There will be no normal closed beta for NA\EU?

[Chrome]

Originally Posted by Ayase

Is there going to be an "Open Beta"?
We won't have anything that goes by the specific name 'Open Beta' in the EU/US, but the Preview Events we are to hold next year will allow you to play the game (from home) and help us prepare for launch as well as give feedback. The game has been going through a good amount of testing already, and that in combination with the Preview Events and other future tests will ensure that Aion is a good and solid product by launch.

I'm feeling that all this is just because of some head chief project or whatever, complainning about calling beta a game that has already been released in Korea. Even if that must confuse all the community.

edit : Kaycy, you have to pre-order to be sure to get in the Open beta of war, at least in this side of the world.

[Caedes]

Yep, if I see a new game offering open betas freely at their site for anyone to grab

This is the quote you should rethink again, i am pretty sure she doesn't understand Korean at all so she can't tap the information about WAR in Korea.

[Kaycy]

Originally Posted by Caedes

Yep, if I see a new game offering open betas freely at their site for anyone to grab

This is the quote you should rethink again, i am pretty sure she doesn't understand Korean at all so she can't tap the information about WAR in Korea.

She goes to the English site then and fills in the email beta form. Here is the link:https://betacenter.eamythic.com/login.php

Last answer , this is getting annoying sorry, I'm not here to talk about WAR.

[Aion-Quebec]

Originally Posted by Wicked_Edge

while as a secondary trait they are also meant to further gather opinions and further find minimal bugs/problems with the game.

Yeah...basically mini beta! What i mean is only about the name of it, they could just let it go as beta an nobody would had complained about it. I don't think someone would have said ''No it's not a beta it's a preview event since you only want our opinions on minimal bugs!'' lol

[Fleiva]

Originally Posted by Kaycy

She said there was no WAR beta unless you pre-ordered. I proved her wrong because I got into both the Korean and English with a simple email like thousands of others have.

She says she doesn't believe MMO give beta's through their site. I proved her wrong because that's exactly how WAR and tons of other MMO do it.

DURRRRR!! Seriously, should I make it easier to understand for you?

I think you missed this red part

Originally Posted by Cynthe

WAR not only is pre order based for their OB I think it counts to say that they will not have an official forum.... Dun dun dun..

You aren't in WAR's OB cause WAR's OB hasn't started. You are in their CB. And Cynthe was 100% right, WAR is handling their "open" beta through preorders and fileplanet subscriptions, there's nothing like "sign here for free and get instant access to Open beta!!!" for WAR, there wasn't for AoC neither, and I doubt there will be for upcoming titles such as Stargate worlds and similar hyped games.

And I put open within inverted comas cause it's not completely open, it has a selection proccess, pretty much like Aion's previews.

[Caedes]

Originally Posted by Kaycy

She goes to the English site then and fills in the email beta form. Here is the link:https://betacenter.eamythic.com/login.php

Last answer , this is getting annoying sorry, I'm not here to talk about WAR.

So what? I applied for the WAR Beta 1 year ago and still don't have a key for it. Now i have a CE preorder, so i will get 100% into the CB and OB. Thats the whole point, you either use special programs to get in, or you wait in a big pool of beta appliers and never get a Key.

[Calindor]

Solution, all Aionsource members get keys for these preview events, and not random kids who never heard of the game before and just want to try.

[Terpsichore]

^ I support this reply.

[Fleiva]

That would be fair :P, at least for the active ones ^^

[Ariel]

Originally Posted by Calindor

Solution, all Aionsource members get keys for these preview events, and not random kids who never heard of the game before and just want to try.

+ 1
Best post ever.

[Draconic]

Originally Posted by Ayase

Well, let's see here. This is just a quick reply before I head to bed, just to clear a few things up!

There hasn't exactly been a quick 'change in plans'. We have for some time been working on a model that works for us in terms of showing the game before launch as well as gathering feedback. The Preview Events were the end result of that. Bear with us now, because we're still shaping them.

I can't give you an answer for all the things that seem to be unclear, simply because it's partly true - we don't know everything yet. It's too early to say whether we will have trial versions at launch and if so, how they would look. We are still working on the Business model and can't therefore possibly announce anything definite on that matter. I can however give you answers on some of your questions.

Is there going to be an "Open Beta"?
We won't have anything that goes by the specific name 'Open Beta' in the EU/US, but the Preview Events we are to hold next year will allow you to play the game (from home) and help us prepare for launch as well as give feedback. The game has been going through a good amount of testing already, and that in combination with the Preview Events and other future tests will ensure that Aion is a good and solid product by launch.

How will we select participants for the Preview Events?
We will be selecting players in several different ways. This is something we're looking into right now. GC2008 and PAX will be the first chances to secure slots. But there will be plenty of other ways yet to be announced. Once we are ready to expand on our plans we may also be able to give you more information on the scale of the events.

What countries or languages are the Preview Events going to be in?
The Preview Events will be available to players from the territories we support at NCE and NCA. English will definitely be supported, but I can't say yet whether French and German will also be in there.

If there is no beta, how will NA/EU players be able to have any input in the game?
As is the nature of most MMO's, development is perpetual, meaning that the importance of feedback does not stand or fall with the limited time period of 'beta testing' - a facility used to discover glitches and bugs in preparation for release. Development is ongoing and feedback will accordingly be required on an ongoing basis. The Preview Events are an excellent opportunity for us to ask for this community feedback on parts of the game and major issues, and they will also help us to stress test the servers and otherwise prepare for release day.

We know what the game is good for and can't wait to show it off to a broader audience with the help of the Preview Events. We're working frenetically to get the game entirely ready for this and as I've said before - it's a bumpy road we're travelling. It takes some time to get there. Just as Rome wasn't built over a night, neither are the preparations we are going through right now. What you can count on for sure, however, is that we will keep informing you whenever we have new things to report or if something for some reason would take a turn. That's why we're here and that's why we'll remain here.

And how are limited participants a stress test on the servers? This is hardly what you call ingenious. No offense I don't want another AoC I remember my friends calling em names for not going out and reserving it and then when I finally wasted my $50 on it, it was a piece of crap game with no content past 40... Sorry but if there is no open Beta and I have to FIGHT with convention people to get a spot in a game then I will pass on it, no matter how long I've waited. I hate being told that Open Betas mean nothing, Open Betas draw a lot of people in, tests the servers' limits, and helps advertise by word of mouth. You want to do the LIMITED beta idea, go ahead, but you're losing a lot of business in doing so.

[Arvalo85]

Originally Posted by Calindor

Solution, all Aionsource members get keys for these preview events, and not random kids who never heard of the game before and just want to try.

Yes please!

[Koroem]

Sigh.

I've been watching Aion for some time now, and frankly, now I'm starting to see a repeat of L2 and RF Online, or basicly, any NA/EURO release of a Korean game. Korean devs end up not caring about foreign releases as long as their local releases do alright.

This is so discouraging.

The responses from "devs" on these matters pretty much prove NCsoft is viewing NA/EURO as a secondary market, which is giving the impression that both support and updates will be as fail as L2 was. They seem to know nothing, refuse to share anything which might put the community to ease of mind, and will steer hard around questions from the community.

NCsoft + Aion = Codemasters + RF Online?

A recipe for fail.

I seriously hope things don't turn out this way, because there is alot of potential here if for once Korean devs would pay attention to western fans and treat us the same as their native fans.

[Caedes]

There was no potential in Rising Force Online to begin with. So you can't compare them :P.

[Cynthe]

Originally Posted by Kaycy

Lying is not good. I am in the Korean WAR beta and I only had to fill in an email. I'm also in the english beta and I didn't preorder anything. Nothing "dun dun dun".


Today we sent out an unprecedented amount of new invites to the WAR beta. We'll see you in Warhammer soon!

Uh oh ...

Yes you can sign up at the WAR site and get a chance at a key or you can pre order and get in for sure. I was talking about easy ways to get keys as a means for a preview or 'test'. If you're lucky enough to get in, I'm very happy for you, though there are many who'd love a spot who just won't get in, unless they pre order. Cash grab? A way to limit keys? Both? The point is it's a trend that might become the norm pretty soon. :S It's sad but doesn't surprise. The dun dun dun was for the no official forums, and some people are wondering what's that about.. And I'm leaving open for interpretation.

Anyway, what will be will be, some people will get cooled by this and go somewhere else, but they'll come back if the game turns out to be awesome and the word gets out. What have we learned this year? Hyped games can attract a lot of players and water the mouth with an awesome 'polished' open beta that only shows you the first 15-20 levels and then leave you 'depressed'** when you realized the rest of the game isn't done once retail hits.

I don't know I think I'd rather rely on what the closed beta testers say and try for a chance to preview it myself, rather then get suckered into an open beta that is created only to get my money. THAT SAID, I'd be over the moon if Kieron and Ayase pulled a fast one on us somehow and got us all 'open beta' keys. And it's not because I defend a certain point that I personally totally disagree and think your ideas are retarded. I just have an opinion and love to debate it. You're always welcomed to change my view ^^

**I said depressed because I couldn't think of any better word at the time, but if you get depressed over a game, please get counseling!**

EDIT: Read Fleiva's post above, I guess I got it right OB only for pre orders.. That means I'll never get in because I signed up for beta like 6 months ago... Just to see, it's not like I want to play WAR.. I'm as bad as the next person when it comes to games I want to see for free even though I don't have that big of an interest and to me that's bad. Aion however is an EXCEPTION!! ^^ Though Karma gets around and I wouldn't lose sleep if I never get to play Aion before launch.