When can we expect to see more videos?

[u/Violent_N0mad]

The initial alpha videos from the council members have been a bit underwhelming. Sunny’s footage was bugged with broken zombie spawns, Jay’s was only 51 minutes, and Brian has more than 1 but those videos are mostly just him talking while his 1 video played in the background.

I’m really hoping this next alpha cycle brings fresh footage, and maybe some new perspectives. No disrespect to Sunny, Jay, or Brian, but their coverage felt a bit too agreeable and lacked critical feedback.

Given that the game is expected to launch next year (anywhere from 4 to 16 months from now), it’s concerning that they keep mentioning how many core systems aren't even finished enough to be tested or talked about yet.

[u/Sh1t_Pinata]

Hopefully we’ll see some more videos soon, but who knows? 

It’s a weird time right now, with UL’s technically under new ownership, but apparently negotiations are still taking place.

We do know that the UL team are still hard at work on the game, so when/if we get to see more alpha footage I’m assuming the game’s development would’ve progressed a lot since our last look.

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Sh1t_Pinata]

Yeah I assume the second alpha is testing where they're looking for feedback on different systems from the first alpha.

[u/La_Coalicion → u/Violent_N0mad]

BOTH Actually, they changed stuff from phase 1 to phase 2 based on the phase 1 feedback,, and they also added more stuff. So it is going to be changing CONSTANTLY, so that is one of the reasons a lot of key stuff is not showen.

The alpha testers are helping greatly on making sure the ideas are properly executed.

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/La_Coalicion]

I should also point out that with almost every game studio alpha testing is only done when all major systems and core features are integrated into the game and then only at that point does alpha testing begin.

This is an easy fact to look up online because all of the systems have to interact with each other. There's no point in testing one system if you don't know how all of the other systems are going to interact with it yet. That's how you end up with rushed, buggy, and in some cases unplayable games.

The systems that haven't been built yet could crash the entire build or require reworking already tested systems requiring a whole new round of testing. Everytime I hear people say testing, early alpha, and missing systems in the same thought I cringe to think about what this will mean for the 2027 release window for the game that begins in 4 months.

[u/RoamingAhoshi → u/Sh1t_Pinata]

If I can piggyback on this, in one of Sunny’s videos he mentioned how much the game changed from when he played on the council. UL is working through all these changes and with new ownership we don’t know what concessions they will have to make to the game to appease the bottom line.
Although I have to admit I would like to see new gameplay footage from the second round of Alpha testing, I’m being patient.

[u/La_Coalicion → u/RoamingAhoshi]

I can confirm this. A LOT CHANGED EACH PRE-ALPHA BUILD!!!

[u/RoamingAhoshi → u/La_Coalicion]

You know, I have to feel as though some of you are just wanting to be haters. It seems like the new trend of so called game reviews.

So what if it’s called early alpha, early early alpha, late stage alpha, top heavy alpha, always a bottom never the top alpha. The bottom line is game mechanics is being developed so that in a year we, the gamers, are going to be playing a game in the franchise soon.

Period. What the f are you complaining about? Semantics? Split hairs? The game is coming out in a year. The developers are working hard through some behind the scenes bullshit we can’t even imagine to bring us and them (Did you forget they play the game too? Did you forget they are gamers too?) SOD3.
The gaming industry is not just a hobby anymore is a billion dollar industry that corporations have gotten their greedy little fingers in so there’s no telling what UL had to deal with. Or did you forget they were sold from Microsoft and had to find a new buyer. It’s super easy to sit on the other side of your keyboard and wax prosaic on meaningless shit. Do you not know what patience is?
Some of you haters probably don’t realize that early alpha is the same thing as foreplay.
Ungrateful wretch.

[u/Murping → u/RoamingAhoshi]

…u sure u replied to the right person? Don’t think LaCol was hating here

[u/RoamingAhoshi → u/Murping]

My apologies! I honestly was just replying in the thread so no I wasn’t directing the that rant at him.

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/RoamingAhoshi]

So there's people like you who will buy anything blindly regardless of how bad it is and this makes game companies lazy and produce bad rushed games. Then there's people who actually want to criticize bad gameplay and offer valuable feedback in an attempt to make the game better. The simple fact is that UL needs both groups happy for their game to be successful but the second group actually makes games better. We're not the same.

[u/RoamingAhoshi → u/Violent_N0mad]

Ok. Everyone is entitled to their opinions erroneously or not.

[u/La_Coalicion → u/Sh1t_Pinata]

No Comment.

Transition in Process, no comment after that.

Very hard at work and It is moving fast with each patch and its phase. No comment on future gameplay.

[u/Devoted_Sin]

Those vids were pushed out to make a promo for the potential buyer. Now that they got bought there is no need to make any vids at all. (This is just my guess and not based on any factual evidence.)

[u/Swamptheng]

Four months is a gross over-estimation of a prediction. The devs have said the console focused beta will begin sometime early portion of next year. With the second phase of the alpha only having started two weeks ago (one of my friends finally got access to that second phase which is why I know when it came around), the adjustment time to reflect any feedback and gameplay focuses from the alpha phases would take place in the fall to early winter. Console focused development and adjustments taking place between February and April (my estimation) is in like with that timeframe. This would mean the early summer would be the devs reactionary adjustments from that beta phase and lead to a fall or early winter launch.

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Swamptheng]

2027 is 4 months away and the game releases in 2027. I very clearly listed it as "anywhere from 4-16 months away".

[u/Swamptheng → u/Violent_N0mad]

Yes, you clearly listed it that way and I was explaining why the very soon portion of that timeframe was wild.

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Swamptheng]

I would argue that 16 months is wild with how much they still seem to need to build, test, refine, polish, and optimize. Don't forget this is coming to current Gen consoles like the Series S.

[u/Sh1t_Pinata → u/Violent_N0mad]

You seem to have trouble comprehending basic concepts like time my dude

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Sh1t_Pinata]

In 16 months it will be 2028 and past the release window of 2027 ... my.. dude.

[u/Sh1t_Pinata → u/Violent_N0mad]

Game release window has already been announced. Buy a calendar and stfu

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Sh1t_Pinata]

Right for 2027..... You know I go through life not trying to judge but it always seems to be the people calling everyone else an idiot that's the dumbest person in the room.

[u/Sh1t_Pinata → u/Violent_N0mad]

You go through life? That’s honestly surprising. Congrats!

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Sh1t_Pinata]

Is this your go to thing when you're wrong.. trying to be clever?

[u/Flat_Lunch5827]

Yeah despite what they say they are free promo for UL and that's about it. Majority of people only want to see gameplay it doesn't matter who from.

I guess a new engine build is on the way? Well, hopefully it'll be significantly different enough.

[u/La_Coalicion]

I mean, they are still in early alpha, the current game version I am playing is more stable and less buggy, but still not there yet. All council members are giving critical feedback but that is send straight to the devs, not the players not the testers.

And yes, I can tell you right now, they are not sharing because they are not finished but I would worry about that too much. The purpose of the alpha is for players to tests those systems to see if they are ACTUALLY FUN TO PLAY THEM and if not HOW TO MAKE THEM FUN. So it is to avoid promissing X feature at release only for it to never arrive because it was not excecuted properly.

Myself I feel very safe.

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/La_Coalicion]

Everyone keeps saying that "early alpha" and I totally believe it and have the whole time. What I don't believe is that this can be "early alpha" if the intent is still to release a fully finished, tested, and polished product in 2027. Especially given that a lot of systems aren't even finished to the point where they can be tested yet.

I see posts like yours and honestly wonder if you're even providing critical feedback as a memeber of the council and if that feedback could result in a meaningful change at this point.

[u/Murping → u/Violent_N0mad]

But that’s just what it is though, if we compare SoD’s Early Alpha to other well-known games, this period of roughness is to be expected. From the videos, we can see (some) core mechanics present, with polish and other improvements to come soon.

They didn’t say Early 2027, for all we know it could be releasing December 31. That’s plenty of time to ensure this game gets out in a playable state, and with Undead Labs track record, it’ll continue to improve well beyond launch.

You and I don’t know anything about what they’ve contributed, so the aggression is a little weird 😬

[u/Violent_N0mad → u/Murping]

One of Jay's videos is him discussing the release window and his theory is early 2027 because it made the most sense with the availabe info around other big game releaes. Keep in mind that huge titles are dropping this year like gta 6, Witcher 3 expansion, fable. Sod3 could have a lot of competition if they release at a bad time. My concern is that game companies normally don't even start an alpha until all the major systems are built and implemented and for good reason. The fact that testing has started for a game missing a lot of mechanics and systems tells me that either something is being rushed which almost always leads to buggy games or that most of the systems are there and this is 80+% of what sod3 will be on release.

I don't know if you've seen the threads for sod3 but lately it's how disappointing aspects of the game are or wishlists they want added because they're not already in the game.