OP, since you keep claiming no one has actually read you post, I will break it down...
I've taken part in multiple BETAs and every single time that I have been apart of them 100% of "new material" is present. The point of BETA is to test all aspects of the "new content" Not to cause people to think they are testing something when they aren't.
As someone who works in the software industry, I can attest that that's not the way betas actually work in practice. Our early betas frequently have certain areas turned off, that aren't yet ready for testing. Ever since the rise of the Internet, the concepts of alpha, beta, and shipping release have been muddled. Most products these days seem to be in perpetual beta.
It's a rip off for the people who payed the 15 dollars to have the BETA access for this game. The only things that are being tested are "patch" worthy thing. They constantly "lock" the new stuff so it's not played in the "BETA". It's a ruse to get more money out of the people that's it.
I'll decide if I personally feel ripped off, thank you. I don't. I'm glad that I have been able to beta test, even though I wasn't part of the kickstarter. I've gotten my money's worth, by test driving ships I couldn't afford and don't want to grind rank for. I've filled in plenty of bug reports and given feedback for the betas. If you don't like the idea of paid betas, don't pay for it or wait for the open access betas.
The BETA should include the new Thargoid stuff and any other new nuances.
Respectfully, I disagree most strongly. If the new Thargoid content were present, the Internet would be overrun with spoilers within a few days. That would completely ruin the update for all the non-beta players, who paid for the full game.
I seriously question them that why do they need a BETA if they can "perfect" the "locked" content without having it BETA tested? What are you actually testing? The Game has already been out for X amount of time and the server load tests should already be done, not RE TESTED!
There will be a lot of changes to the base code, which needs testing, assuming this beta is like the others. I look forward to reviewing the changelog (but then, I'm a programmer who enjoys this sort of thing).
Now I know many of you that may reply to this will be fanboi's of the company "can do no wrong and if they do it's got reasons behind it and it's still okay." and " You just want to see the spoiled stuff." But you're missing the point here. This isn't about seeing the "new" stuff. This is about testing everything to make sure it's up to speck and report any bugs. If they don't need it BETA tested then why even have a BETA for anything? They can do the same perfection they do for the "locked" stuff to the patches as well. It's fools gold with no shine.
While I am a fan of this game, I'm no white knight (read some of my posts on antialiasing or UI colors). I feel that it is
you who is missing the point. There will be lots of changes which still need testing.
Knock it off Frontier or stop doing the BETAs or it's just a glorified "Early access but lose your data after X day/weeks/months". Which IS NOT a BETA.
It is a beta of the changes. Sometimes I wish that my progression would transfer, like all the engineered upgrades I got for fish, but mostly, I'm glad it doesn't transfer.
I don't hate Frontier I am saying I disagree with their approach. I do realize that none of us own this game but have a license to play it. That Frontier owns it and they can do whatever they want with it and they can use the word/term "BETA" out of definition and practice as they want. But it doesn't mean their practice is right just because they "do it" and haven't been forced to stop through lawsuit (not a threat just saying).
As I mentioned earlier, the definition of "beta" has changed, due to the influence of the Internet. It's time to stop living in the past.
OP does not understand the software industry at all. A beta test is a test of what the developer decides and nothing to do with him.
The attitude is quite normal, seen it many times before. Entitlement is an ugly trait and op should read the terms of beta access beforehand as he has no argument.
I agree, 100%. Rep++
It's clear you're lying to yourself because I said it has nothing to do with "spoiling" anything in the story but has to do with testing everything and reporting the bugs. I am "focusing" on the 2.4 thing specifically because I have had enough of their retoric and this is talking about the present to the future. We can't do anything about the past ones. I just finally decided to speak up about it. And no I can't link them because I don't write them here I post them do the customer support email for beta reporting for this game as I do with all other MMO BETA testing I have done. Forums aren't good places to report these. Since it's player mod ran rather than the Devs. Even if Devs post on here this isn't their source of bug reports.
It has everything to do with avoiding "spoiling" the game for regular players. We will test the stuff FD thinks needs testing.
I don't agree with redefining things. I never will and never have. Original definitions ONLY. Not budging.
I see. Have you mounted your buggy whip on the wall, or are you still using it to beat a dead horse?
No I know exactly what BETA testing is. And it has nothing to do with what you stated. It has everything to do with testing a complete product for potential code breaking areas/ broken code areas. It also is used for stress tests. There a myriad of things that are done with BETA. However you can't do an accurate BETA testing in video games without having a complete product because if you only give part of it the unknown variable that wasn't tested it could break the code that was BETA tested again in other ways or maybe the fixes won't work. When adding any code it has the potential to mess with other coding that is already stable. Hence bugs pop up in areas that were already perfectly okay when new coding is introduced into the formula. Also as I stated it's not about wanting to know the story early it has everything to do with testing the produce to report the bugs. For someone who's so attackative and dismissive and "this is typical" why don't you look at yourself Mr/Mrs high and mighty. You obviously didn't read the entire post.
As you can see, I have read your whole post. While you are correct, this isn't a beta test of the full product, including the Thargoid content would ruin the story for many players, so it is completely appropriate to do a partial beta test in this case.
I assure you that I am much older than you think. And age has nothing to do with it. Kind funny how if you guys think "well a grown person would never say that." or "act like that" so "he/she must be young. That is the answer to all questionings of wonder." Guess what everyone is unique and there is no prescribed formula or robot tendency of "you must conform to this exact image every single one of you. BE ROBOTS NOW OR YOUR YOUNG." Is it you who is what is the common phrase.....12??? or is it a newborn???
Umm... OK, then you should act your age.
have read everything said and I have commented accordingly. Maybe you lack the cognitive ability to have conversations? Maybe you can't understand?
I understand completely. You can't wait to see the Thargoid content and you are so selfish that you don't care if that ruins the story for all the non-beta players.
I love how the truth actually is, you PAID for the BETA because you WANTED early access. Thats what it is. Why pay for a BETA? Ive always said BETA should be available to everyone for free because its about fixing bugs, more people, more coverage. Frankly i think anyone who paid for BETA access is just as daft as the people who fund those early access survival shovel ware games that are pumped out on a weekly basis but thats me.
However, its quite obvious you are just whinging because you want first look content, not to help FD squash the issues. You want Thargoids.
If you can't understand why all the Thargoid content wouldn't be available In BETA to be poured out onto forums/reddit/social media/youtube before its actually out i think you are beyond reasoning with.
True. Rep++
You utterly missed the point. Yes, a beta is to test, but the developer decides what is to be tested. Always has, always will. Nothing about beta actually says testing a full complete product anymore.
Just because you decide that their beta should include everything, doesn't mean they have to do it. They decide what gets tested.
Exactly. Rep++
This isn't a patch but an update. All updates have had beta. This is an update not a patch and will get a beta due to the extra stuff that needs testing. Patches are there to fix the issues that have been found and shouldn't need beta testing.
Also I don't want all the thargoid stuff ruined for me or others with it being in beta.
Agreed. Rep++
Why do you think that your definition of beta is correct? A beta is unfinished/untested code. The betas that FD run contain unfinished/untested code - just because they contain a lot of released code also doesn't make them any less a beta.
I don't even understand what you are asking for. You don't want to play a beta? Don't. You want it to be called something else? Call it what you like, I doubt it will bother anyone else.
Right. Rep++
I've read the OP's post twice (just so I don't miss anything) and I disagree.
The beta testing we pay for is completely optional and it's only 1 of several stages that Frontier do. It's entirely up to the developer which parts are tested by the public. I don't think the new Thargoid story content should be in the beta and I'm glad it isn't.
If you don't like how paid-for public betas are done then don't pay for it in the future.
My opinion.
And mine. Rep++
Quality was and is still a problem (GalMap-Bug for example in 2.3). But with the history of Premium Beta, the amount of tickets sent to FD and the well... high amount of bugs that made it into the final release (some of them still present) it was clearly shown that a public beta didn´t help too much.
So my conclusion is: FD´s ressources are limited and the amount of bugs found in the game will always be higher than the amount of bugs they are being able to fix. That´s not uncommon in software development. Customers have to live with it. I don´t like it but of course I don´t have a better solution to the situation.
Unfortunately, true. Rep++
Hate on betas because fdev doesn't understand the point of one. Not because they aren't spoiling their narrative in them.
Ie. In a beta, you fix the bugs that are reported.
Ie. In a beta, you don't introduce more features after the beta closes.
Ie. In a beta, the last beta should be the next release
That's why you should hate betas for this game
1) If possible. Not all bugs can be fixed in a limited timeframe.
2) Ideally, but not unheard of.
3) No, that's the last "release candidate", not the last beta.
Nope not what I said at all. I said I want frontier to run real BETAs not the mockery half backed rediculous display of what they call a BETA which isn't a BETA. You can go play ANY MMO that does BETAs and they release 100% of expansions during the BETA testing phase.
You're entitled to your opinion, but it's only a name. FD can call it what they like.
But my point on that is that if they can perfect the content they withhold then there is no reason to do a BETA. They can perfect without player participation. We don't need to BETA test around old content. BETA tests ALL new data not just part of it. All new coding can effect previous coding in ways they didn't forsee. If they're going to do a BETA do it right or not at all.
Betas test whatever the developer thinks needs testing. While the Thargoid content also needs testing, especially since the Alien Ruins debacle, FD has chosen to keep that testing in-house. I respect their decision.
See, this is why I have never bought access for "Betas" from Frontier - if they want test-bed machines, they can bloody well let us test it for free like any other game on the market...
It's not like they don't have any money to support the game, you know...
The fact they are doing a 50/50 split this time between "closed" and then "open" betas shows that previous betas left up to those who bought it (beta access) as part of the old Horizon deal (plus backers) just isn't enough machines or players providing feedback (because players drop off over time, or lose interest, or can't be bothered to test anything because they only paid to play with new toys before main release, naturally) - because of this, every patch in Horizons has been a complete fracking disaster - and they know it, hence they are keeping their part of their "bargain" by allowing a closed beta, but are also allowing everyone else to actually test it, too.
Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I think FD has added an open beta, due in large part to feedback on this forum.
Also, all the Thargoid content that has appeared so far has been tested extremely well internally by Frontier - so I don't expect that to be too bad on release.
What I really hate is Thargoid/Storyline content being spoiled by poeple because the Betas showed too much when it wasn't supposed to.
Agreed. I don't want that either. Rep++
This is my favourite part of your rant, Basically anyone who disagrees with you is a Frontier fanboi.
Why should this thread be different from all the others?

If you disagree with (any) OP, you're a fanboi, a white knight, a ganker, etc. We should avoid name-calling or this thread will get locked. (Which might not be a bad thing.) Rep++