proposal -- open a Test server

[pharmakos]

recently some patches have introduced bugs that, while difficult for a small dev team to catch, probably would have been caught if the patches had been tested out by a few dozen players before being pushed to the live P99 servers.

i.e. the mobs spawning on roofs after this last patch

maybe once Velious beta is done that server could be converted to a test server?

[fadetree]

This is a good idea.

[Yonkec]

Who is going to donate enough time testing enough of the spectrum of mechanics/content for this to be useful?

Velious seems to be a good example of how the vast majority of the server chooses pixels over helping out.

[Lamil]

Who is going to donate enough time testing enough of the spectrum of mechanics/content for this to be useful?

Velious seems to be a good example of how the vast majority of the server chooses pixels over helping out.

Was just about to say look how many people are doing Velious beta

[pharmakos]

Velious beta is going to disappear and all progress will be lost. Test server would never delete characters... at least thats the way it works on EQLive's Test server, which i also currently play on in addition to playing on P99.

[Erati]

the Devs have a test server....

letting players log in and shout "Hey your patch broke mobs, they are spawning on the roof" on the test server is not going to fix the problem any faster than the actual Devs logging into the test server and noticing the event happening.

[pharmakos]

^ that assumes that the Devs have time to run around to every zone and look things over in addition to their programming work.

they obviously don't have the time for that, though, or stuff like the rooftop mobs wouldn't make it to live.

it just makes sense to let some players run around to test out stuff before it gets pushed out to P99 en masse.



to reiterate my earlier post -- lack of participation on Velious beta isn't a good example of why this wouldn't work out, though, because the Beta progress isn't permanent. my proposed model would be like EQLive's Test server, which has its own little community and permanent character progress. yeah, shit breaks on there fairly often and there's no economy to speak of, but its a nice atmosphere that some people (myself included) prefer over crowded Live servers.

[Champion_Standing]

^ that assumes that the Devs have time to run around to every zone and look things over in addition to their programming work.

they obviously don't have the time for that, though, or stuff like the rooftop mobs wouldn't make it to live.

it just makes sense to let some players run around to test out stuff before it gets pushed out to P99 en masse.

You are assuming that players will actually play there and run around and test stuff out.

One of two things would happen, if it was permanent it would create a second blue server. If it was temporary nobody would use it unless you were rewarded on blue/red with an exp bonus or something for finding and reporting bugs on the test server...which isn't going to happen. Only a handful of people who were really serious about kissing staff ass would even bother, and even then you would probably have an average pop of 2-3 people.

[pharmakos]

personally my incentive would be that it would be less crowded and boxing would likely be allowed. i definitely would participate.

and before you naysayers accuse me of selfish motives -- there's nothing wrong with a "you scratch my back i'll scratch yours" scenario like this imo. human nature being what it is, there has to be some tangible incentive... or else you end up with a ghost town like the Velious beta.

[Daldaen]

If this test server had boxing it would be awful tempting to swap over there. Boxing is good fun once you hit max level.

[pharmakos]

Velious beta is allowing boxing too, but all my characters are on the same account so i can't box.

or else i'd be playing Velious beta right now heh.

[Yonkec]

Lol EQ's test server is not the best example. 95% of the population has never submitted a /bug report, and the only real testing that occurs is when the Dev's used to get on and ask for focused help. The only reason most people even play there is because of the XP bonus, the AA perk, unlocked+free content, /testbuff, or that it is quiet enough to play "progression" guilds.

I do see your point though. If you want to go box by yourself in a dark corner its not a bad idea as you can at least help in the process. But after a few months, and a few people become "attached" to the server, they are going to shit bricks and set fire to the Dev's houses when a bad patch breaks it for the entire weekend.

[pharmakos]

naysayers

always naysaying

everything i create

sit in your tower!

tenacious-d.jpg




really tho, if EQLive's Test server didn't have those incentives, the few people that do /bug stuff probably wouldn't be on there.

P99's test server doesn't need bonus EXP or anything as an incentive, though -- just the reduced population and ability to box would bring in at least a few dozen people. which would be enough to catch stuff like mobs spawning on roofs, or like the Lich-breaking-invis bug that keeps resurfacing.

and in the long run setting up a Test server for those few dozen people to catch stuff... it would end up reducing the communication load for the staff. when something gets broken and pushed out to 1200 people at once, i'm sure their inboxes and petitions fucking EXPLODE. it would be far less of a headache to have a couple dozen people on a test server catch something and report it.

But after a few months, and a few people become "attached" to the server, they are going to shit bricks and set fire to the Dev's houses when a bad patch breaks it for the entire weekend.

that's obvious overexaggeration, but i gotta respond anyway -- if anyone comes to Test server expecting it to work correctly 100% of the time then they're an idiot and should be banned from Test server. even if that did become a bit of an issue, it would work itself out pretty quickly with minimal staff involvement.

[fadetree]

I used to play on Live Test back in the day. Completely different feel and community ( was much nicer ) than live. It would be all broken occasionally, but that goes with it. Got wiped once or twice. All in all it was useful then, and it would be useful now.

The cost involved in keeping it up and open is ( probably ) low, and any testing at all is better than some of the patches have been lately. Not disrespecting the devs, its hard to test and they have a lot going on. Let us help them.

[pharmakos]

Not disrespecting the devs, its hard to test and they have a lot going on. Let us help them.

good point to reiterate ^

there's only a handful of active devs lately, and everquest is a pretty big world. the devs testing their own content is probably pretty much an insurmountable task when you take into account that they also have real life obligations on top of their dev work.

[Rec]

proposal teams 99 server