When will TOR beta testing start?

[Char Ell]

So now that we got the official announcement for Star Wars: The Old Republic one of the next big questions is: When will TOR go into beta?

 

Since as far as I know we have nothing official on a TOR beta time frame make your best guess, consult your magic eight ball, read the tea leaves at the bottom of your cup, use the Force to sense the future, or whatever prognosticating method you have available and vote!

[Jeff]

Well they are not even in alpha yet so I would guess not until mid 2009 or later. I am kind of basing this off of World of Warcraft's expansion alpha/beta timeline, except this is an entire game not just an expansion. The beta for that started accepting opt-ins in the summer and started later summer I think, so pretty close to it's release in November. I am not expecting to see this game till 2010.

 

edit: After thinking it over more I ended up voting Q4 2009, I think the beginning of that quarter sounds reasonable if the game will be released in early 2010 (speculation on my part).

[Sabretooth]

We don't have any release schedule before us, so we can't really make a good guess right now. Still, I voted for Q2 2009, since the game has seemingly been in development for at least a year. I'd expect it to release next Christmas, so a Q2/Q3 beta seems reasonable.

[Hallucination]

I can't see the beta being to far off since they've been working on the game for a year and a bit (correct me if I'm wrong here plox) and they're using middleware, which will cut down the development time significantly, so I think they'll open the beta in early-mid 2009.

[Swanea]

I can't see the beta being to far off since they've been working on the game for a year and a bit (correct me if I'm wrong here plox) and they're using middleware, which will cut down the development time significantly, so I think they'll open the beta in early-mid 2009.

 

Been more than two years.

[Tommycat]

Well I'm not completely certain, but I figure we're already entering alpha. I would expect Beta to start pretty soon. It really depends on when they want to release it. Announcement now makes it seem like less than a year away from completion. At least in my estimation. Though I think they may hold off until q4 09 to release. X-mas rush. Then again, who knows. Maybe they might be complete by summer 09(doubtful, but possible). I expect beta in q1 09, that leaves 5 months worth of time between now and beginning of q2. I'm sure they want to get it out and earning as soon as feasible(though I hope it isn't as rushed as SWG was)

[DarthParametric]

I'm pretty sure LA will be pushing for an Xmas 2009 retail release. That would put the open beta in the Q3 2009 window. There have already been closed betas, so my guess is it's actually further along than "pre-alpha".

[True_Avery]

I could see an early beta showing up mid to late summer 2009. As for release, it would probably be smart of them to try for a Q4 release for the holidays.

 

Although, we may not see a release till 2010 depending on development time.

[CrisG]

Yes, they are using a pre build engine, so i expect Jan 09

[adamqd]

If they were making it for PS3 it'd be Q4 2010, but seeing as it's PC up to now I'm guessing xmas 09 release, so summer beta

[Miltiades]

I voted Q4 2009. The game's still in alpha, a lot needs to be reworked, as BioWare themselves admitted, even on the Concept Art stage. I'm guessing that for most content to be in the game, all the stories to be written, setting up stable servers, organizing all the finer points of gameplay and such, the beta will get ready in Q4 2009. Could also have voted Q3, but it'll be one of those two, I think.

[LordOfTheFish]

I voted Q3, next summer I hope!

[Web Rider]

TOR, imo, will either never make it to a beta, or beta testing won't happen. LA has REALLY shown concern for what fans think, so, letting fans play the game before it comes out is totally out of character.

[Tommycat]

TOR, imo, will either never make it to a beta, or beta testing won't happen. LA has REALLY shown concern for what fans think, so, letting fans play the game before it comes out is totally out of character.

Oh they'll let them play. Whether they will change anything is another argument altogether. They didn't hold back the NGE when fans were begging them not to release it as is. But they did get to test it. SWG was in open beta(though technically the thing never left beta haha) before it released. People tried it before it released, but they all said it wasn't ready. Lucas still released it. So while your main point of them not really listening to the fans may be true, your conclusion that they won't beta is not.

[Jeff]

Pretty sure I remember them saying there will be an open beta eventually in either the first interview or at the press conference.

[LordOfTheFish]

TOR, imo, will either never make it to a beta, or beta testing won't happen. LA has REALLY shown concern for what fans think, so, letting fans play the game before it comes out is totally out of character.

 

Yeah, then it will just turn out like TFU, and have everyone hating it before it even comes out.

[Taos]

After asking my magic 8 ball, I am going to go with Q3 2009 for beta with a hopeful release date sometime during the holidays. That said, I don't expect Bioware to "rush" it out, the game will be released when Bioware says it's ready.

[Web Rider]

Yeah, then it will just turn out like TFU, and have everyone hating it before it even comes out.

 

and this would be surprising somehow?

[DarthParametric]

I don't expect Bioware to "rush" it out, the game will be released when Bioware says it's ready.

That might be the case if it was just Bioware making it by themselves, but LA is obviously taking a much more active role in this than they did with KOTOR (or even SWG). I think Bioware might have less control than we might like. Plus there is the fact that the studio developing it is really only Bioware-lite at best - most of the staff are ring-ins that were hired from outside the company specifically to develop an MMO. I think that is petty clear from the pics so far. It may have their name on it, but this ain't the same crowd that made K1.

[Miltiades]

That might be the case if it was just Bioware making it by themselves, but LA is obviously taking a much more active role in this than they did with KOTOR (or even SWG). I think Bioware might have less control than we might like. Plus there is the fact that the studio developing it is really only Bioware-lite at best - most of the staff are ring-ins that were hired from outside the company specifically to develop an MMO. I think that is petty clear from the pics so far. It may have their name on it, but this ain't the same crowd that made K1.

You forgot two letters: EA.

[DarthParametric]

I didn't forget - it has played on my mind ever since the buyout was announced and colours everything Bioware has said or done since. However, there doesn't appear to be any mention of them in anything I've seen regarding TOR. I assume because the deal with LA was made before the buyout, EA's role is minimal. LA will publish it themselves surely.

[Char Ell]

I do recall EA's CEO stating at some investor conference that EA is providing funding for the MMORPG in Austin. I don't think LucasArts is going to be hosting the servers so I'm pretty sure EA is going to be at least a co-publisher for TOR.

[Miltiades]

I didn't forget - it has played on my mind ever since the buyout was announced and colours everything Bioware has said or done since. However, there doesn't appear to be any mention of them in anything I've seen regarding TOR. I assume because the deal with LA was made before the buyout, EA's role is minimal. LA will publish it themselves surely.

I think BioWare mentioned EA somewhere when talking about the release date. I do think that EA has a hand in the project, but what role I don't know. But if EA is indeed investing in the MMO and would host the servers, then they have some grip on the game.