Open Beta Keys? In my EU?

[tkinnun0]

So, it's presumably 2 hours from Open Beta in my part of the EU, I've downloaded the client (notwithstanding 4 crashes and 2 ADSL/router reboots) and the website wants me to update Flash. Like it wasn't fine 5 hours ago. So what's the deal?

Also, may I respectfully request the the Internet aficionados add "open beta keys" to the list of oxymorons.

[IainC]

So, it's presumably 2 hours from Open Beta in my part of the EU

Computer says no

The wait is almost over! We will be opening the servers for the open beta on Sunday 7th September. For many this will be your first taste of WAR and we want you to be ready. The servers will open in the early afternoon and from that point on you will be able to fight for your realm on the battlefields of the Old World.

[tkinnun0]

Shit, that means my drunkenness is some 14-15 hours premature. Good thing I stocked up with beer and cider.

But, umm, do I still need a key to get into the open beta? Or was it a ploy for someone to get some registrations? Feel free to not answer that question and tell me to wait the 14-15 hours like everyone else

[IainC]

Shit, that means my drunkenness is some 14-15 hours premature. Good thing I stocked up with beer and cider.

But, umm, do I still need a key to get into the open beta? Or was it a ploy for someone to get some registrations? Feel free to not answer that question and tell me to wait the 14-15 hours like everyone else

From the very same news item linked above:

All existing beta testers, all Collector's Edition Pre-orders, Premium Standard Edition Pre-orders and all who received open beta keys through community promotions will be eligible to take part.

[Azaroth]

My local EB is selling preorder keys for $5.

I did not previously know this. I thought it was 44.99 as the site displayed.

So, yeah. Not going back today because it's 30 min in the car - but if anyone is super hard up tomorrow, give me a shout.

[Wasted]

Early afternoon on Sunday?  even for people in the targeted timezones thats pretty shitty, I'm going to be stuck at work on Monday here by the time they open :(

[Falconeer]

It's 4.30pm. Still down? IainC? Mhhhh I guess he's busy elsewhere right now...

[Arthur_Parker]

IainC? Mhhhh I guess he's busy elsewhere right now...

I guess so, I thought I'd give the open beta a go and it's been well worth it just to see the European WAR website melting all day.  The resulting 145 page, 2000+ post drama thread on Warhammer alliance is worth a read for pure nerd outrage.

[Trippy]

Pic from above thread (sorry IainC):

[Wasted]

So has the open beta started yet?

It says authentification error when i try to log in and my beta status still says applied

edit: Patching now - was using wrong account, its not the master account or the beta login but some third account detail I guess for war only I must have created at some time.  It was all so clear :/

[Evildrider]

I've been playing on and off all day on the U.S. servers.. I think it's the people that weren't in the preview weekend or before that are having probs.  Mind you they also have 24 servers up and they are almost all full as well.

[Azaroth]

I mean Monday.

[Goreschach]

IainC got da innanet goin crazy

[amiable]

IainC-

" If having delayed access to a beta test really drives you to such depths of anger and fury then - and there is no polite way to put this - there is something wrong with you."

I just have to say that saying something true to a bunch of internet retards, while satisfying, will cause you a lot of grief...

[Simond]

If anybody at the company I work for said that to a customer, they'd be out the door so fast their feet wouldn't touch the ground. No ifs or buts, that's Grade A "Grab a box and clear your desk - you're fired!" material.

Edit: http://onlinegamesareanichemarket.wordpress.com/

- Update -

So, since I wrote this post I’ve gotten a lot of feedback on it, some of it quite critical of GOA and of my defense of them.  While some of it centers around defending players’ rights to be angry some of it also centers around comments made by IanC regarding the situation.  Let me be really clear on this:

1) GOA messed up, they apologized and they are working hard to do better.  This is a good start but not an excuse for them.  Neither their CEO nor I am defending what happened yesterday.  It was an ugly day.

2) I think that the players have every right to be angry, disappointed and frustrated.  I agree with them 100% but what I do notagree with is the level of threats and abuse that followed.  I know why some players feel that way but my not agreeing with their reactions does not mean that I’m excusing GOA, clear?

3) I have read IanC’s post on the situation and I have just communicated to GOA my thoughts on it.  I’ll simply say this, I do not agree with what he said, I do not support what he said and his comments were, in my opinion, way out of line.

Mark

[Falconeer]

I assume you live in NA, Simond. We Euros are a bunch of crazy people with a strong medieval heritage.

Jokes aside, I bet he'll keep his job.

[Simond]

I'm English, and I work for a European company.
And you might want to read my edited post.

[Falconeer]

Heh.

I stand ridiculed 

And sorry for misplacing you.

[cevik]

3) I have read IanC’s post on the situation and I have just communicated to GOA my thoughts on it.  I’ll simply say this, I do not agree with what he said, I do not support what he said and his comments were, in my opinion, way out of line.

Gah, and I actually like IanC.  I hope that Mark Jacobs hanging him out to dry isn't nearly as dire as it sounds.  I guess he should have known that after a hugely terrible PR situation occurring in the "BUT WARHAMMER IS HUEG IN EURPE!!" euro open beta someone would have to be made a scapegoat.

[Falconeer]

" If having delayed access to a beta test really drives you to such depths of anger and fury then - and there is no polite way to put this - there is something wrong with you."

That line has character though.
Can we say that IainC pushed the f13 panic button on his keyboard at the wrong time in the wrong place? It's our fault!

[Abelian75]

Yeah, that does seem a little unfair since MJ pretty much said the same thing in his blog, and then turned around and edited the blog post to say he thought IainC's words were out of line.  Admittedly I guess they're slightly harsher, but in neither case did I think there's anything wrong with saying what they're saying.  People are utter dicks and should be called out on it, o noes.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I get that you don't want to piss off your customers, so I understand not confronting them as a tactical choice.  Still pretty chickenshit though.  No offense.  I'd love to see companies just being more upfront with people.

[HRose]

Hooray, MJ found his scapegoat!

[IainC]

I'm not going to comment on the situation but I want to point out that the quote above is out of context, also it was edited less than 5 minutes later to make it even clearer.

[Ingmar]

The edited bit of the post for people too lazy to click (still out of context):

If having delayed access to a beta test really drives you to such depths of anger and fury that you felt compelled to make the death threats, racial slurs and other deeply unpleasant posts then - and there is no polite way to put this - there is something wrong with you.

[Abelian75]

God, so out of line.  How dare you.

[schild]

I'm not going to comment on the situation but I want to point out that the quote above is out of context, also it was edited less than 5 minutes later to make it even clearer.

I have no polite way to say this - but that's called shooting yourself in the foot.

With a large caliber pistol.

[Evildrider]

I'm with IainC thbough.  If I was in his position I'd be a horrid rep. to the community.  I mean that's a nice way of putting it compared to things I would say.

[Mrbloodworth]

Its not just warhammer community, this is typical with all New mmo's.

I have spoken about this before, and MJ just blogged about it. Reason has left the MMO scene. Its all "NOW NOW NOW".

[cevik]

Its not just warhammer community, this is typical with all New mmo's.

I have spoken about this before, and MJ just blogged about it. Reason has left the MMO scene. Its all "NOW NOW NOW".

Which is what you get when you charge an entrance fee to your beta?

Why is everyone so shocked that paying customers wanted what they paid for?  And why are the customers suddenly to blame for being pissed that they didn't get what they paid for?

[Ingmar]

At the danger of turning into a one-issue poster - if you guys owned the forums you could just ban the people making death threats and the like.

[Evildrider]

It's not even new MMO's.  The DDO community is full of r-tards.  I mean they complain because of the lack of dev information the 2 weeks before Gen-con.  Gen-Con comes and they bombard us with info about upcoming mods and such, pretty much all we need to know, besides the *secret* project.  Not even 2 days later there are people complaining about the lack of info.

It's the same in pretty much all game forums.  I think this is the reason that some companies are going to not having official forums.  I really don't blame them.  

[tazelbain]

Because Devs have no creditability.  And GOA has negative creditability.

[Evildrider]

Its not just warhammer community, this is typical with all New mmo's.

I have spoken about this before, and MJ just blogged about it. Reason has left the MMO scene. Its all "NOW NOW NOW".

Which is what you get when you charge an entrance fee to your beta?

Why is everyone so shocked that paying customers wanted what they paid for?  And why are the customers suddenly to blame for being pissed that they didn't get what they paid for?

Because most of these people aren't first time MMO players and should know by now that in this genre above all others... shit happens.  It's not an excuse.. but what can you really do?  Is it really something you should be wishing death upon the devs and their families for?  There's being mad and then there's being a fucking lunatic about it all.

[Mrbloodworth]

Its not just warhammer community, this is typical with all New mmo's.

I have spoken about this before, and MJ just blogged about it. Reason has left the MMO scene. Its all "NOW NOW NOW".

Which is what you get when you charge an entrance fee to your beta?

Why is everyone so shocked that paying customers wanted what they paid for?  And why are the customers suddenly to blame for being pissed that they didn't get what they paid for?

That's not even it and you know it. The game could have been free.

Also: I paid 99c. Target FTW. What did others pay? 5$ down payment. pifft.

[cevik]

Its not just warhammer community, this is typical with all New mmo's.

I have spoken about this before, and MJ just blogged about it. Reason has left the MMO scene. Its all "NOW NOW NOW".

Which is what you get when you charge an entrance fee to your beta?

Why is everyone so shocked that paying customers wanted what they paid for?  And why are the customers suddenly to blame for being pissed that they didn't get what they paid for?

That's not even it and you know it. The game could have been free.

Also: I paid 99c. Target FTW. What did others pay? 5$ down payment. pifft.

Perhaps I'm better with money, but I get pretty pissed when I pay $5 for a product and it's not delivered.