Originally posted by Distopia

Originally posted by Thrashbarg

Open beta refers to beta testing without a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Every public beta event since BWE1 has been an "open beta". 

Closed beta is ongoing with a select team bound by NDA.

Console games don't give any sort of open beta and they sell a lot more than PC games. "Open beta" is usually used as a publicity stunt for games having a hard time with sales, GW2 needs no such nonsense.

 

Game demos?

He obviously is confused as to what an open beta actually is.. its a beta that you have FULL access to the world before release. It has nothing at all to do with NDA or no NDA. THis is why GW2 did not have an open beta, they did not want to give the whole game out to be played as it is a B2P model and that would be like giving it away for free. Game demos are small demos with very limited gameplay.. sorta like BWEs =P except there was much more content to BWEs

Originally posted by Sephastus

Woah... the hate spewing is massive. I do have a life outside of the forums. I don't look through them every day as if the moment I don't my life were over. If I missed the "thousands" of beta keys, well then that's my problem, and not something to give me a middle finger about.

I was mistaken about thinking this game would have an open beta period. As for the "retention" comments: Games can have great initial gameplay, and you can have a great amount of fun on it, but they can feel like eating a gallon of honey, and getting burnt out quickly can be a real issue. Seeing retention is a great indicator of how quickly that feeling can come. I am in no rush to dive into the "next big thing", since I normally play games for the long haul and make great long time friends in the process. 

Also, I just can't see how a game can stay afloat without a hook. Specially with as many people as GW2 is bringing in. I like my games cut n dry: I pay my fee, they provide my gaming, if I don't like their direction, I pull back my funding. This does not feel like the case in GW2. The main draw is just to buy the game... in my mind, that is the whole objective, and then screw everything else. It's one of the only reasons I see for them offering beta access with a pre-purchase. Brilliant marketting, but still just a way to get a buck out of a person. Couple this with a disguised cash shop, and my appeal just drops off. (To those with an itchy finger to say you can get everything with in game currency, this is also a fallacy as there is no NPC that directly converts in game money into Cash Shop Gems, and the only way to get gems, albeit at an extremely low rate, are in treasure chests for which you need a key... a cash shop item to begin with, with a low in game drop rate. If you wanted to open every single chest you get, it would be impossible without paying cash, or buying said keys from other players.)

But hey, each person is free to enjoy whatever pleases them. I tend to stay away from F2P games, and unless something changes, GW2 feels to me like a F2P game that you have to buy before you can begin the F2P experience. Which is why I will happily stay in the sidelines until I see how well founded, or unfounded my ideas are. If I am wrong, no big loss, as I will just pick up the game and enjoy myself. If I was right, not a big deal either, I will just look at what else is on the horrizon.

Happy gaming (honestly).

I won't join in on the attack, but I also don't feel bad for you since you made the thread and it did kind of come across as negative based on misinformation. Also some of your responses here are pretty bad so I highlighted them. 

I can see why this could be a concern but they actually have produced another game and it has plenty of people still playing it. Also I fail to see this game should be held to a higher standard than any other game you purchase, you play till you don't feel like it, and you move on. The long haul you speak of comes in the form of expansions and since we are judging a games longevity before it releases, concidder that this is the same with sub games and I don't see the issue. 

Many games stay afloat without hooks. As a matter of fact they stay afloat because they are fun and entertaining. I am not sure why people still feel the need to bag on a game in regards to hooks or lack ther of. Same as in point one, you buy the game you play till you don't enjoy it any more, and you move on. They will release expansions and you can come back or not, as long as you felt you got a ROI then what's the problem. It's a game and is supposed to be played as entertainment, not a cult club you are sworn to be part of untill the end of your days. You say you like your game cut and dry pay your fees. Well gues what, it's no different in GW2 you pay the fee and you play as much as you want.

Disguised cash shop? Come on man. Dislike them all you want, I know I hate cash shops, but let's not even play like their cash shop is at all disguised. They have been open about it and have even taken off things that people felt were not appropriate. It's not like they waitied until after launch to make changes or they sprung items on us at the last second. 

I cant speak for everyones experience and you shouldn't either since you claim you haven't played and you also don't frequent the forums enough to know there were beta key giveaways so jumping to this conclusion is kinda harsh. You either don't like the game and spread misinformation because you dislike the product, or you do frequent the forums enough to have read enough. From my own experience, yes the keys are low drop rates but also the keys can be found inside the chests themselves. I know they can because I was able to pop about 4 of these chests from one key I got as a world drop. 

If this is how you feel then I feel bad for you because you are missing out on what I feel is a great game. I don't get how you can feel it's F2P with an initial purchase when the game has ZERO roadblocks in place to force you into CS purchases to unlock portions of the game. There are no speedbumps that force the playerbase to purchase things to continue playing at the pace you feel is appropriate for your level of enjoyment. If you have read the forums enough to base your opinions off of what you have read, then you have also read enough to know what the game is and has to offer. Nothing wrong with that, but there is no need to come here and make the game sound like something it isn't.

Originally posted by Sephastus

^_^ <-Happy Face.

Should look more like a troll face, because the subject is so much "I told you so"ish. So many people said just give it time and there will be a time in which you can test out the game without actually paying for it. Doesn't look like its going to be the case.

Going to wait in the sidelines for many many months on this game as it seems to be a mad cash grab initially: Get as many players as possible to dish out money for the game. Not that the game doesn't have it's merits, but I would like to see how the retention is on it a few months down the road. Will people really be playing it as much as they claim they will?

Anyways, back to the point: anyone have theories as to why they are not having an open beta for this obviously much anticipated game?

How does one quantify 'retention' on a game that doesn't have a subscription?

Originally posted by Sephastus

Woah... the hate spewing is massive. I do have a life outside of the forums. I don't look through them every day as if the moment I don't my life were over. If I missed the "thousands" of beta keys, well then that's my problem, and not something to give me a middle finger about.

I was mistaken about thinking this game would have an open beta period. As for the "retention" comments: Games can have great initial gameplay, and you can have a great amount of fun on it, but they can feel like eating a gallon of honey, and getting burnt out quickly can be a real issue. Seeing retention is a great indicator of how quickly that feeling can come. I am in no rush to dive into the "next big thing", since I normally play games for the long haul and make great long time friends in the process. 

Also, I just can't see how a game can stay afloat without a hook. Specially with as many people as GW2 is bringing in. I like my games cut n dry: I pay my fee, they provide my gaming, if I don't like their direction, I pull back my funding. This does not feel like the case in GW2. The main draw is just to buy the game... in my mind, that is the whole objective, and then screw everything else. It's one of the only reasons I see for them offering beta access with a pre-purchase. Brilliant marketting, but still just a way to get a buck out of a person. Couple this with a disguised cash shop, and my appeal just drops off. (To those with an itchy finger to say you can get everything with in game currency, this is also a fallacy as there is no NPC that directly converts in game money into Cash Shop Gems, and the only way to get gems, albeit at an extremely low rate, are in treasure chests for which you need a key... a cash shop item to begin with, with a low in game drop rate. If you wanted to open every single chest you get, it would be impossible without paying cash, or buying said keys from other players.)

But hey, each person is free to enjoy whatever pleases them. I tend to stay away from F2P games, and unless something changes, GW2 feels to me like a F2P game that you have to buy before you can begin the F2P experience. Which is why I will happily stay in the sidelines until I see how well founded, or unfounded my ideas are. If I am wrong, no big loss, as I will just pick up the game and enjoy myself. If I was right, not a big deal either, I will just look at what else is on the horrizon.

Happy gaming (honestly).

Originally posted by Sephastus

Woah... the hate spewing is massive. I do have a life outside of the forums. I don't look through them every day as if the moment I don't my life were over. If I missed the "thousands" of beta keys, well then that's my problem, and not something to give me a middle finger about.

I was mistaken about thinking this game would have an open beta period. As for the "retention" comments: Games can have great initial gameplay, and you can have a great amount of fun on it, but they can feel like eating a gallon of honey, and getting burnt out quickly can be a real issue. Seeing retention is a great indicator of how quickly that feeling can come. I am in no rush to dive into the "next big thing", since I normally play games for the long haul and make great long time friends in the process. 

Also, I just can't see how a game can stay afloat without a hook. Specially with as many people as GW2 is bringing in. I like my games cut n dry: I pay my fee, they provide my gaming, if I don't like their direction, I pull back my funding. This does not feel like the case in GW2. The main draw is just to buy the game... in my mind, that is the whole objective, and then screw everything else. It's one of the only reasons I see for them offering beta access with a pre-purchase. Brilliant marketting, but still just a way to get a buck out of a person. Couple this with a disguised cash shop, and my appeal just drops off. (To those with an itchy finger to say you can get everything with in game currency, this is also a fallacy as there is no NPC that directly converts in game money into Cash Shop Gems, and the only way to get gems, albeit at an extremely low rate, are in treasure chests for which you need a key... a cash shop item to begin with, with a low in game drop rate. If you wanted to open every single chest you get, it would be impossible without paying cash, or buying said keys from other players.)

But hey, each person is free to enjoy whatever pleases them. I tend to stay away from F2P games, and unless something changes, GW2 feels to me like a F2P game that you have to buy before you can begin the F2P experience. Which is why I will happily stay in the sidelines until I see how well founded, or unfounded my ideas are. If I am wrong, no big loss, as I will just pick up the game and enjoy myself. If I was right, not a big deal either, I will just look at what else is on the horrizon.

Happy gaming (honestly).

The ignorance in this post is just...astounding!  

The game has a hook.  I'm sorry that you think the only way an MMO succeeds is through subscription, but you're wrong.  GW1 survived (and thrived) for 7 years without a subscription.  There's going to be pay-to-obtain expansions for the game as well as the cash-shop.

A person CAN obtain most everything from the cash shop through in-game currancy.  There IS a way to directly convert currancy.   (The Black Lion Trading Post allows for a Gold-to-Gem conversion based on the fluxuating demand of either currancy. )

No, the GEMS are NOT in the chests.   (chests contain items like high-value gathering tools, buffs, transmutation stones, etc.  Gems are not in them and the ONLY way to get gems at launch is through the Black Lion Trading Post)

  No, the keys are NOT only obtainable through the cash shop (they drop in the world and are rewards for person story quests as well)

Here's a few things to clue you in on your mental fabrications and misinformation: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Main_Page  and https://www.guildwars2.com/en/   and the best one yet: http://www.guildwars2hub.com/guides

The stickies at the top of the page as well as Aewyne's video thread is a great source for other info about the game.  How about you educate yourself on the game before making such rash comments of ignorance.

I dont remember mmos having an open beta since vanilla wow....

I mean I know there were probably acouple but most people making MMOs are starting to slowly stop doing open beta.

if I had to guess it was because people treated it like a free trial, and people complaining to potential buyers about issues is different the people complaining to the company who made it.....one loses you sales the other generally gets things fixed.

sortof the reason why world premieres for movies have stopped happening in america, bad press from reviewers in america can destroy a movie in other countries.

Originally posted by Siphaed

Originally posted by Sephastus

Stuff...

Happy gaming (honestly).

The ignorance in this post is just...astounding!  

The game has a hook.  I'm sorry that you think the only way an MMO succeeds is through subscription, but you're wrong.  GW1 survived (and thrived) for 7 years without a subscription.  There's going to be pay-to-obtain expansions for the game as well as the cash-shop.

A person CAN obtain most everything from the cash shop through in-game currancy.  There IS a way to directly convert currancy.   (The Black Lion Trading Post allows for a Gold-to-Gem conversion based on the fluxuating demand of either currancy. )

No, the GEMS are NOT in the chests.   (chests contain items like high-value gathering tools, buffs, transmutation stones, etc.  Gems are not in them and the ONLY way to get gems at launch is through the Black Lion Trading Post)

  No, the keys are NOT only obtainable through the cash shop (they drop in the world and are rewards for person story quests as well)

Here's a few things to clue you in on your mental fabrications and misinformation: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Main_Page  and https://www.guildwars2.com/en/   and the best one yet: http://www.guildwars2hub.com/guides

The stickies at the top of the page as well as Aewyne's video thread is a great source for other info about the game.  How about you educate yourself on the game before making such rash comments of ignorance.

1. Some beta testers have posted that they have gotten 3-4 Gems inside the chests rarely.

2. I said Keys have a low drop rate in game.

3. The "Gold to Gem" and "Gem to Gold" is based on player purchase of said Gems. The "converter" feature is just a front so that you can't see what other people are posting for the Gems. If no one ever buys a single gem for cash, , you wont miraculously be able to trade your gold to non-existant gems. Someone HAS to buy the Gems with real currency before the converter can sell gems for in game currency. Current rate is 80 Gems to the US $. A Key is 125 Gems... Roughly $1.37

I have done alot of research, and I don't say things out of ignorance. If they removed Gem drops from chests, that is news to me, but the Gem converter has been verified to only work with already purchased Gems. Someone HAD to have purchased the gems before they show up on that "converter".

At this point though, these conversations are moot. I didn't intend for my posts to be misinterpreted as hate, nor am I out to help people away from the game. I stated my opinions, and wished people happy gaming. I still feel people are free to enjoy whatever they please. Night

Research would have told you there would be no open beta, if you went by what other people told you alone then it's your own fault. You should only ever use information you get on forums as a basis for your own research. The only time "open beta" was thrown around was a while ago before the BWE's even started, and that was corrected long ago as well to mean that they were simply inviting people to their betas from then on rather than having them purely in-house.

And the first game didn't get a trial for a long time, so I would be surprised if the sequel took a while as well. Though, since it's full-on MMO this time around, who knows. 

I mutilated the code somehow. I'll try again in a new post.

---

Originally posted by Gamefun
You never could play the beta unless you pre-purchased or pre-ordered the game. Buying the game is what gets you into the betas that were going on for over a month already.

---

You are completely wrong.

What gets you into the game and betas is a Key

I obtained a said key and have participated in many betas and stress tests..With no cost to myself.

Originally posted by Sephastus

Originally posted by Siphaed

Originally posted by Sephastus

Stuff...

Happy gaming (honestly).

The ignorance in this post is just...astounding!  

more stuff ...

 

1. Some beta testers have posted that they have gotten 3-4 Gems inside the chests rarely.

2. I said Keys have a low drop rate in game.

3. The "Gold to Gem" and "Gem to Gold" is based on player purchase of said Gems. The "converter" feature is just a front so that you can't see what other people are posting for the Gems. If no one ever buys a single gem for cash, , you wont miraculously be able to trade your gold to non-existant gems. Someone HAS to buy the Gems with real currency before the converter can sell gems for in game currency. Current rate is 80 Gems to the US $. A Key is 125 Gems... Roughly $1.37

I have done alot of research, and I don't say things out of ignorance. If they removed Gem drops from chests, that is news to me, but the Gem converter has been verified to only work with already purchased Gems. Someone HAD to have purchased the gems before they show up on that "converter".

At this point though, these conversations are moot. I didn't intend for my posts to be misinterpreted as hate, nor am I out to help people away from the game. I stated my opinions, and wished people happy gaming. I still feel people are free to enjoy whatever they please. Night

Sorry but you DO NOT need to wait for someone to sell gems. So even if no one spends real money Gems are still available for a gold to gem conversion at a rate set by Arenanet.

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/view/forums/thread/359948/page/1

the above post has a question and answer from Arenanet.