I've been on several beta tests (my first being with COH). I've survived numerous character wipes, worked with a Dev to get a door to open, and reported all to many bugs and exploits.
I always thought the progression was devs only, then alpha with professional (paid) testers, then Beta closed and beta open, finally release and post release Nerfs.
But now I'm hearing another game is inviting the public into an alpha which messes up the mythology of game production in my head.
What is the alpha test?
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[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
I found this nice website that might clear things up. http://www.centercode.com/blog/2011/01/alpha-vs-beta-testing/
Think of it along these lines. If you build a car you test each part as they are added to the frame. Quality, stress, and other such tests. The car is nothing more than a frame and some parts. This would be Alpha testing checking each part and adding it to the frame. Along the way, the frame itself might change as with valiance Online going from a Fantasy MMO to a Superhero MMO.
When the car is built you run tests like gas mileage, braking speeds, safety tests and other such tests. Technically the car is built just unfinished no paint basic functions, there might not be any radio or other luxuries. Game wise this is when you bring in outside testers so you can get unbias views. Some things may change adjustments made and so on. Open Beta is normal to test the stress of the systems, adjust spawn rates, markets, and drop rates.
Technically I have no idea I'm just B.Sing, however, reading and working with some people in programming as well as having a nephew who wants to be a programmer this is the view I have of the process.
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Personal rules of good roleplay
1.) Nothing goes as planned.
2.) If it goes as planned it's not good RP
I believe RottenLuck explained things pretty well, but I'll chip in my explanation as well:
Alpha testing is mostly about finalizing and testing the game's basic systems. If everything is working as planned, you have all the main pieces by this point, and it's just a matter of getting them working as intended individually or together.
Beta testing is about testing a version of the game that is feature-complete. All of the core systems are there, and the "game" itself is there. If everything is working as planned, then you are focused on bug-testing, balancing, and generally polishing the game at this point.
Often, a game is alpha-tested in a very closed and even secretive environment, far from the public eye. This is because a game in the alpha stage is not pretty, either from a visual standpoint or from a standpoint of things even working in a game-like manner. However, it's becoming more common to involve the public in alpha testing by bringing people in, usually on an invitational basis.
Alpha testing usually goes something like this: "Ok, this week, we're going to be testing [system]. The servers will be up between [start time] and [end time]. Everything will be set up so everyone can jump right in and start testing [system]. Please make sure you document any issues as clearly as possible. If everything goes as planned, we should be testing [other system] some time next week or the week after." The "game" consists solely of testing whatever system or systems are being tested at the moment.
I've always considered alpha to be any time prior to Beta. Beta being the point in time where the game is fully integrated and is a conglomeration of systems that generally resembles the final product. I think the definitions have shifted as open betas are essentially just a trial period in most cases. I doubt that developer who is allowing access to alpha is actually allowing alpha access, more like closed beta that has been renamed.
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