Testing Incentives Program

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by DarkStarr, Sep 8, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

    Messages:
    6,692
    Likes Received:
    45,560
    Trophy Points:
    202
    Gender:
    Male
    UPDATE 8/21: Testing Incentives Program has been suspended. Please see the following post for details: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f.../testing-incentives-program-suspension.98153/

    Greetings Avatars,

    Thank you everyone for the amazing work you all do reporting issues in the game. It is only through your bug reports that we can find and fix issues with the game.

    The volume of reported issues from the Live Server has remained steady, but now that we have reached persistence, it is understandably challenging to convince players to divide their time between the “real” world of Novia and the fleeting world of the QA Server. We still have a critical need for testing on the QA Server right before a monthly Release goes live.

    That is why we are launching the Testing Incentives Program.

    The Testing Incentives Program includes exclusives that can only be earned on the QA Server, but there are lots of awards that can be earned on the live servers as well. Each Release, exceptional contributors selected through quality bug reports, document edits, etc. will be eligible for rewards.

    Players will rank up through these after demonstrating a solid record of reproducible bugs with detailed information (ex. coordinates and screenshots) as a minimum. In addition to total number of bugs player rank is also determined through other items like working on the Bug Brigade, providing editing feedback on release documents, etc. (these additional subjective measurements are noted as the * below)

    The rewards will be given out as individual items, not all at once. Initial rewards will include the following (and may expand over time):

    • Testing Incentive Rewards: These rewards can be earned through playing and reporting on both the Live and QA Servers.
      • Rank 1: 25 Bugs Reported*
        • Title: Pest Controller
        • Wearable: Antennae that is worn in the head slot
      • Rank 2: 40 Bugs Reported*
        • Title: Expert Pest Controller
        • Wearable: Bug Cloak that features one giant ant.
      • Rank 3: 75 Bugs Reported*
        • Title: Master Pest Controller
        • Wearable: Bugs Cloak that features lots of ants
      • Rank 4: 125 Bugs Reported*
        • Title: Royal Pest Controller
        • Wearable: Bug Sprayer equippable with /bugspray emote that makes a green cloud
    • QA Server Exclusive Rewards: These rewards can only be earned through play time and bug reporting on the QA Server (but of course they will be delivered to you on the Live Server).
      • COTOs for Time: Players who spend at least 4 hours of play time per Release on the QA Server will receive 5 Gold COTOs. Please note this is active play that we will verify via logging. You cannot simply login and stand still.
      • Rank 1: 25 Bugs Reported*
        • Ant Farm: Decoration you can place in your house with ants crawling around in it. Don’t break it![​IMG]
      • Rank 2: 40 Bugs Reported*
        • Set of Bug Paintings: An assortment of Classical still life paintings featuring insects[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
      • Rank 3: 75 Bugs Reported*
        • Insect Leg Table[​IMG]
      • Rank 4: 125 Bugs Reported*
        • Butterfly Chair[​IMG]
    • Rank 5: 175 Bugs Reported*
      • Corpion Chair: Don’t fear the cushion of its deadly comfort![​IMG]
    Thank you everyone for the incredible work so far and we look forward to more of it in the future!

    The web page is linked here: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/?p=63149
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2016
  2. Bowen Bloodgood

    Bowen Bloodgood Avatar

    Messages:
    13,289
    Likes Received:
    23,380
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Caer Dracwych
    Interesting.. a pity that having limited bandwidth and time will not allow me to partake.
     
  3. Selene

    Selene Avatar

    Messages:
    3,106
    Likes Received:
    11,697
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Serpents Watch Brewery!!
    That is an awesome idea!! Love it!! You guys are the best!
     
  4. Barugon

    Barugon Avatar

    Messages:
    15,678
    Likes Received:
    24,293
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    Sweet! :)

    Really hoping to get some of those decorations.
     
  5. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

    Messages:
    5,884
    Likes Received:
    11,033
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Good thinking, @DarkStarr - good thinking ! ;)
    I'll be havin' me one of those chairs and can't wait to spray a couple of people with the green cloud... :eek:

    P.S.
    Has any more thought gone into allowing us to set our skills in QA for higher levels of testing and testing of skills that we don't currently carry ?
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2016
  6. Drocis the Devious

    Drocis the Devious Avatar

    Messages:
    18,188
    Likes Received:
    35,440
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    I wish I had some credit for all the reproducible bug reports I've submitted over the last 3 years. :)

    Great incentive though. I'm sure we'll get a lot more activity now.
     
  7. Gideon Thrax

    Gideon Thrax Avatar

    Messages:
    2,497
    Likes Received:
    6,771
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    oh snap!
     
    Krohon and Ravicus Domdred like this.
  8. Sea Hunter

    Sea Hunter Avatar

    Messages:
    268
    Likes Received:
    552
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    How about a Thank you.
     
  9. amaasing

    amaasing Avatar

    Messages:
    483
    Likes Received:
    1,153
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Colorado
    Great Idea. And so glad that the incentives include 'deco' items. Can't wait. Thanks!!!
     
  10. Tahru

    Tahru Avatar

    Messages:
    4,800
    Likes Received:
    12,170
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Spite
    Just as a thought, maybe consider an email or PM list for the QA announcements. The posts easily get lost among the forum posts, especially at times we cannot keep up with them.

    Maybe it is just me, but the only feature I use for checking the forum is the new posts link.

    That may get as much help as the wonderful gifts.
     
  11. monkeysmack

    monkeysmack Avatar

    Messages:
    632
    Likes Received:
    1,463
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    your mom's house
    I have to agree with Darkstarr's assessment here. When confronted with taking time out of playing the game and reporting a bug, reporting loses most of the time. Could take 30 minutes or more to document everything and retest multiple times. Plus, I don't even get a response on most of the bugs I submit so I assume they are ignored anyway.

    Edit: Yes, the incentives are very nice. Thank you. :)
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2016
  12. Bow Vale

    Bow Vale Avatar

    Messages:
    1,729
    Likes Received:
    4,699
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Pericaliya
    These are great...Your going to be bugged :) down with all the bug reports coming in from this offer.
     
  13. Lord Andernut

    Lord Andernut Avatar

    Messages:
    3,340
    Likes Received:
    10,087
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    New Britannian Market

    I just follow all the devs and then use my newsfeed to see their posts.

    The devtracker doesn't display as nicely (though it does skip the likes) - when a developer quotes someone the devtracker shows the quote first instead of what the dev wrote. For some reason the devtracker is also really slow so newsfeed wins there too.

    But both methods work :)
     
    Bom, Ravicus Domdred and Tahru like this.
  14. Alley Oop

    Alley Oop Bug Hunter Bug Moderator

    Messages:
    15,679
    Likes Received:
    19,469
    Trophy Points:
    153
    gonna be hard to post more bugs than i already do. ...but you might consider using the qa server more. not just for release testing, but one-off "hey, we're thinking of making this change. what do you think?" ...like could have been done with the recent change to combat animations you had to remove by patch.
     
    Nhili Dragon, Bom, Kaisa and 6 others like this.
  15. Koldar

    Koldar Avatar

    Messages:
    1,952
    Likes Received:
    4,886
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Location:
    Novia
    Now that gives me a reason to login to the QA server. However, knowing what we should test with each release would help too. ;)
     
    Nhili Dragon, Bom, Krohon and 7 others like this.
  16. 4EverLost

    4EverLost Avatar

    Messages:
    1,441
    Likes Received:
    2,742
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    In a Swamp far away from the beaten path
    Probably the whole game in general (and anything they mention in the write-up)? Who knows what new 'bug' managed to sneak pass them when they were busy 'fixing' stuff.
     
    Ravicus Domdred likes this.
  17. Tahru

    Tahru Avatar

    Messages:
    4,800
    Likes Received:
    12,170
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Spite
    Also, somebody is going to ask this... so might as well spill it.

    Since we need more testers, can people not in Dev+ contribute?
     
    Nhili Dragon, Nemesis2, Bom and 5 others like this.
  18. Rufus D`Asperdi

    Rufus D`Asperdi Avatar

    Messages:
    6,347
    Likes Received:
    15,785
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    I would have to assume no, as Dev+ access is now a reward in some bundles. That's now the method by which it might be acquired for those that wish it.
     
  19. Waxillium

    Waxillium Avatar

    Messages:
    3,311
    Likes Received:
    9,043
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Rift's End
    @DarkStarr

    For my hours of testing I'd prefer an xp boost in the persistent world (something I can't buy) over getting COTOs.

    Hmmm?

    Hour for hour xp boost of some sort?
     
    Ember, Marcus Antoninus, moko and 4 others like this.
  20. Tahru

    Tahru Avatar

    Messages:
    4,800
    Likes Received:
    12,170
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Spite
    Except that this announcement is not in dev+.
     
    Ronan, zyxe and Ravicus Domdred like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.