Originally posted by waynejr2

I don't see the good overall benefit for Bioware to lift the NDA before launch.  I don't see hundreds of thousands of sales being created by lifting the NDA.   I do see the haters using the information to nitpick thinking their opinions matter.

While I'd still like the NDA lifted, I agree with ya somewhat.  With the huge numbers of keys going out for the stress test this weekend, pretty much anyone who wants to see for themselves will have the opportunity.  And that's always the best way to get information.

It may not be open beta, but it's pretty friggin' close.

Originally posted by Cinge
I don't think you will see it drop at all. ALmost every game mechanic is known already. They are protecting the story at this point and there are some major story spoilers that could be leaked.

 

Yep!  It'd totally ruin the game for someone playing a Jedi Knight to find out beforehand that Jar Jar is your father...

...ooops... ;)

"oooh muoy muoy!  Mee'sa tell you'sa bombad bedtime story!"

With the amount of testers that will be playing the game in the big stress test weekend there is absolutely no way they can keep the information under wraps. Might as well drop the NDA at that point.

Posted this elewhere before reading this, but if only for the sake of mods all over the interwebs, I'd imagine the NDA will be dropped (or relaxed, like Bad Spock suggests) for the next big testing weekend.

Will I be playing that big weekend? Doubtful. I'll leave my spot free for those who only have the weekend to test. Like I did last weekend. 

Like Mike B says, the one great thing about NDA coming down (assuming it does) is that people will finally be able to back up their arguments (pro and con), and discussions here will be far freer and more robust. That can only be a good thing, right?

*I do appreciate concerns for story spoilers, as people mentioned above, and so:  I do solemnly swear that my impressions of SWTOR, should they be sought, when/if the NDA drops, will be 100% spoiler free*

Wow, this article hit the nail on the head. It would be abount time if they dropped the NDA. I'm a tester and have been for the last three builds. I badly want to talk about it but can't. Its only a month till release. Its time to drop the NDA and let people talk about it.

Originally posted by czekoskwigel

I agree with some of the posts here about the NDA protecting people from spoilers.  In beta I've only played classes that I don't intend to play on initial release for that very reason.

My guess is that the NDA will drop with or soon after the upcoming stress test, and as far as I'm concerned, that's soon enough.  They've already dropped it for the professional review sites, which tells us that the NDA is not in place just to hide bad aspects of the game.

Now that I can agree with. Including the "played classes that I don't intend to play on release". 

To put it in a way that won't break the NDA. I bought the CE. And I don't regret it either. 

Originally posted by Hopscotch73

*I do appreciate concerns for story spoilers, as people mentioned above, and so:  I do solemnly swear that my impressions of SWTOR, should they be sought, when/if the NDA drops, will be 100% spoiler free*

And I do solemnly swear that anything I say regarding the stories will be completely made up BS, and should I falter in this, I'll  surrender my ingame Pink lightsaber crystal, which I won from Darth Fierce during a game of Pazaak.

i think story should remain under nda. Thats just me i think the rest of the game like mechanics, feel of playing it and things like how phasing is used should be discussable. especially when considering all the lies haters have spread on this forum about this game.

Bioware has stated they are using familiar mechanics and that they ar adding story a pillary they though was missing from mmorpgs. That said i think story has to remain under nda so its not ruined by the jerks for everyone.

The Irony for me is that prior to being Invited to beta I had not agreed to the NDA.  So I made a point of not being worried about anything I said...  Now, because I respect the fact that I've entered into a legal agreement, I can hardly say anything at all.

Except for the fact that there Is a Beta, and I have participated. 

I suppose the only other Irony I should point out is that I kept telling myself, and everyone else, that I didn't want to participate.  And I was sincere!  But when the invite came I completely caved.  I just couldn't help myself.  I suddenly found it inconsequencial that I'd be playing with an unfinished client and spoiling at least some of the class stories (I eventually plan on rolling at least one of every base class... maybe).  All I could think of was how much I want to play.

Oh, and its only fair to say, that desire was not diminished in the slightest... With that I have to Shut Up!  :-P

There are so many things I want to say about this game, but can't.

Nothing about the story, I would never ruin that for other people!

Except the say that the story for ____ is ___ and I ___ that ____ while ____ was ____ which in the ___ is  ____.

As for the game play and systems mechanics...

____ is like____ but with____ and____. Beyond ____ I see____ and ______ then you can____ and____ while ____.

The___ are____ which is ___ because____.

Damn you NDA! Give me back my nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives!

" For those of you who didn’t get a chance to play this past weekend: Do you plan on participating in the final Beta Weekend? Why or why not? "

I didn't play this last weekend but I was already in a month long test back in June/July. I shan't be bothering to participate in the final weekend, even though I have access but I can't tell you why because of the NDA..

The only comment I would make, based on what's in the public domain, is that maybe they only let people test for a weekend  because they know they are likely to get a good first impression. Maybe they're scared of what their longer term impressions might be?

i agree it's almost month from launch and good amount players have tested so yeah NDA should be removed now.

Originally posted by BadSpock

There are so many things I want to say about this game, but can't.

Nothing about the story, I would never ruin that for other people!

Except the say that the story for ____ is ___ and I ___ that ____ while ____ was ____ which in the ___ is  ____.

As for the game play and systems mechanics...

____ is like____ but with____ and____. Beyond ____ I see____ and ______ then you can____ and____ while ____.

The___ are____ which is ___ because____.

 

Damn you NDA! Give me back my nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives!

 

rofl. That was great.

The only comment I would make, based on what's in the public domain, is that maybe they only let people test for a weekend  because they know they are likely to get a good first impression. Maybe they're scared of what their longer term impressions might be?

Funny, that's exactly what I thought when I first heard about the weekend "beta" tests.

I also participated in the month long test phase in June and I know what you're talking about.

I'm sorry but BW/LA are behaving like total losers. Their obsession with upping pre orders, at all costs, is a clear sign that they have absolutely no faith in their game being a success.

Raking in the cash fast before lifting the NDA seems to be their only objective. This really doesn't bode well for the future of TOR.

Since June I've received like 4 surveys from BW always asking the same thing: which promotional offer might change my mind about not pre ordering TOR. This after I'd already answered several times that I just never pre order games.

Their desperation is pathetic.

Originally posted by MMOSareDEAD

The only comment I would make, based on what's in the public domain, is that maybe they only let people test for a weekend  because they know they are likely to get a good first impression. Maybe they're scared of what their longer term impressions might be?

Funny, that's exactly what I thought when I first heard about the weekend "beta" tests.

I also participated in the month long test phase in June and I know what you're talking about.

I'm sorry but BW/LA are behaving like total losers. Their obsession with upping pre orders, at all costs, is a clear sign that they have absolutely no faith in their game being a success.

Raking in the cash fast before the NDA is lifted seems to be their only objective. This really doesn't bode well for the future of TOR.

 

Laughably bad assertion.  You beta tested the game in June, and that's how you are judging it?  I can tell you that long time general beta testers of this game who have multiple 50s are saying many of the same things about it that the weekend beta testers are saying.  And it's been very positive.  

An NDA on a game a month and change away from release is suspect in my eyes.

Couple that with a 'the sooner you get your pre order, the sooner you get in early access' crap and you have to wonder the confidence EA  has in this game.

Not a full MMO, but look at D3, no release date yet, and no NDA on the beta right now.  That's a company confident they have a damn good game if you ask me.

You can invite 50,000 people to test and form their opinions, but keeping the NDA up controls (legally) what can be published in media/Internet. I actually like this approach and would rather form my opinion from a few hours of play than read a plethora of other people's perspectives on their experience.

I'm kind of torn on the lifting the NDA.  On one hand it would alleviate any doubts people have on the quality of the game, but then I don't want at every turn to see the spoilers on the story lines, etc.

If it was lifted on the game mechanics portion that would be great, but again you know the day it is lifted the 'guides and how-to' spam is going to be awful.

Originally posted by Abdar

An NDA on a game a month and change away from release is suspect in my eyes.

Couple that with a 'the sooner you get your pre order, the sooner you get in early access' crap and you have to wonder the confidence EA  has in this game.

Not a full MMO, but look at D3, no release date yet, and no NDA on the beta right now.  That's a company confident they have a damn good game if you ask me.

 

I wish I could remember where I read it, but there was an article on the net w/one reviewer commenting on the time between NDA drop and release correlates to confidence in the game. One month was good, and every week after that got exponentially worse. He had a comparison of various MMOs, when their NDAs dropped, and how they were looking at release. It was an interesting read.

Ultimately, regardless of if a company has the most sensible and noble of reasons to want to keep an NDA up as release closes in, too many companies have used it as a cover for a shoddy product. Wait to close to release, and people are going to assume you're trying to cover something up and cash in before the jig is up, no matter what the truth is.

Perception is, unfortunately, often more important than reality. Hopefully EA/BioWare remembers that.