I don't know. Perhaps it's me, but I fail to see the point of the crying, bashing and moaning going on.
Some of you guys act like spoiled children. Geez...
Truth is, you just want to play for FREE. Yes, it's true. You don't actually want to beta test anything, nor help the company in any way. You simply want to play a game for free. So you come onto the boards to cry foul.
Listen carefully. You don't have to play in the beta even if invited. You don't have to download anything from anywhere if you wish not to. You don't have to pay extra for anything unless you choose to do so.
Also, you really don't need to whine like a 7 year old whose mother told him he couldn't have dessert after dinner.
I pre-ordered AOC, like I do most of the MMO's coming out. I prefer to have it shipped to my office. That usually entitles me to "early access" and other goodies. However, I could care less about getting to play the game early. What am I, a 7 year old without patience?
I don't want to be hassled downloading HUGE files for current games. It just isn't worth the effort and time.
Guess what? I'll wait until I have my game CD's and install at that time. Then, I'll login and hopefully enjoy a wonderful game.
See now, isn't that easy? Now go eat your dinner or you'll get no dessert!
If you for some reason feel entitled to bash AoC to promote some other game, so be it. But please, do not insult my intelligence in the process. Everyone who played MMOs before knows the Gold version pressed on DVD is not what you'll play on release day.
If that definition were true, every MMO out there would not have upheld the standards of this definition per-se. None of the hugely successful ones either.
Can you think of any other mmos where the open beta occured after it went gold? Every one I've ever participated in an open beta for (several), I'm pretty sure had them in the same order. I dont have the willingness to research every single out there, so if there is one, let me know. But the ones I've been in have been that way. So they do stay true to the definition. So I really don't see the need to bicker over terms. All that accomplishes is trying to make a game look bad, or unfinished before you even play the product released. And I highly disagree about the release version. The release version is what you get to play on release day. Seeing as the version you buy on CD/DVD is going to be patched on release day anyway (as it has been with every MMO I have witnessed in the past), the patched version would be the release version. I wasn't bickering over the terms, I gave a definition and someone decided to argue with me because they didn't like it. You've already admitted yourself that the version being shipped is not the version you will play on release, which means it isn't finished yet. So why exactly do you object to people saying its unfinished if its the truth? You should support people that say the truth, even if it might make a game look bad. This is a simple thing of distribution and production. CD's need to be pressed, packages need to be assembled, but all the while, the development process continues. This is true for every MMO I have witnessed to date. Please give me one MMO that had the "Release-Version" pressed and burned and shipped without any changes to said installlation at release date. None, but i never said there was one. I only said that after gold is no longer beta phase. And from that follows that every patch after gold is a release patch, and not a beta patch. Our differences seem to be that I consider release to be the version imprinted on my disk, and you consider it the version after you've performed some number of patches on it. As you said, every game has patches, many continue to still get patches, so how come you draw the line at a dynamic number of patches on release day, and not say... the patches to fix release problems that came a week down the line? two weeks? a month? Using your version of what constitutes the 'release' version, one could make that argument that we arent ever playing the release version. What if you aren't able to log in at all on release day, and they dont get a working fix that lets you play until a few days in? Its happened before. Does that mean your release version doesn't show up until a few days after release when you can actually log in for the first time? Just a hypothetical. I think your definition is too dynamic, as it can change depending on the circumstances. It also goes against what the definitions mean for non-mmos, which even in the case of a required patch to play for the first time after you've bought it, would still be considered a release patch and not a beta patch. Being an mmo doesn't magically change that. But I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
Waiting for: A skill-based MMO with Freedom and Consequence. Woe to thee, the pierce-ed.
If that definition were true, every MMO out there would not have upheld the standards of this definition per-se. None of the hugely successful ones either.
Can you think of any other mmos where the open beta occured after it went gold? Every one I've ever participated in an open beta for (several), I'm pretty sure had them in the same order. I dont have the willingness to research every single out there, so if there is one, let me know. But the ones I've been in have been that way. So they do stay true to the definition. So I really don't see the need to bicker over terms. All that accomplishes is trying to make a game look bad, or unfinished before you even play the product released. And I highly disagree about the release version. The release version is what you get to play on release day. Seeing as the version you buy on CD/DVD is going to be patched on release day anyway (as it has been with every MMO I have witnessed in the past), the patched version would be the release version. I wasn't bickering over the terms, I gave a definition and someone decided to argue with me because they didn't like it. You've already admitted yourself that the version being shipped is not the version you will play on release, which means it isn't finished yet. So why exactly do you object to people saying its unfinished if its the truth? You should support people that say the truth, even if it might make a game look bad. This is a simple thing of distribution and production. CD's need to be pressed, packages need to be assembled, but all the while, the development process continues. This is true for every MMO I have witnessed to date. Please give me one MMO that had the "Release-Version" pressed and burned and shipped without any changes to said installlation at release date. None, but i never said there was one. I only said that after gold is no longer beta phase. And from that follows that every patch after gold is a release patch, and not a beta patch. Our differences seem to be that I consider release to be the version imprinted on my disk, and you consider it the version after you've performed some number of patches on it. As you said, every game has patches, many continue to still get patches, so how come you draw the line at a dynamic number of patches on release day, and not say... the patches to fix release problems that came a week down the line? two weeks? a month? Using your version of what constitutes the 'release' version, one could make that argument that we arent ever playing the release version. What if you aren't able to log in at all on release day, and they dont get a working fix that lets you play until a few days in? Its happened before. Does that mean your release version doesn't show up until a few days after release when you can actually log in for the first time? Just a hypothetical. I think your definition is too dynamic, as it can change depending on the circumstances. It also goes against what the definitions mean for non-mmos, which even in the case of a required patch to play for the first time after you've bought it, would still be considered a release patch and not a beta patch. Being an mmo doesn't magically change that. But I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
Hmmmm....all right, I suppose we do have to agree to disagree.
The release version, for me, is the version I get to play on the officially launched servers, at the official launch date. Since that more or less requires the game to patch to the server-side version, I take that version as Release versions.
But I can see how you would look at it differently.
Cheers for keeping it civil though. And let's not forget that in the end, we'll both be playing the up-to-date version, regardless of how the patches before that are called.
Beta = unfinished build of a game, bugs and problems still present
Open = open to the public eye, no NDA
Payment and information required are directly related to the developer company. Don't expect an M rated game to have a no registration/ no proof of age of some sort.
Most people confuse open betas (pre launch) with free trials (post launch).
Dont remember who was asking about the Comcast thing...
But, if you subscribe to Comcast Internet, the 8MB package (the standard is 6) thru the Game Invasion package, you are granted membership to the IGN Founders Club, which has the fileplanet memebership. It's about $10-$12 more a month for the service than standard. You can get more info: http://gameinvasion.comcast.net/gameinvasion/
Well the way I see it...many of you will bitch n cry no matter what. Conan is also an M rated game...so obviously it cannot offer an open beta for everyone to try out. So in order to test the game you would hafta require age verification...thus a CC. So then you would go on bitchin that AoC requires age ID to play the beta.
Most ppl who are so mad about this beta just wanna get as much as they can for free. Simple put...it is just beta. Free trials I am sure will be available soon after release...so just wait a bit longer n try it then.
. . . that the promised 'Open Beta' was never delivered? Promised to shutup the critics, and give ammo to the Fan-Boyz. Since AoC has now gone to the manufacturers, what will be provided now is a semi-open Trial. If this is how Funcom views its customer base, then heaven help the early subscribers to this game. Smells a lot like Anarchy Online, and even a bit like V:SoH to me. But, time will tell. Certainly not going to pony up the amount of money they want for the Client before I hear the reviews and opinions of the good folks here at MMORPG as to what state AoC is really in at launch. I think it is 'Buyer Beware' on this one.
Well.. if it went to the manufacturers as you say.. maybe everyone that pre-ordered will get their copy and will get in the open beta
Comments
Grunties,
I so, so, so do agree with that post of yours. Actually made me write my first ever post in om mmorpg.com
All those open MMO Betas, ain't ! ... nuff said, two thumbs up for the post above!
Cheers,
m.R
I don't know. Perhaps it's me, but I fail to see the point of the crying, bashing and moaning going on.
Some of you guys act like spoiled children. Geez...
Truth is, you just want to play for FREE. Yes, it's true. You don't actually want to beta test anything, nor help the company in any way. You simply want to play a game for free. So you come onto the boards to cry foul.
Listen carefully. You don't have to play in the beta even if invited. You don't have to download anything from anywhere if you wish not to. You don't have to pay extra for anything unless you choose to do so.
Also, you really don't need to whine like a 7 year old whose mother told him he couldn't have dessert after dinner.
I pre-ordered AOC, like I do most of the MMO's coming out. I prefer to have it shipped to my office. That usually entitles me to "early access" and other goodies. However, I could care less about getting to play the game early. What am I, a 7 year old without patience?
I don't want to be hassled downloading HUGE files for current games. It just isn't worth the effort and time.
Guess what? I'll wait until I have my game CD's and install at that time. Then, I'll login and hopefully enjoy a wonderful game.
See now, isn't that easy? Now go eat your dinner or you'll get no dessert!
Waiting for: A skill-based MMO with Freedom and Consequence.
Woe to thee, the pierce-ed.
Hmmmm....all right, I suppose we do have to agree to disagree.The release version, for me, is the version I get to play on the officially launched servers, at the official launch date. Since that more or less requires the game to patch to the server-side version, I take that version as Release versions.
But I can see how you would look at it differently.
Cheers for keeping it civil though. And let's not forget that in the end, we'll both be playing the up-to-date version, regardless of how the patches before that are called.
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
Yes, it is true. I do not want to help the company if I have to pay for doing so.
Obviously there are many definitions of an open beta. For me, open means
1.) No payment required in any way (preorder, FilePlanet subscription)
2.) No credit card information required
Looks like I will have to wait for a trial. So be it. I'm still hoping they open it for the public a few days before release.
Beta = unfinished build of a game, bugs and problems still present
Open = open to the public eye, no NDA
Payment and information required are directly related to the developer company. Don't expect an M rated game to have a no registration/ no proof of age of some sort.
Most people confuse open betas (pre launch) with free trials (post launch).
Dont remember who was asking about the Comcast thing...
But, if you subscribe to Comcast Internet, the 8MB package (the standard is 6) thru the Game Invasion package, you are granted membership to the IGN Founders Club, which has the fileplanet memebership. It's about $10-$12 more a month for the service than standard. You can get more info: http://gameinvasion.comcast.net/gameinvasion/
Vendayn 4/21/08 10:46:04 AM
Joined: 12/30/04
Posts: 2278
Now I know AoC must be good; people are trying anything to bring this game down.
Well the way I see it...many of you will bitch n cry no matter what. Conan is also an M rated game...so obviously it cannot offer an open beta for everyone to try out. So in order to test the game you would hafta require age verification...thus a CC. So then you would go on bitchin that AoC requires age ID to play the beta.
Most ppl who are so mad about this beta just wanna get as much as they can for free. Simple put...it is just beta. Free trials I am sure will be available soon after release...so just wait a bit longer n try it then.