alpha
Latest
Camelot Unchained 'in great shape' following first pre-alpha test
Camelot Unchained's first pre-alpha test wrapped up after running this past weekend, and according to reports from the devs, the MMO saw strong server stability and performance. Mark Jacobs reported that a "vast majority" of testers approved of the detailed character creation system and up to 200 players were able to duke it out in the same battleground area. "It is safe to say that, considering where we are in development as compared to other games Andrew and I have worked on, that we are in great shape. Especially since we are building almost the entire engine from scratch," Jacobs said. Camelot Unchained will continue to run pre-alpha tests, with the devs promising "at least one testing day" every week or two.
Skara: The Blade Remains moves to Steam early access
Have you been longing for a violent multiplayer combat game on Steam with no regard for how early it may be in testing? Then you'll be happy to learn that Skara: The Blade Remains will be landing on the Early Access service on October 27th. Players will initially be limited to one-on-one battles in the earliest client, although the ultimate plan is to make the game play as an 8v8 mix of RPG and MOBA elements. You can get a sense for how the game will look in action in the gameplay trailer just past the break. Purchasers will ultimately have their money refunded in the form of virtual currency once the game launches as free-to-play in 2015. If you want to get involved in the testing and don't want to fund the game directly from the developer's site, just hold on a little longer and you can pick it up through Steam. [Source: 8-Bit Studios press release]
Bloodborne alpha returns this weekend for one postponed hurrah
Players of Bloodborne's alpha have one more chance to check out the build this Sunday, October 19, after developer From Software postponed the final day's session during the initial test run. The Souls studio canceled the October 5 session "due to some issues," but an email sent to Joystiq by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe detailed the encore with co-op play for up to two extra players included. According to a PlayStation Japan support page, the delayed alpha session is due to run between 5PM and 8PM PT in North America (8PM-11PM ET), while in Europe it's scheduled for 6PM-9PM BST (7-10PM CET). Meanwhile, Sony Europe notes voucher codes for the alpha have been extended beyond the stated expiry date, and advises users who've deleted the Alpha Test client they can re-download it.
Camelot Unchained is a go for pre-alpha testing
Camelot Unchained takes another big step forward today toward launch with the release of its pre-alpha test for founders. The test is actually starting ahead of the original schedule, to the presumed delight of the game's fans. In late August, City State Entertainment announced that it was pushing back its alpha and beta tests in order to bring on more programmers to the team. Details of the alpha test were sent out to backers in emails yesterday. The test will run today, Friday, and Sunday. The studio spent an hour the other day discussing this test in a livestream that you can watch after the break.
Pathfinder Online begins alpha stress test
Pathfinder Online has thrown open its doors to all of its supporters for an important alpha stress test as the game transitions into Alpha 9.1. The Alpha 9.1 update is primarily focused on bug fixes but also includes "more fluid and lifelike" animations, a faster character selection process, the ability to tab-target enemy players, and a doubled drop rate for common refining recipes. The team has also removed energy resistance from heavy armor to make light armor more desirable in various situations. This stress test is part of the build-up to the repeatedly delayed early enrollment launch, which is currently scheduled for October 30th.
Evolve's closed 'big alpha' test hits Halloween weekend
Evolve's "Big Alpha" test is scheduled to begin on October 30, 2K announced today. The closed alpha phase will be available to Xbox One players through November 2, while PS4 and PC players will have access from October 31 to November 2. Those interested in participating in the alpha test can register for "priority access" on Xbox One through 2K's website. Pre-order customers will have a guaranteed spot in the Halloween weekend alpha on their platform of choice. The "Big Alpha" test requires that PS4 and Xbox One users have a PS Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription, respectively. Turtle Rock Studios also offered a special limited-use code for "a couple thousand" alpha testers to register with on its blog. The four-versus-one multiplayer shooter was delayed in August after a previous alpha test, and will launch on February 10, 2015. [Image: 2K]
Das Tal launches merch while making a Greenlight push
If you're excited for Das Tal, now's a fine time to vote with or without your wallet. Yes, both work here. Voting without your wallet is as simple as moving over to the game's Greenlight page on Steam and supporting it if you haven't already; the developers have issued a statement claiming that the game is close to getting Greenlight status and just needs a final push. How can you vote with your wallet? Well, you can grab some Das Tal apparel, coffee mugs, or the like. The merchandise features art from the game's art director, so it's a good way to show off your affection for the game in physical form. You can also check out a video of the game's most recent test update just past the break, although you can't buy that on a shirt. It's hard to display video on a shirt. (It's the same video we covered recently, though, so if you saw it then you can safely skip it.)
Samsung Galaxy Alpha review: Samsung's most beautiful phone yet
When a company names one of their products after the first letter of the Greek alphabet, it means business. Take Samsung's Galaxy Alpha: The name alone exudes confidence. Although the term typically signifies the first in a series, the Alpha obviously isn't Samsung's inaugural Android phone; rather, it ushers in a completely new design direction for the company. It's not a top-of-the-line flagship device on the inside, but what matters is that it actually looks like one on the outside, thanks to its premium aesthetics, metal frame and sleek body. Samsung has every reason to be confident in the Alpha's design. As always, however, there's more to a device than meets the eye.
Bloodborne alpha glitch reveals unannounced content
Players slicing their way through the alpha version of From Software's PlayStation 4-exclusive Dark Souls follow-up Bloodborne can escape the alpha's boundaries and access not-yet-announced content, the fan-made video above demonstrates. YouTube user "Sanadsk" shows off weapons, armor and locations normally inaccessible in Bloodborne's alpha. Throw a couple of pebbles at the pit shown in the first minute of the video above and the floor will become solid, allowing players to flip a switch and access a gated gameplay area featuring giant pigs, mutated rat creatures, and other hidden content. Players who access Bloodborne's secret area can also battle Priest Gascoigne, a boss enemy who is not normally encountered in the alpha. At one point during the battle, the boss utters the word "Umbasa," which supposedly ties the game to From Software's 2009 PS3 release Demon's Souls. Bloodborne hits retail in North America on February 6, 2015. [Video: Sanadsk / From Software]
Pathfinder Online's latest alpha patch is live
After no small amount of hand-wringing, the latest alpha patch is live for Pathfinder Online, with the intent of eventually cracking open the servers for stress testing. It's a pretty important patch even without the aim of a stress test, though, as it expands the map size to its full early access scope and fixes a variety of issues with advancement and the game's overall systems. Even if you didn't get to play recently, the development is humming along. Obviously those who didn't get to play also didn't get to experiment with the game's recent auction house functionality, which is explained in depth on the official site. Setting up an auction requires a starting price and a minimum price. Over the auction's duration, the price slowly decreases from the starting price down to the minimum; if no buyers are found at that discount rate, the auction ends unsuccessfully. Check out the full development blog for more details.
The Repopulation is focusing on feature completion
In what its devs are calling a "very busy month," The Repopulation pushed out three major patches in September, not to mention another one this past week. Above and Beyond says is all being done to fill out the game: "We've been pushing hard to get our experimental tweaks and additions out of the way now as we push towards feature completion." In addition to pages and pages of patch notes, The Repopulation made significant changes to Medics, added a Points of Ingrigue extension to its enemy camp system, and completely overhauled the tutorial. The sandbox title promises that another round of testers will be invited into the game in the middle of October.
Star Citizen working to develop ships faster than before
In a new monthly report, the makers of Star Citizen said that they have restructured their internal process so that they can pump out new ships even faster. Some of these new ships include the Herald, Carrack, Reclaimer, Avenger variants, and 890 Jump. "We have been hard at work refining our process and improving our workflow so that we can develop ships more quickly and more efficiently than we have ever done before," the team writes. "The creation of new ships for Star Citizen is an incredibly complex and detailed process, so it made sense to move it to LA where Chris [Roberts] can maintain oversight and provide direction to everyone involved." The report also touched on the fleshing out of Arena Commander, preparations for upcoming conventions, the hiring of new personnel, and improvements to ships' HUDs. One thing to look forward to is a brand-new cinematic that should arrive within the week.
Gloria Victis pre-alpha adds recipes, buff system, and potions
Crafters in Gloria Victis got a special treat in the September pre-alpha update for sandbox: The patch added a slew of new new recipes. In addition to collecting over over 500 recipes, players will also recover some of the resources used in crafting attempts. Other updates include a new buff/debuff system, an expanded map with three additional islands, and working potions that can be purchased or looted. Testers will also notice that upon resurrecting, characters will have a small safe zone to protect them at the respawn point. According to devs, the next things players can look forward to are sailing, an improved UI, and the end of the NDA. You can read up on the full details in the update notes.
Camelot Unchained celebrates new website and forums
Camelot Unchained is now boasting a shiny new website and player forums, according to the game's second newsletter. That's only the tip of the wordy newsletter. A brief community question and answer section addresses a few in-game topics, such as boat travel and caravan details. Then it dives right into a treatise on world game design and how the team is still attempting to figure out how large Camelot Unchained's landmass should be and how quickly players will be able to traverse it. "In our case, we are making what is essentially a medieval fantasy war game conquest map, which means things like territory and resource control, logistics, and force projection are extremely important considerations, but things like good quest flow are less so," the team said. The art department also piped up to say that it's working on the Tuatha Dé Danann race, the Arthurian Storm Rider, and pre-alpha testing support.
Stormthrone debuts and offers alpha signups
It's Thursday in MMOland, and you know what that means: It's time for a new fantasy game announcement! Today R2Games unveiled its latest offering, Stormthrone: Aeos Rising, along with a teaser site and alpha signups. Stormthrone is a browser-based fantasy MMO that calls heroes to "discover the ancient world of Aeos, a world besieged by demons." Players will get their pick of six classes: Knight, Rogue, Priest, Warrior, Sniper, or Mage. Right now the website has bare-bones information, a link to sign up to the alpha test, and the promise of more information coming soons. [Source: R2Games press release]
TUG introduces the magic of alchemy
An early version of TUG's alchemy system has made it into the game. "Sacrifice your energy for the love of magic and bring forth some new surprises," Nerd Kingdom teased. Players can now get their hands on recipes to help them whip up useful items, mine crystals in the world, and transmute items at a cost. The team also announced that it has made "a lot of progress" on better multiplayer network code and improved terrain generation.
See Trove's greatest alpha creations
Alpha is but a memory for Trove while beta begins tomorrow, but in the meantime you can check out a snappy video featuring the greatest player creations from the previous round of testing. From soccer stadiums to literal theme parks to gigantic statues of public domain characters, these constructions are pretty amazing considering the limit of using blocks to make them. You can check out the video after the break!
Pathfinder Online's early enrollment is delayed yet again
Pathfinder Online has further delayed the start of its next testing phase, Goblinworks wrote on its blog yesterday in a post titled Early Enrollment Will Not Start This Week: There are a lot of final pieces coming into place to turn Pathfinder Online into a Minimum Viable Product so all of our early adopters can play and have a great time. The Auction House didn't make it in for a build last week and that is a critical feature of our MVP. As always, Goblinworks is dedicated to making sure the players have a solid and fun game experience. As a result we are going to reschedule the start of Early Enrollment. The team is developing their roadmap and when we have a revised start date we will provide an updated blog to present that plan. We appreciate your continued patience. Those of you playing along at home will recall that this is the third such delay. On September 3rd, early enrollment was shifted to September 22nd for bug fixing; a week later, it was set for September 25th to accommodate, Goblinworks said, its players' vocal "desire to have the whole early enrollment map ready for play on the first day of early enrollment." Early enrollment is the equivalent of paid early access for backers and incurs a subscription fee.
MapleStory 2 shows off its housing system
MapleStory 2 is not going to make your character live on the streets. Probably not, anyway; the new video on housing makes it appear that space is limited for buying and building a house or a room, but players will have the option of doing either. Yes, there's housing, and the video just past the break shows it off in all its glory, even if the narration will be a bit difficult to follow for the non-Korean-speaking members of our audience. While open-world plots are rather expensive, rooms can also be purchased for characters to use, offering many of the same benefits. Some decorations are purely cosmetic, while others offer a function; the video shows off using a cabinet for storage and a mannequin for quickly changing to a new gear set. There's also the option to quickly teleport back to your home as necessary once you own one. Check out the full video past the break for a clearer picture of the housing setup.
Albion Online makes it onto Steam
Albion Online is the latest upcoming MMO to garner enough community approval to make it onto Steam. Sandbox Interactive said that the sandbox title was successfully greenlit and is now an official member of the Steam family. As with other MMOs available through Valve's digital distribution platform, Albion Online will remain accessible apart from Steam. The game is currently in alpha and has founder's packs available for purchase. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
