Krieg's utterly rediculous theory on the start of beta.

[Kriegson]

Ok, so apparently the newest info release design has been to have "Class weeks" every other week (ty Malorn), having finished revealing a number of vehicles and weapons for each faction in weeks past.
We have currently seen assault, are on medic, so we have engineer, heavy assault, and MAX's.

Devs are mum on the MAX's currently considering they will be used for a big marketing push (or so I've read). Being the second week in march, we have the engineer next week, and heavy assault after that. Which brings us to April. The same month of the PC gamer with beta keys.

Putting beta keys and a large, front page feature in PC gamer is a calculated effort to dramatically raise the pool of testers for early beta. They already know that X amount of people are subscribed to PC gamer, and likely a percentage of them will participate.
Likewise, a percentage of the general populace who are interested in the game will also purchase the magazine for the key.
Thus bolstering the number of testers that they predicted would join the test that are currently playing planetside, or attended the con (And thus have early access as well).

Ergo it is my theory based on the "evidence" () above that a early, premium access beta will begin some time in may, which also happens to be the month of planetside's anniversary (Skitrel). If they are indeed targeting fans of the game for this priority access, that would have signifigance as well.

[Kriegson]

The significance of the keys in PC gamer are that it is basically a finite amount of testers that they could roughly depend on getting into the beta to get the stress tests they need. Furthermore, rather than just give loads of keys out to random sites, they have given these "priority access" keys largely to people who are loyal to the franchise, and will probably not treat the early beta like a release (And go crying to the internet about it) like your average joe might.

Disclaimer

I understand beta speculation threads are rampant and no real information exists yet, when it does it will be posted in the sticky, so I understand if this is closed. This is just a bit of amusing diversion.

[Atheosim]

You forgot infiltrators. Also ES vehicles. Also bases. Also continents. Also equipment. ALSO EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE WHOLE WORLD INCLUDING YOUR NAME

[DaddyTickles]

Utterly ridiculous!!







Although strangely compelling

[Kriegson]

Originally Posted by Atheosim

You forgot infiltrators. Also ES vehicles. Also bases. Also continents. Also equipment. ALSO EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE WHOLE WORLD INCLUDING YOUR NAME

Oh please, minor details young sir. Minor details.

[Fenrys]

Assuming MAX week is last, it would end April 7th (or 14th if infiltrators get a week).

However, as far as we know, the art, animations, and even the abilities for the VS MAX are not done yet. Is 3-4 weeks long enough to draw, animate, code, and test? Or will there be a delay between Engy/Heavy/Inf week and MAX week?

[NCLynx]

This is utterly ridiculous.

Beta starts tomorrow....right?

[Atheosim]

Beta already started, guys. Here's the link.

[StumpyTheOzzie]

Originally Posted by Kriegson

Ok, so apparently the newest info release design has been to have "Class weeks", having finished revealing a number of vehicles and weapons for each faction in weeks past.
We have currently seen assault, are on medic, so we have engineer, heavy assault, and MAX's.

OMG! I was thinking along the same lines. Week of [blah]

Count how many [blahs] they have done and how many they are going to have in the game and hope that they don't do one week per vehicle.

Then, beta release will be 2 weeks after that.

[WiteBeam]

There is no fucking way they are going to wait till all the theme weeks are over with to do beta. That would but beta months away when we know it's going to start within the next coming months. I'm sure they will want the theme week stuff to continue through till launch.

[OnlinePirate]

The hell with theme week. At this rate. Beta aint ever coming out !

[Kriegson]

Originally Posted by Fenrys

Assuming MAX week is last, it would end April 7th (or 14th if infiltrators get a week).

However, as far as we know, the art, animations, and even the abilities for the VS MAX are not done yet. Is 3-4 weeks long enough to draw, animate, code, and test? Or will there be a delay between Engy/Heavy/Inf week and MAX week?

They are currently just using the TR max with reskins for each faction to test the MAX, though imo certain classes or class features are things they could introduce incrementally as the beta continues. I think the primary condition that must be met is reliable netcode to allow them to perform a stress test of significant proportions in order to collect useful information.

They had some 30 people on during the GDC coverage, and that's not going to cut it. They need to be at the point where they can comfortably test a few hundred people, if not thousand, before they open the doors to the priority beta. Much less open beta.
I doubt priority beta will see all features at the start of things.

[Brusi]

May

[Malorn]

Soon.

[Death2All]

Originally Posted by Malorn

Soon™.

Fixed