Earthrise beta interview with Atanas Atanasov

We would like to focus this short interview on the beta process of Earthrise, and try to explain to the players what is going to be happening with Earthrise MMO in the next few months!

JOL: You announced that the sign up process will start at the end of December. I already registered on Earthrise official forums, so, will I have to register in another place for the beta?

Atanas Atanasov: Yes, there is beta registration page here: http://www.play-earthrise.com/beta/betasignup.html We are looking for all types of beta testers and system specs, so everyone has equal chances of being invited.

JOL: 'Beta' is always a magic word for all MMO gamers because we can access the game for free! But we all know that moment is important for the game and the development team. That being said, what do you expect the most from the future beta-testers?

AA:Our plans are to invite players, who really want to help us improve Earthrise through balancing the gameplay and finding bugs and other issues. We will be looking for dedicated people, who understand the beta testing process of an MMO.

JOL: Can you explain the different parts of the MMO beta-testing? ('Family and Friend", "closed", "open",...)? Is it only a question of how many players will access the game?

AA: The beta stage at which Earthrise is currently in, we call closed limited beta, which means that only a very small number of players will have beta accounts and will test the game. In this stage we will focus on gameplay features that we believe are most important for testing. We will also expect feedback on topics such as character control, interface and camera movement. The next stage, which is coming soon, will be the closed beta stage where the number of beta testers will be expanding. There will be several stages of this type and during those stages we will focus on server loads, graphics optimization and additional gameplay features. The last stage in the MMO development is the open beta, where everyone is welcome to see and test the game.

JOL: What will be the role of the guilds (or groups) in beta and will you require more from them than from 'solo' testers?

AA: The role of guilds/groups will be very important for beta not just for testing the guild and party systems, but also the territory conquest which we will put a lot of effort on. They will test all siege mechanics as well as massive PvP battles.

JOL: All beta have their "Non-Disclosure Agreement". Can you explain the purpose of this text and what are the main conditions required for Earthrise?

AA: The Non-Disclosure Agreement is a type of contract between the game developer and the beta tester. This document will specify what is confidential and explain the rights and obligations of the beta testers. The main conditions for the Earthrise NDA will be standard for the beta testing stages of an MMO, there will be nothing extraordinary.

JOL: How beta-testers will communicate with the devs, report some bugs and evaluate some gameplay? Will there be a private beta forum for example?

AA: There will be beta tools, which will facilitate the bug reports. The private beta forums will be present and we expect lots of activity there. All topics will be read and evaluated.

JOL: When you connect to the island of Enterra, how many physical RAM and VideoRAM do you need?

AA: The minimum Requirements are 2 GHz CPU, 1024 MB RAM and 256 MB VRAM video card supporting shader model v3.0.

Many thanks Atanas!
All the best for the new year!

Atanas Atanasov is the CEO of Masthead Studios
Thanks to Emily Carter, Production Manager
Questions by Meliagan for JeuxOnLine

Translated in French