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Sandvox SkySaga hits alpha in the UK
Sandvox SkySaga has officially entered alpha, says developer Smilegate. The team announced the start of the testing phase over social media yesterday and today: Great news! We've just started up the Alpha servers (UK only still, I'm afraid), and from now on they'll be running 24/7 (with the exception of maintenance periods!). You read that right: The alpha's open only to UK players right now, though we've had reports that there's no IP blocking just yet. Release is still set for next summer. The game is a voxel-based sandbox with the usual trapping: crafting, harvesting, combat, arena PvP, and an "evolving" online world shaped by the players themselves.
SkySaga videos encourage you to explore its world
We've got more to share today about SkySaga, that new sandvox that's trying to woo the Minecraft crowd. Radiant Worlds has released a new pair of videos this week that show off the game's playful and exploratory nature. In the videos, you'll follow a trio of adventurers around as they navigate the various biomes of the world and get into nasty scraps with mean foes. Of course, the biggest mystery here might be, "Where are their arms and legs?" See it all after the break!
SkySaga bringing a colorful sandvox to you next summer
Happy Monday! We even got you a gift: the reveal of a new procedurally generated sandbox called SkySaga. You don't have to feel as if you need to get us anything in return, however. Radiant Worlds announced last week that it has started work on an "evolving" online world called SkySaga. The team promises that the story and land of SkySaga will be shaped by the heroes during their journeys. It will contain a lot of the sandbox staples, including voxel terrain, harvesting, and crafting. The game will also include PvP battle arenas. Currently, the plan for SkySaga is to begin closed alpha testing in the UK "very soon" and release sometime next summer. We've got an early gameplay video for you to check out after the break. [Source: Radiant Worlds press release]
Albion Online kicks off its summer alpha event
You could be forgiven for thinking it's a bit too late for "summer" events to take place right now, but Albion Online is forging ahead with its summer alpha event. The closed alpha client is now available for players to log in and explore all of the available systems, from gathering and trading resources to engaging in large-scale PvP battles. If you're not at one of the game's higher Founder tiers, of course, the alpha test is closed to you; all you can do is look on with interest and wish you were playing. Streams and reports will be coming out of this test, including one planned by our own MJ Guthrie at 2 p.m. EDT this afternoon. If you like what you see, you can pick up one of the Founder Packs, or you can just keep watching and waiting as the alpha test rolls on. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online opens its next alpha test on September 15th
Excited to get your mitts on Albion Online? If you've got alpha access, you'll get your chance on September 15th. Developer Sandbox Interactive is opening up the game to testers so they can explore the game, hunt for bugs, and find out what's changed in the most recent build if they've tested before. The current test window is for 14 days (until September 29th) but it may be extended depending on performance, feedback, and player numbers. If you're not already a tester, you can buy one of the game's founder packs to get in and start testing when September rolls around; the $50 pack is the lowest priced option to allow for participation in this particular alpha test. Or you can nab a key during a giveaway elsewhere, that will work too. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Albion Online's alpha begins today, updates highlighted in video
Are you interested in diving into Albion Online's closed alpha that launched today? If so, zip on over to the official site; the cross-platform sandbox offered a limited number of keys for this test run, and you can still sign up for a chance at a testing spot even if you missed out on the giveaway. Testers will see new updates that include customizable player housing which can affect player stats, new guild functionality including customizable coats of arms and searching for guild tools, a local marketplace for trade, and an in-game mail system. Players can also choose from more male avatars as well as the new female avatars. Get a glimpse of house building as well as the other updates in the video below. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Black Gold's closed alpha starts today
Snail has announced that the closed alpha for its steampunk Black Gold MMO begins today. Eligible players will be able to test through March 30th. If you're wondering how to become one of those eligible players, it's as easy as registering a Snail account, filling out a survey, and hoping for the best. If that doesn't appeal to you, the company says it will be "distributing access keys on a wider scale as Black Gold Online approaches its Closed Beta testing period later this year." [Source: Snail press release]
Earthrise accepting test applications, prepares alpha phase
Earthrise might have gone down hard in February of this year, but a last-minute play by German studio SilentFuture kept it from becoming a permanent addition to the MMO graveyard. Ever since learning that this post-apocalyptic sandbox would be resurrected in a new form, we've kept an eye out for a sign that Earthrise would be, er, rising once more. That day is today. Just in case you were wondering. SilentFuture is taking test applications for what it's now calling Earthrise: First Impact. The site notes that just applying does not guarantee entry into the alpha or beta tests. The studio announced that the alpha will begin soon, although there is a technical issue preventing players from downloading the client. [Thanks to Marc for the tip!]
Mojang's Scrolls moves into closed alpha
As reported by the official blog, Mojang has declared its upcoming Minecraft follow-up, Scrolls, to now be in closed alpha. Just like Minecraft, the game is will roll out one piece at a time, first in this testing phase, with more features to come after the official release. In the current alpha, players can build up their deck of scrolls and fight against an AI opponent, or play random matches in multiplayer.It sounds basic, but Mojang wants to iron out the core gameplay before adding any more complexity. The closed alpha will use "quite a modest number" of players to begin with, and eventually grow into a full open beta.
Minecraft studio's rolling launch of 'Scrolls' nearing 'closed alpha' release, paid beta to follow
Mojang's "paid beta" model wasn't a Minecraft-exclusive, and the Swedish studio is implementing the same structure with its next game – Scrolls. Company co-founder Jakob Porser detailed how that'll play out for Scrolls on the game's fancy new website, where he said, "We are rapidly approaching the closed alpha of Scrolls."Said closed alpha will "be far from a feature complete version of the game," Porser said, but it does feature "multiplayer matches, single player matches vs AI, and the Deck Builder, where you can build your decks out of the 100+ scrolls that currently exist in the game." As development continues, the closed alpha will enter open beta and thusly be open for purchase. Porser promised "a reduced price ... with some added benefits" for beta buyers, but stopped short of revealing what those benefits are. Golden scrolls? Super thick scrolls?Of course, that beta won't be feature complete either, and Porser said the game will eventually include a full single-player world for battling (over various scrolls), as well as an auction house, character customization, and questing. And considering how this all worked out last time, it might not be the worst idea to get in on Scrolls early.Wanna see how the game looks before you buy into anything? Have a look at the new trailer above.%Gallery-159032%
Hi-Rez Studios offering exclusive Tribes and SMITE demos at PAX East
With the excitement and craziness of PAX East just a couple of days away, studios are clamoring for your attention with promises of candy and sweet, sweet previews. Hi-Rez Studios is no different; the company hopes that attendees will check out its booth for exclusive demos of its upcoming Tribes: Ascend and SMITE. Players who visit booth 962 can check out a new preview release build of Tribes: Ascend before the game launches formally later this month. The demo contains a new game mode, Capture & Hold, which is a fast-paced experience that requires the mastery of vehicles and teamwork. Players will also get to see the return of a classic 1998 Tribes map revamped for modern times: Raindance. Hi-Rez's other PAX East offering is its MOBA SMITE, which is in closed alpha testing. Here, attendees can choose from one of 15 deities and head out on to 5v5 battleground maps for serious smackdown. New to the public are six of these playable deities and the first look at the Fire Giant mob. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
Ensemble Online wants you for alpha testing!
Longtime Massively readers will remember a giveaway we had last year for Ensemble Online alpha keys. Ensemble Online has been under construction since then, and the small indie studio creating it has grown as well. The developers -- now operating under the SemiFormal Studios moniker -- are preparing for alpha test phase II, and you're invited! SemiFormal has given us 50 alpha test keys to share with you, so if you'd like to see how far the game has come since alpha test phase I, head to our giveaway page and pick up a key for yourself. It's an alpha test, so don't forget to report all those little bugs and glitches. Even more importantly, don't forget to have fun! [Sorry, all codes have been claimed]
Grab yourself an Ensemble Online alpha key with Massively!
How would you like to alpha test an MMORTSRPG? Yeah, that's what we thought. The amount of letters has distracted you. Our evil plan is coming to fruition! And, speaking of things coming to fruition, let's talk about Ensemble Online -- a new game from a small indie developer group. The game is incorporating aspects of a traditional RPG with elements of a real-time strategy game, all under an MMO flag. Retrieve resources, hunt monsters, build buildings, craft weapons, create empires, and wage war with other players in this 2D MMO. It's very ambitious, and ambitious things need testers. We've gotten 50 alpha keys to give away, and that means it's time for a contest! If we've caught your interest, jump with us after the break and we'll give you all of the relevant information. %Gallery-93695%
GDC Europe '09: Igg.com debuts Dreamland Online
Looks like IGG.com, now penned as "I Got Games," is adding another free-to-play MMO to their portfolio -- Dreamland Online.Dreamland is a side scrolling 3d rendered MMO with enough sugary cuteness to bake 20 cakes and have enough sugar left over to give to your neighbor. The game is currently hiding behind closed doors until the third test of the Chinese client. After that testing phase is complete, IGG.com will be releasing the alpha test of the English language client. So until it comes out in China, looks like we're all stuck waiting for more information.Dreamland Online will be making its debut in American and European markets this fall. Until then, you're just going to have to do with these small glimpses into the game, or you could always go jump in on the forum discussions!%Gallery-68589%
WoTLK Friends and Family Alpha now over, say sources
Various tipsters and sources from around the web are reporting that the WotLK Friends and Family Alpha is now over. Deathknight.info reports that Eyonix has posted the official notice on the closed alpha boards, thanking everyone for participating. There is, of course, no date given for the start of the beta, he only says that the team is hard at work preparing it. All alpha testers will be invited back for the beta, and will even be allowed to keep their characters after a short lockout period to allow new testers to catch up. A poster at Wotlkwiki.info claims to have information from an alpha tester who is a member of a developer's family. The source says that they believe that Blizzard is rushing to meet an arbitrary deadline, as the game doesn't seem ready for beta testing -- this part, at least, is a bit hard for me to believe, since Blizzard has always marched to the beat of their own drum when it comes to release dates and deadlines. They also predict that we may need to wait until August to see the beta actually begin. Regardless, it looks like beta will be upon us swiftly -- or at least soon. If you haven't opted in, now is a good time to do so. Once you've done that, keep checking WoW Insider. We'll let you know what we know as soon as we know it.
