I love how SOE picks their beta testers. - Page 25

Khalan · 10-12-2006, 01:21 PM

Can we stop with the gay carebear derails here, seriously.

Back on Topic here.

I'm sure when the NDA is lifted and those in beta are allowed to speak, we will hear about where beta really is as far as overall progress and polish, but with just 1 month left I just /don't/ see it happening, call me glass is half empty kind of person, but I feel we're being treated to the same kind of rushed style beta we had during DoF.

Let's honestly see what all needs to be tested:

- Combat Changes (Big one!)
a)This includes tweaking/balancing current content + gear to account for them.
b) This also includes re-balancing Current level Equipment to account for them.
c) Tuning and Adjusting all the new changes so that they are right where they are supposes to be and not changed drastically 2 weeks after release (Orange con change anyone?)
d) Anyone remember the debacle that was the combat changes after DoF came out? with half the contested raid mobs unkillable?

- 7 Tiers of Leveling Content, including instances, zone population and encounter tuning.
- Kelethin Newbie Experience.
- 3 Tradeskill Classes/Skills (Transmuting, Tinkering, Adornments)
- 6+ Heriatage and Signature Quests
- 70 levels of normal Quest Content
- New Mounts! Including Art assets and graphical Bugs
- Cloaks! Including Art assets and graphical Bugs
- Fae! Including Art assets and graphical Bugs
- Deities and their associated Abilities.
- Item Sets (Raid, Quested, etc) all the associated sets for every class + one set at least for raiding and adventuring.
- 24 Seperate Achievement lines to be balanced and tuned (They struggled with just 12 lines in KoS).
- Raids, contested + Instanced(They promised EoF Raids to be harder than KoS raids, so they need to tune an almost equivalent amount of raid content to be harder which takes times)
- Itemization for Raids, Groups, Solo quests/mobs etc. Progression Please.
- Don't let me forget that All the Adventure hats haven't even been released.

and those are just content or features, no mention of fun or polish has even been made.

Shaggis · 10-12-2006, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khalan

Can we stop with the gay carebear derails here, seriously.

I'm sorry but with that seriously on the end you came across exactly like Eric Cartman...

The root cause of the issue would be a good way to fix the problem, but go ahead with your high level bullshit, you'll make good SOE management some day.

Khalan · 10-12-2006, 01:39 PM

Im trying to escape the ridiculous NGD type derails here, yet they creep into these posts too.

Seriously.

Malachani · 10-12-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggis

I'm sorry but with that seriously on the end you came across exactly like Eric Cartman...

The root cause of the issue would be a good way to fix the problem, but go ahead with your high level bullshit, you'll make good SOE management some day.

Who the fuck are you and what the fuck problem do you have with Khalan? He makes a well worded extremely potent post about why a 1 month beta is never going to find and fix all the problems that are likely abound, and all you can do is harp that he said to stop the carebear derails.

Go away until you can contribute to this post intead of contributing to the derail.

Tokamak · 10-12-2006, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dystrax

I don't think casual players are crap. God bless casual players. I am in a guild with a bunch of casual players, they are great people and fantastic players. I love grouping with them, raiding with them, questing with them. EDIT: hell, once i start working, i am going to be pretty damn casual myself...

I DO think that casual players do not have the experience with the mechanics of the game to test the content as thoroughly as it really needs to be tested.

I dislike posts like this, because it feels like people are calling me a bit of a muppett when I say that Im a casual player.

I reakon Ive done all of what the game has to offer, and Toka has been around for a long time. Perhaps it would be better to say that you wish that people that play like muppetts were not in beta testing raid et al content. Just because im a casual player does not mean that im not getting over 2k in the parse (toka = necro) and dont understand group mechanics.

All the information that you need to consider for any encounter is in your effects windows, your spell list and your combat spam. Id like to think that I am just as capable of looking at the information and arriving at the correct decision as a contested raiding (hardcore raiding?) toon :smiley-wink:

Kiara · 10-12-2006, 01:51 PM

I'm still with Khalan on the length of the beta. I think it really could use at least one extra month.

And I still refuse to lay the blame at the feet of the devs. I know several personally, and I know how much they put into the game.

I'm sure they're just as frustrated with some of the problems and bugs as we, the players, are.

There are communication issues, as well as the people who make the decisions not always being as in tune with the game as with the numbers.

As for WHO is beta testing... I don't know. I know there are some folks who always beta test and do a DAMN fine job. And while I might not agree, I can understand with the beta invites for people simply as a marketing tool... They know there are people who won't keep to the NDA no matter what and will leak info to their friends. The more they like it, the better the word of mouth PR and free advertising... It's a sound business tactic.

The problem is, they have to balance the business part with making the game everything we'd all love it to be. Because it IS a business for them. They have to make money off it.

Shaggis · 10-12-2006, 02:00 PM

Yeah well I think the real issue here is people complaining about the quality. You can't test quality into a product in beta. I took a cheap shot back... and I realize this.

I was incorrect to call that high level bullshit and I let your heckle get me to respond before thinking it out.

That is a lot to test and I think we will all enjoy testing it when it releases. They need a maintainence release where they concentrate on getting all the shit you listed above right, particularly...

- 24 Seperate Achievement lines to be balanced and tuned (They struggled with just 12 lines in KoS).
- Raids, contested + Instanced(They promised EoF Raids to be harder than KoS raids, so they need to tune an almost equivalent amount of raid content to be harder which takes times)
- Itemization for Raids, Groups, Solo quests/mobs etc. Progression Please.
- 7 Tiers of Leveling Content, including instances, zone population and encounter tuning.

I see what they do and I think piss poor planning over and over again. I think it is the underlying issue and that these things will not be addressed until it is, but it is a good list for them to start for an actual maintainence cycle. I have lost all faith in an expansion being released with good quality until they fix their process.

And Elaine read back through my posts, I don't think what I am offering here is nothing but derails. That last post was out of line, but thats it.

Korina · 10-12-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiara

pft. I see your Jem and I raise you Josie and the Pussycats!

*pfft* Get real

Anyway, while the fae may look cool, this expansion is going to be judged by the 'combat changes' no matter what. I'm more apprehensive about that than the zones, quests, or tradeskill changes. Who cares how much content there is when the entire structure of the game has been knocked off balance again?

Kiara · 10-12-2006, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Korina

*pfft* Get real

Anyway, while the fae may look cool, this expansion is going to be judged by the 'combat changes' no matter what. I'm more apprehensive about that than the zones, quests, or tradeskill changes. Who cares how much content there is when the entire structure of the game has been knocked off balance again?

You totally win. I loved that show.

Combat changes, quite frankly, scare the poo out of me. I remember what happened after LU 13, and I honestly think that if the combat changes that go live with this expansion aren't as finely tuned as possible it could hurt the game more than WoW could ever hope to do on their own. I'd really hate to see SOE shoot themselves in the foot like they tried to do with the Tradeskill stations. That was just silliness on a plate.

RadarX · 10-12-2006, 02:21 PM

Combat changes are being tested independently of the expansion. No one has any idea what kind of testing they've done so far, it's pretty much speculation. Nobody who has been there is going to tell you "OMG it's all done!" I /bugged some what I considered serious issues early on.

What it comes down to, is I have never EVER seen anyone say "Gee I think they beta'd this long enough." Bugs are part of software. In theory no software should be released with them, but they are just an inevitability. What many aren't considering is everyone is going to buy this within days of release. How many of you pre-ordered the next version of Windows? What do you want to bet that has bugs?

The game has already been pre-ordered by probably 1000's of people. They aren't going to delay release, so why is there so much complaining about it? I mean is this so everyone can say "I told you so" when they do find bugs? Shit I'll tell you there will be bugs when it's released. Is everyone going to band together and cancel their order because 10% of the content isn't working? 15%? 20%?