Whether you are or not, a participant in the alpha test, do you think during this alpha test, a maximum of information must be posted on the General forum ? General impressions, detailed explanations of the different areas of the game, many screenshots, various surveys ... and later bêta tests.
The alpha test and the bêtas tests
- Thread starter Patrick_68000
- Start date
If it goes like other games then new Alpha (and later, Beta) forums will be created that only people at those levels will have access to. Primarily so that Frontier don't have to trawl through pages of second-hand opinions and can know that the posts are all from people actually testing the game!
I suspect, assuming there is no NDA, that a lot of the testers will post stuff to the general forums too, but most will be busy in the test forums I imagine.
I suspect, assuming there is no NDA, that a lot of the testers will post stuff to the general forums too, but most will be busy in the test forums I imagine.
I guess it's up to Frontier... Other games have created private forums for alpha/beta to limit the flow of information, and I could see the same thing happening here. If I wasn't on the alpha/beta, I actually think I'd rather not know what was going on, and would prefer to find out for myself on release. Certainly there's been no information leak from Godus alpha testers, and I'm quite glad of that. I'm waiting for the beta to form my own opinions.
Alpha testing is like getting targeted parts to play and test.
Beta is more free play (with sometimes specific tasks) to make sure all parts of the game flow.
It would not be representative of the final product (2nd stage Beta would be a lot closer)
as a result... it is OFTEN better to keep it underwraps to avoid causing concerns over bits that don't work, and spoilers
Equally bugs are not interesting.. but again.. its premature to guess how it will be done.. I for one will do my part testing that i can die in all the ways Im expecting to die.
Beta is more free play (with sometimes specific tasks) to make sure all parts of the game flow.
It would not be representative of the final product (2nd stage Beta would be a lot closer)
as a result... it is OFTEN better to keep it underwraps to avoid causing concerns over bits that don't work, and spoilers
Equally bugs are not interesting.. but again.. its premature to guess how it will be done.. I for one will do my part testing that i can die in all the ways Im expecting to die.
That's easy to answer Alien, Alpha testing will give people the opportunity to play the game and find bugs/exploits/game play mechanics issues and then let the Devs know what was found to be fixed. Beta will be stress testing the game and a second round of bugs/exploits/ game play mechanics issues from a wider player base.
As a beta tester you'd be playing the game and playing it to break it. Report the issue to the Devs and hope that when the game goes live your bug report will have helped them solve an issue.
I've done about 5 or 6 Alpha or Beta tests some have taken their time and fixed the issues, others didn't.
Philip Coutts
Volunteer Moderator
Can't wait for first Round Beta in January. I intend to do my bit to iron out any bugs and offer up suggestions to improve things. I also intend to crash a lot 
If you go onto youtube and type in Limit Theory, there are a few brave souls who have made videos of the Alpha (might even be pre-alpha) gameplay. I suspect that someone will do the same for ED unless there is some form of ND.
If you go onto youtube and type in Limit Theory, there are a few brave souls who have made videos of the Alpha (might even be pre-alpha) gameplay. I suspect that someone will do the same for ED unless there is some form of ND.
I'd like to think that nobody will upload video of ED for public viewing before release without Frontier's permission,
I certainly won't (and even with permission, may still not make it public)
I am seriously considering throwing another £50 at Frontier for Alpha testing,
as not getting a first look at the game may kill me
I certainly won't (and even with permission, may still not make it public)
I am seriously considering throwing another £50 at Frontier for Alpha testing,
as not getting a first look at the game may kill me
There will almost certainly be separate forums for alpha and beta testers, but they'll be there for direct feedback. We're not going to try and stop people from sharing things about the game outside of that, so I'm sure plenty of screenshots/video/opinions will be available for you all to check out.
That's different! :smilie: Most games I've tested had NDA until open beta! I hope you slap reasonably sized alpha/beta labels on the screen so nobody mistakes it for anything else!
That's different! :smilie: Most games I've tested had NDA until open beta! I hope you slap reasonably sized alpha/beta labels on the screen so nobody mistakes it for anything else!
Admittedly this conversation hasn't been had yet, so I can't say with complete assurance that this is how it will be. But seeing as we're not enforcing an NDA on things such as the DDF or our development updates I see no reason to assume it will not be the same for the Alpha (plus it would be a nightmare to try and police
).
On a semi-related note I've Alpha tested and Beta tested several games down the years and both stages have taken several months. From what I gather Alpha in ED will begin in January, and Beta in February, with the game set for release in March? That's a very tight schedule! I would have thought something as complex as ED would have several months of player testing before release? :S
I am not positive, and I know nothing about the Alpha release, but I have read somewhere that the first round of Beta's in due for Jan, Second Round Beta Feb .. But I don't know :S
Philip Coutts
Volunteer Moderator
Alpha starts in December, 1st round Beta in January and 2nd round Beta in February with the launch in March, but yes it's a tight schedule which means FD are aiming to get it right first time!
Very tempted to up my pledge to get Alpha access......
Very tempted to up my pledge to get Alpha access......
Is Alpha access still available? ... I didn't see that on the E: D website.
If you go into the backer app you should see if there are any slots there - on KS it shows there are - not sure if that is up to date.
At the very least, I think you can still upgrade if you've already got a pledge in...
The reason I asked is that on the Backers App on the E: D website there is no mention of an alpha testing level pledge or extra ... Me I am very happy to have the Beta level pledge in place .. That'll do me