Wasteland 2 Beta is Available

G

Grief.exe

Member
People who contributed $55 or more get first crack.

It’s hard to believe we're finally at a place where we're ready to put a playable version of Wasteland 2 into your hands, but today's the day. What a road it has been to get here.

It has been an enlightening experience learning what is entailed with this new transparent development process. I admit it isn’t easy to release code before it’s complete, as I have hundreds of issues on my list still to be addressed, but it’s time for the next phase. All backers eligible for the beta from your original pledge (that is, any tier of $55 or more except the $60 late backer box) or an add-on can now log in to your Ranger Center account and retrieve your Steam key for the Wasteland 2 beta. You’ll find it at the bottom of your Donations page. I should also note that we've had quite a few requests to offer the game on Steam Early Access, which we will do after our backers have had first crack at it.
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http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/wasteland-2/posts
 
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iirc, I contributed $60. Can't wait to check this out.
 
a link to this article would be much appreciated.

*facepalm*
 
So it's $55 or more original pledge, and add-on; or $55 pledges, as well as those who added as an add-on? In total I contributed $50, but I'm not seeing a code (went with an add-on).
 
Not a $55 backer but I am not interested in the beta either way. Directly inject the full game into me upon release.
 
INDIGO_CYCLOPS said:
So it's $55 or more original pledge, and add-on; or $55 pledges, as well as those who added as an add-on? In total I contributed $50, but I'm not seeing a code (went with an add-on).
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55$ for all digital folks under the "total digital package" tier, and $75 for physical copy brethren under the "Beta" tier.
 
Hubb said:
Not a $55 backer but I am not interested in the beta either way. Directly inject the full game into me upon release.
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Derrick01 said:
Will not play this until it's done but I will read some impressions of it if they're not too spoilery.
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Sounds like its not a bad idea to wait for the full release

Because this beta doesn’t include all the Arizona maps, this portion of the game will feel a bit more linear than the full experience will, particularly with the first maps being narrower locations rather than proper hubs. The final game will have a more open feel where you can poke around and check the defenses of higher level areas and perhaps snatch an item or two. So fear not, as there will be more strange areas to discover in the final, and we will be dropping more in throughout this beta phase. In addition, we’ll be adding more quests to each map as well.
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INDIGO_CYCLOPS said:
Ah, so add-on wasn't for "earliest possible playable beta" ?
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Don't think so. I remember PE having an addon for Beta I think, but for WL2 you had to be in a certain tier or higher to get beta access.

Edit: You had to be under these two tiers or higher to get beta access:

44289ea71793e3a355c29959e474cbeb.png
 
A GameBanshee writer posted his impressions on the RPG Codex:

Alright, I'm going to keep this relatively brief (for my standards) because I will be writing a preview for GB at some point, and you guys will be able to play it soon anyway.

Full disclosure: I started playing Wasteland 2 about two weeks ago, and there have been about six or seven patches since then; the game has seen really big improvements even in the span of those two weeks. Up to now I've provided inXile with 4 documents' worth of feedback totaling about 60 pages and 12,000 words, and was probably responsible for delaying the beta by another week or two, as well as for the premature hair loss of several employees (sorry).

  • To me, the game feels like Fallout 1 & 2 (more Fallout 1 scale but with the "feel" of Fallout 2), but also with Wasteland's trademark style of humour. Wasteland 2 does not quite feel like a 100% direct Wasteland sequel due the different art style, combat, perspective, etc., but neither is it a clone of Fallout.
  • The story so far is nothing special, however, dialogue with characters is often very lengthy and well-written (typos exempt). There is definitely plenty of stuff to laugh at and lots of funny references, but I think they fit in way better with Wasteland than with Fallout. However, the game also does not go overboard; it's far more tonally consistent than some games even when it mixes in some more bizarre stuff.
  • Jesus fuck Mark Morgan is a god. The soundtrack right now is really fucking good.
  • The combat is very good. Right now it's easily on par with the new XCOM (and plays very similarly, with a near-equivalent cover system and square grid movement), but perhaps a bit more mechanically sophisticated due to ammo types and that sort of thing. It's not Jagged Alliance or 7.62, but it's some of the best turn-based party-based combat I have played in the context of a traditional CRPG. It's also surprisingly challenging (and it got bumped up significantly over the last couple weeks once I started giving feedback).
  • Similarly, encounter design and enemy behavior in combat is solid. There is good variety in enemy weaponry and types, and different enemies have different abilities that can change how you will fight them. Right now I think that enemies could do more with stuff like area effects (grenades, toxic gas, whatever) but I don't think grenades are implemented yet, so that might be why.
  • Note: combat is not optional. You cannot stealth through the entire game or talk through every fight. I think at times some parts feel a bit too combat-heavy and monotonous; however, despite there being a bit much combat at times for my tastes, it's still well broken up with dialogue and situation-specific challenges in the environment.
  • The character system is great: simple and easy to understand, but with plenty of options. Everything fits into 10-point scales, but depending on the skill and the tier, there are different costs (i.e. it costs more to unlock a skill than to put points in once it's level 1). You don't get too many points for each level-up so you do have to think about how you spend them, and I do not think it will be possible to max out everything across your entire party (though realistically you can probably eventually get about 75-80% of the way).
  • Although skill balance right now is a bit limited (they simply need more opportunities to use certain skills), the majority of them feel useful and rewarding. Unlike, say, Fallout: New Vegas, there are in fact skills targeted towards both the early and late game, so not everything is useful right from the start, and there are some which logically have more uses than others, which I actually kinda like. Like other old-school RPGs, there are a lot of options to use skills in the environment organically without being told to, and most skill use is actually done outside of dialogue for a change.
  • Right now two of my biggest complaints are quest design and lack of C&C. There are actually a lot of quests, but usually there's only one or two major quests with much in the way of multiple solutions per-location. There's also a lack of reactivity beyond one big choice you make early on, which admittedly does have very significant consequences. That's not to say it's bad (and there are a few quests that are very good this way), just not quite up to, say, Fallout 2 standards yet. Just bear in mind it's a work-in-progress and that a lot of the time, new quest options and consequences to different resolutions are often one of the last things added during development. I've talked a lot with Thomas about this, and this is a priority for inXile to work on right now.
  • The other big complaint I have is the UI. I think most of the HUD itself is great, however, the character screen, inventory and other menus need a lot of work (aesthetically; functionality is quite good). I think inXile already have plans to overhaul the UI so you don't need to waste breath complaining about it, but maybe some aspiring Codex artists could do a mock-up or two to help out?
Anyway, that's about it for now. It's worth noting that all my complaints right now are mostly WIP-related or things the devs already know about, which bodes well in my opinion. Overall I think it's very promising; Wasteland 2 is definitely fun and engaging, which is the most important part.
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FACE said:
A GameBanshee writer posted his impressions on the RPG Codex:
  • Jesus fuck Mark Morgan is a god. The soundtrack right now is really fucking good.
  • The combat is very good. Right now it's easily on par with the new XCOM (and plays very similarly, with a near-equivalent cover system and square grid movement), but perhaps a bit more mechanically sophisticated due to ammo types and that sort of thing. It's not Jagged Alliance or 7.62, but it's some of the best turn-based party-based combat I have played in the context of a traditional CRPG. It's also surprisingly challenging (and it got bumped up significantly over the last couple weeks once I started giving feedback).
  • Similarly, encounter design and enemy behavior in combat is solid. There is good variety in enemy weaponry and types, and different enemies have different abilities that can change how you will fight them. Right now I think that enemies could do more with stuff like area effects (grenades, toxic gas, whatever) but I don't think grenades are implemented yet, so that might be why.
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ijqhXpmjsBjeV.gif
 
INDIGO_CYCLOPS said:
I purchased the beta add-on for WL2, didn't realize there was a timing difference though.
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OH you mean you jumped on to the beta tier sometime after the end of the KS and added on to make beta, right?

I thought you were talking about the Mighty Number 9 style "add-ons" where you add twenty bones on top to your pledge and at the end of the KS you could specify what you wanted that $20 to go to. I don't think that WL2 did the latter though afaik.
 
Patiently waiting for Gaffer impressions. There are too many good PC RPGs coming out next year and I really need to know what can wait and what can't.
 
Everything else in those expressions sounds good (or good enough, in regards to C&C), but this I find to be dampening my hype quite a bit:
Note: combat is not optional. You cannot stealth through the entire game or talk through every fight. I think at times some parts feel a bit too combat-heavy and monotonous; however, despite there being a bit much combat at times for my tastes, it's still well broken up with dialogue and situation-specific challenges in the environment.
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A large number of monotonous non-optional turn-based party fights are something that can turn me off a game.
 
Durante said:
Everything else in those expressions sounds good (or good enough, in regards to C&C), but this I find to be dampening my hype quite a bit:
A large number of monotonous non-optional turn-based party fights are something that can turn me off a game.
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I like difficult, grindy, and combat-heavy party-based RPGs and WL1 was one of those. I'm happy to hear that it is still true to that and aims to be a sequel to the original rather than be an alternate FO3. I can understand your concern, though, as it is a fine and delicate balance to achieve. Counting on beta testers and inXile to come through on that end.
 
MightyHedgehog said:
I like difficult, grindy, and combat-heavy party-based RPGs and WL1 was one of those. I'm happy to hear that it is still true to that and aims to be a sequel to the original rather than be an alternate FO3. I can understand your concern, though, as it is a fine and delicate balance to achieve.
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I enjoyed playing through Enemy's Unknown's combat over and over, will have no problem enjoying the healthy amount of combat in this game, especially since it sounds more complex.
 
Is there a plan to release a version of the beta for the rest of the backers?

Early-access Beta
Few weeks to iron out bugs and get the rest of the content implemented
Beta for the rest of the backers
Month to fix bugs and iron out the UI
Full release
 
Grief.exe said:
I enjoyed playing through Enemy's Unknown's combat over and over, will have no problem enjoying the healthy amount of combat in this game, especially since it sounds more complex.
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Considering the additions and changes, as infomed by FO 1/2, permadeath and the classic WL1 health system should be an interesting experience for players of today.
 
Brian Fargo's apparently watching a guy playing the beta on Twitch according to Twitter so if anyone is interested in seeing how it plays here you go:

I think I should live stream me watching the Wasteland 2 live stream on @TwitchTV. http://www.twitch.tv/theadrain

I just watched the guy on TwitchTV get slaughtered in the opening scene. Can't say I didn't warn him about digging up the grave.
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