Alpha-2

Alpha-2 is the Persistent alpha. This release is expected to include the following:

• Tulnar race.
• Ships.
• Artisan classes will be fully implemented.
• Religions.
• Secondary classes.
• Emblem, logo and symbol editor (tentatively).
• Family summon mechanic.

UI, tutorial systems, and much of the questing will remain placeholder for Alpha One, and won't really come online until Alpha Two. – Steven Sharif

"Persistent" means that the Alpha-2 servers will be kept up all day and night until launch.

• There may still be character wipes.
• There may still be testing wipes.
• Alpha-2 servers will become the public test servers (PTS) post-launch.
  • Used to test patches and updates.
• Beta-1 and Beta-2 will probably not be persistent.

The ultimate goal for A2 is to be persistent and the PTS, but before we get that far there's gonna be some wipes I would expect. – Steven Sharif

Alpha-2 availability

Phase	Release	Estimated/Actual date
Alpha-2	Alpha-2 (persistent alpha).	To be announced.

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Alpha testing system requirements

Alpha-1 stress testing, March 17, 2021.

Funny story; So yesterday as we are stress/density testing with our NDA testers, I accidentally summoned 5k bears around our few hundred players. But hey, it didn’t crash! Can you spot Lt. Toast here? – Steven Sharif

These are fully operational NPCs. They have behavior trees, they have AI blackboards; you know they are functioning as an NPC would; and to my surprise, to everyone's surprise actually, the server handled it quite well: 5000 entities all within a very dense area. – Steven Sharif

Ashes of Creation alpha testing minimum system specification.

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i3-2125 3.3GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 3.3GHz
• Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon 6870 HD with 1GB and DirectX 12
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 35 GB of available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card

Recommended specification.

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz / AMD FX-9590 4.7GHz
• Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon R9 Fury with 4GB and DirectX 12
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 35 GB of available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card

Tulnar race

The Tulnar race will be in place before Alpha-2. Concepts and early works are expected at that time.

Naval schedule

Ship assets will likely be released leading in to Alpha-2.

Artisan classes timeline

Artisan classes (Gathering, Processing, Crafting) will come online fully in Alpha-2 and the Betas.

In Alpha One the core basics of what crafting represents as a gameplay loop that is represented. So that means that there are gatherables out there. You will have to have tools in order to service those gatherables. There will be processing that's necessary; and then there's crafting stations that are available and can be constructed by the players. This is in Alpha One. You have to collect the recipes, you have to collect the materials, and you have to refine the materials; and then you have to create the reagents and then use those to kind of create the final crafting component of that you're trying to create. So that in and of itself is present, but it is a very very small piece of really what will be the larger crafting puzzle for Alpha 2 and betas. – Steven Sharif

• Approximately 10 percent of the artisan system will be online in Alpha-1. The core basics of the artisan gameplay loop will be facilitated via the merchant (NPC) system.
  • Gatherables and gathering tools.
  • Some processing/refining of materials.
  • Recipes will be able to be collected.
  • Crafting stations will be available and can be constructed by players.

Crafting honestly will not come online in any sense of its true form until Alpha-2. Alpha-1 has essentially what are intended to be the core gameplay loop of crafting, meaning the collection of materials, the translation of those materials into processed goods, and the use of those processed goods into item acquisition. That's the core gameplay loop that is currently present in Alpha-1. But those are mostly facilitated kind of piggy backing the merchant systems right now and not actually using the real crafting system; and that's because crafting hasn't been completed in a form that can be implemented in Alpha-1, but will be for Alpha-2. What's present in Alpha-1 doesn't even really scratch the surface for crafting. – Steven Sharif

Emblem, logo and symbol editor

Guild banner concept art.

Import of user-created image content (UCC) is being considered. This was previously not under consideration.

• An active GM staff will be monitoring user-created content. Users who upload inappropriate content will place their accounts in jeopardy.

I know previously we had spoken about not allowing custom user images in the game, however I think we're leaning more now in the direction of allowing for custom user images. Absolutely well what it will be is the fact that we're a subscription game and if you want to jeopardize your account by doing the wrong thing with regards to custom users [images] then by all means you may do so and we'll have stringent practices in place to prevent that from actually being an issue. – Steven Sharif

With regards to this UCC question, I think when you have an active an active GM team that you know you are you have directed to care take the product you're going to mitigate a lot of that functionality you don't want to see out of this custom image system. People who look to let's say meme the system are going to be met with the type of enforcement that they don't want to have on their account; and being a subscription-based product and being a risk versus reward and maybe a more old-school approach to character development and progression I think they're gonna take a significant risk in doing things that we don't want them to do, which will result in the jeopardy of their account. So I think that is not going to deter a hundred percent of things- I don't think you ever can deter a hundred percent of things unless we go away from custom images- but I think that we can achieve some parity of essentially enforcement versus infraction ratio that's going to be liveable for everybody. – Steven Sharif

The user interface will allow emblems, logos and symbols to be designed in-game.

• Guild emblems.
  • Flags.
  • Guild halls.
  • Mount barding.
• Sails.
• Shields.
• Cloaks.
• Armor attachments.

Emblem editor functionality is tentatively planned for Alpha-2.

Alpha-2 NDA

Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta-1, Beta-2 releases are not covered by NDA (non-disclosure agreement).

• Alpha-1 testing prior to the full release of Alpha-1 is covered by NDA.
  • NDA review and acceptance is done via the game client.
  • The text and voice NDA was lifted from the PI QA testing phase on May 28, 2020.
  • The NDA will be lifted for the July 2021 Alpha-1 preview weekend test.

Our plan at the moment is for you to review and accept the NDA as part of the game client itself. Keep an eye out for emails in your inbox on how to test as we get closer! – Sarah Flanagan

Early access

Alpha and beta key concept art.

Ashes of Creation early access packages:

• Alpha-0 was the invite-only "raffle" friends and family alpha test phase.
• Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta-1, and Beta-2 were available for purchase during the Kickstarter and Summer crowdfunding campaigns.
• Alpha-1 was available in the Intrepid pre-order pack from the cosmetic store.
• Alpha-2 and Beta-2 were available during PAX West 2017.
• Alpha-2, Beta-1, and Beta-2 are currently available in Pre-order packs on the cosmetic store.

Pre-order packs

Brine and Bounties pre-order packs.

The magic that flows within the land has seeped through and permeated both the sunny shallows and darkest depths of the sea. For ages, an entire ecosystem of danger and opportunity has lain untapped beneath the waves. The power of the ocean lies ready to be taken by those who can successfully master its potential.

Pre-order packs are available from the Cosmetic store.

• Wayfarer pre-order pack (History).
• Expeditionary pre-order pack (History).
• Voyager pre-order pack (History).
• Voyager plus pre-order pack (History).
• Adventurer pre-order pack (History).

We offer cosmetics for players who wish to support the project early. The exclusive nature of the limited availability is something I think collectors value. If you buy cosmetics as an MMO player, I know I enjoyed if the cosmetic is rare and not every girl at the party is wearing the same dress. In addition, these cosmetics are used to populate the world through NPC variants and color/texture changes so their offering aligns with our production schedule. The good thing about these packs is they contain no P2W advantages and there is no box cost, so from a mechanics standpoint you do not need to buy them to excel in the game on launch. And also, there are comparable and subjectively more grand cosmetics achievable in game as well. – Steven Sharif

Participation

• Alpha-0 had over 2,500 participants.

• Alpha-1 and Alpha-2 are expected to have 10,000 participants.

• Beta-1 and Beta-2 are expected to have 27,000 participants.

Alpha and Beta participation is expected to grow with the sale of pre-order packs.

Server wipes

Alpha and Beta servers will be wiped prior to launch.

• Alpha-1 testing phases will include full wipes.
• Servers may also be wiped between individual tests, unless the developers require progression to be saved for certain spot tests.

As a general rule, if the testing phase contains the word Alpha, it is safe to assume there will likely be wipes. – Steven Sharif

Milestones

• First team members were hired in December 2015.
• Ashes of Creation development began in February 2016.
• Official website was launched and project announced, December 10, 2016.
• Official discord was launched, January 18, 2017.
• Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign launched with $750,000 funding goal, May 2, 2017.
• Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign completed with 19,576 backers raising $3,271,809, June 3, 2017.
• Summer crowdfunding campaign launched, June 21, 2017.
• Summer crowdfunding campaign completed with 2,485 backers, July 22, 2017.
• PAX West 2017, September 1-4, 2017.
• Raised $16,500 for Extra Life children's hospitals, November 4, 2017.
• Alpha-0 released on schedule, December 15, 2017.
• Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018, March 19-23, 2018.
• PAX East 2018, April 5-8, 2018.
• Last day for purchases of Alpha-1 through Intrepid pre-order packs, August 15, 2018.
• At Gamescom with My.com, August 20, 2018.
• 100 developers working on Ashes of Creation, August 27, 2018.
• PAX West 2018 panel, September 1, 2018.
• Ashes of Creation Apocalypse battle royale (previously called Alpha-1 phase 1 battlegrounds), October 19, 2018.
• Raised $20,518 for Rady Children's hospital with Extra Life, November 4, 2018.
• 60 developers working on Ashes of Creation at San Diego offices (following disengagement with Malaysian art team), April 15, 2019.
• Raised $20,901 for Rady Children's hospital with Extra Life, November 3, 2019.
• Announced a mutual parting of ways with publisher My.games, August 21, 2020.
• Almost 3,000,000 registered accounts for Ashes of Creation, October 17, 2020.
• ~87 developers working on Ashes of Creation, October 17, 2020.
• Raised $88,546 for Rady Children's hospital with Extra Life, November 8, 2020.
• Official ashesofcreation.com website redesign, February 26, 2021.

Accomplishments

• Kickstarter's most funded MMORPG.
• Kickstarter's #7 most funded video game.
• Most anticipated MMO – MMORPG.com's Best of 2017 Awards.
• Most anticipated early access hands-on MMORPG – MMOs World.
• Gamescom 2018: Best Independent game.
• Gamescom 2018: Best Online game.
• Best indie MMO of 2020 – massivelyop.com reader's poll.
• Most anticipated MMO of 2021 and beyond – massivelyop.com reader's poll.
• Forbes: Top 10 Best Upcoming New MMORPGs For 2021 And Beyond.

See also

• Development
• Release schedule
• Alpha-1