WTF? Did I just pay for a Beta?

You pre-ordered the game on release.  As a bonus, you get the beta.

If you want to play it, go ahead.  If you want to provide feedback, even better.

If you don't want to play the beta . . don't; wait for the release.

Stardock wants the games ot be great on release.  The best way it to have players who are vested play it and report back.  It's a win-win.

Why are you upset?  What have you lost?

Because it never stated that I was getting a Beta...so to have something install without telling me first and then not explicitly explaining how things are going to work is plenty of cause for alarm. Certainly when the only thing it says its that it is a "Pre-Order", which in no ways translates into "Beta".

And I suppose I may have jumped the gun alittle about it it being a paid beta only, but it never says anywhere now that my $10 will be used towards the final version or cover the final version at all.

I understand more . . but have a few questions.

What installed without asking?  The entrenchment beta would have shown as availalbe in Impulse but can't install without your interaction.

Do you follow the forums much?  The beta/pre-order process is fairly ubiquitous throughout these forums (and for all of Stardock produced games)?  It might behoove you to do a bit more looking before purchasing.

In any case . . I hope you ahve fun with the beta and on release have fun with the game you have pre-ordered (an no extra cost).

I generally look at forums only for game help....not for beta or purchase ideas. When I buy something expect everything that is about to happen be on the front or item's page. The words "Pre-order" imply that I'm simply buying the ability to download the game at its release, not getting a beta. Suddenly having a Beta appear in "My Games" would quickly lead more then just me to believe we've been duped.

After all, the page gives no mention of anything being downloaded when you buy the "Pre-order" Entrenchment.

Ah well.  Hope all is clear and you are happy with what you have now.

Cry much over nothing wasted? Obviously you WANTED to buy it, and 10$ now or in a month, who really cares?

The only thing I would have changed was to clearly post the estimated release date on the MyGames section, I Actually read through the installation documentation and realized immediately that it was a beta, but considering the reasonable price of the expansion... take all the time y'all need on it.  You folks have my money, and I like what I see so far, I just hope there are still some suprises waiting for me when the final game is released February'ish... take your time, do it well, nothing else really matters.

*edited* Spelling =p

Okay so know the full release is not coming out until February. Why do they keep moving the date of release if the expansion pack?

For me personally, my main gripe was that they took the money for what was a preorder, so essentially I had paid for a beta. The majority of online stores don't take the money for pre-orders until the product is shipped. To do otherwise without explicity saying so is bad practice if you ask me.

bought the beta, same thing, i actually heard entrechment was coming out jan 1st, so i went to buy it, it said pre-order, so i though, huh, oh well, maybe just a glitch, bought it, found entrenchment is downloading and installing, thought, huh, interesting

i just have 2 things to say, one, its all good i like entrenchment... except the consistent crashed make it hard to play...

the second, is i just want to make 100% certain, beyond all doubt: the money i payed for the beta is actually going to the full release, and the beta is just a neat bonus prize right?

id really hate to have spent $10 on a beta that doesnt work, just to have to pay again for the full release...

Pre-oder means you bought something before it is available so that when made available you get it right away.  So . . if you do not install the beta you get exactly what you bought, right?

the reason you pay on placing the order is so that I cant just pre-order the game, download the beta, cancel my order and use the beta as a slightly buggy version of the full thing.

But yes, i reckon the pre-order tag for games like this should be 'pre-order and get the beta free!' tag, therefore no confusion.

The support guys for Stardock e.g. Zubaz, are much more level headed than the other forum support people for games like Star Wars Galaxies and Everquest. +300 Karma for all of the forum monitors!!

    Also, love the beta we got with our pre-order. No Complaints Here!!

Zubaz, you're kinda missing the point... People could see "Pre-Order" and think they'll be charged on release date. People could be paranoid or plain anti-beta. ParagonFury is right, unfortunately, to suggest there is plenty of room for clarification - remember, Stardock isn't just a vibrant community... It's also a store.

Edit: Looked into this issue a bit more deeply... Woah. You're treading on a few people's toes with this one, which is bad for business. I'd think about clearer communication on this matter ASAP, on the download/preorder pages themselves, if I were you. Volunteer beta-testers are one thing; angry misled customers quite another.

Suggestinng that it be made more clear is a nice take.  Going off a deeep end because of it isn't.

...Well, that depends. As a company, Stardock has responsibilities. You have to Get It Right, or people might get mad. It sucks, but that's just how capitalism operates. Ultimately there are a lot of rude people out there and if you give 'em a molehill they'll build you a mountain, so it makes sense in the long run to cover your backs against situations like these.

Just my two coppers, naturally, yet it would probably serve you well to address these issues.

As a company, Stardock releases some of the most polished betas in the entire gaming industry. Getting a beta copy from a pre-order is all gravy, at least to me.

I agree; not everyone does. That is the whole point, really.

OT: So when's the final release date then? I'm anxious to get the whole "mine-spam" feature solved

Just to be clear, my one and only gripe is that most places don't charge you for pre-orders, so I was a little surprised when Impulse did. Most online stores take your details, then charge your card when the product comes into stock. I didn't know I would be getting the beta copy immediately and was surprised to see the game listed on the "My Games" tab after I had just pre-ordered it a few days before the (then) release date of Jan 1st. I figured they'd just released the game early or something.

It's all academic now anyway, Stardock gave me a refund. I'll consider re-buying it again in early February (assuming that release date is met).

*whismerhill applauds the awesome support & going as far as refunding the user*

hey I know what I talk about, some company (which did Pristontale a while back, not the current one) stole me money when the majority of users got compensations when a game became free to play with shop, ho and I dare them to read this and assign me to justice for saying that! I'll get back my money then (problem being, you can't contact anyone, or rarely someone who speaks "english" but only in his dreams ...)

Yeah I was shocked when my Demigod pre-order immediately charged my credit card.  I expected a charge in April when it was released.  They should make things clearer for the customer considering that every other pre-order I've ever done hasn't charged my card until release with beta being free.  Just because Stardock does things differently and has decided to define pre-order differently then the rest of the industry doesn't mean they can't clarify it for us.  Makes it look underhanded.  Luckily I had money in my account and my wife didn't seem to notice yet

Oh well, live and learn.  As limited/buggy as the beta build for Demigod is, I'm still having a lot of fun with it.  And Stardock has earned my loyalty enough over the years that I can let this slide.

I'm not complaining here myself (I can wait till the 25th since I'm a little too busy to play much anyway), I'm just trying to bring something to Stardock's attention which they might not have realized:

On the Entrenchment store page itself, it says the release date is Feb. 04th, 2009.  That may be what is causing some of these issues or may lead to some issues--viz, people think the game has been released already.