And they want to release it early this year.

And no, it wasn't a mistype, Alpha in 2 day.

I've lost all hopes I had for this game...

Alpha usually starts as internal testing when the game first compiles... and we know that the NW MMO has been developed for a very long time (many of the systems are in use by STO/CO).  So the alpha process has been underway for 'years'.  (the videos released also show a game that is clearly beyond an alpha stage).

It seems more logical to describe this as 'pre-beta' testing... last minute checks on performance/internal systems before starting official beta testing.

It'll be interesting to see what NW is... the user generated content should certainly be interesting to most players.

Originally posted by dbstylin34
do you have a source, or am i supposed to take your word for it

http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?26041-Neverwinter-Alpha-Key-giveaway!

this is a "pre Alpha" demo at E3 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHh2Ly0fuxE

personally i dont the difference between a "pre-alpha" playable demo and an alpha demo

related to the E3 pre-alpha

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/07/e3-2012-hands-on-with-neverwinter-combat/

Alot of people do not use the word Alpha or closed beta these days properly, I notice this alot... Also people think that all open beta's are the same when it fact it just means open, when they allow anyone to test, it does not mean its close to release for all games, typical yes, but not always.... So people really need to stop and assume this is how it is, it isn't at all..  That is why people assume this because every company does it differently..

Alpha could mean they have the same just started with some game play mechanics and alot of the core elemenets in, textures missing, bugs all over etc, I have seen others that are near release and barely any bugs, maybe some textures missing, I been a paid tester for  years and I been a Dev for awhile now, so I have seen this with company large and small, so it really depends on how the company is  really.

There is a subtle fallacy in the title of the thread itself.

Alpha has been on already for a time "much longer than 2 days" - as told by mod on official forums.

Its just that they loosened the grip on NDA a bit and now you know that alpha is going on already.

How does an offer to add people to alpha= Alpha is just starting?

Alpha was confirmed months ago.  Before that it was in testing but they were keeping a lid on things.  There was even a snafu on the forums where several community members were revealed as testers.

Closed beta is on the horizon, this giveaway was just to drum up interest, same as the recent pc gamer closed beta/mount giveaway.

Originally posted by Zebular
I can assure you, internal testing has been going on since the game started development. When it started development, I cannot say but its development was first announced back in August of 2010, so it has been in internal testing for at least 2.5 years. It is well known that Alpha Testing is a stage in a game's internal testing phases.

I seem to recall that Cryptic stated that this game was ready for release when Perfect-world took then over, once Pworld had had a look at the game they told Cryptic no-way is it ready.

Do you mean that internal testing was started on the crap version or this so called Alpha version, because you state "i can assure you" i guess you must have insider knowledge to what happens at Cryptic.

Originally posted by sibs4455

Originally posted by Zebular
I can assure you, internal testing has been going on since the game started development. When it started development, I cannot say but its development was first announced back in August of 2010, so it has been in internal testing for at least 2.5 years. It is well known that Alpha Testing is a stage in a game's internal testing phases.

I seem to recall that Cryptic stated that this game was ready for release when Perfect-world took then over, once Pworld had had a look at the game they told Cryptic no-way is it ready.

Do you mean that internal testing was started on the crap version or this so called Alpha version, because you state "i can assure you" i guess you must have insider knowledge to what happens at Cryptic.

Originally the game was going to be closer to DDO or GW than an open world.  Then PW came along and started throwing money at the game with the insistence that it be more open world and include things like pvp.  Again, Alpha has been going on for months, starting with f&f and expanding in the last couple months to the mods and a few community members.

Originally posted by sibs4455

Do you mean that internal testing was started on the crap version or this so called Alpha version, because you state "i can assure you" i guess you must have insider knowledge to what happens at Cryptic.

Well, I am a Perfect World Entertainment Moderator for the Official Neverwinter Forums. I also have many years of experience dealing with MMO News and Media. ;)

Originally posted by augustgrace

Originally posted by sibs4455

Originally posted by Zebular
I can assure you, internal testing has been going on since the game started development. When it started development, I cannot say but its development was first announced back in August of 2010, so it has been in internal testing for at least 2.5 years. It is well known that Alpha Testing is a stage in a game's internal testing phases.

I seem to recall that Cryptic stated that this game was ready for release when Perfect-world took then over, once Pworld had had a look at the game they told Cryptic no-way is it ready.

Do you mean that internal testing was started on the crap version or this so called Alpha version, because you state "i can assure you" i guess you must have insider knowledge to what happens at Cryptic.

Originally the game was going to be closer to DDO or GW than an open world.  Then PW came along and started throwing money at the game with the insistence that it be more open world and include things like pvp.  Again, Alpha has been going on for months, starting with f&f and expanding in the last couple months to the mods and a few community members.

Ofcourse Alpha has been ongoing, just look at all the gameplay vids that have been released around the net for quite a while now.

Shouldn't someone who works for this site change the release date info?

Zebular is the mod on the official forums, very knowledgeable in the ways of D&D lore and a moderator with vast experience including stratics.

If he makes a statement - he will make sure it is true or there is some reference to it - whether he can reveal it to you right now or later.