"Production" is the wrong term to use; any game is in production up until the point that there is no one working on it anymore. Even if they weren't taking money, the game would still be in production.
The fact that there's "controversy" about the term Open Beta means that people just plain don't understand what the term means.
It's undeniable that the game is still in a testing phase, even if they're taking money for services. And it's opened up to everyone, with no NDA. While people may not think the result is any different then some other official releases, it's still an open beta by definition.
this ^
I really cannot fathom why people are debating this.
Which ones? This is the only one I know that has done something like this. Granted I'm not exactly knowledgeable in the F2P game market, but I like DND and I LOVED NWN 1&2, which is what drew me here.
all PWI games was launched in Open beta. Example Forsaken world was in open beta for almost one year until they decided was the time for a new patch and added new lvl cap and new content so they declared was officially launched. But was the game on beta for ayear? Lol no!!
I quitted at lvl 80 with epic gear full gemmed bought from cash shop!
Beta is for testing and bug finding. this is not beta. Largest glaring hole in any argument of anyone trying to argue that this is a beta is in respecing. Beta is for testing and I can't even respec my toon to try different builds? If I could respec for free to test builds, looks for bugs, offer feedback, etc... then I would accept this is a beta. As is, this is not a beta, this is a released game with a marketing ploy.
How does increased rates test the way that any normal player will play the game? How can they know if quest encounters are properly balanced if beta players go through at a higher level with higher then average gear? Proper game testing works when you have testers play in exactly the same way that a normal player will.
Right, because QA testers are just free to roam around in a game and do as they please. No, they get tasks they repeat over and over until something breaks. Then the devs fix it.
And that's why you wipe, and often. Get everyone into end-game, let them try it out. Let them try and break it. Wipe. Give everyone a buttload of Zen to try out the expensive mounts and companions and what not, or just give them the items, whatever. Wipe. Rinse and repeat for all major aspects. PvP, Foundry, etc. Throw a large number of people at any one part. Put a level restriction at level 10, see how well those areas hold up. Same at 20. 30. 40.
In other words, you test.
Or you don't do that, fine, ain't no thang. But the minute the cash shop opens up and you start taking people's money is the day you've launched.
Not even World of Tanks, one of the pay-2-winniest, greediest f2p games of them all, opened up their freaking cash shop during Open Beta. They gave everyone 250 Gold every day they logged in so they could test and try out the pay-for options.
"Open betas serve the purpose of testing among an extremely wide user base likely to bring to light obscure errors that a much smaller testing team might not find."
Video games' Open Beta's are different from general software OB's.
Another interesting fact (just at the top of the forum for 'new' users): "Please note that, for a short period of time after account creation, posting new threads is disabled. After this probationary period, you'll be able to create threads as normal. "
So we are on probation (after having spend days in the game and some money in the store)? Right...
Does anyone know how long this probation period is? it's already about two weeks for me....
The game is in beta by the state of things and the real money situation is a <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> move that is gaining traction because people are stupid. Same reason we now have DLC instead of expansions in normal games.
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terradraconisMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild UsersPosts: 17Arc User
And yet, almost every single game that has ever had an "open beta" has done the exact same thing.
Completely false. Very few "open betas" historicaally have not had char wipes, cash shop open, etc. This is a relatively new marketing approach especially with US/Europe focused games.
Right, because QA testers are just free to roam around in a game and do as they please. No, they get tasks they repeat over and over until something breaks. Then the devs fix it.
And that's why so many games are buggy. Defined tasks with a limited number of players has NOTHING on letting everyone do all the random things they would do. Defined tasks lets you make sure that big, common things work as advertised, but you'll never know how all the random builds and gear loadouts will handle against a given encounter. Defined tasks will never tell you if having multiple players trigger a race condition on a door will break the dungeon (happened to me!). Defined tasks will never tell you if arbitrary ability combinations cause encounters to break. Defined tasks will never tell you if the various movement modes can get you into areas you're not supposed to be in (at all or yet).
QA departments are understaffed and overtasked, and can't ever possibly get into anywhere near as much trouble as real players.
This is besides that sometimes there are QA testers that free roam, but they're still only a handful of people compared to potentially millions. And also besides that beta testers are QA testers.
(Non-Korean) games with open beta period in which you can spend money without a wipe after--
1). Path of Exile: I have purchased numerous cosmetics in this game because they run their cash shop in an exemplary fashion. Te game is still (or at least as of 1 month ago when I was playing more heavily) in open beta. If you have anything not-nice to say about GGG for doing this, then shame on you. They have the best f2p model I've ever seen.
2). Smite: third person MOBA f2p game. Once again, it may be out of beta now but you could purchase new champions and skins while it was in beta.
3) Don't Starve: This is a 1-time-purchase game without a cash shop, but I was still free to purchase the game beforehand and play in a beta that was not wiped. This one is actually giving PoE a run for its money as my favorite game of the year. If you like survival and sandboxes, I cannot encourage you enough to cough up the 12-15$ for this indie game.
Those are the ones I can think of offhand that have had a similar system under a western developer within the past year.
I'm not saying I have no gripes with NW (I do), but this is not one of mine personally.
To be fair, the derailing wouldn't have happened if no one had responded to me.
That's the kind of logical thinking that leads to arguments such as: "To be fair, the shooting wouldn't have happened if there had been no bullets in the gun." and "Well I wouldn't have ran her over if she hadn't been on the sidewalk!"
And that's why so many games are buggy. Defined tasks with a limited number of players has NOTHING on letting everyone do all the random things they would do. Defined tasks lets you make sure that big, common things work as advertised, but you'll never know how all the random builds and gear loadouts will handle against a given encounter. Defined tasks will never tell you if having multiple players trigger a race condition on a door will break the dungeon (happened to me!). Defined tasks will never tell you if arbitrary ability combinations cause encounters to break. Defined tasks will never tell you if the various movement modes can get you into areas you're not supposed to be in (at all or yet).
QA departments are understaffed and overtasked, and can't ever possibly get into anywhere near as much trouble as real players.
This is besides that sometimes there are QA testers that free roam, but they're still only a handful of people compared to potentially millions. And also besides that beta testers are QA testers.
Okay? What's your point? I didn't say give defined tasks to a limited number of players, did I? I said focus as many players as possible on one aspect of the game. Right now, only a fraction of the playerbase is doing end-game content. Get the entire playerbase into end-game and let them do their thing and you'll find a lot more bugs in a lot of dungeons and areas a lot faster. Your dungeon breaking bug would've been found out so fast it's not even funny.
Do you really think my post was advocating asking a few thousand people to hop in place in a small 3m
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terradraconisMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild UsersPosts: 17Arc User
If there isn't a wipe and/or they refund spent zen, you have nothing to cry about. I'll just assume from the amount of tears you have that this is aimed directly at the cash shop? It clearly stated open beta before you even laid your hands on it, if it is buggy, it is beta. If you don't like that, don't play.
Comments
hehe. that's exactly what I was thinking when I made the statement. Odd species we are
this ^
I really cannot fathom why people are debating this.
It has been repeatedly ENFORCED...that the all encompassing phrase "It's BETA" WINS every argument,discussion,lotto,LIFE,etc etc.
The SACRED WORDS have been spoken! why are all of you still talking??? HOW DARE you challenge the ONE PHRASE that rules them all???!!
CLOSE THIS THREAD AND ALL OTHER DISCUSSIONS NOW!
all PWI games was launched in Open beta. Example Forsaken world was in open beta for almost one year until they decided was the time for a new patch and added new lvl cap and new content so they declared was officially launched. But was the game on beta for ayear? Lol no!!
I quitted at lvl 80 with epic gear full gemmed bought from cash shop!
So calling it beta just dismisses any significance and impact of bugs. Dont worry guys, its still in beta.
It doesnt matter to me what terms they use to define the existance of their game. The bugs, exploits, and method of monetization are what they are.
Right, because QA testers are just free to roam around in a game and do as they please. No, they get tasks they repeat over and over until something breaks. Then the devs fix it.
And that's why you wipe, and often. Get everyone into end-game, let them try it out. Let them try and break it. Wipe. Give everyone a buttload of Zen to try out the expensive mounts and companions and what not, or just give them the items, whatever. Wipe. Rinse and repeat for all major aspects. PvP, Foundry, etc. Throw a large number of people at any one part. Put a level restriction at level 10, see how well those areas hold up. Same at 20. 30. 40.
In other words, you test.
Or you don't do that, fine, ain't no thang. But the minute the cash shop opens up and you start taking people's money is the day you've launched.
Not even World of Tanks, one of the pay-2-winniest, greediest f2p games of them all, opened up their freaking cash shop during Open Beta. They gave everyone 250 Gold every day they logged in so they could test and try out the pay-for options.
Video games' Open Beta's are different from general software OB's.
More people, more complex issues, usually more bugs to fix/features to add. While they're similar, they're different too.
So we are on probation (after having spend days in the game and some money in the store)? Right...
Does anyone know how long this probation period is? it's already about two weeks for me....
No I'm just waiting while a computer runs self tests.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Completely false. Very few "open betas" historicaally have not had char wipes, cash shop open, etc. This is a relatively new marketing approach especially with US/Europe focused games.
And that's why so many games are buggy. Defined tasks with a limited number of players has NOTHING on letting everyone do all the random things they would do. Defined tasks lets you make sure that big, common things work as advertised, but you'll never know how all the random builds and gear loadouts will handle against a given encounter. Defined tasks will never tell you if having multiple players trigger a race condition on a door will break the dungeon (happened to me!). Defined tasks will never tell you if arbitrary ability combinations cause encounters to break. Defined tasks will never tell you if the various movement modes can get you into areas you're not supposed to be in (at all or yet).
QA departments are understaffed and overtasked, and can't ever possibly get into anywhere near as much trouble as real players.
This is besides that sometimes there are QA testers that free roam, but they're still only a handful of people compared to potentially millions. And also besides that beta testers are QA testers.
(Non-Korean) games with open beta period in which you can spend money without a wipe after--
1). Path of Exile: I have purchased numerous cosmetics in this game because they run their cash shop in an exemplary fashion. Te game is still (or at least as of 1 month ago when I was playing more heavily) in open beta. If you have anything not-nice to say about GGG for doing this, then shame on you. They have the best f2p model I've ever seen.
2). Smite: third person MOBA f2p game. Once again, it may be out of beta now but you could purchase new champions and skins while it was in beta.
3) Don't Starve: This is a 1-time-purchase game without a cash shop, but I was still free to purchase the game beforehand and play in a beta that was not wiped. This one is actually giving PoE a run for its money as my favorite game of the year. If you like survival and sandboxes, I cannot encourage you enough to cough up the 12-15$ for this indie game.
Those are the ones I can think of offhand that have had a similar system under a western developer within the past year.
I'm not saying I have no gripes with NW (I do), but this is not one of mine personally.
That's the kind of logical thinking that leads to arguments such as: "To be fair, the shooting wouldn't have happened if there had been no bullets in the gun." and "Well I wouldn't have ran her over if she hadn't been on the sidewalk!"
Forum Trolls getting you down? Click here to access your personal Forum Ignore List.
Okay? What's your point? I didn't say give defined tasks to a limited number of players, did I? I said focus as many players as possible on one aspect of the game. Right now, only a fraction of the playerbase is doing end-game content. Get the entire playerbase into end-game and let them do their thing and you'll find a lot more bugs in a lot of dungeons and areas a lot faster. Your dungeon breaking bug would've been found out so fast it's not even funny.
Do you really think my post was advocating asking a few thousand people to hop in place in a small 3m
ssssshhhhh! You'll confuse them with actual facts that they don't want to bother with.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I give my 12 year old a bigger allowance in a week than the managing editor at mmorpg.com makes in a week.
I wouldn't put too much stock in what he has to say.