This game is still Pre-Alpha
Jack_Daniels
Join Date: 2010-07-19 Member: 72567Members
Join Date: 2010-07-19 Member: 72567Members
I have probably sunk two or three hours actually playing the game so far and it just isn't playable.
<img src="http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1193/captureod.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
This is supposed to be the first phase to begin software testing. I'm not sure what needs testing as everything is pretty much broken at this point. I know everyone is going to jump on me for complaining about an alpha release but this is still a bit to broken to be considered an alpha. For this to be an alpha there has to be enough things working to warrant testing. At what point does a game go from pre-alpha to alpha. I think a piece of software needs some basic functionality before warranting testing.
<b>What is the point to releasing this alpha?</b> I ask that most sincerely, as I can't see them needing any testing at this point. Testers are used to find hard to find errors / make suggestions / help balance a game. There are so many blatant errors that should have been fixed before this alpha was released to make for a much better experience.
So we get this <b>unplayable</b> alpha. If reporting obvious bugs is pointless then what are we supposed to do? Try and play? At this point, that is pretty much useless.
I know you guys are going to jump all over for me for this and I can understand what your thinking is. I loved NS1, played it to death. I just want to know what to do with this alpha now that its out.
<u><b>EDIT: </b></u> Wow, had alot of fun last night. It was kind of trollish, but I was playing in a non-lagging server and become a lerk. I got about fifteen kills flying above the marine base. I was just about invincible because they couldnt hit me.
<img src="http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1193/captureod.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
This is supposed to be the first phase to begin software testing. I'm not sure what needs testing as everything is pretty much broken at this point. I know everyone is going to jump on me for complaining about an alpha release but this is still a bit to broken to be considered an alpha. For this to be an alpha there has to be enough things working to warrant testing. At what point does a game go from pre-alpha to alpha. I think a piece of software needs some basic functionality before warranting testing.
<b>What is the point to releasing this alpha?</b> I ask that most sincerely, as I can't see them needing any testing at this point. Testers are used to find hard to find errors / make suggestions / help balance a game. There are so many blatant errors that should have been fixed before this alpha was released to make for a much better experience.
So we get this <b>unplayable</b> alpha. If reporting obvious bugs is pointless then what are we supposed to do? Try and play? At this point, that is pretty much useless.
I know you guys are going to jump all over for me for this and I can understand what your thinking is. I loved NS1, played it to death. I just want to know what to do with this alpha now that its out.
<u><b>EDIT: </b></u> Wow, had alot of fun last night. It was kind of trollish, but I was playing in a non-lagging server and become a lerk. I got about fifteen kills flying above the marine base. I was just about invincible because they couldnt hit me.
Comments
Then lucky is what you are :)
What you are thinking of is beta, this is an alpha...
In response to your what are we supposed to do?
We wait until they fix the bugs and then continue to test the game; that's what you're supposed to do.
And alpha is nothing more then getting the game out on as many computer configurations as possible and have the playtesters give you feedback on serious bugs
Again nothing related to gameplay or balance issues. Reporting your bugs is not useless, as they gather system info and info about the bug...
In response to your what are we supposed to do?
We wait until they fix the bugs and then continue to test the game; that's what you're supposed to do.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You win the award for best answer.
Testing the engine is far more important at this point and often bugs only show up under very specific circumstances.
This is what Alpha testing is.
playable is subject to interpretation.
You can load the alpha, it can connect to servers. In my opinion, its playable. It's not necessarily fun nor is it a 'game', but its usable.
@ Kohman
Isn't the fat gamer cliché getting old now? I thought everyone moved past that in 98 or something.
If you are having fun and actually playing the game, good for you. I for one can't even get it to connect half the time :P
But the time I did connect was funny to me, black armored men died a lot. Because they could not hit me (evil hitdetections+lag and stuff XD)
Actually it is a privilege we are even in this alpha, all you guys should thank the devs more!!! :D
EDIT: I say this from experience; a handful of servers are relatively lag free. Also I should qualify that it's nearly playable; the hitbox issue is pretty serious.
oops
and then we can beginn finding the tiny bugs in the corners.
Good for you, alot of us havent...
I imagine a great number of the people who havent had 10 minuits lag free game play are so disapointed for you...
Everything that has redicolous bugs that prevent it from executing as intended is pre alpha in my book.
And no, the connection issue has nothing to do with it. It's a minor bug in the server software that doesnt tell your client "I'm full, you cant join".
Now as you said it doesnt warrent being an Alpha <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->For this to be an alpha there has to be enough things working to warrant testing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> you have a menu,server browser,working models,working connections (just about eh ^^), animations,effects,lighting,map/s, able to walk about, able to run as a marine, go in the commanders chair,play around in the commanders chair, build things,play as the aliens, fly around as a lerk (although alittle jittery),be a gorge, build alien structures and try and have a little game match if you can deal with the lag at the moment.
So how does all that not = a working alpha test product?
The whole idea of it all is so we the public can test a product that shouldnt even be in our hands at all, most companys wouldnt even dream of giving away an alpha build to the public as it can lead to things such as the amount of hate threads i've seen today for a product thats not even finished. Many people are already attacking UWE like they owe them a fully working game. Seriously its like going up to a car developer and saying i want to test drive an alpha version (or prototype) of one of your cars..... they would throw you out the door with a big smile on their faces.
If people are not happy with the product at the moment then offer your oppinions instead of attacking the people who are trying to make this game as good if not better then the 1st one, and stop complaining about how a menu is broken or the lag is getting too much for you to bear playing anymore, then stop playing put it down hell uninstall it for all I and many other people care and come back after its been tested and trial'd by people who wana help this game onto the shelfs/steam store as quick as possible.
My game runs, I can get into it. I can move around and shoot things. It's pretty much unplayable. It's alpha.
<img src="http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1193/captureod.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
This is supposed to be the first phase to begin software testing. I'm not sure what needs testing as everything is pretty much broken at this point. I know everyone is going to jump on me for complaining about an alpha release but this is still a bit to broken to be considered an alpha. For this to be an alpha there has to be enough things working to warrant testing. At what point does a game go from pre-alpha to alpha. I think a piece of software needs some basic functionality before warranting testing.
<b>What is the point to releasing this alpha?</b> I ask that most sincerely, as I can't see them needing any testing at this point. Testers are used to find hard to find errors / make suggestions / help balance a game. There are so many blatant errors that should have been fixed before this alpha was released to make for a much better experience.
So we get this <b>unplayable</b> alpha. If reporting obvious bugs is pointless then what are we supposed to do? Try and play? At this point, that is pretty much useless.
I know you guys are going to jump all over for me for this and I can understand what your thinking is. I loved NS1, played it to death. I just want to know what to do with this alpha now that its out.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What is the point in this post? How is this helping the devs push past what your complaining about?
You sound like one of those people who complain their computer is "broken"...
well why is it broken?
"It just doesn't work"..
what doesn't work?
"My computer doesn't work"
well what part of your computer are you having problems with?
"the computer"
but which pa... (rudely interrupted by person that just say's "computer" over and over.)
See how helpful you are....
I disagree. We are not the general public. They have said that only about 10k people signed up for the Special Edition and there will be no more from here on in signing up for that. We are a small set of players who really enjoy the game that want to help make it awesome.
General public would be where you don't have to buy the game to try it out (in a beta or something) or after release.
General public would be where you don't have to buy the game to try it out (in a beta or something) or after release.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
While your point is valid, the current pool of testers was chosen from the general public on an 'opt in' policy - of sorts.
I have not heard of another company ever opening up alpha testing for anyone interested from the general public.
Had this been Ubisoft, EA or even Valve - I never would have had the chance to help test this game.
First of all, lets disregard how much content there is for what should be considered the first alpha build (publicly available), animations, fully textured map and view models. As well as there being commander mode and lots of graphical features and tools.
Basic functionality would probably be being able to kill people, being able to join a server, being able to I don't know, walk?
This is one of the worst "I'm used to playing beta demos" disguised rants I've seen. It's great that you were able to google the term Alpha, but it is based on what the development team sees as alpha in the development method they are pursuing. Besides, if you look at dozens of other indie games out there that allow you to alpha test (as they don't have such things like a usability lab or an in-house Q&A team) pre-alpha is most likely defined for them as the phase where in they do presentations to get funding or write their design document and get a team together.
IF anything, some of the content could be considered post-alpha compared to the functionality. I mean come on, have you seen the animations and graphics?
But the game is so unplayable that we can't really know if it's because of mass lag/low fps or if it is really a bug.
If they really want us to help, they better patch it quickly. There is nothing clever that can be produced by us at this time.
They're not looking for "shotgun doesn't seem to do much damage" or "lerk seems to fly a little slow".
Not really relevant to this post, but I recall one time during beta testing for NS1, I messed with the gamma settings one time during a test. I apparently set it way to high and Flayra kind of freaked out, worrying about my graphics card blowing up.
I advised him that all seemed to be running well and then surprisingly enough, his concern seemed to change to intrigue. Started pondering to himself <b>why</b> it didn't blow up.
Nothing we're doing right now has any baring on game play .. at all.
But the game is so unplayable that we can't really know if it's because of mass lag/low fps or if it is really a bug.
If they really want us to help, they better patch it quickly. There is nothing clever that can be produced by us at this time.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'd say you're wrong and the feedback forums would backup that point.
You're confusing what exactly UWE want from us, that fact that we're (and not everyone as a lot of data will be coming from server hosts) currently seeing connection and FPS issues is almost certainly helping UWE, infact they've never had this issue before so it's helped them identify a fault and fix it which is the whole idea of testing.
Just because you can't run around and have 20 minute games means nothing, this game has a lot of features for an Alpha test and as bugs are fixed we'll see it stabalise, then they'll release something and it'll most likely screw up the game again until it's fixed. That's the whole point of this, engine test was to run around and see things/get tools, Alpha is more advanced gameplay, Beta will probably be more towards game balance and polish, then release.