Mmmmm, I don’t get it?
I don’t really know, I would never edit/hack a file because it would make playing extremely boring (plus, I wouldn’t know how), but I was under the impression that if people can edit their items, they would also be able to edit their characters?
Not much balance/fairness if someone transfers online a naked character with 1000 vitality and 5000 strength…
And for a completely irrelevant cynical thought:
I would have agreed with that five (maybe ten) years ago. Beta-testing was generally free, usually by invitation only. And yes, when I was participating in some of these, I would expect to start from scratch at launch. It was literally testing, for a limited time, with changes deep and fast all the time.
Nowadays, with the spread of “betas” and “early access” sold to anyone and keeping the tag for years and years, sometimes forever because it is comfortable to deflect criticism, the term beta has been entirely deprived of meaning.
When I pay to buy a game sold without restrictions to anyone, I do expect to keep my characters. Be it alpha, beta, delta or zelda.
[Note: this is NOT an attack towards EHG at all, just a general thought about the industry. EHG do have a clear road map and have explained what they consider “beta” and what they define as “release”.]