the first word i came up with to describe that state of the game would be terraforming.
Seeing as people actively form and create this new world, i think it would be adequate.
although the word terra might be kinda out of character.

The phase where you are transitioning from a world with no players in it to a world where there is enough player-created content to support the normal addition of new players? Clearly, that is the germination phase; the players at the time are seeds, and the actions of the developers during that period can be characterized as growpramming.

Nb: I see worked on blackstar concept art, cancelled by NCSoft in 2008, which was a shame as it could have been a cool mmo. The duel avatar manifestation of character + ship was neat idea I remembered thinking. Perhaps PfO can have a character with something like this idea? Eg a bidedal to a quadriped or something else for eg that changes the avatar dramatically?

In fact I was actually thinking this before I hit the link to the thread (again because of the delta=change idea). So well done Nihimon!

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Also, regarding the part of the post this week regarding the hard copy materials for the kickstarter. I just recently bought a house so my address is changing. Will there be another round of address confirmations once shipping of these items gets underway?

If you looked at the blog before about 1:40 PM, look again... we added an image of the Goblin Squad T-Shirt, going to Kickstarter backers who supported us at the $100 level. (There will be other ways to join the Goblin Squad and perhaps get this shirt in the future...)

If you looked at the blog before about 1:40 PM, look again... we added an image of the Goblin Squad T-Shirt, going to Kickstarter backers who supported us at the $100 level. (There will be other ways to join the Goblin Squad and perhaps get this shirt in the future...)

Is that the final design? It looks poorly suited for the methods I know of to apply a design to a T-shirt...

Actually, this sort of release is akin to the Story Boarding of Movies, especially animated movies.

I would refer to this as the Story Board Release. After all, this is where the story of the sandbox begins to unfold, is it not? It is a period where a rough outline is sketched out, and then we, as players, flesh it out into a finer piece of artwork.

Thus: Story Board Release.

Heck, you could even have the artists release Concept Art as the game is developed in this specific release so as to emphasize the Story Board theme of the release. Give players involved in the release first look at the images, especially ones that are based on their own work, and listen to the player base giggle with glee at such a thing.

I really like "trailblazing" though! Tastes of sandbox game, frontier spirit, small group paving the way for later arrivals and being the _real thing_ (and not some kind of lab test to be wiped before the real launch). The reference to Pathfinder is a bonus.

I can't resist suggesting a cheesier alternative though: "VIP launch" (after all, the game isn't open to the plebeians until a few months later)

To indicate both that it is in its beginning stages and also that it is actively growing into what it will eventually become. Breaks the mold, a little, with regard to the normal use of alpha and beta, but it's also very recognizable and its meaning is easy to guess at.

If you looked at the blog before about 1:40 PM, look again... we added an image of the Goblin Squad T-Shirt, going to Kickstarter backers who supported us at the $100 level. (There will be other ways to join the Goblin Squad and perhaps get this shirt in the future...)

Is that the final design? It looks poorly suited for the methods I know of to apply a design to a T-shirt...

It's nearly final, in that we may be adding a Pathfinder Online logo.

The T-shirt vendor will likely add a white underprint layer and make other adjustments as needed.

I like "field test" because it is that. You need to test your theory in the field. If it doesn't work, you change and retest it. Gradually, it will be more and more efficient. But you don't stop testing and having feedback on the experience.

Why not just call the initial launch Pathfinder Online: Pathfinders?
The word Pathfinder is perfectly suitable to describe an initial group of players colonizing a frontier.
Alternatively it, colonies or frontiers could work. I would suggest avoiding greek letters as they all feel related to alpha/beta stages and suggest bugs and unfinished products.

With the possibility of not only the launcher type, but overall development and business model becoming industry standard, I think it should tie back to those that pioneered it.

Goblinworks and the Goblin Squad.

When fans of a specific property would hear that their next installment was going to be doing a Squad Launch, they'd look back on all of us and know they were in for something special. They'd know that they could have a significant impact on the product they were purchasing. Let them remember how to do it right and who did it first.

We don't want a Pathfinder specific term. We want a process specific term. Someone who doesn't know anything about Pathfinder but does know about MMOs should be able to grok what we're doing when they hear the term.