When will the beta tester selection start?

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NeoDraven
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When will the beta tester selection start?

#1 Post by NeoDraven » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:00 pm

I'm not asking when beta testing will start. I just wanted to see when you think you'll start recruiting beta testers. It'd be nice to have some foreknowledge so I can start working on my plea letter/application. :lol

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#2 Post by navynuke04 » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:33 pm

Go ahead and start working on it. The early bird gets the worm, after all. ;)

The list continues to shrink, so it's getting closer and closer.

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#3 Post by Ibanezrg82 » Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:50 am

Well, AGDI.









I deleted that resume..
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#4 Post by Erpy » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:00 am

I'm afraid that's not how applications are delivered. When the time for beta testing would be upon us, we'd create a page where people could submit their application.

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#5 Post by Ibanezrg82 » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:09 am

It's like Area 51 here.

No questions, only answers, when the man gives it to you.

Cool though, If I had the resources to revamp Trial, I would probably be just as careful.

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#6 Post by Alistair » Fri Jul 06, 2007 12:36 pm

This forum gets crazier and crazier.. I can't believe he wrote a spiel here.

:rollin


Navynuke: Which 'list' are you referring to? Checklist of things to sort out before it's time to do that?

- Alistair

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#7 Post by Erpy » Fri Jul 06, 2007 2:08 pm

He's referring to the list of bugs and issues to fix before we can call it beta.

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Two testing groups?

#8 Post by Brainiac » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:33 pm

One thing that I wondered was will knowledge of the original QfG2 be a question in the testing application?  It seems a pertinent question to me, as those who've never played the game through might be more helpful in trying every little thing in ways you guys may have missed whereas those who played the original may be better for getting deep into the game quickly and making sure the primary paths and path-exclusive actions are all properly in place.  Having testers both with and without experience in the original QfG2 would be beneficial, I think.

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#9 Post by adeyke » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:41 pm

Since players who have played QfG2 and players who haven't will each bring a very different perspective to the game, it seems likely that the beta testers will intentionally have both represented.  The game should be played and enjoyed by both of them, and the beta testers can make sure that'll be the case.

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#10 Post by Quest For Glory Fan » Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:34 pm

*wonders if it's a good thing he's played all of the series through except 2*

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#11 Post by NeoDraven » Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:37 pm

Brainiac, I was one of the beta testers for Al Emmo. Not knowing anything about the game when I started playing it definitely made me try things in the game that a normal player wouldn't. There were beta testers from all over the world working on that game, from all different backgrounds, with completely different mentalities when it comes to gaming style.

Every time I entered a new screen, I wasn't really playing it like I would a normal game. I was literally clicking on every pixel on the screen that I could possibly manage, with every available action icon or inventory item. Because of that; trying to trip the game up or do non-intended actions, I don't think my knowledge or "skill level" on this particular game mattered at all.

At that stage of testing, it's really more clinical and nitpicky than it is just trying to beat the game, repetitiveness bordering on monotony.

Then, when beta testing was over, the game was turned over to the next wave of testers, with all of the information that the first wave had found. Do I think those testers had to work less hard since we already pretty much had an almost complete FAQ on the forum? Not in the slightest. I think that what got the job done more than anything was the willingness for all of us to sit there and just wear out our mouse buttons, trying to find that one elusive pixel that we hadn't clicked on yet.

The thing was, even though I was lucky enough to be one of the first people in the world to play this game, by the time it got to my hot little hands, the bugs were so few and far between even then that all I could so was try to pull a Bill Gates on it. There were fewer grammatical errors than I see in most books/newspapers that are printed, ALL the screens loaded with no problem, I could use EVERY inventory item with no issues, the sound was never off-sync with the screens, the loading times were absolutely minimal, and I had to actually TRY to make bugs work. The game was absolutely playable from start to finish, even for a complete noob with no walkthrough or strategy guide.

Not to say that we didn't get stuck. I think all of the beta testers in the first wave relied on each other to collectively beat the game. I literally played it for more than 30 hours total in the first 3 days I had it, and didn't beat it yet. But, I digress.

The people that made Al Emmo are the same ones creating QFG2VGA. From knowing what their incomplete work looks like, seeing how big that game was, and comparing it to the size and just pure depth that is QFG2, I can fully appreciate why it's taken so long to even release a beta version; it's ginormous and meticulous. It also raises my expectations of this game when it IS released. I wouldn't think them to shortchange us after having seen their first commercial venture.

Based on all of this, I would surmise that the beta testers for this game will be pretty similar in just dedication alone. Being able to get to Raseir without a saurus, and actually FINDING the coordinates for the teleport cheat by typing in random numbers, letting the game crash, writing it down and trying again; those hardcore feats and knowledge of QFG2 helps, but it all really comes down to dedication, not skill level.

Not that there isn't an abundance of dedicated fans on this site...

...think about it; when programming started on QFG2VGA, no one had an iPod, standalone DVD players were $200 a pop for the cheap ones, MySpace hadn't even been invented yet, Nokia made the best cell phones, Martha Stewart was knitting doilies with no prison record, 911 was the number you called for an emergency (and that was all it was), New Orleans was still standing, we all thought Family Guy was canceled, the second annual Sega Dreamcast competition was held, Lady Marmalade was tearing up the charts...

...sticking around on this site, waiting for this game, for that long; THAT'S dedication.
Last edited by NeoDraven on Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

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#12 Post by NeoDraven » Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:44 am

Who wrote a spiel, Alistair? I'm confused.

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#13 Post by Jack Sawyer » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:20 am

I'll probably submit an application, because I am curious.  But I also would like to try (if I can) to help out.  not wholly altruistic, but hey..

I think when the time DOES come, alot of people will clamber because they're eager REALLY Eager to see and play the game.   The thing is, its not "playing" its "testing" so while I like the game, I also expect that things will happen taht might RUIN that game.  I expect it might need to be replayed multiple times.   Things like that.

I do hope when that time does roll around people will remember that much.   Because I could quite easily envision people lining up to playtest, getting to do so, then getting upset because the game somehow got ruined because they found a bug.   I bet it could happen.  Just you wait!

QFG fan:  I just started playing Monkey Island 3 again.  Best one of the series so far for graphics, humor, and all the puzzles n' stuff.  I'm loving this thing (esp Mega Monkey) all over again.  So I applaud the avatar :D

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#14 Post by Erpy » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:37 am

Jack Sawyer wrote:I think when the time DOES come, alot of people will clamber because they're eager REALLY Eager to see and play the game.   The thing is, its not "playing" its "testing" so while I like the game, I also expect that things will happen taht might RUIN that game.  I expect it might need to be replayed multiple times.   Things like that.

I do hope when that time does roll around people will remember that much.   Because I could quite easily envision people lining up to playtest, getting to do so, then getting upset because the game somehow got ruined because they found a bug.   I bet it could happen.  Just you wait!
Seriously, if a beta tester would start complaining that the game is too buggy to play comfortably, I'd consider kicking him off the team on general principle, because it shows he's just interested in a ride-along, rather than going through the mundane stuff. But I'm fairly confident that won't happen.

The possibility of people signing up as a tester, just to be able to finally play the game is not only there, it's pretty sure to happen too. We can only hope the selection process takes most hitchhikers out of the running already...since QFG2 is really the one game that requires a dedicated and solid testing team. If someone plays through parts of the game he doesn't like dozens of time, he's a good tester. If someone still walks through the entire alleyway system in both directions after he's done it a hundred times on our request, he's a good tester. If we made a few changes to the game and tell someone, if he could play through it again, even though he's already done so like 40 times already, he's a good tester. If someone plays through the game a few times, then loses interest and goes off, he shouldn't have filled out that application form to begin with.

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#15 Post by Alistair » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:32 am

I wonder how many people are going to jump at the chance to navigate the alley system ;)
Who wrote a spiel, Alistair? I'm confused.
I think the obvious answer would be the fake resume of Ibanezg82 (he had to delete it), but I'm tempted to say your previous post also ;)

- Alistair

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#16 Post by NeoDraven » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:45 am

I've never clambered in my life. How dare you.

I may clamor, though.

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Clambering

#17 Post by Brainiac » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:37 pm

NeoDraven wrote:I've never clambered in my life. How dare you.
You might have when you were a crawling infant.  How can you be sure, what with infantile amnesia and all? :p

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#18 Post by calethix » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:37 am

That reminds me of the remake alpha/beta for Star Control 2.  It was a different philosophy from QFG2.  By the time I downloaded it, it was still officially a work in progress but anyone could download and play it while they continued to tweak things.

Anyway, I think I got all the way through without running into any bugs.  That is, until then final battle where the boss was indestructible :)

The game was still fun and brought back some good memories but I think with QFG2, I'll be patient and wait till it's done :)

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