Spent some time last week messing around in one of the few MMOG betas. No, I can’t tell which you one — it’s not Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, which I heard has entered BETA 2!! (omg, omg, omg)
The announcement is here (omg, omg, omg), but I’ll quote since you have to be logged into the VSOH forums to read (omg, omg, omg). Abigale Seashadow/Cindy Bowens:
Hello all!
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes has entered Beta 2!
It is an exciting time for us as we begin to gradually invite more people into Beta to help us continue to test and develop Vanguard and make it the game we are all waiting to play!
Thank you for your support as we enter this next phase of our development. We look forward to seeing many more of you in Beta soon ™!
The beta stages defined, from the horse’s mouth, Brad McQuaid:
Phase 0 : work out issues between Sigil and Microsoft — how do we get the code up there, testing issues, patching, etc. Basic infrastructure stuff. Then stability — get the code at least stable enough that beta testers will not be overly frustrated. Start with a small portion of the world and slowly turn additional regions on over time.
Phase 1: start testing gameplay. Begin with the basics, then move on to the systems that make Vanguard more unique. Also study how both world size and the world being seamless affects the game. Preferably have at least one full continent online for people to explore and play in.
Phase 2: continue testing, but with a lot more people. Focus on the mid to higher level game, as well as continue on with crafting, diplomacy, and the other more Vanguard-specific systems. Preferably have all or most of the world online for people to explore and play in.
Phase 3: Fill up a server. Determine the target number of people in a single shard, preferably arriving with a number in between over populated and too sparsely populated. Continue to monitor how fast people are advancing, plus everything else that was in phase 1 and 2. This probably should be the longest phase. Test even more high level areas, but probably not the highest level areas, unless with specific, hand chosen focus groups.
Phase 4: The shortest phase. Bring in a LOT of people (I think EQ had 25,000+). Have multiple shards online and make sure there are no issues there. Test billing, login, etc. Do everything we can to make sure nothing catastrophic happens when we turn on the game for real. Perhaps open some of the high end content briefly, but still being careful to keep mystery in the game.
Launch
“A lot more people” sounds like I might have a shot, right? Well, I might have except for one small problem.
Recall that I mentioned a few of the e-buds and I were trying to sneak into the VSOH beta. And when I say “sneak”, I mean what gaming house in their right minds would want a bunch of cynical gaming hags like us running amok in their pastoral noob countryside? That’s right. None of them. So, we usually skew the beta app responses to be informed, interested, yet not too experienced.
Sometimes our system pays off, sometimes not.
Now, before I tell you how I fucked up my Vanguard app, (hell, I’ll even SHOW you), let me say in my own defense that I had just read the hubbubbub about McQuaid and his anti-instancing quackery. (Missed the melee? Go read: The Cesspit’s detailed summary, GamerGod’s reprint of McQuaid’s instancing manifesto, Lum jumps into the fray, even Sony’s Koster climbs aboard.)
Add that to the McQuaid quotes that Aggro Me had pulled from the VSOH forums and I was beginning to wonder if McQuaid has a serious problem with being quoted out of context. (That’s me being nice.)
I filled out my VanApp like a good little player — I’m experienced, I’m interested, I’m involved, but not OVERLY SO, mind you. I arrived at Question #38, almost done with this exhaustive discussion of my qualifications, and I was screwing around a bit for my own amusement, fully intending to delete this before I hit “SUBMIT”. I took a screenshot so I could say “heh, look at the app I wanted to submit but didn’t because I deleted this before I hit SUBMIT.”
Except, I didn’t delete it. I got distracted by a phone call or something, came back to the app and … clicked … SUBMIT … like the fucking idiot that I am.
It’s safe to say that I won’t be poking around in Vanguard before launch.
Dammit.
That’s hilarious man… maybe one of the application checkers doesn’t like him either, you could still squeak in!
Unless a dev is going to pay me there is no way I’m gonna waste my time testing their game for them. Why do people get so excited over (barely) beta tests? Is it completely wasting your time worth it when you can say “Yea, I was in beta”.
Not trying to be a dick but what’s the point?
For me, the point is checking out a new game and having something different to do. Others may like helping companies fix the game for no pay? I’ve never met such a person but maybe they exist.
Plus if you’re in on the beta, you have a chance to de-noob yourself before everyone else, while also getting to meet people who are probably going to end up playing the game. That way, when the “e-penix race” begins at release, you and your beta buddies will have a leg up on the rest of the competition.
Personally, I love that noob feeling of a fresh game.
I thought it was simple — being in a beta is a way to save $50 if the game sucks, and a way to learn enough about the game early enough to convince your friends to play it with you if it doesn’t suck. The sneak peeks and reviews never give enough information to work this out, IMO.
I know someone who put their favorite site is xxx blog and still stuff. yea.