Global Alpha Test Start Date

[DemonFury]

Doesn't it occur to you that many are passionate about getting into the alpha because they want to contribbute to making ARR a better game?

Considering the amount of dedication it took to stick with this game, I don't see it as such an unrealistic possibility. Second guessing the motives of people you don't know doesn't exactly work very well when trying to bring a sensical argument.

Many consider testing a game they're passionate about not only a responsibility, but also a honor, as they're allowed to give their (little as it may be) contribution to the game's development, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

honor my ass quit whining you will get in the game when you get in and thats that.. end of discussion

[DantesAmore]

For myself, I just need SE / community rep confirming whether inactive account able or not able to apply the alpha....

they just need to confirm it or denied it. Making vague stance like this just make me worry. Hope there wont be any breach of their account management system

Application Requirements
- Must currently have an active FINAL FANTASY XIV account
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be willing to participate actively and submit bug reports in at least one of the following languages: Japanese, English, French, German
- Must have a PC that meets the minimum system requirements of the game



they gave us that as the requirements LONG ago check site for further info

[Rustyhagun]

Why are people forgetting, that Yoshi wants alpha to be running 24/7 from here on out. more invites will come between weds & next week.

Plus, by mid-Beta, all of us will be playing with our saved data restored, playing the full game. Just for the promise of early access to the game as we (1.0 players) don't have to buy the retail copy to play (I only plan to buy the CE edition for the artwork).

This is from Yoshi's mouth himself. Even the PS3 players will be playing this game way after the PC users have been on it for a couple of months.

[Aion]

Application Requirements
- Must currently have an active FINAL FANTASY XIV account
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be willing to participate actively and submit bug reports in at least one of the following languages: Japanese, English, French, German
- Must have a PC that meets the minimum system requirements of the game



they gave us that as the requirements LONG ago check site for further info

duh I know that, the issue comes up because some user claims their relatives able to apply alpha without active account

[Yukagama]

Didnt got in but some people saying they havent send emails to NA yet only europ ^_^

[ShinigamiKayla]

Didnt got in but some people saying they havent send emails to NA yet only europ ^_^

I know several NA players who have goten into Alpha lucky jerks o.O

[Yukagama]

I know several NA players who have goten into Alpha lucky jerks o.O

Okay thank's for clearing that up ^_^

[Abriael]

I don't know about anyone else but I don't see that. What I see is a group of people who see this presumed golden ticket into the alpha/beta as a status symbol and an entitlement that should have been handed to them without question.

Being unable to see different points of view is a serious flaw in discussion. I know quite a lot of people that see testing games in their earlier stages as a responsibility and as an honor. Other simply have a very practical interest in getting their feedback in, because they're allowed to give their insight and contribute to the development of a game they are passionate about.

I know that standpoint very well, as I am one of them.

Hell, at the moment I'm beta testing a MMORPG that is downright crappy. Trudging through it is so unfun that many would consider it a waste of my time (and sometimes I do too). It makes FFXIV's 1.0 launch seem awesome.

But I took the responsibility to help with it and I will, for good or for ill, at least when I feel well enough to subject myself to the most abject of torture.
If my feedback will contribute to mitigate the crappyness, maybe it won't be wasted time.

You being unable to see that kind of point of view, and second guessing people's motives without knowing them and such motives, trying to paint them in the worst possible way, doesn't make it less valid, or a bad thing.

Of course there are also those that see things as you say, and just wanna try the game out before everyone else, but I don't know their percentage, nor you do, and it's not our prerogative to second guess other people's motives.

If you offer to help your neighbor mow her lawn but she tells you that her nephew is coming to do it so that won't be necessary, do you tell her that's unfair? Do you complain to her that you really feel you care more about her lawn because you live right next to it every day so you should get to mow it? No! That is not the behavior of someone who wants to volunteer help. That is the behavior of a person who feels entitled to some possession, their precious.

One of the worst blights on internet discussions are unfitting examples made to explain weak arguments.

This example simply doesn't fit this case. There's no degree of passion or personal interest in mowing your neighbor's lawn. It's *his* lawn and it being good or bad looking doesn't influence your interests in any major way. People don't normally try to mow the lawn of their neighbors because they have a passion for lawns or a practical interest in it being as best as possible.

A MMORPG is a quite different issue. MMORPG communities are very passionate (especially those that stuck with FFXIV up until now, through all the problems) and they do have a very direct interest in contributing to make the game as good as possible, because they want to play it themselves at release and they want it to be successful.

So yeah, your comparison doesn't fit. If someone is passionate about a MMO and wants to contribute as much as possible with their direct feedback and insight, it's not unjustified for them to feel disappointed if this doesn't happen.

It's also completely justified for that disappointment to worsen and become displeasure if the rules determining such possibility are changed without communication, especially if it's in a way that gives access to people that are quite evidently much less passionate about it, and that will statistically test the game less thoroughly and contribute to its development less.

It's even more justified if requests of clarification about the issue are deleted instead of responded.

Trying to paint them in the worst way possible makes you or SE no favors, as it does nothing else than exacerbating conflict with people that are already displeased, with reason.

I agree, that blind faith can be bad but Yoshi and co, have earned my respect with their tireless efforts so I have faith in them they made the right choice for ARR. I'm not going to pretend I know what criteria they chose to use for inviting or qualifying people but there is a reason behind it.

The problem is that we "know" what criteria they chose (or at least what criteria they were supposed to use). It was stated very clearly between the rules on the application form. Quite evidently that criteria was initially applied (because people with an inactive account couldn't apply at all), then things changed, whether it was intentional or not.

When this kind of rules change, it's important to communicate it (even just because the ones that tried to apply initially but couldn't have as much right to apply then those that tried later, but if they aren't told, they can't retry). If the rule didn't change intentionally, but it's an honest mistake (which is the theory i most lean towards), it's important to own to that mistake and apologize.

When dealing with a community and doing PR, communication is *always* the key. Deleting threads is the worst form of closure to communication, and serves no purpose other than making the developer look guilty of something and those that are already dissatisfied become even more so.

I'm sure not disputing the right of Yoshi and co. To chose the criteria they most see fit, but the way SE went about communicating this was very, very lackluster, and people are fully justified in being dissatisfied about that.

honor my ass quit whining you will get in the game when you get in and thats that.. end of discussion

If only discussions ended when someone decided so, right? I suggest to avoid using derogatory terminology just because you know you can't dispute a solid argument. Very few here are "whining". Many are expressing in a rather balanced way a rather rational concern on how SE went about this whole issue and on how they reacted to discontent. The fact that you disagree with it doesn't automatically turn it into "whining".

Personally, I don't care much if i get into the alpha or not. If I do, good, if I don't, good anyway, my "to play" pile is so large that I don't see the end of it, and I have multiple other MMOs to test. What I do not like is being told one thing, and then seeing a completely different thing apply.

It's a very serious issue in PR, and SE better be called on it now than when ARR is launched, as PR blunders like this can cause a lot more damage then. When the game will be under the spotlight.

[VitoScaletta]

honor my ass quit whining you will get in the game when you get in and thats that.. end of discussion

That's some outlook ya got there, I got some kool aid to give you, you're gonna drink it and that's that.

[Valmonte]

That's some outlook ya got there, I got some kool aid to give you, you're gonna drink it and that's that.

only if its strawberry kiwi.