Actually the server for Dawntide is straight-up -down- today - apparently there was a fire, how fun is that? The provider is bringing servers up one at a time now and we should be back up later today or tomorrow last I heard from Wiz.
Totally still in development, and beta is no longer closed so no waiting! Once we're back online, all you have to do once you've downloaded the client is make a game account on the website with your master account and you're good to go.
(I'm community manager, among other things, for Dawntide.)