Was releasing the Alpha a mistake?

[FrostDMG 398]

The mod was a huge success, with over a million active players at it's peak - not too bad for a free mod, considering it's better than some MMOs (cought GW2 cough). DayZ also caused a relatively unpopular game - Arma II - to shoot up in the Steam charts all the way to no. 1, undoubtedly introducing many new players to the series and thus affecting Arma III sales.

 

When it was announced that the mod was essentially going to be abandoned in favor of the stand alone, there was a mix of emotions. Some were frustrated that the mod never progressed out of the "Alpha" stage and saw the untapped potential which was then explored by sub-mods, such as DayZero. On the other hand, people were excited for the standalone and couldn't wait to get their hands on the game.

 

Inevitably, as time passed from the initial announcement, players begun putting forth their ideas for the game - some of them really good, other's not so much. What this created however, was unrealistic expectations of the game, especially for one that's only released as the Alpha. Developing a good game takes time, and fixing the core issues with RV was never going to be an easy task. Arma II, while being a great military sim, did not have all the necessary features for a zombie-survival game. For example: melee combat was non existent, neither was melee AI (hence why zombie pathing has been such an issue), vehicle physics was poor too. A lot of people don't seem to understand that fixing these underlining issues isn't something that can be done in a year or two.

 

Though I cannot comment on the development of the game (and neither can you, unless you're working on the game ;) ), what I can say is that the communication between the devs and the community has been and still is woeful. I have made a thread or two about this issue in particular in the past, but people don't seem to care or see a problem with it - the very same people then whine on the forums about why stuff isn't happening quickly enough. 

 

What I would've done differently:

• Kept the game in closed Alpha - with a proper NDA to prevent bullshit
• Provided frequent teasers i.e screenshots, short video clips - keep players interested in the game's progress
• Provide updates regarding different aspects of the development progress - allowing us to see what we can hope to see in the final product.
• Release the game in Beta stage - by this time the game should be pretty much good to go (engine updated, AI fixed), and getting a large number of people to test would allow the developers to fix the most gamebreaking bugs before the launch.

I think that releasing the Alpha was a mistake, and the only conceivable reason for doing so was to capitalize on the hype of the mod before said hype died down, especially with other "similar" games on the horizon.

 

I think that upon release players who've been playing the standalone from launch won't feel as if they're experiencing the game once again, since they've already been playing it throughout all the updates, so they gradually saw the progress from the "updated mod" (essentially) to a final product.

Edited May 21, 2014 by FrostDMG

[randomspawn 215]

snip

 

I think that upon release players who've been playing the standalone from launch won't feel as if they're experiencing the game once again, since they've already been playing it throughout all the updates, so they gradually saw the progress from the "updated mod" (essentially) to a final product.

But does it matter if they 'experience' the game when it was alpha vs when it is final released? I don't think it does. The idea is to get players to play, and pay. When this hits final release, it will be full of experienced players, who know most of the tricks. It will be like jumping into WOW a year after release. Any new players will have to catch up, and the rest are just having a blast toying with the new guys.

[oanj 28]

The mod was a huge success, with over a million active players at it's peak - not too bad for a free mod, considering it's better than some MMOs (cought GW2 cough). DayZ also caused a relatively unpopular game - Arma II - to shoot up in the Steam charts all the way to no. 1, undoubtedly introducing many new players to the series and thus affecting Arma III sales.

 

When it was announced that the mod was essentially going to be abandoned in favor of the stand alone, there was a mix of emotions. Some were frustrated that the mod never progressed out of the "Alpha" stage and saw the untapped potential which was then explored by sub-mods, such as DayZero. On the other hand, people were excited for the standalone and couldn't wait to get their hands on the game.

 

Inevitably, as time passed from the initial announcement, players begun putting forth their ideas for the game - some of them really good, other's not so much. What this created however, was unrealistic expectations of the game, especially for one that's only released as the Alpha. Developing a good game takes time, and fixing the core issues with RV was never going to be an easy task. Arma II, while being a great military sim, did not have all the necessary features for a zombie-survival game. For example: melee combat was non existent, neither was melee AI (hence why zombie pathing has been such an issue), vehicle physics was poor too. A lot of people don't seem to understand that fixing these underlining issues isn't something that can be done in a year or two.

 

Though I cannot comment on the development of the game (and neither can you, unless you're working on the game ;) ), what I can say is that the communication between the devs and the community has been and still is woeful. I have made a thread or two about this issue in particular in the past, but people don't seem to care or see a problem with it - the very same people then whine on the forums about why stuff isn't happening quickly enough. 

 

What I would've done differently:

• Kept the game in closed Alpha - with a proper NDA to prevent bullshit
• Provided frequent teasers i.e screenshots, short video clips - keep players interested in the game's progress
• Provide updates regarding different aspects of the development progress - allowing us to see what we can hope to see in the final product.
• Release the game in Beta stage - by this time the game should be pretty much good to go (engine updated, AI fixed), and getting a large number of people to test would allow the developers to fix the most gamebreaking bugs before the launch.

I think that releasing the Alpha was a mistake, and the only conceivable reason for doing so was to capitalize on the hype of the mod before said hype died down, especially with other "similar" games on the horizon.

 

I think that upon release players who've been playing the standalone from launch won't feel as if they're experiencing the game once again, since they've already been playing it throughout all the updates, so they gradually saw the progress from the "updated mod" (essentially) to a final product.

You've summed it up right there at the end. They did it because the mod was at it's peak everyone knew what dayz was and waiting would lose them loads of money so they did an open alpha.

Edited May 21, 2014 by OpTic_Polar

[BadAsh (DayZ) 1513]

Since noone is being forced to buy the game, or if they have bought it, to play it, no it was not a mistake. Anyone wanting to experience the game as new upon release should simply not play the alpha and beta.

[Munson_fry (DayZ) 312]

NO because im having a ball playing this game !

[CyberGuru 35]

Releasing the Alpha was not a mistake at all.  The mistake is buying the alpha and then complaining that its an alpha.  Sounds crazy I know - yet people do it constantly.  ;)

[DMentMan 707]

nope, i love this game

[leviski 2152]

alpha plz

[HIHBGaming 14]

The only mistake I see, is the people who bought the game and are completely clueless as to what an Alpha is and how game development works even though they say they do. Funny that.

[kichilron 8550]

I don't know if you remember the hype around the game at all, but it's not been like Dean wanted to release the game by all means. He asked us if he should and eventually caved in due to the massive demand by the community. The last two months before release were just completely mental - the community was completely losing their mind and demanded it everywhere.

 

Leviski seems to remember

 

alpha plz

 

 

Anywhere you'd go you'd be spammed with:

 

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ Give SA

 

It was due to the high pressure of the community, not because Dean ran out of money after buying his 3rd Lamborghini. The community seems to forget this at times and blames Dean, but the community wanted to have the game and as soon as they did they immediately jumped on it, forgetting what it was in the first place, an Alpha - and that it was released as such. And even thought the people that were saying "just give it to us, we can deal with it being Alpha" happened to be the same guys that then said "what a shit game this is!" immediately after release.

 

I do remember the time before release and how we were being harrassed via PM / Steam / Skype, simply because your name would pop up somewhere on some testingserver indicating you were in early access and knew all the answers to the universe. It wasn't very pleasant and I can't see how it would have been different for Dean. Let's do not forget, shall we, it was the community wanting this and they got what they wanted.

Edited May 21, 2014 by kichilron

[pilgrim* 3513]

..//..

When it was announced that the mod was essentially going to be abandoned in favor of the stand alone, there was a mix of emotions. Some were frustrated that the mod never progressed out of the "Alpha" stage and saw the untapped potential which was then explored by sub-mods, such as DayZero. On the other hand, people were excited for the standalone and couldn't wait to get their hands on the game.

..//..

 

You did not mention that the mod and derivatives were - after a long battle - totally wiped out by scripters, so that it became impossible to play except in closed communities.

[Xucphra 453]

Since noone is being forced to buy the game, or if they have bought it, to play it, no it was not a mistake. Anyone wanting to experience the game as new upon release should simply not play the alpha and beta.

Although that is true, you could also argue that the responsibility isn't wholly given to the buyer in this pre-release scenario. The devs knew they released an alpha, and I'll bet they thought a lot about how an alpha release of this sort can affect the game in the long run.

 

Given the popularity of the mod and the large following this game has, it's safe to assume the devs knew it would sell pretty well. Even with the disclaimers and the rather reasonable desire to let players get involved in the development, the fact is they're presenting an unfinished product for sale. I don't necessarily disagree with their model, but I wouldn't say they should be free of blame when you look at how this will influence the final product.

 

Consumers are stupid. Just look at how well a silly game like goat simulator can sell on steam despite being littered with bugs and lacking in content. Someone in charge of DayZ had to know that a lot of dumb people would buy into the alpha without understanding what they were really getting into.

 

Let's do not forget, shall we, it was the community wanting this and they got what they wanted.

 

Maybe, but caving in might not have been the right decision. As I said, consumers can be stupid. I don't condone the whiny people who claim they didn't get what they paid for, but I still think it may have been better for the game if the impatient folk were ignored in favor of a better release. Some people may not consider the alpha the real release by definition, but even when the full game is finalized we'll never make it back to that moment we burned the day DayZ was first available on steam.

[Hetstaine 10852]

Hype was off tap.

Release was wicked.

Love it.

[FrostDMG 398]

While I do remember people asking for the SA, I also think that had they not released anything for a year, the hype would'e died down and the amount of money made would be significantly less. Maybe it was BI who pushed it,  I don't know, but it makes a whole lot of sense.

[frozenjaws 69]

Although that is true, you could also argue that the responsibility isn't wholly given to the buyer in this pre-release scenario. The devs knew they released an alpha, and I'll bet they thought a lot about how an alpha release of this sort can affect the game in the long run.

 

Given the popularity of the mod and the large following this game has, it's safe to assume the devs knew it would sell pretty well. Even with the disclaimers and the rather reasonable desire to let players get involved in the development, the fact is they're presenting an unfinished product for sale. I don't necessarily disagree with their model, but I wouldn't say they should be free of blame when you look at how this will influence the final product.

 

Consumers are stupid. Just look at how well a silly game like goat simulator can sell on steam despite being littered with bugs and lacking in content. Someone in charge of DayZ had to know that a lot of dumb people would buy into the alpha without understanding what they were really getting into.

 

 

Maybe, but caving in might not have been the right decision. As I said, consumers can be stupid. I don't condone the whiny people who claim they didn't get what they paid for, but I still think it may have been better for the game if the impatient folk were ignored in favor of a better release. Some people may not consider the alpha the real release by definition, but even when the full game is finalized we'll never make it back to that moment we burned the day DayZ was first available on steam.

lol.. so yeah. thats the point! I dont know if you missed that? 

And how will it affect the final release in your opinion? seeing as the game is playable in early alpha and they have 2 million playtesters and tons of tons of bugs being found, its going to be a better game for it.

More polished, less bugs and better balance. 

[stryker007 39]

no, just the forums  :)

[doctorbadsign 645]

From who's perspective?

 

The game has been a huge success and has remained on the top sellers list for a long time now. From a financial perspective it hasn't really been a mistake.

 

BI had a limited window of opportunity to release their product before one of two things happen; 1. People lose interest in the concept. 2. Another company releases a similar game that reaches a wider audience.

 

I don't agree with the whole Early Access thing in general, but I think it was a pretty good call to release the game when they did. 

[Karmaterror 982]

Without an alpha we wouldn't have them doubling in house team size...

 

Without alpha we wouldn't have them bringing a whole new studio in for zed AI....

 

Without alpha we wouldn't have had half as many bugs found in such a short period....

 

Without alpha we have had such a big cash injection....

 

Without alpha we would still have a tiny team working there asses off, while trippl A studies bubmle there way to something generic but enough like dayz to pull in the masses.

 

If I may flip it a bit.....was it not that the alpha was a bad idea.....but some players choice to buy at this stage? ;)

 

I mean they could hold out....using some vids and the torchia pics as teasers untill such time it looked at a stage they could play.

 

The alpha though....that has only been good for dayz in my eyes :)

[qww 287]

anyone should realise that releasing the sa when they did, was an obvious move for the company.

what makes sense to op, is different from what makes sense to the people who created dayz and want to make money from it before it got ripped off, and while it was still fresh.

sure, id be happy playing it in closed alpha, if i had the chance, while i have no problems playing the game as it is anyway.

[Capo 323]

A whole bunch of people are playing for hours, getting very emotionally invested in the game and then losing their shit because the problems they personally see as most important aren't getting fixed immediately. Too many players are more interested in screaming like children on reddit and the forums with rage threads than just fucking filing a bug report and giving the game a rest if they aren't enjoying it. 

 

Relax everyone, we have the mod, and breaking point, consider the recent sale on both armas an invitation. Also, can we stop with the constant debbie downer posts? They are very frustrating, and the entire team having to constantly defend it's moral integrity against overly frustrated customers can't be helping production surely. 

[Katana67 2907]

The only mistake was a mistake inherent in any early-access or alpha release... that you see how the proverbial sausage is made, rather than seeing nothing but a finished product. 

[napalmdog 71]

I don't think this was a mistake at all. Anybody who bought the alpha after everyone was told clearly by the creator that it was not going to be worth buying beforehand...

 

Game fan; "give it to me!"

Dean; "well, it's not complete. I don't think I should..."

Game fan; "Give it to me!!!"

Dean; "well, I can sell you a copy, but it's not a complete game. It'll change drastically and...."

Game fan; "GIVE IT TO ME!! Take my money!!!"

Dean; "okay, but I told you; it's an Alpha, it's not complete. Things will change drastically..."

Game fan, throught frothy lips; "GIVE!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!"

 

I hope it's a lesson that anybody who is really thinks the game development isn't moving quickly right now. I personally don't know how a game is developed. But I am a mechanic and realize things have to come together in a certain order. If I tell you I'm building a new bicycle and it's in development, would you buy just the frame from me, knowing the wheels, handlebars, etc. are months away? That is what I feel I have purchased. We have not so much bought DayZ as it is We have bought into DayZ.

 

I wish more people would realize it....

Edited May 21, 2014 by Napalm Dog

[FrostDMG 398]

What players want is not necessarily best for them. I actually think in the long run delaying the game would've brought more players in. I know of quite a few friends and players I spoke to on the mod that won't be buying the stand alone due to all the negative press - regardless of how accurate - it accumulated. 

[Xucphra 453]

lol.. so yeah. thats the point! I dont know if you missed that? 

And how will it affect the final release in your opinion? seeing as the game is playable in early alpha and they have 2 million playtesters and tons of tons of bugs being found, its going to be a better game for it.

More polished, less bugs and better balance. 

 

Not everyone is meant to be a tester, nor does every gamer intend to be one. The point I'm trying to make is that, as others have said, gamers don't necessarily know what's best for them. A very large number of DayZ players are going to get bored with the game before it ever reaches its final version. The dedicated players will be here no matter what, and stay throughout the whole development process. But many more people will get burned out, bored, disinterested or dissatisfied because they thought they knew what they wanted and didn't get it.

 

It's really easy to put the problem off, saying the buyer is at fault for not listening or being ignorant. I'm just suggesting that finding scapegoats in other people's poor decisions doesn't make much sense. Decisions should be made based on what's best for everyone involved.

[HecticKris 0]

what I can say is that the communication between the devs and the community has been and still is woeful.

 

I have Noticed this, They should take a look at how the developers over at GGG (creators of a free to play game called "path of exile") deal with the community that plays their game, they are pretty awesome, probably the best i have ever seen and the game is free to play!

 

And yes they definitly decided to realease this Dayz SA alpha just to capitilize on the hype of the mod.

 

However I never played the mod and i'm having a great time playing this buggy as hell alpha so i'm not really complaining.