Why no Standard Beta players allowed to play Horizons Beta?

[Cynaqq]

It happened when the gaming companies realized we were silly enough to throw our money at them for debugging their products.

No.

Actually it happened when studios got tired of the tyranny of big name publishers dictating game development and tried their hand with asking the buyers for money up front.

Many developers had success with it and the seasoned gamers were already fed up with the of EA and the like, they welcomed the new way of making good games with open arms.

No need to over-dramatize anything.

 

[grammatonfeather]

I initially ranted on the internet about Horizons not being free (before I'd even purchased ED!). I must say I've changed my choon since actually buying and playing ED. I've never pre-ordered any game at full price before but I felt compelled to with Horizons. I decided to go for the Beta Horizons at the last minute because I didn't want to wait.

There are so many different pay structures for alpha and beta games and ultimately I've come to the conclusion it's up to the developer and target buyer to decide what suits them. Arma 3 was a single alpha purchase on steam at reduced price during development phase and you got the full game at the end of the development cycle.

I bought in to the project cars a little on the cheapest price option and recently got that money back as part of their investment/reward system.

I found the Frontier system a bit confusing (I didn't bother to research). Accessing 1.5? No... couldn't do that because I didn't have the lifetime or the beta. I purchased Elite D on steam sale months ago. I now understand the season structure and that season 1 beta gives me access to all releases within that season. Season 2 (beta) gives me access to all Horizons beta.

I had to get a friend explain it to me because I didn't research that aspect but now I know - I'm ok with it.

 

[grammatonfeather]

It happened when the gaming companies realized we were silly enough to throw our money at them for debugging their products.

Lumping the entire game developing world into one exploitative money-grabbing box.

Before Valve came along with early access... the big publishers had all the power and development was closed off except for a last minute beta (Battlefield series?). Big companies like EA were able to dictate what games got developed versus what games were abandoned and the developers laid off. Steam/kickstarter has changed all that. Putting the power back in the hands of development teams.

The way it worked was... Big publisher push development team to finish game on time. Game still not ready for the tight deadline so big publisher forces release anyway. Game is released as finished and when people pay full price for it they discover it's not finished at all. This still goes on today with EA for example.

Early access is a much more open system where the percentage of genuine developers will take feedback and suggestions. It works out better for developer and gamer so long as developer is truly receptive and focused.

Elite is more playable in beta than some games that reach gold status. I'm not paying frontier to bug test... even in beta it has fewer bugs than some recent triple A published games. I'm paying them to play during development and be able to give feedback and help support further development. I want Braben and his team to continue with Elite.

 

[nats]

I guess I wouldnt have an issue with not being included in the Horizons Beta if all the testing was being done behind closed doors. But its not. Its being broadcast all over the place by various people including the developers themselves so its very difficult not to get to know exactly what the new part of the game is all about before you get to play it ages from now when its actually released.

Its as if everyone else is getting to explore the new part of the game whilst the rest of us have to just sit and watch. Its being done deliberately in order to entice more money out of us as if I havent paid enough into this game already.

I just want to play the game properly as I did with the earlier games for a normal game price. But here its all about constant payment to get little unknown chunks of gameplay and paying to get them earlier than everyone else. You just dont know where you stand, what you are actually paying for and when it does come youve already seen it all on broadcasts anyway so half the fun is gone.

I dont know I just cant like this new way of doing things. I am heading towards just uninstalling the whole game and coming back in a few years. I cant deal with this constant testing, payment for and limited gameplay of these small chunks of the game and meanwhile never having a decent substantial game actually to play.

Its just all getting too wearing and commercial for me I think. Its just not pleasant any more. I am not enjoying this whole ED development constant payment 'thing' that they have going.

 

[Sugarat]

I guess I wouldnt have an issue with not being included in the Horizons Beta if all the testing was being done behind closed doors. But its not. Its being broadcast all over the place by various people including the developers themselves so its very difficult not to get to know exactly what the new part of the game is all about before you get to play it ages from now when its actually released.

Its as if everyone else is getting to explore the new part of the game whilst the rest of us have to just sit and watch. Its being done deliberately in order to entice more money out of us as if I havent paid enough into this game already.

I just want to play the game properly as I did with the earlier games for a normal game price. But here its all about constant payment to get little unknown chunks of gameplay and paying to get them earlier than everyone else. You just dont know where you stand, what you are actually paying for and when it does come youve already seen it all on broadcasts anyway so half the fun is gone.

I dont know I just cant like this new way of doing things. I am heading towards just uninstalling the whole game and coming back in a few years. I cant deal with this constant testing, payment for and limited gameplay of these small chunks of the game and meanwhile never having a decent substantial game actually to play.

Its just all getting too wearing and commercial for me I think. Its just not pleasant any more. I am not enjoying this whole ED development constant payment 'thing' that they have going.

.. and you paid for the original beta? hmmm..

 

[nats]

.. and you paid for the original beta? hmmm..

I wont be paying for any more that's for sure. And whether I even come back to the game any more is doubtful. Its just all getting too ridiculous now. I was really looking forward to the planets coming. Now I am just .. meh.

 

[Mikey2305]

i didnt think i could make a commitment to beta horizon so didnt buy it And will wait for full release and future full releases for this season. It really isnt that difficult if even i can work it out...

 

[Noctover]

Dont understand why you'd want to play it early. Everything you do is pointless because it'll be lost in the next month. Can understand the want to play the BETA to, you know, test it and report back....but not as an "early access" feature because its just a waste of time.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Jeez this thread is still going?!?

OP didn't understand what he/she purchased. Arguably poor wording on original sale but overall has no legal standpoint since they are different products. OP felt like they got burned and now has to decide if he/she gives Frontier more money. All seems like a rather personal choice to me and not something that needed over 100 comments on a forum thread..

There's a huge discussion on the Horizons pricing and way Frontier are running the business side of it and I sympathise with many, especially those low-income people like students. On the other hand Frontier has to make money, they are making a game they want to play but they are a business.
In the end it boils down to value for money. I got the hours and enjoyment from Elite Dangerous and I believed buying the sequel season Elite Dangerous: Horizons would continue that value as well as subsequent seasons so stumped up for the season pass. Op needs to make a similar evaluation.

As for the comment on the whole beta being plastered everywhere rather than being done in a closed manner I believe its something called hype and publicity. It also gives people such as yourself a good indication of the great, the good and the bad points from the beta. You find out about potential bugs, problems as well as all the good stuff in advance of making a financial decision. It's hardly a bad thing unless you wish to explore everything yourself. In that event you'd just have to unplug yourself from the forums and livestreams mentioning the update and just wait for the Launcher notifications for the live version to be released.

Dont understand why you'd want to play it early. Everything you do is pointless because it'll be lost in the next month. Can understand the want to play the BETA to, you know, test it and report back....but not as an "early access" feature because its just a waste of time.

Because we care about the game and want to help Frontier make it everything they want it to be. Oh and the early access as well as being able to test things risk free (like trying to land an Anaconda on a 6.8G world, watching it explode and smiling).

If you are profit driven (as you indicate) then you'll get into an Anaconda (soon to be Cutter/Corvette) and stop playing. Trust me when I say find different goals and stories for you character in-game if you wish to keep your interest in Elite and the profits will come all on their own.
Although the risk free testing is a credit incentive I suppose.

 

[Four Muffins]

I was kind of hoping we'd get to use it as a demo, just to see if it works. The listed system requirements are kind of nonsense, since I only barely meet the graphics card minimums and play it on high/ultra at a solid 40+fps. But Horizons, the minimums are significantly higher. Not exactly looking forward to paying $103 at current exchange to find out I can't land on planets.

 

[Danmarsh]

Well I am stumped. I kickstarted to the tune of £100 thinking I would get the lifetime expansion, now I can't see in my account history if my £100 entitles me to lifetime product beta access or not.

I certanly dont have the option to download the horizons Beta.

 

[Thogapotomus]

I wont be paying for any more that's for sure. And whether I even come back to the game any more is doubtful. Its just all getting too ridiculous now. I was really looking forward to the planets coming. Now I am just .. meh.

That's the nice thing about this model. Take your break, and come back in a year or two. Or don't, if you don't like what has been added. In a few years time, the amount of content in game might be worth buying into again. Plus, if you wait a couple years, it seems like you'll just have to pay the ~$60 for the current season, and you'll get all previously added content for FREE. It's pretty fair honestly.

 

[metatheurgist]

Well I am stumped. I kickstarted to the tune of £100 thinking I would get the lifetime expansion, now I can't see in my account history if my £100 entitles me to lifetime product beta access or not.

I certanly dont have the option to download the horizons Beta.

If you own any lifetime expansion and had beta access you're entitled to all the betas. Contact support if you don't.

 

[andyraptor]

I wont be paying for any more that's for sure. And whether I even come back to the game any more is doubtful. Its just all getting too ridiculous now. I was really looking forward to the planets coming. Now I am just .. meh.

Goodbye and Gods speed

 

[Tinman]

Goodbye and Gods speed

Nats not going anywhere...

 

[Dr Roly]

There's a valid argument about paying to beta test a game. However here's how I look at it for ED:
- People usually organise some fun events during beta
- You get a chance to test new features, make your mistakes and learn from them without impacting you game progress (apart from the time you spent playing beta of course)
- The no-consequences combat, esp when people test completely wierd setups, can be hugely entertaining
For me, that's worth £10, and if I can also help ED in some small way, so much the better.

 

[Hurricane Moon]

what i really want to know is are we getting the full horizons release next week on the 16th?........

i almost beta tested,but to be fair i opted out as i would have only done it to play it early,i am not the sort to send bug reports if i find one,id rather find a way of using it to my advantage lol.....but as your progress doesnt carry over to full release i wont ever bother with betas.

 

[Luniticisi]

I think a solution could be that 'Standard Beta' backers should get free access to the New seasons Beta if they pre-order the new season (not the beta version) .. So you get to test what you paid for without the extra £10 (or whatever) to get access to the beta.... the only reason that Premium Beta players get access to all Beta content is that at that level of pledge (£100) the Lifetime expansion Pass (£95 iirc) was included (So it's' not actually Premium Beta that get's you access, its the LEP)

 

[Dominatus01]

Interesting reading... I'm afraid that I side with the responders to the OP. access to a single release Beta testing rarely gives you lifetime Beta testing or access in most games.

That having been said though...

What about those of us that missed out on the original release Beta testing, joined fairly late to the party, yet love this game?

If this is indeed a 10 year development, and there are to be many more new dlc's becoming available, how about we get an opportunity to purchase a lfc pass?
I was a huge fan of the original Elite, but tbh I only came across ED by chance when viewing a youtube channel primarily about EvE who did a couple of features on ED.
As soon as I saw that there was an Elite game out, I jumped straight in but alas this was around 1.2 and therefore after initial release.

Why not, when selling the Horizons Beta, also sell a Premium Beta option this time around? It's only ED 2.0, and I think even the devs would agree that the game is still quite embryonic, so it would have been nice to have been given another opportunity to contribute and also get a lfc. That would give the many players who bought and enjoy the game after its release an opportunity to support the game long into its future.

I pre-ordered Horizons and I would quite happily pay an extra £60-£100 to buy an lfc pass, but there's no way that I was paying an extra £10 purely to Beta test one release. If indeed the game does run for its projected 10 year cycle, and say another 8 major expansions are released, that would mean (at current pricing) I'll be paying out around another £240 for releases alone. There's no way that I'll also pay another £10 each time to Beta test those releases. As I said though, I'd be ecstatic to be able to buy a lfc pass at this still early stage of the game's development.

Just a thought.

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

Interesting reading... I'm afraid that I side with the responders to the OP. access to a single release Beta testing rarely gives you lifetime Beta testing or access in most games.

That having been said though...

What about those of us that missed out on the original release Beta testing, joined fairly late to the party, yet love this game?

If this is indeed a 10 year development, and there are to be many more new dlc's becoming available, how about we get an opportunity to purchase a lfc pass?
I was a huge fan of the original Elite, but tbh I only came across ED by chance when viewing a youtube channel primarily about EvE who did a couple of features on ED.
As soon as I saw that there was an Elite game out, I jumped straight in but alas this was around 1.2 and therefore after initial release.

Why not, when selling the Horizons Beta, also sell a Premium Beta option this time around? It's only ED 2.0, and I think even the devs would agree that the game is still quite embryonic, so it would have been nice to have been given another opportunity to contribute and also get a lfc. That would give the many players who bought and enjoy the game after its release an opportunity to support the game long into its future.

I pre-ordered Horizons and I would quite happily pay an extra £60-£100 to buy an lfc pass, but there's no way that I was paying an extra £10 purely to Beta test one release. If indeed the game does run for its projected 10 year cycle, and say another 8 major expansions are released, that would mean (at current pricing) I'll be paying out around another £240 for releases alone. There's no way that I'll also pay another £10 each time to Beta test those releases. As I said though, I'd be ecstatic to be able to buy a lfc pass at this still early stage of the game's development.

Just a thought.

The Lifetime Expansion Pass WAS available again for a time a month or two ago!