I'll give everyone who's on the fence regarding alpha another nudge in the right direction. As it happens, there is a design proposal regarding flight that is due in december (subject to change of course). This alludes to the fact that the alpha will have some input as to how the flight model is implemented. That in turn means that if you're in alpha, you could actually have a say on the subject even if you're not in the DDF.
The alpha test and the bêtas tests
- Thread starter Patrick_68000
- Start date
I'm thinking here i'm at £100 pledge. Now if i upgrade this week another £50 then another £50 later on it might just deaden the blow of the extra £100.
I was there age 14, shiny BBC Micro boxed Elite in hand at the Boots counter, completely unaware of what i was buying and how it would blow my mind. I was there at the beginning of Elite and i want to be there at the beginning again...
But will it slightly ruin the experience of starting up the release version on ED? that's a worry i am battling with..
I was there age 14, shiny BBC Micro boxed Elite in hand at the Boots counter, completely unaware of what i was buying and how it would blow my mind. I was there at the beginning of Elite and i want to be there at the beginning again...
But will it slightly ruin the experience of starting up the release version on ED? that's a worry i am battling with..
Will what ruin the experience? Having access to the Alpha and Beta? If so that entirely depends on your level of interest. I have found in a few cases where I have been involved in Alpha and Beta access that by the time the game is finished I am already burned out and have no desire left to play the game.
I don't see that happening here. This isn't just one game for me but the continuation of a series. I don't like the word franchise but that fits just as well in reality.
I don't see that happening here. This isn't just one game for me but the continuation of a series. I don't like the word franchise but that fits just as well in reality.
I'm thinking here i'm at £100 pledge. Now if i upgrade this week another £50 then another £50 later on it might just deaden the blow of the extra £100.
I was there age 14, shiny BBC Micro boxed Elite in hand at the Boots counter, completely unaware of what i was buying and how it would blow my mind. I was there at the beginning of Elite and i want to be there at the beginning again...
But will it slightly ruin the experience of starting up the release version on ED? that's a worry i am battling with..
and you ARE there at the beginning again. I don't think it will ruin the experience it will enhance it. It is an opportunity you did not have before.
I certainly understand where you are coming from. For me I would not play it until the actual box arrives, then I would open it all up and read everything in there and then after 1-2 days only THEN would I install it just to savour those moments.
Being in the testing phases will only slightly detract from that experience because the box is STILL coming, I will still be installing it and experiending it all again so in effect I will have 2 goes !
I'll just say this to everyone who is considering wether the alpha would ruin the enjoyment of the final game: 18 years waiting for a new Elite people.
They're going quite fast it seems, at about 5 a day. But with 600 to go I don't see a big risk of them running out before the alpha starts!
Philip Coutts
Volunteer Moderator
I wonder if Frontier will announce a closing date for backing the game? I know they have done with the physical rewards but that's a different kettle of fish as they are having to order those from a third party. Maybe they will keep selling the game through the web-site right up to the full release?
Well, alpha testers will have input, but not on *such* level I think. After all, proposals has been designed with possible implementations in mind. Alpha testers will impact actual *details* of implementation - that's why alpha tests are needed in first place
It depends. At the beginning of KS FD were very doubtful of doing PayPal. At the end of it they got very comfortable with it, and now it has grown cash and backers considerably (we are 180 backers shy of having 10k backers increase since KS). However, when doing real sales you have to do refunds, ensure secure payment, etc. etc. It will all come down to numbers - if it will be easy to do, and it won't impact retail distribution (it seems MMOs have no problem with this), I think they will keep it. Of course tiers will be removed sooner or later, but you could still buy a game.
I think Frontier will sell the game to backers up to the release and the implement some microtrans like Warthunder have. Almost all MMOs have some sort of micro transactions going for them. And you can always choose if you want to use it or not. But usually 1 of your friends buys something then you need the same and so it goes. hehe.
Haven't they already said that the pre-ordering will soon be removed?
Having a similar discussion a few days ago. My mate says it's unfair having pay real cash for rewards. Until I outlined a few things, Like sweatshops doing trading for real world cash, and if that's unfair, then it's unfair that some kid comes home from school and has 30 hours of playtime a week, where I only have probably 5 hours a week.
Or maybe the closing date will intervene at the beginning of the period gamma? To get the maximum of backers for to test the game, for 2-3 months during this period
For physical goods. Other pledge levels will no doubt remain open until they're all gone, or their relevance has expired.
Newsletter 12 said:
Newsletter 13 said:
Newsletter 14 said:
Same here buddy
Alpha/Beta access
Hello,
I just wonder why alpha/beta access is only available for bakers who spend a very high amount of money for elite. Is that on purpose?
I personaly don't need that access, but somehow wouldn't it be better to have as many people as possible test the beta to find even more bugs? Or to figure, if the gameplay not only works for the most enthusiastic hardcore players (which are the ones, that pay 200 bucks or more) but to also include the more average players?
That just came to my mind because I heard, that the developement model was choosen after looking at Minecraft, which gave all the pledgers access to the early versions and so they all where able to test it and contribute their feedback and wishes, and not only the hardcore players. I know, Elite is more aimed at hardcore players and I'm not against complexity and deep gameplay elements, but if you want to sell a game later on, you always have to keep an eye on the beginners and how they start to learn the game.
So I would propose, to also offer a limited amount of slots per stage (Alpha/Beta/BigNewPatch) to normal players to get feedback how "beginners" experience the game. Of course, you can make the selection completely random, so only the "big" backers are guaranteed to get alpha access, and to all the others its just luck. That way, you can keep the early access as a "reward" if thats important for you but still profit from the beginners feedback.
Hello,
I just wonder why alpha/beta access is only available for bakers who spend a very high amount of money for elite. Is that on purpose?
I personaly don't need that access, but somehow wouldn't it be better to have as many people as possible test the beta to find even more bugs? Or to figure, if the gameplay not only works for the most enthusiastic hardcore players (which are the ones, that pay 200 bucks or more) but to also include the more average players?
That just came to my mind because I heard, that the developement model was choosen after looking at Minecraft, which gave all the pledgers access to the early versions and so they all where able to test it and contribute their feedback and wishes, and not only the hardcore players. I know, Elite is more aimed at hardcore players and I'm not against complexity and deep gameplay elements, but if you want to sell a game later on, you always have to keep an eye on the beginners and how they start to learn the game.
So I would propose, to also offer a limited amount of slots per stage (Alpha/Beta/BigNewPatch) to normal players to get feedback how "beginners" experience the game. Of course, you can make the selection completely random, so only the "big" backers are guaranteed to get alpha access, and to all the others its just luck. That way, you can keep the early access as a "reward" if thats important for you but still profit from the beginners feedback.
