Demigod Beta schedule: January 2009

from JoeUser Forums

Greetings and happy new year!

For those of you in the beta for Demigod, we are currently working on a new build that we hope to release this Thursday which will have a lot of improvements to the multiplayer code. We don’t anticipate there being any big new features in this build, we really want to focus on the connectivity.

Tomorrow, I leave for CES (Consumer Electronics Show).  I’ll be live-blogging there at http://www.impulsedriven.com/ces2009. Check it out as you’ll get lots of little tidbitgs. :)

On Saturday, I fly from CES to Seattle to visit with Gas Powered Games so that we can finish up the user manual and work on the next beta phase.

So that you guys understand what’s going on, like with Sins of a Solar Empire, Demigod is being worked on as an integrated team effort between Stardock and Gas Powered Games. So GPG is helping us on ads, box design, etc. And we’re helping them on code. It’s not your usual situation. But it allows us to combine our strengths.

What that means in concrete terms is that Stardock is developing the Pantheon Tournament code that Demigod will call on. The competitive on-line features in Demigod should be pretty state of the art when it’s done which is where my visit comes in at GPG. Coordinating the integration of the two code bases. Then we will need to get a public beta going.

If there is time, I hope for us to run a beta tournament with cash and prizes to test out the system. It’s a good way to thank beta testers for helping us out and work out cheese and connectivity problems early. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been frustrated about buying a new game only to find it having glaring problems in on-line play. Our goal is to make sure that doesn’t happen.  Mind you, it will still probably happen but at least we (you guys and us) can put in a best effort to reduce that sort of thing.

So assuming this week’s build is called Beta 2A, we will either follow-up with a beta 2B which will have additional connectivity issue fixes or we’ll start looking at Beta 3.

So what would beta 3 have in it?

Here’s a tentative outline:

  • Multiplayer tournaments.
    • Pantheon where players pick a Demigod and earn favor points in the battles.
    • Skirmishes where players play normal stand alone games and go up a more traditional ladder.
  • New Game Mechanics
    • The War score implemented that should greatly improve game play.
    • More balancing and cleaning up of skills, citadel upgrades, flags, etc.
  • General polishing.

We don’t have an exact ETA. It won’t be available until Chris Taylor and I are satisfied with it.  I’ll have a better idea next week on that. We’ll be posting pictures here from the beta team directly when I’m in Seattle.

76,903 views 40 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

We don’t have an exact ETA. It won’t be available until Chris Taylor and I are satisfied with it.  I’ll have a better idea next week on that. We’ll be posting pictures here from the beta team directly when I’m in Seattle.

Chris and not Tyo? I thought Tyo was in charge of this project.

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

Thanks for the info there Frogboy.

Ill sure perfect my skill until those cash prize come :grin:

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Chris Taylor is the CEO of Gas Powered Games.

Reply #4 from Demigod Forums Top

money! I am in

Reply #5 from Demigod Forums Top

Great news on the netcode update, thanks Frogboy :grin:

Psyched for Beta Tournament too...especially if there is a 1 v 1 bracket :erk:

Reply #6 from Demigod Forums Top

Great to get a status update.  We are all waiting on the netcode update with baited breath.

 

Unlike Ke5trel, I would love to see a team (clan or, more likely at this point, random) tournament.  I bought this game for team play mechanics so I hope tournaments don't forget to include those too.  I just find 1v1 with no ai bots to be slow and boring.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Can anyone get me a beta key for Demigod?  I would love to try it out! :grin:

Reply #8 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting zndkwin, reply 7
Can anyone get me a beta key for Demigod?  I would love to try it out!

You can only get into the beta by pre-ordering Demigod from stardock on their impulse platform.

Reply #9 from Demigod Forums Top

yeah what trig said and yeah. Thank u so much about keeping us informed. U have no clue how much it means to us. I am happy that u are adressing the connections top most and foremost because untill we have played multiple games with 2-10 people i dodnt think we will be able to give an accurate report on demigod at the momemt. i also agree with trig that i would love for some team tournaments because I hate playing most games 1v1.

Reply #10 from Demigod Forums Top

Don't get me wrong, guys, I definitely want to see team brackets too.  I just won't really have much chance in those ;P

Reply #11 from Demigod Forums Top

Thanks for the update, sounds great :)

Reply #12 from Demigod Forums Top

yeah, im for 1v1 as well :-D

Reply #13 from Demigod Forums Top

Good to know.  Will be nice to see if I'm as good as I think I am when the net code is improved.  :)

Reply #14 from Demigod Forums Top

Can we see the return of this map forgot the name of it. We need 1 more 2v2 sized map please.

Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top

Thanks for the update, Brad. Going to be interesting to see what kind of tournament system is cooked up for it!

Reply #16 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting TerroR878, reply 14
Can we see the return of this map forgot the name of it. We need 1 more 2v2 sized map please.

That is the Waterfall map :).  I'd like to see it back as well, if possible.

Reply #17 from Demigod Forums Top

if this will become a team-based tournament with pre-organized teams, ayone is interested in founding a team and training together? i would actually have to look for time, timezones you know... but it would be realy cool to get a team together. a teamspeak server i could offer if needed.

Reply #18 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Gnats3, reply 16

That is the Waterfall map .  I'd like to see it back as well, if possible.

Nope sorry gnats, the 2v2 map he is referring to is Mine.  Waterfalls was a 4v4 or 5v5.

Reply #19 from Demigod Forums Top

Well, on the picture it is the Waterfall map and many ppl consider that map as a 2vs2 on beta1, but I bet it is only a small part of the real Waterfall map.

 

Reply #20 from Demigod Forums Top

I thought Mine originally too, but the screenshot he linked to is on Waterfall.  Wasn't Waterfall 3v3? Mine would be nice too though, of course :D

Reply #22 from Demigod Forums Top

imo Waterfall is just a slightly smaller version of Leviathan/Zikurat without neutral portals (and yah, 3 v 3)

Mine is interesting because it is asymmetrical and unforgiving - bring that one back!

Reply #23 from Demigod Forums Top

Quoting Gnats3, reply 20
I thought Mine originally too, but the screenshot he linked to is on Waterfall.  Wasn't Waterfall 3v3? Mine would be nice too though, of course

Damn, just looked at your quote and didn't notice his link.

 

Quoting Ke5trel, reply 22

Mine is interesting because it is asymmetrical and unforgiving - bring that one back!

Clearly we know my thoughts on the matter.  Mine is in my opinion the best map so far for demigod.  My only complaint is that it is 2v2.  I like more demigods.  I would like to see more maps like this for 4v4 or 5v5.

Reply #24 from Demigod Forums Top

In terms of maps i think prison is kinda cool, even if it is very simple.

Woot Frogboy

Reply #25 from Demigod Forums Top

I also like prison alot