I'm so eager to test out this world. I want to feel like I'm assisting in furthering the development. So I want Aplha.
I don't have a lot of money. It felt good to see the game running smoothly so far. But the comment at the end of the last stream sapped my joy. PreAlpha sessions "Which are still going to be going on for a while yet. "
So long time left to go in preAlpha is the feeling I get.....damn it.
The world is so full of stress and disheartening news. I just want to work on something positive.
Ah, I know it seems a long time coming and still a long time out til Alpha, but I'm afraid it will take as long as it takes.
I know some have other 'views', but mine - based on the many related comments from devs over the years - is this: -
Pantheon's is not a 'regular' or simple development. Development was re-started in Unity at one point years past the original kickstarter. Up to PA4 the software was, to a significant degree, a Unity-based 'demo' to get feedback and investment. Of course *much* of the 'work' done was the design and planning, which is carried forward and is considerable effort, but a lot of the 'coding' and related work would have to be replaced, eventually, and that is what we are seeing in PA5: the outcome of Project Faerthale.
Remaining Unity assets are being entirely replaced in order to get solely VR-owned assets that are better performant/scaling/quality in place, and that has kind of 'stalled' progress. I say 'kind of' because of course, a lot of the work done has been in the production of bespoke tools and extension of Unity such that VR can now much more quickly develop their own assets and content and much more quickly implement tweaks, changes and new design.
As I say: This is how *I* see it. I can understand people might disagree and I welcome anyone correcting me if they are *sure* they know better. I don't really fancy an argument just because you *feel* differently, but please do correct me if you *know* I'm wrong.
I would also, of course, love to hear from VR if I've got it wrong or they would like to expand on or correct my summary.
I can also understand how some might be impatient or even perhaps disappointed with the apparent progress. I think things will progress more rapidly and in a more demonstrable way from now on, but I get how some feel we have 'gone backwards' lately. We haven't, but I understand some might feel we have.
I would encourage anyone to 'hang in there, baby' and tough it out a while longer or maybe *shrug* if you are feeling burned out, take a break?
I would also encourage VR to perhaps take the time to make some kind of generalised overview of development as a whole and put it on the website. I think it would help with expectations and even with gaining more backing if there was a clear break down of what has gone before and perhaps what is to come.
StoneFish said:Won't be this year, probably won't be next year. /shrugSame as the previous 6 years. :DBut the comment at the end of the last stream sapped my joy. PreAlpha sessions "Which are still going to be going on for a while yet. "
So long time left to go in preAlpha is the feeling I get.....damn it.
disposalist: ...that has kind of 'stalled' progress.
I think it is a bit misleading to say that anything seemed to stall; I would agree that development shifted to the backend coding but that part was much more important to get right before further changes were applied to the front end. Progress was always there, it was just directed to an area that the gamers will never see but is vitally important none the less. We are now glimpsing where all that back end development has lead and I would expect a lot of front end changes to happen over the next few months after PA5 has concluded.
Maybe you will see this as symantics, but it is important to not give the impression that development stalled when it really didnt, there has been development throughout, it was just non-gamer specific development.
It's more of a feeling that if I could get out and push I would feel better.
I wish I had more cash. Get a pre alpha spot and a better feel for what's happening. I prefer something well built as apposed to rushed and flimsy. So I'm in the right mindset. Just impatient I guess. Maybe I'll take up heavy drugs, that should warp my sense of time.
StoneFish said:It's more of a feeling that if I could get out and push I would feel better.
I wish I had more cash. Get a pre alpha spot and a better feel for what's happening. I prefer something well built as apposed to rushed and flimsy. So I'm in the right mindset. Just impatient I guess. Maybe I'll take up heavy drugs, that should warp my sense of time.
Ah, dude, I wish you could join us too! I think your energy would be great!
You'll just have to trust that your community is doing what we can to help pre-alpha testing.
I'll do my best for you!
chenzeme said:disposalist: ...that has kind of 'stalled' progress.
I think it is a bit misleading to say that anything seemed to stall; I would agree that development shifted to the backend coding but that part was much more important to get right before further changes were applied to the front end. Progress was always there, it was just directed to an area that the gamers will never see but is vitally important none the less. We are now glimpsing where all that back end development has lead and I would expect a lot of front end changes to happen over the next few months after PA5 has concluded.
Maybe you will see this as symantics, but it is important to not give the impression that development stalled when it really didnt, there has been development throughout, it was just non-gamer specific development.
That's why I said "kind of" and explained that it wasn't really ;^)
I agree entirely with you.
It is very important not to give the wrong impression about proegress and LOL it seems I might have done that even when attempting to do the opposite! The irony hehe
Well, atleast VR hasn't decided to make a tower defense and finish it before pantheon.
Arximiro said: "Quick question from an old 2016 pledge, is pre-alpha currently playable now? For example can you pledge the 1k tier then hop into pre-alpha, or is it only like.. 3hrs during this day. Then it's turned off for x months."
The Pre-Alpha testing is entirely scheduled so far. VR will tell the Alpha Testers which days/times they will have for testing and the testers sign up for these testing periods and VR then schedules it so that it's a controlled number of testers in each testing session and everyone (who has a Pre-Alpha pledge) gets a chance to take part in a testing session. I'm sure they do their best to accommodate peoples life's and availablilty, but ultimately they will only have those set days and times, and if you aren't available for any of those set times, you might be out of luck.
IIRC the last testing phase (phase 4) took place around Aug - Dec 2018 and the next phase (phase 5) schedule is supposed to be announced this month. This info is from the Pledges page if you scroll down to the 'VIP Pledges' section at the bottom of the header it reads:
"Pre-Alpha 5 session schedule will be announced in October 2020."
It also states: "Access to Pre-Alpha is granted only during active test sessions and may take up to the following business week to process." so if you are wanting to upgrade your pledge to get access for this testing phase, you will probably want to do it Pronto so you can make sure you get in and aren't still waiting for the "following business week".
gamexilor1 said: My guess is that PA5 is going to last for about 12 - 15 months. Then Alpha will be another 9 - 12 months. And Beta will be short at around 3 months.
Nah. The pace has picked up and is still picking up.
As VR recently explained, the reason progress might have seemed 'slow' to some over the last 18 months (Project Faerthale) is because they have been putting in place their own development tools to allow designers to 'develop' new content without 'coders' being involved. It may even have seemed to go a little backwards very recently, because they have us testing areas they have re-developed using their new tools and resources.
I don't believe the pace of progress in the past (even the recent past) is any indication of how things will progress in the future.
disposalist said:gamexilor1 said: My guess is that PA5 is going to last for about 12 - 15 months. Then Alpha will be another 9 - 12 months. And Beta will be short at around 3 months.Nah. The pace has picked up and is still picking up.
As VR recently explained, the reason progress might have seemed 'slow' to some over the last 18 months (Project Faerthale) is because they have been putting in place their own development tools to allow designers to 'develop' new content without 'coders' being involved. It may even have seemed to go a little backwards very recently, because they have us testing areas they have re-developed using their new tools and resources.
I don't believe the pace of progress in the past (even the recent past) is any indication of how things will progress in the future.
By all means, I hope you're right, but in that same announcement, VR said that PA5 wouldn't last years, but it was going to be a significant amount of time. My worst case guess from that statement would tell me about a year or slightly more, especially since they said sessions are probably going to be spread apart by several weeks each.