Beckett Massive Online Gamer

As many people know, Alganon has been in beta for some time now and is preparing for its October 31st release date. We had some time to sit down and talk with David Allen and ask him some questions about this up and coming game.

David: My name is David Allen, I am president of Quest Online, and the creator of Alganon.

Beckett: Can you give our readers who may not have heard of Alganon before a brief explanation of the game, what will they find when they log into Alganon for the first time?

David: We've kept quiet. We're (as far as I know) the only company in North America that's completely privately financed, majority founder owned, who has built all their own technology (owns all tech and IP), owns their own hardware, and is creating a commercial-grade subscription MMOG. Our focus has been on building a product more than talking about how great it'll be. Now Alganon is alive and a great game to play, so we're opening up to the public and letting them know we not only exist, but have a great game that in my opinion is the first viable alternative to World of Warcraft.

Beckett: What sort of work is involved in preparing a game for release, what sort of last minute details have to be worked over?

David: 16 hour work days, 7 days a week, everything... making sure our servers are prepared, the build processes are solid, player feedback is handled, the ticketing system works, classes are balanced, that little item in the field can be clicked on to start step 12 of important quest X, the game works just as good for ATI as nVidia, network connectivity is smooth, no data loss at all, all database systems are solid, the teams have clear roadmaps and understanding of what needs to be done every day... oh that's just a few things... bring privately funded, we have no waste; each member of our team is top notch and very good at what they do. Never a dull moment... As we approach launch we're working on server stability, game balance, client stability and visual representations, AI/mob pathing systems, and a few other nick-nacks.

Beckett: What is your favorite feature from the game?

David: Studies. Hands down. Giving the players the ability to grow their characters in real-time regardless of them being online. It's great.

Beckett: Can you explain the pricing model to our readers?

David: Standard subscription model - $14.95/mo with discounts for prepaid months.

Beckett: Will the game receive updates after it is released, is there an expansion in the works already by chance? If there is, can you share what some of those updates and expansions may include?

David: Yes, all expansions will be free, and we plan major expansions every 6 months, many including key features such as PvP, new races, classes, domains and more.

Beckett: What has been the most challenging aspect of working towards the release?

David: Limitations of time and money. Marketing has also been a pain. We've done all of this ourselves, and making players aware of Alganon in a sea of "garbage game ads" is quite challenging.

Beckett: How will Alganon appeal to both causal and hardcore players, what measures have been put in place? Or is the game only suited to appeal to one or the other?

David: Both. The original design and studies system was built specifically to support both. A casual player of a year can have the studies under their belt that give them support abilities no hardcore player who reaches max level in a week could gain. We reward people not just for playing (which is the level based system), but for subscribing (Study system).

Beckett: For those who are curious about the pre-order promotion can you explain what a Moole is?

David: A fun cross-eyed buck-toothed mule-like creature that is just a blast to ride.

Beckett: Where did inspiration for Alganon content come from, was it taken from friends, family, day to day situations perhaps?

David: The core of Alganon was creating a world where the gods were truly a big part of everything; the lore, races, and even terrain/environments. That's what served as the core. I started building out the history, keeping it simple, yet interesting, and then the races, then the continents, and the rest just flowed into place. But that was just the foundation. Our design team took this core and made it their own and took off running. Alganon has evolved beyond what I originally designed, and I have an amazingly talented group of designers to thank for that. Together, we have built a damn fine game.

Beckett: Any last words to share with our readers about this incredible game?

David: Check it out. If you like MMORPGs, you won't be disappointed. This is the game a LOT of people have been waiting for.

Beckett: Thank you for your time David, it sounds like a lot of fun, and a lot of work to get this game ready for everyone! We wish you the best of luck with your October 31st release, and look forward to playing live!

If you're interested in checking out Alganon or perhaps picking up a pre-order copy of it, then be sure to go to the web site at http://www.alganon.com/ for a closer look. If you're currently playing it or plan on playing why not meet up with others on our Beckett Massive Online Gamer forums to talk about the game!