Anyone else in the Warhammer 40K Open Beta?

Matt Simis

http://www.fileplanet.com/betacenter/dawnofwar/signup/

The new RTS, and probably the best Games Workshop computer game to date.
Been following this for a while, made by Relic (of Homeworld fame). It uses an AP based system for "resources" that you gain by capturing strategic points. Graphically its excellent, particually the fighting animations (they arent "looped" ala all other RTS's, characters actually "hit" each other). It even comes with an "Army Painter" to customise your own "models". Units are controlled as squads (like real Warhammer), you can change weapons to suit on each team member (eg 2 flamers, one heavy bolter plus a sergeant).

Had a quick run through the tutorials last night, good initial impression and well put together for a beta. Playing against the AI in the tutorial seemed rather easy and simplistic, however the beta is really a multiplayer test for working out game balance, so not too worried about that.


With Doom3 distracting everyone, the "limited space" beta is still accepting entries after 3 days!


Matt

ArphaRima

Any way of joining the beta without signing onto fileplanet?
I hate the idea of giving money to d/l companies.

Matt Simis

fluffer wrote:

Any way of joining the beta without signing onto fileplanet?
I hate the idea of giving money to d/l companies.

What money? Fileplanet is free, the bandwidth is paid for by advertising and promotions like this?


Matt

ArphaRima

ah. I thought i had to subscribe as a member. I gave seen loads of betas being exclusive to members.

Matt Simis

fluffer wrote:

ah. I thought i had to subscribe as a member. I gave seen loads of betas being exclusive to members.

Ah I see. Never really felt the need to pay for those sites myself either..


Matt

Pugsley

Dawn of War was closed beta for a good while, as in only Fileplanet subscribers (the people who pay) got in, but now its in open beta, so any fileplanet member (ie: everyone who doesnt pay) can also get their grubby mitts on it, and I can promise you, its worth the download, it kick more ar*e than an Ork playing snooker with 9 grots and a squig.

Ponster

Yes it's open beta now. The only difference is that you have to download it from one of their sites and queue up with the rest of us thrifty folks.

30 min wait atm.

Smellyirishman

I cant sing up, it just brings me to the subscription page and offers me the offers that they have going, can anyone help and how big is the download?

When I go to this link http://www.fileplanet.com/betacenter/dawnofwar/signup/ I just get the Warhammer logo and then a subscribers sign up. Is that right?

Tusky

"click here to sign up"

Just go for the free option and then sign up to the beta.

Tis quite good Units looks pretty cool, theres something anoying about it...cant put my fniger on it. Also I have some problem with sound - it repeats itself , specially voices.

Dr_Teeth

Smellyirishman wrote:

I cant sing up, it just brings me to the subscription page and offers me the offers that they have going, can anyone help and how big is the download?

When I go to this link http://www.fileplanet.com/betacenter/dawnofwar/signup/ I just get the Warhammer logo and then a subscribers sign up. Is that right?

At that link, click 'sign up', then scroll down the bottom and click 'basic membership'. After you've gotten all signed-up, then you can go back to that link and it'll have auto-filled in your details for you to submit so you can get the reg code you need for the game. Then go back to the main fileplanet page and actually download the game.

Teeth.

Dr_Teeth

I'm liking it so far.. it's very like starcraft/warcraft in terms of the controls, interface, buildings/upgrades etc. but it looks lovely. I hope there will be a good single-player campaign for each faction.

The biggest issue for me at the moment is I'm having difficulty getting my head around the resource management. You seem to get one resource from flags, one from power stations, one from buildings, and then theres the unit and vehicle caps.. and this 'waagh' thing for the orks. It's all a bit much tbh.

Teeth.

Smellyirishman

Iv singed in with 3 accounts and killed that page about 10 times, when I hit finish it loads the page again saying at the top im already logged in and gives a log out option and then I can change my info, could you create a new account get a key and PM it to me? I dont know why this isnt working perhaps out of keys?

Roller Toaster

Mmm I ran through the tutorial just now. My first thought was obviously this is starcraft in 3d... I found that the battles went on for a little bit too long, buildings seemed to take ages to destroy and capturing points seemed to take longer than it should. Also it doesn't really look great on my pc...it kind of reminds me of neverwinter nights in terms of the map style but I guess the proof of the pudding will be when I try it online.

Pugsley

Teeth, you get Requisition (blue resource) by controlling points, its the primary resource for everything more or less (except vehicles), then theres Power, which is for the more advanced units, build generators and get thermo generators by building them on slag heaps which produce a hell of a lot of power. Building listening posts on points makes them generate more Requisition, and upgrading the tower to higher levels also makes it generate more (albiet i rarely get the tower to level 3, 750 requisition upgrade for +3 generation? sod that would take a good 10misn to make its value, so only get it for the upgraded weapon and insane toughness), however what resource are you getting from buildings? only one I can think of are the ones to allow more population for eldar and orks (waygates and waaagh banners respectively), as chaos and Space Marines just research it.

As for being very similar to Starcraft, thats because the 3 race's from starcraft are pretty much 90% warhammer 40k race's given a new look, Zerg are Tyranids, Terran are imperial Guard, and them other guys (begins with Ph....) are based on Eldar. And HUD etc is similar simply because, if it aint broken, dont fix it

Matt Simis

Pugsley wrote:

As for being very similar to Starcraft, thats because the 3 race's from starcraft are pretty much 90% warhammer 40k race's given a new look, Zerg are Tyranids, Terran are imperial Guard, and them other guys (begins with Ph....) are based on Eldar. And HUD etc is similar simply because, if it aint broken, dont fix it

The Eldar "were" Phobos in SC alright. I imagine much eye rolling and gritting of teeth will be done by WH40K players when PC only players compare DOW with Star Craft..!



Matt

stormkeeper

With regards to the elusive 3rd race in SC, you were perhaps referring to the Protoss?

po0k

Where do I get a link to download?

I assume it's in an email sent to me.

Only problem is that the address I reg'd with years ago has since shutdown.

Spose I'll have to re-register

Matt Simis

SyxPak wrote:

Where do I get a link to download?

I assume it's in an email sent to me.

Only problem is that the address I reg'd with years ago has since shutdown.

Spose I'll have to re-register

The client is here:
http://www.fileplanet.com/files/140000/142833.shtml

The reason other people were having problems getting the key is you need to be logged into Fileplanet before completing the Beta Application. Also the "Sign Up Now" link in the big font on the Beta Application page is actually for Fileplanet, not the Beta. Really poor layout..


Matt

po0k

nevermind, sorted myself out.

Matt Simis

I see its had over 100,000 downloads from Fileplanet now!

The Beta only supports Online play... anyone know of a clever way to allow play on a LAN? From recollection the Warcraft 3 beta was Battlenet only, yet there was a hack to play it on LAN??


Matt

po0k

Linux Battlenet server?

Guessing here.

Do all Battlenet games use a similar mechanism //servers been made backwardsly compatible?

Pugsley

Matt Simis wrote:

I see its had over 100,000 downloads from Fileplanet now!

The Beta only supports Online play... anyone know of a clever way to allow play on a LAN? From recollection the Warcraft 3 beta was Battlenet only, yet there was a hack to play it on LAN??


Matt

The way we played it on LAN was we just made a locked server and played on-line but on LAN, only problem is though you need 1 remote player, and ultimately a net connection (even 16.6k will do, as it stils runs off your LAN).

n1ck

I've downloaded it and i played it once, i got sync error but dam was it good. Eldar prism cannon is absolutely amazing against masses of units, i got it up within about 7 minutes and was absolutely obliterating masses of chaos marines, it was 2v3 cause one of our players dropped straight away and we actually wiped out 2 armys and then killed off one player completely before the sync error so for anyone that is thinking of downloading this, get it, it is a very very good game.

I've only tried the Eldar and the Space Marines any of the other races good? I've just played against Chaos and they seemed ok but the stronger units of Eldar just destroyed them with the Guardians as cannon fodder.

Retr0gamer

This game is really promising. It looks great and plays great. Its like a mix of starcraft with warcraft 3. And with no starcraft 2 announced this will be more than enough to take its place. I'm really happy with how closely it sticks to the 40K universe. This will be a must buy for any games workshop enthusiast. And for anyone who thinks games workshop is a nerdy past time my advice is to leave your prejudice at the door. This is shaping up to be on of the best RTS's of the year. I just hope they add more races in expansion packs or patches.

Love it when someone impales the enemy on a power claw

Matt Simis

Retr0gamer wrote:

And for anyone who thinks games workshop is a nerdy past time

Heh, like playing PC Strategy games is any better!


Matt

n1ck

Only fault i have with it is the written on the little tabs when you're researching is really small and i have to strain to read it.

n1ck

Can anyone tell me how to get Terminators as Space Marines... i had all the things required but i still couldn't build them it was really confusing me, same happened with the Avatar for Eldar.

Matt Simis

Retr0gamer wrote:

This game is really promising. It looks great and plays great. Its like a mix of starcraft with warcraft 3. And with no starcraft 2 announced this will be more than enough to take its place.

Funny you should mention it:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/533/533146p1.html



Matt

Pugsley

n1ck wrote:

Can anyone tell me how to get Terminators as Space Marines... i had all the things required but i still couldn't build them it was really confusing me, same happened with the Avatar for Eldar.

On some maps you cant seem to be able to, I know on the 4 player map 'quatra' I can never get an Avatar, or even the full 30 support cap for the eldar, cant say I have ever had a problem with any unit other than avatar though. Its probably a bug, or it may be a map setting, or something.

Retr0gamer

According to Gamespy there are user mods in developement to include Tyranids and Tau.

The single player will be space marine only.

n1ck

Pugsley wrote:

On some maps you cant seem to be able to, I know on the 4 player map 'quatra' I can never get an Avatar, or even the full 30 support cap for the eldar, cant say I have ever had a problem with any unit other than avatar though. Its probably a bug, or it may be a map setting, or something.

I've actually found out you need to take hold of a Relic and possess and relic before you can make them.

My account name is n1ck1 anyone wanna have a game at some stage?

And i suck with Space Marines so i use Eldar.

Won 3 lost 1, which isnt bad considering i only got it this morning.

You guys any preferance on race?