f13.net

... since yesterday.  No one seems interested.

Oh, I'm interested.  Interested in keeping my filthy lucre away from Fileplanet's accountants.

I think I'll try this as a new criteria for purchasing MMOGs.

If I have to subscribe to fileplanet to try the beta Im not buying your product.

I was interested until I got the the credit card info screen! Needless to say I closed the browser at that point.

I'd like to check it out, but I'm not getting a fileplanet account, I'm getting tired of paying service fees, I can already see the future, and it's got a monthly charge.

It's a chance to win a beta key if you subscribe.  Meaning FilePlanet doesn't want you to know if they've run out, because then you'd never subscribe, and you can lick their balls anyway.

Nah, it's an actual key into Matrix Beta, I picked one up Tuesday last week.  (Lucky my account was still active from when I registered for World Of Warcraft stress test.)

As for TMO, it's still under closed beta and thus somewhat hush hush.  However, I can tell you that I like certain aspects of the MMORPG, it has me even more excited than Everquest 2 or WoW because of it's unique environment and combat system.   However, it wouldn't be as enjoyable if you tried it right now because they still have a lot of typical MMORPG problems to work out before their Jan 2005 release.

Flaming piece of shit.

I shun people from my store when they step near the pre-order box and show interest.

That must go over well with management. I have a tiny bit of interest in MxO. I just haven't worked up the energy to try and get one of the keys.

My manager shuns MMOG'ers. It goes over well. I think my next review will go over VERY well.

I wouldn't go so far as flaming pile of shit, but I will go so far as unrefined months from done game, which TMO surely is.    Once it gets rid of the typical beta MMORPG problems, it should be a viable alternative MMORPG.   You might even like the combat and class switching system over the alternatives.

I hope you're not working in a gaming store. If so your manager is a damn moron.

Why? MMORPG players are his worst customers, since they buy one game, then don't come back because they find it better to pay $15/month to the MMOG company than go back to the store to buy another $50 non-MMO game when their current ends or they get fed up with it.

I am looking forward to trying it - I assume the Jan 2005 release is U.S.?

North America and Europe.

Well I got the key and went ahead and did the 1.6gb download. Installed. Logged in.

After 5 minutes I determined I didn't want to beta test another MMORPG.

I un-installed and pre-ordered WOW.

I've been in the WOW beta for so long that I just wasn't in the mood to wade into another game beta.

Just a sheep in the herd I guess.

Maybe you could send the key to Schild and he could hold some sort of contest for it. :-)

Xilren

I guess I can have a contest for some keys. Lemme talk to Rasix. He's our new contest bitch now.

Congrats on the promotion, I hope that's his new title now.

uh-oh.

Ohh goodie, The Matrix.  Not exactly the best material for creativity.  Though this might lend itself to a "Did Bruce Really Say That" for a riff on reality, but I'd like to save that one.  

And yes, your fate is now in my very uncapable hands.  Weep now.

How about an intelligence quiz? All those who fail get a key.

Same here.  That's just a promotional thing though - WB is passing out codes on their own, if you've signed up for beta.  Meaning, you can get into beta just like with every other MMOG, or you can also get them from fileplanet.

I really don't see that extra option as a draw.  Fileplanet is still in business, so I assume someone is using that service, though.

I'd love to get me some MxO beta... from what I've seen thus far it's got a lot of technical issues, but a lot of potential for greatness (i.e. a lot of good ideas and a few spots of truly brilliant implementation) if they can get their shit together.

Thank you for having commen sense. The average store bound MMOGer is a moron. Complete and utter moron. They come in and discuss EVERY unreleased MMOG with you as if they're the tome of knowledge pertaining to it and then don't buy anything. Wasting valuable time.

The other scenario is when the stupid fucks pre-order to get the beta and cancel when they don't like it. I had one idiot pre-order the collectors edition for EQ2. He called me up a day or two later bitching about his J-Boots. I do the run around with head office, tell him they'll e-mail him and in the end he cancels his pre-order. Die. By. Random. Impaling. Cocksucker.

My manager is damned good at what he does. MMOGs are not the end all of our sales. They make up for less than 1%. Probably less than .5% Consoles are where our money is at.

Plus, MXO is shit. From E3 and beta. Crap. Utter crap. The most they did was redefine the wheel on click and wait combat. If you think matrix stuff is cool, of course you'll like it. Just like SWG appealed to all the Star Wars geeks. And it's not like I tell someone "Crap. Don't buy it." I explain and they agree.

Is my manager a moron? No. Are you, Riggs? Yes.

Wow. What store do you work for? I want to make sure to never give them my business, ever. Nice attitude. It's enough to get you fired at any retail outlet I've ever managed.

I probably watch The Matrix once a week and I think the game's shit too.

Opinions, opinions.

I've been in quite a few betas as of recent.     EQ2, Jump to Lightspeed, and TMO.

EQ2, as I've established in our group impression piece (http://www.grimwell.com/index.php?action=fullnews&id=193), is a pretty decent and technically impressive MMORPG, but beyond Heroic Opportunities, expert craftsmanship of world, and increased detail to tradeskills and housing, it really doesn't bring anything new to the table.  If you're burned out from EQ-like games, you will be burned out from EQ2 (and World of Warcraft, for that matter).  Me, I already had a FFXI fixation, so after getting a good impression and submitting an obligatory hundred or so bug reports, I couldn't really bring myself to log back into it.

Jump To Lightspeed, I've found, is mostly an expansion to SWG due to it's heavy economic ties.   Sure, you get to fly around a spacecraft, but we're talking several thousand resources involested in having a shipwright make another one for you.   A big time economic resources -> credits conversion is what JTL is, in the big picture.    I've submitted a few bug reports got an impression together, but ultimately I found that the economic influence was too strong for my liking here, so I haven't played much of JTL Beta.   (Probably because they were charging me the full subscription price to do so.)

The Matrix Online, interestingly enough, has varied from the above two titles in that I'm actively enjoying spending time within the beta.   Granted, this is not a perfect game, and there are little distractions to deal with that are heavily mired in typical MMORPG bugs.  However, you shouldn't have major negative opinion based off of such silliness because obviously such a thing should be fixxed 2 months from now.  If not, I'll tell you, because the NDA should be lifted by then.    The really compelling thing about TMO is it's very different and still plays relatively well.   You might not think The Matrix is original, but in fact it's the only pseudo-cyberpunk virtual reality-based MMORPG, ever.     TMO could be the last really original MMORPG environment outside of a Wild West scenario.    More important, there's several unique game mechanics here which make the game interesting as well, mostly focused on the idea that everything from skills to items is in "reality" just data in the matrix, and the exchange of data becomes your main focus, allowing for a somewhat different economy.

So, callin TMO utter crap because it has some typical MMORPG issues to iron out that should be fixxed 2 months from now seems pretty dang misguided.   However, I recognize what we're seeing here is just a differing of opinion.

On another note, if you work in a retail game store, I can see how MMORPGS are not your friends.   If so many MMORPGs weren't crap unworthy of the months they're hoping to suck from your customers, they'd probably be robbing the majority of your buisiness.

You haven't actually been INTO a game store lately, have you? His attitude fit mine when I worked at EB almost to a T, except that was over 10 years ago and there were no MMOG's on the shelves.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the thing it keep in mind is you don't want your customers becoming so discouraged in games by playing crap that they stop buying games altogether.    When I talk to folks at my local EB Games, they're not afraid to warn me away from games which they think I may not enjoy.   (Though, given my particular taste in games, and my awareness of the kind of game I would enjoy, this advice is rarely heeded on my part.)

Geld, MxO is pretty fucking bad.

I love f'ing with the EB guys.

Doing things like bringing back 'Call of Duty' after 2 days and saying it was absolute crap blows their tiny minds, maybe I should try that with Madden 2006 next year, its rather amusing.

Because I'm honest? I'm not going to let someone pre-order something because it means our store looks better sales wise. It's not fair to the customer. I'm sorry if you disagree. And my opinion of the average MMOG person who comes in is based on experience alone. Not like I'm being anal about stupid stuff.

Sorry. I gotta agree with Sky. If I ran into your attitude I'd leave the store. The EB I shop at has cool guys who know me by name and treat me right. As a result I'm very loyal to EB and to that store in particular. If you're not seeing alot of MMOers and such it's probably because your attitude has driven them to another store. I know I've switched stores over things like that in the past.

I've never said once that I show this attitude towards them. What I do is express my opinion about the game when they ask. I've not had one MMOGer come in and not ask for my opinion. Can I stop them from buying it? No. Can I suggest they wait to try it before forking over the full amount to pre-order? Yes. And I'll keep doing it.

I've done it for all the up coming MMOG's that I've tested and all that I've suggested it too and had the chance to take my advice, well, I still see have them as customers. Just because I believe jerk-offs looking for a beta invite through pre-order suck monstrous cock doesn't mean I'm the bane of every MMOG person that comes into the store.

Edit: I only said I shun them from MXO.

Edit 2: Let me explain this for all who think I'm a pompous ass. The average MMOGer who comes into the store and isn't pre-ordering (on the spot) or picking a pre-order up, isn't there to buy something. Where I'm from, if you play MMOG's you pre-order, pick it up and leave. You know what you're getting yourself into. Otherwise, you're not getting anything. The people that do come in and pick up a box to look at it have no idea what it is. If they do, they didn't come in to pre-order. They came in to argue something and are waiting for you to comment on it. Whether I say MxO is good or bad I'll be getting an earful from some MORON.

This is the way things are where I live.

And Riggs, you may go pick up your game and they may know your name, but I can bet you any money they hate some of the MMOGers that come in. Not every customer is like you.

It's not fair to the customer to shun them if they wish to ask questions about an MMOG pre-order, or to presuppose them to be "the average MMOG person" who is "a moron". Fortunately, with an attitude like that, you're unlikely to rise above the dizzying heights of retail store assistant.

Well some of them will notice your feelings even if you hide it and the word will spread. Been a gamer for a long time and believe me, there is a network and you get an idea which stores not to go to. In any case, whatever works for you and your manager.

Hush, Nix... you are making yourself sound foolish.

This is NOT the lack of nicotine talking, your mum would tell you the same thing.

2x

Sure and I don't care.

Calm the fuck down, cowboy.

Eh, I'm chalking it up to bugs, but I guess I can't really ask anybody to elaborate until the NDA is lifted.

I finally managed to login for the first time. Strange game, currently I'm about as puzzled as I was in the early Ryzom betas.

I haven't even downloaded it yet.  Now I'm worried that if 3XDES finds it confusing, I won't stand a chance.

Oh c'mon now schild, it isn't really.

There are a couple of missing elements in the beta that would probably get your attention right away - perhaps even cause you to make a summary judgment/prediction such as this one.

Couple of quick things about the beta test.

- If you played anytime in October, you (literally) threaded the eye of the proverbial needle. 25,000+ new tesers were shoved into a hardware environment with our beta test that was built and designed to comfortably fit and manage 2k. There was a cascading wave of diffrent probems this defacto stress test caused among our internal systems, particularly with stability and lag.

That stops being a problem for MxO when beta moves from its present location and configuration to its permanent resting place for Live Service in a few short days/weeks.

- Another issue could have been the User Interface and/or Tutorial in the beta which are not closed to being finished yet. Both systems are still being massively worked on, and in many ways its the top priority for the developers. So don't give these game systems your final grade as of yet because they will only bear passing resemblance to what currently exists in the beta.


Anyway, the reason I posted these two beta issues was to hopefully corner you on an appeal (based solely on a technicality). There are two specific points I hope to pursuade you and your court on,  your Honor...


1. I don't think you can really say we are bad until Late-December / Early-January because we still have two crunch mode months of content/development, polishing, and hardware integration left before the game goes Gold. If you repeat those same words about Matrix in January that you said just now, I'll publicly eat your words. =)

2. You've been around the genre long enough to know your way around a beta test and a pre-launch environment, that you will not be easily pursuaded by any Jedi-like PR mind tricks about code, hardware, and testing. All I ask, is that you reconsider your initial findings - and withhold any final judgements until the end of December (or around that time). And lastly, I want you to come try the game again in 2-3 weeks. I'll give you a personal tour. If your mind isn't changed, then we can discuss what form my eating of your words shall take.

- Vosx

Well, I'm willing to, at least, give it the same chance as all the rest of the betas I've dabbled in the past couple of months.  It seems they finally ran out of keys on Fileplanet but I think there is another one in the works for next week, if anyone is interested.  I don't know what the problem was there, maybe all the EQ2 give-aways distracted people.  I had thought there was much more interest in this title.

I'm not a big Matrix fan, but then I wasn't a huge Star Wars fan and had a bit of fun for a couple of months there.  The same with comics, though CoH was crazy mad fun for a while... so I assume enjoying MxO won't be exclusive to enthusiast of the movies.

You should definitely take up Vosx on his offer, schild.  There seems to be refreshments involved.

I will probably give MxO a try just because certain aspects of it seem intriquing. My problem boils down to I literally forget on Tuesday to go to fileplanet until late in the day and the keys are gone by then.

Don't worry, if they want to beta test it they'll have to keep giving away more and more and more keys since it's so horrible that only a tiny percentage will test it for more than 10 or 15 minutes...

MXO is OK. It is just strange since you're left without a clue when starting and have to find out most stuff by yourself, since the manual is pretty thin right now. And the ingame community isn't exactly helpful either. Well, what'd you expect from FilePlanet folks.

I like the way of levelling skills, though.

Well, then they got that part of the movies right. Unless you read a review of the first movie where some asshole spoiled the big surprise. In the first paragraph, no less. Bastards.

Sure better than spoiling the movie with a intro voice-over (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/), though.

"Without a clue" was addressing the game controls. While the tutorial helps a bit, you're still pretty much "WTF now?" after it.

Hiya Vosx- hope the move the the great Northwest was relatively painless. You gotta run up to Acropolis (on Kirkland Way) for lunch sometime; they have some of the best grinders EVAR.

I might have to give MxO a look once they get closer to release, if only to support a local dev house =)

I'd gladly take a beta on MxO. Shit, I beta'ed EQ-fucking-2, it's quite obvious I'll play just about anything for free.

I hope so, you said on the front page that you'd review anything you got for free.

Well if MxO doesn't work out, here are some more MMOs you can try out for free:

http://www.gamengame.com/America/america_main.html

You are a mean and cruel man.

I suggested to schild last night that he could run a Matrix Online beta contest. The losers of the contest receive beta keys and the winners get nothing.

Dude. Ouch.