Closed Beta FAQ for Path of Exile: The Awakening

Kind of think that there should be some perimeters that exist for the RNG clock. I remember it way back when I was trying to get into the game and I ended up buying a pack to get my way into the beta.

People who haven't been playing long and don't understand the core game that well will be less likely to understand whether or not something is broken and should probably be added at the end of the beta if at all. I understand trying to get impressions but my vast knowledge of beta testing (hearkening back to 1999 when i started with Everquest, Asheron's Call, anarchy online etc.) it kind of seems like a bad idea to let some of these people into a game that has a state which is incomplete. In every beta test I've taken part in, even if it says "beta test" in big bold letters in the middle of the screen, there have always been people who complain about the bugs rather then report them and consequently they walk away from the game calling it "buggy". Seems rather counter productive to let people of that nature into this particular beta and its more likely that a person who has logged fewer hours will make such statements. This is just my opinion but if you want your game to be tested correctly and have decent player retention during this period starting off with more veteran players is probably the way to go about doing things.

"

I'm just going to share my $.02 about this whole thing. I don't post often about current happenings because I understand how insignificant my opinion is. I'm not naive.

But anyway, I don't mind the delays. I don't mind the closed beta. I don't mind paid beta access. I don't mind "high profile"(very few of them are any good; deserving)streamers getting preferential treatment. I don't mind keys being sold for money.

What I do mind, however, is all of the new content being publicized and spoiled before everyone can play it. And not just a few days, or weeks, in advance, but literally months. I'm sure GGG understands the concept of hype and how important it is to financial success, but I can tell you now that by the time Act 4 is actually released, all that hype will be gone(my hype is already wavering). This is my only gripe. I don't want new content spoiled for me by streamers.

For a company that prides itself on "ethical" microtransactions, this is pretty shady.

there is NOTHING shady about it, and it's insulting to hear you and others claim there is.

If I don't get into the beta, I'm going to do my due diligence and NOT go out of my way to learn about act 4. It's really easy, don't read about it, don't watch streamers playing it. Just don't scratch that itch. it requires very little will power.

When I play act 4, through the beta or after release, I will know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it, save what I read in Chris' initial post/link about the release.

It's YOUR choice whether you watch videos about it, read about it etc.

If you/others can't handle not looking into it (i.e. making an effort to do so... whereas NOT learning about it, takes ZERO effort), you players in question have no one to blaim but yourselves.

For a company that's made a F2P game for the masses and put countless hours of effort it into, don't you think it's _____ rude for players to throw around words like "shady, I'm not going to donate because of this, angry, etc... (the list is a mile long)

This isn't just towards you genius and I'm hoping you can forgive my rant. Some people need to take a second, or a minute, to realise just "how much" GGG have given us... for NOTHING. You can play all the content without given them a cent. Yet there are still people who hide behind there monitors with a sense of entitlement that blows the mind.

We should all be thankful.<---period

I need to listen to what my grandmother used to tell me (r.i.p.):

If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all.

rant over

For everyone saying that new players won't be able to give very good feedback...I'm guessing very few of the people who are THAT new will even be paying enough attention to come to this page, read about the beta, and sign up for it in the first place. Some will, obviously, but their numbers will be pretty small compared to the more experienced and active players.

"

Every five minutes, the timer will select a new account from the signed up pool and will grant it access to the Beta.

B-but... how big will the initial pool be? Or are the accounts being drawn as we speak?

I am happy to NOT join beta so i finally got an excuse to play my broken Scold builds on SC :P

"

I'm just going to share my $.02 about this whole thing. I don't post often about current happenings because I understand how insignificant my opinion is. I'm not naive.

But anyway, I don't mind the delays. I don't mind the closed beta. I don't mind paid beta access. I don't mind "high profile"(very few of them are any good; deserving)streamers getting preferential treatment. I don't mind keys being sold for money.

What I do mind, however, is all of the new content being publicized and spoiled before everyone can play it. And not just a few days, or weeks, in advance, but literally months. I'm sure GGG understands the concept of hype and how important it is to financial success, but I can tell you now that by the time Act 4 is actually released, all that hype will be gone(my hype is already wavering). This is my only gripe. I don't want new content spoiled for me by streamers.

For a company that prides itself on "ethical" microtransactions, this is pretty shady.

Hate this concept so damn much. Big news tour, building ultra hype and then you can't play and watch this streamers play it.

WTF do they think really? I would love to watch some 50min interview of the staff explaining how this system is the most superior to choose. We want answers.

"

Odoakar wrote:

"

Archwizard wrote:

yap yap yap

Do you remember when CB ended and GGG completely changed the skill tree, skills, and progression to the point CB practically didn't mean anything and we were left with OB full of imbalanced skills and builds? And then when OB finished, GGG again completely changed the skill tree, skills, mobs, mechanics, again making the official release unbalanced, with grossly overpowered builds and one shot mobs?

PoE doesn't need beta, it won't serve any purpose. Also, based on how Alpha testers peformed during CB and OB, I don't lay many hopes 2.0 will be published in decent state.

First CB was different, because the community was small and people missing on content weren't pertubed because they didn't know what they are missing. We now have a much larger community, with people being aware what tehy are missing if they don't get into beta.

And I fully expect streamers feedback to be 'the game is too easy, i can get to lvl 95 just short of 17 days of 10h per day. You should make it harder'.

GGG dropped the ball with this one, they hyped the release, people were convienced we were getting new exp in May, just to find out it will be god knows when and until then if you dont get into beta, you'll be able to read/watch other people playing and having fun.

I have to agree with you -> another streaming flameblasterino till lv95 is not needed!!! I hope they actually test it properly (new skills, new mechanics) and not the usual race to the top of that ladder (which GGG hopefully will not implement in the beta - some of them see ladder and go into speedmode and not into testing mode) and then you could also use an average joe playing 4-5h a day.

The communication from GGG was this time "semi-productive" - you really should`ve told us before that you would do a beta (you will leave alot unhappy customers trust me - unless we get all access in week 4+ or something) and not hype us to the MAX and then "hammer" us with a mjoelner on our head!!!

At least give those without access a goodie -> like a 1m cutthroat or 1m all leagues or make atziri dropping beta keys instead of flasks....just kidding on the last one.

For me personally my hype is somewhat gone but you will for sure get your usual dollars from me - just because i love that game so much and i appreciate all the work you have been done so far. guys desynch gone ... how long have some of you waited for that ...

ps: get some theorycrafters in the Beta - they are far better in finding stuff you need to remove/change then guys who can stay up 20h and play the usual fb/ts fotm builds. but i have good hopes that at least some of the streamers are able to give you good advices ....

@Josephoenix

You are a good man .

Where to begin?

Lets look at this logically and from ggg point of view.
Alpha members get a automatic key. These guys tested poe before cb. They know what their looking for and ggg know they will report back.These people are alphas for a reason.

Streamers with over a million channel veiws get a key. Simple marketing. You want a guaranteed key for act 5 or 6? Get streaming and get popular.

I want a key for 10$ Obviously ggg doesn't need your ten dollars.

I want a key for finishing in bla blah place in bla bla leauge You got your leaugue specific mtx and you want more? GREED

I supported ggg with supporter packs i deserve a key You bought packs with no guareentee of this closed beta key. You bought packs because you wanted to support ggg.


They could have made this beta invitational only and just invited alphas (for pure testing) and streamers (for marketing), but no, ggg has decided to offer the general community (good and bad players) a CHANCE to participate in its testing and so many of you are butt hurt by this.

Get a grip

I hope i get a key. If not, so what. Ill play regaurdless cause i enjoy it. I want to enjoy act 4 aswell which is why im pleased we are having a cb for such a major overhaul.

Ty Gl Hf
Razza

I haven't played PoE for quite some time, so I'm not particularly invested in getting in. However in light of the information presented in this announcement I'm not sure why GGG opted to do the press tour before the beta, rather than at the end of it. As it stands, the media presence is essentially soliciting people to sign up for a beta they have a miniscule chance of actually partaking in. By the end of the two-month period, interest will have died down again, and PoE will end up enjoying a much smaller influx of new players than it would have if the press tour had been scheduled differently.

This doesn't seem like something GGG hasn't considered, so I'm probably missing something. At any rate, I'm hyped -- and curious.