Timeline

[metanoia]

Hi, forgive me if I'm being blind, but is there a general timeline of when things are happening with this game?

Is alpha testing happening now? When is a rough estimate of the 1st and 2nd rounds of Beta? and release is planned for March is that right?

 

[Sir.Tj]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Alphas are due to start next month with Beta's sheduled for the beginning of next year. General releas to backers is pencilled in for March 2014.

Hope that helps.

 

[izzy]

Welcome metanoia

 

[metanoia]

Thanks, T.j.

I shall eagerly await 2nd beta, in the mean time I'll bravely soldier on with X rebirth, there may be some fun to be had in it yet (not found any so far!)

 

[Thargon]

Good luck in that epic quest metanoia, I've read from many sources, it's truely hideous!

 

[Hamerstein]

I've only seen the Michael Brookes version

Alpha - Soonest
Beta 1 - Sooner
Beta 2 - Soon
Gamma - Soo...later

 

[Nagual]

<smirks>

 

[Michael Brookes]

Alpha is due to start in December, that's our focus right now and we'll take whatever time is needed to get that right before moving onto beta.

Michael

 

[-o-]

You've got to give FD credit.

A year ago when the KS was started I thought those dates were rubbery. I thought they would be lucky to release anything of note before 2015.

But here we are in late Nov, and in a few weeks the alpha will be distributed ... as promised.

The release date however seems to have been replaced by a gamma phase of unknown duration. I think most backers will find this acceptable. Other companies would have simply released the gamma as the release and then begun their weekly patches. Essentially using the purchases as free testers. This seems to be how many games are released these days.

 

[Maxeren]

Alpha is due to start in December, that's our focus right now and we'll take whatever time is needed to get that right before moving onto beta.

Michael

So your saying alpha could possibly last more than 1 month?

 

[Nagual]

So your saying alpha could possibly last more than 1 month?

Makes a lot of sense, if things in Alpha throw up some issues that need quite a bit of addressing, then everything else gets delayed until they are happy.

 

[Rog]

Although I'm as impatient as anyone else for the game, like Michael said, I'd really rather they take as long as they require to perfect the release rather than stick to an absolutely rigid timescale.

TBH, I thought that was one of the understood advantages of going down the Kickstarter route - not being pressed to release before readiness, and having complete control of design.

 

[Patrick_68000]

not being pressed to release before readiness, and having complete control of design.

Yes, the game must be marketed when it will be perfect

 

[Perseus]

Although I'm as impatient as anyone else for the game, like Michael said, I'd really rather they take as long as they require to perfect the release rather than stick to an absolutely rigid timescale.

TBH, I thought that was one of the understood advantages of going down the Kickstarter route - not being pressed to release before readiness, and having complete control of design.

Aye, me too. Getting it right is more important that hitting a deadline with ED.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

So your saying alpha could possibly last more than 1 month?

Well, those will be core features like combat, in-system flight, etc., so it just sensible to take all time they need for that. All power to the alpha I guess