Warhammer Pseudo-schedule

frott · 07-20-2006, 04:12 PM

http://www.warherald.com/news/fullArticle.php?newsid=18

Beta Defined! By: Sanya Thomas 2006-07-14 17:04:08

Here are some handy definitions of what the different phases of beta are. I also provide, for the first time, some extremely vague and tentative dates. Some of you have already won betas, and to spare you the whole "having to read" thing, you are listed as "Early Spring 2007." In theory and indeed in schedule, it may be sooner than that - but I am a bitter, cranky, old community weenie who has been through many betas, and I no longer believe in anything I can't grasp in my withered talons.

Alpha: What we are in now. I made the grievous error of calling it a very early beta, for which I am terminally sorry. I will regret that until I die. Alpha does not have anyone playing who does not draw a paycheck from Mythic.

Double Secret Beta: What we will be in "Soon, TM." That is just beyond alpha, and includes people who draw paychecks from Mythic and our partners. Summer 2006

First Stage of Closed Beta (Beta 1): Sometimes called "Friends and Family," somewhat inaccurately, this is a stage where there is actually a game, but it is not usually very complete or even stable for that matter. People who don't work here are in this stage, but usually fewer than a hundred, and they are nearly all such old, old friends that they are often mistaken for employees. Fall 2006

Beta 1.7, After Things Stop Going Boom Every Day: This is the stage you'll start seeing community testers. People who have tested for Mythic for years, or have been otherwise recommended to us as quality volunteer testers, are starting to be included. There is usually a restriction on how many people get in at this point, and often perfectly wonderful people are left out. TENTATIVE DATE: Early 2007

Beta 2: Still closed and covered under NDA, invitees include prize winners, guilds that win the guild contest, and some members of the print and web media - usually the ones we have relationships with. People who work at GW retail shops are getting in here, and we've got some plans for existing Dark Age of Camelot players to be invited to check out their new sibling. There will be up to a thousand people by the end of Beta 2. TENTATIVE DATE: Early Spring 2007

Beta 3: Closed, NDA. This is where Lady Luck will wave her wand. We will be choosing randomly from the giant pool of people who are subscribed to our newsletter. This phase will have thousands of people invited, possibly as many as ten thousand. TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007

Final Beta: No NDA. Because there is no NDA, people often refer to this as "open beta." But I wanted to be really clear with you guys - we are not planning the kind of open beta where everyone with internet access can download the game and hop in. That's nutty. Right now, we are tentatively considering having everyone who pre-orders the game invited to this phase of beta. This phase will also invite winners from our big media promotions. TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007

Quineloe · 07-20-2006, 04:18 PM

holy shit, I can't believe they wrote it that way.

frott · 07-20-2006, 04:20 PM

Yea, it is refreshing - from video blogs of developers to just straight up candid stuff like this, the strat here is clearly making a personal connection and including people as much as possible (or at least presenting that illusion).

Itzena · 07-20-2006, 04:27 PM

And yet, even with all the disclaimers and tentatives, we all know people will be whining if EA doesn't make any of those deadlines.

Digits · 07-20-2006, 04:45 PM

Take a look at the screenshots if you're bored and want newfound hope for the game/industry ;p

spentmotiff · 07-20-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quineloe

holy shit, I can't believe they wrote it that way.

I like Sanya's writing style as a CM. While I know she's gotten some flak for it in the past for her "take no shit" attitude, those people should have seen her in her Tweety days. /mourn Lum and Tweety.

Quineloe · 07-20-2006, 05:12 PM

wait, isn't that the bowlofmice.com website woman?

Maxxius · 07-20-2006, 05:48 PM

So maybe by Christmas of next year heheh.

turner · 07-20-2006, 05:54 PM

Sigh.... Giving dates is always a bad thing, even more so when they are not reached. I have a feeling those dates will come back to bite them in the ass.

Poor developers.

Mist · 07-20-2006, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spentmotiff

I like Sanya's writing style as a CM. While I know she's gotten some flak for it in the past for her "take no shit" attitude, those people should have seen her in her Tweety days. /mourn Lum and Tweety.

For a couple years she wasn't exactly like that, but since some people at Mythic left, she's gone back to her old self.

Cadrid · 07-20-2006, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turner

Sigh.... Giving dates is always a bad thing, even more so when they are not reached. I have a feeling those dates will come back to bite them in the ass.

Poor developers.

No matter what they do they're going to piss some folks off. Anyone that has an iota of intellect realises that sometimes shit happens that prevents them from meeting a certain milestone on time, but there will be some people that bitch if Final Beta doesn't start until September 1st, if only to bitch about something. The vast majority of the community, however, appreciates knowing what the devs are shooting for so they have some idea of what to expect.

We can only hope that such openness (that word looks fucking weird...) persists through Beta and into the game where intended game mechanics and upcoming content are shared with the playerbase so shit like Shamans, the Warrior Protection Tree, TBC, Paladins, etc. don't plague this game as well.

Lleauaric~EW · 07-20-2006, 06:45 PM

I think the tone is pretty consistant with that of the people of Games Workshop.

If youve played the game they have that "We are all mates at a Pub having a pint and discussing some silly game" vibe. I kind of like it actually a lot better than the usual "Faux Professional Califonia Is it almost quiting time and I can stop pretending to be my Father" tone that most gaming companies put out.

Abalieno · 07-21-2006, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadrid

We can only hope that such openness (that word looks fucking weird...) persists through Beta and into the game where intended game mechanics and upcoming content are shared with the playerbase

Hahahahahhahahhahahhahahahahhahahahahhaha.

You obviously don't know Mythic. Moreover, you don't know EA Mythic.

Mr Element · 07-21-2006, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digits

Take a look at the screenshots if you're bored and want newfound hope for the game/industry ;p

Whats wrong with their website? When I click the screenshots link, it sends me to WoW's screenshots page.

err....

oh wait

Itzena · 07-21-2006, 06:33 AM

Obligatory:

07-20-2006, 04:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
frott Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,392 +0 Internets	Warhammer Pseudo-schedule http://www.warherald.com/news/fullArticle.php?newsid=18 Beta Defined! By: Sanya Thomas 2006-07-14 17:04:08 Here are some handy definitions of what the different phases of beta are. I also provide, for the first time, some extremely vague and tentative dates. Some of you have already won betas, and to spare you the whole "having to read" thing, you are listed as "Early Spring 2007." In theory and indeed in schedule, it may be sooner than that - but I am a bitter, cranky, old community weenie who has been through many betas, and I no longer believe in anything I can't grasp in my withered talons. Alpha: What we are in now. I made the grievous error of calling it a very early beta, for which I am terminally sorry. I will regret that until I die. Alpha does not have anyone playing who does not draw a paycheck from Mythic. Double Secret Beta: What we will be in "Soon, TM." That is just beyond alpha, and includes people who draw paychecks from Mythic and our partners. Summer 2006 First Stage of Closed Beta (Beta 1): Sometimes called "Friends and Family," somewhat inaccurately, this is a stage where there is actually a game, but it is not usually very complete or even stable for that matter. People who don't work here are in this stage, but usually fewer than a hundred, and they are nearly all such old, old friends that they are often mistaken for employees. Fall 2006 Beta 1.7, After Things Stop Going Boom Every Day: This is the stage you'll start seeing community testers. People who have tested for Mythic for years, or have been otherwise recommended to us as quality volunteer testers, are starting to be included. There is usually a restriction on how many people get in at this point, and often perfectly wonderful people are left out. TENTATIVE DATE: Early 2007 Beta 2: Still closed and covered under NDA, invitees include prize winners, guilds that win the guild contest, and some members of the print and web media - usually the ones we have relationships with. People who work at GW retail shops are getting in here, and we've got some plans for existing Dark Age of Camelot players to be invited to check out their new sibling. There will be up to a thousand people by the end of Beta 2. TENTATIVE DATE: Early Spring 2007 Beta 3: Closed, NDA. This is where Lady Luck will wave her wand. We will be choosing randomly from the giant pool of people who are subscribed to our newsletter. This phase will have thousands of people invited, possibly as many as ten thousand. TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007 Final Beta: No NDA. Because there is no NDA, people often refer to this as "open beta." But I wanted to be really clear with you guys - we are not planning the kind of open beta where everyone with internet access can download the game and hop in. That's nutty. Right now, we are tentatively considering having everyone who pre-orders the game invited to this phase of beta. This phase will also invite winners from our big media promotions. TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007

07-20-2006, 04:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
Itzena SOS-dan #76564674 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Near a big fucking castle, the UK Posts: 7,169 -26 Internets	And yet, even with all the disclaimers and tentatives, we all know people will be whining if EA doesn't make any of those deadlines. __________________

07-20-2006, 04:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
Digits The good news is that you're still alive. The bad news is that that's the good news. Also, you have no legs. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: 'Merica, land of the free. Posts: 1,268 +1 Internets	Take a look at the screenshots if you're bored and want newfound hope for the game/industry ;p __________________ Hatcher No one cares where

07-20-2006, 06:45 PM	#12 (permalink)
Lleauaric~EW "Hamburgers, the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast" Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,593 +52 Internets	I think the tone is pretty consistant with that of the people of Games Workshop. If youve played the game they have that "We are all mates at a Pub having a pint and discussing some silly game" vibe. I kind of like it actually a lot better than the usual "Faux Professional Califonia Is it almost quiting time and I can stop pretending to be my Father" tone that most gaming companies put out. __________________ Ask yourself....

07-21-2006, 06:33 AM	#15 (permalink)
Itzena SOS-dan #76564674 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Near a big fucking castle, the UK Posts: 7,169 -26 Internets	Obligatory: Attached Images __________________

07-20-2006, 04:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Quineloe Hard Rock Hallelujah Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 9,614	holy shit, I can't believe they wrote it that way.

07-20-2006, 04:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
frott Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,392 +0 Internets	Yea, it is refreshing - from video blogs of developers to just straight up candid stuff like this, the strat here is clearly making a personal connection and including people as much as possible (or at least presenting that illusion).

07-20-2006, 05:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Quineloe Hard Rock Hallelujah Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 9,614	wait, isn't that the bowlofmice.com website woman?

07-20-2006, 05:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
Maxxius Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: n/a Posts: 1,607 +1 Internets	So maybe by Christmas of next year heheh.

07-20-2006, 05:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
turner Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 26 +0 Internets	Sigh.... Giving dates is always a bad thing, even more so when they are not reached. I have a feeling those dates will come back to bite them in the ass. Poor developers.

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