Beta Testing

This forum is a place to talk about AGDI games and projects.

Moderators: adeyke, VampD3, eriqchang, Angelus3K

Post Reply
Message
Author
x47
Peasant Status
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 1:08 pm
Location: Norwich, UK
Contact:

Beta Testing

#1 Post by x47 » Sun Nov 07, 2004 11:24 pm

I just noticed the FAQ for QFG2 remake has been updated and that you say you're expecting the game to go alpha before the end of the year but also expect a long beta-testing process so we can't expect it until "before mid-2005"

is there anyway to become a beta-tester or have they already been decided or what? I'm very interested as I'm sure alot of other people are. thanks in advance and keep up the good work.

adeyke
Moderator
Posts: 1734
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2001 6:01 am

#2 Post by adeyke » Sun Nov 07, 2004 11:48 pm

The beta testers will be decided when the game is ready for the beta testing phase.

x47
Peasant Status
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 1:08 pm
Location: Norwich, UK
Contact:

#3 Post by x47 » Mon Nov 08, 2004 1:34 am

how will it be decided though? Will it be based on who posts on the message board? Because I mean I know quite a few people who have been interested in this project for ages and none of them post here because generally if you browse the forums any questions you have have already been answered. I mean I've only amassed 4 posts so prospects aren't good for me.

Vipt
Royal Servant Status
Posts: 119
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:26 pm
Location: Michigan, USA

#4 Post by Vipt » Mon Nov 08, 2004 3:50 am

There will be an announcement on the main page of AGDInteractive.com when they are ready to start beta-testing, most likely in the designer journals. From what I've heard of the beta-testing of KQ2VGA, they'll probably announce that they are accepting "applications" from people who would like to be part of the beta. These applications would include your general knowledge of computers and perhaps AGS in particular, your work habits and how much time you will have to put into testing, whether you've beta-tested any other games before, what systems you will be using for the beta-test (could be more than one), and maybe even the names and e-mail addresses of reputable persons who would recommend your services (such as developers from other fan-game projects and the like). The AGDI team will then make their decisions based on your qualifications. I'm not sure what the limit is on the number of beta-testers they will be seeking, however.

Erpy
Forum Administrator
Posts: 11434
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2001 8:28 pm
Location: The Netherlands

#5 Post by Erpy » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:10 am

When we're ready to start beta-testing, we'll probably make an announcement in both the forums and the designer journals.

Knowledge about AGS and computers in general isn't really that needed. What's needed is a good work ethic and the absence of the notion that beta testing just involves getting to play the game before anyone else does.

Image

User avatar
Gronagor
Saurus Salesman
Posts: 3881
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 3:18 pm
Location: South Africa (Bloemfontein)

#6 Post by Gronagor » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:27 am

In other words, whoever does Beta-testing will be quite sick of the game!

Erpy. Tell us a bit about the previous beta-testing phases. What exactly did they do? Mostly masking-error haunting? Or just 'play-normally-and-report-any-bugs'.

Anonymous Game Creator 2
The Prince of Shapeir
Posts: 8887
Joined: Tue May 08, 2001 4:12 am
Location: Phobos
Contact:

#7 Post by Anonymous Game Creator 2 » Mon Nov 08, 2004 7:20 am

In previous beta tests we discovered that people grow tired of playing the game over and over; and towards the end, things really start to slow down because nobody is as efficient after playing the game 10 times in a row!

For this reason, we'll be handling beta testing a little differently with QFG2VGA. We'll have several 'waves' of beta testing. As soon as one group starts to grow tired of the process, we'll get another bunch of new testers with fresh enthusiasm. Each bunch of testers will find new bugs and make the process go as quick and efficiently as possible so that we can release the game as soon as possible.

For example, the first a bunch of beta testers selected will be hardcore QFG2 fans. Their job will be to go through the game and test everything out with all 3 character classes, making sure everything is fully intact and that we haven't forgotten anything important. We'll ask these testers to keep their intimate knowledge of the original game in mind at all times while playing the remake. The first wave of beta testing will ensure that our remake is as authentic as possible to the original.

The second (and third and fourth etc) wave will do the same thing, but will focus more so on fixing bugs and spelling/grammar errors etc. Each consecutive wave of testers will have a less intense job than the wave before as the game becomes more stable and refined.

There are a LOT of things to test though, and this will be an enormous job. As Erpy mentions, beta testing will get very monotonous and while you'll be testing the game, you won't really be "playing" the game if that makes sense.

There are a number of factors which we'll take into consideration when selecting beta testers: system requirements, work ethic, knowledge of the QFG2 game world, maturity level, spelling/grammar skills, ability to do monotonous work, being able to 'think outside the square' and try things in the game that most people wouldn't normally think of, and so forth.

We get a lot of applications and in the past we've had to make difficult compromises between two ideal candidates when only one place was available on the beta testing team. With the larger amount of beta testers required for QFG2VGA, this should be less of an issue... well, unless we have even more dedicated people applying! :)

malekdarshin
Royal Servant Status
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2003 9:42 am

#8 Post by malekdarshin » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:25 am

That sounds like a good plan. I'd guess that there will be fewer people who have actually played though the original game though. I know I for one haven't. I tried it a while back, but I wanted to wait for your remake. I'll wait to say more until the beta testing starts.

User avatar
Gronagor
Saurus Salesman
Posts: 3881
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 3:18 pm
Location: South Africa (Bloemfontein)

#9 Post by Gronagor » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:43 am

And I guess Beta-testers need to redownload the entire thing quite a few times...

Erpy
Forum Administrator
Posts: 11434
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2001 8:28 pm
Location: The Netherlands

#10 Post by Erpy » Mon Nov 08, 2004 12:38 pm

Gron, the previous beta test period was mostly people playing through the game and reporting bugs, not so much walkable/walkbehind mask haunting.

I don't think the testers will be downloading A LOT of versions...KQ2VGA had 3 beta versions in total. If we're going to use the "wave approach" AGD2 suggested, that makes even less downloading for every individual tester.

Heh, of course, this could mean we run out of fans to play the final game after running it through multiple test teams. :p

Image

User avatar
Gronagor
Saurus Salesman
Posts: 3881
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 3:18 pm
Location: South Africa (Bloemfontein)

#11 Post by Gronagor » Mon Nov 08, 2004 1:29 pm

Hehe! I was trying to help you by making the job 'less attractive' to thin out the number of applications you need to go through. But you're doing the opposite!! I'll sign up as well... now. :lol

Alias
Royal Vizier Status
Posts: 1614
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:08 pm

#12 Post by Alias » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:55 pm

Does AGDI just choose random people? or do you apply to beta test?

Erpy
Forum Administrator
Posts: 11434
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2001 8:28 pm
Location: The Netherlands

#13 Post by Erpy » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:57 pm

We wouldn't pick people at random, as people need a lot of free time to devote to the testing. Volunteers can send in an application when we announce the beta testing stage is about to begin.

Image

ThreeHeadedMonkey
Knight Status
Posts: 304
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 4:18 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re:

#14 Post by ThreeHeadedMonkey » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:52 am

I would fit perfectly in wave 2... I'm a real nit-picker at this sort of thing. Even though I HAVE played the original (and finished), I'm not really a 'hardcore fan'.

Asmodian
Peasant Status
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2004 1:58 pm

#15 Post by Asmodian » Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:34 pm

i played the original about 5 times so i guess i am hardcore

Blackthorne519
Royal Vizier Status
Posts: 2301
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2003 3:37 am
Location: Central New York
Contact:

#16 Post by Blackthorne519 » Tue Nov 09, 2004 4:56 pm

Asmodian wrote:i played the original about 5 times so i guess i am hardcore
Hardcore? Since 1990, I have played Quest For Glory 2 at least 140 times. I'll take an average of 10 times a year, for 14 years.

Quest For Glory 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. (I remember getting it for Christmas, and being SO excited) I look forward to the VGA remake probably more so than most. But as a game-maker myself, I know how much WORK goes into making games - so the wait doesn't seem so exorbitant to me!

Bt

techie775
Knight Status
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat May 01, 2004 4:17 pm

#17 Post by techie775 » Tue Nov 09, 2004 6:23 pm

I can definately understand the "waves" of beta testers. I remember trying to get all 4000 points in LSL3. Boy after playing the game 5 or 6 times straight it does get the point where the game isn't fun anymore, it's just a pain in the ass.
Last edited by techie775 on Wed Nov 10, 2004 4:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Alias
Royal Vizier Status
Posts: 1614
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:08 pm

#18 Post by Alias » Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:39 pm

I think its a great idea to have waves. ;)

Post Reply