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Release 47 QA Build Now Available!

Discussion in 'Release 47 QA Feedback Forum' started by BurningToad, Oct 18, 2017.

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  1. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    QA testing for Release 47 has now begun!

    The first build, number 570, is an experimental build using Unity 2017.2. We are curious to hear about performance (framerate, loadtimes, hitching) versus live. It would also be helpful for anyone who has the Windows 10 terrain bug (canyons, big terrain glitches that happen sometimes) to see if it happens in this version of the game. Later builds will likely switch back to our previous version of Unity for now, so test the new version while you can!

    Please report all bugs in our R47 QA bug forum here: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?categories/release-47-qa-bug-forum.1141/

    Non-bug feedback can be posted in this feedback forum, https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?forums/release-47-qa-feedback-forum.1140/

    Starr will make a post shortly with the R47 release notes draft.

    When we publish new QA versions, I will post in this thread so that you know there are new things to test!

    Those of you new to testing on the QA Server please note the following:
    • Do not post screenshots or video outside of the QA forums (or QA on Discord) of anything from the QA server.
    • The same Rules of Conduct apply on the QA server as they do on Live.
    • The QA server is an early snapshot of the upcoming release, which means the build on that server is going to be broken and incomplete. That is why we need your help!
    • We usually copy over data (your character for example) from the Live server to the QA server, which means when you login you will see your Live character. Any changes or progress made on the QA server will NOT affect your Live server character.
    • To report bugs for QA, please use the /devbug chat command, which will link you to the appropriate QA bug forum. While the Bug button and /Bug chat command still work, they will direct you to the Live bug forums for the previous Live release.
    • The draft of the instructions (to be posted in the R45 QA Feedback forum by Starr) you will see early on may include items that won’t actually make the release or conversely it won’t included items that will make the release. In other words the early draft of the instructions will be an early draft.

    Here are instructions on how to download and install QA builds:

    You can play by downloading a new SotA Launcher(QA) installer to download a separate QA copy of the game. It exists independently from the regular live version of the game and installs to a separate folder. Alternatively, after the links, there are instructions to play using Steam instead.

    Windows: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/SotAInstaller(QA)-1.2.0.exe

    Mac: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/Shroud of the Avatar - Installer(QA) 1.1.0.pkg

    Linux Package: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/shroud-of-the-avatar-launcher-qa_1.1.0_amd64.deb

    Linux tar.gz: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/shroud-of-the-avatar-launcher-qa_1.1.0.tar.gz

    If you want to play through Steam:

    WARNING: Playing both the normal and QA versions through Steam could use up to 8 GB+ of data download via steam each time you move back and forth between versions.

    To install the QA client via Steam, follow these instructions:
    • Right click on the game in your game library
    • Go to Properties
    • Click on the tab at the top that says BETAS
    • Enter the beta access code "SotAQATesting" and hit Check Code.
    • Select "qaclient" from the dropdown menu
    • Steam will switch the install to the new branch
    • To return to playing the normal client, follow these instructions:
      • Go back to the properties beta tab and select "none - opt out of all beta programs" and it will switch you back to the normal install.
     
  2. Barugon

    Barugon Avatar

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    Sweet!
     
  3. Mobidoy Querrent

    Mobidoy Querrent Avatar

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  4. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    Build 572 is now available which fixes the loading problem in the initial QA release!
     
  5. Alley Oop

    Alley Oop Bug Hunter Bug Moderator

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    is this a full patch or a patch of 570 (which i still have three hours to go on)?
     
  6. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    It will patch up from 570-572. I didn't release a full 572 patch. The 570-572 patch is tiny, less than a megabyte.
     
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  7. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    A new QA build, 575, has been released! This will be the last Unity 2017.2 build at least for a little while, while we switch back to our previous version for testing.
     
    Barugon likes this.
  8. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    @BurningToad could you guys list here when things make it into the build so that we aren't running to places/trying to test things that aren't ready yet?

    New recipes are a perfect example, I don't even check to see if they exist until the day before anymore, and sometimes not at all. It takes time to run to locations where they would be for sale, and if they aren't there that's a big chunk of QA time wasted.

    So if you could do a quick bullet point when you announce, that would be wonderful. It also gives us a chance to jump right on whatever today's updates are and find bugs as quickly as possible.

    • Recipes are in
    • Agriculture skills probably fixed
    etc.
     
  9. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    New QA build, 577, has been released! This is now a Unity 5.6 build instead of Unity 2017.2. For those that have already played the 2017.2 QA builds, we would appreciate feedback on any difference in performance with this new build. In particular, some players seemed to notice less hitching on those QA builds compared to Live, so if you are one of those players, please let us know how the new QA build seems to feel with regards to hitching.

    Vladamir, that is a very common request that we hear a lot. I understand it would be very helpful, but it isn't something that can be done very quickly or easily for every QA build. I try to highlight things when I can, but the week before a release is always very busy here and, for example, I don't know what is in this QA build compared to the last, unless I go and spend time researching it and compiling a list, and even then, it would often take communicating with individual team members about what exactly they changed with a given feature, asking them if it is complete or still in progress, etc. However, I know it would help a lot and also lead to more players actually using the QA build, which we do want. I'll bring up the issue again with others to see if we can improve our QA release notes.
     
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  10. Barugon

    Barugon Avatar

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    On Linux, it seemed to perform a bit better frame-rate wise. I didn't notice any glitches.
     
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  11. Kron Caledon

    Kron Caledon Avatar

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    @BurningToad

    On QA build 577 - the hitching is back, and really bad. :(

    I was just in QA fighting the Phoenix, and I got worse hitching than even on the current R46 live build - with actual noticeable freezes / pauses (I want to say in the 0.5 - 1 second range).

    I have played the previous QA builds that were on Unity 2017.2 - and much prefer those: gameplay was smoother with little / much less hitching, and I didn't experience any crashes either (i.e. no increased instability for me).

    Happy to jump in game in QA if you would like to profile, etc.
     
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  12. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    UI caused hitching is back in a big way. I would say not as big as R46, but still stops everything for a moment when I open any UI window for the first time, and then sometimes after that.

    If you recall me on Discord earlier, trying to figure out if there was a microscopic hitch. Well this is super easy to see and happening many times.
     
  13. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    Yeah, opening vendors took a major step backwards too.
     
  14. Traveller13

    Traveller13 Bug Hunter

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    I can tell you BitDefender anti-virus hated the patches that switched the Unity versions. It killed both the initial patch earlier this week-- to 570-- and the Unity roll back patch today. It flagged the EXE's and deleted them from my system. I didn't have a chance to stop it, and could not recover the files. I had to re-install from scratch earlier the week and will have to re-install from scratch tonight. The 572 to 575 update happened with no issues at all.
     
  15. Aartemis

    Aartemis Avatar

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    Maybe rather then having a bunch of QA Build Notes that need to be typed up every build, there can be a copy of the QA Release Notes that when a function goes in, that line on the notes is Highlighted so we know if we should look for it or not on that version? I know the document is quite fluid in the week leading up to the release but anything is better then just guessing. Just a thought.
     
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  16. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    QA Build 578 has just been released!
     
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  17. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    QA Build 579 has just been released! When you are a ghost, you may notice a lot of pink, this is a known issue that will be fixed in the next build.
     
  18. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    QA Build 581 has just been released!
     
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  19. Vladamir Begemot

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    Worken late!
     
  20. BurningToad

    BurningToad Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    QA Build 582 has just been released!
     
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