I would pay to alpha test. You?

[razor851]

The little money I make goes straight towards drugs and alcohol.

[SurgeonX]

Would I pay to test Alpha builds?
Nope.

Would I do it for free?
Yep.

I'd love to be part of the process too.
We're trying to push User Centred Design as much as possible where I work, and I don't see why that wouldn't work for games development too.

Do some remote testing with screen sharing, using iterative focussed tests with small numbers of participants (around 5), and you'll find 85% of usability issues.
That'd be great for testing the UI and gameplay dynamics.
Why wait until beta to fix those sorts of things?

[Lorgarn]

Ok, I'll play. Since this would never happen anyways.

I'd like to say that I wouldn't pay for Alpha access, but came the opportunity I would most likely sieze it. Not saying I'm particularly proud of it, it's just my honest opinion of what I would do in that situation.

[SniperSteve]

Soon. (TM)

[cryosin]

I wouldn't pay for it, since the game is going to be free to play.

But I would probably buy some stuff with station cash if I knew it would transfer over.

I think as beta nears, opening up Alpha to some of the early people who signed up would be nice. I don't know if I would even fall into that category(i signed up a few days after it was posted), but letting a few hardcore fans in would be nice.

Most of us would accept the game in alpha state and still enjoy it. Would make us happy while also giving feedback to the dev's earlier.

Just my 2 cents though.

[Brusi]

I have also been religiously dishing out to SOE for my sub, simply to increase my chance of getting into beta asap. I'm going to have a fit if i don't get in with the first bunch. Just like that WoW kid who sticks the remote control up his ass when his mom cancels his sub!

If you want to call me an entitled loser for feeling like this, then hey... fuck you, unless you can get me into PS2 beta i don't care what you think!

I hate that they have to stay vague about who will get into beta and when, but making solid agreements/promises to people around games that are months and months away from beta, let alone completion could very easily go badly. Especially if money gets involved.

P.S. i ticked all options except for "No".

[duomaxwl]

I would never pay for alpha testing, and I probably wouldn't pay for beta testing either. Smed said (teehee) that PS1 players would get in, so I'll trust him on that. Technically I did pay for beta testing by getting the magazine, but that was more for this than for the code:

[Neurotoxin]

It hurts the team's productivity to stop and design a launchable and playable Alpha build. I don't want it, I know it would murder productivity. Closed beta will be here soon enough.

If you can't get enough PS2, make a fan video, make an outfit website, make some original art sketches, overanalyze the geological diversity and plant diversity based on images we've seen, brew an empire-specific beer, write a song... do something creative.

Keep in mind that closed beta doesn't mean doors are open, just that a small select group can begin playing the game under a (presumably) strict NDA.

[Mechzz]

Originally Posted by SurgeonX

We're trying to push User Centred Design as much as possible where I work, and I don't see why that wouldn't work for games development too.

Do some remote testing with screen sharing, using iterative focussed tests with small numbers of participants (around 5), and you'll find 85% of usability issues.
That'd be great for testing the UI and gameplay dynamics.
Why wait until beta to fix those sorts of things?

I wouldn't pay as the game will be free and it's a valuable service for SOE.

However, I agree with SurgeonX - finding a way to let small groups of end users in to "play" and test things would move bug finding forward faster than a team of devs can do it. Not because Devs are some way lacking, just that end users have a different focus and would try/look at stuff that doesn't occur to Devs.

Maybe those of you lucky enough to live near San Diego could get special invites to the office?

On the other hand, I guess this is what the QA testers do, so if we greedy fans fulfill that role then we're cutting off the future supply of new Higby's?

[Tcakes]

basically what Sabrak was saying. I know we all want to get in and see/play the game, but let the Devs dev. Im just hoping when tons of folks get into the beta they will realize its a beta and not early release. Cant tell you how annoying it is to see people piss and moan in a beta about things being "broken".

[Squiffy]

I'd pay to gain access now. In fact, for the last 18 months I've done just that with "Natural Selection 2". I paid £27 to finance the team behind this game.

It's been an interesting experience. Build 156 was the first beta release and it was god awful until we got to B184, where things started to become playable. We're just about to get B207. The feeling everyone has is that we're part of the game. The forums buzz with ideas and the devs are very proactive with ideas/information. For every tweet by PS, I'm getting about 20 from Unknown Worlds (devs of NS2). There is a huge following of videos on-line that get released nigh on daily due to the efforts of one fan, who recently became employed by them!

I actively check the forums every day, I wait for the next build update, play it, report bugs/issues and discuss.

I think the difference is that SOE are a massive corporation, they don't need us to be that involved. UWE is 7 guys who have harnessed fans to bug search for them.

[headcrab13]

I'm just generally impressed that the alpha version is polished enough to warrant more than half of the community being willing to pay for early access. All signs are pointing to PS2 being a true winner, and really reshaping what gamers thought an MMO could be.

[Graywolves]

Originally Posted by Brusi

unless you can get me into PS2 beta i don't care what you think!

Getting into PS2 Beta is all that matters.