A public test server is needed now more than ever.

[Wolfie]

We're starting to get patches that are now offering a lot of content and modifications to the game that are going to be lasting throughout the game's life. Patch 1.18 came out with, evidently, a lack of polish and balance. While I don't doubt that the devs are serious about tweaks and balance, they cannot get everything right just from internal testing.

A public test server allows for a massive amount of people to figure out every way in which to break content, break balance, and find exploits -- that the devs may not have found on their own, and that they might fix before the changes are released to live servers.

Giving this game one or two public test servers would, in my opinion, dramatically improve the quality of future patches.

Please post your thoughts on this.

[Raim]

Only if they are highly selective of who they choose each time the server is opened. As you know, a lot of people playing this game clearly have no knowledge in proper balancing. If you just let anyone join the test server, you would have the vocal minority whining about the Conjurer and Thaumaturge changes, even though they were absolutely necessary.

[Wolfie]

Then we come back to the same problem they have now -- it's not public testing. Public testing on a large scale is what makes public test servers good.

[Ilean]

Then we come back to the same problem they have now -- it's not public testing. Public testing on a large scale is what makes public test servers good.

Wolfie for president

[kukurumei]

This is the public test server...

There was so little active players, losing all of them is a drop in the bucket compared to how many subscribers they need when they charge.

[Bled]

We're starting to get patches that are now offering a lot of content and modifications to the game that are going to be lasting throughout the game's life. Patch 1.18 came out with, evidently, a lack of polish and balance. While I don't doubt that the devs are serious about tweaks and balance, they cannot get everything right just from internal testing.

A public test server allows for a massive amount of people to figure out every way in which to break content, break balance, and find exploits -- that the devs may not have found on their own, and that they might fix before the changes are released to live servers.

Giving this game one or two public test servers would, in my opinion, dramatically improve the quality of future patches.

Please post your thoughts on this.

Been saying this since BETA.. +1

If SE is going to take anything on these board into account it needs to be this.

[Darkoon]

No thanks, the community would turn into what WoW is today. Having to watch unreleased content and spoiling everyone who has yet to experience it for themselves is a big turn off. Not having test servers would at least give the community 2-3 days before watching and reading strategy for new content becomes "mandatory".

[Wolfie]

This is the public test server...

There was so little active players, losing all of them is a drop in the bucket compared to how many subscribers they need when they charge.

I know I joked about that a lot, but if they don't set up a public test server while the game is still... small scale, it's going to be even harder when they do their PS3 release and they need to push polished updates even faster, for a serious retail service.

And not putting out polished updates now is setting a pretty terrible precedent. They're not going to regain customer trust if patches come out like this.

[Wolfie]

No thanks, the community would turn into what WoW is today. Having to watch unreleased content and spoiling everyone who has yet to experience it for themselves is a big turn off. Not having test servers would at least give the community 2-3 days before watching and reading strategy for new content becomes "mandatory".

That's a disadvantage, yes.

But I'd personally take that over having poorly tested, glitchy updates.

[Ilean]

No thanks, the community would turn into what WoW is today. Having to watch unreleased content and spoiling everyone who has yet to experience it for themselves is a big turn off. Not having test servers would at least give the community 2-3 days before watching and reading strategy for new content becomes "mandatory".

I'll take that over the crap we get for patches now.

Besides the plot is laughable cliched crap.