More Beta Invites Please

[Raziaar]

I have never liked the "more you post, better chances you get in" mentality either.

I do however feel that once people are in beta, they should post more to be a great participant in the process.

I almost never posted prior to getting the beta invite, but I have owned the game since the dawn of time. Well... 2005 anyway.

 

[jasonxfri13th]

Well, 6000 beta applications ... hmpf .. Does that mean my chance is 6000:1?  Or 6000:4 since there are (estimating) 4 servers?

There are 4 servers for 32 people ,so that makes 128 people out of 6000 , so your chance is around 47:1

edit: And if you get into account that around half of testers are from USA the other half from Europe (of course there are also people from Canada,Australia...) your chance should be around 23:1 and that's pretty encouraging. 

They probably accepted more people than that, since they do not expect everyone to be online at once.
There are usually 4 servers online. Yesterday there were 2.

You also have to cross off all of the 6,000 people that applied without a serial code.
I wonder if they also look at how active you are in the forum. I think forum members should have a way higher chance.

I can't agree 100% with the "more you post the greater should be your chance as a beta tester" mentality.  Many people who post a lot are ass-hats (not you, just to be clear).  I also have friends who play mount and blade and love it but who rarely use an account here, if ever.  There is no correlation. 

If they do look at a member who posts, the admins should read a couple posts of the possible future beta tester and see if they have a mature mindset.  For example that guy who checked for clipping in the map....he probably did as much to help the developers as the rest of us combined, because he was taking beta testing seriously.

What I meant by that is activity in the forums.

You may not agree with it but other people will.
Someone who goes on this forum all the time and posts a lot should have a higher chance because they are more likely to post about the game and they are a bigger part of the community.

 

[cdvader]

I doubt it, jasonxfri13th.. Might be just me, but I personally dislike that mindset.

 

[Skot the Sanguine]

Another thing that could be a problem with having a fanatic M&B fan be a beta tester is that they are more likely to be biased.  What I mean is, generally speaking, they have a greater chance of thinking everything and anything in Warband is awesome.  Whereas that might be pleasing in the immediate to the developers it doesn't help them in the long run.  Of course, I say all this after having been accepted into testing.  I have genuine sympathy for you.

 

[jasonxfri13th]

Another thing that could be a problem with having a fanatic M&B fan be a beta tester is that they are more likely to be biased.  What I mean is, generally speaking, they have a greater chance of thinking everything and anything in Warband is awesome.  Whereas that might be pleasing in the immediate to the developers it doesn't help them in the long run.  Of course, I say all this after having been accepted into testing.  I have genuine sympathy for you.

Look. This is what I am trying to point out:

You do not want to have a beta tester that is going to play the game and not post in the forum at all. That is a complete waste then.
I can see many people have joined the forum to post about the beta, that is good.
If you are giving out the beta to people who will not post at all, then that is not good. I do not mean that since Person A has 500 posts and Person B has 10 posts that Person A should get the beta. I would have required the testers to sign up with the forum.

Also, as of right now, all eight servers are working. And there is also one person playing, by the way.

 

[Skot the Sanguine]

Ok, I think we all misunderstood what you were saying before.  Based on what your last post says, I agree with you.

 

[ElijahT]

Also, as of right now, all eight servers are working. And there is also one person playing, by the way.

Well considering that all testers are american, and it's Monday, and people have jobs/are starting school, that doesn't really surprise me.

 

[cdvader]

Well, you have a point, jasonxfri13th. But I think the beta choosing is kind of random any way. Also, 1 person? Madness.

cdvader
This is WARBAND!

 

[LizardFuel]

As a dirty, uninvited plebeian, I too agree that more invites should be sent out.  That's just my unbiased opinion though.

 

[Orj]

I'm trying to think of a reason they wouldn't invite more testers. I can't find one. There's no NDA to worry about.

 

[Darkness]

Just FYI, I hadn't posted a single time before I got invited into the beta.  I had been registered since 2007 mind you, but not a single post.  So it's obvious they aren't going by posts.  Join date MAYBE, but I doubt it.  I think it's purely random right now.

Ditto. They have no way to even know whos key is linked to who. I had posted once or twice before, but lost my account info thus im on this newer one. But I also applied with my newer CD key (the one I bought through steam). And got in. So I don't think there is much of that in right now. Although im sure a few special people were given it based on who they are.

I'm trying to think of a reason they wouldn't invite more testers. I can't find one. There's no NDA to worry about.

Well, beta turns some people off to games because of all the bugs, changes, and problems. So they may not have wanted to risk that. Another thing is that more people means more problems. They dont want 100 people that actively play when they can only have 2 servers online due to the others being down for either maintenance or who knows what. And I am sure there are other problems that more people bring that they do not want for right now. They started with a closed beta for a reason. Not an open one.

 

[Highelfwarrior]

My biased opinion is that all decent M&B modders should get a key by default.

Of course, first and foremost, because I want one.

But there's more logical reasons -- think about it. If anyone knows the game's ins and outs; it's us. Hell, the major modders probably know half the items, props etc etc. (and maybe even their stats ) by heart, for example. There's a deeper understanding of how the game works. When I play, I don't see a game anymore, I see the engine rolling with some graphics on top. (Modders curse ) For example I know how collission meshes work and what the common probs with them are - would be easy to give some better, more in-depth crits on how to improve collision problems.

Furthermore, major/decent modders are the ones who know about level design, balance, and of course, fun. It's the general mentality that modders (should) have that is absolutely perfect for beta testing.

If you're a modder you obviously love the game enough, and understand it enough to not just *play*, but actually spend time making it better by reporting everything you can. Isn't that all exactly what the beta testing is about?  (Not to mention, we *deserve* it.  )

 

[ElijahT]

My biased opinion is that all decent M&B modders should get a key by default.

Of course, first and foremost, because I want one.

But there's more logical reasons -- think about it. If anyone knows the game's ins and outs; it's us. Hell, the major modders probably know half the items, props etc etc. (and maybe even their stats ) by heart, for example. There's a deeper understanding of how the game works. When I play, I don't see a game anymore, I see the engine rolling with some graphics on top. (Modders curse ) For example I know how collission meshes work and what the common probs with them are - would be easy to give some better, more in-depth crits on how to improve collision problems.

Furthermore, major/decent modders are the ones who know about level design, balance, and of course, fun. It's the general mentality that modders (should) have that is absolutely perfect for beta testing.

If you're a modder you obviously love the game enough, and understand it enough to not just *play*, but actually spend time making it better by reporting everything you can. Isn't that all exactly what the beta testing is about?  (Not to mention, we *deserve* it.  )

Get over yourself bro.

 

[Redfyre]

I personally would welcome Highelf into the Beta testing forum. His feedback would be invaluable compared to some other feedback that we have been getting.

 

[Orion]

By reading your post, Highelf, I gathered that you think you're one step above the current beta testers. Your idea isn't original, your presentation isn't convincing, and you're coming across as an arrogant arse.

Sure, I haven't released a mod for M&B. Am I now incompetent as a tester? The game isn't made solely for modders. It's made for players, with the ability for modders to do their own thing. I play the game, and I know what I expect from the game. While playing, I look at which factions and classes are least played, which ones are most played, what weapons and tactics are most commonly used, and the like. By analyzing what I've found, I can determine which factions, weapons, and classes are too weak or too strong. Going from a player's standpoint, I want the game to be enjoyable, so I want every weapon, class, and faction to have a chance.

Furthermore, just by playing the game (without any previous knowledge) a regular player will notice that jumping over a horse means you don't get run over. As a modder, you could use some different vocabulary regarding the collision, but the regular player can get the same point across by saying "if you jump, the horse misses you." It means the same thing.

You don't need to be a genius to report a bug. You don't need to be a modder to know how to play the game. Also, I've noticed you don't need to know how to play the game to be a tester.

Somebody who doesn't know what they're doing right off the bat could easily be confused by something in the current beta. They would report it, Armagan & Co. would fix it, and then all new players wouldn't have to worry about being confused about whatever it was.

We need all types of testers, and giving modders a free pass won't necessarily improve the quality of the test.

 

[Darkness]

By reading your post, Highelf, I gathered that you think you're one step above the current beta testers. Your idea isn't original, your presentation isn't convincing, and you're coming across as an arrogant arse.

Sure, I haven't released a mod for M&B. Am I now incompetent as a tester? The game isn't made solely for modders. It's made for players, with the ability for modders to do their own thing. I play the game, and I know what I expect from the game. While playing, I look at which factions and classes are least played, which ones are most played, what weapons and tactics are most commonly used, and the like. By analyzing what I've found, I can determine which factions, weapons, and classes are too weak or too strong. Going from a player's standpoint, I want the game to be enjoyable, so I want every weapon, class, and faction to have a chance.

Furthermore, just by playing the game (without any previous knowledge) a regular player will notice that jumping over a horse means you don't get run over. As a modder, you could use some different vocabulary regarding the collision, but the regular player can get the same point across by saying "if you jump, the horse misses you." It means the same thing.

You don't need to be a genius to report a bug. You don't need to be a modder to know how to play the game. Also, I've noticed you don't need to know how to play the game to be a tester.

Somebody who doesn't know what they're doing right off the bat could easily be confused by something in the current beta. They would report it, Armagan & Co. would fix it, and then all new players wouldn't have to worry about being confused about whatever it was.

We need all types of testers, and giving modders a free pass won't necessarily improve the quality of the test.

Boom. Headshot.

 

[cdvader]

[lord_goodnatured]Hmm. This is a disturbing matter to speak. I'-[/goodnatured] If you'd allow me to put my own opinion into this, then I have to say, I agree with Orion & Eljiah. Just because a player is a (known?) modder, doesn't mean he's a genius who knows the right sentence for every bug. Or how to play the game.

So, personally thinking, you saying that modders *deserve* to be in the closed beta more than any other ordinary player, is false in my sights. :/ I'd rather not be in the beta if I'd get an unfair advantage over other persons.
cdvader

 

[Highelfwarrior]

Get over yourself bro.

What, so I don't speak the truth? Imagine you're a sports manager and you need some members to fill in for others so you can still win the match -- who would be more valuable, a bunch of sports-people (less skilled, however, more a hobby-sport-person) or random people that simply sit in the couch and watch the sport? If you had been modding M&B for a couple 'o years you'd know what I'm talking about.

Orion: same thing applies. There are plenty of under-the-hood things that modders might catch whereas regular people that play the game would overlook. Also, if you're into game development it's only logical you can give better feedback to... a game that is in development. I don't think I need to give any more analogies to prove my point.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to convince anyone to give modders a free pass - the thread was arguing about whether or not frequent posters should get an advantage and I replied to that saying that if anyone should get advantage, it should be modding people. You guys are taking this very offensively.

 

[Kazzan]

I don't think HE was saying that the rest of you are ****ty bug reporters but that modders might find bugs that other players wont.

Oh, HE Ninja'd me.

 

[cdvader]

Kazzan, there probably are a few beta-testers who also mod. Vilhjamir, for example.

Also, what might of set many people "off the hook" (including me), was probably this sentence:
[quote author=Highelf](Not to mention, we *deserve* it.  )[/quote]