Testing Incentives Program

I was under the impression that everyone was getting access to QA very, very soon...not just Dev+ - that's the only way an incentive system could be fairly applied. I mean it's still being sold as "Dev+" access as part of Bundles, but surely that's easy enough to adjust.

V/R Brickbat

 

If this were true, I'd have no problem! And at least two ant farms lol!

 

The incentive program is applied to everyone, but only dev+ is on the QA server (at this time). To say it is unfair to get a few minor decorative objects above a certain pledge level/bundle (dev+) is similar to saying it is unfair to give more rewards to an Edelmann than a Citizen just because the Edelmann has more money.

It would be unfair if they did something like, testing on the QA server gives you +10 str on the Live server.

 

Perhaps what might be unfair is the 'product' we bug testers are giving is equal with each others (at best), to Port. To be given that 'privilege' (of better incentives), gotta pay up. As far as I've seen, the amount of players with pledges high enough for the QA access are often running around still with 200 to 300hp 3 weeks after wipe.. maybe they decorate like noones business (!), but my combat testing and experience far outweighs the decorators usefulness to the games bug ecosystem.

 

Combat is only a part, although a very important part, of the game. The 'deco' stuff is also something that needs testing too. Not that I do that either.

 

We don't need to open up Dev+ to everyone, we just need to open up QA server access to everyone and have some way for everyone to report QA server bugs. The goal of all this is to satisfy "a critical need for testing on the QA Server right before a monthly Release goes live" - if that's truly the goal (i.e. the goal is not to get people to upgrade pledges in order to get unique items) then the obvious solution is to allow more people QA server access in this crucial week.

 

Has this incentive program officially started?
How is progress tracked?
I've been trying to find more information about what is needed but everything seems a bit vague, can someone link me to something that explains in more detail how this works?

 

Yes. When r34 QA launched DarkStarr said the incentive program had also launched.
Although no such official post with a "so stay tuned for an official “go!” announcement" as was promised has been made...
@Berek
@DarkStarr

As far as we know its not. The only metric that is tracked is the 4h on the QA server.
The rest is good old fashioned bribery of the QA people, or ehr, I mean - bug reports in the official bug reports/feedback pages and a hope to get recognized.

The only thing we've got so far was this:
https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/?p=63149
which is the same info as the OP.

 

Alright, thanks, thats about what I was able to find out as well nosing around the forums just wasn't sure if I'd missed something!

 

So just some feedback here - Im having a difficult time participating. While about 6 months ago I had tons of free time for SotA, lately I have had little. Its very hard for me to pay attention to the forum, so forgive me if Ive actually even asked this already and someone replied, and I forgot . Where can I download the QA server client?! I know I figured it out about a week ago, as I found the windows QA server patcher someplace, but I cant seem to find it again (Im trying to QA for linux now).

On top of it, it seemed to take a very long time to patch vs steam client (which I normally use), which may have just been a temporary issue, but I recall I coulnt get on the QA server the same day I downloaded the patcher. Then Im facing most of the same issues everyone else is, mainly not knowing what is new and what isnt, so I dont know exactly what to test out, other than the fact that the game client doesnt CTD. So the hour or so that I QA'd for windows was just like, running around and attacking mobs with no real purpose other than to go "yeap, my glyphs still work. yep I can still cut down a tree." Anyway, it seems like finding the client and getting started should be easier.

Searching for "QA Server Client" returned some potential threads, but none of them had any download links. I couldnt find it in any of the pages in the dropdown menu of the shroudoftheavatar.com site. Its not on this page and I dont think I saw it in this thread. I dont see it in the "Release 34 Dev+" forum, and I kind of expected the "Server Status" section of the main site to include links to the respective clients. My account page just links me to the default client.

Can you make download links to the clients more obvious? How do people find the QA server link? Im usually great with computers I swear!!! This seems to hard to me. I had an hour to devote to it just now, but spent the whole time looking for the software to download.

 

link to a deb is in the first post and, if your distro doesn't do debs, a zip file with the patcher is linked in the third post.

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/r34-dev-qa-build-is-up.62858/

 

TY Sir, my forum search skills are terrible. I must have clicked into all the Dev+ subforums except that one. I normally only view this forum from the "New Posts" perspective and often forget the hierarchy of subforums.

 

is there anyway to tell if we qualified for the 4hr thing from the R34QA? I was in a few times but did not really time myself.

Have the awards gone out?

 

I would be just happy if devs read all bugs I submit at QA (and did something about them) instead of wanting me to report them again at live...and then next release.

The best incentive for bug reporting is seeing Attenwood to reply to my thread with simple "bug submitted"

 

@DarkStarr did say that our testing would count, but I have not seen any update since. I put in about 5-6 hours and submitted several bugs on QA.

 

I'm pretty sure I put in a good 8 hours in at least on the QA server. So far, nothing.

 

The real reward for me is if they fix the bugs. Like this one that makes me very sad (and I suspect will be broken for a long time ).

 

I too put 4.5 hours of testing in and submitted one bug.

 

I am just having fun and trying out everything TBH. It is a terrific release in so many ways.

 

I'll get you guys an update on the incentives tomorrow!