Alpha 2 Phase 1 on October 25th, Tiered Alpha 2 Keys Announced, and Full Roadmap | Mid-August AMA Recap
Alpha 2 Roadmap and the communities burning questions finally answered, all in one stream!
Steven sat down with us and went into incredible detail on everything we can expect in Alpha 2, as well as an official A2 release date of October 25, 2024!
Want to watch see all the best clips, moments, highlights, and everything else on Day 1? Subscribe to the Ashes Moments Youtube so you can enjoy the top Ashes of Creation Moments from all over the world! You can also subscribe to the newsletter to know when all the major updates, patches, new Ashes Moments Video, Alpha 2 access, and everything else is announced!
Community Spotlight
Before we get into the AMA, community member Srixun has created your one-stop shop for AoC Guild recruitment. Here they are describing their community and what you can expect:
AoCGuilds.com is your gateway to finding the perfect Ashes of Creation guild! We're dedicated to connecting players with guilds that match their playstyle. Our platform streamlines recruitment with easy-to-use tools and resources. Join our vibrant community on Discord to post guild ads, find the perfect guild, or connect with like-minded players. Whether you're recruiting or searching, we're here to help you thrive in Ashes of Creation. Let's grow this amazing community together!
Join us:
Discord: https://discord.gg/zGpYch3Aad
Website: https://aocguilds.com
Alpha 2 Access Keys Announced
The previous keys provided no Beta or Gametime/Embers. After community feedback, Intrepid Studios repackaged the keys to the above, providing a better value for those recently purchasing access to test.
The cost of these keys are based on not devaluing the packages other people bought without knowledge of future packages, making it always a better value to purchase earlier than waiting later, if your goal is to access the game. They are also meant to offset CDN and networking costs associated with players participating in a live service game of upwards of 1 year.
Steven heavily encourages new players to not buy the First Wave keys if your goal is to play the game, as you can watch other content creators and see for themselves whether it is worth it.
These keys will only be available until the listed dates, or until supplies last (subject to internal limitations). Buying one key will give you access from the listed date until the end of Alpha 2 (TBD).
Note: The First Wave keys will only provide access on November 8th, 2024 and onwards. They will not include the first and second non-NDA testing weekends that previous key holders have access to at all. You can still watch content creators play in these tests.
Alpha 2 Roadmap and Phases
After mentioning a Pre-Alpha 2 test today (August 16th, 2024) including 3000 invited Alpha 1 testers, Steven emphasized the main focus of Alpha 2 is to ensure scalability, stability, and fun. Initially, Alpha 2 will support 3000 CCU (concurrent users) per realm, but will scale larger throughout Alpha 2 (up to 8 000 to 10 000).
Alpha 2 Phases and Availability
With Alpha 2 being released on October 25th, Steven and Margaret elaborated on how it will be run. With events, activities, and votes being conducted, this will be a true Alpha where development is ongoing. Bugs and issues will come up, and stability/scalability will be the primary focus of Phase 1. All Alpha 2 testers will be invited, and there will be no NDA, so make sure to check out the streams and subscribe to the Ashes Moments youtube channel to get highlights/compilations from your favourite players!
Phase 2 will be testing mainly Node Advancement, Economy, and Vassaling. This includes resource distribution, how that interacts with the economy, and especially how nodes advance over time.
Phase 3 will flesh out the world, expand on content, and will run until we reach Beta. The gameplay experience will be expected to be much more stable/scalable than Phases 1/2 and will provide players an opportunity for more extended play. This will be up 24/7, and wipes may occur but will try to be avoided.
An FAQ will go live on Wednesday on the Ashes of Creation website with more details on the Phases
Alpha 2 Content Update Cadence
The update cadence to be expected during Alpha 2 is as follows:
Client crashes, server crashes, etc. will be hotfixed as needed
Every 3~ weeks, there will be a minor release that fixes major bugs, and mild balance changes that interrupt gameplay loops
Every 6~ weeks, a major new version will deploy with new features/content
We will be publishing a newsletter for every major release, so subscribe to keep up-to-date on when your favourite feature/class/profession gets added!
Alpha One vs Alpha 2
Additional major changes from A1 to A2:
Completely new networking stack
Ability System
NPC Behaviour State Trees
Player Economy & Interactions
Phase 1 Content
Additional Phase 1 details:
Level 25 will be the max level for both Adventuring and Artisanship professions.
One of the major parts of Alpha 2 is the Dynamic World Populations/Dynamic Reward Tables, which is how the world is changing based on different states. This is a major undertaking, and will be expanded upon throughout Alpha 2 until launch.
The Grand Dungeon listed is the Tower of Carphin, which Pre-Alpha 2 testers have lauded as extremely large and expansive.
Vek and Kaelar will be on Alpha 2 launch, with Empyrean later during Phase 1. The other races, although seen in livestreams, aren’t ready as of yet. This is due to needing all 450+ unique equipment are applicable to each race, without clipping, and are a work-in-progress.
Lawless Zones are located within the Vandagar Tropics and Sandsquall Desert, and moving into these areas automatically flag you for PvP. These places will have the highest level of mobs available. As these areas are still being developed (PoIs, Nodes, etc.), they will just have mobs, as well as a caravan turn-in area that will provide the highest return. Mobs will also drop crafting materials that are relevant for that level, making these areas a highly dangerous and PvP active area.
Not all professions will have skill trees initially, but you can still level them.
Character creator will be available with Phase 1 launch, and a standalone won’t be available until Phase 3.
Some of these features may come later in Phase 1. Full details on the Alpha 2 content can be found on the Ashes of Creation website.
Phase 2 Content
From here on out, all content listed is tentative and can possibly be delayed to Phase 3. As with Phase 1, these features may not be at the start, but it is the goal to have these implemented before the end of the each phase.
Phase 3 additionaldetails:
Zone Expansion is mainly PoI development, dungeons, & nodes. This will turn these lawless lands into actual biomes like the Riverlands.
Tempering system is how you improve item stats.
Phase 3 Content
The Guild system will be implemented in Phase 1, but the larger parts of the system including skillpoints, guild levels, etc. won’t be available until Phase 3.
Aerial Combat is related to flying/gliding mounts.
Ask Me Anything: Your Questions, Answered by Steven
Below are some of the most relevant AMA Questions and Answers. These questions and Stevens answers are all paraphrased, so be sure to check out the full VoD for all the context behind the answers.
Debug Tools: Is the Team planning to make a debug tool so A2 Testers can identify and share critical information?
Steven: The XYZ Coordinate system, and other A2 Debug tools (/bug in game will collect it) will be online for Phase 1.
Population over time: What is the expected maximum amount of players that will be able to be in game across all realms at the start of A2?
Steven: With over 100k users at the start of the A2, the initial plan of 3000 CCU per realm (6 realms at start) will scale with both CCU and number of realms. We will scale as is necessary, to accomadate even multiple hundreds of thousands of users.
Testing Expectations: Do you want the the testers to play the game normally, or are we allowed to find weaknesses/exploits/hacks?
Steven: Both. We expect players to report the latter as soon as possible. There will be firm repercussions for people who are bad actors in the game
Date Expectations: How do you intend to adhere with the dates that you present with this roadmap when it’s been a challenge in the past for Intrepid?
Steven: These dates are goals, and the goal is to try to accomplish them through a robust project management style and veteran MMO developers. This is a very ambitious game, and as such, our goal is to create a great game for the MMO space over adhering to dates that may not be conducive to that end.
Employment Logistics: Given the layoffs in the gaming industry, what measures are Intrepid Studios taking to mitigate financial pressures? Are there contingency plans in place to avoid worplace reductions while continuing development?
Steven: As sustainable growth has been a guiding principle of development, the development teams success is the primary goal of myself and John. We have committed to building this game and have built the Studio to that effect
Node Scope: What is the expected scope for the node feature for the launch of A2 and what have you scoped for later development updates?
Steven: To start, it will be Kaelar node aesthetic. All nodes will have that aesthetic regardless of what race contributes the most. In Phase 2/Phase 3 you will start to see other racial aesthetics, starting with Vaelune and then Empyrean. The amount of nodes will expand as playable space expands.
Player Corruption: How complete is the player corruption system currently, and what is the predicted timeline of the player corruption system development during Alpha 2?
Steven: At start of Phase 1, you can gain corruption and get experience debt with multiple levels, as well as stat dampening related to corruption value and experience debt.
Dueling: Will we get a duel system implemented for the start of A2 so we don’t have to flag to practive PvP, risking getting corrupted?
Steven: It will not be available in Phase 1, and will likely be online in Phase 3. You can try dueling in the Lawless area but you may get ganked.
Standout Feature: What system/feature are you most confident in showcasing the game’s unique potential?
Steven: The nodes and dynamic world systems.
Archetype Updating: Will the Tank & Cleric get updated to the level of Ranger/Figher/Bard before A2 launches?
Steven: Tank, Cleric and Mage are on the docket to be updated closer to A2.
Game Rating: At the beginning of the project, the goal was for the game to be rated Teen. Is that still the goal?
Steven: No, it is likely we will be rated M for Mature.
Guild Systems: What will be implemented at the start of A2?
Steven: Create, invite, kick players in Phase 1. In Phase 2, players will do quests, collect experience, and invest in guild skills.
Livestreams: Once A2 launches, will the monthly livestreams be focused more on what will be coming soon to A2?
Margaret: Post-A2, we will be doing community oriented things, events, and some pre-recorded events. As well as patch notes, upcoming work in pipeline, and showcasing what’s already in Alpha 2.
Will you increase the maximum level cap from Phase 1 to Phase 3?
Steven: Yes, mainly in Phase 3.
What’s Next?
That ends the recap of the livestream. The full VoD will be available on Youtube for those that missed it. Steven will also be active in the Ashes of Creation Discord so you can interact with him directly there as well! Want more details and all the high-res images? Visit the Ashes of Creation website for their own breakdown of all the A2 has to offer!
The next livestream will be later this month, and has been teased to include a Raid including a Dragon. So for those PvE Players out there, make sure you tune in!
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel ahead of the October 25th Alpha 2 launch to watch the our first Ashes Moments episode, and subscribe to the Newsletter to keep up-to-date as development continues!