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Official Open Beta Letter - Product Director
ProfRed
Member UncommonPosts: 3,495
Hi everyone, as you can see we have made the big announcement you have all been waiting for today. We naturally see a lot of questions popping up, and I won’t even attempt to answer them all here. We will however try to go through the major ones so you may understand our reasoning, and hopefully get the details you need at this point.
First of all Fileplanet has posted a FAQ on their site where some basic questions are replied. You can find that here.
They will update this FAQ in the days to come as more questions pop up.
The registration to sign-up is now live, and you can find it here.
So, on to the meat of this somewhat lengthy article, read or delete at your pleasure:
WTF, only level 13 / SMART move on the level cap (pick a variant)
We have on purpose chosen to cap the Open Beta at level 13. As someone points out it is a quest junction in the game for the Destiny quests. It is however far enough to give you many (many) hours of entertainment, while giving access to both solo and group gameplay. How many hours is a bit up to you, and how many characters you create. If you are smart about it and team up (which we all know you will ;-P) you will also be able to access content for a tad higher levels. As you move into some quests which demands a certain level that will be the end of the experience. For now.
For those of you who are disappointed about the level cap; at Funcom we have always seen Beta PRIMARILY as a tool for development, a beta is there to test the game so it is as good as possible when we launch. Perhaps you have seen other solutions by other MMO games in the past, but by doing it this way we are able to test all we need, while hopefully also ensuring you get a great taste of all the new aspects we bring to the genre. As you can make several characters you can test out a lot before we launch, perhaps even making up your mind on your primary. This also means we get a focused testing on where we know the major load will come when we launch, which is at the instances running the start. Oh, for those of you wondering, when beta ends your character dies, and once we launch you will need to start a new.
Paying for Open Beta?!?!
The way Fileplanet works means that you will have to eventually pay, yes. This is not something we control, but please be aware that distributing, organizing and preparing such an activity is something extremely few gaming sites can cope with. I am not sure how well versed you are in the cost of internet downloads or what it takes to set things like this up, but I assure you, the Conan beta has a definitive cost for Fileplanet as well. Not just for the Peta byte of data going out, but for setting this whole thing up. When we started to look for a partner for Open Beta we didn’t have to think even twice, as IGN / Fileplanet are the best ones in the world on that. Simple as that. Extremely few companies are able to host and arrange something like this on the scale they do it. For us, to know that our partner can be fully trusted on everything from customer service to download speeds, was of the essence. Why we didn’t do it all ourselves? We have up until this point, tens of thousands have been selected, and we for sure will to a greater degree some weeks from now. But…as we move into final push we need final push attention too. Simple as that.
I know you will continue to discuss this aspect of it as we move on, and some of you are / will even be angry about it. Please, don’t be, this is a BETA, it is for TESTING Age of Conan BEFORE the LAUNCH. You do not have to sign up for this, it is voluntary. There is no god given right that everyone who wants should get access to a beta, remember that we are only trying to make the best possible game for launch, and the best partner we could find for that part of the Beta was Fileplanet. Age of Conan doesn’t start 1st of May, it starts when we launch. I hope I don’t come across as harsh here, we do love you guys and girls (group hug everyone) but please also understand our choices.
Will there be an NDA?
We might keep it up a bit to let the main stresstest rush go by, but it will be lifted way before we launch. Soon everyone can talk about what they are playing instead of what they think they will be playing. We really look forward to this of course! This marks the start of a new chapter for us, and you all, we are now soon moving into live services! Soon everyone 
When will I get my keys and know if I am selected?
You will get a notification from Fileplanet next week, but you are able to register your email and get notification when you can sign-up next week. This does not require a Fileplanet membership. After that point in time it is a FIRST COME – FIRST SERVE rush to get keys (this is a normal way for Fileplanet to do it btw). The client downloads will go in batches though. To stagger the load this will need to be a bit staged as our MASSIVE download is a challenge for any network. This is done to ensure best possible download speeds
Is it available for everyone?
Yes, people from all over the world can sign up. Just last month we had people from a whopping 191 countries who visited the Age of Conan site, so of course we worked with Fileplanet on making it global. It will play towards US datacenters though. We are now moving into launch universes for our server parks, and this means that for this test other gamers will play on US ping times.
Only 50.000 players?
Only?!! Yes, it is what we need to stress test this part of the beta. Please understand; this will give us the data we need to move to launch. It is a small premiere for us if you like. At the same time it allows us to check strain over numerous servers, while at the same time giving us enough time to scale and fix for launch set-up.
Will general beta go on?
Yes, general beta will go on at different universe (Euro server parks). If you have already signed up through our own beta pages you might still have a chance of being picked, even though the chance is getting a tad slimmer as you may understand. We are soon launching though!
What about all the other questions?
This hopefully answered some of the most important ones, and our forum addiction means we will follow upcoming topics as well.
I hope that those of you who want to will get a spot in the beta, and that you will all have great fun when you get there. You have been amazing and waited for us and now everything moves into final stage. You have been part of the same rollercoaster we have been through, but this is it! Open Beta! Then launch!! Even though I know many of you would have wished for “complete, open, every single one being able to play for weeks for free, for as many levels as possible Beta” (TM); if you think about it, really think about it, and if you were working in Funcom, I am sure you would have agreed we have made the best approach. We chose this way because it is the best course of action to prepare for launch, and that is after all the goal of any beta.
WTF, what a lot of marketing “#¤¤#%
It’s the truth, hopefully you will understand our choices. This is a major hallmark in the development history of Age of Conan, and actually, it is great fantastic news. Isn’t it? Should some of you still be angry when you do get to enter the game; do like me, vent some steam by chopping of a few Pict heads
Have a great night everyone, hope to see you in Hyboria soon
Best regards
Jørgen Tharaldsen
Product Director
Comments
Jon, please sticky this thread!!!!!
Fear not fanbois, we are not trolls, let's take off your tin foil hat and learn what VAPORWARE is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware
"Vaporware is a term used to describe a software or hardware product that is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge after having well exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar product."
Maybe a silly question but will ask anyway,After you pay for the OB D/L(if your lucky to get in)would you still have to pay for the pre-order D/L on top of this?
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
The only thing I am left wondering is, what about torrenting?
Anarchy Online offers 9 diffrent 3rd party download sites, and a torrent. Would spread the load, just would need Funcom to do their own account creation system, and cd-key give out. I dunno, just doesn't seem like that was the only option, just the simpliest, and I am sure someone is still making a profit :P
I am not a doomsayer, but there are some things I have to question. I will still be playing at launch, and may even do the head start, if I ever get my pre-order keys from gamestop.
Will there be an NDA?
We might keep it up a bit to let the main stresstest rush go by, but it will be lifted way before we launch. Soon everyone can talk about what they are playing instead of what they think they will be playing. We really look forward to this of course! This marks the start of a new chapter for us, and you all, we are now soon moving into live services! Soon everyone
There it is......been looking for that. TY. 50k people under the NDA at least to begin with. He clearly states it will be lifted way before launch however.
I was incorrectly thinking that Funcom was going to launch without lifting it.....good to hear.
~Hairysun~
http://www.straightdope.com/
Also, judging from what you can actually test. What you will be downloading from FP might not be the complete client. In fact, I highly doubt it.
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
Also, judging from what you can actually test. What you will be downloading from FP might not be the complete client. In fact, I highly doubt it.
Ty m8,just as I thought,not that I am skimping on cash but it does seem some ppl are indeed milking the cow for every penny.Anyway I will be there on the 23rd and ready to go.
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
Hairy,
The next evolution of MMORPGs will them launching games with the NDA still intact. Talk about the game and they ban your account. Give it time. I'm sure it will happen
LOL
Fear not fanbois, we are not trolls, let's take off your tin foil hat and learn what VAPORWARE is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware
"Vaporware is a term used to describe a software or hardware product that is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge after having well exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar product."
I would like to know what his definition of WAY BEFORE LAUNCH is. WAY before launch has already passed imo.
Way before launch as in not the day before,expect it maybe 2 wekks before,I mean come on does it matter so many posts about if there will be open beta or they will drop the nda,they are doing both and still ppl not happy*sigh*
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
Hairy,
The next evolution of MMORPGs will them launching games with the NDA still intact. Talk about the game and they ban your account. Give it time. I'm sure it will happen
LOL
Yep yep.....even this place has been deleting my posts about the NDA and slapping my hand with their ruler.1st Rule about AoC NDA ........ *OUCH!!! *pulls hand away from keyboard very quickly
~Hairysun~
http://www.straightdope.com/
LMAO... Hairysun's PC/keyboard is bugged with an electrical shock adaptor and regardless of what website he tries to type anything about AoC, BZZZTTTTT, he gets a jolt of electricity.
Poor Hairysun...
Fear not fanbois, we are not trolls, let's take off your tin foil hat and learn what VAPORWARE is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware
"Vaporware is a term used to describe a software or hardware product that is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge after having well exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar product."
The problem with torrents is it allows access to the client from those who are not in the beta. It provides an advanced look at the code for the hackers, keyloggers,etc. to tinker with before release, plus add things into the torrent themselves.
Gamespot has already done this crap by making torrents out of the PvP weekend client ( which considering its size probably contains alot of the finished games code, whether it's accessible by players or not).
Just in case readers missed it.
LIKE ARAGORN...
Will there be an NDA?
We might keep it up a bit to let the main stresstest rush go by, but it will be lifted way before we launch. Soon everyone can talk about what they are playing instead of what they think they will be playing. We really look forward to this of course! This marks the start of a new chapter for us, and you all, we are now soon moving into live services! Soon everyone
Sit and swivel?? I think so trolls
Once more for emphasis. Make sure to read the bold parts.
:-(