Advanced Weapon Testing Area(Test Continent)

CutterJohn · 2011-08-23, 12:50 AM

As the name suggests, a test continent, live and in game, where tweaks and balance changes can be tested out on a trial basis.

This area would allow for greater player participation of testing. Not only would the players have far easier access(just go through the warpgate), the devs could also offer incentives to increase testing participation if such a thing was desired, since players are using their real characters.

Undoubtedly there would be difficulties with this, and it couldn't be used for everything. Brand new mechanics and vehicles/weapons would have to be patched in to be used, but for things like tweaks, it would function admirably.

It could be used for other things too. No dev testing currently? Well, there is a player petition for balance change X. It can be implemented on there for players to test out. This would be impressive. In all MMOs I've ever played in, the devs have never experimented with things. Obviously they do behind the scenes in their studio, but players rarely get to see it. This could be a place for such experimentation. Its a testing area. Things here may only last a week or two, then go away.

Talek Krell · 2011-08-23, 01:30 AM

Interesting thought. Kind of like how they used the battle islands, since no one actually went there.

Brusi · 2011-08-23, 05:37 AM

There is usually a reason that you seperate your test and production systems.

Other then the possibility of screwing up the game royally for a short period, the idea sounds ok? A test server would be fine though.

CutterJohn · 2011-08-23, 06:14 AM

Yeah, I don't doubt a test server would be easier, but those are generally a pain in the ass to get to, and have very low populations, so while the functionality gets tested, effect on gameplay is less so.

A place to test out gameplay tweaks in the game itself would get a lot more people joining, because its rewarded the same and easy to get too. If they mess something up, they can always lock it down.

Grimster · 2011-08-24, 08:33 AM

I think the intentions with the idea are good but I wouldn't want to see this implemented.

In this case it would be better to simply have a test server which is free to join. I am not a code monkey but I imagine that these changes might be hard to implement properly into the code while it still have to reside alongside the current live code.

Maybe its easy to do but in my book it must be easier to have a test version on a test server rather than have code you have toyed around with in the live version.

NewSith · 2011-08-24, 01:09 PM

Well, GA had a sort of server instancing. Like you could switch servers without existing the game...

So if it's not resource-heavy for a dev team and is not that hard to implement, we could aswell have a test server that represents a continent, available from any of the others. A separate server for a single (lockable) continent would also mean that pop limit (assuming there is such a thing) can be much higher.

Downside of it though - patching would be very frequent. And it is worse, than it sounds.

Lonehunter · 2011-08-25, 12:53 AM

Test servers are the traditional method of achieving this. They don't have to be a pain to get to, now it can be just as easy as installing the main game.

I think it's also easier for them, they have more freedom if it's on a total other server.

Plus I don't want a patch, how ever small, for the test continent when all I'm doing is the main area.

Sentrosi · 2011-08-25, 05:27 PM

I think a test server is almost a requisite these days, especially for a game of the scope and caliber of Planetside 2. It could also be a great place for outfits to run practice nights on, as opposed to trying out new tactics in the war.

CutterJohn · 2011-08-25, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Lonehunter187

Plus I don't want a patch, how ever small, for the test continent when all I'm doing is the main area.

I'm suggesting this as a test ground for balance. Meaning the changes are variables in a text file. They could probably do that on the fly without you even noticing.

Test servers are fine for testing if things actually work. Not so good for testing if its good for gameplay or not. They are a pain to install(yes, installing a second instance of the game is a pain). Your character does not advance while playing there. The are grossly underpopulated, to the point that if it were a normal server it would be shut down.

I'm not saying not have a test server, but just have the test server there to test for functionality, not balance. Whats the behavior in PS? Test server is dead. They announce a new change on test, pops raise a bit for a night, at most.