Open letter to the Vanguard Dev’s

[Naiya]

Hi.

I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Toñja. I play Niaya and a host of other characters on the test server. As a matter of fact, my test server is full and most of my toons are in the mid to upper teens or higher.

Also, I’m a Software Test Engineer by trade. My main source of income is gained by sitting in front of a computer, being a member of a Quality Assurance (QA) department, working on the company’s games and interfacing with the community (test or otherwise).

I only tell you this because I wanted to give you a bit of insight as to my background and to answer the inevitable questions like “Who does this person think she is?” that could come up by reading the rest of this letter.

I’m writing because I’m concerned, specifically about test, but in about the health and vitality of the game in general. I’ve been silent as long as I could. I understand a community and company in transition. I had to deal with it when I worked for a major wireless company when they were bought out some time ago. I know the jostling. I know the fear and insecurities and I’ve nothing but sympathy for everyone involved. But I think now is the time for everyone to come together as a team and get this train back on track.

See, from my perspective, test players have a bit more tolerance and patience for things because we understand what we are dealing with. We expect a smaller community. We expect the bugs but what we are getting right now is incredibly disconcerting. As such, I’d like to bring my observations to you.

These are my concerns in the order I’m thinking of them – not in the order of importance:

1. The alienation of guilds on test
   • Don’t get me wrong, I understand “Ted’s Club” is a DEV guild. However the very name is exclusionary. There is a guild on test who is working very hard to grind its members to 50 so they can have a functional raid guild. However, when things are happening on test this guild and other members of the test community who worked their way to 50 are not included. This builds animosity and an “us vs. them” mentality that is not conducive to a healthy test environment
     • Proposed solution – Change the “Ted’s Club” Guild name to “Devs”. This is a minor change but it has huge psychological impact. While this is still exclusionary, it now explains WHY it’s exclusionary. Also, I propose when you need something done, take a moment to ask some players on server of the appropriate level if they would like to help out. Explain you have focused testing and they will need to be able to follow directions, but if they are willing to help, let them jump in. This will go a long way towards making the test community feel as if we matter
2. The speed at which the patches are released to live
   • There have been a few times now where something has been introduced on test on a Friday and put into the build notes for the next patch on Monday. This leads to frustration within the test community because we don’t get adequate time to thoroughly test. Furthermore it adds to the frustration on live because they start asking “why wasn’t this found on test?” Even if we DO find it, there are 16 working hours (assuming 8 hour work days) for the devs who are stretched thin to fix all the bugs we enter. We may be a small community, but we find bugs.
     • Proposed solution – Push to test on a Monday. Let the patch live on test until the following Wednesday – a total of 10 days. This will allow the testers to get some time in and hammer out the most glaring of the bugs and it allows the devs the proper time to address the highest priority concerns. One patch a week. Period. This does not push patches out the door quickly, but I’m almost willing to bet that the live community would rather have one patch a week that introduces a minimal of new issues rather than one that has not had appropriate shakedown time on test.
3. The vacuum of silence (or inappropriate comments) from the dev staff on test
   • This is leading to some serious animosity from the testers (see the us vs. them statement earlier). This needs to be addressed. Is a test server REQUIRED? Nope. Absolutely not. You can pull the plug anytime you want and force all of us to go to live and deal with it. Is it in the best interest for the game to do that? I don’t think so. I speak for myself and my boyfriend when I say we PAY $30/mo for the PRIVILEDGE to play on test. We prefer the smaller community, the opportunity to work with the staff (we had very active staff members on staff before the buyout), and the opportunity to make the game a better place for other players. We get our kicks like that
     • Proposed Solution – First – Hire some help for Himmel. This man is taking the slings and arrows of the disgruntled few on test server VERY well. To date he’s not let it get to him. This will not last forever. Eventually he WILL burn out. I hate to see someone with such heart and dedication burnt out and cynical. Second – the impression that “IT does not interface with the public” needs to go. In wireless, that is ok. In an MMO that gets input form the community – not so much. Either there needs to be a QA staff who’s job it is to work with the test community (treat this sort of like a beta until the program undergoes a successful relaunch) or people (on both sides of the computer) need to think before they speak. I know some of the testers get out of line, but comments that have been sent in PM’s and can be screen capped and sent to the test community have detrimental effects on us all. It’s demoralizing and we have so few members already. A little common courtesy is all that is required to make this a little better.
4. The lack of testers on test
   • I really hate to say this, but right now, we just need warm bodies. I mean it’s really bad when I’m saying “Please, for the love of whatever diety you choose to acknowledge exists (or doesn’t – your choice) Let them doo character transfer! I mean, I’m not keen on character transfer, but it DOES help get people to test. Honestly, we need to do something
     • Proposed Solution – Implement a character transfer. Character transfer will create a MIRROR of your character – like a snapshot – of what exists on live. Your live character is still there. When people transfer, they get the gear they are carrying on their back. No gold. Nothing else. Most likely they will want to come to test to do something very specific anyway so the loss of anything they are carrying and their gold will be of little impact. There is no way to transfer your test characters back to live. Period. It’s a one way snapshot. If a name conflict occurs, randomly assign a number to the end of the name. This is test server. I love to RP as much as those on the RP server, but on test – there is no time.

I have a few more floating around in my brain right now, but I’ve taken enough of your time. I really hope you take this as intended. A simple letter of concern from a tester who not only loves to game but used to come home and be thrilled to log in just to see my friends and the staff on test. I spent the last week reading over SOA’s rather than gaming… I chose to work over play and that is a sad state to be in.

May your die always land natural 20,

Toñja – aka – Naiya Bladesinger

[Ysharros]

Seconded. I don't know if this is even going to get read by anyone who matters, but it expresses many of my own concerns. Among other things - I'm not a fan of copies or level-buffing myself, but the plain fact is there aren't enough of us on test to do or see all that needs to be done and seen.

I love helping out. I get a huge kick out of reading patch notes and knowing I had a hand in finding this, that or some other issue that's now being fixed. It's a primary reason why I play on Test, knowing that I can help a good game become better. But while I love a small, friendly and helpful community (spats and disagreements aside), we just plain could use a few more eyes, ears and testing bodies. Or, if you're going to scrap us entirely, do so before we've invested even more in the server a few dozen of us call home.

Please. Before Himmel goes mad and starts flinging pie! There's only so much one man can do before pie-flingage becomes a real possibility.

[Lendal]

I agree with the ideas posted here in this thread. The test server is badly in need of attention.

The main things being a lack of sufficient people playing on the test server and also the lack of dev presence on the test server, as pointed out above.

I don't know what would attract more players to test. Perhaps a one or two week period when players could flag their characters for transfer to the test server.

Or perhaps some perks on the test server such as making the rent-a-flying mounts at the riftway stations 'no rent' instead of limiting them to 5 min. Or perhaps a dev or two hanging around who had the power, and inclination, to just occasionally give (*gasp*) players things like boats and houses to play with.

Anyway, they need to do something or they might as well just pull the plug and give up the idea of having a test server.

[Hasium]

Surprise, a Dev did read this.

1. I will look into this.

2. Yes, the patches are being pushed much too fast to test. We are moving to a more consistent patch schedule. Bug fixes, performance upgrades, etc. should be staying on test closer to a week with new features closer to 3 - 4 weeks for proper testing.

3. Another thing I need to look into.

4. Character transfers are being coded in order for us to do the server merges. After the server merges, we will set up a way for players to copy their characters to test.



Feel free to post the rest of the ideas floating around in your head. any and all feedback is appreciated.

[Naiya]

Um - Wow.. <visualize a very humble me >

Thank you. I mean it. for taking the time to not only read through a very long letter but taking the time to reply.

I know I appreciate it a great deal and I'm quite certain I'm not alone.

Again,

My thanks

[Aredhel]

Hey, Hasium!!

Thanks! You just won MAJOR points for the Dev team under the SoE banner now. Good job!!

[Tranao]

First off I really liked your post Naiya it was very well put together but there is one part of it that does not set well with me. I do not think that there should be copies to test server. Myself and some others who play on Test are against this type of service and for good reasons. Copies would only hurt the test server community. I know that we have a very small population at the moment but those we do have here are here because they consider test their home. I do also believe that we will continue to grow in time as Vanguard becomes increasingly polished.

If copies were allowed I doubt that it would be used as anything other then an opportunity to come on test to get the scoop on upcoming content for one's personal gain then after return to live with no benefit what so ever to the process. If SOE wants new people for test then may I suggest that they promote free 1 way transfers to the test servers. In EQ2 this one done and we did gain new people on the test. A Tester Recruiting drive done quarterly would be great imo.

I also believe that our testers as of right now are not being used to the full extent in which we could be although I must say that last week it felt really good that the Developers came over and we got to talk to a few to fix some problems on the spot. Don't get me wrong we /bug as much as we can but there is nothing better (and faster) then being able to talk to the person who is responsible for the fixes and getting things done. Hopefully we see more of this in the coming months.

[Naiya]

Tranao,

thank you for your kind words. Believe it or not you and I are in 100% agreement. It was a great affront to my personal beliefs to put that last point in there.

nothing grates upon me - personally - more than test server copies. however, at this time, I could not come up with a better solution that would solve our immediate problem and deal with continued attrition.

If implemented, I also agree that the transfers should be one way - they should not be allowed to transfer their character off test in any way/shape/form. The only way I could come to terms with myself for even proposing the solution was to implement something along the lines of CoH's character transfer - you come over with *nothing* other than what you have "equipped". no cash. no inventory. no nothing.

This would minimize the impact the transfers of those who want to get a glance at new content but not actually be a part of testing. It would also help mitigate some of the impact to the test server economy from those who would be coming over.

We're seeing some of that leak already with people charging high prices on the exchange for lowbie gear. I sincerely hope this does not become the standard practice and I hold great fear and trepidation that, with character transfers, it will be.

Unfortunately, as I said before, I had no better solution to proposed and I avowed not to put forth a concern unless I could also propose a viable, plausible solution.

As for the current population being underutilized. I agree with that as well and have made that point a few times in the post. Specifically, I was speaking of Light's End.* They have been working with very deliberate and dedicated purpose to get their members to 50 so they can help with raids. Because of their drive and passion, they are a bit more than disappointed when they are continually passed over, ignored or shunned.

Whether this is the perception of a few people or actual practice is of little consequence. The perception is a reality to those who perceive it. The damage is done. And it is that damage that I'm hoping to help remedy. I'm hoping that a few changes made by those who have the power will be met with positive overtures from the test population as well. Even small steps can be progress...

*I know there are others that are 50 on the server as well and I'm sure they would like to participate. I was not thinking of myself or the ASC when I wrote this post because frankly, I'm not a raid fan but I will go where the devs need me. The ASC is also populated with a great many lowbies (can you say alt-o-holics boys and girls? i knew you could ) We'll go where the devs need us but in the general sense, we do not suit their immediate testing needs - unless it's crafting or diplo

[Truly]

Thought I would post here as well.

I am totally against copies to test, if by that we mean the toon would be on live and test. I Think the reasons above pretty well sum it up for me. A one time, one way transfer makes much more sense and seems to me a good way to get people actually interested in testing.

As far as handing out stuff, I am not opposed to it, but think it needs to be done with care. Too many handouts leads, to things not getting tested, imho.

One thing is certain, we could use some more folks.


Truly

[capricious]

Hey guys just adding my 2cp

I think there may be an opportunity to increase the population of test whilst taking advantge of the imminent server merges.

Instead of implementing a seperate activity to allow players to copy (retaining a version on both Live and Test) characters to Test please consider the following.

After the servers are merged all players are to be offered a 'one time' only free transfer (Lock stock and barrel move, Char exists on one server only). I propose that Test is offered up as a possible destination, this would allow those people that wanted to move to Test the opportunity to do so. This would be a one way move only and even if character transfers were to be implemented in the future it would not be possible to move off of Test.

This solution would take advantage of the process already being implemented for the merges and may go some way to assuage the concerns of the permanent Test residents with regards to copied characters.

Feel free to roll around laughing if necessary

Cap