I Find This Very Sad

  • Hello all,

    Now as a "Founder" I did of course play in the Alpha. Which means I'm currently playing in the Beta.
    Though, personally I find it hard to tell the difference.

    Surely, I cannot be the only one who is incredibly disheartened by, not only, a distinct lack of anything refreshing in here, aside from a long range rifle (which I find a little out of place as it is, but that's more to do with my playstyle.) but actually features that were in the Alpha that have since been removed from the Beta. I shan't divulge what they were specifically since I'm not sure of the state of the NDA thus far.

    Truthfully, I'm just sad that I have been given a build that hasn't even kept me entertained for as long as the version before it did.
    Now of course, it could just be because none of it is new to me and so I find it hard to enjoy it but in totality I feel like the "Keeping a few tricks up our sleeve" mentality is leaving a sour taste in my mouth given that some of these tricks have seemingly been stuffed back up the euphemistic sleeve and it ultimately leaves me wondering if even at release whether I'll be able to play this game for any longer than a couple of hours without feeling like I've seen all there is to see.

    Is it just me?

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  • I think putting order of souls would have been so great for the beta instead one just one company. But the beta isn't really meant to be about alpha players first. It's meant to get new players excited. The player base is probably going from a couple hundred thousand to a couple million. Go test stuff that's been tooned. Meet new people, teach them the ropes, have adventures with people new friends. Just remember lots of stuff is still coming, maybe as a new beta build or in the full game. Order of souls being and back, the merchant company, wildlife, more shops, new items (I thought i heard mention of a violin in the last big development podcast), ship customization, more weapons, skeleton forts, Etc.

  • @disabledgamerjh
    I completely understand the idea behind it and the "Getting players excited!" message is all well and good.
    But in actuality most of the Beta players are going to play for two hours maximum, realise that realistically they've already done everything there is to do and that the rest of the 5 days are going to be the exact same experience as that first hour.
    And then, they wonder why they paid money for a game that (so far) they can only play for a very limited time before boredom shifts their attention to another game.
    I love Sea of Thieves but this experience was actually a real let down, especially when you get those people pre-ordering and getting less of an experience than the people who got to play earlier and didn't pay a penny.

    Of course, the people who pre-ordered through the store are fine because they don't pay until release but the people who did store pre-orders with deposits?
    That sure wouldn't get me excited.

  • @carcinogenetxc I agree. I've seen countless of players saying that they won't buy the game because it's only digging simulator with occasional battle. To be honest currently they are not far from the truth. I really hope that Rare has more content for us during release because if not nobody is gonna spend 60$ or 70€ to get access to 3 types of missions. Fingers crossed, Rare.

  • @crusaderjesus l**o digging simulator

  • @carcinogenetxc

    After hearing / reading this sentiment more than a few times on here, I guess I'm going to be the one to speak out for the other side of this.

    For the last several years, there has been a serious shift in what a "Beta" has become. A Beta used to be another form of testing used by a company to further their grasp on what is working and what still needs more work. Unfortunately, this has slowly shifted from that form to a much more polished Demo that's been used to showcase the best of the game in order to help sell / market the game just before it's release.

    With Sea of Thieves, Rare is going with the more traditional "Beta" in this instance and not the more modern "Demo." Personally, I think it's a sound decision even though there's more than a few modern players who have a slightly different mindset.

    On a related note, Rare has stated several times this is going to be a game as a service which means there will be a steady stream of content, even after release. Which might explain why certain features are not in the current build and why the Pioneer Program isn't being disbanded anytime soon... They're needed to test and give feedback on (currently) not-yet implemented features and systems that are being designed for future releases.

    Hopefully, this can explain why this week what you're playing is not a fully developed game and is, in fact, an actual Beta.

  • Pretty sure the beta is to stress test the servers and figure out how many ships they want per server.

  • @carcinogenetxc 100% AGREE.

  • @HANS42

    That's absolutely fine in theory but isn't that what we played the Alpha?
    And also why suddenly everyone who joined before December 1st was let in? To stress test?

    Because typically, that's the job of an Alpha and a Beta is more to get a close approximation of complete gameplay,typically in a limited environment but with all key features present.
    A good example that comes to mind was the Halo:Reach Beta which was only multiplayer and a very different type of game, true, but it was a close approximation of what you could expect from the finished game.

  • @xdilligafx1974
    It's all fine to say "They're going traditional" but in practice it's not a model that works anymore. Back in the good old days a beta was just that and it worked exceptionally! But now we live in a different time and things can't run that way, when a game has such massive publicity and such vast competition to achieve the attention it requires a "Classic" Beta doesn't work as well. Now it's about how you can show your players that you're working to meet desires, demands and expectations all within reason of course and to show any skeptics that there is something present there that they haven't seen before. Sadly, in the modern stages of videogame development, a "Classic" Beta just leaves those involved, especially those who paid for the pleasure, with a sour outlook on the game.

  • @xdilligafx1974 false. Alpha is before Beta. If there is more content in Alpha than in Beta, is that broken? I believe it is. Doesn’t matter what your definition of Beta is, if there is more content in Alpha than in Beta, there is a large problem and people here have a strong logical reason to be concerned.

    P.S. Cool definition of Betas from back in the 90s. Welcome to 2018 where Betas are for marketing and stress testing.

  • And I'd like to stress, I'm not angry.
    All I'd like is for my concern to be acknowledged because for a game that has been seemingly slipping in and out of "development hell" and getting an awful rep from reviewers, I don't think it needs even more bad publicity.

  • I didn't get to play the alpha or any other previous play tests , besides this closed beta. And to top it off I only got to play about 2 hours last night due to matchmaking errors and not able to connect with a friend. But when it finally got us through and we spawned into the tavern for the first time and decided to drink two pints of grog and take a walk outside, I was just captured.

    The attention to detail was mind blowing. Yes i know 2 hours isn't enough time to make a judgment, but I'd give this game at least a 9/10 already! I didn't know to do the same "drink, get drunk and try to walk outside", would be even more fun the second time when we had 3 of us for the first time, but it was. The laughter of everyone made me cry, it was just an experience. This isn't even to mention how beautiful the water is, the sounds, the distant hiccuping I can hear as I steer our ship, of my friends drinking below deck and the storms, love the sound of the rolling thunder and lightning. We decided to end our voyage with a song in the rain for a "fallen shipmate" and I got struck by lightning and it scared the hell out of me! But it was awesome!

    I also had an experience of trying to pull our huge ship into the harbor, and right before I was going to yell "Drop the anchor!" my buddy decided to get sick on my face and I couldn't see! I freaked out and panicked to get us in safely but we ended up crashing into the island and taking damage. But again, it was awesome, and unexpected.

    The game is beyond beautiful for me and I woke up this morning thinking about calling out of work , just to be back on my ship. Its amazing Rare and thank you for making such an immersive experience for me and I cant wait to see what in store . Sorry for the long post :/ but these were just a few things that happened to me while playing. I get where you guys are coming from with wanting more, and i most definitely agree and hope that all happens. Maybe im just blinded and on that "honeymoon" phase, and lack of content could very well sour my long term interest. But knowing that this isn't all that's there and they have admittedly said this was going to be a smaller chunk than the alpha makes me very hopeful to whats to come. Maybe it wasn't my place to say all this here, but just wanted to express my opinion of how this game has already caught my attention in the most beautiful way.

  • @carcinogenetxc

    Having just played the game for the first time last night, I'll say that the meat and bones of this game are amazing. The co-op aspect of the game and voice chat is second to none. The realism of the sea actually got me a bit 'sea sick' going through the first storm we passed through. Hilarious.

    That said, sailing from 'X' to Outpost and repeat got tiring in about 2hrs.

    I see the need for a lot more PvE content. Heck, maybe even some NPC ships out there. Something else to attack other than ourselves. Maybe even an NPC navel fleet where fellow pirates can come to each other's aid?

    .... but I've only played for only a couple hours. I'm sure this has all been suggested before.

  • @carcinogenetxc said in I Find This Very Sad:

    @HANS42

    That's absolutely fine in theory but isn't that what we played the Alpha?

    The point of the alpha was probably some network stress testing, but Rare said themselves the main point was to test gameplay mechanics, and to get feedback from a large group about what they liked, what needed improvement, what features they'd like to see implemented, etc. Not necessarily server performance, balancing the number of players in a world, etc.

  • @jerome36

    Yes, and everyone was very happy with the features we were given except obviously all were keen for more!
    So why have we received less this time around?
    It makes me feel as though Rare hadn't realised we'd want even more to the point they had to take things out so they'd still have "New" features to push at release.
    I really hope I'm wrong, especially with a classically ambitious company like Rare but the suspicion does arise.

  • @carcinogenetxc no, most betas i have been in is server stress test.

  • It's ok man. My son and his friends who haven't played before are in the Beta having an absolute ball! They're playing with an enthusiastic demeanor and loving adventuring. To hear them developing even the simplest plan like "whose going to raise the sails?", and hearing the chaos got me to laughing so much I had to leave the room. This Beta is for "those" kids more than it is for us 'Pioneers". Our time will come after the Beta and again when the game is released. I'm sure no school work is getting done today for the SOT kids! Here's an idea........ Take a few of em under your wing and show em the ropes! Parrotheads out😀

  • @hans42

    That's great and I'm very glad that was the case in those Beta's but sadly, I'd say with a "Technical Alpha" with a population of at least a few tens of thousands, surely...shouldn't we be past stress testing now and onto...y'know...game testing?

  • @bern-dimall

    That's fantastic and great to hear they're enjoying it.
    I was the exact same for a while, but, and call it mature skepticism if you will, I found it monotonous and boring...like earning the gold was a chore. Except usually there's a reason to do a chore. Sadly, I've personally found little motivation to wander around the beautifully detailed islands and dig them up.
    Either way though, I'm very glad that a lot of players are still having fun, despite how many of us feel underwhelmed and almost conned.

  • @carcinogenetxc If it is your first time playing it or you are a die hard pirate fan that would play sea of thieves just because you can be a pirate then you will love the game.
    If you are anyone else you will find it extremely repetitive.

  • Agreed. I have played about 3 hours of the beta. It is fun but how long can a repetitive (get in boat, go dig, get back in boat , go sell treasure) with minimal pirate vs pirate warfare last. Not to mention getting brig trolled upon joining a match. Please someone out there give me hope that there is more to this game i pre ordered than this. it has so much potential, great graphics, great sense of teamwork to get the ship functioning well, and then it feels lacking

  • @slipkick01
    I absolutely agree but even as a Die Hard Fan of The Golden Age of Piracy I still find myself underwhelmed because as much as Piracy was a job and was not as glamorous as it is made out to be it was certainly more interesting than this.

    I find myself even brought to the point of wondering why make a Beta 5 days long if there's nothing to do past the first few hours?
    Obviously I understand that it's for accessibility but surely you can see what I mean?

    The problem I have is that I will not come out of this Beta with bated breath ready to get the new features and bits I missed, n'or will I come out satisfied with the experience. Because frankly the experience has been very much like watching the same movie over and over for 5 days. Sure, it was funny the first time, great the second to see the bits I missed, even the third so I can see how it all slots together but I'm quite done beyond that point and have no desire to drive myself to do the same thing for any longer.

  • @rump-spank3r

    Here's the problem:

    The Beta isn't even as big as the Alpha.

    I'm not trying to discourage you from buying because the Alpha was damn good. But yes, sadly the lack of choice of how to earn your piratical fortune and the few-and-far-between encounters with other pirates make this feel much more Sea of Archaeologists than Sea of Thieves.

  • Like I said before, if the release date were pushed back 6 months, I would have very high hopes for this game.

    March 30th, with this many problems, this many people asking these kind of questions, this lack of content? No, this release is looking very, very bleak.
    Rare needs to make a big announcement. They need to show us something real, something that will shake up how everyone thinks the game plays. They're seriously lacking in content beyond the "adventure" aspect we all love.
    As someone in this thread previously said, "the meat and bones" is all here. But we need an immune system and a nervous system to go with this body.

    I do not want to see this game turn out like The Division with a very weak launch for a game that has turned out to be so much more than everyone originally thought it was.

    I want this game to be as great as we all know it can be.
    It's sailing into a head-wind right now, Rare needs to set itself right.

    Prove me wrong Rare.

  • @carcinogenetxc said in I Find This Very Sad:

    @disabledgamerjh
    I completely understand the idea behind it and the "Getting players excited!" message is all well and good.
    But in actuality most of the Beta players are going to play for two hours maximum, realise that realistically they've already done everything there is to do and that the rest of the 5 days are going to be the exact same experience as that first hour.
    And then, they wonder why they paid money for a game that (so far) they can only play for a very limited time before boredom shifts their attention to another game.
    I love Sea of Thieves but this experience was actually a real let down, especially when you get those people pre-ordering and getting less of an experience than the people who got to play earlier and didn't pay a penny.

    Of course, the people who pre-ordered through the store are fine because they don't pay until release but the people who did store pre-orders with deposits?
    That sure wouldn't get me excited.

    Why would you pay for a game before its released (pre-order?) and then be disappointed when you cant play it before its released. R**M

  • @john-sosebee

    Y'know what Rare need to do?

    They need to go "Hey, you're right guys. We're extending the Beta and here, we'll switch it to a more beefed up build."
    Because people need to see what this game can be, not what it currently is.
    Right now it is a sandbox without toys. You make a sandcastle and go "Hey that was fun...What now?" so you make two more and then notice that your socks are full of sand and really there's nothing else to do and now it's probably going to rain too.

  • And they didnt even announce any new features

  • @vbeagle

    Possibly because everyone else, who didn't pay a penny for it got to play a more complete game than you did, despite the fact that you actually gave out money, and a substantial amount of it for the exclusive opportunity to take part in a Closed Beta with the expectation that you would be experiencing something few others had.

    But instead these people are greeted by less than what the others got with little more New Content than the ability to take screenshots without being chastised.

  • I'm just going to assume that more pioneers or founders will have access after the beta to test out more mechanics of the game, it'll wrap everything up in NDA again. There is still so much shown in the trailers that I figure needs testing and I swore I saw some info of a pioneer saying something is going to excite all of us (I didn't catch it and wouldn't say it if i knew) but he seem pretty hyped.

  • @rump-spank3r said in I Find This Very Sad:

    Agreed. I have played about 3 hours of the beta. It is fun but how long can a repetitive (get in boat, go dig, get back in boat , go sell treasure) with minimal pirate vs pirate warfare last. Not to mention getting brig trolled upon joining a match. Please someone out there give me hope that there is more to this game i pre ordered than this. it has so much potential, great graphics, great sense of teamwork to get the ship functioning well, and then it feels lacking

    There is so much potential with this game, it's the only reason there is as much hype as there is.
    With a friend, either your gaming buddy or one met in this game, you can have iconic moments that are each unique and memorable for one reason: You got yourself into the mess, and you and your teamwork got you out of it.
    There's a sense of self-driven freedom to the game. The game tells you where to go, but getting there is all your choice.
    That's the adventure.

    Each and every person on this forum (that participated in Alpha) has that one story, that one chase, that one fight, that they can recount every detail to you with great passion.
    If you play long enough, you'll have these moments of your own.

    It may turn out to just not be your style. But if you've already spent money on it, you're going to have to make it your style.

  • @chosen-predator

    But then, if suddenly it's all under NDA they have to exclude Non-Founders, upsetting those who paid money, and a lot of it too, for the opportunity to test the game early.
    And then the people who didn't pay, assuming that Founders didn't pre-order anyway, get to play with even more features.

    Sadly, all that would do is breed boycotts.

  • @carcinogenetxc yeah I said a while ago I don't understand this method of beta, but since that time I've read every explanation on earth about the negatives and positives of it, I can only say for myself right now that I get why they did this but I also get why other people are worried.

    Long before even having access to this CLOSED BETA the game was rumored to be barebones and it fit right into that rumor so there was no doubt in my mind it would spread like wild fire and give it a major negative lashback.

    I know rare has more content and is listening and they will make the right adjustments.

    the one thing I am surprised at though is there is barely any PVP complaints, which in ALPHA was pretty much overwhelming, so thats a good sign people seem to like the PVP aspect, lol.

  • @chosen-predator

    Either that or it's so rare that few have actually experienced the PvP, but that's neither here n'or there.

    I would say that it's fine, had they not taken a step back in the transition to Beta. Sadly as it stands it is quite difficult to believe promises of new content when so far we've only really seen content removed.

  • @drbullhammer

    This is absolutely unproductive and it was never really meant to have a purpose other than to allow a thread in which like-minded individuals can talk about where they can see downfalls in the model that Rare appear to be pursuing.

    Sadly, I think you misunderstood what I meant by conned. People have been told they will be playing a "Beta", and this "Beta" is actually less of a game, featuring less content, than the Technical Alpha meaning that in itself it is not a progression, nullifying the use of the term "Beta". By conned, I mean that a lot of people feel as if they have been lied to, and that very few feel as if they are playing a "Beta" or what would pass for one in this day and age.
    Money has nothing to do with it, though I'm sure it matters to a fair few people.

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