Timeframe for beta?

[tigersfan]

I'm giving another vote for the "Edicts sound awesome" idea.   I like the idea of randomly chosen rules like that which then define the strategic framework that I must work within for that particular game;  that's yet another thing that'd up the replay value, I think (particularly if it can choose more than just one at a time).   I think you could do quite a lot with that idea.


This game really is sounding more and more awesome.   Do you guys have any timeframes for this?   Obviously, I'm anxious to leap into the beta whenever that's ready.

Beta should be soon. Hopefully the end of this month.

[madcow]

How long of a beta is planned? Roughly speaking?

We talking AVWW length, or closer to SH?

[tigersfan]

How long of a beta is planned? Roughly speaking?

We talking AVWW length, or closer to SH?

Definitely closer to SH. If this thing is in beta for as long as AVWW was, we'll break the bank making this thing.

That said, mechanically, this game is much simpler, so there should be far fewer big issues that need to be dealt with.

[x4000]

Basically by the time we hit beta the game will be "done" or close to it.  Art won't all be in place, balance won't be perfect, and there will be a few meta aspects we'll be adding.  But this isn't a Valley 1 or 2 situation where the game is still hugely evolving or incomplete when beta starts.  This is a way more focused game, and is more deep than wide, which contributes to quicker development.  Aside from us basically having to do no engine development while making this one!

[x4000]

At this point we're expecting to start a private alpha next Tuesday or Wednesday (if things go well this week), and then hopefully a beta right at the end of this month, on the 29th or so.  Depending on various factors, of course, which could shift that around a week or so at worst, I expect (knocks on wood).

[SRombauts]

Hi Guys,

So the private alpha is not for us, if I understand it well ? no way to enter in it?

I am really excited by this game!

Cheers

[x4000]

We'll be asking for people interested in the private alpha soon, actually!  We'll have a limited number of slots for that, and we'll need people who have actual time to devote to it to giving us feedback over about a half a week span of time.  But hopefully by mid next week we'll be to that point.

[Aklyon]

* Aklyon waits excitedly for next week

Whether or not I make it into the alpha, that still gives me a (probably terribly inaccurate) guess at when the beta is

[x4000]

We are hoping for the 29th, but obviously that's subject to change.

[SRombauts]

We'll be asking for people interested in the private alpha soon, actually!  We'll have a limited number of slots for that, and we'll need people who have actual time to devote to it to giving us feedback over about a half a week span of time.  But hopefully by mid next week we'll be to that point.

Yes, I know the deal, and I am not sure that I would be your best shot for the job ;
1) I do have a (nice) day job... but I can spend a few hours for *this* game each evening, which would be 1pm to 4/5pm for your timezone (now in fact)
2) I have no faith in my game design skills, nor game balancing, but I work as a programmer and I think I really understand how to write good bug reports if that is what you seek !

See you!

edit: know -> now

[x4000]

Cheers!  We'll have a thread for that before too long, and Josh will be grouping people into batches so that we can make sure and have a range of types of person and experience with Arcen and so forth in each batch.  We can only capture first impressions once, so we try to hit a spectrum of players several times in a row rather than just a big blob all at once.  Anyhow a couple of hours a night is plenty -- we're not asking for something like huge amounts of devotion or something, goodness!

[SRombauts]

Then I'll come back everyday to check for this new registering thread

I did love AI War, and are waiting for another kind of strategy game from you!

Regards

[windgen]

This game looks awesome.

I don't regularly look through this forum/blog/twitter so I only found out about the game yesterday.

Are there any updates on when the beta is going to start?  The latest information I could find says it's planned for the 6th (tomorrow) -- http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,12893.0.html.  Is that still in the cards, or does the game need a little more polish to be beta-worthy (e.g. tutorial rewrite)?

If I'd known about this when the alpha signup thread was active, I'd totally be playing filing bug reports right now.  (I'm #6 on the AVWW2 beta bug count leaderboard at http://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Valley_2_-_Beta_Release_Notes.)

[madcow]

Don't quote me on this, and I'm no official source by any means, but I think they're looking towards closer to the end of the week rather than the beginning for the beta.

[Cinth]

Well, we also have a pretty tight run up to the 1.0, too: we pretty much need to hit that by the week of the 20th or so. That's going to mean about a week-long beta if alpha lasts until late this next week.

From a short conversation I had with x over on mantis.  While it doesn't give exact dates, you can put an educated guess in at beta starting end of this week of beginning of next week (this is my guess, don't hold me to it).
Do remember alpha started later than planned too.

For those interested, the conversation I had with x is at the bottom of this report;
http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=11136