Alpha 4 to be released in May?

[Robert Maynard]

Why would they then state that there will be 2 weeks of alpha testing before the premium beta people gets their version?

.... because there will be two weeks of Alpha testing of Beta 1.0 before it is released. We are still Alpha testing at the moment and will be until the 30th of May - I expect one more Alpha version (travel and trading), possibly one or two minor revisions of Alpha 4, then Beta 1.0 released to Alpha testers on the 16th of May (or so) to wrap up everything in a playable whole.

 

[devastat]

.... because there will be two weeks of Alpha testing of Beta 1.0 before it is released. We are still Alpha testing at the moment and will be until the 30th of May - I expect one more Alpha version (travel and trading), possibly one or two minor revisions of Alpha 4, then Beta 1.0 released to Alpha testers on the 16th of May (or so) to wrap up everything in a playable whole.

I think you are misunderstanding. Alpha 4 (travel and trading) is the release candidate for Premium Beta. So the first version of Alpha 4 will be released 2 weeks before the Premium Beta - which will be released on 30th of May.

 

[Robert Maynard]

I think you are misunderstanding. Alpha 4 (travel and trading) is the release candidate for Premium Beta. So the first version of Alpha 4 will be released 2 weeks before the Premium Beta - which will be released on 30th of May.

I may be, however I would expect Beta 1.0 to be close to feature complete. Alpha 4.0 is adding travel and trading but may well be missing some or all of the following: law enforcement, ranking system, mining, many of the playable ships, player text communication, alliances, grouping, Ironman mode, player groups, etc.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I think you are misunderstanding. Alpha 4 (travel and trading) is the release candidate for Premium Beta. So the first version of Alpha 4 will be released 2 weeks before the Premium Beta - which will be released on 30th of May.

No, he's right. Two weeks are too little to test traveling, trading, all network improvements, etc. Shop says alpha 4 comes "early May", so educated guess would be 2nd May. After two weeks and probably two point releases 4.01 and 4.02 we will have then 4.03, which will form a basis for premium beta release candidate.

 

[Nazarene]

I think you are misunderstanding. Alpha 4 (travel and trading) is the release candidate for Premium Beta. So the first version of Alpha 4 will be released 2 weeks before the Premium Beta - which will be released on 30th of May.

This seems like a leap in assumption to me; I've not read anything approaching this idea.

Michael, will you confirm that Alpha 4 is the release candidate for the Premium Beta?

Peace - Naz

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I may be, however I would expect Beta 1.0 to be feature complete. Alpha 4.0 is adding travel and trading but may well be missing some or all of the following: law enforcement, ranking system, mining, many of the playable ships, player text communication, alliances, grouping, Ironman mode, player groups, etc.

I would not expect that. Premium beta is clearly meant to add all this stuff you mention in several phases. With alpha finished we will have core gameplay worked out, but FD still will have to add those things gradually.

So premium beta will be basically alpha 4 build, with increased size of sample of testers. In next premium beta builds FD will then add other features.

(speculation disclaimer)

 

[devastat]

No, he's right. Two weeks are too little to test traveling, trading, all network improvements, etc. Shop says alpha 4 comes "early May", so educated guess would be 2nd May. After two weeks and probably two point releases 4.01 and 4.02 we will have then 4.03, which will form a basis for premium beta release candidate.

Nope. I think you are wrong. Alpha 4.0 will be released two weeks before premium beta.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Nope. I think you are wrong. Alpha 4.0 will be released two weeks before premium beta.

No, I'm very convinced that I'm right. 4 weeks for alpha phase four, 2 weeks for stabilization and possibly adding features, 2 weeks for extra stability for premium beta. Everything confirms it

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

This seems like a leap in assumption to me; I've not read anything approaching this idea.

Michael, will you confirm that Alpha 4 is the release candidate for the Premium Beta?

Peace - Naz

See this

The two weeks refers to the period for the last alpha build, with the first premium beta build being on May 30th. From that point on builds will go to the alpha testers first to make sure there are no showstoppers, if there are then we fix them and produce a new build. How long that process takes is obviously unknown, if no problems are found then the build would get pushed to the premium beta testers fairly quickly.

Michael

 

[devastat]

Yes Michael says that "Two weeks refers to the last alpha build" - so the last alpha build (alpha 4) will be tested two weeks before the release of premium beta.

Alpha 4 is a release candidate for the premium beta build.

 

[Nazarene]

Yes Michael says that "Two weeks refers to the last Alpha build" - so the last alpha build 4.0 will be tested two weeks before the release of Premium Beta.

Alpha 4 is a release candidate for Premium Beta build.

Got it - thanks

Peace

 

[CMDR Texas Stu]

Some of you guys must work for NASA
Reminds me of a line from Armaggedon about guys from NASA making stuff up.

 

[Sterlino]

i am pretty tired to see this 3ad going on..

i have a request for the devs:

an official word about this , whatever is it, it will be very appreciated.

please... David or Michael or anyone from the team, who wants to say something, tell us at least some more informations !!!


thanks in advance

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

i am pretty tired to see this 3ad going on..

i have a request for the devs:

an official word about this , whatever is it, it will be very appreciated.

please... David or Micheal or anyone from the team, who wants to say something, tell us at least some more informations !!!


thanks in advance

Michael practically have already said that:

The two weeks refers to the period for the last alpha build, with the first premium beta build being on May 30th. From that point on builds will go to the alpha testers first to make sure there are no showstoppers, if there are then we fix them and produce a new build. How long that process takes is obviously unknown, if no problems are found then the build would get pushed to the premium beta testers fairly quickly.

Michael

 

[Robert Maynard]

Yes Michael says that "Two weeks refers to the last alpha build" - so the last alpha build (alpha 4) will be tested two weeks before the release of premium beta.

Alpha 4 is a release candidate for the premium beta build.

However, you are assuming that there will be no subversion releases of Alpha 4, i.e. 4.1, 4.2, etc. To say that Alpha 4 is the last alpha build is probably incorrect - it should be the last Alpha version with the potential for subversion releases prior to Beta 1.0 testing.

 

[devastat]

However, you are assuming that there will be no subversion releases of Alpha 4, i.e. 4.1, 4.2, etc. To say that Alpha 4 is the last alpha build is probably incorrect - it should be the last Alpha version with the potential for subversion releases prior to Beta 1.0 testing.

They might very well release 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 I am not denying that. But the window between the first Alpha 4 build and the Premium Beta is 2 weeks.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

They might very well release 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 I am not denying that. But the window between the first Alpha 4 build and the Premium Beta is 2 weeks.

Based on what? Michael says "last alpha build", not "first alpha 4 build". It doesn't make sense from testing POV, fact that it adds traveling could require whole month - which in fact it does.

 

[chris79ita]

....i don't understand why not get an answer on the indicative dates by FD...

A simple "at about one week" - "at about first days of next month" etc...

I don't think that they have not an idea..., so please give us an answer please ....so we can stop this speculation ... or are you sadists?

YES YOU CAN!

 

[devastat]

Based on what? Michael says "last alpha build", not "first alpha 4 build". It doesn't make sense from testing POV, fact that it adds traveling could require whole month - which in fact it does.

Last alpha build as Alpha 4. Remember that Premium beta is BETA, not release of the game ..

 

[Robert Maynard]

Last alpha build as Alpha 4.

Which subversion?