Shards Online Pre-Alpha 3 Launch Date Announced

The Pre-Alpha 3 phase of Shards Online will be launching December 3rd for all $75 backers, while $40 and above backers will be able to play starting December 10th. The control scheme has been revamped for the test, introducing a new targeting system. And additional quests for new players will be available to better introduce the game's mechanics.

“We’re incredibly excited about this next major step in the development of Shards Online,” said Derek Brinkmann, Citadel’s Founder and CEO. “Pre-Alpha 3 is one of the biggest updates to the game since we fully funded its development, and marks the culmination of so much and testing from our backers. We can’t wait to let all of our backers in, and with PA3 we’re that much closer to doing so.”

There will not be any character wipes during the testing phase, but they will almost certainly be wiped at the end of Pre-Alpha 3. And the servers will run 24/7.

During the course of the test the Cluster system will be activated, allowing "players and server s to connect their maps and games together, creating fully functioning player-run universes." Each shard is an individual server, tied together into a cluster by a shared rule-set. So that players can't gear up in an easier server and then hop to a harder server.

"Clusters can have any number of ‘shards’ connected to it. This way you can decide which maps are available to explore. Want to run a steampunk only cluster? Want to run 10 versions of the fantasy home ‘shard’ Celador? (think of them as alternate realities) It’s completely up to the players that run the cluster." It's an interesting system and I'm looking forward to experiencing.

Read the official announcement by visiting the Shards Online website, and learn more by viewing the Saturday Community Roundtable video below.