Podcast recorded… waiting for NDA drop!

August 15, 2008 – 8:17 am

Keen, Syp, and I recorded our latest episode of ChaosCast last night and due to its proximity to open beta and the NDA drop, we decided to speak as if the NDA were down. It was quite liberating! Now we just need the NDA to actually come down… otherwise, its release will be delayed even longer!

We have a special beta impressions podcast in mind where we’ll go into a lot more detail about our beta experiences but that won’t be out for a couple weeks due to schedule conflicts.

In sort of related news, James stopped by WHA early this morning to clarify a few things…

“Today is not the start of Open Beta nor Preview Weekend. You will have advanced notice to these dates and as of yet we have not announced them. The only thing occurring today is that later on we will be activating all Pre-Order (CE & SE) Open Beta and Head Start codes (hold onto all of your codes though!) This is the first step in preparations towards hosting a live environment and the pre-launch events ahead.”

The preorder page says people can start downloading the open beta client after today, not ON August 15. That’s kind of a bummer, because the way things are going, I don’t think the NDA will drop until they open the beta. Even though they have 60,000+ new pre-order testers (or will soon enough), I think they’ll still want everyone to keep their mouth shut until they can work out the kinks in the system.

I’ve been trying really hard to find a particular quote by Mark Jacobs but I haven’t had any luck yet. I think he said something along the lines of If a company has any confidence in their product, they’ll drop the NDA weeks before their open beta. I can’t remember if he said that or If a company has any confidence in their product, they’ll drop the NDA weeks before launch. If it’s the former, maybe I can’t find it because he edited it out and if it’s the latter, I guess their still on track.

PS. I have a brutal cold atm… I think this is what Encephalitis feels like… Everything on the inside feels too big for the outside.

Update: Found that post!

Mark Jacobs talks about the NDA lift :

“As to NDAs, the rule I’ve always gone by is my “time before release rule” in order to judge the confidence the publishers have in their new game (doesn’t apply to ports or games that are already out in other places). I add a +1 for every week prior to release that the game’s NDA has been lifted and come up with a score. If <4, there’s a lack of confidence in the product, if you are >8, they really believe in the game. WoW had a great score (the highest I believe) and some of the MMOs that failed, had, as expected, low scores. A score of 4 is just about the minimum you should expect from a MMO publisher.”

Related Posts (auto-generated)

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Post tags: beta, Warhammer Online

15 Responses to “Podcast recorded… waiting for NDA drop!”
He said something to the effect that the longer before launch means the developer has more confidence in the product. He then went on about how 8 weeks is good and less than 4 is bad in some scoring system he thought up on the spot.

I am sure the quote is out there to dig up.

By Centuri on Aug 15, 2008
Hmm I dunno if that isn’t a mistake to sit on it until NDA drops, for all we know it could be weeks until then. And besides, there will be so much new information out when it drops that I will have trouble fitting in time to listen to it

By Regis on Aug 15, 2008
I found the post for you.. and thats the last help this “Stuntie” gives to a greenie!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grag Bashfullson View Post
It sounds like they’re waiting for Guild Beta feedback. If the guilds find something terribly broken, the NDA stays. If the guilds are happy, the NDA drops.

So you figure 2-3 weeks minimum before the guilds give solid feedback and Mythic can decide.

8888 MBJ QUOTE STARTS HERE 8888

Well said, extremely well said as a matter of fact.

Mark

Everyone should also please keep in mind what I’ve been saying for years, look at when a developer lifts the NDA before launch to see how much faith they have in the game’s success. If we don’t lift ours before well before launch, hell, I wouldn’t buy our game either or at least I’d wait till the reviews came out. This policy has never failed me.”

By Gompers on Aug 15, 2008
http://www.warhammeralliance.com/forums/showthread.php?p=970829#post970829

7-12-08

forgot that part ><

By Gompers on Aug 15, 2008
Just downloading the beta client as I type this which was unexpected but hey it’s good to get involved at last - 8gb down…1gb left?

Loving the podcasts btw.

By DM Osbon on Aug 15, 2008
I can’t wait for the Podcast!

I hope you will get well soon.

By Zizlak on Aug 15, 2008
Yeah, I thought he got very specific with dats too. The 4-8 weeks thing rings a bell but I can’t find that exact quote. Ahh well, I’ll keep checking. If he feels that a company should lift the NDA at least 4 weeks before launch, that means he must have a personal deadline of August 21, 2008 for the NDA lift.

If the NDA isn’t up before then, he won’t have lived up to his own expectations.

By Snafzg on Aug 15, 2008
At least we got a podcast out of him before he dies of the plague. That’s all we can ask, really.

By Syp on Aug 15, 2008
Little did you know that Skype has a feature that allows sick people to transfer communicable diseases!

By Snafzg on Aug 15, 2008
Damn that’s not fair - Syp got a preview for being a host in the podcast pre-NDA drop. Lucky bum. Should have invited yours truly as a guest host! Hell, I would have just listened and gave the occasional “Mmmhmmm”.

Heh.

By Blackwings on Aug 15, 2008
With the recent news of OB files being available on Monday the 18th, I have a feeling more great news will follow up. One of which will probably be the uplift of NDA. My estimated target for this is either next Monday or Tuesday.

By Akle on Aug 15, 2008
Can’t wait for the ChaosCast, guys. It’s been missed.

Truly, I would hope that the NDA drops pretty soon, as community sites and blogs are filled to the brim and practically exploding to say something.

By BC on Aug 15, 2008
Updated with the quote I was referring to:

* Mark Jacobs talks about the NDA lift :

“As to NDAs, the rule I’ve always gone by is my “time before release rule” in order to judge the confidence the publishers have in their new game (doesn’t apply to ports or games that are already out in other places). I add a +1 for every week prior to release that the game’s NDA has been lifted and come up with a score. If <4, there's a lack of confidence in the product, if you are >8, they really believe in the game. WoW had a great score (the highest I believe) and some of the MMOs that failed, had, as expected, low scores. A score of 4 is just about the minimum you should expect from a MMO publisher.”

By Snafzg on Aug 15, 2008
Waiting for Chaos Cast to come.

However I am little concerned about why NDA still is not lifted. There is something that worries me about this. I really want to lift it this Monday.

By Hirokana on Aug 16, 2008
Check out the latest Legendary Thread Podcast (8/15/2008)link: http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3156457

The 1UP folks go into alot of info and details that havent been mentioned before. Lots of good insider info for those craving more.

By AC on Aug 16, 2008