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Policy Change: QA Server and Release Instructions Early Drafts Open to All (starting with R45)

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by DarkStarr, Jul 24, 2017.

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  1. 2112Starman

    2112Starman Avatar

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    I am NOT in favor of this change. We paid for it as should anyone else who wants access. QA level pledges should be granted something to compensate for this loss.
     
  2. Turk Key

    Turk Key Avatar

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    Better hire someone to facilitate the QA downloading and understanding of same for bookoo new users.
     
  3. Trina

    Trina Avatar

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    I'm all for devaluing privilege and helping out the masses, however, trust is earned not given. Wide brush strokes like this can cause problems in a lot of areas and we need to be sensitive to that as well.
     
  4. liz_the_wiz

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    @Berek will this mean we can now stream QA? so we dont have to hide while we test? i mean if its all public theres no reason not to let us right?
     
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  5. Drocis the Devious

    Drocis the Devious Avatar

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    Or maybe people can just stream QA under the guise that it's "not fair" that QA testers get to "see" all this new information.

    We're headed for closed development. I'm convinced it's inevitable.

    The great gift of open development is being ignored/squandered/misunderstood by people that may mean well but may be unable to see the full impact of what they're doing. This is actually a perfect example of what happens when every person in the boat thinks they'd be a good captain.
     
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  6. Berek

    Berek Portalarian Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    We've just made the announcement on what we are doing moving forward. As we've mentioned in the past, anyone can have Dev+ access, we are just opening it up further now due to the relevance of where we are at within Early Access per community's concerns.
     
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  7. Tahru

    Tahru Avatar

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    I am cool with this. :)
     
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  8. Berek

    Berek Portalarian Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    Short answer, unfortunately no :(. While the server and all is going to be more accessible, we need everyone to please understand that this is still a QA server, and thus should not be recorded and livestreamed in this way. The primary reason is that QA builds are still under development, so whatever is being recorded may not be accurate upon actually going live.
     
  9. Sara Dreygon

    Sara Dreygon Avatar

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    Important change that helps ensure a good game for all of us.

    I support this :D.
     
  10. Net

    Net Avatar

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    The whole game is under development, there may be more bugs on QA, but there is plenty of them on day of new release and things change quickly as new patches are released daily. I would hope that disclaimer about QA and testing and bugs should be sufficient.
     
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  11. Pebbles

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    Is this a complete fantasy? But how about requiring non-Dev+ QA testers to complete a short quiz based on the QA info docs and score 100% before they can proceed with participating in the Dev+ QA testing? It could possibly improve the quality of bug reports and reduce the quantity of duplicates and reports for things covered in release notes, etc.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017
  12. Barugon

    Barugon Avatar

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    The Royal Elderberry Seed had nothing to do with Dev+. It was a Founder pledge reward.
     
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  13. Solazur

    Solazur Avatar

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    While I support this change of opening up QA (something I as an active multiple Dev+ acct holder advocated for in the past)I think it's kinda sad that it took a MAJOR snafu on Ports part to bring it about. I'd like to see somebody on the dev side at least take responsibility for the stupidity of announcing a change that was poorly thought out to begin with. I mean lets be real.. suddenly requiring 10x mats was extreme. Perhaps you need to hang up a sign on the wall at Port that gives the dictionary definition of incremental.

    I feel the pain of those who will see this as something that was paid for being taken away.
     
  14. mass

    mass Avatar

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    No kidding. The pendulum swung so far it's now in another clock.
     
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  15. Mischievous Dragon

    Mischievous Dragon Riparian Reaper

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    Mostly agree. All the Non-Dev+ players should pass an online Technical Test in order to qualify for the Dev+ Access to the game and to the QA bug forums.
    The Technical Test should be a long one and consist of 40 questions at minimum.
    If you scored 40% or higher in the test, then you would qualify for the Dev+ Access to the game and to the QA bug forums.

    For reference:
    an HP Technical test
    an IBM Technical test
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017
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  16. Solazur

    Solazur Avatar

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    grrrr.. were is the delete button?
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017
  17. Freeman

    Freeman Avatar

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    I remember that being a thing for somethings, but there has to be some hand rolled asserts. If nothing else it's giving back to the community that's helping them make their game. They already have a store front there, the just only have the cave and dungeon tile set and an advertisement for their scene jam(? Which seems WAY out of date, and not really a good use of the asset store). https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/search/page=1/sortby=relevance/query=publisher:3940
     
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  18. Venusada

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    I support this move also.
     
  19. Berek

    Berek Portalarian Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    If we could please keep on the subject of the policy change it would help those with questions about it. Thanks everyone!
     
  20. Lord Andernut

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    My preferred option was to announce economy-changing events in the announcement forum.

    The most compelling reason to go to a developer level bundle has been the ability to affect changes and get a sneak-peek at things first. NOT for economy-related changes, just to be part of that smaller pre-screen group. The exclusivity of the QA test was something I looked forward to every month, and in fact I know a good number of players who upgraded to the larger bundle size, who already had deeds (bought separately) was to gain access to the QA server and be part of that experiment.

    True, QA is not mentioned in bundles, but ya know, it's been that way for as long as bundles have existed, and earlier access for testing/feedback has been part of Dev+ since, well Release 1.

    While housing was important, the dev+ forum at dev+ was more appealing to me than the house at citizen level (okay dev+ forum turned into "here's what going into the newsletter tomorrow) but the QA server access has remained one of the most satisfying and exciting parts of my pledge.

    So I feel I have lost something here. Just reading the early QA feedback dev+ post has been a thrilling part of my pledge even before logging in.

    So in this change, I am disappointed. I agree with always doing what is best and healthiest for the game, I don't know if this was what was best and healthiest for SotA or not. If it was the best decision and no other feasible options were there and we feel we are honouring the contributions and commitments of players who come in at 10+ times the base price of access - then sure, I approve.

    But I am still disappointed because this reduces the dev+ forum down to simply seeing small parts of the newsletter a day before the newsletter goes out. I still like that part, and the ability to respond to the developer who posted said teaser, but I will miss the dev+ early access which for myself and many others was just a really cool part of development and to be that much closer to the unique testing environment before the more polished release hits live.

    The age of the Dev+ server has died, Long Live the QA Server.

    Onward.
     
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