beeta labs inc. strategic verification of amusement characteristics since 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Let the World Be Your Beta-Tester
Training Team Orientation
BeeTa Labs Inc. Strategic verification of amusement characteristics since 2014
Goal
“BeeTa Labs works to simplify the synergy between strategic verification of amusement characteristics and entertainment elements.”
- Davin Risk, CEO BeeTa Labs
The Problem with Testing
Game Developers
The Problem Of Game Developers
“If we could remove the game developer from the amusement formulation process, we could streamline, synergize and make more efficient the evaluation process.”- Martha-Anne Winters, CAEO BeeTa Labs
Response?
“I don’t need to test, my game is perfect.”
- John Westonfieldmire, CEO, Designer, Programmer, Lead Artist
myappisfreakingamazeballs.com
At BeeTa Labs,
we are the best beta beaters.
Basic BeeTa Testing Process
Unit Testing
Alpha Testing
Beta Testing
Release
Beta Testing
“A test of product performed by real users in real environments.” - Centercode.com
“An evaluation of commodity implemented by actual individuals in authentic encompassments the BeeTa way.”
- Davin Risk, CEO
Beta testing is:
After internal testing
Includes prospective customers
Creates buzz for game
Brings up problems
from a player perspective
Part of your testing. so must be
managed
Beta Testing Process
Project Planning
Participant Recruiting
Product Distribution
Internal and External TestingCollecting Feedback
Evaluate Feedback
Conclusion
The Move from External to Internal
Converting what was said you need to do to what you need to do.
Tracking Software
• Bugzilla• Mantis• Trac
• BeeTa Bug Board 2.0
How Long Should a Beta Test Last?
The BeeTa Beta Timeline Evaluator
3-5 games
Time for reflection
Recruitment
• What do you want• Do not take everyone• Incentives
– Fans– Mr. Free Stuff– Active social folks
• Avoid– Employees– Friends– Family
Testing Recruit Requirements
• What is required?• What is expected?• What you are testing?
– Main game– Expansion– Game design
• Incentives and mystery• Legal stuff
The Legal Stuff
• Non Disclousure – Your original content– Your game mechanics– The beta-testing process itself– Any forms or communications
Feedback
Make it as easy as possible for user-enabled feedback data collection.
We use - BeeTa Beta Bees
Feedback
• Email• Forums• Locked Forums• Google Docs• Alternative Testing
Alternative Testing
• Unpub• Conferences
Game Developer Feedback
• “The art sucks.”• “It’s not fun.”• “The game is too hard.”• “This is exactly like GameX.”• “It was ok.”
BeeTa Labs Feedback
• “The art is cartoony on the box and realistic on the cards. This leads to confusion of the tone of the game. “
• “The rules are not easy to understand and there is too much dependency on luck for my tastes.”
• “The controls are difficult to get use to and counter-intuitive to games like this.”
• “The quest where you collect chickens for the old man is too much like a quest in GameX.”
• “This part of the game was easy to understand and did not cause any disruption in gameplay.”
Communication During Beta
• Developer chats• Forums
– Secure and public
• Change logs
Common Mistakes by Other Labs
• Big start little finish• Going to beta too early• Too short or too long• Difficult feedback mechanism• Ignoring feedback
Your Workday Starts Now…
• Our new Two Kings product • Role Play as Three BeeTa Beta Bees• Provide poor feedback example• Provide a good feedback example
Questions
• What do you think of the game art?• Did you find the rules easy to follow?• Is the queen character overpowered?• How can we add a third person to the
game?• Should we include a co-op mode?