Beta Cohort 2 FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Beta.

🤖 - Beta FAQ - 🤖

What is Cohort 2?

Cohort 2 will be the second set of players to enter the Phantom Galaxies Beta. Our Alpha process, as well as Cohort 1 of the Beta, have given us valuable insights and feedback that we’ve used to enhance this next phase of the game. Like with Cohort 1, we’ve introduced updates and refinements to establish systems and core mechanics that will support long term gameplay. We can’t wait to get these experiences into the hands of more players and integrate more of your feedback!

Who has access to Cohort 2?

Cohort 2 expands access into the Beta, with Planet Genesis Mintpass and The Hopeful holders now able to enter the game. Additionally, Zorran’s Favour NFT holders will be able to continue experiencing the Beta. Our Planet Genesis Mintpass holders are some of our biggest supporters, and The Hopeful have been by our side from our very beginning, so it made sense to us that these holders would be next into the Beta.

How can I get access to Planet Genesis Mintpasses, The Hopeful, or Zorran’s Favour NFTs?

Planet Genesis Mintpasses were originally sold as part of our first Planet Sale. While the sale has ended, you are still able to purchase them from the secondary market.

The Hopeful NFT was airdropped to the members with the Hopeful Discord role who posted their wallet address in a certain channel within a specific timeframe. As 2521 members did so, there will only ever be 2521 The Hopeful NFTs - but these are still available to purchase from the secondary market as well.

Zorran’s Favour is designed as a reward for outstanding community members. They may have won competitions or contributed to the community in impactful ways, helping or entertaining others. We have never sold Zorran’s Favour, but because they’re minted on the blockchain, you also have the opportunity to buy one from the secondary market if you like.

What is the expected duration of Cohort 2?

We expect this second cohort to last for roughly a month, until the next group is brought in.

When will Early Access begin?

We’re still running to schedule and expect that Early Access will launch in Q3 2023. However, this is subject to change, depending on the feedback we receive during the Beta period as we open up to more players and cohorts.

Why is the Beta being released in cohorts / phases?

We are implementing significant networking and blockchain infrastructure, which needs to be tested with player cohorts of increasing size. Releasing in incremental cohorts also helps us to better address any issues that arise during the Beta. Phantom Galaxies is continuously being worked on, and while it will be in a more raw form during these early cohorts, you’ll be seeing loads of improvements and additions as we make our way towards the Early Access launch.

What happens if I sell my access NFT (Planet Genesis Mintpass, The Hopeful, or Zorran’s Favour) whilst I’m playing?

If you sell your access NFT, you can no longer play the game during Cohort 2. If you buy an access NFT, you will be granted access to play. You will get a completely new account with in-game progress reset to zero, and will not inherit game progress from the previous owner.

What are the team’s expectations for the Beta period?

We expect our passionate fanbase will give us plenty of feedback, good and bad, which will help us shape the future of Phantom Galaxies. We think players will have a lot of fun uncovering what has changed and getting to grips with the new mechanics - and getting the thrill of sinking their teeth into this new phase of the project before anyone else.

What can we expect from the Beta period?

As Beta goes along, we’ll build in more and more additions and refinements, and with Early Access we’ll see some big jumps forward. Players have their Starfighter, Avatar and Planet mintpasses, and the minting process will come around soon - with our recently announced Phantom Catalyst NFTs, they’ll be able to influence the traits of these in-game NFT items. There’s plenty of exciting things on the horizon, and the testing in this Beta phase lays all the groundwork for that, so it’s a very exciting time.

I ran into a bug. Where can I report it?

We have a bug report form linked in the #beta-feedback channel in our Discord server where you can give us details about the pesky bugs you run into. You need to make sure that you have your wallet connected via Collab.Land in order to see these Beta channels. Thanks for letting us know - bug reports help us to make the game better for everyone!

I have a Planet Genesis Mintpass, The Hopeful, or Zorran’s Favour NFT. How can I access the Beta?

We have step-by-step instructions on how to access the beta in our Cohort 2: Ruler of Worlds launch blog!

Can I stream or share videos from the Beta?

Absolutely! There is no non-disclosure agreement. In fact, the more people that know about PG, the better! Just make sure to let people know that this is an early version of the game and is not representative of the final product.

Can I play on Mac?

Unfortunately, like Cohort 1, Cohort 2 can currently only be played on Windows. We expect this to change to include Mac devices as we continue through the Beta period.

What has changed between the Alpha and the Beta?

In Cohort 1, Starfighters have had a massive overhaul, generative Avatars can be experienced for the first time, Halberd-001 is open for multiplayer exploration, and much more! You can read about all the details in our launch article.

Cohort 2 adds to this, leveraging the server improvements from Cohort 1 to bring additional multiplayer opportunities. The multiplayer experience is extending into the stars, with our first PvE multiplayer. Launch into our Typhon and Medusa multiplayer maps, to battle pirate hordes alongside your fellow Ranger pilots!

We have also introduced the Bounty Terminal, which can be found near the main Starfighter Control. You can complete a range of brand-new Bounties throughout the star systems, raking in credits! With ambient enemies re-enabled, there will be no shortage of marauding corsairs to hunt.

Why am I encountering bugs?

As you may know, betas aren’t usually gaming perfection, and there may be some Blue Sand Special hiccups along the way. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work hard to make Phantom Galaxies the best it can be. During the Beta period, your feedback and bug reports are incredibly important in helping us to identify where we need to improve. Incorporating your feedback helps us to work a lot faster than with internal testing alone!

How many players can fit inside the Halberd-001?

At the moment, 32 players is the maximum amount that fit in each Halberd-001 in a single server shard.

How many players play in space together at the same time?

At the moment, 32 players is the maximum amount that can play together in space in a single server shard.

Can I enter a specific instance of Halberd-001 or space to meet up with my friends?

Not yet, but we intend to add this functionality in the future.

When can we expect PVP combat?

Enabling multiplayer functionality is a complicated endeavor, and is continuously being worked on by our team. In Cohort 1, we added functionality to explore Halberd-001 alongside other players and exchange emotes with your fellow Rangers. Now, Cohort 2 has introduced our first taste of multiplayer PvE experience. PvP is one of our long-term goals for Phantom Galaxies, and while this won’t be implemented in the near future, this early multiplayer functionality is laying the groundwork.

Will there be new lore coming out soon?

Our Narrative team is constantly exploring new ways to tell stories in the Phantom Galaxies universe. Our Homestead short story is being released, exploring the pirate threats that menace Typhon, tying into the new gameplay opportunities of Cohort 2 - with much more to come!

When will Avatars be minted?

We don’t have an exact date to share for Avatar minting. However, this will occur before the Early Access launch, as Avatars will be required for that stage of the game.

What happened to Energy and why was it changed for the Beta?

Our brand new Heat system is replacing Energy. With each action you take in the game, your Heat level charges up, but be careful not to overheat or you’ll pay the price. Hitting the sweet spot, on the other hand, will give you an Ultimate boost. With the Heat system, we really wanted to better capture the fantasy of being a Starfighter pilot. Part of this fantasy is allowing players to push their limits, to go for the critical takedown at the risk of overheating and taking fatal damage.

Is Planet Exploration available during Cohort 2?

Unfortunately Planet Exploration was not able to be implemented for Cohort 2. We are developing the systems and technology that will allow players to discover more about their Planets, and author some of their traits via Phantom Catalysts. We’re excited to share more news about this soon.

What happened to controller support?

Due to the major changes and bug fixes we're implementing, we've temporarily removed controller support to ensure that as many of you can play the game as quickly as possible. We promise that we haven’t lost control of the situation and will bring back controller support in the near future. Until then, to your Keyboard and Mouse, Pilots! 🫡

Where can I find new game content?

Like Cohort 1, Cohort 2 will give players access to content only from the first Episode of Phantom Galaxies - due to the complexity of the features we’re working on, we had to go back and update all existing content. With the first cohort, we made significant changes to the design of Starfighters, and importantly added our first taste of multiplayer aboard the Halberd-001. Additionally, the game state and all saves are now stored server-side - meaning that your story progress is now tied to your Generative Avatar. Now, we’ve also added multiplayer PVE experiences and a robust Bounty system to enjoy.

These are all huge changes to the player experience and can have a flow-on impact to the rest of the game if there are any issues. Spending the time to get these features right now means that we’re setting up a solid foundation for all of the work we do in the future.

Where can I find my access code?

Go to the download page of our official website and generate a new access code with the connected wallet. Click the “Download” button to generate the new code.

Will save data carry over?

Save data will remain throughout the Alpha episodes, but will reset during Beta.

Is there an issue with having the NFT on a ledger?

There are no issues. Your ledger will just need to link in to a supported blockchain wallet to interact with the website. MetaMask, Wallet Connect, and Coinbase Wallet are currently supported.