[UO Herald News] EA Opens Applications for Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss Beta Test

[Spaz Ferret]

EA Opens Applications for Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss Beta Test


FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mythic Entertainment, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) studio, today announced that it is now accepting applications for the Ultima Online™: Stygian Abyss™ closed beta test at http://www.uoherald.com/beta. Beta testers for Stygian Abyss, the upcoming expansion to one of the longest-running MMORPGs in history, will have the chance to experience the playable Gargoyle race before anyone else.The closed beta, set to begin later this month, has a limited number of available spots for eligible applicants. Closed beta testers must be current Ultima Online subscribers and will be selected based on computer system specs, previous testing experience, community involvement and other criteria.To apply for the closed beta, please visit http://www.uoherald.com/beta.Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss expansion requires the original Ultima Online game to play and will be available in the Summer of 2009 via digital distribution only. To find out more information about the Gargoyle race, skills and lands, please visit the Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss website: http://www.uoherald.com/stygianabyss.About Ultima OnlineReleased in September 1997, Ultima Online is one of the longest-running games in MMORPG history. The first widely successful graphical online role-playing game, Ultima Online has thrived for over a decade, with legions of devoted followers around the world. Fans of the game continue to experience an epic storyline set in an ever-growing world of magic and fantasy. Ultima Online has spawned seven expansions and dozens of content updates, making it one of the deepest, largest MMORPGs ever created.About Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS FreestyleTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, POGO, Ultima, Ultima Online and Stygian Abyss are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
                                                   



http://www.uoherald.com/news/news.php?newsid=815

[TrailMyx]

Hey, that means they will be releasing SA within a week of BETA.  Good news!  :p

[Khameleon]

I thought we were still Beta Testing T2A?

[Endless Night]

Anyone notice this clause in the Beta testing Agreement...

Quote below from  http://www.uoherald.com/beta/betaTestAgreement.php  Doesnt that sound like punk busters raising its ugly head again... ?? Or is this they standard blerb... either way i wont be beta testing as i dont agree to any monitoring...

5.5 Consent to Monitor. DURING ITS OPERATION, THE GAME MAY MONITOR YOUR COMPUTER'S RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) FOR UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAMS RUNNING CONCURRENTLY WITH THE GAME. AN "UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM" AS USED HEREIN SHALL BE DEFINED AS ANY THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY "ADDON", "MOD", "HACK", "TRAINER", OR "CHEAT" THAT IN EA'S SOLE DETERMINATION: (I) ENABLES OR FACILITATES CHEATING OF ANY TYPE: (II) ALLOWS USERS TO MODIFY OR HACK THE GAME INTERFACE, ENVIRONMENT, AND /OR EXPERIENCE IN ANY WAY NOT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY EA: OR (III) INTERCEPTS, "MINES", OR OTHERWISE COLLECTS INFORMATION FROM OR THROUGH THE GAME. IN THE EVENT THAT THE GAME DETECTS AN UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM, THE GAME MAY (A) COMMUNICATE INFORMATION BACK TO EA, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION YOUR ACCOUNT NAME, DETAILS ABOUT THE UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM DETECTED, AND THE TIME AND DATE THE UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM WAS DETECTED; AND /OR (B) EA MAY EXERCISE ANY OR ALL OF ITS RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE TO THE USER.

[TrailMyx]

Ah, wonderful.  Might be the kiss of death for EUOX 1.5 since it doesn't look like Cheffe is going to be throwing that a bone and that old dog may be left to die.

[Khameleon]

I guess they are ready to kick the old bucket then... 90% of there Consumers are Scritpers, if they can't run EUO pretty much a done deal...

[Endless Night]

Well this is only the beta test agreement.   But makes you wonder if SA is going to come with such a clause as well .

[Khameleon]

better hope not.. I'll ride 2d client till the bitter end.

[TrailMyx]

Well at least someone at EA has been busy.  Probably wasn't the programmers, but they certainly got their legal copy spiffed up.

Does anyone know what Warhammer uses as a tool to prevent cheating?  I never was all that worried about Punkbuster anyhow since it's one of the easier ones to circumvent.

For me, it's a matter of principle and not letting their company have legal copy allowing access to my own data.  That's why I don't run any Google products.

[Khameleon]

awe man... I'm a huge google fan too....
I don't really run there Products except for google search though...
I do use the Texting features and Free 411 all the time

[Masscre]

They still put that clause on their web page for the version of the 2d cliet we are using now but we know they arent running any checkers on it or we would all be gone so its just a bunch of crap i got 3 buddies that been in the protected testing stages the ones before the beta and they have all used EUO with the SA pre beta client LOL and no punk buster or other software they have detected its all just a bunch o crap to dangle at those who read between the lines.

[Endless Night]

thanks for that massacre normally i dont bother reading the leagal mumbo jumbo...  so didnt know if it was in prior... but i do no its not in my originally 97/98 install disk which is  the one i still use when needed.

So maybe ill sign up for the beta after all.

[Masscre]

Yea i am signed up i have been a beta tester since 97 then renasance and then 3d .....

[TrailMyx]

I signed up as soon as this was ferreted out.  I also beta-ed Renn and 3D, but didn't beta KR.  I wouldda blasted it for sure if I was a member of that beta pool.

[Masscre]

KR beta what is that ... is that what they are calling that beefed up simulated 3d version of pong they have been beta testing at EA/OSI for the past few years?