Confirmation of FOH being COPIED to Test for High-End Testing

[Eater]

I check here periodicaly and I see the occasional post of people wondering if there is a high-end guild testing content on Test. We have long suspected FoH of being in dialogue with the devs, being the rival guild on the server. I of course found it rather unfair that they got to experience new content first before it came over to Live servers, thus giving them a mild headstart, but we have held our own and it doesnt bother me much, but I thought you all might consider the following as confirmation. Noah (I am sure many of you know who he is, officer and MT of FoH) apprently is the liazon. Oh yea, and while there may be accusations of this being doctored, my source says that upon realizing their security loophole, Noah started changing any posts referencing this, (why I am not sure, I dont believe there are any consequences of this relationship)  Anyhow, I know if Scott sees it he will know his secret is out (if it really is a secret at all) so anyone can think what they want. I guess maybe you could confirm authenticity by finding out of Scott had Jury duty around BLC release <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <img src="http://my.fit.edu/%7Espoole/FOHOfficers.jpg"> <div></div>

[Rocci]

Man, I would hate to be a guild on that server and know what you guys know.  Why doesn't FoH just move to the test servers.  And for all the testing they are doing or whatever are you sure anything is getting done, I mean so many bugs and stuff when the patches go live it is ridicoulous. SoE pls start having some pride in your work, you have a test server for a reason, and if FoH is the guild you want testing all this stuff, at least be considerate of the other guilds on that server and just move FoH to test server, or find a guild that will go to test server and work out the high end raid stuff. Rocci <div></div>

[Daffid011]

Take your drama to the permafrost server board please. <div></div>

[TunaBoo]

Ardent legion had their chars copied too. Seems devs can't test their own content, so they give select guilds insight on how stuff works... not fair at all. <div></div>

[ProteusTielaxi]

<DIV>Not sure why this is news...A number of "uber" guilds in EQLive had devs playing in them. Fires of Heaven, and Triton (Povar) come to mind.</DIV> <DIV>Nothing wrong with this, how else are the devs going to be able to test the appropriate high-end content?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As to any "advantage" that gives them...advantage in what? This is a PvE game, not a competition.</DIV> <DIV>I'd much rather have the high-end content thoroughtly tested by experienced players.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[FamilyManFir]

True or not, so what?I spotted a post here a while back, supposedly from a tester, that stated that individuals can get chars copied if they've proven themselves good testers on the Test server. It's apparently an unofficial policy but there. I'd do it myself except that I'm not willing to put in the time to pay my dues! <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Moorgard, I believe when talking about the Big Combat Changes, explicitly stated that SOE was "bringing over" (copying) entire high-level raiding guilds to test out the changes on raids and high-level content. If FoH was made an offer, good for them; I'd say that that's an indication of a solid, mature, thoughtful, and discreet guild. Seek to emulate them and perhaps your guild will be made an offer.

[Evadne]

You know what?  The Producer of EQ2 is deciding to do what he needs to do to get his product tested.  YAY! This guild has already been on Test.  We welcome their focused, trusted, and skilled testing. The rest of the playerbase should too. Take your petty jealousy to your own message boards. ~Eva <div></div>

[Noah]

<P>Pretty sure this is no huge secret.   As a matter of fact, you can see the FoH tag on us while we are logged into the test server.   Who cares?   If you wanna say we have "inside info" or "leet strats given to us"... lol think what you want.   That is not what testing is all about.  Testing is about going there and doing an encounter like anyone else would to see how things go, so when on a live server things will go smoothly.  Testing w/ RL people and not internal is very important for an MMO.  I'm sorry you didnt get chosen to help in the testing of new content/ balancing/ etc... I/ We do a lot for this game to make it the best we can, wouldn't it be hypocritical of me to say "No, I dont wanna test things and make the game better" while complaining about issues and supporting problems other players bring up?  </P> <P>If you think testing "helps" our success... what does it matter if we killed a mob on test vs a mob on the live server?  Either way we killed it (or didnt kill it)!</P> <P>As far as posting up personal guild information in a public forum, it just shows the character you are (and as officer, the guild you represent).  Rude.  Offensive.  Unrespecting.  </P> <P>Regards,</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[Kwoung]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Eater wrote:<BR>We have long suspected FoH of being in dialogue with the devs, being the rival guild on the server.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>You guys must be pretty clueless if all you ever did was suspect.. it has been public knowledge for years that they do testing for SOE.<BR>

[Eater]

I didnt say you had inside information, I didnt say you had "leet strats given to us", I said you got to experience it first, and learn it prior to it going live, you still have the credit of being good enough to strat a win, you just get to do it before others have a chance. Its good that your willing to test it....it really is....I appreciate it, I just dont understand the -copy- as opposed to -move- I do not think your in a positon to attack my character given the tells my guildmates recieve from you in game, and your constant recruitment drives directly from our membership. <div></div>

[Leostri]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> DemosthenesEQ2 wrote:<BR> <P>Pretty sure this is no huge secret.   As a matter of fact, you can see the FoH tag on us while we are logged into the test server.   Who cares?   If you wanna say we have "inside info" or "leet strats given to us"... lol think what you want.   That is not what testing is all about.  Testing is about going there and doing an encounter like anyone else would to see how things go, so when on a live server things will go smoothly.  Testing w/ RL people and not internal is very important for an MMO.  I'm sorry you didnt get chosen to help in the testing of new content/ balancing/ etc... I/ We do a lot for this game to make it the best we can, wouldn't it be hypocritical of me to say "No, I dont wanna test things and make the game better" while complaining about issues and supporting problems other players bring up?  </P> <P>If you think testing "helps" our success... what does it matter if we killed a mob on test vs a mob on the live server?  Either way we killed it (or didnt kill it)!</P> <P>As far as posting up personal guild information in a public forum, it just shows the character you are (and as officer, the guild you represent).  Rude.  Offensive.  Unrespecting.  </P> <P>Regards,</P> <P> </P> <P> </P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Ok, I just had to say it does make a difference on some things. A huge difference. Lets take the most recent live event as an example. Guild x got copied over to the test server to test it out and make sure things go smoothly. X tests everything, and makes sure it goes fine. When the live event comes out x starts the quest with their characters. They beat everything so quickly and become the first guild to do it on their server because of all the pree testing and win the title for their alchemist 'the apothecary' for being the first on their server. If guild x hadn't tested it they would never have any idea what to do. So guild x got a huge advantage over the rest of the server because of it.</P> <P> </P> <P>Note that all of the above is not probably all correct on how it goes, I personally haven't persued the quest but I know people who have on my server. It's just not fair to those people. You get a huge advantage at the expense of others. I don't mind you getting to test it, but it isn't right that people can still get server firsts for them. If they are going to do that, they need to make it open to everybody.</P>

[Tatali]

My guild in EQLive used to be copied to Test from time to time for "endgame" testing. Devs can test scripts and such but they can't test how 54 people (or 24 in this case) are going to handle those events. Standing in front of a mob and chain death-touching it until another part of event happens is all well and good, but its nothing like having real people beating on it. Likewise, players provide good feedback on things the devs feel are clever on paper but might not work out well in game. Sometimes when an idea isn't working, a few extra minds can offer suggestions on how to improve it to get it working. On the other hand, if an idea works really well and the players like it, its great feedback for the devs. If people REALLY wanted to test content, they would create characters and play on test. If people are jealous about some sort of "unfair advantage" testers get, think about this: they've probably already distinguished themselves as a guild who is capable of taking down the "big mobs" and they need to learn the encounter while testing anyway. I've never seen a dev just hand the players a winning strat, what would the point of the test be then? Its more important for the dev to see the players learn it on their own then just seeing the encounter beat. If we actually beat an encounter we were testing that meant it was far too easy and would be changed. =p <div></div>

[Mystiq]

<P>You make it sound as if we begged the devs to copy our toons onto the test server to get a head start on content. Please get real. We were approached, and we accepted. If your guild had been approached, what would you say? "No, we want to continue our competition with FoH just like we have been, and have no desire to fine tune new content or changes that will affect us soon". Yeah, right. It's no secret, and it's no game breaker.</P> <P>Also, I understand your crew thinks it's hilarious to hack our boards and see what you can dig up. Wonder why you would do this....interested in our secrets? Think you'll uncover some leet info in a lame attempt to level the playing field because you think we cheated? Or was it just to flex your e-muscles, which is I'm sure half the reason you posted that screenshot on these boards in the first place.</P> <P>So let's see, FoH, per the request of a couple of devs, has non-secretly tested content on the test server, and may or may not have some sort of advantage in <EM>optional adventure pack content.</EM> Meanwhile Atrocity feels the need to retaliate against this *gasp* gross injustice by hacking our forums and planting their flag. </P> <P>Really, who's the bad guy here?</P>

[Faarwolf]

<P>You know, I like to stay out of guild drama, but this is lame.</P> <P>Hacking someone else's stuff is lame.</P> <P>Regardless of reason.</P>

[Gallenite]

<DIV>Agreeing with Faarwolf, but adding one more after the lock.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Yep.  We've had a few occasions so far to ask a few guilds to help us out on Test with specific, targetted raid testing.  The Adv pack was one of those times, and FoH was indeed one of those guilds.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There's no secret to it.  When we do this, the people we've copied are plainly visible on test with their guild tags intact.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There's not yet been a disturbance reported, and the only thing that's really happened is that the content was in a lot better shape, both functionally and in terms of the challenge, when it hit live servers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hope that helps,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>- Scott</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>