New Pirates of the Burning Sea Beta Build

Well it’s begun! Pirates of the Burning Sea is setting sail into the next phase of beta testing. Today Flight Lab Software announced that along with this new beta build they have sent out the first large wave of invites. Once again I find myself without a beta invite and I am left to write my feelings on the sad truth. But hey, all is not lost because they will be evaluating this phase and hopefully sending out more soon. Here is what Rusty of FLS had to say:

The current build has been blessed, and Misha has just sent out a thousand new beta invites. We’ll watch for a little while to see how the new system absorbs these users, and then send out another round.

Expected questions:

1) Is everyone with a beta key now in the build? No, the list was created several weeks ago, and people who got their keys after that weren’t front loaded. Also, if beta key holders had a system that wouldn’t run the game, but updated their PC and submitted a new DXdiag just recently, they also weren’t front loaded.

2) We will continue updating the beta, but there aren’t as many moving pieces coming in at the same time, so it shouldn’t affect new invites.

What makes this so much more difficult is that during E3 we were given a few fantastic videos of what we can look forward to at release. If you haven’t already seen these videos then I highly recommend you head over to Gametrailers and watch them in HD. The first thing that really had me excited was that you don’t need the biggest bestest ship to compete. You can in fact use a smaller and more maneuverable ship to exploit the weaknesses in those juggernaut 101 gun battleships. Bigger ships will have a much harder time negotiating winds and that will leave them open to attacks on their weaker sides (specifically the back). Also, the character customization is awesome! They are trying to parallel the enormous customization options that City of Heroes has thus allowing you to be any type of captain you want to be. From peg legs to wigs this is looking to be a fantastic plus for PotBS.

So there you have it.. the torture of not being accepted into this beta phase and being left to drool over videos. *crosses fingers* There’s always next wave.

  • I can’t figure out why some people get beta invites and others do not. What is the criteria? Is there a criteria?

    I think I received a SWG invite because my PC was so old the Devs wanted to see if the game would even run on such an outdated machine. I received a LOTRO invite after winning a poetry contest. I must have been the only person that responded because I am not a poet. I think I received a Vanguard beta invite because I reported so many bugs while testing SWG.

    Do the Devs maintain a data base of folks who truly beta test and those that just play for free? Do they share their findings with one another? I’m not sure.

    I honestly believe that beta testing is purely random. You just have to be lucky. Maybe set up a pirate shrine of some type, braid your mustache, talk in pirate lingo and go work at Long John Silvers. It may get you that invite.

  • No invite for me yet either, Keen. I’ve got my key though. So just waiting for the e-mail and my salvation. 😛

    I’ll se you on the high seas.

  • I can’t wait for this game to come out. One of my favorite games as a kid was Sid Meiers’ Pirates. I hope that this game recreates those magical moments. Only this time in a persistent MMO world!!