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Google's opening up its Early Access program to more devs
Google's opening up its Early Access program today by allowing any developer to apply to let users beta test their apps.
Heva Clonia Online moves into open beta on October 17th
The first Heva Clonia Online beta test went well. Quite well, in fact. So well that the team has decided that it's time to move straight into open beta. It's a bit like having a good date and then volunteering to move into the other person's home at the end of the evening. On October 17th, the game opens up to everyone who signs up for another round of testing, with no date announced for the close of testing. If you've been holding off for the usual fear of having none of your progress matter, you can take heart that no further progress will be wiped between now and the conclusion of testing. Whether or not this will be the final test phase or an interim step is not announced. But test away, knowing that the only difference between now and launch will be the addition of the cash shop. And presumably some bugfixes along the way. [Source: OGPlanet press release]
Fallen Earth recruiting for high-level arena testing
Calling all high-level Fallen Earth players! GamersFirst is looking for some level 55 wastelanders to help alpha-test the new Dome arena. The Dome is a PvE challenge that was previewed in the March State of the Game, and it's now ready for the next step of development with your help. If you're interested, send your forum name, typical hours of play, build, and PvE vs. PvP ratio to DeconLead@gamersfirst.com for review. Take note that involvement in this test doesn't mean you're in the elite Decon testing team, as this is more of a one-off event. Check out the Fallen Earth May State of the Game for more details.
Bethesda opens a Play Test Lab at id Software in Dallas
Bethesda has announced it has opened a Play Test Lab in Dallas, Texas, inside the offices of id Software. The lab will be used to test upcoming games with local Dallas players, and Bethesda promises some extra "games or swag" to anyone who comes in for testing. You'll need to be 18 or over to apply, and Bethesda says it's looking for gamers of all types, both casual and hardcore. If you're around Dallas and want to put your name in the hat, you can sign up on the website right now.
PlayStation All-Stars public beta now accepting applications
The PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale public beta starts on September 11, lasting one week to September 18. Anyone interested in being a part of the frantic action can sign up on the PSN beta site right now.Players chosen will be notified via email, get a voucher code for the download on either PS3 or the PS Vita, and receive "test night information." Presumably, developer SuperBot will aim to test specific heroes, modes, or stages, so it'll direct players that way.If you don't make this early cut, you'll have to wait until the full game arrives on November 20.
LittleBigPlanet Karting gets player tested
Sony's San Diego Studio recently held a game jam to do some hardcore testing on the Create tools for the upcoming LittleBigPlanet Karting, and apparently it went pretty well because the studio has announced the game's going into beta soon. The beta test for the title will start next Tuesday, July 10, and then go through the end of the month.You can read some impressions from the game jam over on the forums, including some breathless (we imagine) excitement from the game's fans and players on how the title worked and what they made. Codes will go out soon to selected players, and the game itself is due out later on this year.
App developers skirt Apple's 100-device testing limit
The Wall Street Journal reports that some big iOS developers are having a real issue with Apple's limit on testing devices. According to the App Store rules, developers are restricted to 100 devices for testing via ad-hoc distribution. That may sound like a lot (and it likely is for small or individual developers), but it makes large-scale tests of beta or preview applications difficult. Instagram, for example, is cited in the article as bumping up against the limit so much that the company bought a separate developer account, just for another 100 devices to be able to test on. There are alternatives. TestFlight is an app testing service (which we've used) that allows developers to send out and update apps being tested on the fly*. Other services, like Pieceable, use the iOS simulator built into Xcode to deliver app beta builds over the Web for testing and feedback purposes. Not all the features work in that mode, but enough is there to let testers get the feel of the app. Apple's enterprise developer program works to a different standard, allowing an unlimited number of employees to download and use apps. Of course, that's meant for enterprise software, not necessarily testing of standard consumer apps, and Apple's rules are clear that only employees of the organization are supposed to be licensed for the enterprise apps. It's not clear whether Apple sees this as a big enough issue to start changing the rules. While there are more and more scenarios where wide beta testing pools would really help developers, I don't know if there are quite enough, in the larger picture, for Apple to change its tune -- noting that any expansion of the ad-hoc rules will make it easier for some developers to skirt the App Store (and Apple's 30% cut of revenues) entirely. It's more likely (and we've seen some of this already) that developers will change their process, perhaps even using some early post-release time to test and iron out their various apps and games. *Update: Developers remind me that TestFlight still uses up developer UDIDs, so it's not actually an alternative to Apple's program, just an easier way to go about it.
TERA exalts its game testing team
"You'll probably never see our names until you read the credits, but we have one of the most important jobs in game publishing," writes Scott James Magner. He heads up the "unsung heroes" of the TERA development team -- the game testers -- and he's written up a few fun insights into the behind-the-scenes process that is helping to refine this MMO as it heads to launch. According to Magner, the En Masse QA team's been flooded with requests to join the testing and feedback process as they continually poke and prod at all of TERA's systems and content. "At this point," he says, "we've played every class and race multiple times, but no one is tired of coming to work." The team is currently testing fights against "Big-Ass Monsters" in the Celestial Hills, and Magner says he's still learning new combos and techniques even after a full year of testing. While the testing team usually is far out of the spotlight, he says that its job is crucial to the game's success and that all of the testers are "you" at heart -- passionate gamers who want the best for this title. [Thanks to Joseph for the tip!]
The Soapbox: Bad beta
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. So the beta for Star Wars: The Old Republic is currently taking place. And while you may be under an NDA and not allowed to say anything, I can freely say that I am not under an NDA without fear of reprisal. I can tell you that despite the fact that almost every other writer on staff seems to be in the beta -- I'm not in it. And truth be told, I'm not sure if I would be logging in even if I were part of the beta. Not because I don't want to play the game -- no, I preordered as soon as the option was available; I've been watching the news and looking forward to release for quite some time now. I've liked what I've played, and I know I'm going to buy it. But the fact of the matter is that betas are just plain terrible, for several reasons.
Mortal Online looking for a few good testers
File this one under better late than never. Mortal Online is looking for a few good testers, and even though the game officially released more than a year ago, Star Vault is opening its doors to 20 individuals willing to roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty with the fantasy sandbox MMO's collection of bugs. "Because Star Vault is a small, independent developer, we do not have a very large QA department which often means that bugs will slip through the net resulting in many issues on the live server," writes GM Discord on the official forums. Qualified testers will be 18 years old, be well-versed in Mortal Online, and have a game account that is in good standing. There will also be an NDA involved, and breaching it will not only result in the removal of your testing privileges but also a ban on your in-game characters. Full details are available on the official boards.
Turbine recruiting a few good testers
Turbine is looking for a few good testers for its Palantir Private Preview Program (gnarly fingernails and deep vocal inflections are optional). In addition to flexing their alliterative muscles, the devs have also listed out the qualifications for the volunteer testing team on the official LotRO forums. The program, formerly known as Isengard, is designed to make use of interested players for quality assurance feedback and is open to all players regardless of their level of game experience. "We want players who are new to the game, who are experts, who are hardcore, who are casual. Everyone has valid opinions we want to hear -- whether they are positive or negative," writes Kehleyr on the official boards. The only real restriction currently imposed on the selection process is the exclusion of F2P community members, a fact Turbine attributes to its new billing system and one it hopes to change as the testing program moves forward.
Windows 7 bug fixes to include multitouch zoom for Explorer
After hearing of the thousands (hell, two thousands!) of bug fixes and enhancements that Windows 7 users will be seeing as they make the journey from Beta to Release Candidate, you'd have thought that we'd heard the last of all that for a bit. But not so! It seems that Microsoft's own Engineering Windows 7 blog will be letting the improvements trickle out as they are addressed. So brace yourself for some exciting plot twists, such as improvements to the taskbar thumbnail overflow and various jump lists, the trimming of sound schemes to enhance system performance, and our personal favorite, the addition of multitouch zoom to Windows Explorer. How cool is that? But there's plenty more to this saga -- hit the read link for all the saucy deets.
Windows 7 to get 2,000 bug fixes pointed out by testers
Microsoft has been a bit lax in communicating with beta testers of its Windows 7 operating system who have reported problems or bugs to the company -- according to some of the testers, anyway. Well, apparently they've been really busy! Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president for the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group at Microsoft, has just directly addressed the issue of bugs in a blog post, noting some pretty astounding figures. First, he says that over 2,000 bugs will be fixed in the release version of Win 7 because of feedback from the over 10 million downloaders of the beta OS, which ended on February 10th. Sinofsky says that at peak times in January, Microsoft was receiving one feedback report every fifteen seconds for a week straight, and has, to date, gotten over 500,000 of them. He assures testers that the company reads and considers every email and comment received. Hit the read links to find his entire post, as well as an update detailing of some of the fixes that are on the way! [Via Daily Tech] Read - Some changes since beta for the RC Read - Feedback and engineering Windows 7
Testers wanted for new iPhone Armory application
Elad Shahar, a student at University of Massachusetts Lowell, has developed a web interface that will allow you to search the Armory on your iPhone or iPod touch's MobileSafari. He's released a new version today, polished to the point where he's looking for people to help him test the application and to offer ideas and suggestions. iArmory lets you do the searches you'd expect -- by player or guild -- and serves up results in a clean, Apple-like format that's designed especially for the iPhone's screen. The one catch is that the Armory has been stripped of its images, including items, tooltips, and fancy borders. What you get is a simple text display of the information you searched for. You can see images of the interface on Elad's website, Omen of Clarity. So, if you are, you know, hip enough to own an iPhone or an iPod touch (which I'm, uh, not), and you are reading this post (which means you probably play WoW), then get your Armory-lovin' self over to Omen of Clarity's contact page and volunteer your services as a tester. Git, I said!
The purpose of beta testing
Anyway Games has some good thoughts up (I especially like that continuum in the title between "testing" and "fun") about what beta tests are really for these days. It seems you can't publish an MMO without having a beta test-- the world is so big and meant to support so many players that you not only need volunteer help for QA, but you have to have enough people to stress the servers, just in case.But is it OK to invite players into a game that's not actually done yet? Richard Garriott blames TR's slow start on a poor beta reception, and I was one of those players who wasn't impressed with the early beta (although I don't know if the game has actually improved since then). I also have been playing the Pirates beta since a few weeks ago, and after playing it again yesterday afternoon, I was pretty astounded at how far the game has come just within a week or two of development. There is no question that the game I was playing a while ago was definitely unfinished compared to the game as it is now, and even though it's in open beta, there will undoubtedly be improvements before the game goes live.So what's the purpose of a beta? Is it marketing for the game, or a massively multiplayer quality assurance session? Every developer has to decide for themselves, obviously-- there's no golden point at which the game is good enough to be played, but buggy enough to still be tested by the unwashed volunteers. The best you can ask for, at this point, is a development schedule that gives you a game strong enough to give a great experience while buggy, and a beta testing crowd interested enough to stick around and help you fix the bugs that are left.
How should WotLK beta keys be given out?
Player Blazith of the Sunstrider server wanted to know if players in the TBC beta will get beta keys for the Wrath of the Lich King expansion? Community Manager Aeus responds that though the exact method of beta key distribution has not been worked out, being in the previous beta will not automatically qualify you.The real question here is: how should Blizzard distribute the beta keys? The sign-up-for-random-distribution leads to many people getting in for bragging rights rather than testing. The give-beta-keys-to-PTR-players-with-numerous- bug-reports method would be a good start, but probably isn't enough to fill all the beta slots Blizzard has lined up. Plus, hardcore testers tend to be a different breed than the average player and not report on gameplay "feel" that average user experiences.How do you think the beta keys should be distributed?
The (not so) stringent world of video game testing
There have been a lot of complaints about publishers rushing buggy games out so they can hit a certain date, knowing they can update them via patches over the increasingly popular online gaming services. So why not try and address things in the testing phase of the game? Karla Starr, a reporter at The Seattle Weekly actually took a job as a tester with a game company, and went inside the the belly of the beast to bring us a real insider's view of game testing. Check out Karla's article in The Seattle Weekly and see how easy it is to pass a game through the QA process. It's not quite the same as the view of game testers that were presented in the Academy Award winning (we keed, we keed) film Grandma's Boy, but it's a great look from inside, and really illustrates the point that game testing is one of the weakest links in the game development chain. In fact, Darci Morales, a producer for game developer Surreal said, "What really sucks is that QA is always the first thing to go. Always."However, if you've been thinking about getting a job as a tester in order to feed your gaming addiction, you'll be happy to know you'd be welcomed with open arms. Dr. Hilarie Cash of the Internet/Computer Addiction Services in Redmond says, "I think the [video game] industry in general, they want addicts. It is to their economic benefit to have people really hooked on their games. That there happens to be a pool of addicts out there who will work for peanuts, like methadone treatment, is to their advantage." Gaming being compared to a methadone treatment .. woot!
Rogue Amoeba offers teaser and sign-up to test new mystery app
Oh Paul Kafasis, you clever Rogue Amoeba. What with your two-punch post of a teaser and sign-up offer for a new mystery app dubbed "AHT." What could this new app from the makers of Audio Hijack, Fission, Nicecast and Airfoil be? Is AHT simply a code name, or an acronym? Will AHT complement Rogue Amoeba's presence in the audio space, or will it be some new venture into RSS, video or even GTD? No one knows yet, but Paul said they'll be picking their first pool of testers on Wednesday, February 28th, so head on over and toss your name into the hat to test what I'm sure will be an excellent new offering from one of Mac OS X's much-respected 3rd parties.[Update: Rogue Amoeba has filled their list of testers for now, so the submission form has been closed.]
