Quote Originally Posted by Betelgeuzah View Post
The devs/reps already commented on this (don't remember whether we got a translation for it though) but in a nutshell this game's internal build has not and will not be in a shape to be tested for some time to come. For a test server to work the game has to be actually functional, and this game has not been so.

Imagine this: you have a non-existant hate system that is being changed from the very core. It is all over the place. How do you go about testing it? How can you give proper feedback when it doesn't function even on the basic level?

Now imagine the same, except this time every stat algorithm is the same way.

As far as AA goes, how do you test the game when the AA is out of sync with the server? What if there is no actual AA mechanic, you are still using stamina bar, but the server already functions as if AA was implemented? There are so many variables to this, and they would all have to work across the globe at all stages in development; otherwise you couldn't fight anything.

Lastly, imagine all of this together. You can't test them separately because they belong together. They only make sense together. AA, new stats, damage algorithms, enmity, materia system, dungeons, server architechture, item renovations, graphical adjustments. It's all just a big mess and most importantly there are only 3 stages to their development:

1) it doesn't function, untestable.
2) it functions properly, but the design is slightly off. Implement to live servers.
3) collect feedback, work out the design issues. Flesh the system out.

So at the end of the day, at this point it doesn't matter whether there is a single test server or whether every current server acts as one. When all this content becomes functional, it is implemented to be tested externally (the earliest point at which it even can be tested).

This isn't just a new raid instance, or an event, or an additional gameplay feature on top of the basic features (those are the things that test servers are used for- testing additional layers on top of the foundation).

Once we get to the point when features like AH, battle regimens, UI additions and content become the dev team's primary focus (in other words, additional layers on top of the existing foundation), a test server can be created as well.



It's pretty simple: you just lost the fight. If it's good game design the bosses won't be so cheap. In XI it was a-okay because stalling actually worked. Here you die, you suck, you lose.
I think you're confused. What you explained would not be a public test server, that kind of stuff is tested internally, for the exact reasons you stated. Public test servers are so the community can test the finished ideas/products as soon as they are functional. Instead of pushing enmity changes into a live environment, a test server would ensure that it is tested, feedback is collected, then fine tune adjustments can be made before it goes live for the world to see. As it stands right now, they push it live for the world to see, then admit their mistake when people don't like it, and backpedal. This is why people are so frustrated with this game right now.

There needs to be a test environment. Dungeons should not go live before community testing, game changing mechanics should not go live before community testing. They are leaving us in the dark and we have no way of giving Square any kind of constructive feedback until the walls are already painted.

It's like if you're making a dinner for a group of people but you're inexperienced (I think SE has oddly proved their lack of experience, especially with Yoshi-P) with cooking, you put something together and taste it. But unless you have a proven good taste (Square doesn't), you'll probably want a second outside opinion before sending your dinner out to a bunch of people. It sure would suck to make that dinner and find out the meat wasn't done well enough for half the people or something, wouldn't it?