SEV Betatest...

[boran_blok]

I hope everyone here knows what it is to beta test, it's not "play the game before it get released"-stuff eh, it's mainly an exercise in frustration, but maybe i'm biased because I always have to beta-test and debug at the same time. maybe the debugging is the more agrevating point, maybe not.

[NullAshton]

Beta-testing is where you get to participate in making the game. Your ideas usually get placed in the game

[Atrocities]

Also a beta test is not suppose to be a nit pick free for all. The developer is looking for feed back yes, but not out right negative critisim of their products. The most likely need and want all feed back that a beta test has, but that does not mean that they want to a steady diet of "This sucks" "That sucks," etc. If something sucks, be detailed and explain why it sucks and be specific about what it is you would like to see done to improve it.

Bug reports are the most helpful thing to a developer, or so I would think. So reporting those, along with detailed information about how you came acrossed it would be the most advantagious thing to do. (Or so it is my opinion.)

I have seen so many beta tests go south because people post about how bad the beta is when they fail to understand that it is a BETA and not the finished product.

Case in point Tribes Vengence. Although the big issue there was the cheating on the MP games, ignored by VUG, the beta degenerated into a negative posting fest of epic proportions. It got so bad they closed the forum. The game was not bad, it just was not good.

Space Empires players are far more decidely professional than the twitch monekies that participated in the T:V beta so my confidence is high that Aaron will be getting the best beta testers in the world.

[Instar]

The trick is GOOD bug reports. Details people, details!
Debugging is fun, if you ask me... then again, I'm insane.

[RudyHuxtable]

I beta'd on Ultima Online. Now THAT was a headache. There were so many awesome features that I thought would make it into the final edit, like Necromancy and the like, but I guess they just couldn't work out the kinks at the time, and EA said hurry up. So come launch day I play the game and was annoyed because I was such an advocate for so many of the features that got tossed.

Reporting the bugs was insane. Simple insane. Like, put me in a rubber room I don't want to talk about walking through walls or Corp Por backlashing ever again... oh my GOD!

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

And what is it about living in Brazil that would eliminate you from the selection? Sounds to me like you make a VERY good chance of making it, as you have all those systems.....

[Makinus]

the problem is if Aaron would send the betas by CDs instead of downloading it (i have a DSL conection, so dowloading would not be a problem), since to mail the game to Brasil would take too much time and bother...

[Puke]

look, all you international folks who think you dont have a chance at the beta: quit your pissing.

Im pretty certain that Mephisto was a member of the previous beta test (maybe even as far back as SE2 and 3), and he's in Germany. The thing is open to everyone.

calm down.

[David E. Gervais]

Another point, SE5 is fully intended for international release so it would seem to me that having a variety of 'nationalities' on the beta team will be of great benefit. (how else will aaron know if the game runs properly on a foreign keyboard/system?)

IMHO, everyone has as good a chance as the person next to them.

Cheers!

[NullAshton]

Could you tell us the chances of getting a beta testing slot?