As like every other avid MMO fan, I am always on the lookout for the open/closed beta signups for games I am really interested in.
While under an NDA for closed beta no one can even whisper their initial impressions, while this is standard operating procedure, most beta "testers" will take a wait and see approach until the game goes into open beta stress testing. For example, Tabula Rasa. I was in closed beta, and I continue to play in open beta and report bugs as I come across them. I am doing my job as a beta tester. I have watched this game go from just ok, to craptastic, to something actually fun and enjoyable. Enjoyable enough to me to warrant the subscription cost and to change my pre-order from the standard boxed edition to the collectors edition.
A lot of mmo vets are playing the game and digging it which is great. Now before the Tabula Rasa SUXXORZ gremilns come out to play let me make my point.
Once the open beta started the floodgates opened up and the majority of the people who have set the bar wayyy too high and have had their expectations crushed or didn't dig that deep into the game are bashing the crap out of it. You guys too, like me are entitled to your opinion.
But doesn't this all sound too familiar with another recently launched mmo with big name game designer recognition? (Vanguard).
But Tabula Rasa, just like Vanguard have found it's audience, so there will be people playing the game whether or not your head is on fire while jumping up and down screaming how bad the game sucks in your eyes.
While Garriott didn't revolutionize the genre, he did take it down a lesser beaten path and created a unique game in a market flooded with fantasy, can't fault him for that. At this point it's going to be hard for any developer to compete with WOW, or even EQ2. The aformentioned games have very dedicated playerbases, and just like the rest of the world, different strokes for different folks.
You can also never put all of your eggs in one basket in regards to any MMO. I agree that we all deserve a certain level of stability, content and quality at launch, but not everything that is promised by the PR dept. Developers have milestones they have to meet to get paid, publishers have ship dates to meet so they can get paid and get their quarterly expectations in line, so it's never all going to be there or work as intended at launch. This is something that WE need to understand. Patches will be steady, game updates will happen, and if any game warrants it, expansions will be made. So I wouldn't sweat it.
Open Beta, Closed Beta, 3 months after launch, it's still broken. It does offer a glimpse of what the game might eventually be, but it's definately not a way to try before you buy. Exercise a little patience and wait for the trial, you will be doing yourself, and your community mates a favor.
I expect the same swirling crapstorm to hit once HGL goes into open beta, or when the NDA is lifted. 'Cause you know, history has an uncanny way of repeating itself in the MMO world ;).
Now back to your regularly scheduled discussions consisting of whether or not GW is an mmo, how people are still pissed over SWG (I too played on day one guys, time to move on), and how WoW is teh bestest game evar cause Chuck Norris and Leeroy Jenkins said so.
