You COULD play Neocron retail right now.
 

1. Purchase a German copy off of Ebay for the CD-Key
2. Create your user account.
3. Use the orignial Beta Zip file and set it up.
4. Copy the Update and Retail update files from ftp.neocron.com
5. Copy all the patches except 151 on up.
6. Switch from port 8020 to 8040
7. Restart.
8. It will download a bunch of BROKEN files then restart and
you're in!

It would probably screw up later though, but I've heard it works.

lol why a german copy?

for the cd key, cuz its not out in the us yet.