BETA Demo Prior To release, for BUG testing (for Pre-orders/selected members only).

[teaboy 11]

Those of us that bought ARMA 2 on release will no doubt remember just how buggy it was. Well to prevent a repeat of this, my suggestion would be to allow those that Pre-order the game or BIS selected community members to be able to download a demo version (not full version for obvious reasons) for beta testing purposes. This would give the dev's a better idea of what bugs if any are priority bugs and what performance issues are on various systems, which in turn will enable the devs to prepare a patch to fix as many of the biggest issues as they possibly can (within reason of course) via a patch on release date.

Now i say either those that pre-order mainly so it helps encourage people to purchase and boost BIS sales. But i say BIS selected community members as an alternative to those that pre-order because the current ARMA 2 Beta tester's are the most experienced (well apart from the devs and inhouse testers off course), plus CIT and Beta testing community is all ready in place and should in my opinion be invited to beta test ARMA 3 just like they have official ARMA 2 patches prior to release. So it makes sense to invite them to beta test as they are willing to do so and know how to report issues etc.

Obviously, not all who have beta tested official patches prior to release should be invited as a lot have not contributed much in regards to reporting issues, such as myself. Not because i and they didn't want too, but in my case because the issues i found were already reported on CIT. So i think BIS should select only those that have contributed the most to the Beta testing of ARMA 2 Patches.

Off course i would love to be one myself, and no doubt everyone else would too. Hell, am Hoping BIS will release a demo version to all community members prior to release to stoke up interest and for the community to report issues prior to release, but this last sentence is just wishful thinking to be honest.

[roberthammer 582]

I really like to test heh - there will be ArmA 3 demo ,but am afraid after full version release

[teaboy 11]

Yeah i know they will be a demo after release just like with arma 2, i just think it would be beneficial for both BIS and the community to take advantage of the already in place beta and CIT community to iron out the priority bugs and performance issues prior to release. After all, the last thing people want is to buy it in time for release only to have a repeat of the issues they had when Arma 2 was released.

[mrcash2009 0]

It would be nice to see more Beta testing before release, with the implementation of physics and other system hit features a good thorough test would work if there were more, but I would imagine they have that worked out and we will get what we get.

Its not as if BIS are the worlds worst support team post release :)

[dotted 0]

for Pre-orders/selected members only

I never understood why limiting the amount of beta testers was a good idea.

[Flash Thunder 10]

Whatever it takes to ensure a Smoother launch and a less buggier game gets my support.

[enad 11]

Yeah i know they will be a demo after release just like with arma 2, i just think it would be beneficial for both BIS and the community to take advantage of the already in place beta and CIT community to iron out the priority bugs and performance issues prior to release. After all, the last thing people want is to buy it in time for release only to have a repeat of the issues they had when Arma 2 was released.

Just sayin, but ArmA 2 had demo before it was released.

[W0lle 1042]

I never understood why limiting the amount of beta testers was a good idea.

Because beta testing in a professional environment is 'slightly' different to beta testing an addon or mod.

I could list the bug report requirements for the last beta test I did but probably I'm not allowed to do so. Even an average bug report some people here would describe as 'wall of text'.

And reports like:

The stupid tank just doesn't work, fix it zomg zomg!!!!!!!!!

just don't work there.

:)

[metalcraze 290]

I wanna be special by playing the game before anyone else

If an experienced professional QA team can do it - why can't I?

[gonk 0]

Because beta testing in a professional environment is 'slightly' different to beta testing an addon or mod.

I could list the bug report requirements for the last beta test I did but probably I'm not allowed to do so. Even an average bug report some people here would describe as 'wall of text'.

And reports like:

The stupid tank just doesn't work, fix it zomg zomg!!!!!!!!!

just don't work there.

:)

maybe .... but OFP demo come out months before the game and was used like a Public Beta.. It was probably used more to gauge what the public liked and did not.... i.e. I remember the paper trees, no coloured smoke, no kneel, etc... All which were fixed or added due to the public feedback..

Plus, you could also turn on better log files that you request to be sent back to help replicate problems. Something that DCS did and seemed ok.

You are always going to get, the grass is the wrong colour.. that doesn’t look like a severed arm... but on the whole I would not discount the idea.

I guess there are 3 main options.... an early demo aka OFP (something we don't see much off any more) or Pre-Order Beta... or nothing... either way I will still be purchasing and promoting BIS products...

thanks

I wanna be special by playing the game before anyone else

If an experienced professional QA team can do it - why can't I?

Depends what makes up the QA team... but I am sure that BIS do not cover every iteration of PC Hardware/Software that is availiable.... could be a little expensive. There are plus and minus for both camps... but a bad way to go is look at IL2-COD... that could of done with a little more Beta testing... and if they wanted some cash flow (as that is what All Companies are here for) this could of benefited from a Pre-order Beta test...

I would guess there would be a some..."I wanna be special by playing the game before anyone else"... but I think the majority would be here to "Help BIS help US"...

Edited May 22, 2011 by gonk

[metalcraze 290]

Do you know how a proper beta-test works?

Not the "yay I got a game 3 days earlier I'm so cool now I'll play it until release yay"

Beta testing is not fun.

Beta testing involves you playing through the same thing (which may as well be a little bit of a mission) again, again, again and again (and again) until you are absolutely sure there are or are no bugs and then you write a lengthy report, adding logs which is different from simply posting "ugh I have a bug" on CIT.

Obviously next to noone will bother to do that.

And then you have a risk of beta getting leaked before the release in contrast to the QA team you can control.

If BIS will want to release a demo before release like with OFP they will do it. No need to make it "for speshul people only" either.

[gonk 0]

Do you know how a proper beta-test works?

yes... do you ?

Public beta's do not operate the same as in-house testing hence the label "public".... you do not release an unprotected beta copy out on the net.. might as well just attach you credit card with it.

Besides a lot of us are already beta testing OAH... BIS release the beta... I have the choice of using it... if it crashes I just email the crash log to Dwarden.... fairly easy on my end... and hopefully useful on BIS's end.

Edited May 22, 2011 by gonk

[gossamersolid 155]

I would like to see some beta testing for arma 3, but I doubt that any of us will get to participate.

If they wanna test, they have 140 employees to do so (and a handfull of forum moderators on the BI forums).

[metalcraze 290]

yes... do you ?

Public beta's do not operate the same as in-house testing hence the label "public"....

"Public beta" is at best to smash the last remaining bugs but in a nutshell it's nothing more than "yay I played the game 2 weeks earlier" like say Darkspore.

Which is nothing but marketing.

And I'm talking about proper betas.

you do not release an unprotected beta copy out on the net..

Me not. What will stop other people (Crysis 2 hurr durr)?

And even if it will come with some raping DRM that they will have to include into the final game to not let money go to waste - since when did that stop crackers?

Besides a lot of us are already beta testing OAH... BIS release the beta... I have the choice of using it... if it crashes I just email the crash log to Dwarden.... fairly easy on my end... and hopefully useful on BIS's end.

Yeah but you see they aren't giving away game files and the game is already released and is playable.

Edited May 22, 2011 by metalcraze

[CarlGustaffa 4]

It doesn't really matter, does it? They are still fixing issues in A2/OA that was reported ages ago. How long did it take until the UH-1H chopper got usable sights for their gunners? It's only fairly recently that I have begun using those choppers actively.

I think they are covered for finding the most severe things, but not so much for doing something about it. Or at least only a portion of it. The rest will be fixed during the lifetime of the game. Guess it's a cost of not going mainstream and huge.

[dotted 0]

Because beta testing in a professional environment is 'slightly' different to beta testing an addon or mod.

I could list the bug report requirements for the last beta test I did but probably I'm not allowed to do so. Even an average bug report some people here would describe as 'wall of text'.

And reports like:

The stupid tank just doesn't work, fix it zomg zomg!!!!!!!!!

just don't work there.

:)

It was mostly related to OP wanting beta access for pre-orders. Which i find entirely silly (unless we talk glorified demos, renamed betas that so many companies seem to do nowadays.)

[silentkiller* 11]

I think is a good idea release the betas and the prewievs of ArmA 3 to all word.

Why? it's simple: a lot of tester, programmer, bug hunter and simply gamer who test the game for a lot of time and in a lot of differents hardware configurations; and it's free too!

And, if that is not enought, you can get more ideas about the way to take in the developement of the game; yes, is not a good idea? is not a win card if you have an idea about what the buyer want?

sorry for my bad english, i'm italian; i hope you can understand what i've written..

[JojoTheSlayer 35]

I dont think a open beta would do the game any favors.

It will be compared to the rail like fps shooters out there anyway and because of that people will expect less bugs than is possible in a sandbox game like this.

A open beta will probably just give it bad press for the none hardcore arma fans.

Extended closed beta, why not.

Wouldnt really care if I got in or not, but I would really like there to be more stress testing etc to the net code for bigger pvp fights and so on.

[chortles 263]

I'd love to try out the thing not so much for "prestige" or getting an edge -- but to get a sense of how I can expect ARMA 3 to run on my system, and therefore whether I'll need an upgrade anytime soon after mid-2012. ;)

Stats: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition, MSI HAWK R5770 1 GB, 4 GB RAM, Windows 7 64-bit, and a HDD; will this run acceptably or not? I have no idea, and would love to find out before buying.

[CameronMcDonald 146]

I will gladly point out neck holes and other insane incompleteness that I detected in ArmA 2, for free. :dj:

[maddogx 13]

As I suggested in the ARG/hack thread, they should give out beta access keys to people who pre-purchase the game on Sprocket. That way they could also lock it down better, for example by requiring the player to authenticate with his Sprocket account before being able to start the game.

Ideally, such a beta should also have a built-in bug reporting feature, allowing the player to instantly report bugs from the pause menu.

[the_antipop 10]

I absolutely agree with this.

Or rather than giving it out to everyone who pre-orders, why not give it to a professional beta testing group, such as combattesting.com?

But I believe this really needs to be done. The reason some of ArmA 2's reviews were say 6 or 7 out of 10 rather than 8 or 9 was due to the bugs. So I suggest this does take place in some form or another.

But the main point is, BIS take your time! No need to rush, no need to put it out there when it's not ready. We're still all enjoying ArmA 2, so please just take your time and make it the best it possibly can be.

[Tonci87 163]

But I believe this really needs to be done. The reason some of ArmA 2's reviews were say 6 or 7 out of 10 rather than 8 or 9 was due to the bugs. So I suggest this does take place in some form or another.

^This

BIS currently has the reputation of releasing really buggy games. BIS really has to avoid a buggy release at all costs to get rid of this reputation!

[maddogx 13]

^This

BIS currently has the reputation of releasing really buggy games. BIS really has to avoid a buggy release at all costs to get rid of this reputation!

Sad but true. Personally, I wouldn't even have called the game Arma3.

[jedra 11]

Not bothered about a public Beta, but it would be good if some of the more active modders and mission builders got a heads-up to give them an opportunity to create some community content. I would also like to see some documentation released early with regard to any scripting/api changes.

Most people just see a public beta as an opportunity to play a game early - I doubt that most of them bother with bug reports. It may be useful for multiplayer if they have changed the net-code (which I hope they will be doing some work on) as there is no test like actually getting real people to connect (simulators and harnesses do a certain amount of work but never really replicate real life situations). The problem here is that if it is bad, then it might put people off buying the game.

Real life Alpha/Beta/Patch testing is boooring! Pages and pages of test scenarios to go through over and over again and so much report feedback to be done it is un-believable. It is definitely not a case of spending all day fraggin' the guy in the cubicle next to you!