SpyParty Beta Registration
Finally, the SpyParty Early-Access Beta is now open to everyone! You can join right now, and be playing in as long as it takes to fill out some web forms, visit PayPal,1 and check your email. If you need help, there’s a set of Frequently Asked Questions below, and I’ll see you in the lobby!
Thanks,
Chris
SpyParty Early-Access Beta Registration
Thank you for joining the SpyParty Early-Access Beta! Let's get started with your registration!
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A Few Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a super-mini-FAQ for stuff I either completely forgot to put here on this page when I posted it, or stuff that isn’t clear:
- Do I have to have friends to play, or is there a central server and I can play other people?
There’s a central lobbyserver, so you get to see everybody who’s currently playing, or waiting to play, or just hanging out and chatting with the really awesome and helpful beta community. It’s pretty ugly right now, but it works. It looks like this if you’re curious. - What platforms does it run on?
It is a Windows game, but it actually runs really well on MacOS using an amazing piece of free magic called Wineskin. A lot of beta testers play on MacOS with Wineskin, and one of them wrote up a really nice and easy tutorial in the beta forums walking you through installing everything you need with screenshots and links and everything, and there are a bunch of people who can help you get it set up if you get stuck. Wineskin works so seamlessly that even the game’s auto-updater works in it. It’s kind of crazy, actually. - Is there a single-player mode yet?
Not yet. Well, there’s Practice Mode, but that’s not really a game, it’s more of a way to get used to things as a newbie, or hone your skills as an advanced player. Eventually there will be a single-player mode, but not for a while. However, as I’ve said, the community is incredibly cool and supportive, so come on in, the water’s fine! - Can I read more, or watch a video before I decide?
Definitely! The manual is here, and the Welcome post, which contains the tutorial video, is here. There are also tons of videos on YouTube, and people streaming the game all the time, so check those out too. - Can you take my money some way besides PayPal?
Sadly, right now, no. I know a lot of people have trouble with PayPal, and I’m going to add Amazon and Google at some point, hopefully soon. A couple things, in the meantime: 1. You don’t need to register for a PayPal account in most countries, you only need a credit card; 2. I’ve found PayPal’s email support to be terrible, but their phone support to be actually really good, so if you are having troubles you might try calling them. - Wait, slow down, I came here from the internet, what the heck is this game?
SpyParty is an asymmetric multiplayer espionage game. One player is a Spy at a cocktail party, trying to accomplishing missions while simultaneously trying to blend in with the other guests. All of the missions have subtle tells associated with them, and all of the other guests are AIs controlled by the computer. The other player is the Sniper, looking in at the party from afar, wishing he or she could order a nice gin and tonic. Because the Sniper can’t order a gin and tonic, somebody at the party is going to get shot, and hopefully it’s the Spy. The Sniper only has one bullet, though, so observe the behavior of the people at the party and choose wisely. If this sounds somewhat familiar, you might want to read this FAQ, where I talk about games with similar mechanics. - What’s the deal with this Early-Access Beta?
After over a year in closed beta, SpyParty is finally open to everyone. It’s a paid beta, which is helping me fund the development of the game. I realize paid beta’s aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay, if you’re more comfortable holding off until the game is done, that’s great, you can still follow along with the progress here on the blog or at the social media outlets on the sidebar. I just added a new SpyParty News link right there at the top right, so you can sign up for a monthly newsletter about changes in the game if you prefer to get your news that way. I literally have no idea when the game will be done, most likely years from now. It takes a very long time to tune and balance a game that’s trying to be as deep and competitive as Poker or Go. On the other hand, if you like the idea of getting early-access to the game, helping it evolve, and of course getting the final game when it’s released as part of the deal, then this might be for you. - Can I ask more questions?
Of course! I answer a bunch in the comments below, and feel free to add yours if you don’t see it already, and check out the real big FAQ, although it needs a fresh coat of paint.
If you have problems or find bugs in the registration process, please send them to support@spyparty.com, don’t post them here as comments since I might not see them. Any other questions or discussion is a-okay here in the comments!
- Yes, other payment providers coming soon! [↩]
When the full game comes out will all of us beta users have to buy it again?
Nope, you’ll get the full game as well, at least on platforms where I can give it to you (PC for sure, obviously).
Wait, will this be coming to console?
The plan is to put it everywhere that can play it!
Awesome cant wait!
I’ve paid for and downloaded the game, but my hard drive failed and lost the e-mail.How do I re-download the game?
Sorry, missed this one. Log into your beta homepage at https://secure.spyparty.com/beta, thanks!
I bought this game about a year ago but have since lost it when my HDD was wiped. How can i redownload it?
Just log into your beta homepage at https://secure.spyparty.com/beta and re-download it. Have fun!
Thanks!
Hey,
Any idea on timescale for price discount on additional accounts? Would love to play this with a friend but another $15 is steep.
One more thing regarding Replays (forgot how to reach the forums part of this) – wouldn’t it be great if you could see who was highlighted and low lighted from the Spy’s perspective.
I’m guessing it’ll be something like two-for-$25, so 33% off the second copy or whatever. That’s about what Frozen Synapse did (although I just checked and it looks like they’re only $25 but you always get a free copy). But, I haven’t decided for sure. I’ll also eventually do “spawned copies”, which means you can have a copy that will only play your account, for having friends over and showing the game to somebody and whatnot. I’m guessing that’ll be free.
For replays, yeah, I got the HL and LL visualization in, it’s pretty cool to watch the laser sweep over the room and people light up!
Forums are off your beta homepage: https://secure.spyparty.com/beta (I really need to put a link to this on the blog!)
Thanks Checker – appreciate the good work - keep it up mate :)
What are the minimum system requirements for the game? (I have a really weak PC)
They’re really low right now. They’ll probably inch up a bit, but check out this video for an idea of how low they go (even with the new art): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQSjlqMAuSk
Hi, how much will the game be when it is fully developed and released?
I was originally thinking it would stay $15, but I’m not sure now, since it’s taking longer and costing more than I thought it would, so I’m considering raising the price. I’ll give people a long heads-up before I do if I do, though. I’m not even going to think about it for a long time, so it’ll be $15 for a while.
will this game go on steam?
Yep, eventually. I’ll probably put it on Early-Access, but not for a while.
Sorry but paying for a Beta, your having a laugh, the whole point of an open Beta is so you can have people test it and feedback to you, also to gain momentum for launch….never ever paid for a Beta….
That’s cool, I’m totally fine with people waiting until the game is finished, they just might be waiting a while. As a developer, the relatively recent “paid early-access beta” thing is great, it allows me to fund the game while making it cooler based on hardcore feedback, so people who want to wait for the finished game get an even better game than if I’d tried to ship it sooner. It’s also not distracting like running a kickstarter, or getting publisher money. It seems to work pretty well, with lots of great games coming out of the process (Minecraft, Frozen Synapse, Prison Architect, the list is endless).
Why do people keep acting like they won’t pay out of principle when they’re obviously just being cheap and/or think they’re entitled to play for free a great game someone has been working hard on for years.
And as checker said, the early-access model is both a great opportunity for independents to make great games while being funded in the process and for us gamers to finally get other games than mediocre so-called AAA ones.
I agree with this payment model, just splitting hairs here. Years ago I paid $15 for Minecraft alpha, which was not even half developed. I still played the heck out of it, and it was well worth it. Now that payed early access is a big thing, many people are becoming confused with games that use that model but are aren’t calling it that; instead using the familiar Alpha, Beta, and Demo terms that are the norm. I just think in that in the eyes of the average consumer, all four of those terms are different things, even though a pre-release demo or pre-release game access is pretty much synonymous with Beta. its semantics but it confuses people, and that irritates them. I do think there’s a destination, at least one that’s forming on the consumer end, and developers should probably adopt change our naming conventions to meet that standard; I don’t like saying “payed early access beta” either, but that’s because it seems redundant and less appealing to consumers, but they don’t like being drawn in, and feeling baited either– just my pov, so I would just suggest dropping beta. And calling it paid early access, unless theres simply not enough game to justify charging for, and then it should probably still be alpha/kickstarter.
I’m just sad that I missed the original invite somehow, and that’s just because I have to wait to contribute. :). I’m super excited for this game.
One side note about Mojang, totally off the point. ( They didn’t keep good records at the time, and I used a- now expired student email account to register, so when they recently did some kind of forced reactivation for new servers or what-not. That all now has effectively ended my love for the game, because I supported them, and now I can’t play. They insist on either needed the original email or the some activation code which they began implementing later. I’ll be super happy if they ever respond to my e-mail concerning that, sent months ago… Anyway I suggest you be a little more responsible for your backers. Good luck!
My old computer died and i got a new one is there a way i can download again without buying the game once more i know my username and password
Yep, just go to the beta homepage (https://secure.spyparty.com/beta) with your username and password and download it again. I need to put this link on the public webpage!
I have an idea for a future update. In game player profiles! Players can buy backgrounds with points they earn in game and show off their badges on their profiles!
will this be coming to console?
Yep, at some point!