Beta Testing
Moderators: adeyke, VampD3, eriqchang, Angelus3K
Beta Testing
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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- The Prince of Shapeir
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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!
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!
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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.
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.
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Re:
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'.
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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.Asmodian wrote:i played the original about 5 times so i guess i am hardcore
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
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.