Tester Center Questions

[Guest]

Tired of talk about tram/fel and dragons and petballs...

1.) Is there any other MMO that has a test center type environment similar to ours? EA Mythic or otherwise.

2.) Is the Quality team so bad that they need the players to test everything they add to the game?

3.) Are we as players so paranoid something is going to be added that isn't tested we go along with this idea.

4.) Does test spoil new content for you?


I have been a long opponent to the test center. I never felt that it was necessary and in many ways was a detriment to the game. Nothing is ever going to be a surprise when things are added to it then to origin then to the production shards IMNSHO. It seems that even when a change is unfavorable and complaints and fears are mentioned it doesn't matter because they go to production anyway so I'm generally unsure why we bother. Has test outlived it's usefullness other than a place for kids to meet and play?

 

[Guest]

If you don't want it to be a surprise, then don't play on the Test Center Shard.

I think it's a great way to iron out bugs in new content. Is there any better method than by having it played en masse? Plus the Devs can get feedback on the new content before making it final.

 

[Guest]

Offhand, I can't think of an MMO that doesn't have a public test server - can anyone else?

 

[imported_Spiritless]

Guild Wars.

What do I win?

 

[Guest]

Ooh, right! Forgot about Guild Wars - they do some very different stuff with their public testing and patch cycles. I'm not sure how relevant it'd be to our model though - will have to research.

 

[Guest]

A lot of people keep fogetting that maybe %10 of the player base actually comes to these message boards, or ever uses test center. Most people only know of any changes, AFTER it has happened. Or, at the patch notes on the main login screen.

imhop Test Center needs to be used more, and needs to be more of an, "Let's try this" and see what happens. Some of the idea's posted here as example should be put on test center. If it is bad, then ea can say, "Told you so". If it was good, then nerf it a little, and put it into the game.

 

[Theo_GL]

I like the fact that we have a test center so you can 'test' things. I don't want to go burn my runics to 'verify' that they fixed a bug on production shards - I want to craft away with my 30,000 charge hammer on test center.

What pisses me off to no end is that when you do find an issue on Test Center and report it - rarely does it ever get fixed before it goes live if ever.

Alot of the crafting bugs I've submitted to Leuro in the past few weeks were ones that were broke when SE and ML first came out. I hit the test shards/beta - found and reported them - and 2 years later they are finally getting fixed.

If you aren't going to listen to people telling you about the bugs - then what is the point.

Thats my beef.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

What pisses me off to no end is that when you do find an issue on Test Center and report it - rarely does it ever get fixed before it goes live if ever.


[/ QUOTE ]

Testing runics. Noted. Then it goes back to the QA question. If 1 user can find an obvious flaw in a new design that was missed both by the developer who recently coded it AND the QA then obviously something is amiss.

This is something I see often myself.

I wasn't aware so many games had a test center. Some research I did recently has shown me the light. Question: Do the other games pour all their new content into them as well?

Also, do they enforece the rules on these server? We all know how the enforcement goes on test. The lack of enforcement breeds people to test all kinds of things like cheats and exploits and everything else as well. Just seems like the cons outweigh the pros.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

1.) Is there any other MMO that has a test center type environment similar to ours? EA Mythic or otherwise.

[/ QUOTE ]Several.
It's common, because there are very good reasons for player testing.

<blockquote><hr>

2.) Is the Quality team so bad that they need the players to test everything they add to the game?

[/ QUOTE ]That would be like saying that a chef is bad, for tasting the food he's cooking during the process.
Perhaps the QA team aren't perfect, but who is?
You can't realistically expect them to catch every bug, that will manifest under every circumstance.
In addition, there are certain things that it would be impossible for them to test by themselves, for example stress testing.

<blockquote><hr>

3.) Are we as players so paranoid something is going to be added that isn't tested we go along with this idea.

[/ QUOTE ]Who knows.
Probably, though.

<blockquote><hr>

4.) Does test spoil new content for you?

[/ QUOTE ]Not personally.


Playtesting is incredibly important for game development.
The Test Centre allows new content to be playtested, and allows players a sandbox to try existing things out, which is also important.

 

[Hunters' Moon]

Seems to me that when something lands on TC,the Dev's have already decided that said feature will go in to production shards no matter the feedback from the players.Superdragon was put in after what? 10 days of TC testing?

 

[Guest]

Jeremy,

Since this thread is about TC, can I ask a couple favors? For years now many players have requested vet dye tubs on TC. Long ago there were a few set to public use at Brit West Bank.

Another thing is for decorators. Many of us like to see the final design before we bother on our home shards including plant placement. Since it's rarely practical to try to grow plants on TC, is it possible an NPC plant vendor will ever be put on Test?

 

[imported_AtlanticVlad]

Why is house placement disabled on test center right now? I really wanna try some things and I don't wanna break my current house and i need a bigger plot any way... I'm very confused here.

 

[DarkChronus]

<blockquote><hr>

Offhand, I can't think of an MMO that doesn't have a public test server - can anyone else?

[/ QUOTE ]

Final Fantasy XI doesn't have a public test server either! Do I get a cookie too?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>





4.) Does test spoil new content for you?




[/ QUOTE ]
Yes.
In fact, having stuff go on Origin first spoils new content for me.

 

[Guest]

Every game i have ever played has a test server......

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Every game i have ever played has a test server......

[/ QUOTE ]
True but it is new to have to have us see our live content before it actually hits shards.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Every game i have ever played has a test server......

[/ QUOTE ]
True but it is new to have to have us see our live content before it actually hits shards.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think my biggest disappointment in that regard was when all the ilshenar artis were put on test and we knew what they were before they ever hit a proddy shard.

 

[Guest]

Yes, I think it does take away from the excitement. It's still 'new' for me, even if I've seen and read about the content, though. Interacting with the changes on my home shard will still be fun, and quite possible different in execution than the Test Center.

I'd rather have a Test Center than not. It's really a very useful tool in addition to the QA process. It's impossible to even come close to testing every single scenario of gameplay with all the factors that come into play with UO. That's what makes this game great...all the possibilities and freedom to customize your entire experience. It also comes with a price though...more complexity and flexibility usually means more bugs and possible oversites that could adversly affect systems already in-place. I think the benefits of having a Test Center greatly outweigh the 'Spoiler' factor, at least for me.