Beta testing is really hard on your ego!

[MarkShot]

I've been beta testing for PG since 2002 after I bought RDOA (even before I knew how to play the game; actually learned how to play while on the job so to speak).

Now, I have said this before that every time I win a scenario immediately Dave starts searching for problems to see what might be fixed. Everyone thinks I am making this up, but seriously I am not.

For example, last week Dave puts out a new build with improved aggressiveness for the AI and especially requests testing the scenario First Clash at Veve as the Allies. (The scenario basically features the Germans driving hard and fast South with tanks and trucks while you need withdraw your weak forces on foot over period of five days. It is one of the larger the scenarios which really pushes my laptop to the limit; if the DELL SONY's battery doesn't cause my lap to burst into flame, First Clash may certainly do it.)

So, I spend the entire weekend playing this scenario manually (others are running auto testers where the AI plays itself, but me I am doing it the old fashioned way; it's me against the machine). The weekend finishes and except for a bug I found with exit conditions, I pulled out a decisive victory for the Allies (we would all live to fight the facists another day).

Now, immediately after writing up my scenario review, Dave set to work on tweaking the scenario to make the Germans push harder and faster in their drive to the South and tweaking the AI to meaner and nastier. Just like I said, if I win one, something must be broken. They never say, "boy, clever strategy, Mark, congrats on your victory". In fact, Dave has spent all week tweaking and testing this one scenario and the AI; not to mention adding even more reinforcements schedules so that any dimwit who used to play flight sims cannot easily win. You know if Bil H or one of the military types who are developing BFTB pulled out a decisive victory; everyone would say everything is working fine, let's move on to the next problem.

It has been like this for four years now. I think I am really beginning to get a complex.

I get no respect!

PS: I know it is wrong for a beta tester to spoil the one big happy family myth that is so carefully cultivated, but I just cannot take it anymore. I think it is time for me to write a tell all book, "Wargame Development: The harsh world behind the counters and AARs!".

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(just in case you are not a forum regular, this post is intend to be humorous)

[DuckofTindalos]

Don't I know it... The beta cycles on War Plan: Orange were an absolute terror!

[Arjuna]

But Mark, ego is a dirty word! [;)]

[JeF]

[:D]

Good one Mark.

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
I think it is time for me to write a tell all book, "Wargame Development: The harsh world behind the counters and AARs!".

Prefaced by the Laurel and Hardy of the Panther Beta Team : Eddy Sterckx and Ray Wolfe ? I'd buy it on the spot as a searchable PDF ! [;)]

JeF.

[RayWolfe]

ORIGINAL: JeF
Prefaced by the Laurel and Hardy of the Panther Beta Team : Eddy Sterckx and Ray Wolfe ? I'd buy it on the spot as a searchable PDF ! [;)]

There's another fine mess Eddy got me into! [8|]
Ray

[DuckofTindalos]

He said, twiddling his tie...[:D]

[Arjuna]

[:D]

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: RayWolfe

ORIGINAL: JeF
Prefaced by the Laurel and Hardy of the Panther Beta Team : Eddy Sterckx and Ray Wolfe ? I'd buy it on the spot as a searchable PDF ! [;)]

There's another fine mess Eddy got me into! [8|]

I thought we were the Waldorf & Statler characters from the Muppet Show. Makes more sense too when you look at it a bit more closely :

Dave is Kermit - desperatly trying to keep the show running smoothly despite mayhem all around
Punch is Scooter - the only one Kermit can really depend on.
Bil is Sam the Eagle - a serious, historically valid voice admonishing the rest of the characters
MarkShot is Gonzo the Great - underappreciated and often misunderstood
Oleg is Animal - nobody understands a word of his native language and he has the looks too.
Grouchy is Rowlf the Dog - quietly creating wonderfully bluesy maps with the mapmaking instrument

My apologies to those I forgot and to those I included in this list [;)]

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[JeF]

Excellent ! [:D]
And to the point.

Now, you forgot Paul Scobell and some other important Panther Games devs.
And who's Miss Piggy ?
And where's the Sweddish Chef ?
Pigs in Space anybody ?

JeF.
PS: I might have the english names wrong.

[RayWolfe]

I've always seen Dave as the Swedish Chef ... chopper in hand (OK axe), changing the recipe every 5 minutes, putting totally unsuitable ingredients into the mincer, speaking in a LangUage() that no one understands, BUT is really happy in his own world of blood, guts and mayhem.
Miss Piggy? It's got to be (look at my beautiful pictures) Marc S.) [:'(]
Ray

[Bil H]

Now you've done it Eddy  [:'(]

[Arjuna]

Hey Bil, love the avataar mate.