WAR (Warhammer Online)

Hi there. I want to test this game ASAP (live in UK).

will there be open beta I can get in for free or is it going to be like aoc, you have to buy the game to demo it.

all abit confused from what i've read about beta/pre-ordering etc. so whats the straightdope?

thanks

Originally posted by Consensus

Hi there. I want to test this game ASAP (live in UK).

will there be open beta I can get in for free or is it going to be like aoc, you have to buy the game to demo it.

all abit confused from what i've read about beta/pre-ordering etc. so whats the straightdope?

thanks

You must preorder to get access to the open beta. However, I'm not entirely sure whether you'd be able to cancel your preorder sometime before release, which would effectively make beta access free.

Think of it this way before you get your panties in a bunch.  There is a limitted number of people they want to have durring open beta.  So as a game developer who are you going to choose?  The people who have supported your game and pre-ordered it or some random person who has not supported your game?  Given that there are almost 200k pre-orders in North America alone I think they have plenty of people for the open beta.  Open does not mean everyone gets in.  Open means they will not restrict your access because of computer specs or associations (like being apart of the press or gaming industry).  Thats what open means.  Go to Target, spend the $1 to get the pre-order there and you are in.  If you can't even spend $1 for a week of open beta go cry somewhere else.  If you don't have a Target near you everywhere else is $5 for the pre-order, still dirt cheap.

It has been covered many times, but I'll throw it in again.  Pre-order and you get access to open beta, you can pre-order for as cheap as $1 at Target from what I've read.  If you can't afford that, then sell your body.

I was beat in my commentary, me so sloow.

Originally posted by Sepulcher

Think of it this way before you get your panties in a bunch.  There is a limitted number of people they want to have durring open beta.  So as a game developer who are you going to choose?  The people who have supported your game and pre-ordered it or some random person who has not supported your game?  Given that there are almost 200k pre-orders in North America alone I think they have plenty of people for the open beta.  Open does not mean everyone gets in.  Open means they will not restrict your access because of computer specs or associations (like being apart of the press or gaming industry).  Thats what open means.  Go to Target, spend the $1 to get the pre-order there and you are in.  If you can't even spend $1 for a week of open beta go cry somewhere else.  If you don't have a Target near you everywhere else is $5 for the pre-order, still dirt cheap.

Actually open means unrestricted. Only allowing preorder customers is a restriction. But frankly, it doesn't bother me.

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Originally posted by Consensus
so whats the straightdope?

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I'm afraid I really have no idea what this means, are you sure you're from the UK?

You want to demo the game? Or actually help with the beta testing??

You let yourself out of the bag by saying "demo".

If you want to Demo the game, wait until it's been out for a few years and demo it.  Until then,  there are plenty of games to demo..

Also, open beta vs closed beta has to do with allowing more people in and OPENING it to the pre-order customers instead of just using the folks that signed up to close beta test the game 2 years ago.

Since the open beta on the 7th is exclusively North America, Australia, and New Zealand, the answer is "No". The only exceptions are if you have an EU pre-order, which assumes you are buying the game. No free rides here.

Originally posted by Sepulcher

Think of it this way before you get your panties in a bunch.  There is a limitted number of people they want to have durring open beta.  So as a game developer who are you going to choose?  The people who have supported your game and pre-ordered it or some random person who has not supported your game?  Given that there are almost 200k pre-orders in North America alone I think they have plenty of people for the open beta.  Open does not mean everyone gets in.  Open means they will not restrict your access because of computer specs or associations (like being apart of the press or gaming industry).  Thats what open means.  Go to Target, spend the $1 to get the pre-order there and you are in.  If you can't even spend $1 for a week of open beta go cry somewhere else.  If you don't have a Target near you everywhere else is $5 for the pre-order, still dirt cheap.

jesus who put your panties in a twist. why did you have a paddy at me? who said I was crying, demanding free beta access, etc. was just asking dude.

anyway thanks to the helpful posts.