אלפא-2

אלפא-2 character creator user interface (first pass).

When we talk about Alpha-2's perspective, it's really focused around core systems and their ancillary counterparts. When we talk about what those core systems are, it's the siege systems; it's the guild war systems; it's the node advancements; it's the story arcs; it's the character class progression; it's the augments; it's our artisanship loops and the gathering, processing and crafting cycles; it's homeownership; it's vehicles and mounts; and any number of professions that exist there; and then also a big chunk of Alpha-2 is obviously content: The ability to ensure that the hooks for these quest hubs within the nodes; the points-of-interest are stood up and reflective of the content necessary to facilitate that those story arcs; and commissions and buy orders. That's really the CORE of what we need to achieve in order to demonstrate the loops, collect feedback from those loops and the players who are play testing them; and then make iteration as necessary based off of the feedback we've received. – Steven Sharif

אלפא-2 character creator intro (first pass).

Alpha-2 is really the testing grounds for a lot of the more minute details of how a particular system works; and you can change a lot of those details without actually needing to change the feature that's been developed. These are variables that exist within the code that we have control over so that when we want to iterate upon it it's easy to do iterations: and some of those iterations can feel very impactful to the system overall. So Alpha-2 really is meant to gauge this initial approach and then we're afforded the ability to change that drastically by tuning and changing some of the aspects of the specifics of the system. – Steven Sharif

Ashes of Creation's core game systems are expected to be in place at the start of אלפא-2. By the end of Alpha-2, the game is expected to be feature complete, but it will not be content complete until launch. אלפא-2 will last until launch and will run in parallel with בטא-1 and בטא-2.

Alpha-2 is intended to be a true functional representation of all the core systems and features. – Steven Sharif

• World
  • Seasons and climates.
  • אירועים.
  • עלילה.
  • משימות.
  • איזורי עניין.
  • Zones are expected to be around 60-70% complete before they are ready for אלפא-2.
    • Riverlands, Badlands, Sandsquall Desert, Tropics, Forest, Tabletop mountains, Tundra, Ocean.
  • The eastern continent may not be included until later in Alpha-2.

• Character
  • יוצר הדמות.
    • Some aspects of the character creator will not be present at the start of Alpha-2.
  • Character progression up to level 35 (subject to change).
  • Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Mage, Ranger, Rogue, and Tank primary archetypes are expected to be present at the beginning of Alpha-2, along with some secondary classes and augments. Summoner is expected to be released later in Alpha-2.
    • Secondary selections will be released individually, rather than all at once.
  • Tulnar race.
  • Family summon mechanic.
  • דתות.
  • יצורי רכיבה.

• קרב
  • שיפור קרב.
    • Active and passive skills will be re-architected.
    • Primary skills are expected to be very different to those in אלפא-1.
    • Weapon skill trees will be present to augment the combo system.
  • מצורים.
  • מלחמת גילדות.

• צמתים
  • Node progression to עיר (שלב 5) and potentially מטרופולין (שלב 6).
    • At the beginning עיירה (שלב 4) assets may be utilized for city nodes.
  • Relics and the Reliquary node building.
  • דיור לשחקנים.
  • Crop rotations.

• Naval content will be introduced as an Alpha-2 update.
  • Naval warfare.
  • Three ship classes.
  • ספינות will have functioning cannons but the ship building UI may not be complete.

• כלכלה
  • שיעורי אומן (איסוף, עיבוד, יצירה).
    • Artisan gear sets.
    • Potential gameplay layers such as surveying and land management are being considered for gathering.
  • בתי מכירות פומביות.
  • Crates used to transport supplies between storage points and caravans.

• Other
  • Guild management tools.
  • Unreal Engine 5.
  • Some of Bear McCreary's music will be in אלפא-2.
  • ממשק המשתמש and tutorial systems.
  • Emblem, logo and symbol editor (tentatively).

אלפא-1 and אלפא-2 testers may be invited to participate in spot testing prior to the Alpha-2 release.

אלפא-2 is known as the persistent alpha.

Q: What systems are still needed to be rolled out before Alpha two?

A: I don't think it's at a core level that there's a particular system that has yet to be feature developed. Right now, it's more along the lines of expanding on those features, getting UI support for those features... UI, VFX, audio effects: Those are all big bottlenecks because they tend to occur at the end of the pipeline of content development; and then also ensuring that the interactions are polished and working. So from a large feature perspective- let me think about that, what large feature endeavor is still outstanding on the Alpha-2 front? A lot of it is content. I'm not sure that it's a feature one. I can't think of any large system features that haven't been stood up from a core functional perspective that don't just need expanding on, slash content development on. – Steven Sharif

Q: And when you say content, that's like art and implementation and so on?

A: Narrative quests, the assets, the modelling, the particular types of buildings, the armor sets, the creatures, the visual effects, audibility systems. Those are all content that accompany what the code is creating from a mechanical perspective. – Steven Sharif

אלפא-2 core features list.

Alpha-2 availability

Phase	Release	Estimated/Actual date
Alpha-2 ןשוימ תויהל יושע הז םוגרת	אלפא-2 (אלפא מתמשך).	-

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ןשוימ תויהל יושע הז םוגרת

קרא עוד...

Pre-order-packs with Alpha-2 access are ending

September 2023 will be the final pre-order packs for Ashes of Creation.

Why are the pre-order packs ending?

Our pre-order packs were intended to be a way for players to support the project by providing an opportunity to collect exclusive cosmetic appearances that are used in creating the world of Verra, while respecting our commitment to zero-tolerance pay-to-win whatsoever. As we draw closer to our Alpha Two and Beta testing periods, we want to ensure a glorious experience for our players who have signed up to help make Ashes of Creation the MMORPG it deserves to be. To that end, we have decided to discontinue the packs until such time as our internal and/or external testing supports the admission of additional testers. We will continue to update our community when more ways become available to access Alpha Two or Beta testing through our communication channels.

When will the final pre-order packs end?

The final Pre-Order Packs will end on January 17, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific in order to ensure everyone has enough time and notice with regards to the final Pre-Order Packs’ availability.

Does this include the בטא-1 and בטא-2 pre-order packages as well?

Yes. While we anticipate we will reopen the ability to purchase Beta packages in the future, these options will not adopt the same format of regularly recurring monthly exclusive cosmetics as our existing Pre-Order Packages currently offer.

If I do not get a pre-order pack, does that mean I will not be able to join אלפא-2, בטא-1, or בטא-2 in the future?

Not necessarily. We will continue to engage with our community and content creators to offer various giveaways that players will have an opportunity to participate in. After our internal and/or external testing satisfies the admission of additional testers, we may provide alternate methods of purchasing access into testing periods.

When the pre-order packs end, will there be other items on the Ashes of Creation shop?

We may provide cosmetic items and merchandise in the shop at a future date.

I purchased a previous pre-order pack, but I like The Unseen Order cosmetics better. Can I switch out my cosmetics for these?

Previously purchased cosmetics may not be exchanged, though we do provide a 90-day return policy. If you own an existing Pre-Order Pack, you may also purchase individual cosmetics offered in the current pack a-la-cart.

Can I upgrade my pre-order pack after sales for the pre-order packs end?

Yes. You will continue to have the option to upgrade your Pre-Order Pack to a higher-tier package after sales of Pre-Order Packs end. If you upgrade, it will not give you the cosmetic items of the same type (Accessory, Pet, Mount, etc.) that came with the previous pack you purchased. Only the additional cosmetic items from the upgrade to The Unseen Order Pre-Order Pack will be granted.

Can I purchase add-on cosmetics from The Unseen Order after pre-order packs are removed from the shop?

Yes. You will continue to have the option to purchase add-on cosmetics from The Unseen Order, based on what your Pre-Order Package level gives you access to.

How long will I be able to upgrade my pre-order pack or purchase The Unseen Order add-on cosmetics?

We don’t have a date to share for this yet, but we’ll give everyone plenty of notice before ending the ability for them to upgrade their Pre-Order Packs or purchase add-on cosmetics from The Unseen Order.

What about upgrading קיקסטארטר packages? When do those end?

You will still be able to upgrade Kickstarter and Summer Backer Packages. We’ll give plenty of notice before ending the ability for people to upgrade their packs.

אלפא מתמשך

אלפא-2 is known as the persistent alpha. Persistent means that the Alpha-2 servers will be kept up all day and night until launch.

• There will be downtime for patches.

• There will be character and testing wipes.
  • All servers will be wiped prior to launch.

• אלפא-2 servers will become the public test servers (PTS) post-launch that are used to test patches and updates.

Alpha-2 will remain even post launch as our public test server. – Steven Sharif

• בטא-1 and בטא-2 will likely not be persistent.

The ultimate goal for A2 is to be persistent and the PTS, but before we get that far there's gonna be some wipes I would expect. – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 server wipes

Alpha and Beta servers will be wiped prior to launch.

• Servers may be wiped between individual tests.

As a general rule, if the testing phase contains the word Alpha, it is safe to assume there will likely be wipes. – Steven Sharif

Alpha testing system requirements

Alpha-1 stress testing, March 17, 2021.

Funny story; So yesterday as we are stress/density testing with our NDA testers, I accidentally summoned 5k bears around our few hundred players. But hey, it didn’t crash! Can you spot Lt. Toast here? – Steven Sharif

These are fully operational NPCs. They have behavior trees, they have AI blackboards; they are functioning as an NPC would; and to my surprise, to everyone's surprise actually, the server handled it quite well: 5000 entities all within a very dense area. – Steven Sharif

Ashes of Creation alpha testing minimum system specification. These system specs have not changed for Unreal Engine 5.

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i3-2125 3.3GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 3.3GHz
• Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD Radeon R9 270
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 50 GB of available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card

Recommended specification.

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz / AMD FX-9590 4.7GHz
• Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon R9 Fury with 4GB and DirectX 12
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 50 GB of available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card

Tulnar race

The Tulnar race is expected to be in place for אלפא-2.

• אומנות was released July, 2022.
• 3D models may be released in 2023.

Naval schedule

אלפא-1 naval concept art.

Naval content will be introduced into אלפא-2 as an update.

Naval will be an Alpha-2 in the sense that at after we launch Alpha-2, at some point in Alpha-2, naval will be implemented as an update; and that naval will be the ability to acquire components, construct those components, acquire recipes, construct certain types of ships, navigate those ships on the water, and engage in certain ship-to-ship interactions and ship-to-player interactions and ship-to-content interactions. Now, it won't be the aspect of that, meaning all ships won't be present: all types of those ships, all attachments of those ships. And it will be maybe a little bit janky to start because it's going to be an alpha version of it. But the intent there is to provide the loop where players get to go and interact with content in the ocean. That won't be at the start of Alpha-2, but it will be in Alpha-2. – Steven Sharif

• Naval warfare.
• Naval raid bosses.
• Three ship classes will be present in אלפא-2.
  • Ships will have functioning cannons but the ship building UI may not be complete.
  • Ship physics is still in development as of July 2023.
  • Temporary teleportation points were present in אלפא-1 in place of ships.

Artisan classes timeline

שיעורי אומן (איסוף, עיבוד, יצירה) is expected to come online fully in אלפא-2 and the Betas.

• Approximately 10 percent of the artisan system was online in אלפא-1.

Crafting honestly will not come online in any sense of its true form until Alpha-2. Alpha-1 has essentially what are intended to be the core gameplay loop of crafting, meaning the collection of materials, the translation of those materials into processed goods, and the use of those processed goods into item acquisition. That's the core gameplay loop that is currently present in Alpha-1. But those are mostly facilitated piggy backing the merchant systems right now and not actually using the real crafting system; and that's because crafting hasn't been completed in a form that can be implemented in Alpha-1, but will be for Alpha-2. What's present in Alpha-1 doesn't even really scratch the surface for crafting. – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 NDA

אלפא-1, אלפא-2, בטא-1, בטא-2 releases are not covered by NDA (non-disclosure agreement).

• בדיקות אלפא-1 prior to the full release of אלפא-1 was covered by NDA.
• The developers will not necessarily announce when NDA testing starts.

We may not always announce when the NDA testing is, because we're not definitive how that testing is going to influence the future testing schedule; and we don't want to set the wrong expectation from a broader audience perspective on what they should be expecting with regards to testing. – Steven Sharif

Participation

• אלפא-0 had over 2,500 participants.
• אלפא-1 testing had approximately 9,600 participants as of August, 2018. There were slightly over 13k participants as of May 31, 2021. There were 5,300 unique logins during the 3 day weekend test of May 27, 2021.

• Alpha and Beta participation is expected to grow with the sale of pre-order packs.
• אלפא-2 is expected to have over 100,000 participants.
  • Previously אלפא-1 and אלפא-2 were expected to have 10,000 participants.

חלק זה יעודכן ברגע שהמפתחים יהפכו מידע זה לזמין

• בטא-1 and בטא-2 are expected to have 27,000 participants.

Testing phases

Alpha and beta key concept art.

Ashes of Creation testing phases.

• אלפא-0 was the invite-only "raffle" friends and family alpha test phase.
• אלפא-1, אלפא-2, בטא-1, and בטא-2 were available for purchase during the קיקסטארטר and מימון המונים בקיץ campaigns.
• אלפא-1 was available in the Intrepid pre-order pack and the Adventurer pre-order pack.
• אלפא-2 and בטא-2 were available during PAX West 2017.
• אלפא-2, בטא-1, and בטא-2 are currently available in חבילות להזמנה מראש on the cosmetic store.

Ashes of Creation's core game systems are expected to be in place at the start of אלפא-2. By the end of Alpha-2, the game is expected to be feature complete, but it will not be content complete until launch.

• אלפא-1 and אלפא-2 testers may be invited to participate in spot testing prior to the Alpha-2 release.

The game will be feature complete before Beta... Beta really is intended to identify last minute bugs to make sure that everything is ready for launch; it's important that all features are complete by Beta-1. Alpha-2 will not be feature complete at the start of Alpha-2. There are going to be updates that are going to be incorporated as part of the Alpha-2 process and there are going to be additional features that come online that get fleshed out between that time and Beta-1. There's going to be regions of the maps that aren't going to be accessible of course during Alpha-2. – Steven Sharif

• אלפא-2 will last until launch and will run in parallel with בטא-1 and בטא-2.

Alpha-2 is intended to exist up until launch. There's going to be different testing periods that we will be releasing either new content locations or zones or systems that we want to have players focus in on. In those situations, if we're having participation drought because of the length of Alpha-2, we can set them up in a more focused setting. We can even incentivize that. We can offer unique testing to potentially new testers as well. – Steven Sharif

• The developers will not necessarily announce NDA testing periods.

• All servers will be wiped prior to launch.

Alpha-2 videos

• 2022-03-31 Video - Ashes of Creation First Look of the Alpha Two Character Creator in 4K
• 2022-05-27 Video - Ashes of Creation Dynamic Seasons and Weather Developer Chat
• 2022-05-27 Video - Ashes of Creation Seasons in the Riverlands
• 2022-06-30 Livestream
• 2022-06-30 Video - Ashes of Creation Alpha Two Basic Melee Weapon Attack Update
• 2022-07-29 Video - Ashes of Creation Alpha Two Desert Biome Preview
• 2022-09-30 Video - Ashes of Creation Alpha Two Basic Ranged Weapon Attack Update
• 2022-10-28 Video - Ashes of Creation Alpha Two Gathering Updates
• 2022-12-02 Video - Ashes of Creation Alpha Two Night and Day and Other Heavenly Things
• 2022-12-23 Video - Meet the Devs and Year-in-Review
• 2023-01-27 Video - Alpha Two Tank Preview
• 2023-03-31 Video - Alpha Two Story Arc Systems Preview and the Lore of Carphin

See also

• אפר היצירה
• תאריכי שחרור
• אלפא-1