22 replies to this topic

[Pendaelose]

I've been debating for a while releasing all my WIP versions as they come out just so I can have a steady flow of bug reporting and instand feed back.

I've still not made up my mind to do so, but who would Like to play the constantly updated tween-alpha versions.

Keep in mind the main reason would be so I could have a steady flow of feedback on the fly as things are worked on.





Who would be interested in playing all the 1.x and 2.x versions instead of just the main releases?

[wolfshadow]

Tentatively, I'd be interested, but on some days I don't get much game time in due to kidlet and work. However, if I do find bugs, I will def. report them.

I like the idea of being a tester.

[Ravensburg]

i would be honnourd if you would let me atempt to find bugs of you. i will proberbly be able to test every day and am good at spotting problems.

Edited by Pendaelose, 14 April 2006 - 06:29 PM.

[Pendaelose]

cool... If enough people respond with serious interest then I'll prob just post a public link where all versions can be gotten.

I'm reluctant to show EVERYBODY every step of produciton, but at the same time, I could use more bug teting and balance spotting. The Closed Alpha idea went well with the USA alpha. I'm wondering which is better (not for public, for me) to open it up to all to get more testers, or to limit it to testers that I know will respond with bugs. Sadly, too many of the guys I shared it out to reported little or none. Would sharing public get more responses because theres more people, or fewer, because the testers arn't directly accountable for thier reporting.

its a tough decision.

[Logical2u]

Don't be TOO open with your work, Pend. A midpoint release of your work, like say Remix China, can give newbies and random passerby a bad impression of your mod.

(Kind of like how I feel about the tomahawk mod, frankly).

If you, say, just release, say, USA Remix 3.0 test, everyone is going to ask: OMG WERE IS TEH GAL!? or Well, this guy is dumb, where the hell is all of the other factions? or OMG I CRAZHED!.

And also, you'd get many bugs that are not bugs (OMG I CANT BUIDL THINGS!).

Personally, I'd say keep it closed to people that you trust, experience wise. Too many testers, I guess, cheapens the experience of a full release.

And also, I can't test because the local upgrade place didn't do anything to my old computer and still managed to break my mainboard.

-Logical2u

[Pendaelose]

Don't be TOO open with your work, Pend. A midpoint release of your work, like say Remix China, can give newbies and random passerby a bad impression of your mod.

(Kind of like how I feel about the tomahawk mod, frankly).

If you, say, just release, say, USA Remix 3.0 test, everyone is going to ask: OMG WERE IS TEH GAL!? or Well, this guy is dumb, where the hell is all of the other factions? or OMG I CRAZHED!.

And also, you'd get many bugs that are not bugs (OMG I CANT BUIDL THINGS!).

Personally, I'd say keep it closed to people that you trust, experience wise. Too many testers, I guess, cheapens the experience of a full release.

And also, I can't test because the local upgrade place didn't do anything to my old computer and still managed to break my mainboard.

-Logical2u

thats a good point, and it is definatly a consideration I've had in mind. It still keeps the point of, I need to either expand the test group OR force more acountability onto testers. The last test group did OK, but Creator played with the same release just a few days and gave me several times more bugs than the whole alpha team did.

The periodic test games I do with my fiends also gave many more bug reports than what should have been 15+ people testing the game.

Edited by Pendaelose, 14 April 2006 - 07:33 PM.

[Ravensburg]

those are verry valid points. i would advise using a select group of quaility testers and impress upon them the inportance of finding every singel bug and hope they are dillagent about it.

[wolfshadow]

I'm predominatly a skirmish player, and don't really play much online. I do report bugs as soon as I find them. However, somtimes, (and alot of this has to do with the quality of Pen and Creator's work)... I miss stuff. I mean even Pen's alpha releases are way less buggy than most of the other mods that I have tested. The DOW mod that I worked on had pink boxes for certain models in one of the alpha releases that I played with.

Next release, I will defiately be doing more testing than I did with the last version.... It also helps to know what kind of stuff to look for, and after testing, and reading the various comments from Pen, I think I have a better feel of what kind of stuff to look for.

[Pendaelose]

those are verry valid points. i would advise using a select group of quaility testers and impress upon them the inportance of finding every singel bug and hope they are dillagent about it.

That whats I tried for with the first Alpha, its only worked OK. I am hoping that with the growing interest (seams to be growing) I might be able to get a more comitted test group. there were several indevidul players who were good testers, but there were several who were not so helpful.

[TuomaZ]

[size=5]Hi!
I Want Be 1 Bug Reporter.
I Play Zero Hour Everyday

[Phoenix911]

Werll at the moment i can not play generals, BUT once i can i would be interessted to help as much as u need in testing/bug finding.

[Creator]

Pendaelose, I would like to take a look at your new Remix too.

[Black_Eagle]

if you still need people, id be willing

[Pendaelose]

I'll make a list for people on the China alpha

[Red Alpha]

i can test too (only weekend ,other days to busy) but do i need to have special programs or stuf for the testing?

[Gredinus]

You need hamachi and ventrilo.

[Ravensburg]

what are they?

[orkan39]

I would be very interested in doing some testing for you. I play Contra and/or Remix almost every day. I usually play skirmishes, but I sometimes play with my brother through the LAN.
I love both these mods. Keep up the good work!

[Logical2u]

Here we go, parade raining #2...

Well, let's just put it this way... Anyone here could A) Leak it. B) Steal your stuff. And frankly, I don't think those are good things.

Being more positive now...

In my personal opinion, maybe each tester should have a specific faction to test... and that "test" would involve using each unit against themselves and making sure that there are no glitches.

-Logical2u

[Phoenix911]

Here we go, parade raining #2...

Well, let's just put it this way... Anyone here could A) Leak it. B) Steal your stuff. And frankly, I don't think those are good things.

Being more positive now...

In my personal opinion, maybe each tester should have a specific faction to test... and that "test" would involve using each unit against themselves and making sure that there are no glitches.

-Logical2u

yes someone can leck/steal his idea's But i doult anyone on this board would, Pend also has a good idea on ppls personality aswell as who he could trust or not.
Having everyone have a specific faction to test is one thing but everyone whoe tests will have access to play the other sides too so that would not really work.
Also fighting your own units is one thing BUT you need a broader(sp) over view of gameplay/balance this can only be obtained via playing agest other factions too to see how each team fairs ageast other and how well units compaire. We don't want one team being like the first ever nuke general where u was practicly invincable with that side. Yet we do not want a team as weak as the old airforce gen, Each team altho unqie needs to be able to stand a chanse agest all sides Using that teams specific tactics.