I'd just like to clear something up. I'm currently 17 and I'm not sure how much my age will be considered when looking at my application.
Question for the Beta Application
- Thread starter Dr. Plebeian
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Aye, if any legal documentation is required (which for an unreleased commercial game WILL be the case), you will need to be able to give informed consent on legal forms in your own country and/or in Sweden. I'm not familiar with Swedish law of minority, but I'd imagine they'd only want people of-age anyhow; play-testing is a lot more strenuous than simply playing the game and telling PDS when it crashes.
Have you been involved in a PDS closed beta previously then? Is it a major undertaking?
All beta testing is a major undertaking. You will encounter bugs and unstability galore, unfinished and broken features and you are expected to persist in not only encountering them and tell the devs, but tell so in a structured way, ensuring proof in screenshots and/or saves which reproduces the bug reliably, and to describe in great detail what, how and when. It's work, and it's unpaid except for the early access and the free game provided. It's fun, in my opinion, but it's not for everybody.
Beta testing also involves searching for edge-cases. Y'know those people who do the youtube videos where they push a game to it's limits? The way they think make them great testers, because they look for ways that mechanics interact that were not intended and exploit them. That is to say, they go out and LOOK for bugs as a way to have fun, while players like me just putter along. I'm never going to find a quarter of the bugs that a real tester will find.
Thank you so much. So faking an age wouldn't help since you have to deal with legal documents right?
No, it would not. And certainly not you asking it plainly here for all to see.
Edit: @Dr. Plebeian really could cause you trouble to fake something legal like that, even with the best intentions. BTW sorry for hijacking your thread with my own question
Regarding what it is like to beta test:
Ah indeed, that fits what I thought and is all good. I've done testing before but not at PDS, and don't want to take the ****.
It's oddly satisfying to explore edge cases and just concoct pathological tests.
In fact permission to facepalm. I mentioned in my application that I had been in other game betas, but didn't mention that I once worked as a software tester professionally (back in 2000 but still!) I'm off to see if I can edit it...
Regarding what it is like to beta test:
Ah indeed, that fits what I thought and is all good. I've done testing before but not at PDS, and don't want to take the ****.
It's oddly satisfying to explore edge cases and just concoct pathological tests.
In fact permission to facepalm. I mentioned in my application that I had been in other game betas, but didn't mention that I once worked as a software tester professionally (back in 2000 but still!) I'm off to see if I can edit it...
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I don't intend to fake my age, but I was just making sure so I don't make that mistake in the future. I haven't given beta testing too much thought either. I didn't know that it would have been so rigorous; I thought it would have been a simple "play the game. see how it runs. report bugs you run into. report anything that isn't working as intended." You know, not as complicated as you and previous commenters have stated.Edit: @Dr. Plebeian really could cause you trouble to fake something legal like that, even with the best intentions. BTW sorry for hijacking your thread with my own question
Regarding what it is like to beta test:
Ah indeed, that fits what I thought and is all good. I've done testing before but not at PDS, and don't want to take the ****.
It's oddly satisfying to explore edge cases and just concoct pathological tests.
In fact permission to facepalm. I mentioned in my application that I had been in other game betas, but didn't mention that I once worked as a software tester professionally (back in 2000 but still!) I'm off to see if I can edit it...
Well yeah.. I just wanted to be certain.No, it would not. And certainly not you asking it plainly here for all to see.
I wouldn't say complicated so much as requiring patience. A good bug report is about being systematic, and as detailed as you can be. Before reporting see if you can reproduce the bug a few times. See if the bug has already been reported and if so add to it rather than create your own. This sort of diligent mindset is required.
A provocative way to put it: if you are willing to spend more time writing bug reports and restarting the game than playing it, then you won't be disappointed if that is what you end up doing
Of course I:R is quite far along and you might have fun playing a long time before finding a bug. Just don't count on it!
It just sounds fun. Glad I sent my application in! I've never been part of a beta before (never had time). Does that make a difference in that PDX recruits only those with experience?I wouldn't say complicated so much as requiring patience. A good bug report is about being systematic, and as detailed as you can be. Before reporting see if you can reproduce the bug a few times. See if the bug has already been reported and if so add to it rather than create your own. This sort of diligent mindset is required.
A provocative way to put it: if you are willing to spend more time writing bug reports and restarting the game than playing it, then you won't be disappointed if that is what you end up doing
Of course I:R is quite far along and you might have fun playing a long time before finding a bug. Just don't count on it!
Yeah I highly recommend anybody applying for beta really think about it.
There are down sides, like it's not like playing a final version. I also found that doing it for another company watered down the new game feel of one you've really been looking forward to.
Purely a guess, but I'd suppose experience helps but they'll look for a variety of different perspectives? We'll just have to hope our applications catch their interest
Well I was also around your age when eu4 beta test application started, I really wanted to be a part of the development so I sent in a request to join and be a part of the beta test, but sure enough I was rejected due to age.
I was disappointed at the time but I also realized that EU4 is a very product(like any other game really) and it needs to be the treated as one, paradox needed to make sure that they keep their games safe during development and they cant not risk giving beta copies aways just on a promise, that's why they need someone 18+ for legal reasons.
Now is the first time since the EU4 attempt to apply as a beta tester(for imperator:rome), and also now as an adult I realize that for beta testing you need to actually work with the game and not only play with it, really push the game to it's limits and see what can be done to make it better.
For summary:
Sit tight, early-mid 2019 is just around the corner and in a flash you'll be playing a new polished game.