Debate on testing of deltas

[LOVWYRM]

Tako, you missunderstod something:

A herald`s primarily responsibility is
to do EVERYTHING to make EVERYONE happy...

*flys away as fast as she can^^*

[StalePopcorn]

Takora - lol, we all have those days!

How many Heralds are there? Regardless, "many hands make light work" - the more people actively testing, the more coverage you could concievably get across any changes that are put out. Sometimes, this isn't such a good thing as you can get a flood of information which makes it tough for devs to follow up on and confirm. But, if it helps generate a better product, then it's all gravy!

[awdz]

i thought there was just one herald for each shard, who put out monthly *cough* reports chronicaling activities of the shard. the emissaries are the ones who would make light work of the testing. i have no idea how many emissaries there are.

[Takora Drakan]

Takora - lol, we all have those days!

How many Heralds are there?

Three, for Chaos - Flatspin (Justa Mirage), for Blight GalCamder and for Order is me.

EDIT: If you meant Emissaries, there are two I know, Oakleaf and Deth. Those are Emissaries.

And you are right StalePopcorn, the more, the better. The Devs have simple not the time to find all bugs. It is like reading your own story, you can't simply find all typos and errors even how hard you try.

It is in the hand of the players to give much feedback as possible that the Devs can iron out the bugs.

[CallakDW]

It is in the hand of the players to give much feedback as possible that the Devs can iron out the bugs.

I just have one problem with this:

How best can I put this?.... I suppose there are players out there that don't have homework or a paying job to do when they aren't playing HZ for FUN on their free time. I also suppose that there are players out there that consider bug testing fun. That said, I think they are probably few and far between.

I am one of those people that am currently going to school. I used to work, but not now. I don't find spending my time while paying for the game looking for bugs as fun, I idd enough of that at my last job to keep me satisfied, if I'm expected as a player to do this, mabe I should have a reduced cost account or VI should be paying ME. I allready play more HZ than I should. When I do play HZ, I expect it to be bug free, and I don't expect the players to be the primary bug testers. It is my opinion that since I'm paying Vitrium instead of the players for their time to make sure that the game is bug free, it is their responsibility to make sure it gets done. That means if they have to hire special people to do the job, then they should do so. I'm curious, does Vitrium have any dedicated payed bug testers outside of their primary developers?

I know that this makes me sound a bit uncaring, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes players should report things that are missed, but I dont' feel they should be relied apon for primary bug testing. I think most people that signed up for HZ just want to play a good game, without having bugs ruin their emersion, since that is what they are paying for.

[MarshDog]

As far as I know GalC is the Harold not the Emissary that would be me.
And I know my mindset on Blight is not looking for bugs I prefer to see it as testing new and fun things. Same way on crafting its not just grinding to grind lvls but its making what neat stuff I can till I can make more neater stuff, I guess its just how you look at things to keep your own outlook positive in what your doing.

[CallakDW]

And I know my mindset on Blight is not looking for bugs.

What I feel is needed are people that are payed to keep that mindset. If you aren't looking for them, you may or may not find them, because you are more interested in enjoying the game than finding problems with it. This is understandable, you aren't payed for it.

You aren't likely to try somthing wierd on purpose to find a bug like go through a portal (or was it recall?) while transforming to kutit with a dragon to see if it screws up the game. Btw I did this once a long time ago, try it some time, if it still does what it did back then, it will seperate your camera from your charactor and you will have to relog to get them attached again.

[LOVWYRM]

Oh Callak, you may not know some things:
Someone may explain to you what the blight server is for.

And there are a lot of players here, who love the game and play it with passion, who do not mind to spent some min to report a bug when found (or even test things).

I appreciate that much, and am very grateful to those players who do so.

Furthermore is dislike the thinking, that other instances are responsible, and I have to care for nothing, as long as I pay (vote) them.
This is one of the reasons, why politicians often do, what we do not want them to do, though we voted them.
I`d rather spent some time and get my world going, instead of being administered.

Our system, assisting the devs as good as we can, is tradition here and part of the magic and success of this game.

And pls remember: VI is not Sony. Where shall the money come from to pay professional testers?
This suggestion is quite blue- eyed in my (blue^^) eyes.

[Justa Mirage]

O.o I thought I was just Jimmy Olsen trying to get a news scoop or two o.O

Yes, they separated the heralds from the emissaries duties as it was too much for a player to report on game problems and at the same time, do a monthly report.

I use the in-game banter and discussions, events as they are patched and weave a story for my shard to read. I once in a while dabble in making a bug report or two if possible, and put my nose in blight once in a while to see what changes are coming so I can prepare my next report when it does come live.

[Takora Drakan]

I just have one problem with this:

How best can I put this?.... I suppose there are players out there that don't have homework or a paying job to do when they aren't playing HZ for FUN on their free time. I also suppose that there are players out there that consider bug testing fun. That said, I think they are probably few and far between.

I am one of those people that am currently going to school. I used to work, but not now. I don't find spending my time while paying for the game looking for bugs as fun, I idd enough of that at my last job to keep me satisfied, if I'm expected as a player to do this, mabe I should have a reduced cost account or VI should be paying ME. I allready play more HZ than I should. When I do play HZ, I expect it to be bug free, and I don't expect the players to be the primary bug testers. It is my opinion that since I'm paying Vitrium instead of the players for their time to make sure that the game is bug free, it is their responsibility to make sure it gets done. That means if they have to hire special people to do the job, then they should do so. I'm curious, does Vitrium have any dedicated payed bug testers outside of their primary developers?

I know that this makes me sound a bit uncaring, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Yes players should report things that are missed, but I dont' feel they should be relied apon for primary bug testing. I think most people that signed up for HZ just want to play a good game, without having bugs ruin their emersion, since that is what they are paying for.

Dear Callak, I also have a job and better things to do to go to Blight and find bugs. Noone stands behind you and shots you if you don't do so. I respect very much the Blight people because of their great work they do to enhanche the game with finding the bugs.

Yes, it is not your job to find the bugs. But THIS game (yes ISTARIA, not WoW, Vanguard or game XYZBBQSPAGHETTIMONSTER) relys very much on the player base, without it the game would very much dead now. If you dont want to test the new content, up to you. But don't say such things like VI should pay you. That is simply ridicioulus. If you find a bug and care to report it, that is cool. Every other game has bugs, and it was always so that players reported them to the devs if they found them. Because they CARE for the game. If you don't, your stuff, not mine.

[StalePopcorn]

Callak - yes I agree completely. People play for different reasons. I spent about 4 months at the start of the year with a maximum of about 30 minutes play per week. Ohhhh the agony... I certainly didn't want to spend time then looking for needles in a Blight-haystack! Additionally for some people I imagine that looking for issues on Blight isn't a) fun b) interesting or c) worthwhile. But for some others, they get a kick out of it. More power to them I say!

The purpose of this thread (Chasing - chime in if I'm incorrect) was to find out if the players could help out with testing on Blight prior to release to production on Chaos/Order. Blight is the "official" beta test shard, and players on Blight have to "expect the unexpected". There is a warning on the sign-in page to that effect, but in summary Blight says: "abandon all hope ye who enter" blah blah blah

If you play Blight, however, there is zero requirement to bug-test the application. Lots of people just jump on to have a look at new content before it comes out. But in doing this, they are also helping test, even if they don't know it. However, for non-Virtrium/paid testers, is there some way we can help and be aware of the details of any changes on Blight? That way, *if* people feel so inclined, they can assist with the new content and help make Istaria a better place for all.

That's my two cents worth, no harm no foul - what do you folks think?

[CallakDW]

Oh Callak, you may not know some things:
Someone may explain to you what the blight server is for.

And there are a lot of players here, who love the game and play it with passion, who do not mind to spent some min to report a bug when found (or even test things).

I love the game and play it with passion indeed don't get me wrong! But I don't want to bug test, and I don't want to encounter bugs. I report enough of them that I find on Order allready.

I appreciate that much, and am very grateful to those players who do so.

And I'm glad there are players that wish to do this, but I don't feel they should be completely relied apon.

Furthermore is dislike the thinking, that other instances are responsible, and I have to care for nothing, as long as I pay (vote) them.
This is one of the reasons, why politicians often do, what we do not want them to do, though we voted them.
I`d rather spent some time and get my world going, instead of being administered.

I am paying to enjoy the game, not work on it. That is supposed to be VI's job. That is how I see it, I dont see where politicians or voting comes into this.

Our system, assisting the devs as good as we can, is tradition here and part of the magic and success of this game.

And pls remember: VI is not Sony. Where shall the money come from to pay professional testers?
This suggestion is quite blue- eyed in my (blue^^) eyes.

Hmm, here is the problem. You make a good, pretty, clean, bugless game, you get more subscriptions, you get more subscriptions you make more money, you make more money you can hire more. On top of that, I believe VI charges more for a standard gifted account than Blizzard does for WoW. It might be in their interest to find another invester or take out a loan and make some graphical and technical enhansements to the game if they have to in order to make some sweeping improovements. I'm still miffed at how many slops there are in just the graphic and mesh resources of HZ, that VI either seems to be shruging off or simply taking forever to clean up.

[CallakDW]

Because they CARE for the game. If you don't, your stuff, not mine.

Don't you dare say I don't care for the game, if I didn't I wouldn't be playing it, and I definatly would not be spending as much time as I do on these forums. I just feel that payed testers would be a lot more active in actually testing than player volunteers.

[Zexoin]

I think people should calm down a bit and stop attacking others personally.

[Justa Mirage]

I think people should calm down a bit and stop attacking others personally.

Pretty please

[Takora Drakan]

Don't you dare say I don't care for the game, if I didn't I wouldn't be playing it, and I definatly would not be spending as much time as I do on these forums. I just feel that payed testers would be a lot more active in actually testing than player volunteers.

You have the money to pay them? I don't have, and VI neither. And if they had, they would sure spend it otherwise to serve the game.

[CallakDW]

Let me repeat myself, and yes, I pay them money every month, that is part of my point.

It might be in their interest to find another invester or take out a loan and make some graphical and technical enhansements to the game if they have to in order to make some sweeping improovements. I'm still miffed at how many slops there are in just the graphic and mesh resources of HZ, that VI either seems to be shruging off or simply taking forever to clean up.

[Takora Drakan]

My post was referring to the payed testers. Not if you have a sub or such.

[CallakDW]

My post was referring to the payed testers. Not if you have a sub or such.

So was mine. I'm saying to have less bugs they need dedicated payed testers. And hopefully someone can answer my original qustion, mabe they do have some?

[Creme]

FAILED! Sorry for being grumpy but people don't seem to read annoucements!

Annoucement regarding Heralds and Emissarys: http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=17841



*Sighs and wanders off*

FAILED! Sorry for being grumpy I DID read the announcements.

If you had read my post, I mentioned:

I could have sworn that in one of the initial "herald" responsibilities, testing was on the list.

Initially, when the program was first proposed, the position was titled "Herald".

Here is a thread opened up for discussion of said program:

http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=17610

Here is a snippet from Amarie relating to the proposed responsibilities.

The other important role of Heralds (team leads in DAoC) was to coordinate testing for the developers. This is a key role that helps save the developers more time than you can imagine. Heralds allow us to have one bug report rather than multiple. Heralds can be specially taught on how to collect information on a bug and provide the sort of feedback that players don't often give. Heralds also can save developer time by posting, or saying in game "This is a known issue that they are working on."

The title was changed to "Emissary" as players felt there was too much confusion by using the title "Herald", which was previously given to those that produced shard reports. The Shard Herald (reporter) position was reinstated.