Alpha

-snip-

Well, there was the Battlefield 3 Alpha, which was a playable game, albeit with one gamemode and one map. Then there's the Kensi "alpha", which is ongoing development and has been quite a full playable game for some time now. (I use the term alpha loosely with that one though, since you've been able to buy the game for about the last 2 some years, but it's at version 0.39, so I'd still call it alpha.)

There's also the StarForge Alpha, which has the basic land generation, building editing and placement, etc.

Those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head, but what I'm getting at anyways, is that all the alphas I've personally been in, or even heard of for that matter, have had some form of basic, rough, core gameplay.

I'd think that people who pay for alpha, expect SOME form of simple gameplay, or else they'd most likely feel like they got a tech demo. Is that how I feel? No, but I'm just going by the reactions I'm all to familiar with reading. :/

And I know that someone's bound to correct me and say that an alpha basically IS a tech demo, I am aware of that, and you're not wrong but that's not the point here.

haha that's true!
i have some questions if you might be able to answer

The release date is summer right? but you guys got much more than you asked for so i guess you will add allot more to the game. so how big is the chance that the game will be delayed?

How much did you guys get? i saw the kickstarter but how much did you get from Paypal? or is counted in kickstarter to?

And is there a chance that you will show a small gameplay preview of the game in some weeks/month? (just for backers)

And keep up with the awesome work

I know you just signed up for the alpha testing to try to get a commander that was shaped like a penguin. Don't lie.

Haven't you guys heard?
Alpha is the new the Beta.
Soon gamers will be able to to play a game in pre-alpha and preorder it before the developers have thought about making the game.

Summer 2013 is still our goal, and we targeted that a long time ago. Keep in mind summer is a pretty big window: July through September.

I won't speculate what will happen beyond that though, otherwise I'm sure I'll be proven wrong on one or more points. I'm wrong plenty often without help!

I was part of the Achron alpha back when it first came out. It consisted of a few tutorial maps, two sandbox levels, only one of the three playable factions, 2-4 buildings and 3-5 types of units. The models were mostly 2D placeholders, multiplayer didn't show up until a month later and the GUI was completely revamped partway through the beta later in the year.

And we all loved it anyway

heck im even up for just building factories on planets like farms and stuff.

I definitely will have plenty of fun playing around with whatever PA alpha will be. Really just zooming from the planets surface to space and back will make me pretty happy for minutes at least. I just rewatched the ks-trailer and it still totally ... is it shameful to admit it brings me near tears?

I so can't wait for this

You heard it here first. January 2014.

:lol: Ok mr prophet. I do think this project is ambitious enough that I think 2014 isn't that unrealistic.

I'm not sure.. but I don't think I'll be playing the Alpha. I'd rather wait for a finished game

Smartarse.

"When it's done" is the best release date

Ding ding ding! Although we do have to shoot for something. The pressure is on!

I think it would be pretty cool to get everyone to test out a bare-bones planet generator. We could have a crazy planet screenshot contest!

The only thing worse than publishers are backers

Planetary Annihilation: Duke Nukem Forever edition.

Just make sure the BETA is top notch (big thanks to all alpha testers )
I'm seeing enough "alpha-beta-releaseish" software every day so surprise me (you will certainly do so)

And in the next game when you hit Alpha it should be top notch because the players have already played it in Pre-Alpha! Progress!
I hope the sarcasm shines right through

How about offering play testing for concept images

In non humorous news: I can't wait to smash planets.

My last alpha was Legends of Pegasus when it was published :lol:

I'm curious about this alpha