To throw in a small thought though. The number of people accessing the beta will inevitably drop off over time. Perhaps there's a good rationale for a rethink when the time comes!?
Frontier, if you need more beta testers then make beta free
- Thread starter Martian Successor
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To throw in a small thought though. The number of people accessing the beta will inevitably drop off over time. Perhaps there's a good rationale for a rethink when the time comes!?
Should that day ever come I am sure frontier will reconsider the policy, until then, it is what it is.
Enough with all this fake optimism already, they are in dire need of players for the beta, that's it.
These last few days the matchmaking was horribly slow and I could not find crew even if I sit there and wait for 20 minutes, if I want to join somebody I have trouble even finding bounty hunting mc (The most populated activity). Strangely, the first few days waiting time for people to join my ship was less than 10 seconds and there were multiple people looking for crew in all the activity lobbies.
People tried it and dropped it.
It's not about testers and people who report problems to the forum, there's enough of it already, it's the sheer number that's needed.
These last few days the matchmaking was horribly slow and I could not find crew even if I sit there and wait for 20 minutes, if I want to join somebody I have trouble even finding bounty hunting mc (The most populated activity). Strangely, the first few days waiting time for people to join my ship was less than 10 seconds and there were multiple people looking for crew in all the activity lobbies.
People tried it and dropped it.
It's not about testers and people who report problems to the forum, there's enough of it already, it's the sheer number that's needed.
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So I might be correct in my assumption that the marketing email went out in order to encourage more people into the early beta? I mean I've never received such an email before.
Beyond any historical argument that explains why the beta is paid, can anyone make an argument that doesn't simply explains it, but one that justifies it? Even more, on the argument in favor of paid beta under the premise that testers who pay actually do some testing and reports; it is not true that selling beta ensure proper testing, and it is obviously not the case that charging money for beta testing is the best method to filter testers. It is simply wrong. But, on the other hand, making open beta is likely the wrong way to go too, as it will spoil the release by killing the hype and might saturate the servers as someone argued once, but come on, you can still make a closed free beta.
There is an argument going around here stating that open beta will get filled with casual players and beginners. I totally agree, but from that idea, it takes only one logical step to come up to the idea of a closed and selective free beta to prevent that situation from happening. FD could choose old players registered before a certain date, and with a certain amount of in-game hours, and then spam them with something more noble than charging for money of something that should be rather a paid or volunteer job (not a privilege), and a totally necessary part of their own job, and something that have proven to fail consistently in the history or their own game.
FD should stop advertising beta testing as something exciting to do because it is not. If excitement is the motive, then it is Early Access (the Early Access of the Early Access), not beta. And they should also be honest while advertising it, as when they claimed that 2.3 beta was arriving in its full swing. And about the argument to support FD on the development of ED, if that is acceptable, then it also is to send them a 6 euros donation instead and go wash their dirty dishes, all the while you receive invitations to do so on your email.
There is an argument going around here stating that open beta will get filled with casual players and beginners. I totally agree, but from that idea, it takes only one logical step to come up to the idea of a closed and selective free beta to prevent that situation from happening. FD could choose old players registered before a certain date, and with a certain amount of in-game hours, and then spam them with something more noble than charging for money of something that should be rather a paid or volunteer job (not a privilege), and a totally necessary part of their own job, and something that have proven to fail consistently in the history or their own game.
FD should stop advertising beta testing as something exciting to do because it is not. If excitement is the motive, then it is Early Access (the Early Access of the Early Access), not beta. And they should also be honest while advertising it, as when they claimed that 2.3 beta was arriving in its full swing. And about the argument to support FD on the development of ED, if that is acceptable, then it also is to send them a 6 euros donation instead and go wash their dirty dishes, all the while you receive invitations to do so on your email.
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FD has switched formats of their newsletters/mail program some time ago. They didnt send stuff, now they do. They inform you of streams, betas etc. That doesnt mean they are desperate for you to watch the stream, it means they tell you there is a stream. When they mail you you can buy something, it doesnt mean they are desperate for you to buy it. It means they are a business and would like to tell you you can buy something. If you dont, thats fine too.
Not every change is a reason to become paranoid. You dont want to pay for beta? Dont. You do? Also good. Who cares.
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Oh oh oh, me me me, can I answer? Please?
Its because people are willing to pay. And FD is a business. They like to sell stuff to people who like to buy their stuff, so they get money. They spend that money on stuff, and what is left is called profit. The technical term is 'capitalism'.
There is no 'justification' in any way. If people want to spend money on something, people will offer it for money. Dont matter if its water, prostitution, ED beta or crack.
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Yes, your assumption that a company send you an e-mail about a product hoping you would spend money on the product of the company is correct. Well done.
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There is a huge differece; I dont receive the newsletters, but I do receive the spam, and I never asked for none of them. So why do I get the ones that actually ask for money?
You gave me an explanation, not a justification. The explanation help to understand something. It describes causes. From there, you can turn an explanation into a justification if beyond the causes, you can actually describe why the subject of the explanation is correct. And no, that is not the technical term. You think you sound smart, but you already made clear the contrary. And lets see where your denial of any justification takes you next time you deal with current and future bugs in the game.
Oh, and by the way, did you swallow your words as you said you would?
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I'm of the opinion that the FD Marketing team is the least useful team in the company, and is in fact frequently a detriment to the rest of the development on a number of fronts with their weapons-grade vaguery and apparent lack of understanding of their customer base and often the game itself. They seem to be at the heart of the flames on a lot of issues.
Blackcompany
Banned
True.
Plenty of suckers who will pay someone for the "privilege" of working for them sans pay.
When I received the email that was my first thought also.
Look the other way and don't buy their tasteless beta access, that'll show them for sure! LMAO
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Capitalism is invoked like business is supposed to be exempt from criticism, like people shouldn't share advice about what's worth the price. Declaring something to be an angle, a rip-off, is part of the free market ecosystem, for the better. Capitalism isn't "Businesses are good", or "Business practices are good". Many of both get weeded out because they don't work, including for reasons as wistful as people having bad feelings about them, hence avoid spending money on them. In other words capitalism is a debate. (While other systems like socialism/communism are dictates.)
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Blackcompany
Banned
For nothing?
How about those who bought TWO full price games, and STILL don't have one fully functional one?
But by all means, pay someone to work for them. Have fun with that.
I couldn't have put it better! But just to add a quick off-topic caveat. Capitalism, when not regulated, tends to be a dictate of sorts as well, in the form of a monopoly. Specially when the monopolies permeate into the state.
Would you work for free? or even more, would you do someone else job for free? Or even more, would you pay to do someone else job? You don't seem to understand the point of beta testing. And before you even try; no, I am not in the least interested in trying the beta, but I am interested something closer to a bug free game.
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Indeed! But you have read Hex's response and many more most likely think like him. It's the old school approach, I'm starting to look at the ED betas as being run by the UK House of Lords (ie. high horses with no needs but their own).
Blackcompany
Banned
Want to know why devs charge for Beta?
Sunk. Cost. Fallacy.
People who pay for access are much more likely to talk positively about the game and the new features. They are more reluctant to notice or admit flaws. Basically, it's a way to stack the early review deck in the devs favor.
Game devs with confidence in their features, don't need to charge for Beta access. Heck, even Ubi offers free beta access.
Sunk. Cost. Fallacy.
People who pay for access are much more likely to talk positively about the game and the new features. They are more reluctant to notice or admit flaws. Basically, it's a way to stack the early review deck in the devs favor.
Game devs with confidence in their features, don't need to charge for Beta access. Heck, even Ubi offers free beta access.
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Monopoly only has special force when backed by law aka physical force, which is not a component of a free market, but we're getting into questionably relevant political territory.
It`s called new people (consumers) who`ve purchased the game then get shocked when they find they have to pay for a Beta too. Unless you expect Mankind to have a Borg like hivemind I don`t see why this should be a surprise. It should also tell Braben and his lot that maybe they`re doing something wrong.
On a different point this whole new email thing just proves to me that we`re going to have to wait even longer for the finished product while they try to make extra cash, not an actual better game. If you want a better game you don`t charge the paying Player to try it. Even the email doesn`t say it wants testers.
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