I think players are lashing out, but I don't see anyone actually learning. I see lots of people throwing ideas around like developers are just making excuses, or developers are using it so they don't have to deliver a quality product, or that sympathizers simply come running, waving their arms saying "It's Alpha, it's alpha!!". That's not learning, it's actually quite the opposite. The problem is that there is no industry push for education. I think that the assumption is made that people know what alpha and beta mean, but few actually educate.
Until a couple years ago, alpha testing was a paid, college grad position, starting around 30k a year. Game studios have turned that around to skip quality control and make you pay for it. Now, no one is wiser, and they've made it seem a privilege to flail about in a half-built game. Asinine. What is soak testing? Do you do it? How about regression testing? Do you do it? No? You're not an alpha tester, you're just paying to portray one. Devs are laughing. Oh, the money. "Yes (hmph hmph) we will listen to you! (snkfkfkfkf) Just a moment... (baahhahahahahaha) Where was I? You want to pay me another hundred dollars? Great, you can have a title."
This is what the industry is today. This is what you're defending.
edit: Not you, as in CrazKanuk. I was agreeing. I meant "you" as in "reddit you", all the confused people who think they contribute.
That's not what Alpha and Beta are for. No, the whole concept is flawed because it's not about players (smartening up). It's about Developers and publishers wanting to cash in on it.
I will tell you how awesome this whole idea is. i got invited to beta of WS. It put me off so badly seeing what i was getting into that i cancelled my pre order. Alpha/ betas are nothing but free trial (or used to be seeing how you get charged for it now). The whole purpose of 'test our game' gets defeated when you start charging full price upfront months before release. And on top of that devs manage to convince these players that they are actually making a difference in making the game better.
This type of things happens with free beta and paid. How does that change anything? Fact remain. You care about a game you can ensure you get into that beta to make it better and give feedback. In Landmark I have seen this happen again and again.
Exactly, it doesn't, it just makes it harder to get a refund on that pre-order.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Comments
Until a couple years ago, alpha testing was a paid, college grad position, starting around 30k a year. Game studios have turned that around to skip quality control and make you pay for it. Now, no one is wiser, and they've made it seem a privilege to flail about in a half-built game. Asinine. What is soak testing? Do you do it? How about regression testing? Do you do it? No? You're not an alpha tester, you're just paying to portray one. Devs are laughing. Oh, the money. "Yes (hmph hmph) we will listen to you! (snkfkfkfkf) Just a moment... (baahhahahahahaha) Where was I? You want to pay me another hundred dollars? Great, you can have a title."
This is what the industry is today. This is what you're defending.
edit: Not you, as in CrazKanuk. I was agreeing. I meant "you" as in "reddit you", all the confused people who think they contribute.
Exactly, it doesn't, it just makes it harder to get a refund on that pre-order.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
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