General WoD Alpha/Beta Discussion

[Krazzorx]

Didn't they test Noble Garden for some reason mid-way through MoP's beta?

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

There was no announced MoP F&F alpha. I assume the current one for WoD is more about counter programming for Wildstar than anything else.

Incidentally, the expansions that have had F&F alpha's had them run for one to two months. The last two beta's were five and six months. So, I'm seeing the WoD release between December at the earliest and February at the latest.

Except - Alpha this time is more like the first few weeks of previous expansion betas (Ex: Limited number of testers, streaming allowed, only one zone open.) Previous Alphas never allowed streaming, and had NDAs.

And, they've stated they're going to be doing level 100 raid/dungeon/pvp testing before all of the questing zones have been opened. Plus, I've seen a lot of people say that Draenor is much closer to complete than Pandaria was, when comparing maps.

Point being - I don't think previous timelines apply to this expansion's testing cycle as many things are going differently.

I can't say anything about comparing maps because while something may be mapped, there's still the matter of NPCs and Quests and Events.

However, watching an Alpha Stream last night, it seemed to me that Blizzard had events working in both starting zones, as well as Gorgrond and Talador. If all those zones are ready, the game may be closer to Beta than people think. Add onto that the fact Garrisons are actually in a functional state, albeit with a number of bugs and placeholders, the number of new models revealed but not in-game, and the fact they're testing endgame already in-house and I'm saying WoD in October.

[Lightup]

If you count Streamers as Press, sure.

if you look they actually got the big streamers not people that you wont know and i don't care it for publicity BUT if swifty get an alpha key im gonna leave this game and run right to wildstar

[Nëgï]

I'm sure I'm super late on this, but since it's chopper day, why not?

[Krazzorx]

Its very hard to compare as remember that map is pre-Jade Forest remake. We essentially had our Jade Forest remake/ is in progress.

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Beta just means amount of people testing it this time around though. Not place of content finished. I think beta could start 1-3 months from now when nearly every quest thing is done.

[Edoran]

I am... borderline excited to see how this final episode of AC goes down. I want it to end and I want my chopper.

*flies away*

[Soulwind]

I am... borderline excited to see how this final episode of AC goes down. I want it to end and I want my chopper.

*flies away*

Considering they asked the designers to start working on both models long before we knew of this show, I'd say that they'll either announce both bikes will be put into the game without saying which one won (we all know it was Horde anyway), which would be Blizzard's style, or they do add the winner now and the other one is a 'surprise' for later.

They wouldn't send half of the work down the drain just because they 'promised' only one bike. This whole thing is an advertisement after all.

[Doomchicken]

Wow.... just wow... I am gob smacked. 10 year anniversary and we get a scaled down npc model for a pet..

INB4 entitlement abound, guess I have just been around long enough to see Blizzard doesn't give a shit anymore. Well heres to more than an XP buff!

And you know for a matter of fact that the hogger pet is the only thing we're going to get for 10 year anniversary how exactly?
Talk about over-reacting much.

[Count Zero]

I wonder at what point in the alpha/beta process the winning chopper (although I'm banking on them both eventually winding up in-game, somehow or other) will show up in the files, since they said they're aiming for WoD launch to put it in.

Am also a bit excited for this ep, just to see if they go ahead with the "They're both too awesome - everyone wins !" that we're all expecting

[Soulwind]

I wonder at what point in the alpha/beta process the winning chopper (although I'm banking on them both eventually winding up in-game, somehow or other) will show up in the files, since they said they're aiming for WoD launch to put it in.

Am also a bit excited for this ep, just to see if they go ahead with the "They're both too awesome - everyone wins !" that we're all expecting

I think they already have the models, they could probably patch them into the live servers in a tiny patch next week.

[Doomchicken]

Considering they asked the designers to start working on both models long before we knew of this show, I'd say that they'll either announce both bikes will be put into the game without saying which one won (we all know it was Horde anyway), which would be Blizzard's style, or they do add the winner now and the other one is a 'surprise' for later.

They wouldn't send half of the work down the drain just because they 'promised' only one bike. This whole thing is an advertisement after all.

It's a scripted reality tv show that they did months ago. I would eat my hat if they didn't decide to do both regardless of whom won.

I can imagine it going something like this: "Well, the votes are in everyone and -insert team here- has won!" -insert team celebration and hoo ha and whatnot- then later on. "We have decided that since both bikes are just so #Savage that we're going to put in BOTH bikes -big conjoined celebration scene, flaskbacks, show ends-

[Edoran]

It's a scripted reality tv show that they did months ago. I would eat my hat if they didn't decide to do both regardless of whom won.

I can imagine it going something like this: "Well, the votes are in everyone and -insert team here- has won!" -insert team celebration and hoo ha and whatnot- then later on. "We have decided that since both bikes are just so #Savage that we're going to put in BOTH bikes -big conjoined celebration scene, flaskbacks, show ends-

Hey, I'm fine with that. FREE MOUNT!

[shammypie]

It's a scripted reality tv show that they did months ago. I would eat my hat if they didn't decide to do both regardless of whom won.

I can imagine it going something like this: "Well, the votes are in everyone and -insert team here- has won!" -insert team celebration and hoo ha and whatnot- then later on. "We have decided that since both bikes are just so #Savage that we're going to put in BOTH bikes -big conjoined celebration scene, flaskbacks, show ends-

actually i don't think we'll find out which side actually won at all since that would be admitting one side was better than the other. I imagine it will be more like this: Well the vote is in and it was too close/tie to declare a winner. So we are putting both bikes in.

[Nëgï]

I think they already have the models, they could probably patch them into the live servers in a tiny patch next week.

They modeled both choppers a while back in episode 6, I think. However a tweet from some blue said that the chopper was set to release with 6.0, but that wasn't a definite thing.

[Mawnix]

actually i don't think we'll find out which side actually won at all since that would be admitting one side was better than the other. I imagine it will be more like this: Well the vote is in and it was too close/tie to declare a winner. So we are putting both bikes in.

No, they'll definitely choose a winner. That'd be a slap in the face and would've wasted EVERYONE'S TIME for the past few weeks.

[Yarathir]

How long until AC?



Also, I hope the Hogger pet is not the only thing we get from the 10th anniversary. That would be meager and underwhelming, imo. Especially if it's the old model without any changes.

[Doomchicken]

actually i don't think we'll find out which side actually won at all since that would be admitting one side was better than the other. I imagine it will be more like this: Well the vote is in and it was too close/tie to declare a winner. So we are putting both bikes in.

That's possible too. either way I don't see just one getting it.

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How long until AC?



Also, I hope the Hogger pet is not the only thing we get from the 10th anniversary. That would be meager and underwhelming, imo. Especially if it's the old model without any changes.

Honestly, and I'm not saying this will happen, but i strongly suspect that the bikes will be free as part of the 10th anniversary gift.

[Nëgï]

How long until AC?



Also, I hope the Hogger pet is not the only thing we get from the 10th anniversary. That would be meager and underwhelming, imo. Especially if it's the old model without any changes.

Uh, I think 3 or so hours.

[solgog]

Judging by a stream I'm watching, it appears the PVP server Gilneas is up.

[Deleted]

How long until AC?

It should be on in 30 minutes