Ashes of Creation Apocalypse heading into Early Access means that persistent game servers will be online, so you can hop in and join us for Battle Royale testing at any time! As we move towards Castle Siege and Horde Mode testing, Early Access will allow us to gather valuable feedback and data from our community on the key systems that are essential to the Ashes of Creation MMORPG - whether that’s action combat, game performance, network infrastructure, user interface, or overall player experience. Getting to this phase of testing would not have been possible without all of your help so far. Every time you jump in and play Ashes of Creation Apocalypse with us, you help us with the iterative process towards building a better and more polished MMORPG.
In order to play Ashes of Creation Apocalypse during Early Access, you will need to have a registered Intrepid account - you can do so by creating an account on our website here if you don’t already have one. To stay up-to-date with the latest Ashes of Creation Apocalypse testing news as we progress through Early Access, be sure to follow us on our new Facebook and Twitter handles!
As you join us for Early Access testing, you may run across rogue in-game bugs - please help us by reporting them on our Bug Reporting forums here! You can use the search tool to take a look at the other threads that have previously been posted, to ensure that your bug is not a duplicate of what someone has already shared; if you have more information to add, please include it in the original thread rather than opening a new one. We’ve also included a Known Issues list at the end of this post and on our forums here - be sure to check back often on the forums to see what may be updated on that list! If you’d like some helpful tips on what to include in your bug report, there’s a handy guide on our forums as well.
Throughout our recent play tests, your feedback has been critical in helping us identify issues and areas for improvement. As you continue to help us test during Early Access, your thoughts on combat balance, player experience, and game performance will help us shape our development roadmap for Castle Siege, Horde Mode, and the Alpha 1 phase of the Ashes of Creation MMORPG moving forward. You can join in the discussion and share your feedback on gameplay topics on our official forums here!
We’ve included answers to some of your frequently asked questions below, in addition to an updated list of known issues and patch notes. Please reach out to us on Twitter, our official forums, or Discord for additional help if there’s something we haven’t covered below!
From all of us here at Intrepid Studios, THANK YOU for helping us reach this milestone, and we’ll see you in the Apocalypse!
Q: How do I get Early Access to Ashes of Creation Apocalypse?
A: All users with a registered Intrepid account will be able to participate in Early Access - you can register an account on our website here.
Q: Where and when can I download Ashes of Creation Apocalypse?
A: The latest patch for Ashes of Creation Apocalypse will be available for download from the Ashes of Creation website and Steam starting 12PM PDT on Tuesday, September 24. Please note that while you may be able to pre-download the launcher from the Ashes of Creation website, you will need to log into the launcher and download the latest patch once servers are live on Tuesday, September 24.
Q: I already have Ashes of Creation Apocalypse downloaded from a prior test - can I run/update that version?
A: In order to ensure that you have the most up-to-date files for Ashes of Creation Apocalypse, please follow these steps to remove any old files you may have from previous play tests. You will need a fresh download from our website or Steam for Early Access testing.
Q: When can I play Ashes of Creation Apocalypse?
A: Now that Ashes of Creation Apocalypse is heading into Early Access, persistent servers will be available for our Battle Royale game mode starting 12PM PDT on Tuesday, September 24. In order to stay up to date with when downtimes, patches, or maintenances may occur, we recommend joining our Discord or following our support Twitter.
Q: What regions and game modes are available during Early Access?
A: To kick off Early Access, the Battle Royale mode will be available for Solos, Duos, and Squads of players on our North American (East & West), European (Central), and Southeast Pacific (Singapore) servers. Stay tuned to our official Discord and news posts to see when future game modes are available for testing!
Q: Can I play with my friends if they’re in a different region?
A: Yes! During Early Access, no matter where you download and play from, you will be able to queue up and play with your friends from around the world.
Q: How much does Ashes of Creation Apocalypse cost?
A: Ashes of Creation Apocalypse is available as a free download, and no purchase or subscription is required to play. Optional in-game purchases are available, but these are cosmetic items only - there is no P2W in Apocalypse or the MMORPG!
Q: Where do I share feedback during Early Access?
A: Your feedback helps us make Apocalypse, and thus the MMORPG, great! Be sure to join in the discussion and add your thoughts on our forums here.
Q: How do I report a bug during Early Access?
A: To report a bug, head to the Bug Reporting section of our official forums here. Be sure to check the Known Issues list and other previously reported bugs before opening a new thread! A helpful guide on what to include in your bug report can be found here.
Q: How can I get help with an account, purchase, technical, or other issue?
A: Our knowledge base has tons of helpful articles to address any questions you may have. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can open a support ticket for assistance.
Q: What is the Adventure Path?
A: The Adventure Path enables you to level up and acquire cosmetic rewards as you gain experience in Ashes of Creation Apocalypse. You can get experience simply by completing matches, but you can earn much greater rewards if you survive longer than others, work well in a team, complete daily and weekly quests, or if you upgrade to the Legendary Path. You can upgrade to the Legendary Path at any time, and all the items you would have earned up until that level will unlock automatically for you upon upgrading. All cosmetic items that you unlock in the Adventure Path can also be used in the MMORPG in the future.
Q: What happens to my previous Adventure Path progress during Early Access?
A: With the start of Early Access, your Adventure Path progress and levels have been reset - however, you will retain and have access to equip everything you earned previously from the Adventure Path. If you had previously purchased or owned the Legendary Path (this is called “Compendium Season 1 - The Exodus” in your Inventory here), you will now be able to make progress towards any of the items you hadn’t unlocked before.
Q: Can I level up my Adventure Path during Early Access?
A: Yes, and cosmetic items you earn from the Adventure Path will be applicable in other Ashes of Creation Apocalypse game modes (like Castle Siege and Horde Mode), as well as the Ashes of Creation MMORPG. You can level up your Adventure Path either by acquiring experience, or by using Embers from the Adventure Path menu.
Q: How long do I have to complete the Adventure Path?
A: Starting with Early Access on Tuesday, September 24, you will have 12 weeks to complete the challenges in your Season 1 compendium and level up your Adventure Path and/or Legendary Path, ending on Tuesday, December 17. Check back each week to see what new challenges are available! You can also see how much time you have left to complete your challenges and level up from the Adventure Path menu in-game.
Q: What happens to the items I earn from the Adventure Path during Early Access?
A: The cosmetic items you unlock in the Adventure Path during Early Access will be applicable in other Ashes of Creation Apocalypse games modes (like Castle Siege and Horde Mode), as well as the Ashes of Creation MMORPG.
Q: What are Embers?
A: Embers are an in-game currency that can be purchased for real-world currency. You can use Embers to acquire cosmetic items or the Legendary Path in Ashes of Creation Apocalypse, and Embers will also be used in the MMORPG. Embers can be purchased directly in-game or separately through your platform of choice. More information on Embers can be found in our knowledge base here.
Q: Are the items I purchase and unlock in-game only usable in Ashes of Creation Apocalypse?
A: The cosmetic items you purchase or unlock in Ashes of Creation Apocalypse will also be available to you in the Ashes of Creation MMORPG in the future.
Q: How do I report someone for a fairplay violation?
A: If you see something, say something! If you spot someone in-game with an unfair advantage (ex. hacking, “teaming”) or violating our Terms in any other way, please share more details here so we can investigate further and take action.
Q: What languages will Ashes of Creation Apocalypse support for Early Access?
A: At the moment, Ashes of Creation Apocalypse is available in English - you can read more details in our support article here.
Q: What are the system requirements to run Ashes of Creation Apocalypse?
A: You can read our minimum system requirements and recommended system specifications on our support portal here, as well as some helpful tips for optimizing your game performance. Ashes of Creation Apocalypse is supported on PC for 64-bit versions of Windows 10, 8.1, and 7.
Q: Do I need to have an Intrepid account in order to play Ashes of Creation Apocalypse through Steam?
A: Yes, you will need to have a registered Intrepid account in order to play Ashes of Creation Apocalypse via Steam - you can create one through our website here.
Q: Can I log into Ashes of Creation Apocalypse on Steam using an existing Intrepid account?
A: Yes, you can use your existing Intrepid account to log into Ashes of Creation Apocalypse via Steam - you will be prompted for your Intrepid login credentials upon launching the game in order to link your accounts.
Q: Can I trade or gift in-game items to my friends?
A: Items you purchase or unlock in-game are not able to be traded or gifted to other players.
Q: Can I unlink my Steam and Intrepid accounts once they’re connected?
A: At this time, there is no way for you to unlink your Steam and Intrepid accounts once they’re connected.
Q: Can I link more than one Intrepid account to my Steam account?
A: At this time, each Intrepid account you have will need to be linked to a separate Steam account.
Q: Since Ashes of Creation Apocalypse will be available on Steam, can we expect to see the Ashes of Creation MMORPG on Steam as well?
A: Currently we do not have plans to support Steam as a platform for the Ashes of Creation MMORPG.
Check back later for an updated list of Known Issues! To stay up-to-date with the latest changes during Early Access testing, we recommend keeping an eye on our Known Issues forum thread.
GAMEPLAY
- Melee weapon attack combos have been updated.
- Zero Stamina attacks have been updated.
- Heroic Leap has been removed.
- Lunge Attack distance is now consistent across all weapons.
- Lunge Attack damage has been reduced.
- Performing a Lunge Attack while not in combat allows you to move your character forward on the ground or in the air without swinging your weapon. This can be performed multiple times in succession.
- Block will continuously drain Stamina while enabled, and incoming melee attacks also drain your Stamina while blocking.
- If an attack reduces your Stamina to zero while blocking, you will be staggered for a brief moment.
- Players now enter each match from a randomly chosen route.
- You can now place waypoints on your map (default hotkey MOUSE 3) that are visible to all squad members. You can remove a placed waypoint by double-clicking MOUSE 3.
- Time of day is now static in order to address visibility issues.
- Fixed an issue where opening the map would cause decreased framerates.
- Fixed an issue where players would sometimes get stuck in a white screen while loading into a match.
- Fixed an issue where the storm would sometimes be visible from long distances or not be visible.
USER INTERFACE
- Additional head options are available for male and female characters.
- The map has received additional improvements for increased readability.
ART
- The base armor for male and female characters has been updated.
- Updated weapon trails for all melee attack animations.
- Added animations for collecting and summoning a horse.
- Adjusted banking animations while riding a horse.
- Updated clouds with new visuals.
AUDIO
- Fixed bug where small prop destruction played incorrect explosion audio.
- Optimizations with active ability stance sounds.
- Updated melee weapon audio to match new combos.
- General bug fixing and mix changes.
NEW DEFAULT HOTKEY GUIDE
