About an hour ago lead game designer Dustin Browder responded to a fan's comment about the first Battle Report. While he didn't confirm or deny a beta date, his comment does suggest that Blizzard has no plans to launch the beta test in January.
Browder's response was triggered by a fan's radical, and frankly idiotic suggestion to cut out the commentary from any up coming Battle Reports.
"When it's just a couple of guys (haha sorry Dustin) giving play-by-play, or worse, 'teaching,' its off-putting, and kind of makes me want to turn the sound off," said the fan.
Browder's response was polite and in some ways, if you read between the lines a little informative.
"There are lots of professional commentators all over the world, but I am one of the few people in the world right now that knows the game really well," said Browder. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me until we go Beta."
Not unexpected or unlikely, Browder later talked about how he and the developers have "some things" they want to work on in the game before concentrating on any new Battle Reports.
"I don't know when the next (Battle Report) is coming," said Browder. "We have some things I want to get in and make look somewhat presentable before we fire up the next one, but I hope it's soon."
Basically, you can bet that if the devs are holding off on the next Battle Report because of in-game changes, the beta is surely being put off as well. Don't get your hopes up for a January test.
Read the exchange in its entirety:
FAN: This was a great content update, thank you.
But just throwing this out there, I really dislike over-game comments unless they are well-written. I can barely stand it in football where the whole thing is fairly well rehearsed and the commentators are professionals. When it's just a couple of guys (haha sorry Dustin) giving play-by-play, or worse, 'teaching,' its off-putting, and kind of makes me want to turn the sound off.
Less is more, and make sure that the commentary is offering insight, not just information.
BROWDER: No worries dude, I'm a game designer, not a game commentator. There are lots of professional commentators all over the world, but I am one of the few people in the world right now that knows the game really well. I'm afraid you're stuck with me until we go Beta. Then the professionals can take over and I can just watch.=)
I saw some concerns that this game wasn't "real." It is in fact a real game. We looked through a big list of games (two dozen or so) that had already been played (real games with 2 players trying to kill each other) and we picked the best ones. We showed some of these at Blizzcon and now we have this one up for everyone to see. By the very nature of how we capture the video for the game we had to watch it several times before we did the audio so it wasn't my first time seeing it (which is why sometimes I get ahead of myself), but it was a live game with real players when it was being played.
Yes, Zealot charge really did finish training at that crucial moment. =)
I don't know when the next one is coming. We have some things I want to get in and make look somewhat presentable before we fire up the next one, but I hope it's soon.
Source: battle.net
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