When will Test go F2P?

Magic Wand · 11-14-2011, 05:21 PM

Will the Test Server go F2P like the Live servers?

Catria · 11-14-2011, 06:19 PM

I haven't heard anything official on this one, but I would have to assume that it will.

Mermut · 11-14-2011, 06:24 PM

I would actually guess that it wouldn't... since the point of test server is to test content that is on the way and new players who are coming in to try things out would likely get frustrated by the inevitables and issues that are part of the test server.

Greenmist · 11-14-2011, 07:03 PM

Ought to offer gold status for free to anyone on test who meets a certain quota of meaningful /feedback and /bug reports. Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy. Bam, there's your QA team.

Finora · 11-14-2011, 08:19 PM

Greenmist@Permafrost wrote:

Ought to offer gold status for free to anyone on test who meets a certain quota of meaningful /feedback and /bug reports. Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy. Bam, there's your QA team.

If they wiped the current Test server, I can guarentee they would lose what was left of their core testing people. I know I'd never log onto test again.

feldon30 · 11-15-2011, 05:26 AM

Greenmist@Permafrost wrote:

Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy.

Which shows how much misinformation there is out there about the Test server. Test doesn't get wiped -- it is a permanent community who we can thank for reporting thousands of bugs in EQ2 over the last ~5 years.

Catria · 11-15-2011, 03:47 PM

feldon30 wrote:

Greenmist@Permafrost wrote:
Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy.
Which shows how much misinformation there is out there about the Test server. Test doesn't get wiped -- it is a permanent community who we can thank for reporting thousands of bugs in EQ2 over the last ~5 years.

Exactly - which is also why I think it will go F2P just like all the others. How in the world would they be able to test anything if it wasn't set up EXACTLY as the live servers are/will be?

Valdaglerion · 11-15-2011, 04:09 PM

I can more over see the possibility of just merging test with another server and having a real test server that does get wiped and rebuilt, much like Test Copy.

Then run Test Copy much like Beta with only the pieces exposed which need new testing, auto run copy character scripts twice a day while testing is being done. Wipe the test server and reboot when material is finalized for live.

Motivation to play there - create a Fools Gold Coin currency and a special merchant npc to take it. As you report bugs, provide feedback and spend time playing content on the test server you are awarded Fools Gold Currency to spend on things for your real toons. Maybe housing items, titles, appaearance gear with special effects, high end rewards might be free special appearance mounts or free prestige housing.

Just a suggestion- take it for what its worth but in my development world there is no such thing as a permanent testing environment. Its load variables, test, rebuild test environment based on final approved build for next features testing.

Whilhelmina · 11-15-2011, 05:08 PM

It would be possible... apart from the fact that with each GU, some stuff totally unrelated to the GU break down. Playing a day to day playing life allows us to catch those side bugs. For example, some years ago, a patch (the one that introduced Bristlebane iirc) broke half of Kunzar Jungle which became a big black void. The bug was catched because some regular players were trying to do their T8 writs there and fell into nothingness. Nothing at all in the GU was related to Kunzar so a regular Test_Copy player would probably never have travelled to the zone.

Another example could be the GU61. I had a level 60ish brigand on Test and decided to check the whole KoS questlines for bugs in the rewards (and found tons). I would never have spent hours testing those questlines if there was no gain for me (aka : levelling one of my toons and gaining Dreadnever faction). If it was a temporary server like Test_Copy, I would probably have done the newbies quest only.

Having a permanent server allows to test day to day character life and levelling.

Valdaglerion · 11-15-2011, 07:12 PM

Whilhelmina@Storms wrote:

It would be possible... apart from the fact that with each GU, some stuff totally unrelated to the GU break down. Playing a day to day playing life allows us to catch those side bugs. For example, some years ago, a patch (the one that introduced Bristlebane iirc) broke half of Kunzar Jungle which became a big black void. The bug was catched because some regular players were trying to do their T8 writs there and fell into nothingness. Nothing at all in the GU was related to Kunzar so a regular Test_Copy player would probably never have travelled to the zone.
Another example could be the GU61. I had a level 60ish brigand on Test and decided to check the whole KoS questlines for bugs in the rewards (and found tons). I would never have spent hours testing those questlines if there was no gain for me (aka : levelling one of my toons and gaining Dreadnever faction). If it was a temporary server like Test_Copy, I would probably have done the newbies quest only.
Having a permanent server allows to test day to day character life and levelling.

Valid points.

Thanks for the insight, this gives me some additional information on another contemplation of mine.

11-14-2011, 06:24 PM	#3
Mermut Loremaster Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 852	I would actually guess that it wouldn't... since the point of test server is to test content that is on the way and new players who are coming in to try things out would likely get frustrated by the inevitables and issues that are part of the test server. __________________ I'm willing to suspend my disbelief, But not hang it by the neck until dead.

11-14-2011, 08:19 PM	#5
Finora Tester Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,423	Greenmist@Permafrost wrote: Ought to offer gold status for free to anyone on test who meets a certain quota of meaningful /feedback and /bug reports. Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy. Bam, there's your QA team. If they wiped the current Test server, I can guarentee they would lose what was left of their core testing people. I know I'd never log onto test again. __________________ Lady Finora Mystic of Prism Everfrost(Grobb) Finora of Valiant Knights Test Server

11-15-2011, 05:26 AM	#6
feldon30 Fansite Staff Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5,424	Greenmist@Permafrost wrote: Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy. Which shows how much misinformation there is out there about the Test server. Test doesn't get wiped -- it is a permanent community who we can thank for reporting thousands of bugs in EQ2 over the last ~5 years. __________________ .. EQ2Wire.com \| EQ2U - Character, Item, Spell, and Guild Data

11-15-2011, 03:47 PM	#7
Catria Loremaster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 802	feldon30 wrote: Greenmist@Permafrost wrote: Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy. Which shows how much misinformation there is out there about the Test server. Test doesn't get wiped -- it is a permanent community who we can thank for reporting thousands of bugs in EQ2 over the last ~5 years. Exactly - which is also why I think it will go F2P just like all the others. How in the world would they be able to test anything if it wasn't set up EXACTLY as the live servers are/will be?

11-15-2011, 05:08 PM	#9
Whilhelmina Server: Storms Guild: Les Furies d Innoruuk Rank: Matriarches Tester Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: France (Storms) Posts: 3,161	It would be possible... apart from the fact that with each GU, some stuff totally unrelated to the GU break down. Playing a day to day playing life allows us to catch those side bugs. For example, some years ago, a patch (the one that introduced Bristlebane iirc) broke half of Kunzar Jungle which became a big black void. The bug was catched because some regular players were trying to do their T8 writs there and fell into nothingness. Nothing at all in the GU was related to Kunzar so a regular Test_Copy player would probably never have travelled to the zone. Another example could be the GU61. I had a level 60ish brigand on Test and decided to check the whole KoS questlines for bugs in the rewards (and found tons). I would never have spent hours testing those questlines if there was no gain for me (aka : levelling one of my toons and gaining Dreadnever faction). If it was a temporary server like Test_Copy, I would probably have done the newbies quest only. Having a permanent server allows to test day to day character life and levelling. __________________ French Tradeskill Guide and my houses.

11-14-2011, 05:21 PM	#1
Magic Wand Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 15	Will the Test Server go F2P like the Live servers?

11-14-2011, 06:19 PM	#2
Catria Loremaster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 802	I haven't heard anything official on this one, but I would have to assume that it will.

11-14-2011, 07:03 PM	#4
Greenmist Lord Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 86	Ought to offer gold status for free to anyone on test who meets a certain quota of meaningful /feedback and /bug reports. Wipe characters or whatever every so often so no one gets too cozy. Bam, there's your QA team.

11-15-2011, 04:09 PM	#8
Valdaglerion Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,870	I can more over see the possibility of just merging test with another server and having a real test server that does get wiped and rebuilt, much like Test Copy. Then run Test Copy much like Beta with only the pieces exposed which need new testing, auto run copy character scripts twice a day while testing is being done. Wipe the test server and reboot when material is finalized for live. Motivation to play there - create a Fools Gold Coin currency and a special merchant npc to take it. As you report bugs, provide feedback and spend time playing content on the test server you are awarded Fools Gold Currency to spend on things for your real toons. Maybe housing items, titles, appaearance gear with special effects, high end rewards might be free special appearance mounts or free prestige housing. Just a suggestion- take it for what its worth but in my development world there is no such thing as a permanent testing environment. Its load variables, test, rebuild test environment based on final approved build for next features testing.

11-15-2011, 07:12 PM	#10
Valdaglerion Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,870	Whilhelmina@Storms wrote: It would be possible... apart from the fact that with each GU, some stuff totally unrelated to the GU break down. Playing a day to day playing life allows us to catch those side bugs. For example, some years ago, a patch (the one that introduced Bristlebane iirc) broke half of Kunzar Jungle which became a big black void. The bug was catched because some regular players were trying to do their T8 writs there and fell into nothingness. Nothing at all in the GU was related to Kunzar so a regular Test_Copy player would probably never have travelled to the zone. Another example could be the GU61. I had a level 60ish brigand on Test and decided to check the whole KoS questlines for bugs in the rewards (and found tons). I would never have spent hours testing those questlines if there was no gain for me (aka : levelling one of my toons and gaining Dreadnever faction). If it was a temporary server like Test_Copy, I would probably have done the newbies quest only. Having a permanent server allows to test day to day character life and levelling. Valid points. Thanks for the insight, this gives me some additional information on another contemplation of mine.