I don't remember a MMORPG where the beta was shit, that turned out good at release. Posts that say "but it's only a beta" usually spell doom.
And this GW2 beta weekend wasn't very glorious indeed.

But then some sarcastic people don't even consider GW2 a MMORPG, so it may well turn out fine, right...RIGHT?

Originally posted by Semiel

I don't remember a MMORPG where the beta was shit, that turned out good at release. Posts that say "but it's only a beta" usually spell doom.
And this GW2 beta weekend wasn't very glorious indeed.

But then some sarcastic people don't even consider GW2 a MMORPG, so it may well turn out fine, right...RIGHT?

Funny thing is... in what way was it a disaster? I guess if you scream 'the building's on fire!' loud enough it eventually becomes true, right?

The amount of positive feedback this game has gotten is huge. Not only were servers packed, but most people seemed to have already been sold by the beta (even the skeptics). Whether or not haters want to except that is irrelevant. The sad thing is, now that people have played the game (and actually have found legitimate things to complain about), haters are still using the same tired bs arguments to 'show' how this game is a failure.

I have yet to see a purely negative GW2 thread, in which the complaints actually make sense.

I don't think it is a disaster, but it is not the second coming either. It's just an OK game like SWOTR. The hype is just too strong and many people are going to be disappointed. The excuse "it's just a beta" is not going to cut it.
And if you can't find any negative posts... LOL.

Originally posted by Ulorik

For me this Beta weekend had been an absolute desaster. Out of two days trying to get into the game I have managed to actually play for a full hour, and that happened to be at 4am this morning.

The forums are full of people suffering a wide variety of technical problems. In other betas you may have had 2 or 3 main technical problems which the dev team can concentrate on, here there seem to be dozens of different problems going on at the same time.

Technically this game is not even at an acceptable beta stage and I regret having given Anet my money already now as the inability of the tech team to deal with all those problems does not bode well for release.

Got tired of replying on the official forums so you came here to find a more receptive ear perhaps? Good luck.

Originally posted by palulalula
It was pure horror for me, after 16h of waiting i got in to game that was full of bugs, i think they need one more year of testing

Hmm have you even bothered to read your post history ?

I just doubt you pre-purchsed the game, considering how much you have trashed it.

I just posted this in a different thread, but it belongs here as well.

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I strongly prefer betas which are run like this one. If you pay to get into the beta (remember, this is after lots of beta testing by others), you are likely someone who cares about the game, has followed it and is interested in seeing it succeed. You are therefore more likely to to actually test things and treat it like a beta.

When they let everyone in for free, you get tons of people who do treat it like am preview, clog up the servers, and provide no useful feedback that might improve the quality of the game for release.

So, in essence, you have the entire concept of beta backwards. You shouldn't be paying to "preview" the game, especially a game that has so much information out on it. The only reason to have paid to get into the beta is because you want to help make the game better. If you just want a preview, you are entering beta for all the wrong reasons.

There's already a word for a a preview of a game: trial. This isn't a trial or a preview. It's a beta. It is mean to test things. They don't want people playing the beta who aren't there to help. Of course some people did and always will go into paid betas for the reason, but that's not the right reason, and it isn't want the company, any company wants.

Players are the biggest reason "betas" have become "trials" in many cases. There are some companies that are to blame for this, but Arenanet is wanting to test their game and get feedback, and therefore only wants people willing to test it.
It is very sad this isn't more obvious to people.


Edit:

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Originally posted by laxika91

Originally posted by Ulorik
What I find disturbing is the huge variety of different tech problems at the same time reported on the beta forums by frustrated people like myself. In other betas you have perhps 2 or 3 issues, here its dozens, and they seem to overwhelm the tech team, as they arent getting fixed.
Looks a bit as if the technical side wasn't even ready for beta yet

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It's normal in my opinion. At least I'm not falling underground without any way to come back. (As it happened in Dragonica's beta.)

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Or World of Warcraft, several times, some years after release. The technical issues I am seeing are not really better or worse than most other games' betas to which I have been a party.

The only thing that bothers me or gives me pause are the really rookie mistakes of not including an actual /say channel, and poor chat/chat window controls in general.

Originally posted by dontadow

Originally posted by Illyssia

Originally posted by RizelStar
I hope he isn't talking about this closed beta lol.

The beta is open. ArenaNet has publicly detailed its cashshop. There is vanity stuff there. But basically you can use your credit card to obveiate gameplay (grind) to items and currency.

Sorry beta is closed, open beta is specifically defined as beta opened to anyone.  This beta is only open to specific people selected by anet. Which includes prepurchasers and select others.  

 

Actually this Beta was open to everyone. All they had to do was go through the sign up process (of buying the pre-purchase)

A-Net did not select who got to participate. The participants themselves are the one's made the decision as to who would participate.

A-Net did not choose to include me in the weekend Beta event, I chose to participate. If others chose not to participate that was their decision, and not A-Net's.

No NDA means it's an open beta.

This was their 1st massive stress test and some people dint have problems and some people coulnt play.

Thats good, as they are awere that GW2 is still a few miles away of being launched.

They will scan the data and fix what was wrong with people that did have massive problems.

You Payed for the game in advance, the beta test is there for you to test and report bugs, even if you coulnt play as much as you wanted, its still a STRESS TEST.

You did not pay for a beta, the beta was a bonus + you play beta to report bugs.

Give Anet time to fix problems, iam sure it gets better with each beta test.

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Originally posted by Semiel
No NDA means it's an open beta.

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That's not what open beta means. Open beta means anyone can join. A company could still impose a non-disclosure agreement on anyone who chose to join an open beta. That would be weird, and usually isn't done, but it could be. Words mean things.

Well, see the thing is, I didn't and don't pay to test games.  I seem to be the unlucky soul who generally has some sort of problem during these early cycles (usually self inflicted by my own lack of knowledge) so I tend to steer clear until they've got all the kinks worked out.

Some day down the road just before launch they may have a real open beta (try before you buy) and I'll likely give it a go then, but not before, I just lack the patience.

But that said, others enjoy doing it, many seemed to have a blast this past weekend (yes, and some didn't get to play) but overall I see no harm, no foul.

Do you just argue for the sake of arguing? No NDA means everyone gets to see the content, even if you can't play. You can't get more open than that.

The Beta is not there to be a full game, It there for you to test and help the game become better for realease. Also as its been said if you paied £50 to play in a beta you are crazy.

Had not problems in the beta played every second and got to say £50 well spent.

Originally posted by Goggy

I can't believe people are saying they didn't pre-purchase to play the beta, but to just buy the game, that is absolute b****x!

 

If they didn't give you beta entry with your purchase, you wouldn't have paid for it, and 99% of other people wouldn't have either.

You are mistaken.

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Originally posted by Ashen_X

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Originally posted by Goggy
I can't believe people are saying they didn't pre-purchase to play the beta, but to just buy the game, that is absolute b****x!
 
If they didn't give you beta entry with your purchase, you wouldn't have paid for it, and 99% of other people wouldn't have either.

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You are mistaken.

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So, when ANet said "it's not a demo,it's a BETA TEST" like the old days, you chose to ignore them, and decided it was a demo? And you paid £50 for a demo?

Good sir, go return to the loony bin from whence you came.

I don't pre-purchase games anymore. Not since AION and Rift.

I was able to test Tera with both an invite to CBT, then in OBT, then I was able to get into the head start with a buddy key posted here...I still have yet to purchase. I will, but probably not till tomarrow.

I close with this: Capitalism is 'core. Get a helmet.

NC/ANet, for reasons unknown, SOLD a product. That product: AN unfinished game with no release date. Many of you bought it. Way to go NC, you look like wiley snake oil salesmen, but way to go.