There needs to be an incentive for testing on the Test server.

tearloch · November 2013

Basically what the title suggests. Plainly how is it possible to test out my new skills paragons/ trees/powers if there is no one to test them against in PVP. Sure i can go do PVE but it is no where near the same. I want to see how much a player can hit me for with their new power combinations and visa versa. I find the main reason people do not go on the test server is because there are little people on to begin with. Bring people on to test and more will join.

I propose something simple. Make the incentive to go on the test server to PVP and do Dungeons be early access to the new hunter class and paragons. Have a message on the start up launcher spread the word. Allow anyone who has PVPed or Dungeoned on the test server for an adequate amount of time be given 2 weeks in advance to master the paragons/class over the people who ignored the test server.

I would not specify how long people would need to spend to have early access, although this is a separate issue all together.

slambit · November 2013

um no thanks.

rollingonit · November 2013

The incentives are already there. Having prior knowledge of what is to come to live is incentive enough. We've seen people using that knowledge to their advantage. Sometimes speculating, and winning big (Nightmare Box, buying up boe before bop) but with the possible loss (coalescent ward change, people are speculating right now and buyng; they may win out big or they may lose).

tearloch · November 2013

The problem is if no one can test PVP until it comes out. Then people go rage on furoms saying thigns are too OP and cryptic does an over nerf. just as they did with the hunter. If they do it on live it will be one wild ride.

dardove · November 2013

Would be nice if they did a preview server event every now and again while things are being tested. So far we have only had the gauntgrym one.

kolatmaster · November 2013

I'm happy enough to be able to test out the new content... It's helped immensely for my GWFs, and I am looking forward for knowing what I want to do the moment it goes live.

josiahiyon · November 2013

I think more/better advertisement of the test server and its benefits would go a long way. Amazing that so few use it to test. Especially with so many changes.

melodywhr · November 2013

in my opinion, the incentives to testing new content on the preview shard are immeasurable. you are given the opportunity to test unreleased content and provide feedback directly to designers and developers. people that have been on the preview shard recently have had the opportunity to play the new ranger, to test new paragon paths, to check out the new refinement system and to play the new shadowmantle content... and provide important feedback which could ultimately direct changes on the final official release. in some instances, developers and designers are interacting within these official feedback threads and providing more information. it's a valuable tool not only for the company, but for us as players. everybody wins.

saerrael · November 2013

tearloch wrote: »

The problem is if no one can test PVP until it comes out. Then people go rage on furoms saying thigns are too OP and cryptic does an over nerf. just as they did with the hunter. If they do it on live it will be one wild ride.

This could be handled by changing queueing on Preview by no longer applying the 'max of 2 classes per game' rule. I, for one, would have loved to pvp with my hunter through the levels to see how it holds up, but haven't seen a single match.

On topic: I agree with melodywhr's post. Finding bugs and reporting them is something I actually like doing. For others... not so much for my own work >.> <.<

fondlez · November 2013

If you use Preview, you gain information first.

That can give you a very serious economic or gameplay advantage. For example, preparing for the upcoming Refinement system, implications of the current Coffer of Wondrous Augmentation issue, playing around with and acquiring Artifacts or first hand experience of the quirks of a new class, etc.

Serious PvP players, i.e. premade vs premade, would have their own guild and test within their guild.

Information is its own reward!

Also, I doubt the want huge waves of players on Preview for multiple reasons, at least two of which are:

1. Infrastructure - the test shards are unlikely to scale as well as live, especially since the client seems unoptimized most of the time.
2. Sales - the more time spent on the test shard, especially in social groups, the less time on Live, but Live is the only place where resources mean anything and where services can be purchased.

imsmithy · November 2013

Being able to check out the new paragon path , skills and passives for my main plus getting a look at all the new content plus playing the new class weeks in advance of anybody else who chooses not to go on test not enough for you? if you want to PvP it's probably a good idea to get a bunch of your guild to sign up and play , most people are too busy doing everything else.

vorphied · November 2013

Being able to preview new content is sufficient incentive.

If they had a particular testing goal in mind that required a significant time investment from players (e.g. they overhaul the leveling/questing system somehow from 1-60 and want to gather feedback), they could create some kind of small incentive tied to getting test characters to 60 by a certain date, but otherwise I don't think it's needed.

twstdecho · November 2013

The need to drive more people to the test shard isn't based on your point of view as the user, but the point of view as the developer. If they look at the population of players on the test shard and feel that it's am acceptable level of usage for testing purposes, why would they give extra incentive away?

angrysprite · November 2013

Star Trek Online has always done this. And our playing on the test server is a helluvalot more useful to the Devs than it is to us. I agree with the OP, not for selfish reasons (I've been exclusively on Preview for the last month) - but for the exact reasons the OP states: to get more people going over there.

STO always gives away some simple, useful, exclusive trinket to those who spend (I think it's at least an hour minimum) on the test server before a major update is coming.

The Neverwinter devs could do the same, for example: players on the Preview server so spend at least two hours there (or whatever) get a free exclusive transmutation item two weeks after the update is applied. Something that allows you a cool look of a particular whatever (weapon, armor, boots, I-dunn-o).

Here's the thing: spending time in Preview is not spending time in Live, where my time actually advances my toy characters, and Preview does not. Sure, I get to play with new shiny, but also get to experience broken things (and any frustration that may go with it). I simply cannot explain how able I am to run through Blacklake District completely blindfolded by now! ;-)

hahahahah

Do I hope they'll start doing it? Not really. Would it be nice if they did? Absolutely. Will it ever happen? Never say never. In short, I think it's really a moot point in the end. If they decide they will then they will, if not then not. Personally I don't feel very strongly one way or the other about it. I just want my character-bound companion converted to account-bound. ~cough~

aiaus · November 2013

Well just enable a dueling system? o.o

silvergryph · November 2013

The only thing I would like to see added to the test server is a way to level up instantly to test new content and a way to respec for free.

fondlez · November 2013

silvergryph wrote: »

and a way to respec for free.

Respec IS free on Preview. Pretty much the only reason why most players regularly use Preview...

ladysylvia · November 2013

fondlez wrote: »

Respec IS free on Preview. Pretty much the only reason why most players regularly use Preview...

I want to use this, but the zenmark don't show the service section for me... It's only a bug for me or other can't access the service to get the respec?

djarud · November 2013

Test/Preview does not in my opinion needs incentive. Testing and so on are things only certain players will do no-matter what. Though that being said, I do think it would be much more useful to have full Character slots opened on Test/Preview server. This would alleviate having to do such as level a character/class to what-ever level, then delete, and restart, just to test different races of said class, and so on.

Of course it would also be nice to be allowed to swap character Race. I'd love to test out my main's performance as other Races with the same exact gear, Boons and what-not. Although it is loosely do-able, I am not about to level up a 60 Rogue of each Race and put in the time it would take to get each one all the same exact gear, justto test Racial differences in performance.

fondlez · November 2013

ladysylvia wrote: »

I want to use this, but the zenmark don't show the service section for me... It's only a bug for me or other can't access the service to get the respec?

Well, I don't know if it is working right now (since I'm not on Preview). But you just to go to Character Sheet -> Powers -> Respec Powers -> Purchased Respec Token.

It will buy one without any cost.

You do not need to go anywhere near the Zen shop itself.

beckylunatic · November 2013

ladysylvia wrote: »

I want to use this, but the zenmark don't show the service section for me... It's only a bug for me or other can't access the service to get the respec?

Use the button on your powers page as though you had already bought it.

silvergryph · November 2013

fondlez wrote: »

Well, I don't know if it is working right now (since I'm not on Preview). But you just to go to Character Sheet -> Powers -> Respec Powers -> Purchase Respec Token.

It will buy one without any cost.

You do not need to go anywhere near the Zen shop itself.

Thanks for this info!

fondlez · November 2013

Just checked Preview right now using the method I outlined.

It seems it is currently down. But normally it always works.

angrysprite · November 2013

fondlez wrote: »

Just checked Preview right now using the method I outlined.

It seems it is currently down. But normally it always works.

I may be mistaken, but I think it only works with characters you copy from Live to Preview (http://nw.perfectworld.com/preview) - that is to say, I don't think it works on characters originally created on preview (such as the new Hunter Ranger right now) and I think even with copied characters it only works once.

But, like I've said: I'm just guessing here, but I'm pretty sure the first part is correct: respecialize a copied character, but not a new, original character created there.

uurbs · November 2013

angrysprite wrote: »

[...] and I think even with copied characters it only works once.

I do remember, that I "bought" around 7-8 respec tokens with of me copied clones on the Preview shard--back after Feywild came. Haven't been on the Preview in the last 10 days, but back than I couldn't "buy" respec tokens.

There needs to be an incentive for testing on the Test server.

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