Test Server - *FREE PLAY - NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE*

[zorbdan]

<DIV>I think the title says it all, and I can't wait for your responses :manwink:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Test server free if you have the game loaded on your computer. Something similar to the trial of isle set up, but allowing trial of the isle PLUS test server play.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>SOE doesn't want to spend the man hours/ money on testing why not have hundreds of thousands of people test it for you for free. If nothing else all the people who have quit might come back to test for you. You're not getting thier money either way so why not get them to work for you for free ? </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I know sony doesn't want to give up having people pay to test but really this is a good idea.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>EQ2 subscriptions might even reach 3 million like some other mmo's we know :smileyvery-happy:</DIV> <P>Message Edited by zorbdan on <SPAN class=date_text>11-03-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>03:20 PM</SPAN> <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN>  <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN>  <P><SPAN class=time_text></SPAN>  <P><SPAN class=time_text><STRONG><FONT color=#ffcc00>Edit: Please don't post thread titles in caps.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by Moorgard on <span class=date_text>11-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:35 PM</span>

[AbsentmindedMage]

<span><blockquote><hr>zorbdan wrote:<div>I think the title says it all, and I can't wait for your responses :manwink:</div> <div> </div> <div>Test server free if you have the game loaded on your computer. Something similar to the trial of isle set up, but allowing trial of the isle PLUS test server play.</div> <div> </div> <div>SOE doesn't want to spend the man hours/ money on testing why not have hundreds of thousands of people test it for you for free. If nothing else all the people who have quit might come back to test for you. You're not getting thier money either way so why not get them to work for you for free ? </div> <div> </div> <div>I know sony doesn't want to give up having people pay to test but really this is a good idea.</div> <div> </div> <div>EQ2 subscriptions might even reach 3 million like some other mmo's we know :smileyvery-happy:</div><hr></blockquote>All I can say is this is a very very very bad idea.  So, you want people who have no real invested interest in the game coming in and PLAYING on test.  I emphasize playing here because that will be what they will do.  It would be a free game to them.  They would not be testing it.  And those that might have an interest in actually testing would be forced to compete with the limited number of connections available to the test server.  Heck, why should I be paying 15 dollars a month to play the game on the live server when I could play the same game on test for free.  And on test, I would get things faster than those actually paying for them.</span><div></div>

[zorbdan]

<P>In order to qualify for free play you are required to submit x number of bug reports, feedbacks, etc ... per month or week or day etc. </P> <P>Maybe an application process similar to the guide process in eq 1 or something. There are ways to keep it from becoming something negative.</P> <P>They are providing thier service as testers and as payment they get to play for free. </P> <P>Or SOE can just continue to get us to PAY THEM to test thier game .</P> <P>What would you rather have a game that has 100,000 testers getting paid 14.95 a month to test with 3 million subscribers paying 14.95 to play.</P> <P>Or a game with 100,000 subscribers paying 14.95 to test the game ?</P> <P> </P> <p>Message Edited by zorbdan on <span class=date_text>11-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>03:13 PM</span>

[Snedd]

<DIV>For a "getting the kinks out of the classes"  kind of balancing I think this would be ideal:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1)   Limit the free "test server"  to be non-named mobs, no loot drops.  (I think those are usually easily fixed anyway on Live servers)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2)   Devs can see how things are progressing by thier logs,   not neccesarily by the feedback of the "free players"  (but take the paying players that provide feedback as worth more)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>3)   Allow only certain zones to be accessible to give a good testing base -  for example,  outdoor only zones and no sub-zones of those. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I think this should be done everytime theres balancing issues that need to be addressed limit the server to say  1800 players </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=6>However.....</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What I think would allow a great testing base, would be to have the option to character copy from live servers to the test server - If I could take some characters from my main account to the test server without having to start over with the level grind,  I'd be more interested in playing occasionally on test.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>HellHath ....  52 Fury Unrest</DIV> <DIV>Prukk ....  29 Assassain Unrest</DIV> <DIV>and too many other alts...</DIV>

[zorbdan]

They need to do something on the testing end, cause what they are doing now is NOT working.

[Greyto]

<P>I do not think this would be fair to those people already playing on test. Suddenly being overrun with people who have nothing to lose and no real interest in how EQ2 develops would not be fair to those folks who have provided valuable feedback (regardless of if they were listened to or not).</P> <P>Posted a while back was an idea to have a second server for test that would let people copy their characters over so we could get more high level feedback. </P> <P>That idea would at least get people who have a vested interest in the game on test and also get more feed back in the areas that seem to have the most bugs.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[zorbdan]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Greytoon wrote:<BR> <P>I do not think this would be fair to those people already playing on test. Suddenly being overrun with people who have nothing to lose and no real interest in how EQ2 develops would not be fair to those folks who have provided valuable feedback (regardless of if they were listened to or not).</P> <P>Posted a while back was an idea to have a second server for test that would let people copy their characters over so we could get more high level feedback. </P> <P>That idea would at least get people who have a vested interest in the game on test and also get more feed back in the areas that seem to have the most bugs.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Why do you post without reading the thread ? ok now try to read this  ...........</P> <P>Make it an application process just like a job interview, require bug reports and feedbacks in order to maintain your ''free'' status . </P> <P>Also I'd like to point out people playing on test currently have nothing to lose, SOE can rollback all those characters to lvl 1 at any time and strip them of all gear whenever they want.</P> <P>Test is not a live server I can't understand why people think it is.</P>

[Greyto]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> zorbdan wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Greytoon wrote:<BR> <P>I do not think this would be fair to those people already playing on test. Suddenly being overrun with people who have nothing to lose and no real interest in how EQ2 develops would not be fair to those folks who have provided valuable feedback (regardless of if they were listened to or not).</P> <P>Posted a while back was an idea to have a second server for test that would let people copy their characters over so we could get more high level feedback. </P> <P>That idea would at least get people who have a vested interest in the game on test and also get more feed back in the areas that seem to have the most bugs.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Why do you post without reading the thread ? ok now try to read this  ...........</P> <P>Make it an application process just like a job interview, require bug reports and feedbacks in order to maintain your ''free'' status . </P> <P>Also I'd like to point out people playing on test currently have nothing to lose, SOE can rollback all those characters to lvl 1 at any time and strip them of all gear whenever they want.</P> <P>Test is not a live server I can't understand why people think it is.</P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>LOL wow.... Sorry man I did read what you posted and as I said before it is a BAD  idea.</P> <P>having people who HAVE to report bugs and feedback will just generate a lot on minutia that will take time from the developers looking at feedback from people who REALLY are reporting bugs and giving REAL feedback.</P> <P>Sorry but ya needed to let this idea roll around just a bit longer before ya actually went and posted it for the world to see, because when I say it is a bad idea, I am thinking something else <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P>

[beylanu]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> zorbdan wrote:<BR><BR> <P>Make it an application process just like a job interview, require bug reports and feedbacks in order to maintain your ''free'' status .</P> <P><FONT color=#ffcc00>And people won't lie to play for free?</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#ffcc00>bug reports and feedback...easily faked by anyone wanting a free ride.  how do you rate the quality of bug reports and feedback?  Again, people can just submit anything as a bug to pass a simple quota count.  if bugs and feedback have to be rated as "quality or accurate" in order to count, how many folks are you going to hire to read and examine and "judge" the enormous amount of reports you will get.</FONT></P> <P>Also I'd like to point out people playing on test currently have nothing to lose, SOE can rollback all those characters to lvl 1 at any time and strip them of all gear whenever they want.</P> <P><FONT color=#ffcc00>huh? are you [Removed for Content] serious?  do you even play on test?  if you do, what is your toon's name? Test players have more to lose than live players can possibly imagine.  The test community is one of the best I've ever experienced.  Here is a snippet of the Test Server FAQ.</FONT> </P> <P></P><FONT color=#ffff99><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT><STRONG>Do you plan to periodically wipe existing Test characters?</STRONG></FONT> <DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#ffcc00>No, we won't wipe Test characters.</FONT></STRONG> We know that our testers care about their characters and want to see them advance. Playing on Test does not mean your characters are temporary. If a change we introduce on the Test server causes something extremely bad to happen, we will restore characters to an earlier save point rather than delete them.</DIV> <P></P><FONT color=#ffcc00>You can find the FAQ at this URL:</FONT> <P><A href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=testfeed&message.id=23120" target=_blank><FONT color=#ffcc00>http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=testfeed&message.id=23120</FONT></A></P> <P>Test is not a live server I can't understand why people think it is.</P> <FONT color=#ffcc00>Not entirely sure what this statement is supposed to mean.  But methinks it is you who don't understand what test server is.</FONT><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <p>Message Edited by beylanu on <span class=date_text>11-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:10 PM</span>

[Prieston]

<P>__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____</P> <P>Why do you post without reading the thread ? ok now try to read this  ...........</P> <P>Make it an application process just like a job interview, require bug reports and feedbacks in order to maintain your ''free'' status .</P> <P>Also I'd like to point out people playing on test currently have nothing to lose, SOE can rollback all those characters to lvl 1 at any time and strip them of all gear whenever they want.</P> <P>Test is not a live server I can't understand why people think it is.</P> <P></P> <DIV>~Paying to beta test since Nov. 04`</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You are wrong. Sony is trying to make a live server environment to test in. They most likely will never wipe the server and make people start over unless there is some hideous bug introduced. This has to be the absolute most rediculous thing I've ever heard. Yeah let's allow people to play the game for free. No, most people will not test the game and you can't honestly believe people will actually join test to "test" the game. Your application procedure is worthless. I can submit a bunch of bug reports just for the heck of it so I can keep playing. There is no point in having 3 million subscribers if the majority of them are playing for free, lol.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's not that the test server is not working as is, it's that the devs make priorities based on the severity of the problem and their resources. Almost every bug in this game has been reported by someone on the test server. I haven't seen one bug yet that hasn't been reported at some point. Having more people reporting those bugs is not going to speed up the process of fixing them. There is always a limit of resources and priorities have to be made in what is fixed when. I'm sorry but the idea of a free test server has got to be the worst move from a business perspective that I've heard yet.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>EQ2 will never reach the same population as WoW. It just does not market well to the population that WoW attracts and doesn't have the name recognition that Blizzard and Warcraft series has. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Prieston on <span class=date_text>11-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:09 PM</span>