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Beta Beat: Parallels Server beta begins
The long history of the Parallels Server release is moving ever closer to an end: SWsoft (which is changing their name to Parallels) has announced that the product has moved into beta. This thing is the holy grail for Mac server administrators, apparently-- it's supposed to not only be the first virtualization solution to run on Apple hardware, but will also allow admins to run multiple versions of Leopard on one box, and even on Windows or Linux servers. I'm pretty clueless at fine art of administering servers, but even I can see how that would have all the IT guys in a tizzy.It's still a closed beta at this point, so you've got to sign up if you want to experience the magic for yourself. And apparently the Parallels folks work fast, so odds are we're headed for an open beta within a few weeks. Soon, Mac OS Server will be at the mercy of any IT overseers to bend and use at their will.
PotBS beta devlog: Ships of the Line
A new beta devlog has been posted to the Pirates of the Burning Sea site. The topic of discussion is the powerful Ships of the Line (SOLs) and some very large changes to how they will play out in the future. The initial SOL concept was to make these ships extremely difficult and costly to obtain, but in turn they would be able to turn the tide of a battle due to their immense power. In actual implementation during closed beta, only half of this was fulfilled: they were much easier to get than intended and people were churning them out.Now that the game is in open beta, the changes that have been made to SOLs bring them back in line with the original concept. They will cost a lot more to make, and the items required to build them will vary in level, meaning that lower level players can contribute to the construction. Another change is that the difference in cost between Fourth, Third, Second, and First Rate SOLs has been increased. Because they were previously similar in cost, people would skip straight to the First Rate SOL, which really unbalanced things. Now there will be a bigger cost variance between these ranks of SOL, and the First Rate will be very expensive to fix after being damaged, making it a major decision on whether to bring one to a battle, or to stick with the less powerful but less expensive versions.All of these changes have implications for various classes in the game. For example, the SOLs are one of the main reasons to become part of the Navy, so of course, this changes things for them in a big way. The full beta devlog has information on how the Navy will be altered with respect to the SOL updates, and how it will affect others as well.
Vampire MMO Darkeden launches open beta
Razorwire picked up on a new MMO to enter the open beta phase, with the intriguing vampire theme. From Joymax, the creators of Silkroad Online, comes Darkeden, a 'horror MMORPG' set in a futuristic fantasy world. Those joining the open beta will be treated to 200% experience gain to assist in seeing what the game has to offer and testing content, in the 'near-complete' build.The features page of Joymax's Darkeden site fleshes out the concept: players will choose between the Vampire or Slayer races, with Slayers being more powerful during the day and Vampires at night. The races work on completely different leveling systems, and each will have their own methods of transportation (including motorcycles, helicopters, warp tunnels, and of course, bats). There will be battles for territories, both small and large scale, between the Vampires and Slayers.Those interested in becoming a Vampire (or killing them) can visit the Joymax portal and make an account, then go to the Darkeden site to download the client.
Open beta for Zu Online starts tonight
If you're looking for a game with a Chinese-wuxia-esque twist, you'll be interested to know that Zu Online will enter its open beta testing phase this evening at 8:00 PM EST. Poke around the official website for the client download (which can even be acquired via BitTorrent, if that's your sort of thing!) and for instructions for the actual launch when it comes. All the old alpha accounts are getting wiped just prior to the beginning of the new phase, so the servers will be a level playing field for new players. If you're not familiar with the game: it's a Kung Fu MMO which features player flight and group-oriented story quests as major selling points. It also has a really neat, stylized cell-shaded look -- something that when you think about it seems like a really good match for the genre.Animated, story-driven Wire Fu -- how can you possibly go wrong with that?
Reminder: Pirates of the Burning Sea open beta has already begun for Fileplanet users, others very soon [updated]
Update 1: Reader Errantdreams pointed out that the open beta was available for closed beta testers and paying Founders Club members of Fileplanet since December 3rd.Update 2: Some digging on the forums has led to the discovery that you can get your free beta key right now from Eurogamer.net. Hurry over to get yours!Last week Flying Lab Software lifted the NDA on Pirates of the Burning Sea, and dished out some open beta details. As of the 7th of December, the open beta for PotBS has been available for Fileplanet subscribers.We also learned that the open beta proper is supposed to begin four days after the short Fileplanet-exclusive access period. This should mean that everyone else will be able to sail the Burning Seas on December the 11th, or very soon now. In a matter of hours you may be beginning your nautical adventure. The thing is, the original news story from the PotBS site also states that the full open beta will begin "within a week" of the Fileplanet stage -- so hopefully the more specific "four days" is the one they stick to.If you are in fact a Fileplanet subscriber then you could already have been playing, and you can visit Fileplanet's PotBS beta page to salvage what is left of your headstart. If not, the PotBS homepage is probably where you want to be, crossing your fingers and hoping that you'll be joining the other scurvy dogs soon.
The purpose of beta testing
Anyway Games has some good thoughts up (I especially like that continuum in the title between "testing" and "fun") about what beta tests are really for these days. It seems you can't publish an MMO without having a beta test-- the world is so big and meant to support so many players that you not only need volunteer help for QA, but you have to have enough people to stress the servers, just in case.But is it OK to invite players into a game that's not actually done yet? Richard Garriott blames TR's slow start on a poor beta reception, and I was one of those players who wasn't impressed with the early beta (although I don't know if the game has actually improved since then). I also have been playing the Pirates beta since a few weeks ago, and after playing it again yesterday afternoon, I was pretty astounded at how far the game has come just within a week or two of development. There is no question that the game I was playing a while ago was definitely unfinished compared to the game as it is now, and even though it's in open beta, there will undoubtedly be improvements before the game goes live.So what's the purpose of a beta? Is it marketing for the game, or a massively multiplayer quality assurance session? Every developer has to decide for themselves, obviously-- there's no golden point at which the game is good enough to be played, but buggy enough to still be tested by the unwashed volunteers. The best you can ask for, at this point, is a development schedule that gives you a game strong enough to give a great experience while buggy, and a beta testing crowd interested enough to stick around and help you fix the bugs that are left.
Cinemassively Specials: PotBS Machinima preview
When I was growing up, Sid Meier's Pirates! was one of my favorite games. Released in 1987, you could choose your own destiny by being a dirty swashbuckler, or serving your King. Pirates of the Burning Sea brings me back to those simpler days, when the biggest dilemma was whether to use a rapier or a cutlass in battles of honor. Alas, I went for the Leisure Suit Larry style of MMO, otherwise known as Second Life. Oh, how things could have been if PotBS had come out sooner ...During a recent conversation with an SL friend, Bebop Vox, of Natural Selection Studios, he mentioned that he was in the closed-beta program. When asked about the Machinima capabilities, he admitted that they were a bit rough around the edges. However, when the NDA lifted today and he showed me this video, I wasn't expecting that kind of quality at all!As you can see from this short clip, you can sail the gorgeous seas and engage in gun fights with a rival crew. At the end of the day, you can relax with a brew in the local bar. I'm sure you can even meet a real lusty wench or two, although you could do that in SL as well. There's no doubt about it - PotBS is the action-packed MMO that we've been waiting for, and Massively has all the dirt you're looking for on it!
PotBS NDA lifted, open beta details
Have you read our in-depth mission preview and crafting hands-on for Pirates of the Burning Sea, and discovered a burning inner desire to try your hand (or hook) at life on the open sea? Well today may just be your lucky day. Beginning December 7th, closed beta testers and members of FilePlanet's Founders Club will gain access to the PotBS open beta, and the general public will follow four days afterwards on December 11th, a day on which we anticipate many businesses shutting down to a sudden and unforeseen outbreak of scurvy. In the meantime, the non-disclosure agreement signed by closed beta testers has been lifted, so those among us who were fortunate enough to have been playing the game in quiet anonymity will finally be able to share our experiences on forums and the like. So chat it up!Not wanting to leave Australian and European fans behind, the Flying Lab Software folks also reaffirmed their commitment to finding publishing partners in those territories. There's no news (and subsequently no pre-orders) in this respect as of today, but they wanted gamers abroad to know that they have not been forgotten.
Exteel open beta pushed back a day
In an announcement late last night on their official site, NCsoft officially pushed back the start date for the Exteel open beta from today to Thursday the 15th, though they did not state a reason. They also revealed that while they were going to enact a complete character wipe of characters from the closed beta, players will be able to retain their characters from the open beta through to the final release, a welcome surprise to many who put in some time with the beta. As an added bonus, players who were part of the closed beta test will get access to the game later today as originally scheduled, giving them a one day head start on the rest of the public, as well as a special "Sky Blue" paint can to thank them for their efforts.If rootin' tootin' anime-style mechs swinging swords and blasting each other with machine guns sounds like something you'd be interested in, we'll be bringing you our first-hand impressions of Exteel later today, so stay tuned.
Exteel enters open beta on the 14th
We're not sure how we let this one slip past us. NCsoft announced last week that Exteel, their third-person mech shooter set in a persistent universe, would be moving to the open phase of beta testing starting this Wednesday at 2PM CST. Effectively, this means that whoever wants to try their hand at the game will be free to download the client, and the silence that has been enforced on beta testers through the NDA will be lifted.Some have questioned whether Exteel really qualifies as an MMO to the degree that NCsoft has been claiming it does in their press and marketing materials. While it has certain elements on the check-list, like persistent characters who retain experience, gear, and abilities from game to game, it is fundamentally a third-person shooter. Perhaps it falls under the category of pseudo-MMO? I guess we'll find out for sure this Wednesday.[Thanks Kevin]
Twelve Sky public beta opens
Aeria Games and Entertainment has launched the open beta of their new MMO Twelve Sky on 12 October. During the Open Beta, Aeria will be running special events, giveaways, promotions and competitions.
How to sign up for Halo 3 European beta
Xbox London Community Manager AceyBongos has amassed a list of websites where you can sign up for the Halo 3 multiplayer open beta. Fourteen countries, alphabetized from Austria to the United Kingdom, now (or will soon) have their chance to sign up for a chance to play a new-gen Master Chief before a vast majority of the world. The list has been reprinted below for your convenience.See Also: Today's hottest game video: Halo 3 "Starry Night" ad dissected [Via 1UP]
Phantasy Star Universe beta is Live
The much ballyhooed Phantasy Star Universe open beta is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Now you can slay rappies to your heart's content until October 18th. But not on the 17th. We'll let you all know how wonderful/awful it is just as soon as possible. Perhaps an impromptu Xbox 360 Fanboy clan (X360FanClan?) is in order.
