I can't for the life of me figure out why you would be upset about not being in the beta.
Is is becasue you dont have enough work to do?
Bored High School Student?
Want a free trial?
Is that is? Listen. It's a great game. Play it on release you'll see. That being said. Beta does not count to charachter progression, your toon get's wiped. So calm down. Screenshots are plenty.
stress testing the game and its severs are very very very important
if they didn't have a bunch of people running around at low level and their spawn times for these monsters were way way way too long.....even if people don't report bugs they are still helping even if they don't think so themselves.......
however those that do report bugs and relized that it IS JUST BETA AND NOT THE LAUNCHED GAME are a lot more helpful but remember Never forget the silent Majority
stress testing the game and its severs are very very very important
if they didn't have a bunch of people running around at low level and their spawn times for these monsters were way way way too long.....even if people don't report bugs they are still helping even if they don't think so themselves.......
however those that do report bugs and relized that it IS JUST BETA AND NOT THE LAUNCHED GAME are a lot more helpful but remember Never forget the silent Majority
I agree with^. even if 99.9% of beta testers don't care they still are building server integrity and experience.
Closed betas aren't a bad idea... If your not chosen, too bad. Did the closed beta for the first Linage game a long time ago, it worked quite nice. The game got a lot better 'cause the beta feedback.
Open betas is on the other hand not so great, would be better to have a free trial instead after the game is released. The open betas seems to be a kind of testplay but the game isnt really finnished, just creates dissapointment.
And it seems a bit retarded to do as all companys seems to be doing now and offer beta access to pre order customers. The idea of a beta is to get the buggs fixed, not to work as a market trick. Or at least it use to be.
99.9% of all beta testers (doesnt matter of which game) dont help improving the game, they use the beta as a free demo version. The Devs should use the money for paying professionel testers instead. So I agree with the OP.
tbh... yes they help improve the game. when you are not professionel tester you just know what you like, and what you hate. that makes the game appeal to "normal" people. if you hire professionel testers, you will get a list of what wrong with the game and why they think so. if its getting fixed, perhaps it will look great on paper, but in reality it will get a boring game. its people like the testers in closed beta that will be playing the game, so therefor i think its best that normal people are testers. ofcause they can get some professinel testers, but there is no way whatsoever that it will be the best solution only to have them.
Beta is not used to test software these days, it's just another marketing tool. Check google or microsoft, 2 of the biggest software companies. Google has had it's gmail service on beta for 2 years now. Microsoft always uses it's beta messenger service too whenever they can. Companies use "Beta" so that people feel special to be trying a product that no one (aparrently) has access too.
Don't blame people for not understanding what beta means. Blame software companies instead. The description of beta the OP gave is long dead.
Well i think what everyone should keep in mind is that beta, isnt for people to preview the game. What its ment for is the test out the game. If you really just wanna see what the game is like, get an free trial after the game is up and running.
Well i think what everyone should keep in mind is that beta, isnt for people to preview the game. What its ment for is the test out the game. If you really just wanna see what the game is like, get an free trial after the game is up and running.
The majority knows, but the majority doesn't care.
From what I can tell, closed invite betas and open betas are some of the worst things to happen to MMOs recently. I have seen so many posts about people pissed off about not being invited to beta, or getting mad at Mythic for not releasing the dates of the open beta. For some reason people have started to think of being in a beta as an entitlement of buying the game. For some reason people don't understand that it's not "preview time". It's called beta for a reason. I really wish that MMOs would go back to the way betas are supposed to be, because when people start getting mad at companies for not inviting them to a closed beta, it's a sad sad day, and that has been happening for a while.
While I agree in principle with what you are saying I disagree wholeheartedly with your blaming the players for this mess.
The moment MMO companies started treating betas as some form of marketing tool this was the end result of their own creation.
Using beta invites as an incentive to buy collectors editions, selling pre order boxes with "beta keys" to generate some early income/interest, fileplanets pay to beta subscription service, etc. None of that helps actual testing. Really there is on difference between a preview weekend, early access and open beta, except the word beta implies some sort of testing is going on. All of those events typically happen withing a small number of days before release. I highly doubt any company waited until the 11th hour to let in a mass of testers that they were relying on quality feedback from. Maybe a little stress testing of the servers, but nothing essential from player feedback.
I do wish they would stop calling these promos betas and stick with terms like preview weekend and early access. Then we could stop hearing all these people talk about "I was in beta and told the company what they needed to change to make the game good, but they just wouldn't listen". (Appologies in advance to those who I blanketed in that statement who have done long term beta testing)
I agree with the OP, but now its even worse because now people can buy their way into closed betas by pre-ordering.
I find it highly unlikely that people are pre-ordering to get into beta because they are desperate to 'test' the game.
I mean I know a number of people in the WAR beta who brag about how much they own in pvp, or whine about the lack of healers, issues which are are not really relavent to a test phase.
Mythic has done a great job with beta. What people don't realize is that while beta is being used as an incentive, these new testers are just going into the game to stress test. The real testers are on a different server and under a different NDA and they are called Elder testers. This allows Mythic to appease people by having alot of people in beta while still getting useful feedback and real testing done.
From what I can tell, closed invite betas and open betas are some of the worst things to happen to MMOs recently. I have seen so many posts about people pissed off about not being invited to beta, or getting mad at Mythic for not releasing the dates of the open beta. For some reason people have started to think of being in a beta as an entitlement of buying the game. For some reason people don't understand that it's not "preview time". It's called beta for a reason. I really wish that MMOs would go back to the way betas are supposed to be, because when people start getting mad at companies for not inviting them to a closed beta, it's a sad sad day, and that has been happening for a while.
Your post should have been titled..."Beta. One of the worst things to happen to ignorant and impatient MMO players.
My point was that using 'beta' as a marketing tool was a really bad thing to happen. Beta should be beta, marketing should be marketing. The two should go back to being seperate.
------------------------------ "Capitalism is currently working as intended."
I understand what you are saying OP and I agree with you for the most part. However, mmorpgs have too big of a player-base to go back to the way betas were before.
Agreed. Id also like to add that people arent really pissed at the company, theyre pissed that they didnt get to get into it early. Fans are like that, I know if I was into a particular baseball team, and they only let so many people in before the game for autographs and what not, Id be disappointed if I didnt get in.
I have seen multiple posts where people are like "stupid Mythic, i didn't get invited! i'm going to cancel my preorder!"
I don't see how this is such a problem though I agree it is probably foolish to actually do that I doubt anyone passionate enough to get angry over not getting into beta will actually not play the game over it.
I hate to say feeling as though we have the right to be critical of those who are angered over not getting into a beta is just plain wrong and certainly not worth creating a post over.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
My point was that using 'beta' as a marketing tool was a really bad thing to happen. Beta should be beta, marketing should be marketing. The two should go back to being seperate.
Maybe I missed this somewhere along the way because in the original post you are just ranting over people "cancelling preorders" because they didn't get an invite and ultimately I have to as who cares what someone else does with the money they earn it in no way effects your gameplay.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
What bug me in MMO and beta is the fact that Beta allows a small part of players to know and see the game before others.
Since many of the game show a competitive side to it (read PvP in majority of the cases) It give an edge to some people.
I kinda hate on launch day to see someone run right to the right quest/mob and to all the prereq without having to search or think since he did it before.
Comments
I can't for the life of me figure out why you would be upset about not being in the beta.
Is is becasue you dont have enough work to do?
Bored High School Student?
Want a free trial?
Is that is? Listen. It's a great game. Play it on release you'll see. That being said. Beta does not count to charachter progression, your toon get's wiped. So calm down. Screenshots are plenty.
and playing the game is what they are good at
stress testing the game and its severs are very very very important
if they didn't have a bunch of people running around at low level and their spawn times for these monsters were way way way too long.....even if people don't report bugs they are still helping even if they don't think so themselves.......
however those that do report bugs and relized that it IS JUST BETA AND NOT THE LAUNCHED GAME are a lot more helpful but remember Never forget the silent Majority
I agree with^. even if 99.9% of beta testers don't care they still are building server integrity and experience.
Closed betas aren't a bad idea... If your not chosen, too bad. Did the closed beta for the first Linage game a long time ago, it worked quite nice. The game got a lot better 'cause the beta feedback.
Open betas is on the other hand not so great, would be better to have a free trial instead after the game is released. The open betas seems to be a kind of testplay but the game isnt really finnished, just creates dissapointment.
And it seems a bit retarded to do as all companys seems to be doing now and offer beta access to pre order customers. The idea of a beta is to get the buggs fixed, not to work as a market trick. Or at least it use to be.
tbh... yes they help improve the game. when you are not professionel tester you just know what you like, and what you hate. that makes the game appeal to "normal" people. if you hire professionel testers, you will get a list of what wrong with the game and why they think so. if its getting fixed, perhaps it will look great on paper, but in reality it will get a boring game. its people like the testers in closed beta that will be playing the game, so therefor i think its best that normal people are testers. ofcause they can get some professinel testers, but there is no way whatsoever that it will be the best solution only to have them.
Beta is not used to test software these days, it's just another marketing tool. Check google or microsoft, 2 of the biggest software companies. Google has had it's gmail service on beta for 2 years now. Microsoft always uses it's beta messenger service too whenever they can. Companies use "Beta" so that people feel special to be trying a product that no one (aparrently) has access too.
Don't blame people for not understanding what beta means. Blame software companies instead. The description of beta the OP gave is long dead.
Well i think what everyone should keep in mind is that beta, isnt for people to preview the game. What its ment for is the test out the game. If you really just wanna see what the game is like, get an free trial after the game is up and running.
The majority knows, but the majority doesn't care.
While I agree in principle with what you are saying I disagree wholeheartedly with your blaming the players for this mess.
The moment MMO companies started treating betas as some form of marketing tool this was the end result of their own creation.
Using beta invites as an incentive to buy collectors editions, selling pre order boxes with "beta keys" to generate some early income/interest, fileplanets pay to beta subscription service, etc. None of that helps actual testing. Really there is on difference between a preview weekend, early access and open beta, except the word beta implies some sort of testing is going on. All of those events typically happen withing a small number of days before release. I highly doubt any company waited until the 11th hour to let in a mass of testers that they were relying on quality feedback from. Maybe a little stress testing of the servers, but nothing essential from player feedback.
I do wish they would stop calling these promos betas and stick with terms like preview weekend and early access. Then we could stop hearing all these people talk about "I was in beta and told the company what they needed to change to make the game good, but they just wouldn't listen". (Appologies in advance to those who I blanketed in that statement who have done long term beta testing)
I agree with the OP, but now its even worse because now people can buy their way into closed betas by pre-ordering.
I find it highly unlikely that people are pre-ordering to get into beta because they are desperate to 'test' the game.
I mean I know a number of people in the WAR beta who brag about how much they own in pvp, or whine about the lack of healers, issues which are are not really relavent to a test phase.
Mythic has done a great job with beta. What people don't realize is that while beta is being used as an incentive, these new testers are just going into the game to stress test. The real testers are on a different server and under a different NDA and they are called Elder testers. This allows Mythic to appease people by having alot of people in beta while still getting useful feedback and real testing done.
Your post should have been titled..."Beta. One of the worst things to happen to ignorant and impatient MMO players.
Open beta is used for stress testing servers but is also a great way to build up excitement about the game.
Strikes me that without adequate numbers playing beta you get AoC.
MMOs are so complex these days that you need to crowdsource for game development. Invitation and open beta is crowdsourcing.
The difficulty is expectation management.
My point was that using 'beta' as a marketing tool was a really bad thing to happen. Beta should be beta, marketing should be marketing. The two should go back to being seperate.
------------------------------
"Capitalism is currently working as intended."
Agreed. Id also like to add that people arent really pissed at the company, theyre pissed that they didnt get to get into it early. Fans are like that, I know if I was into a particular baseball team, and they only let so many people in before the game for autographs and what not, Id be disappointed if I didnt get in.
I have seen multiple posts where people are like "stupid Mythic, i didn't get invited! i'm going to cancel my preorder!"
I don't see how this is such a problem though I agree it is probably foolish to actually do that I doubt anyone passionate enough to get angry over not getting into beta will actually not play the game over it.
I hate to say feeling as though we have the right to be critical of those who are angered over not getting into a beta is just plain wrong and certainly not worth creating a post over.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
Maybe I missed this somewhere along the way because in the original post you are just ranting over people "cancelling preorders" because they didn't get an invite and ultimately I have to as who cares what someone else does with the money they earn it in no way effects your gameplay.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
What bug me in MMO and beta is the fact that Beta allows a small part of players to know and see the game before others.
Since many of the game show a competitive side to it (read PvP in majority of the cases) It give an edge to some people.
I kinda hate on launch day to see someone run right to the right quest/mob and to all the prereq without having to search or think since he did it before.