Burger Meister Meister
Well-Known Member
Problem:
Game developers are introducing new features and making significant changes to the game in the Beta world.
In the software delivery cycle the Beta delivery should be about fixing bugs, not about introducing new features.
The Beta world is about 2 weeks ahead of the Live world which means that any significant changes that were introduced into Beta are already committed to going Live.
As can be seen by the significant negative feedback from the past couple of events the player community, both in Beta and the Live world, has not been happy with some of the new features.
Game designers are essentially working in a vacuum as it is too late to make any significant changes before moving to the Live servers and there is little opportunity to respond to feedback.
Solution:
Introduce a new "Alpha" world where the game designers can go nuts with new ideas.
The Alpha world is an opportunity for designers to get early feedback from players as to what they like and what they don't like. What is playable and what isn't playable.
Ideas introduced in the Alpha world do not automatically go into Beta. If there is enough acceptance from the Alpha player community (or lack of negative feedback) then it can move to Beta.
It would be expected that many ideas would die in Alpha and never make it to Beta.
There is no time line linking Alpha to Beta as in the case of Beta to Live (2 weeks). If it moves from Alpha to Beta it will be done when the idea has been sold to the community.
It is also completely understood that the Alpha world could have many bugs. The Alpha world is for testing the waters of new ideas.
Bugs are fixed in Beta, assuming an idea makes it to Beta.
Thanks, BMMB
Game developers are introducing new features and making significant changes to the game in the Beta world.
In the software delivery cycle the Beta delivery should be about fixing bugs, not about introducing new features.
The Beta world is about 2 weeks ahead of the Live world which means that any significant changes that were introduced into Beta are already committed to going Live.
As can be seen by the significant negative feedback from the past couple of events the player community, both in Beta and the Live world, has not been happy with some of the new features.
Game designers are essentially working in a vacuum as it is too late to make any significant changes before moving to the Live servers and there is little opportunity to respond to feedback.
Solution:
Introduce a new "Alpha" world where the game designers can go nuts with new ideas.
The Alpha world is an opportunity for designers to get early feedback from players as to what they like and what they don't like. What is playable and what isn't playable.
Ideas introduced in the Alpha world do not automatically go into Beta. If there is enough acceptance from the Alpha player community (or lack of negative feedback) then it can move to Beta.
It would be expected that many ideas would die in Alpha and never make it to Beta.
There is no time line linking Alpha to Beta as in the case of Beta to Live (2 weeks). If it moves from Alpha to Beta it will be done when the idea has been sold to the community.
It is also completely understood that the Alpha world could have many bugs. The Alpha world is for testing the waters of new ideas.
Bugs are fixed in Beta, assuming an idea makes it to Beta.
Thanks, BMMB