What Would It Take To Get A Dedicated Test Server?

[(PSN)MoRockaPDX]

As It(Warframe) sits right now the early, and buggy, updates are touted as a benefit for players, but being a early release/beta game also means being the play tester and QQ for the release. I'm not interested in making this thread about the nature of Warframes release status, but more so, interested in the plus and minus's a test server or division of play would create.

As such, could it be disruptive to DE's ability to make money off plat purchases? Probably not if it isn't gated. Some have suggested that a test server should be accessed by the design council. As that would be a limited group, I question the benefit DE would get, especially seeing as many of the design council probably are not interested in being full time QQ testers. If I'm wrong about that, then I think that is a viable option. I think that the technical issues of managing the servers would be the biggest issue, as for release hype, I think it would balance out as the evangilous players would be fine going into test and the rest would settle for waiting for a polished release. Somewhat how it is currently for console users.

The other advantage I originally brought up is the ability to crate update parity between PC and Console. The PS4 has added millions of accounts and the XBONE will add millions more. Both systems are selling faster than previous generation, bucking trends and expectations of console demise, just as PC gaming did a few years back. Last gen, which is still selling, was a dead heat between Sony and Microsoft at about 50 million units. So the growth potential for DE from the console market is huge. To respond to this market update parity will become a big deal. Also stable update releases are vowing to become a nessicity if a larger user base is to be maintained.

In conclusion, I think that the benefits out way te negatives, and this might hint at why DE has been accepting proposals from publishers. I wish Sony could have stepped up, but I can understand why that didn't pay out.

[Incunabulum]

The real problem with a test server is that the game is run P2P, *not* hosted on a dedicated server.

 

 

 

What you'd have to do is push out a dedicated 'test *client*' and not allow it to connect with people running the 'beta client' (which we're all doing now).  Then you'd have to choose which type of game you're going to run - test or beta.

[Davoodoo]

The real problem with a test server is that the game is run P2P, *not* hosted on a dedicated server.

 

 

 

What you'd have to do is push out a dedicated 'test *client*' and not allow it to connect with people running the 'beta client' (which we're all doing now).  Then you'd have to choose which type of game you're going to run - test or beta.

We still have server that keeps info of our accounts and deals with matchmaking. Just make another one for test purposes, since amount of testers would be limited it doesnt need to be as good as live one.

If matchmaking wont allow you to connect to other server then we can still use p2p in that.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Davoodoo

[(PSN)MoRockaPDX]

The real problem with a test server is that the game is run P2P, *not* hosted on a dedicated server.

 

 

 

What you'd have to do is push out a dedicated 'test *client*' and not allow it to connect with people running the 'beta client' (which we're all doing now).  Then you'd have to choose which type of game you're going to run - test or beta.

Now we are getting into the nitty gritty. The how's and whys. Thank you for that detail.

[Satrical]

They could get the Design Council to test out this new stuff *Wink wink*.

 

To be serious though, as was talked about earlier, when entry into the Design Council was closed, the idea to let certain people in once in a while could really play into this.

 

I feel that it would be a great idea for the existing Design Council to test out this content, and then a certain number of invites could go out to random people (Maybe 50-100) that would allow them to join in for a select time period.  Amount of time could depend.