News

Dear Fractured followers, the time has come: we’re finally ready to announce the opening day of Alpha 2!

The first testing phase, labeled Alpha 2 – Test 1, is starting on Wednesday, November 20, at 4pm CET (10am ET), and is expected to last for at least two weeks.

While Alpha 1 – Test 2 was largely focused on adding new content to the game, Alpha 2 – Test 1 includes:

• A large tech upgrade (Unity + SpatialOS + Launcher), which delivered shorter loading times, better framerate and more stable connections.
• The first iteration of the Knowledge System, Fractured’s unique take on horizontal progression in an MMO.
• 40+ abilities to learn from 23 different foes.
• Two new points of interest: Heartwood and the Goblin Territories.
• Handcarts to move heavy materials.

Regarding the tech upgrade mentioned above, the porting test weekend we’ve run a couple weeks ago has been extremely useful for us. Here are some findings we owe it:

• The new Fractured Launcher is working well. Nobody reported having troubles with it, so we can finally archive the SpatialOS Launcher for good!
• The new game version crashes right away on some Windows 7 machines. This is likely a Unity issue. We still haven’t figured it out, but we’re on it!
• The new networking protocol fixed connection issues for most players, but they persisted in a couple cases. We’re still investigating and will provide new client versions to those players to test before Alpha 2 starts.
• There were several bugs due to the porting – some serious, some trivial, and some hilarious. Overall fewer than expected, and we’ve fixed them all quite easily.

So… Are you ready to draw your swords once again? Read on for more info!

Alpha 2 – Test 1 FAQ

1. Who has access to Alpha 2 – Test 1?

Alpha 2 – Test 1 is open to all players who have pledged to Patron or higher in the old store or on Kickstarter, plus all players who have purchased (or will purchase) a Legend pack in the new Fractured Store.

2. I have access! How do I get my key?

You don’t need to redeem a key. Your account is automatically granted access to the game!

3. Are servers going to be up all the time?

Servers should be online most of the time, aside during patch deployment and unless major issues occur.

4. What happens after?

We’ll collect your feedback and your bug reports, wipe the world and all characters, then start working towards Alpha 2 – Test 2, planned for Q1 2020.

Public servers won’t be available in the meantime unless we run a “test weekend”.

5. Did you manage to implement all that was planned?

Almost all of what was announced in the roadmap will be there. Only equipment Enchanting will likely be postponed to the following test.

6. How do I download the game?

On this web page. The download link will for the launcher be available a few days before it the test begins.

7. Is Alpha covered by an NDA?

It’s not. You can stream, make videos, post screenshots, write articles, anything you like!

8. Will there be any testing weekend before Alpha 2?

If everything goes well, there’s going to be a pre-testing weekend for Alpha 1 backers only starting Friday 15. Not guaranteed, so fingers crossed! 

See you soon in game!

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