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

Andernut if you want to argue about details we can do that but what you keep describing about the QA server being around for Dev+ since R1 is not entirely accurate. The QA server has only existed since we went online 24/7 which coincided with going on Steam Early Access in November of 2014 which would have been R13.

Prior to that the game was only available for limited amounts of time and versus a QA server we allowed Dev+ early access to the main server. Yes I know that is a semantic but you are arguing about semantics and details are important.

 

I completely understand how many of you feel like you have had something taken away from you that you feel should remain exclusively yours forever. I also understand how this might make you feel "punished". I am very sorry this policy change has made you feel that way.

However this change will make the game better. Having more people with access to the QA server will result in more eyes on the QA builds, more bugs reported, and hopefully more issues fixed prior to a release. Also providing everyone access to all information is the right thing to do so no one has any advantage.

Everyone keeps telling me that I should simply make announcements about just the economic changes that impact everyone. Would that it were that simple. Yes sometimes it is that simple (ex. Obsidian Ingots) but sometimes the change might be so subtle that we do not even realize the impact until after the fact. This way there is no room for error because we no longer have to rely on my provenly imperfect ability to choose which changes need to be communicated because ALL of them will be communicated. Additionally because access is being granted to the QA server even if some things do not make it into the notes (which happens because, again, I am not perfect) since everyone has access to the QA server everyone has access to the same information. No advantages are gained.

Again I know this is a downgrade for many of you and I apologize for that. I know it makes you angry but please know we did not make this decision lightly and we only made it knowing in the long run the game will be better for it.

 

I agree with the change should have been to announce economy changing events. There are recent new people and nothing against new people believe me I love that you are here, but coming into this game and seeing an incomplete world and especially a very incomplete QA world is upsetting to those who do not understand these things and some will not understand no matter how many times you state we are in development, they rage quit. I am not advocating for secrecy of course, but there are release notes that tell it all as well and again they should announce economy changes asap which I am sure they will. So give them a break. They are working hard for us. And thank you @DarkStarr. We are just thinking about things and I'm sure it will be ok. I don't care about the rewards part or any of that, just that the releases are done smooth as possible.

Playing a game in development is not always fun. Look would you have wanted to play the game in some of these times. Sometimes you had no weapon, combat or anything. Well yes some enjoy the journey, others just want everything to work right now. I have been here since 2013 and yes at times it has been very frustrating working with things that are bare bones sometimes.

What is important about QA is that we make sure the game is playable before the release happens. Now if every single backer no matter what pledge level is on QA, how is that going to work? Will it help? Well I guess we shall see and believe me this is nothing against anyone new I am just thinking out loud. I love that you are here with us. I am never asking for extra rewards for testing this game or for doing anything for this game. I just want a great game.

Here are a couple of early pictures that were opportunities that were given us to have patience and bug report. Although the Woman flexing was to me an OMG can we get better looking characters please, please, please, and believe me that did take some time. And luckily more work will be coming on our characters later because we need better run animations on the female.

One friend says to remind developers to take the stick out of the female running and you know where from lol. Ok I am off track sorry.

 

Well, i do hope that this "selected few" group still exist and not get throwed away into the void...

Opening QA to all (as many many games already do BTW) is just another form of expanding QA on game overall (given reports are being done accurately).

I do get the concern here: the loss of exclusivity.
And if this is the case, then i'll reinstante my vote and say no to this as well.

BTW, don't forget asset bundles. This was a promise. Long overdue now.

 

Fair point. I'm not interested in arguing semantics or the decision to change it - I don't mind one thing being true one day and changing a future day.

I'm just sharing that for me the QA server and early patch notes was much anticipated and will be missed.

My comments were more directed at people who argue that it's not in the pledge description. It was an accepted part of the pledge and equivalent bundle which has been changed. And change is okay, for me personally I will just miss that part of the experience.

 

I'm happy to potentially have more people testing.

 

Honestly @DarkStarr i'm not angry, a little sad about it really. I do agree that opening QA to more people will hopefully result in more QA builds and bugs found/fixed, provided there aren't too many duplicate bugs submitted, nor the devteam being overwhelmed by the new amount. That being said, I worry what Dev+ will really mean now. I know Berek said it will continue to be our forum group access, but what does that truly mean anymore? It's not like us asking for in game items in exchange would be a fair ask. You asked for ideas, but really what can we say? The communication with the dev team in the Dev+ forum area has gotten to be less and less over time than it has been in the general forums, the asset packs have been forgotten, and it became pretty much exclusively an area to discuss current QA builds and bugs. We're really at a loss as to what this will really mean for us at this point.

 

Please explain how you figure you're being "punished"? Nothing has been taken away from you. It never made any particular sense in the first place for the people you want to provide feedback to have no credentials other than they spent a requisite sum of money to support the game.

Not to diminish the people that have spent hours and hours testing and hunting down bugs. As far as I'm concerned they're the real heroes here and honestly the only ones with ANY business in Dev+.

 

lol well it means you probably have a tax free deed and others still cannot get those assets that they may allow backers to do something with some day Sorry had to laugh and I am Dev+ not for the assets tho. So I would say if anyone pledged or got to that level of pledge or bundle they still have their stuff

 

Yes my friend it was and is in the description of bundles as well Usually costing $400 or more to get to.

 

If you want them to have credentials, then hire them with credentials.

 

Yikes you are testing my brain. I had to look that up. Well done!!!
me·a cul·pa
ˌmāə ˈko͝olpə/
noun

1. an acknowledgment of one's fault or error.
   "“Well, whose fault was that?” “Mea culpa!” Frank said"

 

@Berek btw, where is my posting about the asset packs here? I quoted @DarkStarr about it and now it seems it got unadvertely deleted... why was that? This also has to do with the value associated on our Dev+ pledges btw and i seriously hope i am not just getting censored because i asked valid question - this would be kind of unnaceptable attitude, especially from you guys, of who i have the utmost respect and put my trust a long ago and keep trusting until now and helping as much as i can. Thanks.

 

Well if it will be better for you with more people on the QA server then that is what matters. So let us carry on from here. and thank you as always for how considerate and caring of us you are.

 

I see how it could be taken that way. It was supposed to go more along the lines that they were no better than anyone else, so why was it limited to just them? Seems like you shoot yourself in the foot, knee, possibly nail ol' mr winky if your aim is real bad, etc. if you limit the people that actually want to QA lol. @DarkStarr mentioned it above that we'll have more testers this way as now anyone that wants to will be able to, and if you sit and think about it that really makes WAY more sense than having this *imagined* elitist group.

 

You have my support and that of the 3 dev+ accounts I hold.

 

Exactly. A more thoroughly tested game is in all our interests, as is ensuring that some players do not gain an unanticipated advantage through early access to information and/or testing. These things are far more important than the loss of an advantage that was never promised in the first place. I support the change.

 

I support this change as well.

 

Fully support this. Features aimed at low to mid level avatars would benefit from early feedback from people who actually have low to mid level avatars as their primary character. Fresh sets of eyes & new perspectives won't hurt

 

I support *this* change.

What I cannot support is the *other change*, ie, the 10x change which caused the whole kerfuffle in the first place. Delay the 10x change, reduce the 10x change or implement any of the other suggestions people already made - ex - add a new ingredient. If it's full steam ahead despite the BS that has occurred as a result, then I don't know what to make of that decision. :-(