Early Access Games - Glad To See Someone Calling It Like It Is

Rawyn · October 2017

I'm glad to see someones calling it like it is with all these early access mmo's.

http://massivelyop.com/2017/10/27/massively-overthinking-the-state-of-early-access-alpha-and-beta-testing-in-the-mmo-genre/

SEANMCAD · October 2017

the majority of my favorite games of all time are either in Early Access now or used to be.

So I think its the best thing that has happened to gaming

Ice-Queen · October 2017

That's a wonderful article and it's refreshing to see a gaming site call out the early access developers that hide behind the tag and milk backers for money as long as they possibly can. Instead of releasing a good quality product, they can pretend to be in early access forever as an excuse to their horrible games by saying its still early access. They like to stay in early access to stave off criticism and bad reviews with the excuse "it's not done yet, don't judge us" for years and years.

postlarval · October 2017

"Maybe I’m basic in how I see this, but an MMO is launched when (a) the world has switched over into a persistent (non-wipable) state and (b) the studio is taking money from players. I really think it’s that simple."

Best quote in the entire article. You hear that, Richard Garriott?

Phry · October 2017

postlarval said:

"Maybe I’m basic in how I see this, but an MMO is launched when (a) the world has switched over into a persistent (non-wipable) state and (b) the studio is taking money from players. I really think it’s that simple."

Best quote in the entire article. You hear that, Richard Garriott?

If the game is charging money to be played, or if you can buy things in the cash shop to be used in game, then the game is effectively released however incomplete they may claim it is, and it should be judged as such when it comes to reviews etc.

Ice-Queen · October 2017

I just saw this link on one of the reddit forums for Sota that relates to these early access developers mentality.

Darkstarr:
"With all do respect we get to decide how the terms are used, not you."

https://i.imgur.com/OsFg5oh.jpg

Link to the forum post it was found in.
https://www.reddit.com/r/shroudoftheavatar_raw/comments/794paz/massivelyop_mmo_launch_definition/

Warlyx · October 2017

imho ...once the devs take money from players the game has launched , even if its not even playable....it launched and still WOP , u cant play , u cant only read what the devs talk about it , maybe some videos.....but they sell the game: it has launched period. call it soft launch call it w/e , once u start taking money it has launched....

another example:

if the devs put preorders and dont take the money from my bank until release day thats not launched , i still can play CB and then later on cancel the preorder. or keep the preorder and once the game releases , the devs charge me the game.

its a shame how things have changed....no need to look further Star citizen is the perfect example.

Slapshot1188 · October 2017

postlarval said:

"Maybe I’m basic in how I see this, but an MMO is launched when (a) the world has switched over into a persistent (non-wipable) state and (b) the studio is taking money from players. I really think it’s that simple."

Best quote in the entire article. You hear that, Richard Garriott?

Amen

pantaro · October 2017

SEANMCAD said:

the majority of my favorite games of all time are either in Early Access now or used to be.

So I think its the best thing that has happened to gaming

Definitely agree but non of them are mmo's,at least for me. but i'm also the kinda person if you asked me what i thought of some of the most popular games in the genre i'd be the first to say i think those mmo's are trash also.

Albatroes · October 2017

I think h1z1 is trying to be the longest game in EA ever. And its Daybreak (used to be Sony), how fitting lol. They probably could've got away with putting EQ Next in EA and leaving it there for 10 years.

postlarval · October 2017

Ice-Queen said:

I just saw this link on one of the reddit forums for Sota that relates to these early access developers mentality.

Darkstarr:
"With all do respect we get to decide how the terms are used, not you."

https://i.imgur.com/OsFg5oh.jpg

Link to the forum post it was found in.
https://www.reddit.com/r/shroudoftheavatar_raw/comments/794paz/massivelyop_mmo_launch_definition/

Well yeah, that makes sense...

They've also decided on their own use for the terms:

"quality"
"sandbox"
"classless"
"PvP"
"player-driven"
"pay once to play"
"vast customization"
"deep crafting"

and my personal favorite:

"non-instanced"

At least Darkstarr's bullshit is consistent. I'll give him that.

Kyleran · October 2017

Did you just post a link to what is basically a forum post? We get it just fine over here, no great wisdom was imparted by anyone on Massively.

Never ending early access is an abuse of the consumer, that some of them enjoy it doesn't change anything.

Thank you sir, may I please have another.

klash2def · October 2017

been saying this for years..

btw stop depending on companies, publishers, corporations to do the right things with YOUR MONEY.. its YOUR MONEY so you can do the right thing and not support the BS.. but if you are impatient then guess what.. you take the bait and they gotcha every time.

Wizardry · October 2017

EA is fine if we are not giving them any money,after all by their own acknowledgement,their product is not ready to be paid for.
I realize for many,they were not around 20 years ago with gaming but no excuse for being suckers to these developers.
No way in hell do devs get away with what they are now a days in the past we simply,called them out as the crooked businesses they are,trying to sell unfinished crap.

I laugh at how the marketing is done,they will tell us all about the FUN and greatness of their game,however if you have anything negative to say,remember it is only EA or Alpha.So we should then assume the good aspects of the game are likely to fail when it is out of EA or Alpha?
I love the unknown,nobody knows how far the cash shops will go but are willing to dive into that green slime water anyhow,without any care or common sense.

Slapshot1188 · October 2017

Best part is when they sell DLC for EA games...

That pretty much sums up the state of gaming today.

gervaise1 · October 2017

Kyleran said:

Did you just post a link to what is basically a forum post? We get it just fine over here, no great wisdom was imparted by anyone on Massively.

Never ending early access is an abuse of the consumer, that some of them enjoy it doesn't change anything.

Thank you sir, may I please have another.

Some mixed up posts as well! Early access is bad but old mmos that launched unfinished, full of bugs and charged a subscription were OK because they would work on them. Sorry no.

Cryomatrix · October 2017

When I first heard about EA, I thought it was brilliant, it is basically a way to start recouping your costs before the final product is done while simultaneously lowering expectations.

Semantics are powerful.

I just take EA at face value, I know what I am getting into. I have actually never bought an early access game but I just have a prejudice against them and act accordingly, same with f2p.

Cryomatrix

bcbully · October 2017

Nice read. Thanks OP.

MadFrenchie · October 2017

gervaise1 said:

Kyleran said:

Did you just post a link to what is basically a forum post? We get it just fine over here, no great wisdom was imparted by anyone on Massively.

Never ending early access is an abuse of the consumer, that some of them enjoy it doesn't change anything.

Thank you sir, may I please have another.

Some mixed up posts as well! Early access is bad but old mmos that launched unfinished, full of bugs and charged a subscription were OK because they would work on them. Sorry no.

Those AAA releases were very different from the MVP release EA titles we're seeing these days.

postlarval · October 2017

Slapshot1188 said:

Best part is when they sell DLC for EA games...

That pretty much sums up the state of gaming today.

The only one I can think of off the top of my head was ARK. Who else was selling DLCs in EA?

Theocritus · October 2017

I will not ever donate a dime to games in EA...I will pay when they take the step and release the game....Several of these MMOs now have no reason to release...They are making plenty in alpha.

Slapshot1188 · October 2017

postlarval said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Best part is when they sell DLC for EA games...

That pretty much sums up the state of gaming today.

The only one I can think of off the top of my head was ARK. Who else was selling DLCs in EA?

CoE has announced they are selling DLC for the "Prologue" part of their game. I think there is another one or two as well.

Iselin · October 2017

Kyleran said:

Did you just post a link to what is basically a forum post? We get it just fine over here, no great wisdom was imparted by anyone on Massively.

Never ending early access is an abuse of the consumer, that some of them enjoy it doesn't change anything.

Thank you sir, may I please have another.

Are you confused by the Massively format? That's the staff weighing in not a bunch of random no-names.

nariusseldon · October 2017

This just means that there is a lot of suckers out there.

Devs are not really lying about EA right? They basically said "pay us and we will let you alpha/beta-test".

There is certainly no laws against that. It is a free world. If someone wants to be a sucker and risk their money for some unfinished game, who am i to argue? I say let them as long as there is no lying involved.

In fact, right now I am offering anyone who is willing to pay me $100 to see a 20-sentence description of my secret new game in development. I will call it "pre-early-access".

postlarval · October 2017

nariusseldon said:

This just means that there is a lot of suckers out there.

Devs are not really lying about EA right? They basically said "pay us and we will let you alpha/beta-test".

There is certainly no laws against that. It is a free world. If someone wants to be a sucker and risk their money for some unfinished game, who am i to argue? I say let them as long as there is no lying involved.

In fact, right now I am offering anyone who is willing to pay me $100 to see a 20-sentence description of my secret new game in development. I will call it "pre-early-access".

It would not surprise me AT ALL to hear you actually received money.

MadFrenchie · October 2017

postlarval said:

nariusseldon said:

This just means that there is a lot of suckers out there.

Devs are not really lying about EA right? They basically said "pay us and we will let you alpha/beta-test".

There is certainly no laws against that. It is a free world. If someone wants to be a sucker and risk their money for some unfinished game, who am i to argue? I say let them as long as there is no lying involved.

In fact, right now I am offering anyone who is willing to pay me $100 to see a 20-sentence description of my secret new game in development. I will call it "pre-early-access".

It would not surprise me AT ALL to hear you actually received money.

Put together a 1:30 minute video using free Unity assets and he could probably hit a 10,000 funding goal on about 3 days.

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Early Access Games - Glad To See Someone Calling It Like It Is

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Early Access Games - Glad To See Someone Calling It Like It Is

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Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV