I think the issue is that people are seeing bugs that shouldn't be in the game and should have been picked up in beta. FDev are responsible for what they put out and are fully responsible for making sure they beta test correctly. I don't really remember any posts calling out beta testers - just more of the tests themselves and the results?
Re: paying Beta testers not doing a proper job
- Thread starter TomP
- Start date
Define simple. Then please post the algorithm for external scrutiny of it's simplicity, and also how you got hold of FDev's code you cheeky rascal you
Define simple. Then please post the algorithm for external scrutiny of it's simplicity, and also how you got hold of FDev's code you cheeky rascal you
I somehow doubt that mission reward generation is so stupidly complex that it takes Frontier over two weeks to fix what they managed to break in day. Especially considering that they managed to nerf rewards by what appears to be a flat percentage.
Well considering I've never yet seen 2 missions with the exact same payout next to each other I can assume it is stupidly complex as it takes into account superpower faction, state, powerplay faction control, economy type and a ton of other things.
As for the nerf yeah you can probably easily apply a flat % to all missions but picking out types is probably not a 5 minute job. Doesn't really excuse the 2 weeks+beta time without a fix but I do think you are massively under-estimating the complexity.
I understand the algorithm to generate mission is complex; just that it's not complex enough to warrant the ridiculous amount of time they've left a core game mechanic broken. I've never seen another developer neglect a core mechanic this badly.
The thing is; we are all the beta testers. The QA team, the paying beta testers and the general player base, i.e. 2nd branch of beta testers once the update goes live.
The only differences are:
- The QA team gets paid by FD to do a job
- The paying beta testers are paying FD for early access
- The general playerbase/2nd beta testers stress test the live release
Creating divisions amongst ourselves (the non-FD employees) is pointless and unnecessary. FD's beta process for new update releases lasts for a number of months after the live release and it eventually involves the entire player base - it is what it is. Paying FD for early access or not does not change this fact.
EDIT: Cue obligatory Life of Brian paraphrase, "I am a Beta tester and so is my wife!"
The only differences are:
- The QA team gets paid by FD to do a job
- The paying beta testers are paying FD for early access
- The general playerbase/2nd beta testers stress test the live release
Creating divisions amongst ourselves (the non-FD employees) is pointless and unnecessary. FD's beta process for new update releases lasts for a number of months after the live release and it eventually involves the entire player base - it is what it is. Paying FD for early access or not does not change this fact.
EDIT: Cue obligatory Life of Brian paraphrase, "I am a Beta tester and so is my wife!"
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"I am a Beta tester and so is my wife!"
Say no more. Wink wink.
Sort your mind out and stop paying for 'privilege' to 'test' the product?
I refuse. (I also have the lifetime pass so get it anyway).
Oh how I laughed at this. A lot.
Seriously, maybe I am being unfair. I don't know the parameters they work under. I have heard FD are a small team. Does anyone know how many people work for them who actually work on the game and not marketing/pr/other stuff?
Their official info say that they have around 300 full time employees https://www.frontier.co.uk/investor_relations/ in total so not small i would say.
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It's just that a lot of them are working on Planet Coaster.
OK but how many are actually working on the game, the software, the thing we play - not swanky videos etc?
Probably split between Planetcoaster and Elite. Assume 50/50 for arguments sake.
Take out Marketing, cleaners/facilities etc, community managers and you are down to about 120. Take out dpt heads, lead design and those people and you are down to 110. Remove the Art team, sound design, support and all the other sub-teams and you probably are looking at a QA test team of maximum 20-30. Probably about 15 if I had to guess. Not masses but a decent number tbh. What's probably more difficult is getting all the bugs that are tested and verified fixed and then re-tested as not all will be due to what the team thinks the problem is first time.
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