Beta Test list update

[Greyshaft]

Thanks to all of those who have sent (and are continuing to send) me Personal Messages regarding the Beta Test Team. I appreciate your interest and enthusiasm for this game and your input is always welcome in the Forums.

At this point the beta lists will not be re-opened for new submissions. I appreciate the nail-biting nature of the wait to see if you have been selected but we do have a number of hurdles to jump before finalizing the names and announcing the Team. Steve and I have discussed the Beta Test list and have come up with the following guidelines:

1) The initial test Team will be twenty people.
2) Five people in that group will be complete newcomers to WiF. Their primary task will be to provide feedback about the learning experience of MWiF and also to help us prepare a Tutorial.
3) Ten people in that group will be experienced WiF players who have agreed to mentor the new players. We are still working on how to get the best output from the mentoring relationship.
4) Five players will be WiF gurus who can be expected to tear apart the nuts and bolts of every rule of cardboard WiF and help Steve rebuild it in MwiF.
5) All groups are equally important. They are not any form of hierarchy – they simply indicated the focus of the members.
6) New testers will be added as the need becomes apparent. If you don’t make it into the initial team then the best way to influence your future selection as a tester is to make constant, cogent and constructive comments within the MWiF Forums.

More news as it comes available.

[Greyshaft]

To those who have sent me Personal Messages since my last post,

I do appreciate your enthusiasm but please don't continue to PM me to plead your case for inclusion in the Team. I'd feel guilty if I chose to ignore your email but I'm somewhat frustrated if answer it since I am only repeating information which I've already posted.

I wish we could have everyone in from Day One of the Test, but the logistics of organising twenty people for the test program is sufficiently challenging for the moment. All I can say is that there is always attrition in these beta test cycles and staying active in the Forums is the best way to get yourself noticed - 'Active' doesn't just mean volume of posts. Thoughtful comments are the key.

NOTE: This mail is a thinly disguised request for people to refrain from posting me about getting into the Test Team. Anything that I can say on the topic will be posted into these Forums as soon as it becomes available.