Post by fallen on Oct 22, 2013 16:49:27 GMT -5
The Alpha period will be organized into three phases. These are subject to change, so the following is a rough description of each and their goals. A few quick notes on the alpha phases are summarized below:
Each phase is targeted to run between 4 to 7 days. The length depends immensely on how well the game performs on a wide range of devices and how quickly the team shares their feedback.
Once a phase is passed and you receive the next game update, you will not be able to return to play it again. We will clearly announce phase changes. Please be sure that if you are interested in playing in any of the phases that you are available within the window to download and try out the game.
We will post KickStarter updates and send emails about each phase of the Alpha so it is very clear as they come and go.
Phase 1 - Dungeon Warfare
In this phase, your team of four companions will be tossed into hostile underdeep territory. Your Heroes are challenged to defeat the enemies who stand between you and reaching the nearby town of Granthorn. There are a few hours of exciting and mixed game-play including exploration, the opportunity to gain a few levels and advance your characters through the fight.
Phase 1 is purposefully simple in story and design to allow the focus to be squarely on the mechanics of exploration, combat, and the balancing aspects of talents and monsters.
Phase 2- Questing from Granthorn
From within the safety of Granthorn, you will be given a series of small quests into the nearby caverns and dungeons. This phase will allow you to lead expeditions into hostile territory and return to a safe haven to train, re-gear, and re-equip your characters to take on their next challenge.
Phase 2 will be more involved but still simple in story and world aspects to allow the focus to be squarely on the pacing and depth of extended expeditions into the underdeep, the balance of leveling and buying new gear, as well as balance of talents and monster bosses.
Phase 3 - Alpha Testing of Episode 1
In this phase, we will put the beginning of the real Heroes of Steel story into your hands and give you a chance to play through the first few hours of the game. This is the true Alpha testing period for the start of the game, which will be headed to the mobile markets shortly afterward. Phase 3 will be full testing of the game and will focus squarely on world engagement, full game balancing, and flushing out any bugs or errors within the story.
What We Ask From You
First and foremost, have fun! Second, focus on giving us feedback on how to make the game more fun. Yes, there will be some bugs and typos, but you are a member of the elite Alpha Access team, our best and brightest. We need your help on balancing the game experience. To this end, please play the phases on a range of difficulties, with different character builds, weapon choices, and talent strategies. We ask that your number one priority is focusing on enjoying the game and giving advice on how to make it more fun, better balanced, and more challenging.
We learned a lot from our Age of Pirates Alpha experience and are using that experience to make Heroes of Steel an even better process. Heroes of Steel has all of its major game systems in place and should be a lot of fun to just play.
Each phase is targeted to run between 4 to 7 days. The length depends immensely on how well the game performs on a wide range of devices and how quickly the team shares their feedback.
Once a phase is passed and you receive the next game update, you will not be able to return to play it again. We will clearly announce phase changes. Please be sure that if you are interested in playing in any of the phases that you are available within the window to download and try out the game.
We will post KickStarter updates and send emails about each phase of the Alpha so it is very clear as they come and go.
Phase 1 - Dungeon Warfare
In this phase, your team of four companions will be tossed into hostile underdeep territory. Your Heroes are challenged to defeat the enemies who stand between you and reaching the nearby town of Granthorn. There are a few hours of exciting and mixed game-play including exploration, the opportunity to gain a few levels and advance your characters through the fight.
Phase 1 is purposefully simple in story and design to allow the focus to be squarely on the mechanics of exploration, combat, and the balancing aspects of talents and monsters.
Phase 2- Questing from Granthorn
From within the safety of Granthorn, you will be given a series of small quests into the nearby caverns and dungeons. This phase will allow you to lead expeditions into hostile territory and return to a safe haven to train, re-gear, and re-equip your characters to take on their next challenge.
Phase 2 will be more involved but still simple in story and world aspects to allow the focus to be squarely on the pacing and depth of extended expeditions into the underdeep, the balance of leveling and buying new gear, as well as balance of talents and monster bosses.
Phase 3 - Alpha Testing of Episode 1
In this phase, we will put the beginning of the real Heroes of Steel story into your hands and give you a chance to play through the first few hours of the game. This is the true Alpha testing period for the start of the game, which will be headed to the mobile markets shortly afterward. Phase 3 will be full testing of the game and will focus squarely on world engagement, full game balancing, and flushing out any bugs or errors within the story.
What We Ask From You
First and foremost, have fun! Second, focus on giving us feedback on how to make the game more fun. Yes, there will be some bugs and typos, but you are a member of the elite Alpha Access team, our best and brightest. We need your help on balancing the game experience. To this end, please play the phases on a range of difficulties, with different character builds, weapon choices, and talent strategies. We ask that your number one priority is focusing on enjoying the game and giving advice on how to make it more fun, better balanced, and more challenging.
We learned a lot from our Age of Pirates Alpha experience and are using that experience to make Heroes of Steel an even better process. Heroes of Steel has all of its major game systems in place and should be a lot of fun to just play.
