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Stress Test does not mean Open Beta... or does it? You pick.
sekira
Member UncommonPosts: 76
The question does beg to be asked: Why all of a sudden throw out the term "stress test", after all the talk about the hyped open beta? First the gigantic post about "Open Beta sign-ups coming soon!", but also the minor posts forgiving about the lack of information about open beta information. At first I, and I think most do, believe that the terms Open Beta and Stress Test are synonymous. But I really don't think they are.
Remember there was a stress test almost 2 months ago, in order to push the servers to their limits to get ready for the Open Beta and retail. While an Open Beta is blizz's way to let players try out a finished and polished product for release. So then why call it a stress test unless they really planned on having another one? Unfotunately Blizzard had already mentioned the possibility of another stress test in an interview shortly after the original stress test.
(http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=56628)
Eurogamer: Do you think it's something you might repeat?
Chris Sigaty: We're talking about it. Time may not allow us to do it again. It's possible, but I would say the chances are probably very slim.
So the fact is that Blizzard was possibly already considering having another stress test.... so does this confirm it? Do they want to stress test more servers needed for open beta? Or in addition to they want to test the last patch making sure it's polished for Open beta?
Well I think Blizzard's information is very vague to really to be too sure. For one they could be assuming for this situation (CLOSED BETA IS OVER), they must think people know that when they mean a stress test now, it's synonymous with an Open Beta.
But if you look at the last news post by Blizz, it's quite demeanin by only mentioning closed beta testers(who are the minority anyhow), and how they'll be downloading the stress test client early.
Like the rest of you I do hope that this is also the open beta, but one can't be blamed for speculating, for Blizzard loves to post vague information it seems.
Comments
Im not guessing either way, but if I was Blizzard, this is what I would do. Instead of doing a stress test and open beta, just make the first part of open beta a stress test. Only have a few servers up, like they did in the stress test where they cut the server number in half to test server stability. Then after a few days of gathering numbers, Blizzard brings up more servers so people can play the game lag free.
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Honestly, I think it would be a horrible move to have a 'stress test" before/instead of an open beta.
Think of all the flames Blizzard would get.. heh.
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"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, chairman of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
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"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, chairman of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
its a stress test
they will reopen stress accounts, and maybe release more.
just to test the capacity, and blababla
and then a week later, after fixing minor bugs in downloader, opr whatelse
will come OB
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I don't understand how this is an argument,
Why on earth run a Open Beta and another Stress test. Unless your stress test is the open beta.
Mark my words, the next news you read will be Mondays Open Beta start ups.
Bah either way as long as they stick to a release date for this month I don't really care. I will own and play WoW with or without playing the OB. I would rather get to try it out a bit before I own it but if I can't it wont crush me.
My take on this is that if it is another stress test and not OB that they are planning on pushing the release date back more and wanting to try and improve it more before release. Which if they do that I think it would be a very bad move and they will lose some customers. That is only one thought though.
So far about 85% of the people I talk to say that it is OB and they just call it a stress test because in a way it kind of is a stress test but a test to see how the game works with alot of people in it. My question to this is that if this is true and say that WoW doesn't handle alot of people on it very well does that mean after OB they well push the release date back farther to change it??? or what???
yes stress test and open beta are the same thing. company fixes a few more bugs while it test the server loads.
Actualy, Stress Tests TYPICALY are OPEN, they try and load the server as MUCH as possible.
WoW did a Closed Stress Test. Part of a Promotion, with file planet.
I think in this case a ST will mean OB, just not right away. Blizz will most likely start out with say the CB people plus a few new players then roll that into open.
I am still wishing they would at least say something more this weekend, but I guess we will find out Monday.
ST is almost the OB, they r doin it for that... stress the servers but i think that to have a little excuse for the next patch too... and then OB!!
"The client download will now be available to closed beta testers when we announce further details regarding the upcoming stress test here on WorldofWarcraft.com"
Therefore, the 2nd ST will be for closed beta testers only.
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Played: Asheron's Call 1, Dark Age of Camelot, Earth & Beyond, Star Wars Galaxies
Tested: Asheron's Call 1, Asheron's Call 2, Dark Age of Camelot, Eve Online, Lineage 2, Risk Your Life, Saga of Ryzom, World of Warcraft
Uninstalled ASAP: MU Online, Knight Online, Rubies of Eventide, Priston Tales, Star Sonata, DarkSpace
I think if Blizzard meant this next phase to be Open Beta, they would have said Open Beta instead of Stress test. Personally, I think the reason they are doing Stress first is to allow them to get a feel as to how many servers they will need come Open Beta. Plus it will give them a chance to test out the latest patch they said they had completed internally, thus allowing Closed Beta to keep their characters throughout this next phase.
My guess is Stress will begin tomorrow, Nov 1. Open Beta a week later, Nov 8. Just in time for EQ2 release. Than retail Nov 22nd. Just a guess though.
How do you get that this upcoming ST will be for CB players only from that? If you had seen the e-mail they sent us you would know that they were going to be giving us a headstart on the downloading. Nowhere have they said that they are not adding new people. Plus what good would a second ST be with just the CB people. It's not like there is enough of them to really push the server loads the way they want to.
So that post on the official site as far as I can tell was just to avoid having to send out another batch of e-mails to all the CB players. Since they did take the forums and the servers down for work why make more work on your network by sending out e-mails when you know every CB player is checking the site like every hour praying for some news.
Your sig says you tested WoW, were you in the CB or the ST?
Annekyn, They stated that Closed beta testers will be offered the client FIRST. Now if they were the ONLY, then WHy would they get it FIRST??
Sometimes I think people say stuff they know is just totaly incorrect to see how many flames they can get.
This is prolly the SIlliest one I've heard yet.
How do you get that this upcoming ST will be for CB players only from that? If you had seen the e-mail they sent us you would know that they were going to be giving us a headstart on the downloading. Nowhere have they said that they are not adding new people. Plus what good would a second ST be with just the CB people. It's not like there is enough of them to really push the server loads the way they want to.
So that post on the official site as far as I can tell was just to avoid having to send out another batch of e-mails to all the CB players. Since they did take the forums and the servers down for work why make more work on your network by sending out e-mails when you know every CB player is checking the site like every hour praying for some news.
Your sig says you tested WoW, were you in the CB or the ST?
I tend to agree with him. The stress test was not clear as to WHAT they are stressing. Look at it this way...
They open two servers (of the many). They then have the CB testers download and test on those servers. This accomplishes a few things. Tests the stress on the downloading piece, Tests the stress on their newly buiilt servers, and behind the scenes, lets them get a ton of bug reports from the high level testers who find flaws with all the added content. This test goes for about a week. Meanwhile, OB signups start wednesday, thus allowing everyone else to download the client. Next Sunday, the 7th, all CB characters get wiped and the ST shuts down. On the 8th, bright and early, the servers open for all to enjoy, with the promise that all characters will roll into retail.
From a marketing point of view, this would totally "one up" EQ2. I can buy EQ2 and try it, or I can download for free WoW, and after trying it for a couple weeks, keep my characters going into retail. woohoo! I choose WoW.
Now, I understand this is just one of many possible scenarios, but its the one I hope for.
I am in CB, but trust me, I want this thing to go live sooner than you do. If I had my way, We'd all be playing retail tomorrow morning. 
Ok one question for ya do you really think that OB characters will get rolled into retail? I some how really doubt that and I hope they don't.
How fair is that to the people that are going to be playing this game on Dail-up that won't even have the game DL'd before retail? Really I hope we get a wipe at the end of OB not anytime before then as I don't see that as needed. A wipe at the start of open beta would just make no real sense.
Yeah they are most likely the same thing. They intend to do a stress test by having an open beta, simple.
Also, beta chars are not getting rolled into retail. However it does seem that closed beta characters are going to be kept for open beta. At least thats what I understand from the email I got from them (I'm in closed).
Correction: You WERE in closed. SUCKA!!!
They won't roll beta characters into retail.
A wipe at open beta would make CB testers "re-experience" the lower levels. Since I am sure many, many items/quests/whatnot were fixed since the high-levels played new characters: this would have value.
It would also help "stress test" the starter areas. OTOH, I doubt much high level content will get tested if there's a char-wipe prior to the ST/OB start. I'm not sure which area (low vs. high) had more recent patch-work done: so I have no clue which would help more.
It is more important that they test the low-level areas - they have a bit of time-cushion on the high-level content.
Blizzard lies...wow.....O_o I thought they said OB? where the hell did stress test come from? bunch of bs >_>
How do you get that this upcoming ST will be for CB players only from that? If you had seen the e-mail they sent us you would know that they were going to be giving us a headstart on the downloading. Nowhere have they said that they are not adding new people. Plus what good would a second ST be with just the CB people. It's not like there is enough of them to really push the server loads the way they want to.
So that post on the official site as far as I can tell was just to avoid having to send out another batch of e-mails to all the CB players. Since they did take the forums and the servers down for work why make more work on your network by sending out e-mails when you know every CB player is checking the site like every hour praying for some news.
Your sig says you tested WoW, were you in the CB or the ST?
LOL all I want to know is if it is a stress test... how do you stress with such a low number of testers? Sounds like a brain fart concept to me LOL
"love how they make an announcement saying open beta will be coming soon, then turn around and say it won't be here for a while.. its like poetry, only it sucks.. " -About Blizzard and their concept of 'soon'
Realmreaver formally of EQ, SWG, FFXI and WoW.
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