Beta testing?

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Bob had once said that in the 3.5 patch some artillery was going to have to have dedicated towing to be moved. Did this make it through to TOAW4? If so this would be a great change in how the game handles this aspect of unit mobility.

?? I'm sure I never said that about 3.5. I may have said something about such a hypothetical feature, though.

tm.asp?m=3462345&mpage=2&key=

Post 31 at the bottom.

I realize that was almost two years ago and since then 3.5 has gone from a patch to a paid update. So, since you don't remember it I guess we are still stuck with the same old one truck moving an entire division. That really sucks. [:(]

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Lobster

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Bob had once said that in the 3.5 patch some artillery was going to have to have dedicated towing to be moved. Did this make it through to TOAW4? If so this would be a great change in how the game handles this aspect of unit mobility.

?? I'm sure I never said that about 3.5. I may have said something about such a hypothetical feature, though.

tm.asp?m=3462345&mpage=2&key=

Post 31 at the bottom.

I realize that was almost two years ago and since then 3.5 has gone from a patch to a paid update. So, since you don't remember it I guess we are still stuck with the same old one truck moving an entire division. That really sucks. [:(]

Ok, yes I did say that about IV. But at that time 3.5 was an update and IV was some blue sky project far in the future. Since then 3.5 has morphed into IV. So, now, any previous reference that had been made to IV prior to the 3.5 announcement must be considered a reference to something like a TOAW V - not IV.

[BigDuke66]

After the game of my last beta was released I have now applied for the TOAWIV beta too.
I hope I make it.

[hellfish6]

I signed the NDA a few months ago and never heard back...

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: hellfish6

I signed the NDA a few months ago and never heard back...

Same here. Maybe because I am beta testing Tigers on the Hunt and GG War in the West they think I can't handle one more game. Bah, all I do is sit in front of my computer aLL day.

[sPzAbt653]

Just to clarify, there is no Beta. Instead, scenario designers are invited to submit scenarios for approval and designer admission to the IV Development Forum. See here : tm.asp?m=3898970

[rhinobones]

You would think that the Matrix team would at least have the consideration to write back and explain that no beta testers are needed. Maybe even say thank you for offering your time.

Ignoring your e-mail is just plain disrespectful.

Regards, RhinoBones

[BigDuke66]

First, why is there no beta?
In the history of TOAWIII we had open betas that failed to uncover problems, no beta will surely not help at all.

And second why is the application link for the TOAWIV beta big & fat on the matrix frontpage?

Besides that it's obvious that someone has to check all(ALL, not only the new scenarios) the scenarios to make sure they REALLY work in TOAWIV, I remember when TOAWIII was released it had some scenarios that didn't work at all or failed sooner or later because it needed more that just to load it into the editor and save it to make it work for TOAWIII.

[r6kunz]

Yeah, it is too bad there was not better communication. But this is not "Matrix", but a couple of dedicated guys that are probably overwhelmed. I sent in my NDA back in July, and as designer of ten scenarios in TOAW3, I was surprise not to hear anything back. So I sent a follow up email, got a respectful apology and my login credentials.

Perhaps you should recheck- Steve, aka sPzAbt653, suggested:

If I were you I'd send an email to Tamas K. and explain what's going on. He may be able to help. He's at:
tamask(AT)slitherine(DOT)co(DOT)uk

Good luck guys and stay tuned!

[sPzAbt653]

why is the application link for the TOAWIV beta big & fat on the matrix frontpage?

I guess that is there because they need a place to hold that application for those that submit scenarios.

Perhaps you should recheck- Steve, aka sPzAbt653, suggested:
quote:
If I were you I'd send an email to Tamas K. and explain what's going on. He may be able to help. He's at:
tamask(AT)slitherine(DOT)co(DOT)uk

I never said that.

[sPzAbt653]

it's obvious that someone has to check all(ALL, not only the new scenarios) the scenarios to make sure they REALLY work in TOAWIV,

You've been around a lot longer than I have, so surely you know that scenarios are the responsibility of the designer. There isn't anyone at Matrix that sits around checking scenarios.

If the original designer doesn't test a scenario with a new version of the game, then it is up to us players to mod if needed and post that somewhere.

[BigDuke66]

Well for a publisher it isn't nearly as easy as that, if there are scenarios not working who will be blamed, the designer or Matrix?
I would blame Matrix because it's their job to check Third party stuff that they take into the game and then take money for it, it's not too muhc to expect some quality control.

So there is obviously the need to check them all, but I wouldn't lay that on the shoulders of Matrix but of the beta testers, if you test the engine you always have to go through the scenarios, it's mandatory as a single scenario is unlikely to cover everything that the engine offers and so you simply have to use many if not all scenarios for a proper engine test, and by doing that you can right away test the scenarios too.

BTW Frontpage says big and fat BETA TEST, and the text within is "Thanks for your interest in becoming a beta tester for The Operational Art of War IV".
If all that is wrong someone should change it.

[Curtis Lemay]

The game just isn't ready for beta testing yet. We're working to get it to that point, though.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
The game just isn't ready for beta testing yet. We're working to get it to that point, though.

I must be confused. I thought that's what I was doing all this time. Am I just a scenario tester now?

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson
Am I just a scenario tester now?

Not just any scenario tester, but a TOAW IV scenario tester. Sounds like a pretty sweet job to me!!

Regards, RhinoBones

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: rhinobones

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson
Am I just a scenario tester now?

Not just any scenario tester, but a TOAW IV scenario tester. Sounds like a pretty sweet job to me!!

Regards, RhinoBones

It's actually a lot of fun. I spend about 18 hours at my computer each day and have for the last four years or
so. I HAVE to take time off to eat and sleep. I feel like the captain of a combat ship, sleeping in naps, eating
standing up, solving problems by instinct. I'm glad I'm retired and can do the rest of my life this way. It's
giving me something useful to do with the rest of my life.

[BigDuke66]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

The game just isn't ready for beta testing yet. We're working to get it to that point, though.

I see, I simply had accepted that the beta was running because of the frontpage & that the original aim was a release this year.
To be honest I don't mind that it doesn't release this year, that goal sounded to ambitious from the start, I just had a beta test were the game could have really used at least some more weeks but the release was scheduled to benefit from Christmas.

[r6kunz]

Sorry Steve.That was actually a quote from Larry in post #5 above.

[pz501]

Thought I'd take the chance, and so I applied to help test TOAW IV (using the form), and update the one scenario I designed that's included with TOAW III.

I figure it can't hurt to try, and that anybody's chances are at least 50-50.

I've also sent the suggested email as well, and I'll just have to see how things go....reply or no reply, and acceptance or rejection, at least I'll know that I've made the offer, and that's good enough for me.

EDIT: Just a few seconds ago I got an auto response from Tamas, saying he'll be out of the office until December 7th, so the earliest anyone is going to hear from him would be after that date, I think.

[larryfulkerson]

at least I'll know that I've made the offer, and that's good enough for me.

I've got my fingers crossed for you my friend.