Alpha-2

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Alpha-2 character creator user interface (first pass).[1]

When we talk about Alpha-2's perspective, it's really focused around core systems and their ancillary counterparts. When we talk about what those core systems are, it's the siege systems; it's the guild war systems; it's the node advancements; it's the story arcs; it's the character class progression; it's the augments; it's our artisanship loops and the gathering, processing and crafting cycles; it's homeownership; it's vehicles and mounts; and any number of professions that exist there; and then also a big chunk of Alpha-2 is obviously content: The ability to ensure that the the hooks for these quest hubs within the nodes; the points-of-interest are stood up and reflective of the content necessary to facilitate that those story arcs; and commissions and buy orders. That's really the CORE of what we need to achieve in order to demonstrate the loops, collect feedback from those loops and the players who are play testing them; and then make iteration as necessary based off of the feedback we've received.[2] – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 character creator intro (first pass).[3]

You may see whole systems come online at some different points throughout the Alpha-2 testing: Entirely new different areas; entirely new packages of narrative content and POIs. That is going to adhere to what our development schedule and release cadence will look like.[4] – Steven Sharif

Ashes of Creation's core game systems are expected to be in place at the start of Alpha-2.[2][5] By the end of Alpha-2, the game is expected to be feature complete, but it will not be content complete until launch.[6][7] Alpha-2 will last until launch and will run in parallel with Beta-1 and Beta-2.[6][8]

Alpha-1 and Alpha-2 testers may be invited to participate in spot testing prior to the Alpha-2 release.[43]

Alpha-2 is known as the persistent alpha.[8][44]

Alpha-2 core features list.[2]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Core feature.

Alpha-2 availability

Phase Release Estimated/Actual date
Alpha-2 Alpha-2 spot testing.[45][46] To be announced.[45][46]
Alpha-2 (No NDA).[45][8][44] To be announced.[45][47]

Read more...

Persistent alpha

Alpha-2 is known as the persistent alpha.[8][44] Persistent means that the Alpha-2 servers will be kept up all day and night until launch.[6][8]

  • There will be downtime for patches.[6][7]
  • Alpha-2 servers will become the public test servers (PTS) post-launch that are used to test patches and updates.[50][48][8]
Alpha-2 will remain even post launch as our public test server.[50] – Steven Sharif
The ultimate goal for A2 is to be persistent and the PTS, but before we get that far there's gonna be some wipes I would expect.[48] – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 server wipes

Alpha and Beta servers will be wiped prior to launch.[49]

As a general rule, if the testing phase contains the word Alpha, it is safe to assume there will likely be wipes.[48] – Steven Sharif

Alpha testing system requirements

Alpha-1 stress testing, March 17, 2021.[53]

Funny story; So yesterday as we are stress/density testing with our NDA testers, I accidentally summoned 5k bears around our few hundred players. But hey, it didn’t crash! Can you spot Lt. Toast here?[53] – Steven Sharif

These are fully operational NPCs. They have behavior trees, they have AI blackboards; you know they are functioning as an NPC would; and to my surprise, to everyone's surprise actually, the server handled it quite well: 5000 entities all within a very dense area.[54] – Steven Sharif

Ashes of Creation alpha testing minimum system specification.[55] These system specs have not changed for Unreal Engine 5.[56][57]

  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-Bit
  • Processor: Intel Core i3-2125 3.3GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 3.3GHz
  • Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD Radeon R9 270
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 50 GB of available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card

Recommended specification.[55]

  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-Bit
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz / AMD FX-9590 4.7GHz
  • Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon R9 Fury with 4GB and DirectX 12
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 50 GB of available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card

Tulnar race

The Tulnar race will be in place before Alpha-2. Concepts and early works are expected at that time.[27]

Naval schedule

Alpha-1 naval concept art.[58]

Naval content will be present in Alpha-2.[59][5]

Artisan classes timeline

Artisan classes (Gathering, Processing, Crafting) is expected to come online fully in Alpha-2 and the Betas.[61][34]

Crafting honestly will not come online in any sense of its true form until Alpha-2. Alpha-1 has essentially what are intended to be the core gameplay loop of crafting, meaning the collection of materials, the translation of those materials into processed goods, and the use of those processed goods into item acquisition. That's the core gameplay loop that is currently present in Alpha-1. But those are mostly facilitated kind of piggy backing the merchant systems right now and not actually using the real crafting system; and that's because crafting hasn't been completed in a form that can be implemented in Alpha-1, but will be for Alpha-2. What's present in Alpha-1 doesn't even really scratch the surface for crafting.[34] – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 NDA

Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta-1, Beta-2 releases are not covered by NDA (non-disclosure agreement).[63]

Participation

  • Alpha-0 had over 2,500 participants.[66]
  • Alpha-1 testing had approximately 9,600 participants as of August, 2018.[67][68] There were slightly over 13k participants as of May 31, 2021.[67] There were 5,300 unique logins during the 3 day weekend test of May 27, 2021.[67]
info-orange.pngThis section will be updated as soon as information is made available by the developers.

Testing phases

Alpha and beta key concept art.[72]

Ashes of Creation testing phases.

Ashes of Creation's core game systems are expected to be in place at the start of Alpha-2.[2][5] By the end of Alpha-2, the game is expected to be feature complete, but it will not be content complete until launch.[6][7]

The game will be feature complete before Beta... Beta really is intended to identify last minute bugs to make sure that everything is ready for launch; it's important that all features are complete by Beta-1. Alpha-2 will not be feature complete at the start of Alpha-2. There are going to be updates that are going to be incorporated as part of the Alpha-2 process and there are going to be additional features that come online that get fleshed out between that time and Beta-1. There's going to be regions of the maps that aren't going to be accessible of course during Alpha-2.[7] – Steven Sharif
Alpha-2 is intended to exist up until launch. There's going to be different testing periods that we will be releasing either new content locations or zones or systems that we want to have players focus in on. In those situations, if we're having participation drought because of the length of Alpha-2, we can set them up in a more focused setting. We can even incentivize that. We can offer unique testing to potentially new testers as well.[6] – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 videos

See also

References

  1. ↑ Video, March 31, 2022 (34:16).
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Livestream, March 31, 2023 (1:24:21).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Video, March 31, 2022 (0:00).
  4. ↑ Livestream, April 7, 2023 (1:08:30).
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 Podcast, September 29, 2021 (59:29).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Livestream, April 7, 2023 (28:08).
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Livestream, July 29, 2022 (1:08:49).
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Livestream, January 18, 2018 (25:22).
  9. ↑ Livestream, April 29, 2022 (56:24).
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Livestream, October 14, 2022 (6:38).
  11. ↑ Livestream, April 29, 2022 (32:29).
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Blog: Creative Director's Letter, October 16 2020
  13. ↑ Newsletter, 2018-08-7
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Livestream, April 7, 2023 (13:35).
  15. ↑ Livestream, April 7, 2023 (22:15).
  16. ↑ Livestream, April 7, 2023 (54:02).
  17. ↑ cc-alpha-2.png
  18. ↑ Livestream, July 25, 2020 (1:11:52).
  19. ↑ Livestream, July 26, 2019 (1:10:44).
  20. ↑ Interview, August 8, 2018 (30:51).
  21. ↑ Livestream, January 28, 2022 (15:35).
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Livestream, April 7, 2023 (1:14:05).
  23. ↑ Livestream, October 14, 2022 (15:44).
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Podcast, September 29, 2021 (23:00).
  25. ↑ Livestream, March 28, 2020 (1:41:11).
  26. ↑ Interview, October 20, 2018 (12:38).
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Livestream, 2018-04-8 (AM) (2:17).
  28. ↑ steven-family-summon-2.png
  29. ↑ Interview, October 20, 2018 (0:00).
  30. ↑ Livestream, September 24, 2021 (1:18:06).
  31. ↑ Livestream, September 24, 2021 (1:19:17).
  32. ↑ Livestream, April 29, 2022 (21:00).
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Livestream, September 27, 2018 (54:02).
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 Interview, February 7, 2021 (35:30).
  35. ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2022 (1:17:34).
  36. ↑ Livestream, April 29, 2022 (25:16).
  37. ↑ Livestream, February 25, 2022 (1:10:00).
  38. ↑ Livestream, January 28, 2022 (7:26).
  39. ↑ Livestream, December 23, 2021 (40:53).
  40. ↑ Livestream, December 23, 2021 (50:50).
  41. ↑ steven-bear-a2.png
  42. ↑ Livestream, October 31, 2018 (47:44).
  43. ↑ Livestream, July 30, 2021 (45:11).
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 alpha and beta phases.png
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 Livestream, March 31, 2023 (5:57).
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Livestream, October 14, 2022 (17:05).
  47. ↑ release-dates.png
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 48.3 48.4 server-wipes.png
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 server wipe.jpg
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Livestream, July 29, 2022 (1:10:05).
  51. ↑ Alpha one test schedule, Mar 12, 2021.
  52. ↑ Livestream, November 30, 2020 (7:27).
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 steven-a1-stress-test.png
  54. ↑ Livestream, March 26, 2021 (12:34).
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 What are the minimum requirements for Alpha?
  56. ↑ Livestream, December 23, 2021 (49:39).
  57. ↑ Livestream, December 23, 2021 (42:09).
  58. ↑ Livestream, September 30, 2020 (41:13).
  59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 Livestream, March 31, 2022 (1:10:43).
  60. ↑ Livestream, November 30, 2020 (24:51).
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 Livestream, March 26, 2021 (42:28).
  62. ↑ Livestream, April 30, 2021 (41:18).
  63. ↑ Livestream, January 18, 2018 (49:26).
  64. ↑ Livestream, May 29, 2020 (31:37).
  65. ↑ alpha-1-nda-1.png
  66. ↑ Interview, August 24, 2018 (12:18).
  67. ↑ 67.0 67.1 67.2 steven-a1-participation.png
  68. ↑ Livestream, August 17, 2018 (24:07).
  69. ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 Livestream, November 17, 2017 (28:50).
  70. ↑ a2-participants.png
  71. ↑ Livestream, January 27, 2023 (11:05).
  72. ↑ 72.0 72.1 Kickstarter packages.
  73. ↑ MMOGAMES Interview, 2017-09-8.
  74. ↑ beta 0.png
  75. ↑ Intrepid pre-order pack.
  76. ↑ Adventurer pre-order pack.
  77. ↑ PAX West 2017 Alpha package.
  78. ↑ PAX West 2017 Beta package.
  79. ↑ Ashes of Creation cosmetic store.
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