Re: the "Prelude"

[Banok]

he pending launch is for the Prelude, which is intended to last at least 6-9 months as originally planned.

recent update made me realise I don't really get the prelude even though I have read a fair bit of info on the game. For a start I only thought prelude would be a week or two, which would have meant alot of promised content would come soon :(

So can I get a summary of all the ways prelude differs from beta and/or proper release? since even after release content will still be slowly added.

I gather its like release in terms of the world becomes persistant, no more wipes.

is prelude pay to play? will it start using our subscription time?

[SigmaHyperion]

Think of it like (most) any other MMO.

"Prelude" is simply the first 'version' of the game. Then there will come "expansions" -- in our case "6-9 months" later. Yes, in between those releases content is always trickling in (especially when an MMO first starts) but the expansions are the bigger things that expand the world in big ways, change some mechanics, add new abilities, etc.

So, yes, "Prelude" is pay to play and, yes, it uses your subscription time. It's akin to what "Vanilla WoW" is in Warcraft if you're familiar with that or EvE Pre-Castor, some 15 expansions ago. It won't be appreciably different than what you're playing now minus some bug fixes and minor tweaks.