In actual software terms, pre-alpha, alpha, and beta have actual meanings.

Unit test is what happens before alpha. Make sure people can log in, access their items in the database, the client is working, save game is working, etc. Once these pieces are tested, they are put together into the first .... ALPHA.

Alpha is not expected to really work, it is the first time all the pieces that passed unit testing have been put together into the whole product. Alpha is usually short, after you fix the basic bugs you progress into ... beta.

Beta is when the whole thing has been put together, the pieces passed their tests, the first alpha has been run, and you mostly expect the product to work. In the chip industry, beta design software still cannot legally be used in production work. Beta has a real meaning.

In the game industry, these terms have been hollowed out, and really mean nothing now. My experience is with the chip industry CAD software, where each copy costs $100,000 at least, and alpha, beta, and production have real and legal meanings,.

No matter what you want to call it.  PRE means before.  So Pre-Alpha means Before Alpha.

So, folks can argue about what Alpha means, but I have never heard someone argue that PRE does not mean before...

Right, as I posted, pre-alpha is before alpha, and what is before alpha? Unit test.

That's where each part is tested independently. So you test the database and make sure it works with no race conditions and is fast enough. Test the login server, the graphic drivers, etc. Once each part passes, you put it all together for the first time to get ... alpha.

A game in pre-alpha would have just some of the basic mechanisms in place, and those may or may not work. They are being tested. The rest of the game is still in pieces being tested.