Oh god I am so excited, can't wait for Stage 1 and the rest. Good luck to the team, I know this time of the development looks very difficult. Also, even thought its totally unreasonable, some people will be moaning, and complain when they get into the game. Please read less of these forums, and only take the constructive and smart feedback. I experienced a lot of games have gone bad because they listen too much of their community.
Perhaps, but to rely on it - a big risk. I fully admit the second beta's existence, for professional testers and developers. I would have done so in their place. Why is this bait? Do you think they would have received as much pre-orders, if not promised an interesting bonus?
You will never have: "full Starbound ‘experience’ the first time you play." You will always have new experience's as you play it on and on.
You don't think that in the people who pre-ordered, that there won't be people who have beta testing (including paid) experience? I'm betting that there are quite a few. I very much doubt that a smaller closed paid beta would produce a better process. Well yes, they promised a beta at the time they opened pre-orders. So yes, I guess it's an inducement that they offered. I wouldn't call it 'bait' though, as that implies something which catches people, where they wouldn't want to have been caught. Seems to me that most people are getting exactly what they wanted.
Actually I work in a completely different field quite the opposite from developing. I project manage 15 ancient woodlands and grasslands in the UK with conservation as a forethought. And 90% of my workforce are volunteers that do a better job then those that are paid for the work.
Professional testers are usually busy with their work. But it is really "catch" people. The man wanted to get early access to the game, besides, it's not the demo version but the beta, ie it gives a status of favorites. So people did pre-order.
You will probably be notified by email and there will be a news post when a new stage becomes available. At that point, simply download the game and play. (If you've bought it, of course.)
You can count on my assistance in stage one, fourteen years of gaming and mom didn't raise no whiner.
I'd like to thank the devs for creating this game and the people waiting for it with this!The bees are the beta, the oprah is the devs, and the peoples are us....the last of us....