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Well, we didn’t have to wait long for Parallel to spread some holiday cheer this month.
On Monday, the team unveiled their Early Access playtesting program for the closed alpha version of the game. To be considered, all you have to do is create an account on the website and apply within. It is expected to launch in February of 2023.
Shortly after the news dropped, Fitch and CL held an impromptu Twitter Spaces to discuss the big announcement. I strongly recommend giving it a listen, but if you don’t have time, I highlighted some of the main points below.
I wasn’t expecting this announcement at all, so I’ve reached a new level of excitement and I’m totally here for it. Insert your favorite hype meme here and let’s go!
The main topic of the Twitter Spaces was focused on setting expectations for a “closed alpha” experience. For additional perspective, both Fitch and CL emphasized that this will be a true “test” client, not a “production” client.
That means Early Access is purely for testing game elements – everything from card functions to the overall gameplay experience. There will be some visual elements scattered here and there, but otherwise, you can expect a truly bare-bones client.
As the closed alpha evolves and enters future iterations, it sounds like there will be many more features added. While smashing all of the bugs possible, playtesters will also get to communicate with the team in an environment specifically designed for providing feedback and improving the game.
For starters, the closed alpha will include $PRIME token emissions, but on an extremely small scale. The amounts will be minuscule, but enough to give the team some valuable low-impact data and feedback on how the tokens are interacting with the game.
Secondly, users will have access to every card in the base set library. You do not have to own any cards to playtest. And while details are still being worked out and nothing is confirmed yet, it sounds like the current deck builder will integrate into the client as well.
Furthermore, features like Spawning and Bonds will not be included since they are separate components from the actual game. But there could be “other pieces” added to the closed alpha between now and then.
It is also important to note that the closed alpha is for a set period of time, so there’s a start and end date. But once the end date is reached, it will lead to another phase of playtesting.
Lastly, the group of Early Access playtesters will be compensated for their time with special perks and rewards. This includes access to a private channel in Discord, but that was only one piece shared in the discussion.
Almighty Kalos joined the Twitter Spaces around the 23:00 mark. Despite being on vacation, he still took some time to celebrate the occasion and share some words about Parallel’s focus heading into 2023. It sounds like the team is producing at a really high level right now, and only getting stronger as time goes on.
As one of the honored playtesters, I thought I’d share just a few personal nuggets of feedback on the game. In fact, I’ll probably dedicate an entire article to my playtesting experience between now and February.
I have played 254 games so far, which is on the lower end of the scale compared to the other Wardens. My overall record is poor at 88-166, but I’m at least competing and winning games once every 2-3 matches, so it’s something I’m proud of.
Since everything is subject to change and the focus is on testing functions, I’m having an absolute blast in the dojo right now. There’s zero pressure to win. It’s all about learning, finding pesky bugs, and helping the team out as much as possible.
I explained why Niamh is my favorite Paragon last month, and my passion for Shroud is well-documented. I’ve tested New Dawn Captain and Bran quite a bit, but nothing beats the thrill of the Niamh slap.
To be honest, this deck puts you at a fairly significant disadvantage. You have no board wipes and your opponents will know your deck has no card worth more than five energy. Your ability to sustain an attack is also limited since the aim is to use as many Effects as possible.
All that being said, it’s an amazing rush when you drop Niamh successfully. And if you pull off the victory, it feels more like five.
Mizra Loyalist. My hatred for this card is so severe that I will abandon any current strategy I have in order to banish or remove it from the board. This is an undisciplined move, but that just goes to show how much I hate the card because it’s so good.
It’s deadly in every Earthen meta I’ve seen so far, especially with Gaffar as your Paragon.