So...will this patch be a game changer?

[Grimes]

It should be worth noting that this pre-order beta isn't quite like other pre-order betas that have graced gaming in recent years. Many other products are released as a pre-order beta to test game-balance issues, the games servers, as game promotion, and to actually have people test and post issues. This beta feels more like a proper beta and has very little in common with the "within a month of release date pre-release betas." Probably because this game doesn't have an official release date. Sure the devs have goal dates, but for the general public the game is in pre-release beta one day, and released on the next.

[Heater]

We have to remember that we are beta testers. We literally pre-paid to have the honor of helping this to become a better product in the long run.. not to "play it before anyone else". When you take that hog up right now, it's not so much to enjoy it as it is to break it. Testing software is a long and meticulous process. By stressing the sim, uncovering problems that are difficult to reproduce, THEN thoroughly documenting them on the beta forum, you are becoming a part of a great endeavor: realistically simulating the most destructive and feared war machine ever known to man.

 

Remember that these devs aren't giving us a mediocre product, and for this reason their task is complicated and time consuming. Encourage them by taking the time to document the exact steps to reproduce any bugs you find.

 

Take pride in what you do. There will come a day when this product is shiny and new on the shelf.. and you will say "I contributed to development of that bad m*@^&%".

 

Indeed very well said!!!

[coolts]

It should be worth noting that this pre-order beta isn't quite like other pre-order betas that have graced gaming in recent years. Many other products are released as a pre-order beta to test game-balance issues, the games servers, as game promotion, and to actually have people test and post issues. This beta feels more like a proper beta and has very little in common with the "within a month of release date pre-release betas." Probably because this game doesn't have an official release date. Sure the devs have goal dates, but for the general public the game is in pre-release beta one day, and released on the next.

 

 

Your talking about a "release candidate". Whole other kettle of fish right there. :smilewink:

 

Anyway Viper, shoudn't you be waiting by the front door in case a certain parcel arrives? You don't want to be answering a forum post and go to find one of those "you weren't in" cards! :thumbup:

[Druid_]

I would have thought that ED would have a comprehensive system in place to keep a track of current bugs and old ones that have been rectified. How else can the Devs work em out? Appreciate however, that fixes can create new bugs and would no doubt therefore find their ways onto the list.

 

If ED are sticking to the initial 'reports are for Hardware issues only' then fair enough, no list required. No need for us to post a bug unless we have a hardware issue.

[MemphisBelle]

We have to remember that we are beta testers. We literally pre-paid to have the honor of helping this to become a better product in the long run.. not to "play it before anyone else". When you take that hog up right now, it's not so much to enjoy it as it is to break it. Testing software is a long and meticulous process. By stressing the sim, uncovering problems that are difficult to reproduce, THEN thoroughly documenting them on the beta forum, you are becoming a part of a great endeavor: realistically simulating the most destructive and feared war machine ever known to man.

 

Remember that these devs aren't giving us a mediocre product, and for this reason their task is complicated and time consuming. Encourage them by taking the time to document the exact steps to reproduce any bugs you find.

 

Take pride in what you do. There will come a day when this product is shiny and new on the shelf.. and you will say "I contributed to development of that bad m*@^&%".

 

I agree with you, but I personally do have a problem with the reporting system.

If I find an issue then I have 2 options.

 

A): Go into the Forum and locate the issue if it´s already reported. And that can be a pain in the but since everybody is posting so much stuff since the Sim has been released in pre-purchase option.

 

B): I do nothings because someone else will care about and locate, or even not, the bug and thats it.

 

Wouldn´t it be better to have a bug tracking system as existing in the ArmA2 Community? So everybody can easily see whether a bug is already reported or not.

[Crash_Fistfight]

Wouldn´t it be better to have a bug tracking system as existing in the ArmA2 Community? So everybody can easily see whether a bug is already reported or not.

 

+1 for this on the next DCS project, if not for another similar open beta then for post release patches this is a very reassuring info channel for the community at least I found it reassuring for Arma 1.

[Grimes]

It doesn't help things when most the time its a bug, a feature, or has already been fixed in a private build from two weeks ago but we are just now telling you this because you asked.

[Headspace]

We have to remember that we are beta testers. We literally pre-paid to have the honor of helping this to become a better product in the long run.. not to "play it before anyone else". When you take that hog up right now, it's not so much to enjoy it as it is to break it. Testing software is a long and meticulous process. By stressing the sim, uncovering problems that are difficult to reproduce, THEN thoroughly documenting them on the beta forum, you are becoming a part of a great endeavor: realistically simulating the most destructive and feared war machine ever known to man.

I think if ED intended the public to be actual beta testers then there would have been some formal protocol established for submitting a bug report and a place to submit those bug reports instead of just a request to report any hardware issues.

 

The public is a better last-minute testbed to root out serious hardware issues. That's what it looks like here. I think that's a pretty good deal, honestly; you get to play the game early, ED gets to potentially head off serious hardware incompatibility.

Wouldn´t it be better to have a bug tracking system as existing in the ArmA2 Community? So everybody can easily see whether a bug is already reported or not.

The ArmA 2 community bug tracker is a community thing, and while it's been helpful in getting issues brought to the forefront, it isn't something that was set up by A2's developers in order to test the game. Likewise, there's no doubt that ED maintains some sort of internal testing protocols and a bug database of some kind which get updated in some formal manner by internal testers. It is an essential part of any software development process for large projects.

[159th_Viper]

I would have thought that ED would have a comprehensive system in place to keep a track of current bugs and old ones that have been rectified....

 

They do: Have a look at this thread - http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=58708

 

 

As an aside, might be worth repeating the following here too:

 

 

ED released an Open-Beta not with the intention of having members who have purchased it test for bugs (we have a dedicated Test-Team for that), but rather to report on Hardware and Hardware-Compatibility issues and this alone. Cannot stress this enough and it was listed at length in the various Dedicated Sticky threads and Forum announcements.

 

Question best answered would be why members elected to conveniently 'Ignore' said announcements/requests instead of adhering to the request made and enjoy the open-beta for what it is, ie an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the product, have fun and report, if you so wish, on Hardware and Hardware-Compatibility issues as expressly requested.

 

Now it took all of a couple of hours to realise that the original intention of keeping feedback to hardware issues alone will never work, largely due to the enthusiasm of the Community, and rightly so: It's a great product. Rather than attempt to constrict/eliminate the flow of information, it was decided to channel the information into the relevant structures you see now in the Open-Beta forum. From there information can further be sifted by the dedicated testers and if necessary bugs reported via the Internal Bug-Tracking system. As it stands, to put it in perspective, 95% of issues reported by open-beta users are already known.

 

Do not misunderstand me - The Open Beta forums are a valuable source of information and a 'help-desk' of sorts and absolutely necessary. Just do not make the mistake of thinking that it's a dedicated Bug-Reporting structure and intended as such: It's not ;)