You can read it HERE

Mortal Online Beta phases
The closed Combat Beta is going as planned, we’ve been inviting players from the community each week since beta started. If you haven’t got an invitation yet please be patient, so far we are doing this in a relatively small scale.

The test phases have been great for Mortal Online; we are getting a lot of good feedback on combat, movement, crafting, balancing, latency and stability. We are very happy with the stability of the server and the clients.

Even though our movement prediction system is not yet in place we have also got very good test results from US players on our EU server. We didn’t expect US players to actually be able to compete in our real time combat system, but they have shown it’s very possible, so far.

We’ve had some great testing sessions, and it’s been lots of fun for us to see what kind of crazy gears/weapons people come up with on the battleground. We’ve also had our a* kicked by some real skilful players. Here’s some screenshots from the beta.

Within the next few weeks we are going to switch to our release build, which is the next step in our testing phase. As this build contains the complete prediction system we will soon have some information about what kind of ping players will need to be able to compete at the same terms as the rest in our real time combat.

Don’t forget to still sign up for the beta if you haven’t done so yet, it’s not too late to be part in the different beta phases.

Mortal Online Release Plan – Shop Opening Soon

PRE-ORDERS AND BETA

For several weeks the Combat Beta has been up and running on our first server with very good results, and now we're excited to announce the release plan for Mortal Online. On June 29 we will open up our shop for pre-orders of the game, also giving you access to the Beta Phases.

Our goal from the very beginning has been to develop Mortal Online with a close and honest connection to the community on our forums. With the Combat Beta showing good and stable performance we have reached the point where we feel it’s time to take the community interaction to the next level. It’s important for us as an independent company to know how many of you are committed to buy and try out the game, and we also want your feedback during the next crucial steps in development. All 10.000 users pre-ordering the game in any of the formats available will be given free access to the Beta Phases until the official launch of the game.

Please note that the Beta Phases will run on a server in Europe only. It’s fully possible to access this server from all countries; however we can’t guarantee the speed and performance over long distances.

During the coming Beta Phases, users with a pre-order will be able to follow and participate in the further development of the core features for release. They include, but are not limited, to:

- The full Myrland continent
- At least 9 races, male and female
- Blood mix and character customization
- Main features of the skill system
- Full PvP, full loot
- Full melee and ranged combat
- Basic magic combat
- Mounts and mounted combat
- Basic GUI for the crafting system
- Resource gathering
- Basic Guild mechanics
- Basic player housing
- Basic NPC mobs and wildlife
- Hidden/secret features

We strongly feel that we want these features to have reached a “polished and proper” state before starting the monthly subscriptions, but as always when it comes to game development it’s hard to estimate how long this will actually take. That said we are aiming to reach this state (and start the monthly subscriptions) in Q4 2009, when all the core features above should be in place and thoroughly tested.

BETA QUEUE AND GAME VERSIONS

We have decided to make 10.000 copies of the game available on June 29. The Beta spots will be divided into blocks of 2.000. Every second week, starting July 6, we will accept a new block of 2.000 players into the Beta until we reach 10.000 accounts. This will be done on a first-come first-serve basis, meaning the earlier you book the earlier you’ll get in.

There will be three different versions of the game in the shop:

1. Digital Download Only
2. Boxed Version
3. Limited Edition (999 numbered copies)

All versions give you free access to the Beta phases. Access to digital download is not limited to the Digital Download Only version. More info about the different versions will be made available in the shop before it opens.

Mortal Online Races
We are showing you a sneak peak of a playable races in Mortal Online.

Ending notes
That´s all we have to offer this time. Don’t forget to check the for upcoming releases and other fun stuff. We developers are active on the forums whenever possible, to read or answer your questions and comments.

i will definetly be buying

i am sure it will be a race to get the copys

I have a bad feeling this game is going to be a disaster... worse than Darkfall... but they are trying to cover it up by releasing it (and calling it a beta). They will sell 10k copies to get some income, then allow 2k into the game every 2 weeks until that 10k is filled.

Originally posted by fldash

I have a bad feeling this game is going to be a disaster... worse than Darkfall... but they are trying to cover it up by releasing it (and calling it a beta). They will sell 10k copies to get some income, then allow 2k into the game every 2 weeks until that 10k is filled.

Sounds like Darkfall only the developers for MO are being honest about it.  Those who feel sure enough will pre-order while the more cautious of us will sit around and wait.

Paid beta? No thanks, my interest in the game just flat lined.

Maybe I read it dif. then some others.

The way I read it was.
You can PREORDER the game come the 29th.  There will only be 10k preorders available.  Based on wich number preorder you buy you'll get to participate in the later beta phases.

Preordering isn't the same as buying.
And a perk of preordering is getting to participate in the beta.

This didn't read to me like pay to beta, since they won't be charging anything other then the preorder fee until the game releases later this year.

I hope I'm able to get a preorder myself.
The honesty and level of communication SV has maintaned with the community is incredible.
Can't wait to try this game, even if I do end up paying to beta.  As long as it's fun I couldn't care less.

Good to know it's still on track for a 2009 release.

Like Falric said, you're not paying to beta the game, you're preordering it, and will be able to play at release.

However as a bonus, you will be able to participate and help in the beta before release.

Originally posted by fldash

I have a bad feeling this game is going to be a disaster... worse than Darkfall... but they are trying to cover it up by releasing it (and calling it a beta). They will sell 10k copies to get some income, then allow 2k into the game every 2 weeks until that 10k is filled.

I've got the same feeling - there are just a lot of similarities that make this entire thing look a lot like the Darkfall trainwreck.

But, it is just a preorder, and not full purchase of the game, so that it a bit different.  I hope they have a MUCH for professional sales system than AV had.

Originally posted by Fariic

Maybe I read it dif. then some others.

The way I read it was.
You can PREORDER the game come the 29th.  There will only be 10k preorders available.  Based on wich number preorder you buy you'll get to participate in the later beta phases.

Preordering isn't the same as buying.
And a perk of preordering is getting to participate in the beta.

This didn't read to me like pay to beta, since they won't be charging anything other then the preorder fee until the game releases later this year.

I hope I'm able to get a preorder myself.
The honesty and level of communication SV has maintaned with the community is incredible.
Can't wait to try this game, even if I do end up paying to beta.  As long as it's fun I couldn't care less.

That's how I read it, they could have worded it better to make that clear. That whole 10k invites deal is listed under the BETA info part of the entire release. How in the hell are people getting that they are releasing then when they clearly state that's just another beta phase? Having a pre-order beta invite program is hardly new, it's been going on in the industry for years. It's not a 'paid' beta, it's a 'pre-order our game and get preferential invites to beta'.

And SV is telling us straight up what is going on. They have with this one release given us, their customers, their game plan for the next four or more months. We know what's going to happen, what it will happen and what will happen after that. How is this anything even remotely like DF? Aventurine barely communicates on this level with the public anymore and they were never this straightforward to begin with.

We know that when this next phase of beta begins there will be 10,000 slots open for pre-order beta invites. We know it will be first come, first serve and there will be 2,000 invites per week for five weeks. There's no hidden or ambiguous language in this release, so I really don't get how people are making these huge leaps. If you don't want to pre-order in order to get an early beta invite then don't freaking pre-order, simple as that. This release is stating that they plan to have all their core components polished and ready to go by Q4, so release is probably going to be sometime in Q4. Stop making huge leaps of judgement because you got burned by DF. If anything after reading this people should have -more- respect and a positive outlook for MO since SV is being so open, -clear- and straight about what is going on.

DF sucked, it failed, anyone with half a brain could tell it was going to fail. It's why I didn't bother even trying to buy it. I've made it my personal policy to not pre-order anything anymore, no matter how much I may want to. After reading this I really want to pre-order MO, SV is impressing me with how much professionalism they're showing. I now know what exactly their core features are, I know they're -focusing- on those features rather than trying to do everything all at once. They've told me their schedule for the next half year. This is kind of thing that denotes a highly professional company, respect companies like this.

See Tasos? this is how things are done.

The preorder is probably going to be 'full price'. I'd count on it. I remember this scam from Mourning, but I'll fall for it again. MO is all that's left...

It isn't any sort of scam, as it is just a Pre-Order as no one is obligated to buy it; and the Pre-Order allows Beta access.  If you only look at it from the view of "Buying the Game for Beta" then you are sadly mistaken. 

Just because the game is also a Sandbox game like Darkfall, means it is NOTHING like Darkfall.  Please follow the community in the forums, how the Devs respond, how they are very well nit with the community, etc.  Its simply like Darkfall cause it has similiar idea, as most MMOs, even MO, all strive for; in their own way.

That being said, I can't wait for the 29th.  It allow people to become more skilled with the Game mechanics and at w/e choice of combat/non-combat style they go.

Originally posted by fldash

The preorder is probably going to be 'full price'. I'd count on it. I remember this scam from Mourning, but I'll fall for it again. MO is all that's left...

people really shouldn't bandy around words when they have no idea what they're talking about. It's only a scam if they take your money and then don't give you the promised product. That promised product is only in so far as the purchase of a copy of a title, the contents and quality of which are never promised in that exchange.

If you pre-order a digital download you usually pay full price, since for whatever reason they do it that way. Technically speaking you shouldn't be obligated to pay full price for a pre-order, since the point of a pre-order is to reserve a copy, but if you change your mind that's your perogative.

Games have been doing this kind of thing for a long time though. It's nothing new, if you want it then great.

Some of you sure are silly

if it is a "scam" they'd actually lose money since they are registered as an open company on the swedish stock market. What do you think would happen to their economy and stock if they started scamming? They'd crash and burn, losing millions - not to speak of legal persecution.

For that matter there have been interviews and small shorts on Swedish television about the company, so it's legit. People have been so burned in the past that they are starting to get paranoid around here it seems.

I'm going to be optimistic about this thread only getting 14 replys.

I'm taking it as a good sign that I may be able to get a pre order. :)
Now that I've shot myself in the foot.

I don't know how people can compare this game to DFO.
If you think it's like DFO you should check out MO official forums and read about how combat works.  It's nothing like DFO, it actually sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun and require actual player skills; not a bunch of LMB spamm.

Fariic, generally it is "Vapourware until released", and you know it. :)
I am not even talking about the D-game.

Stop hyping games.

Herodes: so all mmorpg in development should be called vaporware ?
Then I suppose even D3 is vaporware.

nonsense

Originally posted by joshe

Herodes: so all mmorpg in development should be called vaporware ?
Then I suppose even D3 is vaporware.

nonsense

by D3 you dont mean diablo 3 right? just for a second assuming thats what you meant, since when is diablo 3 an mmorpg?

on another note, looking forward to the game, probably not going to preorder or anything like that but I do want to get it eventually assuming that majority of people dont announce it as complete fail, though I dont think this will be the place to check for that though since we all know how happy and positive people on here are -.-

Hmmmmmmm..... pre-order to get in Beta hey. If the pre-order cost is like 10% or something, not the full price, then that seems fine to me, because with a token amount charged it should help to give them good indicators of potential sales, which is the stated reason for the pre-order (ie "It’s important for us as an independent company to know how many of you are committed to buy and try out the game").

But, having said that, they are aiming to launch Q4 2009? So really, thats only a few more months of dev, they've already spent a crapload of cash. Lets pretend pre-order sales are dismal, does that mean they would can the game and never launch? I doubt it. At this stage, isnt it a bit late to be asking "oh btw, how many people are gunna buy this game??".

Anyways, 10,000 beta testers (be they pre-order paid or not) can only help to give them feedback. I'm still hopeful the game will be decent.

While I hope I'm wrong, this game is striking me as too similar to DF (perhaps a bit more polished though). I hope it proves to be a much better game.

warhammer did something similar, the early access was pretty much the same, its cool for me if is not full price

Originally posted by Herodes

Fariic, generally it is "Vapourware until released", and you know it. :)
I am not even talking about the D-game.

Stop hyping games.
 

I'm not really sure why you singled me aout.

I've made like 3 posts in the MO forums.
I would hardly call that hyping.

However, I am excited about the game.
 

Originally posted by Drughi

warhammer did something similar, the early access was pretty much the same, its cool for me if is not full price

Did warhammer offer 3 different editions?

I look at the 3 different choices and it instantly raises a flag that this is a full price paid beta.   Its also disturbing that they didn't lay down a cost  ( $5 -  15 ) for the pre-order.  

How is "preorder the game and you'll get the bonus of joining the beta!" a bad thing?

It's an added perk. It is a good thing. Would you have prefered to not get anything with the preorder?

Some of you seem to try and dig up negative crap even when there is no negative crap to be found.

Lol at the comparisons to DF.  Spend some time on the MO boards and you'll see devs interacting regularly, not to mention the fact that the game hasn't been in the ludicrous Duke Nukem Forever development cycle that DF went through (what was it, nine years?  And the result was basically Counterstrike with a horrible skill system? Lol.)  The website is also updated fairly frequently, and I'm willing to bet that if features do get cut, they won't linger on the front page for months after release.

In short, Star Vault seems to have the professionalism that consistently eludes Aventurine.  Whether or not the game will be good is anyone's guess, but they're certainly on the right track, and light years ahead of DF.