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The Chronicles of Spellborn Newsletter, 12 December 2005 (Issue 1)
Welcome to our very first Newsletter featuring The Chronicles of Spellborn! You have received this email because you have signed up for it on the TCoS website. Newsletters should arrive every two to three weeks and will serve to update you on development and Beta test progress, community news, and tons of other information related to TCoS. In addition, some of you may have had a friend send you this Newsletter. If you would like to receive future copies, please register on our website.
If you would like us to send this Newsletter to one of your friends, please use this link. You might even win cool TCoS prizes!
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CM Introduction
Welcome to the first edition of the new TCoS Newsletter. I’m Mathew “Corwynn Maelstrom” Reuther, Community Manager for The Chronicles of Spellborn. This newsletter was made possible due to the concerted effort of a number of people, but it falls to me to write up an introduction. As such it would be unfair to hog their glory, as the work which goes into this one little email is far more than many people would expect. So thank you to Steve (Blizz) and Marco (Freeze) for their incredible contributions on the technical and content parts of this premiere.
Inside this email you’ll find all kinds of information regarding TCoS. Some of it you may know, but other parts may be new to you. It is our sincere wish that you all let us know what you think about this Newsletter, so that in the future we can give you more of the kinds of information you’re interested in. Please visit the forums once you’ve finished reading this and let us know what you think in the Newsletter feedback thread! But for now, just read through and enjoy the plethora of information we’ve prepared for you!
Beta test update
The International Closed Beta Test began on November 30th. We started with a small group of 50 testers, but at this point there are more than 150 testers involved from 32 countries (now that is truly “International”) around the world. Additional rounds of Beta test invites will follow over time so if you haven’t signed up yet, make sure to fill in a Beta application today. Testers have been selected based upon a wide variety of factors, and we’re trying to maintain a positive mix of individuals from different backgrounds. Diversity is a key aspect in our testing philosophy, so we’re always on the lookout for new blood! Also, as we always value good feedback and people who have demonstrated an interested in TCoS, it never hurts to get involved with the community.
The tests currently being conducted involve server and client stability, as well as basic functionality in terms of movement, chat and interface. We’ve also been gearing up to the first tests related to combat balancing by handing out pre-generated skill decks to each character and allowing testers to gain experience with the system. We will begin the first stages of the balancing tests with one on one player versus player combat, and we will move through a number of iterations of these tests during the course of the Beta.
Official TCoSNet IRC
On the 4th of December we officially launched TCoSNet. This is our official IRC network, providing Internet Relay Chat services to all members of the community. You can join us at irc://irc.tcos.com in the official #spellborn channel. We also have channels for our two localized languages: #spellborn.fr and #spellborn.de! The IRC network provides you with a direct link to the Community Relations team as well as a number of other staff members. It’s a great way to make new friends and ask your questions about TCoS, as well as to discuss your ideas and thoughts regarding the game’s development. In addition, a number of the guilds which are forming have their own channels for socialization.
The Spellborn Scrolls
One of the major features of our website is the informative and interactive fiction series known as the Spellborn Scrolls. We have 8 complete tales awaiting your perusal, all penned by our Lead Writer, Jesse America. In addition, the month of December features a special Scroll, entitled Choices. Each piece of Choices is written based upon the decisions made by the community as a whole. After reading the newest episode you can vote on the next course of action. Whichever option receives the most votes becomes the basis for the new episode. Unlike the other scrolls,
this is being written by our Community Manager, Mathew Reuther.
New website
Work is almost finished on the new website and (if all goes well) it will go live at the end of this week! The look of this Newsletter is a small indication of what the new website and forums will look like. Besides this new look, we have also been busy over the last couple of months steadily adding improvements to the backend in order to support new features. Below are two screenshots of the new site to whet your appetite.
TCoS – Multilingual!
We’ve announced the release of TCoS in three languages: English, German and French. In keeping with this philosophy of multilingual support, we have dedicated IRC channels as well as forums for each of these three languages. Our Community Relations staff consists of dedicated Forum Moderators/IRC Channel Operators for English, French and German. In addition, we are working with external agencies in order to provide translations of elements such as the Spellborn Scrolls. More information on this process will be made available as the situation evolves.
Fansite overview
With tension building towards release, more and more fansites pop up on the web. To show our appreciation for all the hard work that has been done by the community, we’ve listed some of these fansites below. If you’re a fansite administrator, make sure to let us know what you’ve put together! As new fansites are added, we’ll let you know in future newsletters. As well, we’ve got a featured fansite in each issue, so we’ll start with Hollowshard.com!
Featured fansite
Hollowshard features a wide variety of resources for the dedicated TCoS fan. They have a public blog system, news, forums, and the most cohesive TCoS resource available: wikiBorn. Hollowshard is administered by community members Emma, Garth and Cronus.
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Additional fansites
At this time we know of a few more sites under development, including another site in each language we are localizing in. So it won’t be long before the French community has their first TCoS fansite as well!
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A Growing Community
As the development of the game has progressed, our team has watched as the community has grown from a couple of hundred members, to a thousand, then 10,000 . . . and now to more than 20,000. As the numbers have increased, we’ve been proud to welcome all the new faces, and pleasantly surprised at the reception we’ve seen those new people receive from our long-time supporters. We’ve definitely noticed how the interactions between our guests have been generally positive, even during discussions over the hot topics such as player versus player combat, payment plans, and role-playing. These kinds of things help make it an incredible experience to work on the development of TCoS, and we want to thank all of you who have been so proactive for being so great to work with.
In Closing
We’ll be bringing you another Newsletter late this month, so you can look forward to our end of the year edition arriving in your email box just before the New Year dawns on us. Until then, keep checking out the main site, taking part in the forum discussions, and chatting in IRC. From all of us here at Spellborn International Ltd.: Happy Holidays (whichever those may be)! Oh, and finally, please remember one thing:
What Lies Hidden . . . Must Be Found.
The Chronicles of Spellborn © copyright 2005 Spellborn International Ltd. The Chronicles of Spellborn is the registered trademark of Spellborn International Ltd. All rights reserved. Patent pending. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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