SE needs to make a test server that the players can help test

[Abriael]

I'll say the same thing in this thread as I said in the other. Due to their very nature, test servers are bug ridden. (I play with test servers all day at work, doing so pays my bills.) Most likely those bugs will already be known issues to SE dev staff. All a public test server will do is give players more reasons to complain.

Most people that demand test servers do that not because they want to help test the game. They do so because they can't wait and want to see patches before they are implemented live.

[Molly_Millions]

Most people that demand test servers do that not because they want to help test the game. They do so because they can't wait and want to see patches before they are implemented live.

...and it doesn't do anyone any real good, so I'm totally against it. Like it or not, it'll take at least one person time to deploy changes to the test server. It's probably the same person who deploys changes to the production servers and to the internal test servers, which will inevitably take up actual dev and testing time. I just can't see any scenario where a fully public test server is a good idea. A test server for some hand-picked individual volunteers, maybe, but not a test server accessible by all.

[Physic]

...and it doesn't do anyone any real good, so I'm totally against it. Like it or not, it'll take at least one person time to deploy changes to the test server. It's probably the same person who deploys changes to the production servers and to the internal test servers, which will inevitably take up actual dev and testing time. I just can't see any scenario where a fully public test server is a good idea. A test server for some hand-picked individual volunteers, maybe, but not a test server accessible by all.

the truth is, devs are not gods, and pcs have a lot of different configurations. Test servers often help catch things people miss bug wise, from various systems. Also, and more importantly, test servers that are open to a lot of people help to identify exploits and imbalances fast, its amazing how often some skill change or skill addition doesnt effect the game the way the developer thinks it will.

that said it depends on how much input the developer is willing to take, i have seen test servers where it was only there to find minute bugs, and test servers where they would have drastic balance changes, or even go different direcetions based on feedback of users. The second method is usually best imo, and leads to much better balances patch day.