Stargate Worlds Forum » General Discussion » Information about the beta! - sept 6th update

-Updated Sept 6th 4:30am EST-

All most recent updates are in light blue to make them easier to find.

Before reading this be aware that I am in no way associated with the game, I'm just passing on info found on the SGW forums to those who may not be registered or haven't looked through them.

That said, go register! Its a fantastic community unlike that of any other MMO I've seen. I'm used to constant bashing and flame wars, there the community is friendly helpful and enthusiastic. Also, there's member-only content including videos, screenshots and audio.

Check out the SGW forums here.

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The following info is just part of what can be found on the SGW Beta FAQ which can be found in the Beta Discussion Forum. For more then twice as much info check out the original thread.

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- When Does the Beta Start?
The most recently announced plans for the beta release are as follows:

Friends and Family Alpha: Currently in progress
Closed Beta: September 2008
Open Beta: January/February 2009

- How do Register I for the Beta?
In order to be invited into the beta you must officially Register Here. After registration you will be sent an e-mail confirmation. If you do not receive this e-mail, check question #7 of this FAQ for help. Registration does not guarantee entrance into the beta.

*please note that your regular forum account and your beta account are distinct. Details here.

[x] How will beta testers be selected?
Beta testers are selected in a number of different ways:

1) Random selection from the the pool of beta registrations.
2) Demonstrating that you would be an enthusiastic and skilled beta tester through your posts on these forums. *
3) Participating in forum or fan-site beta key giveaways.

*POST COUNT will not influence the selection. Some criteria MAY BE (but not limited to): timezone, articulate posting, seniority on the forums, age, location, previous beta experience, and ability to communicate in a clear and mature manner.

Please Note: PMing a developer, community manager or moderator asking for a beta invite (or creating a thread to that effect) will only hamper your efforts to be accepted into beta.

[x] How will I know if I have been accepted into the beta? How does the authentication process work?
The authentication procedure is as follows:

1) You will be sent an e-mail informing your that you have been accepted and linking you to a page which will confirm your invitation.
2) After confirming, an e-mail will then be sent to you which will direct you to the final authentication page. This e-mail may take up to an hour to arrive. If you do not receive your confirmation e-mail after several hours, e-mail Khatie at kpostma AT firesky.com.
3) You should now be able to log into the main beta page and download the client.

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Non-Disclosure Agreement

The Non-Disclosure Agreement is an agreement with the makers of Stargate Worlds and the user that not only will the user not share anything they find while in the beta, but they won't even mention that they ARE in the beta.

The following was taken from the Remember the NDA post on the SGW forums.

New Sticky: Reminder NDA = Do not talk about the Beta in public! (link added 9/6/08)

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All of the experienced game testers out there will aready know this so this is mainly for the inexperienced.

As soon as you are accepted as a Closed Beta Tester you are governed by the N.D.A Non Disclosure Agreement.

Do Not immediately jump into the forums yelling 'yeh i got my beta account' because you will most likely lose it.

Under the N.D.A you are not even allowed to tell anyone you have been accepted as a Closed Beta Tester,

this is to prevent people approaching you for game accounts and information on the game that has not been officially released yet, also remember you wont be allowed to post screenshots taken ingame or information about the game anywhere until the N.D.A has been lifted.

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The following is info from Dear Beta Applicants (Please Read)

They also have much more in the way of guides and notices. So go check it out.

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Some of the things people will see if they are accepted as Beta Tester

- You get thrown out of the game because of a bug.
- The game freezes up.
- Background sounds might stall.
- Certain places might not be textured or the textures won't load for them.
- Certain ingame items won't work properly or at all.
- NPC's won't react to your presence or will react while you are still far away.
- NPC's who will kill you in one blow and vice versa.
- Missions/Quests can't be completed.
- Walking somewhere on the map and suddenly find yourself falling through the floor.
- A gate being open, But you can't go through because it doesn't recognize the player.
- Immediately starting the game you die for no apparent reason whatsoever.
- Expect login servers and game servers do be down, A LOT!
- Your character will be lost more then just once due to server wipes

And these are just a few of the things you will face when being a beta tester.

Oh, And for those who think they can take their character from Beta Phase to the Official release, Sorry to disappoint you but ALL beta characters will more then likely be wiped!

What is expected from you when you are invited to beta test

Like previously stated, Being in beta doesn't mean you can have a fun time playing, This is a serious matter. You are the selected few who will pave the way for the rest of the community, You are invited to help take out as much bugs as you can find.

Several things you probably will be doing when beta testing are:

1. Finding ways to get to places you're not supposed to go.
2. Finding holes in the map through which players could fall.
3. Exploring the edges of the world maps for holes which could lead players off the map into unmapped space.
4. Try all different animations of your character in several different orders.
5. Explore the world listening for sound problems, and graphics related bugs.
6. Try out missions and report all bugs to the developers team.
7. Try every weapon to make sure none of them fail to work.
8. Shoot at something or someone and see if this item, NPC or other beta tester responds in the correct manner. (i.e health dropping, armor decreasing etc.)
9. Try different graphical settings from low quality to (if your PC can handle it) very high quality.
10. Try out groups, Part of the game means you have to work together, So make sure there aren't any bugs in there.
11. Guild creation, Explore every aspect of it. Try different name combinations, Try promoting people in the guild and see if it all works according to plan.
12. Try out different items you can use for enhancing your character, Make sure they work properly.
13. Find all stargates and test them out, Do they work, Don't they work?
14. Approach locations from different directions. (I personally have found this too lead to server crashing on several occasions in WoW)
15. Gather as much people as you can together in one location and see if the server can handle all of them together.
16. With said people (#15) go find some huge instances and once again check to see if the server can handle all of them in action.
17. Explore every nook and cranny of the maps while trying to find any texture problems (i.e textures which won't load, or simply aren't there)

etc. etc.

This and MANY MORE will be expected of you if you are invited. The goal of beta is to find as many bugs as possible and report them to the developers team so that they can fix it and that when the game is released it will near to completely bug free.

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Here are some helpful links for those of you wondering more about the Betas (Also taken from the FAQ)

Registration Guides:

* The Beta Registration FAQ (Read before posting) by SnakeCharmer
* Registration problems? Check here first! by Nutcase
* Dear Beta Applicants by Angelwithsoul

Additional guides:

* Remember the N.D.A by Trollbasher
* Someone's Guide to Beta Testing - the golden rules by Kroy
* Odinseye's Mini Beta Testers Guide by Odinseye
* Account security and you by SnakerCharmer
* Remember beta accounts get wiped. by Trollbasher
* Watch where you click! By: Fango

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Ways to get into the beta:

1) mmolecule.com 200 key giveaway - free and worth a shot!
2) post your beta name here! - might be a joke, worth a shot.
3) Ten Ton Hammer Giveaway - this one is double-edged. Its for premium members only, and that costs money, but EVERY premium member gets a beta guaranteed. (source)

Also, remember to check the official SGW newsfeed. They post all the beta giveaways and contests there.

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Most of this was compiled by people who are not me, I just sat around doing a lot of searching,  cutting, pasting and linking. Credit goes to those who provided the info.

I hope this helps those with questions. Go register for the forums! See you there?

yeah OK great community and good news on the beta but I'm one of those 10 percent of people that can't sign up for the forum/beta, when i try i never get the email to confirm my account...and thats with whatever email service I use...very frustrating and made me give up trying to get into the beta.

Nice compilation, sticky for now.

Originally posted by jinxit

yeah OK great community and good news on the beta but I'm one of those 10 percent of people that can't sign up for the forum/beta, when i try i never get the email to confirm my account...and thats with whatever email service I use...very frustrating and made me give up trying to get into the beta.

Alright, for the moment this is the best I can offer - if this doesn't work, and my advice below doesn't work, I'll try to find you more info:

From the SGW Beta FAQ on the official SGW forums-

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- How can I be sure that I receive beta e-mails? Or, I did not receive my registration confirmation e-mail after registering!
Some people have reported difficulties receiving beta-related e-mails. You should have received an authentication e-mail within an hour of registering for beta. If you are not receiving e-mails, there are some steps you can take.

If you have a Hotmail account, the spam safe-list is located in Options > Junk E-mail Protection > Safe List. If you have a GMail or Yahoo account, you can create a filter that will ensure that e-mail from cheyenneme.com is redirected to the Inbox. For GMail, go to Settings > Filters. Create a new filter and enter "cheyenneme.com" into the From field. Click next and select: "Never send it to spam", and then press Create Filter. For Yahoo, go to Options > Management > Filters. Add a new filter and set the from field to end with "cheyenneme.com". Under "Move message to" select Inbox and then press Add Filter.

**If you think you have lost the registration confirmation e-mail, you can request a re-send here. Note that it may take up to an hour to receive the e-mail.**

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I would also recommend trying from another computer, perhaps at a library or school. If you have a laptop and the other computer doesn't work try from another ISP - some place with free wifi or a friends house.

Try a different browser also. If you're using IE, try firefox or visa versa.

I hope that helps!

Edit: also note beta registration and forum registration are separate accounts.
 

Originally posted by JelloB2000

Nice compilation, sticky for now.

*gasp* love! I've never had a sticky before!

Lots of updates. All in blue.

Sorry it's so long. Read it in chunks?

Nice thread :)

Originally posted by zorky

Nice thread :)

<3! Thanks.

Dude! Thnx for the updates... I cant w8 till the beta is released! i hope i get in the closed beta! That would freekin sweet! xD

Thanks man i am really looking forward to the beta and am glad that they are releasing these sort of things so people know what to expect because in all actuality it isn't a finished game yet...

Thanks for the info.  Did not know about the Ten Ton Hammer premium entry info.  I might have to check it out!

sounds grejt, if anyone have a spare beta invite i would appreciate it thx !!

Whoa... necro'd :)

Usually, I don't mind so much... but in this case, beta shut down last November, and has not restarted. There is no word about it restarting either.
 

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Originally posted by Zhiroc

Whoa... necro'd :)
Usually, I don't mind so much... but in this case, beta shut down last November, and has not restarted. There is no word about it restarting either.

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Indeed.

As an update for anyone coming to mmorpg.com. The game is still in a financial "blackspot". Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment were able to aquire a considerable amount of finance for the project, however it was not the full expected amount. They were able to pay off many areas that needed it, pass out the wages, back pay etc.

Now we are at the stage where the remaining finance is needed to secure the last parts of developement and a game launch.

Because of this, the is currently no beta, or an expected one until the situation changes (as is expected)

The following links are updated as/when necessary and may help people further :

> Official Announcement Thread

> Current registration/beta email FAQ thread

> Official support forum

Saying Stargate Worlds is in a “black spot” is putting it rather kindly.  Right now, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/Firesky is not even working on an MMORPG. They are working on another Stargate title that will appeal to a different audience.

It has been 14 months since CME’s financial troubles began and they are still trying selling penny stock to try and cover the next payroll run. The legal cases are still active, mounting and an enormous threat on any future earnings this interim title may bring which puts doubt on them ever returning to finish SGW.

It is safe to say that this game is vaporware!
 

Originally posted by loveclone

It has been 14 months since CME’s financial troubles began and they are still trying selling penny stock to try and cover the next payroll run. The legal cases are still active, mounting and an enormous threat on any future earnings this interim title may bring which puts doubt on them ever returning to finish SGW.  

Well said!

Everyone knows that this game is on the verge of death. We don't need an "update" from a FanOri with only 20 posts on this forum to know that.

 "They were able to pay off many areas that needed it, pass out the wages, back pay etc."
 

Ifthat staement were true and Gary has paid of back wages how come he's in court now being sued by an ex-employee for unpaid wages?

"Now we are at the stage where the remaining finance is needed to secure the last parts of developement and a game launch."

Are you sure? Because Gary still hasn't settled in court with the company he owes for the beta servers he didn't pay for last year, still hasn't settled with the investors that are sueing him nor has he settled with the property company that's sueing him for rent owed on CME office space! I'd say he's still at the stage of fighting his way out of court and paying off his debtors, that or he's buying his tickets to Brasil as I type this!

"Because of this, the is currently no beta, or an expected one until the situation changes (as is expected)"

Because Gary spent all the money on crazy projects, pyramid schemes and paying off past debts and is currently being sued into the stoneage by everyone and the fact no one has been working on SGW since Feburary there is no Beta test nor will there ever be. Also when exactly did the situation we're in now become expected?

As for the official forums they're full of BS mods and FanOri trying to blow rainbow smoke up eachothers butts about how SGW will be released. Although the FanOri are becoming an endangered species and giving up the ghost some remain. Just remember when you go there that in January most of the FanOri were predicting an SGW release by the end of this year or begining of 2010. However predictions are few an far between these days it's mostly "it'll be ready when they say", well they've been waiting for nearly a year and nothing.

BTW whatever happened to the screenshots every two weeks that Khestral promised? Has he just given up the pretence that they were new and denying that he wasn't fishing them of empty workstations of employees that quit months/years ago?

Originally posted by loveclone

Saying Stargate Worlds is in a “black spot” is putting it rather kindly.  Right now, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/Firesky is not even working on an MMORPG. They are working on another Stargate title that will appeal to a different audience.

It has been 14 months since CME’s financial troubles began and they are still trying selling penny stock to try and cover the next payroll run. The legal cases are still active, mounting and an enormous threat on any future earnings this interim title may bring which puts doubt on them ever returning to finish SGW.

It is safe to say that this game is vaporware!
 

Has it really being 14 months now? Wow time really does fly by. Not to sound like a fanboy but I will wait until it is announced as vapourware. But I think we can agree if CME says nothing more before the end of the year we can maybe think about putting some nails in the coffin. ok?

My bad! CME's financial woes began in July when they were late with their first payrolls and August 2008 when they began skipping, so this would now be the 16th or 17th month since we are into November?

The Bleed of developers started one year ago, as did the birth of MMOGULS ("MMOGULS is going to save the company!" as people around CME would say, while telling the public CME had nothing affiliation with it).

"Your faith and commitment to MMOGULS has been critical to our survival in spite of the economic downturns and the unfair business practices of unscrupulous individuals."

I find Don Carroll's statement to be a bit disturbing. Is he referring to Gary? If so, then how can he continue to work for him? And continue to push MMOGULS? I guess CME's upcoming title will now save them all!
 

Stargate Worlds will not be released.

It makes more as a carrot on a stick scam than it would as a retail product.