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Pre-Alpha, Alpha, Closed Beta, Open Beta, Pre-Yada, Yada Yada, Yada yada yada


PetdCat

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I see some familiar names here that have been involved in a number of pre-alpha, alpha, beta, game cycles.   Some of those, have involved various incentives to support the projects--ships in Star Citizen, the various housing in Revival, and Landmark to name a few.

 

What I think might be a good discussion--before all of this really gets going--is what as players we would like to see for pre-release involvement.  Where I have been involved in Landmark (and paid a good deal of cash in that game), I have also been involved with Revival and my rather significant investment in that game has gone by the wayside.   So that begs the question, "What course would you like to see Dual take in their pre-release cycle"?

 

For that matter, what model is Dual planning on taking?  I think given possibilities that all of us recognize by being here, it would probably be a good discussion to waste some time on  :)

 

 

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In truth, I have been burned by 1 to many alpha/beta buy-ins for early access. Many games I have invested time and loads of money in have failed, stalled or just disappeared and took of with my cash and hard work supporting the games.  

I flew out twice to the last 2 SOE LIVES where they promised and still have not delivered. I feel they are now rushing to go live just to close landmarks doors within the first year.  Several hundred dollars out the window on 2 lifetime accounts.

 

Star Citizens revamped my existing ships which I now do not like.  I loved the original MISC Freelancer, but the new improved larger version just don't seem like the same ship I had before.  It is like a dating a pretty girl only to find it was all makeup,smoke and mirrors after a few dates.. let alone having the ship you love sweated and grinded for gets stolen out from underneath you at a dock or mission. Once again a few hundred dollars I feel wasted.

Repopulation, (Bought in for $75.00 early access) (not from steam) touted to be the next StarWars galaxies.  they had problems with several things, closed up the game, gave us a lame survival game (Fragmented) worth 19.99 on steam ALSO in early access with many many bugs.

 

Only game I think hasn't fail me yet is Elite Dangerous. I originally bought in at the $75.00 mark, got the beta access, could not afford the $200.00 lifetime package at the time.  Played it for a year and when they brought out the 1st expasion (HORIZONS) they had the lifetime package again.  Luck was on my side and it was around my birthday, so I had $200 to spend on the reoffer of their lifetime pass.  Very happy with it, still playing it, even bought my HOTAS for it and was another 199.99 I spent.

 

Should I contine with H1Z1 and their loot crates? or DCUO and more loot crates and expansions? Or should I mention, Moonrise, Alone in the Dark, and several others that have not been updated in over 6-12 and now considered abandon ware on my steam list.

 

If I like the game, I have no problem spending my money to help support it.  But I do expect a fair value for the game especially in early access.  Early access should be much, much cheaper to get into as you are helping test the game, reporting bugs and possible helping to steer the game into a good direction with fair and honest critiques. If you didn't get in to help test, you should pay more one the game is gold/live and released as a final product.

 

I also do not mind cash shops to buy cosmetic items only.  If it turns out like MWO where it is pay to win, I am out.

 

Ok nuff of my rant..  :D  :P  ;) Treat me right and I will return the favor several time over.  Remember that one upset buyer can hurt a sellers rep then several satisfied.

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The movie Field of Dreams has the answer to this question.

 

"If you build it they will come"

 

I really hope Novaquark continues to focus on making an awesome game rather then wasting time and money on all that smoke and mirrors.

 

Look where it has gotten other games.

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I want a real development cycle, not a game one purchases during development. I'm tired of it.

 

Make the game, release, and sell 1.0.

 

And use alpha/beta for real testing, not a paid demo.

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I want a real development cycle, not a game one purchases during development. I'm tired of it.

 

Make the game, release, and sell 1.0.

 

And use alpha/beta for real testing, not a paid demo.

 

Hi Cavadus and welcome!

 

We can totally understand your concerns.

Alpha & Beta are phases meant to test the game mechanics, track the bugs, etc. We totally agree with it.

It will be possible to enter these phases by several means, explained more in detail in this topic.

 

 

As much as we would also love to have a real autonomous development cycle, we also have a limited budget.

At some point we have a choice to make:

 

- We can ask to private investors or a publisher to raise more funds... but the more we are opting for this option, the more we take the risks to see an investor taking a decision not in line with our current game vision and enforce it (nothing wrong here, it's just natural that an investor might want to see his money spent as he expects).

 

- Or we can raise additional funds with the help of the community to ensure that our game vision stays as it was from the start (which is generally what attract people to the project in the first place, the original vision of a game).

 

In all honesty, we prefer the latter. We strongly believe that staying independant is the only way to bring real innovation in the genre nowadays. What would be the meaning to start an ambitious project, trying to innovate, if in the end we have to deviate from our original vision? That's why we plan a Kickstarter at the end of the year. Not to finance the whole game, but in order to be sure of keeping the original vision that appeals to the growing Dual Universe community. We hope you'll understand our point of view.

 

Best regards,

Nyzaltar.

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Hi Cavadus and welcome!

 

We can totally understand your concerns.

Alpha & Beta are phases meant to test the game mechanics, track the bugs, etc. We totally agree with it.

It will be possible to enter these phases by several means, explained more in detail in this topic.

 

 

As much as we would also love to have a real autonomous development cycle, we also have a limited budget.

At some point we have a choice to make:

 

- We can ask to private investors or a publisher to raise more funds... but the more we are opting for this option, the more we take the risks to see an investor taking a decision not in line with our current game vision and enforce it (nothing wrong here, it's just natural that an investor might want to see his money spent as he expects).

 

- Or we can raise additional funds with the help of the community to ensure that our game vision stays as it was from the start (which is generally what attract people to the project in the first place, the original vision of a game).

 

In all honesty, we prefer the latter. We strongly believe that staying independant is the only way to bring real innovation in the genre nowadays. What would be the meaning to start an ambitious project, trying to innovate, if in the end we have to deviate from our original vision? That's why we plan a Kickstarter at the end of the year. Not to finance the whole game, but in order to be sure of keeping the original vision that appeals to the growing Dual Universe community. We hope you'll understand our point of view.

 

Best regards,

Nyzaltar.

 

Well I don't want to see this game die and want it to be the best it can be because so far from what I've seen it incorporates all the best parts of different games I play, even though I have very little knowledge in anything game developing yet or anything, I will help! 

 

So either option you go down I'll still be sitting here throwing money at the screen till you accept it. 

 

If you kickstarter it or just plain sell it on your own market place or go behind a big investor ect, I'll still be buying a copy, already roped in a few people who like scifi space... ect games and they want to buy it also. the user base is there and the support as DU looks to be a very ambitious game, pushing the already pushed space scifi ect game genre.

 

Space building games have always, since I can remember, been at the front of any games preference I've had, and DU looks to want to storm into my personal time with a sledge hammer.

 

Like i said in another thread, there will only be one universe.. Dual Universe.. Everything else will just be AFK.. 

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