After viewing the FB teaser and seeing it says pre-alpha play I was wondering which phase we are actually in right now. I have seen it stated we are actually in pre-pre alpha. but from all accounts of video releases they all state pre-alpha. I was just wondering because depending on the real answer it just makes Alpha and Beta that much further away. I am not asking when the next phase begins, just where are we now?
Also I am so looking forward to the 4/27 for the next stream. It will be nice seeing a new class available for our viewing pleasure.
Please make the 4/27 stream last only a few minutes, I am not sure I can take a 3 hour video. My blood pressure will go through the roof.
We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
Bazgrim said:We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
Thanks Bazgrim for clearing that up.
Isaya said:Bazgrim said:We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
Thanks Bazgrim for clearing that up.
No problem!
Isaya said:After viewing the FB teaser and seeing it says pre-alpha play I was wondering which phase we are actually in right now. I have seen it stated we are actually in pre-pre alpha. but from all accounts of video releases they all state pre-alpha. I was just wondering because depending on the real answer it just makes Alpha and Beta that much further away. I am not asking when the next phase begins, just where are we now?
The first step you need to take is sorting through the difference between commonly used game industry terms (like alpha and beta) and those used by VR.
For all intents and purposes the game is actually in "pre-alpha". That's to say "Alpha" testing, as generally defined, has not begun. With that said VR has created all sorts of new verbiage to describe their varying pledge level rewards. From a marketing/community/pledge standpoint the game is in "pre-pre-alpha" because "pre-alpha" is one of the VIP pledge rewards (which has not yet begun).
So to summarize, from an industry perspective Pantheon is not yet in Alpha (call it what you want). From a pledge perspective, Pantheon is in "pre-pre-alpha" as the first external testing phase, awarded to those who pledge for it, has not yet begun.
Isaya said:Also I am so looking forward to the 4/27 for the next stream. It will be nice seeing a new class available for our viewing pleasure.
Please make the 4/27 stream last only a few minutes, I am not sure I can take a 3 hour video. My blood pressure will go through the roof.
Meh, to each his own. I could watch them stream for a month straight.
Bazgrim said:Isaya said:Bazgrim said:We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
Thanks Bazgrim for clearing that up.
No problem!
Yes, thanks :) We understand that by using different terminology on the pledge site, in posts, in updates, in interveiws, etc. we have really mucked up what all of these terms really mean, not to mention departed in some ways from what these terms mean in the industry.
Right now we are 1. Moving the game forward with a focus on getting it ready (and with enough content) to bring in pre-alpha VIP pledgers. 2. Doing twitch-streams and other promotional efforts to increase awareness about Pantheon. I don't have a time or guesstimate as when the game will be ready to bring in outside people, but I can say we're definitely getting closer all of the time. As always, we appreciate the patience and faith you have in the team, as well as the general understanding that rushing things or bringing people in too early would be a negative both for us and the people we brought in too early.
Bazgrim said:We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
To my knowledge, no other game producer has ever given so much access to the game so early in the process. Thus, we're being exposed to a part of the development roadmap that people would otherwise never see.
Krixus said:Bazgrim said:We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
To my knowledge, no other game producer has ever given so much access to the game so early in the process. Thus, we're being exposed to a part of the development roadmap that people would otherwise never see.
Yup that's true. While Pantheon is not the first game to use an open development process, it's certainly very unconventional and comes with it's own new sets of pros and cons. But I think the positives outweigh the negatives and VR is handling it better than any one I've seen. It's exciting to be able to watch a game as it grows from infancy, but at the same time, it's to be expected that people who are not familiar with it may not really understand what's going on at first because they are so used to games being mostly or fully polished when they discover them. I do believe that more games in the future will use a similar approach.
Aradune said:Bazgrim said:Isaya said:Bazgrim said:We are still technically in Pre-Pre-Alpha. They will make it exceedingly clear when Pre-Alpha begins and VIPs are invited to test. They use the term "Pre-Alpha" on a lot of outbound advertisements/material because people that haven't even heard of the game will watch/read it and wouldn't know what the heck "Pre-Pre-Alpha" means, because they aren't familiar with the pledging system.
Thanks Bazgrim for clearing that up.
No problem!
Yes, thanks :) We understand that by using different terminology on the pledge site, in posts, in updates, in interveiws, etc. we have really mucked up what all of these terms really mean, not to mention departed in some ways from what these terms mean in the industry.
Right now we are 1. Moving the game forward with a focus on getting it ready (and with enough content) to bring in pre-alpha VIP pledgers. 2. Doing twitch-streams and other promotional efforts to increase awareness about Pantheon. I don't have a time or guesstimate as when the game will be ready to bring in outside people, but I can say we're definitely getting closer all of the time. As always, we appreciate the patience and faith you have in the team, as well as the general understanding that rushing things or bringing people in too early would be a negative both for us and the people we brought in too early.
Like i was saying to kilsin before, if i could have funded more i would throw some real cash at you. I have been there since 98/99 and continue to be apart of your work today. So i do feel this is a valued liked project. Pre alpha is so expensive, to run servers etc... Keep it up guys!!
What I think would be far, far more interesting is to be able to see their ongoing internal timeline, just to get an idea on how they really think they are progressing and their estimates for various testing stages.
Don't get me wrong, I fully understand why they don't post it as some people would absolutely lose their friggen minds when dates slip (as they pretty much always do), but it would still be interesting to me.