Guild Wars 2

Like the questions says, do you think prior to release to HOT, ANet should have a big pool of players Fully Beta test the game b4 it’s release? & i don’t mean open week-ends. I mean hardcore beta test.

Playtesters would beta test to check every aspect of the game. Make sure it gives us the WoW factor when it comes out. Would (Pve, WvsW & Spvp) To check balance & exploits & ect.. & especially to fan out whats fun & what’s not fun to play. I mean if there’s some aspect of the game prior to beta test that playtesters comments on some parts of the game that are just simply to dull to play, i mean why not take advantage of that? Give Anet the chance to add, cut or make changes before release to make sure upon release they have a great game.

Any comments?

I would think that the best way to go about it would be to allow people who either preorder or if no preorder is done then long term players have access to a beta as with the actual game. I would think most likely a CBT with pre and then a OBT with a larger player base most likely.

I would presume they’ll open up beta test server for a while.

They probably wont’ even allow us to transfer char. So people need to start at lvl1 and level up again. So that’ll take a while.

My impression when they say, they’ll let the players decide if the product is ready to be released yet, means the beta will be quite long.

It will be interesting to see how things goes. I think they should actually let us know how they are proceeding on beta testing there game upon release.

Just to be clear, you realize they will beta test the game no matter what right?
I think what you mean to ask is if they’ll open beta to the public, whether through an open beta or by some more selective process.

Arewn.2368:

Just to be clear, you realize they will beta test the game no matter what right?
I think what you mean to ask is if they’ll open beta to the public, whether through an open beta or by some more selective process.

Nope! i don’t mean an open beta. I mean as i say. & yes, they prolly are beta testing the game prior to it’s release. But what i’m suggestion as you can properly read on my question, are they going to do it extensively with more then 1000 playtesters to make sure the game is fun? Why is that not clear?

Vieux P.1238:

Arewn.2368:

Just to be clear, you realize they will beta test the game no matter what right?
I think what you mean to ask is if they’ll open beta to the public, whether through an open beta or by some more selective process.

Nope! i don’t mean an open beta. I mean as i say. & yes, they prolly are beta testing the game prior to it’s release. But what i’m suggestion as you can properly read on my question, are they going to do it extensively with more then 1000 playtesters to make sure the game is fun? Why is that not clear?

How do you choose those 1000 players?
During the beta weekends of GW2, Anet scrathed entire systems and replaced others. It is not like beta weekends aren’t effective.

What makes people think they aren’t doing this already?

I’d rather have people that will be effective in testing if they do allow players to beta test than just open it to everybody.

People who just want to play the content early and don’t want to test for bugs or anything aren’t really contributing at all.

laokoko.7403:

I would presume they’ll open up beta test server for a while.

They probably wont’ even allow us to transfer char. So people need to start at lvl1 and level up again. So that’ll take a while.

My impression when they say, they’ll let the players decide if the product is ready to be released yet, means the beta will be quite long.

I remember seeing a Wooden Potatoes video a while back where he mentioned a new thing that ANet was trying out where they would auto level a new toon directly to 80. Since this is endgame content, I would thing that you would need a level 80 to be able to play.

I honestly dont’ understand the OP. How is 1000 people testing larger than an open beta which have milllions of people testing.

Unless those 1000 people are actually paid tester.

laokoko.7403:

They probably wont’ even allow us to transfer char. So people need to start at lvl1 and level up again. So that’ll take a while.

They already have a tool that allows you to auto level. We used it while testing the EotM.

Vieux P.1238:

Nope! i don’t mean an open beta. I mean as i say. & yes, they prolly are beta testing the game prior to it’s release. But what i’m suggestion as you can properly read on my question, are they going to do it extensively with more then 1000 playtesters to make sure the game is fun? Why is that not clear?

Software goes through beta testing. Period. The mere fact that you framed the question “will it be beta tested” made it unclear whether you were referring to open beta, closed public beta, or private beta.

Vieux P.1238:

Like the questions says, do you think prior to release to HOT, ANet should have a big pool of players Fully Beta test the game b4 it’s release? & i don’t mean open week-ends. I mean hardcore beta test.

Playtesters would beta test to check every aspect of the game. Make sure it gives us the WoW factor when it comes out. Would (Pve, WvsW & Spvp) To check balance & exploits & ect.. & especially to fan out whats fun & what’s not fun to play. I mean if there’s some aspect of the game prior to beta test that playtesters comments on some parts of the game that are just simply to dull to play, i mean why not take advantage of that? Give Anet the chance to add, cut or make changes before release to make sure upon release they have a great game.

Any comments?

It’s not even a question, they are. player ‘beta tests’ are more promotion and stress testing than useful testing though. I’m sure they’re already internally testing it just as hard as they can ><

Vieux P.1238:

Arewn.2368:

Just to be clear, you realize they will beta test the game no matter what right?
I think what you mean to ask is if they’ll open beta to the public, whether through an open beta or by some more selective process.

Nope! i don’t mean an open beta. I mean as i say. & yes, they prolly are beta testing the game prior to it’s release. But what i’m suggestion as you can properly read on my question, are they going to do it extensively with more then 1000 playtesters to make sure the game is fun? Why is that not clear?

I beta tested a few games. And 1000 play tester isn’t a lot. Most of the time, those player tester barely spend any time on the beta test server. They only go there to check what’s new, or see if there’s some economy change they can profit from, and that’s it. And the rest of the time, they rather spend on the live server.

Unless those 1000 tester are selected either because they actaully paid money, or they are from writers or bloggers etc. Most of them wont’ bother to test the game extensively.

I would say an open beta for a few weeks is much more helpful.

laokoko.7403:

Vieux P.1238:

Arewn.2368:

Just to be clear, you realize they will beta test the game no matter what right?
I think what you mean to ask is if they’ll open beta to the public, whether through an open beta or by some more selective process.

Nope! i don’t mean an open beta. I mean as i say. & yes, they prolly are beta testing the game prior to it’s release. But what i’m suggestion as you can properly read on my question, are they going to do it extensively with more then 1000 playtesters to make sure the game is fun? Why is that not clear?

I beta tested a few games. And 1000 play tester isn’t a lot. Most of the time, those player tester barely spend any time on the beta test server. They only go there to check what’s new, or see if there’s some economy change they can profit from, and that’s it. And the rest of the time, they rather spend on the live server.

Unless those 1000 tester are selected either because they actaully paid money, or they are from writers or bloggers etc. Most of them wont’ bother to test the game extensively.

I would say an open beta for a few weeks is much more helpful.

Yea, your size has to be large enough to account for the percentage that won’t provide feedback for whatever reason. They just want early access or they want to profit off of future changes or whatever.

Beta tests are important, and the more fully they do said tests the better. Granted I’d personally not take part in any betas, but there’s plenty of people who would.

Some sort of beta where players can participate i think would benefit them. Players should not be selected purely by guilds like it’s been in the past with EoTM i think? That was just dumb.

Vieux P.1238:

Like the questions says, do you think prior to release to HOT, ANet should have a big pool of players Fully Beta test the game b4 it’s release? & i don’t mean open week-ends. I mean hardcore beta test.

Playtesters would beta test to check every aspect of the game. Make sure it gives us the WoW factor when it comes out. Would (Pve, WvsW & Spvp) To check balance & exploits & ect.. & especially to fan out whats fun & what’s not fun to play. I mean if there’s some aspect of the game prior to beta test that playtesters comments on some parts of the game that are just simply to dull to play, i mean why not take advantage of that? Give Anet the chance to add, cut or make changes before release to make sure upon release they have a great game.

Any comments?

Too heavy beta-testing results in the players getting “done” with the content before release.

Seera.5916:

Yea, your size has to be large enough to account for the percentage that won’t provide feedback for whatever reason. They just want early access or they want to profit off of future changes or whatever.

There would be players that want to just to test the content and make sure it works. I’ve been a part of Betas and Test Servers where there are 1 good tester and 50 worthless ones.

The last one I was apart of eventually just cut the number down to 20 people and while we got to “access the new content” early, most of us basically were given actual duties to test. It was as if we were true volunteer QAs. It was the best test server I was ever apart of. Sad that they had to shut it down, but alas, more people testing never means better testing.

I do wonder if they’ll lock out the LS part for beta. My biggest reluctance to beta would be getting spoilers. I have no issue with testing new systems and giving feedback. The BWE’s and stress tests were awesome fun! Not to mention very useful for working out design kinks. But they did lock PS to level 20 so you couldn’t get past your initial racial PS section in beta, leaving plenty to discover in live.

Obviously beta will have to let people into the new zones. That alone may be too much in the way of spoilers for me, not that I see any way to avoid getting spoilers while participating in the forums as it is. Maybe they’ll only open the beginning parts, enough to test the systems without giving away the whole shebang?

Moldur.6275:

Vieux P.1238:

Like the questions says, do you think prior to release to HOT, ANet should have a big pool of players Fully Beta test the game b4 it’s release? & i don’t mean open week-ends. I mean hardcore beta test.

Playtesters would beta test to check every aspect of the game. Make sure it gives us the WoW factor when it comes out. Would (Pve, WvsW & Spvp) To check balance & exploits & ect.. & especially to fan out whats fun & what’s not fun to play. I mean if there’s some aspect of the game prior to beta test that playtesters comments on some parts of the game that are just simply to dull to play, i mean why not take advantage of that? Give Anet the chance to add, cut or make changes before release to make sure upon release they have a great game.

Any comments?

Too heavy beta-testing results in the players getting “done” with the content before release.

That’s why there’d be a cap so we don’t all play at once.

Seera.5916:

laokoko.7403:

Vieux P.1238:

Arewn.2368:

Just to be clear, you realize they will beta test the game no matter what right?
I think what you mean to ask is if they’ll open beta to the public, whether through an open beta or by some more selective process.

Nope! i don’t mean an open beta. I mean as i say. & yes, they prolly are beta testing the game prior to it’s release. But what i’m suggestion as you can properly read on my question, are they going to do it extensively with more then 1000 playtesters to make sure the game is fun? Why is that not clear?

I beta tested a few games. And 1000 play tester isn’t a lot. Most of the time, those player tester barely spend any time on the beta test server. They only go there to check what’s new, or see if there’s some economy change they can profit from, and that’s it. And the rest of the time, they rather spend on the live server.

Unless those 1000 tester are selected either because they actaully paid money, or they are from writers or bloggers etc. Most of them wont’ bother to test the game extensively.

I would say an open beta for a few weeks is much more helpful.

Yea, your size has to be large enough to account for the percentage that won’t provide feedback for whatever reason. They just want early access or they want to profit off of future changes or whatever.

Bold mine here, most people asking for a public beta are really after this;

And public betas are of limited use, even the people who bother to report bugs are bad at reporting and testing…. and most people don’t, and especially don’t report advantageous bugs.