Early C&C 4 Beta Details

[Sonic 293]

This was the original e-mail sent by APOC to Koen. As I understand it all the CommandCom attendees were sent the same e-mail. Each attendee is allowed to invite 10 extra friends for early beta access. This is just keep you guys up to date to you know what's happening in regards to the beta.

 

Hey everyone,

 

The following e-mail is confidential. I'm proud to announce we'd like to welcome you to our private C&C 4 Beta. Read the following for access.

 

The day of reckoning is nearly here, and you're chance to get your hands back on Command & Conquer 4 is just about in sight. We have currently been in our friends and family stage of the C&C 4 beta, and have made quite a few improvements across the board since CommandCOM, not to mention adding in the Defense Class and Tier 2 which changes the game up completely. I don't want to bore you right now with a bunch of info and caveats, I'll do that in the official e-mail to you right before you get in.

 

That said, here's the deal:

 

- We will start sending out the first wave of Beta invites to you beginning this Thursday, Sept 24th.

 

- The e-mail address you are receiving this e-mail at, is the same exact one you will use to register for the Beta. Do not worry, when we officially launch the game next year, you'll be able to start a new account fresh. This is only for the Beta period.

 

- Each of you will receive an official CNC 4 Beta e-mail with instructions on how to register and install the Beta. With this registration, you will be able to login in to the game, and access our private Beta forums.

 

- Please understand, we are encouraging all Beta users to play 6PM – 7PM PST and same time CET daily since we have a very low amount of people activated in the Beta right now. This way, people can get in to games easier. Those times will expand as more people join!

 

And here is what I need from each of you:

 

- We are going to grant each of you the power to invite 10 of your friends to the Beta right now. You need to provide me a single list of up to 10 e-mail addresses. I only need the e-mail address the user intends to register their CNC 4 beta with.

 

- These can be people from the community or whomever you'd like, we strongly request you only invite true C&C RTS players as that is the feedback we need most critically right now. Please do not take this opportunity for granted, extend your invitations wisely please.

 

- Your friends represent YOU. Do not invite anyone that will not abide by our friendly rule below. This is a private Beta right now.

 

- Not everyone's friends will be activated at the same time. We will be activating in waves a couple times each week, but the quicker you provide me your list, the sooner I can assure them activation in to the Beta.

 

AND FINALLY – MOST IMPORTANT

 

- You are being granted access to our C&C 4 Beta at a very early stage, and we are still very private. All Beta discussions must only happen on our official private beta forums. You may not do any previews, image grabs, video, until our Beta is public, or with my express written approval. Anyone who fails to abide by this friendly request will be dismissed from the Beta. C&C 4 is still very pre-alpha, but we require

your feedback, expertise, and assistance in helping us make it an awesome game. Would really appreciate your respect of this rule as is the case with nearly any private Beta for a game. This rule will loosen

greatly in November, no worries.

 

SEND ME YOUR LIST OF 10 E-MAIL ADDRESSES! First come, first serve!

 

-APOC

[Gben 20]

- Please understand, we are encouraging all Beta users to play 6PM – 7PM PST and same time CET daily since we have a very low amount of people activated in the Beta right now. This way, people can get in to games easier. Those times will expand as more people join!

 

Hmm 6pm in Los Angeles is 11am in Sydney...

And 6pm in say Germany is 2am in Sydney...

 

Do those times look right?

 

I guess Sat is my only chance to play in their time zones.... if I get the program in time I guess.

 

[TheBlackOut 6]

You SHOULD play at those times.. not you have to

[Gben 20]

Captain Obvious to the rescue!

 

I was just thinking through the process to see if I could make their preffered timezones.

[Luk3us 63]

You can always play against me or Sonic at respectable hours gben.

[Sonic 293]

Hence the reason for this private forum. You can arrange games in here, post times your available to play.

 

I plan to give it a bash and a thrash only because I'm curious about the new gameplay style, learn how it all works an so on....

[Malevolence 6]

I'm still waiting for the mail.

 

Any updates yet?

[Sonic 293]

Nothing new to report.

[Koen 2]

When they say it's coming, it always takes a few days longer than you think

[Gben 20]

I just got my email from APOC, it says download will be available Monday.

 

Hey everyone,

 

If you are on this e-mail it means you have been invited to play in our private C&C 4 Beta Test. Congrats! Anyone that discloses any aspect of this e-mail in a public forum, fan-site, blog, or anywhere outside our official Beta Test forums, will be subject to deactivation from the Beta Test and will be on my personal Brotherhood of Nod Black List. We are taking a big hand of trust in providing each of you an invitation at this stage, well before we go public to the general mass, and that is because we want your feedback. Please do not disrespect this trust in breaking the friendly rule. If you were invited by a CommandCOM guest, you are representing their trust with us as well.

 

The Beta Test is private right now. You may not post images, videos, previews, anywhere outside our private Beta forums, much appreciated! Now let’s carry on!

 

YOU SHOULD ALL RECEIVE YOUR BETA TEST INVITE and DOWNLOAD instructions on MONDAY, unless you hear from me otherwise.

 

A lot has changed since CommandCom, and we’re anxiously awaiting your feedback! For starters, we’ve added the Defense class and upgraded to Tier 2 across the board. There are dozens of new units (and structures!) for you to play with. We’ve also made some fundamental changes to our goal nodes: now, the team with the highest CP value of units nearby will capture a node even if it isn’t cleared of all enemies. Bugs have been fixed, balance updated, and to sweeten the deal we’ve even thrown in two all-new maps (chosen randomly at game launch)

 

It’s definitely worth a second look, so download and play the Beta today! If you need a refresher, there’s a guide on our private forums you can access here once you have registered: http://forums.commandandconquer.com/jforum...list/20218.page .

 

As you play, you may encounter some known issues that we’re already working on fixing. We’ve listed some of the specifics below to caveat your experience. If you have opinions on these issues or anything else, make them known on our Private Beta Forums. We evaluate ALL feedback posted there - it’s the best way to communicate directly with the developers.

 

Specific Known Issues with Beta Rev 5

• Up to 4 rigs MUST be destroyed to decapture a goal node. This will be changing to a single, attackable shield that MAY be destroyed to speed up decapping. Nodes will always decap to the team with more units nearby.

• In a later rev, tech structures will be captured by proximity (like nodes) and not via engineers.

• NEW this rev: Units build 50% faster in spawn zones (and, build times have been decreased globally).

• Attackers are not auto-acquiring many structures - you may need to give the attack order manually.

• Some Tier 2 units have Tier 3 upgrades that are not available this rev (you may notice an inactive button).

• Tier 1 GDI Defense structures are missing the “Upgrade to Reinforced Armor” button.

• One of the Beta maps is missing it’s minimap art (enemy units etc. are still displayed over black).

• A preview of the GDI Defense Bunker is not displayed while it is being placed from your build queue. Click where you want it deployed and the actual bunker will appear.

• The art for the Crawler deploy animations and several other unit animations is temp.

• The Orca sensor pod and Flame Column missile are represented by pink blocks.

• Some unit responses and music cues are temp (borrowed from C&C 3 or RA3).

• The cursor for some targeted abilities (i.e. Jump Jets) is hard to see.

 

 

PS: As a sneak preview, we want you to know that future Beta revs will patch in things like player progression (XP), Tier 3, new maps, VoIP, custom match, and chat from the main menu. See you online!

 

-APOC

 

Apologies, quick clarification on two points:

 

- You will be able to download the C&C 4 Beta client beginning this Monday when you receive your official download invitation, unless you hear from me otherwise.

 

- You cannot access our private Beta forums until we have entitled your account to access that section. We will not be doing this until Monday.

 

So in other words, enjoy your weekend. Beginning Monday you should start receiving your download e-mails and be granted access to the private forum.

 

Thanks!

APOC

 

I assume Monday, means Tuesday in Australia.

 

[Luk3us 63]

Tuesday it is then.

[Malevolence 6]

I think I need a crash course on the units structures and abilities of some new stuff, and crash course on the new gameplay as well. Lol.

 

Yea I receive the notification from APOC as well. Enjoy your weekends!

[Luk3us 63]

It shouldn't be that bad, as everyone else won't know how to play either. So it will be a giant noob fest.

[Sonic 293]

It shouldn't be that bad, as everyone else won't know how to play either. So it will be a giant noob fest.

Well the CommandCom guys will

 

Anyway, I assume everyone received APOC's beta e-mail update? So everyone has their e-mail addresses sorted?

[Koen 2]

Doctor Destiny will have to check his other e-mail account, because my request to change it was a bit late. Anyway, the beta will be interesting... when I get back from Greece in 9 days.

[Malevolence 6]

How long will this private beta last and expire? a week?

[Luk3us 63]

I was thinking months would be nice. Till about November. When all the Xmas games start coming out. Its kinda bare in the gaming market atm.

[Gben 20]

I was guessing it will be a rolling beta, where we start, and then the "general public" (RA3 owners etc) get to join in.

[Koen 2]

I was guessing it will be a rolling beta, where we start, and then the "general public" (RA3 owners etc) get to join in.

Yup, that's my expectation too. But probably, the beta we will play is still a lot rougher than the one they'll put out for the public. They'll update our game a few times, probably.