Xilimyth
09-19-2003, 12:37 PM
Beta testing, one of the greatest perceived conspiracy theories on the entire net.
The advantage to BETAs is that it allows both the company and the players to receive the benefit of seeing how the game behaves, what can be done, what has been done, etc. Unfortunately, this works as both a double edged sword.
Most of the time I've noticed, at least in the occasion of two of my friends that basically mass signup for betas, is that there is a decent chunk of people who will do just that, sign up for every beta imaginable for access to a free game. Remember my fellow die-hard-game-fan-beta-testers, this is what sets us apart from the freeloaders.
While it may seem like we are getting looked over at first, remember that when we do get picked, it is us that will shine over the freeloaders. We're the ones who talk with the developers, file bug reports, talk about game balance and gameplay. We're the ones that will eventually make the difference and help make the game great. And that in itself, we should smile upon, for it'll be us that will have contributed to the game going gold through our patience.
In the case of any beta, or in most of our cases, Horizons, which I'm as well waiting patiently for Pending to change to Active, just remember to not let Atari's faith in your/our abilities to properly recognize that we are indeed testers. Should mine or your accounts turn from Pending to Active, let us show our abilities and not disappoint anyone.
Just remember, BETAs grow into live games from the input and responsible documenting of those that live to their words.
(And for all those curious, yes, this is what happens after waking up at 5am, spending 6 hours at college, and running out of homework after Calculus :P)
The advantage to BETAs is that it allows both the company and the players to receive the benefit of seeing how the game behaves, what can be done, what has been done, etc. Unfortunately, this works as both a double edged sword.
Most of the time I've noticed, at least in the occasion of two of my friends that basically mass signup for betas, is that there is a decent chunk of people who will do just that, sign up for every beta imaginable for access to a free game. Remember my fellow die-hard-game-fan-beta-testers, this is what sets us apart from the freeloaders.
While it may seem like we are getting looked over at first, remember that when we do get picked, it is us that will shine over the freeloaders. We're the ones who talk with the developers, file bug reports, talk about game balance and gameplay. We're the ones that will eventually make the difference and help make the game great. And that in itself, we should smile upon, for it'll be us that will have contributed to the game going gold through our patience.
In the case of any beta, or in most of our cases, Horizons, which I'm as well waiting patiently for Pending to change to Active, just remember to not let Atari's faith in your/our abilities to properly recognize that we are indeed testers. Should mine or your accounts turn from Pending to Active, let us show our abilities and not disappoint anyone.
Just remember, BETAs grow into live games from the input and responsible documenting of those that live to their words.
(And for all those curious, yes, this is what happens after waking up at 5am, spending 6 hours at college, and running out of homework after Calculus :P)