General WoD Alpha/Beta Discussion

[Krazzorx]

Fair enough. I just read to mean that we are currently in the middle of the press events. (We received information out of the press events a couple weeks ago already, and are starting to get blogs and more detailed tweets about the expansion.

I didn't really read what he said to mean that we still need to have more press tours before beta can start. Especially since GDC is the only thing I've heard of coming up, and again... I didn't know whether or not that counted as a "press tour" since it's an event for the game industry. I can see what Boub said meaning either thing though.

OT: Looking forward to the week ahead. Let's see what tweet we can blow out of proportion this week.

"Sorry but I went to GDC for the last 5 years and Blizzard shows off a ton of stuff to full pass holders / investors. MOB was huge part last year and after GDC Beta went live and so it will happen again this year. I can't say what will be shown on the teach side but it's amazing and once they see the reaction that they want and gets great praises like last year. A beta will be revealed, it's all about the aww and wow factor from these events! What will be the forefront of the year to come. If it goes great and wins the side of the game industry then the customers will get a taste of what was shown / played in the beta forum / open beta etc."

I get that looks sketchy (and hard to read), but if he's right, that sounds a lot like a press event.

If someone could tell me what MOB stands for I'd love that.

[Tazzak]

MOB stands for MoP.

[Krazzorx]

Bashiok made it sound like they already have the notes ready to release with beta whenever it starts..

I get this isn't what you were talking about but just wanted to emphasize something for everyone, that statement Bashiok gave does not exclude the possibility of them adding and modifying patch notes. They still can change patch notes that they will give us..

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MOB stands for MoP.

I thought that might be it, but what could they possibly have talked about last year about it since it was already out?

Anyways, we'll learn soon enough if that guy was right.

[CosmicGuitars]

Anyways, we'll learn soon enough if that guy was right.

What guy? Did I miss something?

[Dhomeli]

"Sorry but I went to GDC for the last 5 years and Blizzard shows off a ton of stuff to full pass holders / investors. MOB was huge part last year and after GDC Beta went live and so it will happen again this year. I can't say what will be shown on the teach side but it's amazing and once they see the reaction that they want and gets great praises like last year. A beta will be revealed, it's all about the aww and wow factor from these events! What will be the forefront of the year to come. If it goes great and wins the side of the game industry then the customers will get a taste of what was shown / played in the beta forum / open beta etc."

I get that looks sketchy (and hard to read), but if he's right, that sounds a lot like a press event.

If someone could tell me what MOB stands for I'd love that.

Is there any precedent for a beta announcement at any event though? Even when we had the MoP press tour less than a week before MoP beta, it wasn't announced that beta was starting. Beta just started the following Wednesday.

I guess my point is - Whether beta starts before or after GDC, they'll likely be talking about WoD anyway. Does it really matter if a few thousand people are already playing beta before GDC begins? They can still do tech demonstrations and explain their tech at an event like that, even if people have their hands on it.

[Count Zero]

http://imgur.com/c7NJRa2?tags



Bashiok made it sound like they already have the notes ready to release with beta whenever it starts. Also, Rygarius responded to people asking for specific information in the blogs they've been releasing by saying that what those people are really looking forward to are the beta patch notes, not these blogs. If that helps answer your question.

Wise (wo)man. Maybe I'd blocked out the idea of both since I recently caught an infraction here for posting a gif of one of those "why not both" commercials, haha ...

Back on topic: It's crazy how all these different precedents interact ... either holding true or being broken. There's gonna be a lot of info gleaned from this release cycle to use to predict the next xpac's release ...

Anyway, my hope for a June 24th release is fading fast. I don't think it's completely off the table yet, but even in a best-case scenario that window is closing fast.

[Dhomeli]

What guy? Did I miss something?

He's talking about - http://www.mmo-champion.com/members/870070-Rissler-Dark

He's been talking about Blizzard waiting until after GDC to start beta.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

What guy? Did I miss something?

Something about the GDC being in march or something and the next week Beta starts.

[Krazzorx]

Is there any precedent for a beta announcement at any event though? Even when we had the MoP press tour less than a week before MoP beta, it wasn't announced that beta was starting. Beta just started the following Wednesday.

I guess my point is - Whether beta starts before or after GDC, they'll likely be talking about WoD anyway. Does it really matter if a few thousand people are already playing beta before GDC begins? They can still do tech demonstrations and explain their tech at an event like that, even if people have their hands on it.

Its hard to read (extremely actually) that post but what I think he's saying is they'll show the press who are there the beta and then they'll announce beta a day or 2 after.

He mentioned that beta for MoP was announced right after that GDC. When was the GDC (for those just following, that's the games developer conference) of 2012?

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The games developers conference of 2012 was March 5-9.

[CosmicGuitars]

He's talking about - http://www.mmo-champion.com/members/870070-Rissler-Dark

He's been talking about Blizzard waiting until after GDC to start beta.

Ah. It's possible. I'm 90.2% sure beta will be in March. Coinciding with a big event like that would be good for Blizzard. If it's not in March, I'll be astounded.

[Krazzorx]

The beta launched about 2 weeks later.

However, this time the press tour came first. (Press tour was about 10 days after GDC in 2012)

[CosmicGuitars]

Its hard to read (extremely actually) that post but what I think he's saying is they'll show the press who are there the beta and then they'll announce beta a day or 2 after.

He mentioned that beta for MoP was announced right after that GDC. When was the GDC (for those just following, that's the games developer conference) of 2012?

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The games developers conference of 2012 was March 5-9.

It was announced on March 20th. It began on the 21st.

[Kelemar]

Bashiok made it sound like they already have the notes ready to release with beta whenever it starts. Also, Rygarius responded to people asking for specific information in the blogs they've been releasing by saying that what those people are really looking forward to are the beta patch notes, not these blogs. If that helps answer your question.

Ah, I see. Yes, that did help me to answer my question, thank you very much.!

[Krazzorx]

Here's basically what I'm basing my argument on: for whatever reason (likely English 2nd language) Rissler's posts have not be the most legible things ever written. I think that's why they were mostly ignored and not investigated.

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It was announced on March 20th. It began on the 21st.

Ya ik, my post right before yours said the same thing (guessing you were typing before I said that)

[yeryerdude]

Announcing stuff at GDC seems weird, they did announce hearthstone at PAX last year which was in March but i think its in April this year.

[Dhomeli]

The games developers conference of 2012 was March 5-9.

Correct, and the following week a bunch of fansites were invited to Blizzard HQ for a big press event, and then the week after that, the night of March 21st, beta began.

Edit, also was typing before the other person said it.

[Krazzorx]

Now obviously dates won't matchup perfectly but, here's some related dates to keep in mind (as a note there is no guarantee these are related, but is probably a good guess):

MoP:

GDC March 5-9.
Press Tour March 15ish?
Info Dump March 17ish?
Beta Launch 21st.

WoD:
Press Tour mid February. (Blizz called that a press tour)
Info Dump started Feb 27 and likely continues for a month.
GDC March 17-21
Beta: ?

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Announcing stuff at GDC seems weird, they did announce hearthstone at PAX last year which was in March but i think its in April this year.

They aren't announcing stuff at it, just like the press tour it appears to be a marketing thing

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Correct, and the following week a bunch of fansites were invited to Blizzard HQ for a big press event, and then the week after that, the night of March 21st, beta began.

Now obviously this time they are doing things a bit different. They gave a press tour first (no guarantee that is the last one though my guess is it was the equivelant to MoP's), info dump soon after in waves and GDC in late March.

[ATZenith]

I lost all hype. Anything interesting happened?

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I lost all hype. Anything interesting happened?

The Titan of MMO-Champion appeared.

[Deleted]

The Titan of MMO-Champion appeared.

Makes me wish I'd thrown a Pokeball at him....

I'll get me coat.....