test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Gamebreaker: is Neverwinter really in Open Beta?

edgenwedgenw Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 124 Bounty Hunter
edited May 2013 in General Discussion (PC)
No idea why the title got cropped. That's going to be confusing...

Anyway, we see this discussion pop up on the forums every so often. Looks like the media has taken a stab at the question. I already have my own opinions, but just thought people might appreciate seeing the article.

http://www.gamebreaker.tv/mmorpg/does-open-beta-really-apply-to-neverwinter/

(I included the article here, but it got chopped during a title edit.. forum seems to be freaking out, might a limit to the amount of text in a single post.)
Post edited by edgenw on
«1

Comments

  • edgenwedgenw Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 124 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    Yeah, article seems to not want to post here, sorry folks. Follow the link, I guess!

    This is their breakdown, at least:

    The Breakdown

    The simple truth is this. They can call it what they wish, but Neverwinter has launched. It is a fully functional MMO with an operational cash shop, persistent characters that will not be wiped, what seems like a fairly large player-base, and content updates on their way. Be honest Cryptic. That’s not Open Beta. But as players we seem unable to accept the fact that MMOs need a little time to sort out all the bugs and issues that their game has. Despite the fact that every game ever launches with problems, we seem to expect perfection at launch. We’ve lost touch with the reality of MMO game launch at some point.

    If a game wants an open beta period, that’s fine, they deserve it, but don’t go full-on launch mode and then try to call it open beta. It insults the intelligence of most of your players.

    Players have a right to criticize games for things they do not like and problems the game has, but you should never write an MMO off in its first few weeks of existence. An MMO is a growing, evolving world, and most of the time you will find that these games only improve with age.

    Be patient, have fun, enjoy your time in the game. That goes for both the players and the developers.
  • thelingarnthelingarn Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    edgenw wrote: »
    The simple truth is this. They can call it what they wish, but Neverwinter has launched. It is a fully functional MMO with an operational cash shop, persistent characters that will not be wiped, what seems like a fairly large player-base, and content updates on their way. Be honest Cryptic. That’s not Open Beta.

    If a game wants an open beta period, that’s fine, they deserve it, but don’t go full-on launch mode and then try to call it open beta. It insults the intelligence of most of your players.

    Exactly. It is unfortunate that many people conflate loyalty to a company/game with defending an obviously deceptive premise.
  • gorlock6gorlock6 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Very good article. The writer is completely accurate. From the looks of the forums I believe most of their "customers" agree. Well, minus the fanbois of course. :D
  • nullwolf1nullwolf1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Open Beta until true end game content is released...

    I have no issues putting cash into Open Betas.
    I play another one now (non-MMO Warframe) that I'm a Founder on and have bought some of their in-game currency separately.
    I just payed $10 for Zen so that I can unlock 2 more character slots and maybe buy something from the cash shop here.

    These days, developers are under more pressure to get their games out there, even if they aren't finished yet.
    It's Open Beta until it's done.
  • oreoz2573oreoz2573 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    you know what would help cryptic's argument?

    If PWE listed the game as OB instead of LIVE.

    Something as simple as that would be a good start.

    Of course despite many people pointing it out they haven't yet so i'm guessing someone important somewhere is either lazy or mentally HAMSTER or just likes forum abuse.
    "If you're going through Hell, keep going." -Winston Churchill
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • edgenwedgenw Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 124 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    nullwolf1 wrote: »
    Open Beta until true end game content is released...
    ...

    These days, developers are under more pressure to get their games out there, even if they aren't finished yet.
    It's Open Beta until it's done.

    Hah. That sounds more like wishful thinking. If those statements were actually reality, more than a few recently launched MMOs would have to drop their "launched/live" status and begin calling themselves "beta" again.
  • nullwolf1nullwolf1 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    edgenw wrote: »
    Hah. That sounds more like wishful thinking. If those statements were actually reality, more than a few recently launched MMOs would have to drop their "launched/live" status and begin calling themselves "beta" again.

    Some of them probably should. :p
  • thelingarnthelingarn Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    nullwolf1 wrote: »
    It's Open Beta until it's done.

    An MMO is never done? Bugs, balance, new content means continuous patching until the doors close.

    On the other hand, "Open Beta until the servers shut down!" sounds like a great rallying cry for this situation.
  • nephtnepht Member Posts: 5,826 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Its Perfect World's game. Its Open Beta till they say otherwise.
  • edgenwedgenw Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 124 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    nepht wrote: »
    Its Perfect World's game. Its Open Beta till they say otherwise.

    That's some odd thinking there. If they insist this is a next generation, triple-A MMO title, does that make it true just because the developer labels it as so? Or does the public decide that?
  • mconosrepmconosrep Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    nepht wrote: »
    Its Perfect World's game. Its Open Beta till they say otherwise.

    Reminds me of this joke by Abraham Lincoln:

    "How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
  • nephtnepht Member Posts: 5,826 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    edgenw wrote: »
    That's some odd thinking there. If they insist this is a next generation, triple-A MMO title, does that make it true just because the developer labels it as so? Or does the public decide that?

    You missed the true meaning of what I wrote. Sarcasm is involved.
  • calaminthacalamintha Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    But as players we seem unable to accept the fact that MMOs need a little time to sort out all the bugs and issues that their game has. Despite the fact that every game ever launches with problems, we seem to expect perfection at launch. We’ve lost touch with the reality of MMO game launch at some point.

    So true, except I'm not sure if people ever were in touch with reality.
  • stormdrag0nstormdrag0n Member Posts: 3,222 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    nepht wrote: »
    You missed the true meaning of what I wrote. Sarcasm is involved.

    Sarcasm yes but a lot of truth there too just look at Forsaken world, it was pretty darned polished at OBT but they still kept it in that state for nearly two months.
    Always Looking for mature laidback players/rpers for Dungeon Delves!
  • travail01travail01 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 151 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    This is not a beta. In fact, it is not a beta so much so that they said in their latest state of the game address that they would soon be launching a "Public Test Server."

    http://nw.perfectworld.com/news/?p=896631

    Speaking of testing, as we progress through OBT and near the official live launch, we'll be standing up a Public Test Shard or PTS. That way we can make "Wild West" changes on there and ensure that only quality fixes make it into the OBT. To those who have played our other games, you probably know that this is one of the main ways that we fix bugs, collect feedback, and stress test our games before the content goes to the live servers.

    If you need to create a test server in your game to test features, specifically so that untested content doesn't make it onto your current servers, then your current servers obviously are not test servers. They are live servers, and that makes the game live.

    -Travail.
    Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
  • ganjaman1ganjaman1 Member Posts: 792 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    travail01 wrote: »
    This is not a beta. In fact, it is not a beta so much so that they said in their latest state of the game address that they would soon be launching a "Public Test Server."

    http://nw.perfectworld.com/news/?p=896631

    Speaking of testing, as we progress through OBT and near the official live launch, we'll be standing up a Public Test Shard or PTS. That way we can make "Wild West" changes on there and ensure that only quality fixes make it into the OBT. To those who have played our other games, you probably know that this is one of the main ways that we fix bugs, collect feedback, and stress test our games before the content goes to the live servers.

    If you need to create a test server in your game to test features, specifically so that untested content doesn't make it onto your current servers, then your current servers obviously are not test servers. They are live servers, and that makes the game live.

    -Travail.

    Pretty much this ^

    Looks like PWE / Cryptic are truely going for insulting the NW player base intelligence with this statement .
  • xavior80xavior80 Member Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    You know what the the most HAMSTER thing about this game is and needs FIX ASAP? Not being able to go to quests while me and buddy are in Q... Your party must gather? This needs a bypass.. EPIC DESIGN FAIL
  • somnolence2somnolence2 Member Posts: 98
    edited May 2013
    ganjaman1 wrote: »
    Pretty much this ^

    Looks like PWE / Cryptic are truely going for insulting the NW player base intelligence with this statement .

    unfortunately it has many fans like the dragon trollip above that will suck dog HAMSTER off their man hood if they asked him too.
    http://mmogfails.blogspot.com/ - because some times MMO's fail.
  • starkaosstarkaos Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    If PWE needs to keep its delusion that Neverwinter is still in Open Beta due to their insecurities, I say let them. I already have classified this game as paid beta which is the time between when Subscription MMOs launch and when the MMO finally reaches the point it should have been at launch. Obviously this is not a subscription MMO, but the term still applies.
  • mrtastixmrtastix Member Posts: 31
    edited May 2013
    thelingarn wrote: »
    Exactly. It is unfortunate that many people conflate loyalty to a company/game with defending an obviously deceptive premise.

    Even worse is people mistake passion for hatred. When people see a player complaining about the game they don't stop to think that he really loves the game and wants it to better. It frustrates him that it's not the game it could be. Some do just want to hate but many do not.
    If a game wants an open beta period, that’s fine, they deserve it, but don’t go full-on launch mode and then try to call it open beta. It insults the intelligence of most of your players.

    This is my favourite line of the article but unfortunately it seems a few minority people are already ignorant enough to believe everything and anything Cryptic tell us.

    [e] Apparently the edit system is bugged as hell.
  • somnolence2somnolence2 Member Posts: 98
    edited May 2013
    mrtastix wrote: »
    Even worse is people mistake passion for hatred. When people see a player complaining about the game they don't stop to think that he really loves the game and wants it to better. It frustrates him that it's not the game it could be. Some do just want to hate but many do not.

    If a game wants an open beta period, that

    That's my situation, loved this game until they put money before it's long term success
    http://mmogfails.blogspot.com/ - because some times MMO's fail.
  • tarmalentarmalen Member Posts: 1,020 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    travail01 wrote: »
    This is not a beta. In fact, it is not a beta so much so that they said in their latest state of the game address that they would soon be launching a "Public Test Server."

    http://nw.perfectworld.com/news/?p=896631

    Speaking of testing, as we progress through OBT and near the official live launch, we'll be standing up a Public Test Shard or PTS. That way we can make "Wild West" changes on there and ensure that only quality fixes make it into the OBT. To those who have played our other games, you probably know that this is one of the main ways that we fix bugs, collect feedback, and stress test our games before the content goes to the live servers.

    If you need to create a test server in your game to test features, specifically so that untested content doesn't make it onto your current servers, then your current servers obviously are not test servers. They are live servers, and that makes the game live.

    -Travail.


    I fixed it for all the folks that have a hard time reading.
  • starkaosstarkaos Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    travail01 wrote: »
    This is not a beta. In fact, it is not a beta so much so that they said in their latest state of the game address that they would soon be launching a "Public Test Server."

    http://nw.perfectworld.com/news/?p=896631

    Speaking of testing, as we progress through OBT and near the official live launch, we'll be standing up a Public Test Shard or PTS. That way we can make "Wild West" changes on there and ensure that only quality fixes make it into the OBT. To those who have played our other games, you probably know that this is one of the main ways that we fix bugs, collect feedback, and stress test our games before the content goes to the live servers.

    If you need to create a test server in your game to test features, specifically so that untested content doesn't make it onto your current servers, then your current servers obviously are not test servers. They are live servers, and that makes the game live.

    -Travail.

    Yeah a public test server for a public test server does not make any sense.
  • tarmalentarmalen Member Posts: 1,020 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    starkaos wrote: »
    Yeah a public test server for a public test server does not make any sense.

    The test server will be a platform that is used to test patches. That is something you want in place day one. Currently we ARE the test server. Hence BETA. Once Neverwinter launches there will be no more patches to the "LIVE" servers without first being tested in a "TEST" environment.
  • dreadlordmikeydreadlordmikey Member Posts: 59 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    starkaos wrote: »
    Yeah a public test server for a public test server does not make any sense.

    It makes perfect sense, if you consider that the current OBT servers will become the live servers.
    "Over the course of my many years I have learned one thing: I don't know anything, I only think I do. And I'm not even sure about that." -- Rasgard the Wise
  • terradraconisterradraconis Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 17 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    You know I'm still trying to figure out what is won by campaigning that the game isn't in open beta?

    No one has actually been able to answer that question. Suppose you are right and the game isn't in open beta? Then what?

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • clockwerkninjaclockwerkninja Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    A very good write up. The key issues that have split this forum in two are covered very nicely. It also certainly helped calm me down slightly as to why a company might want to walk this line..

    The game still feels dirty to me,knowing a lot of exploited xp and loot will get by,but as the writer here stated. To write off a game in the first few weeks is not giving a team of devs who did work their asses off a fair shot.. Horrible choices aside.


    Still pushing for a wipe tho...
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Quote Originally Posted by roents
    It's an "open beta" that can't be wiped even in the midst of multiple economy destroying exploits. FUN
  • madmike82508madmike82508 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 19 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    My issue is when ever a problem happens they use "Open Beta" as a excuse so they don't get negative feedback towards the game. This kind of puts a bad taste in my mouth always falling back on "open Beta" instead of just admitting you screwed up.

    Who is more to blame people willing to buy a unfinished product(in-game items) or the Dev's for trying to take the money when the game is unfinished?

    I will say this if Cryptic showed me anything its NEVER spend money on ANYTHING Labeled "open beta".
  • edgenwedgenw Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 124 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    It makes perfect sense, if you consider that the current OBT servers will become the live servers.
    tarmalen wrote: »
    The test server will be a platform that is used to test patches. That is something you want in place day one. Currently we ARE the test server. Hence BETA. Once Neverwinter launches there will be no more patches to the "LIVE" servers without first being tested in a "TEST" environment.

    You both might want to read that announcement again. The public test server is going to be brought online while we're still in open beta test period, not delayed until after the game "officially launches". Patches that pass quality checks on the public test server will then make their way to the.. public open beta test servers. If that sounds redundant and/or stupid, it's because it is (and, really, only because they want to keep labeling these three shards as public open beta test servers, with us all as the "testers").
  • edgenwedgenw Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 124 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    You know I'm still trying to figure out what is won by campaigning that the game isn't in open beta?

    No one has actually been able to answer that question. Suppose you are right and the game isn't in open beta? Then what?

    I don't think it matters except in the case of the media. If the media starts to review Neverwinter now as a live, launched product, then it really doesn't matter what Cryptic wants to call it. The various media outlets (and their reviews and review scores) will reach more eyes than Cryptic ever could, and if the media as a whole starts calling the game live, then Cryptic is going to have to drop the charade sooner rather than later. And that also means losing the ability to use a beta label as a shield.

    I think that will also have an impact on how other companies use this "tactic" going forward. If it ends up working wonderfully for Cryptic because nobody is willing to call their bluff, then expect to see other companies abusing the beta label in the future. If, instead, the media makes a justified mockery out of the silliness being pulled here, other companies may be more reluctant to go this route. It will keep them more honest.
Sign In or Register to comment.