Exclusive: Phoenix Initiative Alpha 2 Tester Interviews
Curious about how the performance was during the Node Wars stream, or how experienced MMO players felt about the movement? Scroll down and learn more about what to expect in Alpha 2!
Exclusive Alpha Tester Interview
Wondering how classes felt in the Ashes of Creation Node Wars test from experienced MMO players? Well we’re lucky enough to have two such players, Clover & AlphaSoul, who have taken part in the Node Wars testing segments, and are willing to share their raw thoughts and impressions.
Note: The NDA was only lifted for information related to the Node Wars testing
Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions about your recent experience as a Phoenix Initiative tester during Node Wars. Why don't you introduce yourself, your main interest in Ashes of Creation, and a bit about the class you had the most experience in during the testing.
Clover: I'm Clover and I'm a huge crafting nerd. It's one of the things that drew me into backing Ashes in the first place. I saw they had people from Star Wars Galaxies working on the project and got excited almost immediately. It might be an old game, but I don't think any game has been able to match it's complexity and depth since it released. Once we're into Alpha 2 you'll probably see me around town working on gear for the guild I joined, Overlord.
As for my more recent experience in the node wars tests, I played quite a few archetypes but enjoyed Ranger the most. You probably caught sight of me a couple times during the livestream, most notably when I was shooting at Steven from the top of the ruins. I really enjoyed the mobility that archetype had, as well as the large scale combat utility it offered.
AlphaSoul: My name is AlphaSoul. I'm primarily interested in Ashes of Creation to experience community and world building, and of course, the PvP/PvE aspects. I have played both Ranger and Mage for roughly the same amount of time during testing.
What other MMORPGs have you played extensively in the past, and how would you say the movement & combat in Ashes of Creation felt compared to them?
C: Well that's definitely a long list. It would probably be easier to mention what I haven't played than what I have. I guess the notable ones I've played that many people bring up for comparison would be Archeage, Black Desert Online, and Guild Wars 2.
I know Archeage was the main inspiration for the game, but I honestly got more Guild Wars 2 vibes from the feel of movement and the way action combat mode worked. I know a lot of people are hoping for a true action mode that resembles Black Desert Online, but what we have now is more of an aimed tab target mode than a true action combat system. I found it much easier to click on my targets in large scale combats than trying to aim the reticle somewhere in the group.
AS: I've been playing MMOs in some shape or form for the last 25+ years. The ones I've played the most include Ultima Online, EverQuest, Asheron's Call, Shadowbane, World of Warcraft, FFXIV, Archeage, and Wildstar. As far as movement and combat go, it's(its) early, but it felt good for where the game is in development. I highly value how "smooth" something feels, and I thought they got part of the smoothness down back during the battle royale. Combat is a little clunky at the moment, but the pieces are there, and I think with some fine-tuning, it's going to be great.
Is there anything you experienced during the Node Wars testing that you feel players will be most surprised by?
C: It's hard to put into words and those who weren't in PI definitely can't see it through what they've shown, but the rate of improvement between each test was really surprising. I guess I'll touch on it more in the next topic, but the difference was just like night and day between each of the tests. It's refreshing to see an alpha making such drastic fixes and changes between tests, I can't count the number of times I've played something in early access that seems to take months to make minor fixes and adjustments.
AS: It's tough to say, but I really did enjoy every class being able to use every weapon, and I think if done right, this will be a key cornerstone of Ashes, allowing you to build your own style/class.
There has been a lot of discussion about performance recently. How would you say the performance has been in the Node Wars test, in context of previous tests & similar games you have played? Feel free to mention your current specs as well.
C: This is one that is hard for me to pin down, for more reasons than just one. I'm running an RTX 4080, I9-13900k, and 32GB of RAM. I've had issues with the I9 in tons of games, so it's difficult for me to figure out what performance issues came from the game itself or just my hardware.
In the first test I think I crashed about 6 or so times. By the second test it was only down to 2. Third test I had no crashes but a ton of performance issues. It kept getting better all the way until the test that they recorded, which I only had minor issues with as there was an occasional frame stutter. It's extremely nice to see that kind of improvement like I said before, but the performance issues are something they seem to be good at finding and fixing.
AS: Performance was rough, and server stability as it stands right now just doesn't seem to be there. That said, they are in alpha, so it's not concerning to me. If this was beta, I would be ringing alarm bells, but it's not, and we are largely here to improve this aspect. Not being able to use a certain number of skills because it crashes people, and needing to take frequent resets, means the stability is still improving.
What are some things you would say to people who are excited to gain access to the Alpha 2 in a few short months?
C: Don't worry guys, I'm right there with you. I'm extremely excited to get back into Vera for some long term tests. These tests have just made me more excited to be able to get in with my friends and my guild. With that said, do temper expectations about how it will be at the start. Those of you who have played in early access titles or even normal MMO launches will know too much about launch week problems. Just try and focus on the core aspects of the game we're testing and look past issues that might keep you from interacting with certain systems. Remember, it's in active development so patience will still be key.
AS: Keep your expectations aligned with the testing phase. This isn't like some previous games that were in alpha/beta and were largely release-ready from a polish standpoint. It's going to look and be rough coming in, as they are still working on major systems, stability, etc. But have fun! Use this time to try and break as much as you can and provide your feedback. It's(its) truly your chance to affect(effect) the development of an MMO.
Special thanks to both Clover and AlphaSoul for answering these questions, and giving us a glimpse of how the game is going so far!
Make sure to check out the latest June Development Livestream post for all the newest announcements.
Don’t forget to bookmark the website to get ready to submit your amazing plays, bugs, and moments, and be featured on our Youtube Channel once Alpha 2 launches!