were there hl2 beta testers?

[chriso20]

hey, you know how cs:cz people could try cs:s beta? well what about hl2? only people who weren't in valve who tried it were visitors and VU.

How can the RC's be perfect if they've only been tested by people who made it (primarily)? i mean the designer knows what it *should* look like and might ignore a small defect that someone who's not seen it before will pick up on straight away.

Fill me in peas.

 

[Seppo]

They probably have testers who didn't participate on the actual development of Half-Life 2. And it's possible that the testers from Vivendi were testing the game at Valve's offices all the time. That way the final release candidate testing would take less time

 

[Sparta]

hey, you know how cs:cz people could try cs:s beta? well what about hl2? only people who weren't in valve who tried it were visitors and VU.

How can the RC's be perfect if they've only been tested by people who made it (primarily)? i mean the designer knows what it *should* look like and might ignore a small defect that someone who's not seen it before will pick up on straight away.

Fill me in peas.

There have been a few people on these forums who have gone to Valve and playtested HL2

 

[chriso20]

There have been a few people on these forums who have gone to Valve and playtested HL2

Yeah but that's just a quick go, not beta testing all the way through like VU will/have do/done (lol@forward slashes).

 

[Seppo]

There have been a few people on these forums who have gone to Valve and playtested HL2

By the way did they sign a NDA? That would be cool, it's like so official.

 

[Sparta]

Yeah but that's just a quick go, not beta testing all the way through like VU will/have do/done (lol@forward slashes).

from what i've gather they allow the play-testers to play only a certain section of the game. For example, merc, here on this forum, got to play-test the final level of the game.

 

[hi_ted]

You have QA and beta testers. QA are paid to search for bugs and are employed by the company or publisher. Beta testers are not paid and is usually voluntary.
There has been no mention of HL2 beta testing.

 

[AcousticToad]

Beta is the second stage to the game (well the second major stage) sometimes they are released to the public so they can get a wider view on what systems cause instability and the like, beta usually involves finding bugs and stuff that shouldn't make it into the final product such as map holes and crashes. Most testers in the QA will beta test in 2 teams, one primarily focusing bugs while the others do their best to break the game, if they succeed then theres something worng and that area will be thourorly examined by the relevant development department to see whats causing the problems.

Not all games have public beta's, its mainly MMORPG's and games that focus on online play (like CS: S) HL'2s would have been in house with a strict NDA in place, the people who got to play when they visited might not have got an NDA but had been told not to say anything about what they saw, so its not primarily a legal NDA as such, but rather them telling the person involved that they dont want the suprise spoilt.

 

[LAYP]

I can tell you that there have been testers around the world.

 

[fluX]

I can tell you that there have been testers around the world.

You mean they have been shot by the FBI in order to keep the ending a secret?

:E

 

[fluX]

Well, my friend i know was an alpha tester for Halflife2. He is currently testing Halo 2 and the new GTA game. It basically works as this... He became a beta tester because of phantasy star online, he and his friend was the most well-known cheaters on the game and programed their own cheats and everything. So the companies LET THEM beta/alpha test their game. Basically beta testing is a lot different than most people think. After playing the beta, you write code (c++) back to the developers on how you want the gameplay changed, and you fix bugs, not necessairly the company. He didn't get to beta test directly thru VALVe, but thru vivendi/sierra. He said they sent them multiple discs with the alpha on it. He still has these disks. Now this version is not the famous stolen build, its an actualy alpha test. the stolen build wasn't even an alpha.

And guys, the best part is that he said HE DIDN't SIGN AN NDA! Ima go get pics, lol. Sad part is that he unistalled it and decline the beta version when they asked him to test it this summer (2004) I asked why, he said he didn't like the game, wasn't fun. Oh well only an alpha. He still has it on CD's he just needs to find it. (aka junk pile) Guys wan't me to get him on the forums?

I kind of missed the Grandma and the big wolf in that story.

 

[Dr.breen]

I would hate to beta test HL2........ seriously.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Valve have beta testers.

 

[Dead-Inside]

I would hate to beta test HL2........ seriously.

Same here, would suck, badly.

 

[Lazlow]

Well, my friend i know was an alpha tester for Halflife2. He is currently testing Halo 2 and the new GTA game. It basically works as this... He became a beta tester because of phantasy star online, he and his friend was the most well-known cheaters on the game and programed their own cheats and everything. So the companies LET THEM beta/alpha test their game. Basically beta testing is a lot different than most people think. After playing the beta, you write code (c++) back to the developers on how you want the gameplay changed, and you fix bugs, not necessairly the company. He didn't get to beta test directly thru VALVe, but thru vivendi/sierra. He said they sent them multiple discs with the alpha on it. He still has these disks. Now this version is not the famous stolen build, its an actualy alpha test. the stolen build wasn't even an alpha.

And guys, the best part is that he said HE DIDN't SIGN AN NDA! Ima go get pics, lol. Sad part is that he unistalled it and decline the beta version when they asked him to test it this summer (2004) I asked why, he said he didn't like the game, wasn't fun. Oh well only an alpha. He still has it on CD's he just needs to find it. (aka junk pile) Guys wan't me to get him on the forums?

Mmmmm... baloney....

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

That's possibly the largest load of crap I've ever read, anywhere, ever.

 

[Seppo]

I like fairie tales

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Are you kidding me? If he didn't sign an NDA then say hello to info/pics/videos galore and VUG or VALVe couldn't do anything to stop him.

That's so much BS...

Secondly, for AAA titles for games, you are forced to send CD's back (like with Halo2, Bungie said so... and when I tested THUG for PC I had to send the CD back) unless they want leaks and such...

Also, not signing up for a beta because "the game isn't fun" is such a stupid reason. I mean christ it's an alpha and not all of the content is in....)

Sorry but that's just so much BS...

Oh and I have no doubt there were employed testers

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Sorry, but that's utter bollocks, and if you believe your "friend" then you've got a major gullibility problem.

I've been in the game industry for several years, and I can assure you that this is not even remotely how testing is done.

Some companies have closed betas where you apply. Some companies have open betas. All companies have internal betas, where they use their own QA staff to test for bugs. They don't contact a "beta tester" and ask them to test it.
Beta testers do not contribute code (C++!) to the game to "change the gameplay"

If your "friend" was a tester for Vivendi, it would be as an internal Vivendi position, which would absolutely, 100% require an NDA.

Your "friend" talks much shit.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

You know, I'd love to go over your conversation line by line and utterly, utterly destroy the story he's spun you, but I'll spare you that shame.

 

[figge]

MattS0717 (11:57:17 PM): ohh i liked tried to trick hl2.net members that you was a alpha tester

akiraXXXX (11:57:02 PM): haha... pwnage dude...

 

[fez]

LOL, testers do NOT change code. developers dont send test versions to random ppl and get them to write code and fix bugs. when bugs are found, if u can replicate the bug then u would make a run down of the exact steps of what u did to recreate the bug etc. more than likely u wouldnt even have access to the source code.

 

[figge]

Yet the second message was before the first?

I have not as much free time as you :hmph:

 

[dbsynergy]

Although I know that good testers sometimes do recommend ways of getting around bugs with code, it’s not something that developers could just plug into their application magically.

akiraXXXX (10:28:08 PM): it's about 75% of the game...then 20% comes from the alpha testers...and the last 5% are last minute fixes and stuff

Hence this line sounds the most like BS to me. I do want to hear what he says on these forums though. If he is indeed a tester, he sounds like a Sierra/Viviendi liability. More likely he is just full of it.

 

[Letters]

Ok im getting on here, but he really doesn't feel like going thru a confirmation email. Can i use my screename or is everyone going to flame me saying, OMG YOU MADE333 IT UPZ0R!

Doesn't 'feel like' it, huh? Why the **** not?! Too lazy to check his own e-mail?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

.....and the house of cards falls apart, one by one.

 

[Letters]

Read my newest post, he just left for homecoming dance.

Good to know that this 'in-demand' tester is a nice, experienced high school student... that goes to dances in the middle of the day...

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

It's amusing how he contradicts several things he said in his first conversation with you, and whenever the possibility of doing anything that involves proof comes up, he's unable to comply.

It's....it's....almost like he's trying to.......avoid it!

Oh yeah, and what did Sony have to do with Doom 3?

 

[Crushenator 500]

The only reason i believe him is because i have known him for a long time.

Hey, even those people can lie...

 

[Ownzed]

Good to know that this 'in-demand' tester is a nice, experienced high school student... that goes to dances in the middle of the day...

Lol, in the middle of the day? Who does that anyway?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Yes, that's because people can spot boatloads of manure from a mile away.


Interesting? I'd say any "debate" with him would be, if anything, very brief.

 

[AcousticToad]

Person 1 - So are you gonna get HL2 when it comes out?

Person 2- nah, I played an uncomplete alpha version about 6 or 7 months ago and thought the game play was crap.

Person 1 - What???

Person 2 - Yup, i tested it, there were about 8 of us and we had to go into a small office where we were given a small introduction by Doug Lombardi, he went through the games openening and what he wanted us as testers to add.

Person 1 - Testers add code?

Person 2 - Yup, half the stuff thats in the game is put forward via the testers, even though we dont have any real programming knowledge.

Person 1 - What the hell? So where you under an NDA?

Person 2 - Nope, VALVe didn't think that their biggest kept secret for 6 years was important enough to go through the whole signing of legal documetns process.

Person 1 - So can you post screeshots?

Person 2 - Sure, i have them on a disc somewhere but i think they are in a box from when i moved house, and i dont have the game installed anymore so i dont have them on hand to show.

Person 1 - So its not illegal to show images that were taken from an uncomplete code even though magazines and websites had to wait to show what they had because of legal reasons?

Person 2 - Yup, its because we tested it.

Person 1 - Cool.


Etc etc etc. Made up in 2 min, typed up while thinking.

 

[SidewinderX]

Well, not to go line by line, but if he has really tested 15 games (I've test near that many, but through online closed ebta where ya'll sign up) he will HAVE to know that NO NDA allows screenshots. Timegate partially lifted the NDA on Axis&Allies so I cna talk all I want about it, but I can't post screenshots.

All an alpha test is, in ANY company is a build of the game where the engine code is what the test focuses on, not gameplay. The vast majority of alpha tests are done internally by paid Q&A testers.

Regarless of the stage of testing, testers ARE never given code. period.

And the latest final fantasy won't be more advanced than any other recent game.

Another thing is that if he's still in highschool, he's a minor, or at least was when he did most of these. That means that he could face serious legal action if he signed a legal agreement by himself.

Pauly: nothing against you, but you "friend" is full of shit.

 

[Mendasp]

My dog playtested Half-Life 2 and modelled Alyx. In fact, 50% of the game was done by my dog. And my cat makes maps.

 

[Adrien C]

Of course they have playtesters, Gabe keep saying that they learned a lot from playtest. You guys should pay more attention to what you read.

 

[geowa]

My dog playtested Half-Life 2 and modelled Alyx. In fact, 50% of the game was done by my dog. And my cat makes maps.

pff thats nothing, when i playtested the alpha i practically remade the game

and gabe is my dad

 

[fragShader]

Of course they have playtesters, Gabe keep saying that they learned a lot from playtest. You guys should pay more attention to what you read.

according to this article on hl1 design, they used playtesting as the ultimate judge of what was in HL1 and what wasn't. no matter how much someone liked their pet idea, if it bombed in playtest it was cut/changed.

hence, hl1 = r0x0r game 2 play

another article i read said they were using the exact same process for HL2.

but that is playtesting for balance, not bugs.

EDIT: sorry u gotta register to read article. oops

 

[LAYP]

Pauly, even if you've known him for years over the internet, and recruited him and such and such. He can be lying, people are like that. This is really nothing against you, but thats the way people are, most likely he is trying to look cool against you.

 

[Lash0r]

So err.... I tested about a dozen games too and.. they gave me their precious code too, I made photocopies of all the codes, but don't tell anyone because I didn't sign any NDA because the companies "trust" me even though they've never seen me in real person.

Oh and I'm in this particular clan because I've known this guy for years off the internet, and I tell him stories it's so funny! Cause he believes each one!

This reminds me of the guys who get tricked by other 40 year old men in chat claiming to be hot teenage asian girls or something.
Then they "meet" and it ends up in a sadistic child rape.

"But I knew miss fewku for years online! how could she have been a 40 year old man!!" *Cry* *heart-broke* *ass pains*

Please, stop being a dumbass and get real.
Valve will NOT send their code through Vivendi to people only to have them re-code it and send it back to them.
Why don't they just hire those people.
That is not beta testing, and excuse me if you don't believe me, but I beta test for a local gaming company over here.

They make me sign things, we're not allowed to use the computers for personal use. In fact, there is no internet connection. We're not allowed to walk in or out with a diskette or documents.
Before getting hired, we had to sign multiple NDA related documents so they can sue us if ever need be.

Stop being gullible and move on. He's a friend from INTERNET.
Since when do people trust other people on internet? damn... people...

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Waiting.....