The next patch will never be released if people don't turn up to playtests

For those of you who turn up to the majority of tests, and who attended tonight, thanks, I really appreciate it.

But as for the rest of you, the people that decided to reply with "Empires is dead!" whilst playing the regular version, the people who said "I'll play when the patch is released", you are the reason this patch may never be released. Hundreds of hours have been put into this patch by the coders, as well as the testers, relentlessly grinding at the mountain of shit that we've had to get through. Right now, we're trying to do final testing so we can get the patch out before September.

The problem? No-one is attending tests. We can't track down any of the remaining issues, see how weapon, vehicle and research balance is working out, or anything at all. People will sit and cry if the patch goes out and everything is messed up, but how can anyone possibly expect it to be balanced when we have no way of testing it. 4v4 is not going to yield good information on balance, but that's what we have to go with right now.

I schedule tests on the forum, spam my friends list, make events, announcements, everything I possibly can, and most of the other testers are doing their bit too. But the attendance at tests is just pathetic, and it's not enough to get anything meaningful done.

So, if you want this patch out, and you want it out in a decent state, then start fucking attending. If you aren't going to bother, then don't blame us when shit doesn't work out, because we've done our part, held up our end, and we can do no more, the rest is up to you guys.

 

2 replies. You people have no shame.

 

But you have enough time to rant in threads everyday?

 

Lack of computer keeps me from testing and playing in general.

 

PC rebuilt - Didn't have time to install it after work yesterday.
Today I will be heavily drunk by the time you start but I am installing it now and should make it to atleast 2 between Wed & Fri

 

empires isn't dead, it just got a new player base which is different than us, giving us the feeling that we're not needed anymore

...

i need to stop before i blow myself up with illogical statements from my insane mind

 

Can I use the SVN or do I have to use your content server?

 

Alright sorry trickster I'll download the beta but I wont be able to playtest tonight since I have shit to do but tomorrow so far I'm free.

 

This is the kind of response I was hoping for. Thank you Grantrithor.

Either works, as long as they're updated.

 

Well, I fancy a bit of Empires again. Hows everyone doing? Same batshit community? Excellent

Problem with the tests for me is I have a very thin window for playing games, at very specific times. Make it after 11pm GMT and give me, literally, a weeks notice and I can play. Maybe.

 

Where does one download the beta?

 

Send a pm to Trickster.

 

Post asking for access here:
http://forums.empiresmod.com/showthread.php?t=16003

And you'll get access to the testing forums with the instructions within.

As for tonight's test, attendance was better, but still not even close to enough. I still have people on my friends list who can't be bothered putting any effort in, and would prefer to sit on VIPER server chatting shit in spec about how the game is dying, rather than actually fucking help test it. The game is more than playable now, code-work is pretty much done, so it's just a case of updating some maps/materials, and then we're ready to ship. But unless we get more testing, the game won't be even close to what could be called balanced, and there will still be issues.

So get fucking testing. Same time tomorrow night, 8pm UK time, 3pm Eastern. We spend the first 30 minutes dicking about, working out any new changes, etc, and after that half an hour, we start playing proper rounds (with alltalk granted) and seeing how things work out. So join the fuck up.

 

Why don't you make the beta public? It might help with getting more testers.
(and by public I mean just post it and post the times you will be testing... ie don't require people to sign up)

 

We tried that. When anyone had access, no-one was interested. It's only by adding at least a certain level of exclusivity that people started turning up. And besides, you don't sign up per test, it's just a single post to get access to the testing forums, so we don't have randomers who will never test, posting there being assholes.

 

Well, apparently my practises were moved, so this week I can only sqeeze one hour or so with those time constrains.