During the BETA, you can unlock the Episode for free. However, note that once you unlock there is no way to re-lock it (except deleting your game data folder at C:\ProgramData\InterAction studios\CIep3), so please make sure you sufficiently test it in its locked state first.
Episodes will not include any on-line functionality. The BETA version does require connection to the server, however (the official release will not).
Episodes use some new text phrases, which are (obviously) not translated yet. Translations will appear within CIU in the next update, so you can translate them there.
You can skip/warp around waves: Press SHIFT+keys 0-9, -, = to set chapter (from 1 to 12), or press 0-9 keys to set wave in chapter (from 1 to 10).
You can also press Ctrl+K to add 100 keys (only works on screens where your key balance is displayed). Try not to use this from the beginning. First play the game normally and get a feel about how easy it is to earn keys. An important part of the BETA is calibrating prices to reasonable values, and you can’t do that if you use this cheat.
Dunno if this is normal or not, but at the beginning of the mission (where you start with 10 FP Lightning Fryer), the boss music plays when “Prologue” text appears and not when “Show’em who’s boss!” text appears.
Well, i can say…
If we did for CI2 DLC as well as we can, all other CI DLC will be more easier to do. Because each DLC game application will use the same setting, and also the mission setting (almost).