General BETA test questions

Hi Everyone,

Here is a quick place for you to post General questions about being a beta tester. Ask away, we might just answer you.

Cheers
Mike

[aTaRiFrEaK223]

How do you become a BT?

Glad you asked.

go to www.betatests.net and register. Then you can apply for any beta test that Atari is running. We have many coming so register now.

Also stay tuned here, and you will start to see many threads talking about the joy's and trials of being a betatester.

Our goal here is to provide the ultimate Beta test community on the net, so let us know how we can do that via this forum.

Thanks
Mike Gilmartin

[aTaRiFrEaK223]

how many people are currently involved with atari's beta testing program??

[BetaTestAdmin]

There are currently thousands of active betatesters (mostly for Horizons), and many thousands more have registered accounts at betatests.net.

[neilstylez]

This might seem like a stupid question for you, but what exactly is a Beta test? I've heard of the term before, but I never knew what the definition was.

[Andro$]

in short a beta test is when a game/mod/map needs to be tested before it is released for bugs problems and other things that may need tweaking/changing before its released. the more beta testers u have to beta test games/mods/maps the more bugs you will find which is good for what your testing as it will get fixed - than have them release mods/games/maps without beta testing will have alot of negative feedback people saying (why hasn't this been tested)

So in other words its to test things thoroughly before it is released to the public. But there is always specific guidelines for each thing ur testing andhow to provide your feedback.

Hope that sort of explains it for you

[aTaRiFrEaK223]

Sorry if i askin to many questions but are you testing budokai 2???

[neilstylez]

Thank you. That was a beautiful explanation. I don't think that I would be a good Beta tester though since my computer is so slow. I don't know what is wrong with it. It's over five years old so I guess that I just need a new computer...

What about Driver 3?...

[BetaTestAdmin]

Currently only our online PC games are being tested, but we will probbaly have online console testing in the future. Non-online games are all tested by our in-house testers, so no Budokai 2 or Driver 3 as far as I know. Sorry.

[Sadres]

What games should we come to expect in the near future arriving at betatests.net? Also, will we be notified via Mail when a new beta test opens, or will the applications we've turned in already just be continually considered for each beta?

[Seryllious]

Hello,

I have recently recieved my Horizon's Beta Test Acceptance letter informing me of my current information, CD Key info and some very Vauge instructions as to how to begin my Beta Test Experience.

I am wondering if there is a way to download the game, or if I am waiting for a Beta CD. If I am waiting for a CD, will there be an e-mail sent to me informing me of its delievery, or will it just randomly show up?

If I can download it, where can I download it from?

Thank you for any help in advanced.

Seryllious

[Sadres]

While there is an FTP site to download the file, I'm not certain if it's to be made available to everyone who got an acceptance mail but no CD, or just a few.

[Seryllious]

Thank you for your swift reply.

I guess I am just going to have to wait and see what an administrator has to say about it.

Well . . . Is there a way for me to request the FTP information from the Horizons staff?

Thanks again for any reply.

Tian

[Sadres]

Actually, yes. I pulled this right off of the members section of the Horizons section at betatests.net.

The Horizons CD image can be found at the FTP site. Please e-mail betatestadmin@atari.com if you do not have the login info.

So my guess would be this is your best bet. Good luck, and I hope it doesn't download corrupt like it did for me 6 times. 7th time's the charm.

[Seryllious]

Thanks! I sent the e-mail, and hopefully I can recieve a reply within the next 24 hours.

Well, off to bed!

Seryllious

[jpbeta]

I signed up for Horizons Beta about 3 weeks ago and still haven't gotten a reply, will all people who signed up eventually get to test or just the lucky few that get picked?

[Seryllious]

Your chances of getting into Beta III are 1 in 22.5 (According to Tazoon.com)

You probably will not recieve a reply until they start trying to overload the servers.

Seryllious

[themavrik]

I downloaded and installed Horizons just fine.
When I run the shortcut it placed on the desktop, it takes me to the Istaria website login (I assume this is supposed to happen). I don't have an account there, so I go to register and I get an unhandled exception in ASP.NET from their site. Am I missing something blatently obvious, here? Or is this a problem I'll just have to wait out?

[Nightbirdx]

Very good answer there Andro$

[dragonfire]

Hi:

When will the Horizons European Beta Test begin?

Thanks.

[Archias]

Originally posted by themavrik
I downloaded and installed Horizons just fine.
When I run the shortcut it placed on the desktop, it takes me to the Istaria website login (I assume this is supposed to happen). I don't have an account there, so I go to register and I get an unhandled exception in ASP.NET from their site. Am I missing something blatently obvious, here? Or is this a problem I'll just have to wait out?

I'm having the exact some trouble -- any help by anyone would be greatly appreciated.

[Spekao]

My status for participation in the Horizons Beta testing has been at pending for 4 months now...is this normal, or have I somehow been caught in some horrendous vortex of inevitable pending?

I got my application acceptance email from Atari on may 19, 2003 and ever since I've been in pending status.

[Sadres]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this thread is for the general sort of question, not tech support ones. No need to flood this one thread - if you're having problems, create a new thread about it.

Do you have to have the full version of Unreal II to beta test?

If so, do you offer the download?

[Doppy]

Have they choosen the testers for Risk, Trivial Pursuit and Deer Hunter all for PS2 yet?

[AgentJay]

Hey, I've already been added to the tester list and all that but I have a question. I have applied to the PC tests and assume that they will be avalibe for download uppon acceptance. But what about the PS2 games? will you be mailing me a copy? or do I need to be within a certain area to pick it up?

I know the logical answere would be mailing it to me but in the past I've been unable to participate due to living in Canada or because it was required to pick up the CD from a given location.

[Kujaku]

How long does it take you for you to accept or decline someone?

[Camthorn]

Originally posted by Archias
I'm having the exact some trouble -- any help by anyone would be greatly appreciated.

I have the same problems and something different
I am using my e-mail adress I used at the registration and I get the error message that my e-mail addy isnt in the beta pool (when I choose beta participant), when I choose a payment with CC I get the error page like you.