Fansite Friday/Pre-Release Questions

Title:  Twelve Pre-Release Questions

Date:  22 April 2005

Number:  42

url:  http://www.guildwars.com/events/press/interviews/fansite-friday42.php

Q&A
Question: Is Guild Wars opening at the same time in North America and Europe?

Answer: Yes, the starting and closing time for the Early Access period, and the opening time for retail launch, will be simultaneous in North America and Europe.

Question: What are the hours of the Early Access period? When do the servers go live for release? Will I be able to play the retail version early if I get my copy before a given start time?

Answer: Early Access will begin at 12:01 am PDT on Wednesday, April 27th which is 8:01 am GMT. It will end at 11:59 pm PDT on Thursday, April 28th which is 7:59 am GMT on April 29th The servers will open for retail access keys at 12:01 am PDT (8:01 am GMT) on Thursday, April 28th. While you may have a copy before that time, that is the official "go" time, and that is when all retail keys will be activated in order for you to play.

Question: When do I get my in-game item?

Answer: In-game items will be present when you input your retail access key and enter the game. At the present time, the special Preorder and Collector's Edition items will most likely not be visible in the Early Access period.

Question: How do I input more than one pre-order key?

Answer: You will be able to add keys to your account in the "Edit Account" dialog, which is available at the character selection screen after you have logged in.

Question: How does Early Access work? How do I change my account from a preorder to a retail account?

Answer: If you have already activated your preorder account, you will find that you are able to enter the game using that account on April 27th. If you have recently acquired a Guild Wars preorder, you can simply input the key into your account page and you will then gain Early Access when it begins. You will convert your existing account from preorder to retail on April 28th, when the retail version of Guild Wars goes live. To do that, simply access your account page, enter your retail key and enter (or re-enter) the game.

You need to be sure that your retail account is tied to your existing preorder account in order to derive the benefits of preordering. If you did not preorder, but have character names reserved from participation in our Beta Weekend Events, you will likewise want to use your existing pre-release Guild Wars account. Once the retail version is launched, open the account page, input the retail key, and you're off to the Kingdom of Ascalon. And if at any time you want to change the user name/email address to which your account is connected, you will have that option on your account page.

Question: Will you show a picture of the Divine Aura, the in-game character bonus connected with the Guild Wars Collector's Edition?

Answer: It's really sort of a surprise, so we don't want to show it. The Divine Aura is not an item that you hold in hand, it is not something that you equip or wear, nor is it a constant effect. When the character uses an emote, there is a special effect that reveals itself, which is "the favor of the gods" in visual form.

Question: Will my guild carry over to release? What portion of a guild will be saved from the Beta Weekend Events?

Answer: The name of a guild will remain on the server, as will the membership list. Guild leaders and officers will retain their positions. In the interest of having everyone start with a clean slate and a level playing field, so to speak, guild capes and a guild hall will need to be re-acquired in retail.

Question: Will there be tournaments with cash prizes?

Answer: Yes, we will be holding all sorts of tournaments and competitions in the future. Some of them will no doubt involve "lewt" of the monetary kind. :) Details, rules, regulations, and sign ups (if required) will always be published on our website, www.guildwars.com, and of course will be mirrored on our localized sites, for French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Question: Will you be bringing in new Alpha Testers for future chapters?

Answer: The Guild Wars Alpha Test Program will definitely continue, as we prepare our frequent live updates and as we get set for the development of the second chapter of Guild Wars. We will be continuing with many of our core testers, and will then expand the test to include other individuals or guilds. We are not able to accept applications or referrals to the test at this time.

Question: Will you have an in-game Support button or Report tab? How do I report bugs if I find any in the game?

Answer: Guild Wars is created to be played in either full-screen or windowed mode. If you have a question or wish to submit a bug report, we encourage you to follow the link on the log-in page in order to reach our Support Team. You may also reduce the game window and go to www.guildwars.com and use the Support tab on the website. Once on the Knowledge Base, use the search engine and see if there are related issues in the KB. Those articles may contain just the answer you need to the problem that you have experienced. If you do not find an answer to the problem that you experienced, use the "Ask a Question" button to submit a report.

Question: What is the team working on right now?

Answer: Some of us are working on polish and other elements that are not part of the duplicated CD. Some are working on the online manual. A few are looking ahead towards the next chapter, with of course many more joining them in that pursuit in the coming weeks.

Question: I've played in the Beta Weekend Events and I've received a lot of files over that time. Do I pretty much have everything I need to play Guild Wars already on my computer?

Answer:  No, not really. There are whole new regions you've never visited, so you will obtain those assets from the game CD. There are all those new missions and explorable areas and quests that you will acquire. And of course, there will be a modest update on the day you launch the retail version, which will revise any files we might have changed since the game went to duplication, and will also assure that you have the files that will entitle you to your spiffy in-game items and the newest account options.

In the future you will notice that you stream in new content on a regular basis. It may be a new quest. It may be a bug fix. Perhaps it's a change to a bit of dialogue or a set of new art assets. Changes will come, both large and small, to keep the game fresh and exciting.

We're very excited about welcoming you to our world on April 28th!