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Demigod BETA 2 Update Thread with comments from Mike Marr, lead designer

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Demigod BETA 2 Update Thread with comments from Mike Marr, lead designer

come here to get the info you can't find elsewhere.

from Demigod Forums

I created a new post that should answer all your questions about getting into the beta and more, please go to my What New Beta Members Need to do to get the Beta thread.

Hey all,

For those of you not clear on this, this is not an official thread, of course.  I am just looking to compile what we know into one big thread for people who are wondering on progress.

 

Originally they hoped to get Beta 2 to us in November.  With the release of Beta 1b (or c), beta 2 was pushed to Nov. 26th.  With the holiday, it was pushed back to hopefully this week. 

Well, patch day is here and we have "official" word from irc:

9:33 AM <Yarlen> beta 2 has been pushed back

9:33 AM <Trigeminal> if so, what is the new expected release date of beta 2?

9:34 AM <Yarlen> I would say at least a week

9:34 AM <Yarlen> though I have high hopes for next week

9:37 AM <Yarlen> So, I'm pretty confident in next week.

So Beta 2, hopefully next week.

 

About the delay:

9:36 AM <Yarlen> still working on getting new features in

9:37 AM <Yarlen> plus the lead designer is in London and needs to make a balance run

9:37 AM <Yarlen> plus we're starting to run into production deadlines, so there's a lot of internal work going on

9:38 AM <Trigeminal> what does internal work and production deadlines mean?

9:42 AM <Yarlen> As to your earlier question - even though the game is still several months away from release, most stuff actually needs to be locked down well in advance.

9:44 AM <Yarlen> feature complete is the key, yes

 

About features on Beta 2:

From a recent dev diary, a pic shows all of the demigods preparing for a match.  This has lead many to believe  all the demigods will be included in beta2's initial release.

9:38 AM <Yarlen> All I feel comfortable in revealing about content is that it'll definitely have internet multiplayer in

9:38 AM <Yarlen> Plus fully updated skill trees and stuff

9:39 AM <Yarlen> I don't know if it'll include all the demigods, but yes, they've all been reworked

9:40 AM <Yarlen> the maps are getting lots of love too

 

Also, we can expect:

9:40 AM <Trigeminal> can you post a couple of pics of the new maps and skill trees r items up in a diary?

9:40 AM <Yarlen> I cannot

9:41 AM <Yarlen> But there will be some new diaries upcoming on other topics.

9:41 AM <Trigeminal> cool , when can we expect those?

9:41 AM <Yarlen> I have no idea, it's up to marketing. :P

 

Update 12/4/2008-1502 EST:

2:13 PM <sanctuaryy> Yarlen what are the chances of beta being released next week ? :D

2:15 PM <Yarlen> ask me tomorrow, but I'd say better than 50%

 

Update 12/9/2008-1220 EST:

Recieved information that makes it unlikely for this week.  Likely in a week or two. Let's hope it is not 2 weeks from now, as a release on Christmas would be extremely cool, but given gpg and stardock employees have families, it makes the release likely delayed further.  Fingers crossed.

 

Update 12/9/2008-1505 EST:

Recieved additional information.  When Yarlen heard that it may be two weeks, he was very upset and said that will not happen.  Two other "trusted confidential sources" confirm this.

 

Update 12/10/2008-0125 EST:

In a PM 2 days ago, Mike Marr said:

"As for Beta 2, it is -just- around the corner. I'd say another week or two on the outside."

Sorry to hold off on complete info, wanted to make sure it was ok with Tyo.

Also, in another thread he gave some great info on regulus.  When it was asked by Ke5trel, "Any guesses on Reg's 4th ability?". Mike Marr replied:

"I'd guess it has something to do with flying. Just a guess though."

And it the citadel upgrade thread he helps to quell the debate by saying:

"Hey all, Just checking in on this thread. Currently the direction for the Citadel Upgrades is they will use a different currency than gold(working title War Score) that will be earned by holding and capturing flags. Each team member will have their own earned War Score and be able to use it to purchase Citadel Upgrades that benefit their entire team."

Feature update given below in TyoArk's post.  Also note the word generals, let's hope that is no typo.

 

Update 12/10/2008-0125 EST:

<Yarlen> Beta 2 won't be this week.

Quick recap:  Beta 2 extremely likely (>99%) Thursday, 12/18.

Beta 2 Features include:

  • VASTLY improved AI. Like wow.
  • New flag types. Valor, Experience, Debilitating, Celerity ...
  • Citadel Upgrades
  • Generals that can controllable minions directly like in a traditional RTS
  • Minimap
  • Key bindings
  • Edge-scrolling
  • Achievements
  • Achievement Items
  • Impulse Matchmaking

Hope the info helps.  Please feel free to post any thoughts about Beta 2 in here, and particularly rumors.  I'll try to update this page.

I created a new post that should answer all your questions about getting into the beta and more, please go to my What New Beta Members Need to do to get the Beta thread.

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Reply #51 from Demigod Forums Top

Okay so new chances of release date are?:

  1. 95% Next week.
  2. 4% Brad flies over, gets drunk with Mike.  They both replace all the textures with lolcats images.  It takes an additional week to fix all this and do testing to make sure they didn't cause anymore problems.
  3. 0.99% Terrorist attack
  4. 0.01% Duke Nukem Forever is released.  Entire internet slows down from everyone downloading it, which makes it take an additional week to upload B2 to the servers.
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Reply #52 from Demigod Forums Top

replace all the textures with lolcats images
End of quote

Woah, that would be totally sweet! XD

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #53 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting innociv, reply 1

0.01% Duke Nukem Forever is released.  Entire internet slows down from everyone downloading it, which makes it take an additional week to upload B2 to the servers.
End of innociv's quote

lmao

Reply #54 from Demigod Forums Top

These delays are begining to frustrate me. I hope its worth the wait, its important to get things polished so I will wait impatiently for another week.

Reply #55 from Demigod Forums Top

I'm about to eat my own legs in anticipation.   But to be the 1 supporter of the wait, I am glad it didn't come out this week.  Because if it did my finals would not.

Reply #56 from Demigod Forums Top

Certainly Cow, it's worth the wait. ^^ Not many of us are playing the game right now as it stands, because we're patiently waiting new material.

Reply #57 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting OrleanKnight, reply 6
Certainly Cow, it's worth the wait. ^^ Not many of us are playing the game right now as it stands, because we're patiently waiting new material.
End of OrleanKnight's quote

 

I'm playing in anticipation :p

Reply #58 from Demigod Forums Top

I can't play. But whats bugging me is I can't put much input on the game because I ordered after beta and want to use the info from the game into my posts and rplies as soon as possible because now I can only polish the game so I just want to do that soon. I also ask just please releas beta before winter break because even though I want it to be good I want time to play it.

Reply #59 from Demigod Forums Top

I love how they dont actually TELL us its not going to be this week. They just let you wait till thurday and find out for yourself.

Bastards.

Reply #60 from Demigod Forums Top

I really hate Stardock now, release the damn beta, weve waited long enough, I am seriously pissed, this is TOTAL BS

Reply #61 from Demigod Forums Top

If people complain when they give us unofficial probably this but don't want to say for certain dates, then in future we just won't get any dates at all until they're absolutely certain. The beta is for their testing purposes, any entertainment we may derive is purely a freebie thrown in to sweeten the pre-order.

Reply #62 from Demigod Forums Top

I dont think its THAT bad... i mean, i'd sure like it i fthey could give us a little more warning, but i dont hat ethem yet!

If its delayed again without reason tho...  :waaaa:

Reply #63 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Nights, reply 11
If people complain when they give us unofficial probably this but don't want to say for certain dates, then in future we just won't get any dates at all until they're absolutely certain. The beta is for their testing purposes, any entertainment we may derive is purely a freebie thrown in to sweeten the pre-order.
End of Nights's quote

The fact is it's a Beta. It shouldn't matter if it's polished. So delaying it, thus completely defeating the actual point of a beta - testing, just to polish it more and add features is completely backasswards.

Reply #64 from Demigod Forums Top

...unless they are adding new features so we can test those out, which is what I hear they are doing.

Beta is about testing things out. They want to make sure we get to test out all the features.

I mean sure they don't need it to be perfect, but they need to make it work well enough so that we can see how it works and if we like how they work. Beta 2 is a whole new thing. It's no longer testing the engine and not caring about the little bugs and balance. Beta 2 is to get the balance right. You kind of need everything to be working right to be able to balance it

Reply #65 from Stardock Forums Top

The fact is it's a Beta. It shouldn't matter if it's polished. So delaying it, thus completely defeating the actual point of a beta - testing, just to polish it more and add features is completely backasswards.
End of quote
Releaseing a bad beta = bad press . . no matter what.  Better to release a better product and get better reviews.

Reply #66 from Demigod Forums Top

Releasing the beta results in a good game. Holding the beta results in a worse game but better PR.

Reply #67 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting DatonKallandor, reply 16
Releasing the beta results in a good game. Holding the beta results in a worse game but better PR.
End of DatonKallandor's quote

correction, releasing a beta with enough features to be tested results in a good game, releasing the beta with nothing to test besides what we've already tested results in redundancy

Reply #68 from Demigod Forums Top

See, what excites me is originally* they had 3 betas.   We are now into what would be beta 3 I think.   That means when they DO release it, we will be getting the whole 9 yards.   no more waiting until release (i hope)

Reply #69 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Nights, reply 11
If people complain when they give us unofficial probably this but don't want to say for certain dates, then in future we just won't get any dates at all until they're absolutely certain. The beta is for their testing purposes, any entertainment we may derive is purely a freebie thrown in to sweeten the pre-order.
End of Nights's quote
I would PREFER that. If you don't know it's coming, there wouldnt be all this anticipation that gets dashed when they push it back for the millionth time.

My question is how the hell they were ever shooting for way back before thanksgiving?

Reply #70 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Stilbine, reply 19

My question is how the hell they were ever shooting for way back before thanksgiving?
End of Stilbine's quote

Back before thanksgiving, we were getting a much smaller version than what we will get.  As internal deadlines approached, they focused on completing those before getting the beta out.  As a consequence the version we will get will have more features and refinement.

Reply #71 from Demigod Forums Top

Hmmm...

I suppose that does explain things a bit. I still wish we'd get more official word on these things though. I cant help but think about how much in the dark we would be without you, Trigeminal.

Reply #72 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Stilbine, reply 21
I cant help but think about how much in the dark we would be without you, Trigeminal.
End of Stilbine's quote

Indeed! We'd be starving without Trige giving us all these tidbits to feed off of. Thank you!

Reply #73 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Stilbine, reply 21
Hmmm...

I suppose that does explain things a bit. I still wish we'd get more official word on these things though. I cant help but think about how much in the dark we would be without you, Trigeminal.
End of Stilbine's quote

 

Seriously, you flatter me.  I'm blushing. :blush: lol.

Anyways, yeah I felt the same way so I tried to find out info and then I figured if I wanted to know so did other people.  I try to post as much info on here as I can.  I still sometimes post too much too soon.  I think either stardock or gpg, do need to do a better job communicating.  The delays annoy me, but I understand the idea of internal deadlines and it is shocking how many people treat beta 1 as though it is the finished product.  So I guess I cut them some slack for that, but there is no excuse for not communicating.  I think that is all we really want,....    except BETA @ on THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK.  (yes, i'm talking to you stardock and gpg)

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Reply #74 from Demigod Forums Top

just give them the time they need... dont get them in a hurry what will result in something like it happend with hellgate london. the reputation about the betas was that bad, that the game flopped from start. they had not enough time so they brouhgt it even buggy on the market. now flagship studios are history an hellgate will also be in 1. feb, 2009

 

btw. great job tigerminal, it would be a pleasure to me playing you in beta next week  :w00t:

heil to the frog! :frogboy:

Reply #75 from Demigod Forums Top

I don't mean to be annoying and rush stardock/gpg but plz make beta comeout before winter break it'd be a nice birthday/christmas present. I reealy want to play it cause I pre-ordered after beta1. So yeah im alittle impatient but I'd reealy like to play it over winterbreak.