Wait... No Public Test Server for this game?

[Grizzlebeard]

S-E tests anything before release?

[Saccharin]

This game would HUGELY benefit from one.

Hopefully then we could prevent things like Atma, Broken Hunts Systems, & Crafting Material Boss Drops.

None of those things are actually bugged though so a PTR would not pick up on them. They all work as SE intended.

Only elite guilds would benefit from public test server as they can do their kills earlier.



Public test servers are just to fix last bugs, not to change the way stuff works. SE is making a much better job at this than publishers of games I know they have public test server.

Indeed. Some games progression starts on the test realm. Considering how much content they have put out there's been surprisingly few bugs in the game. Anything that people complain that is broken are intended outcomes and those can only be judged on live when there are thousands of players on a realm. SE make surprisingly good quality code. I wish some other developers would put quality over content.

[Malamasala]

From what I learn about public test server, at least on XI, is to check latest feature before SE decide to release it in live server, or withhold it. Cait Sith summon and new UI are among those that's taken longest time being in test server, with Cait Sith summon being recently and officially approve for public live release after years being in test server and ppl already doubting it would see the light. Basically, test server serves as to test new features whether it's ok or not.

Oh that one. I had already forgotten all about it. Only waited 2 years or so for it before I left the game. Don't see how it could take any time with testing since when it comes to avatars the default reply for the test server feedback is "Sorry, this is a lore design so even if it is unbalanced or broken we can not change it" like with Fenrir's enaspir half-moon period. (I mean... enaspir for an avatar? Please.)

[Konata]

where i agree with you that public test realms would help to solve some problems that has be happen within the games but some of the system implemented in the game working as intended like the

ATMA system for you 3rd stage of the relic quest is good it make you work towards a better weapon by finding objects from the old era

The hunting system where that does need some improvements to stop the whole spamming of hunts and the insulting of people killing a B rank just cause they found before anyone else and not tell the whole server it there but that system is also working as intended it gave players a activity to do in the open world that give a reward for the discovery

Crafting mat that drop dungeon i dont mind this as it reduces the cost of crafted items on the AH as well as item that can sold for a reasonable amount gil but you also got to think that SE would need to make gear for each dungeon that would only get replaced very soon with SOl or ST gear

Where i can see PTR working in would be stuff like Dungeon and raids to make sure there balanced aswell as challenging to the player of different skill levels for casual aswell as hardcore player base

[Felis]

Not all PTR's are solely for bug-fixing. Many are for feedback on implementations & the like.

As Nekodar mentioned, a PTR for this game would require significant restrictions.

But SE could very well host a Test Realm for new systems.

Think if we could've gotten our hands on Atma, Hunts, Frontline, Wolves Den, all early.

The horrors this could have saved with our feedback.

Not all PTR's have to be about early-advantage or prerelease Raid practice.

So long there is nothing in the test server that give the testers the idea to buy up specific items in the MB on live servers before the patch.

[Tupsi]

This game would HUGELY benefit from one.

I'm curious - How would FFXIV ARR benefit hugely from handing players early access to the next patch and expansion so they can formulate strategies, tear down mechanics, sort out loot pools and find all the hidden nicknacks in the forth coming update?

I mean, you do realize public test servers 99% of the time has very few people actually...testing things, right? This is why even XI's is usually barren, because they only add stuff they want tested and players can't get a "free preview" so they stopped caring.

Not all PTR's are solely for bug-fixing. Many are for feedback on implementations & the like.

As Nekodar mentioned, a PTR for this game would require significant restrictions.

But SE could very well host a Test Realm for new systems.

Think if we could've gotten our hands on Atma, Hunts, Frontline, Wolves Den, all early.

The horrors this could have saved with our feedback.

Not all PTR's have to be about early-advantage or prerelease Raid practice.

PTRs are for bug finding and testing - At least, that's what they're designed for. It's like Alpha and Beta testing these days:

Alpha = Pay us for early access to the game.
Beta = Here's a demo of the game, if you find a bug..remember it's beta, we say it's beta so you can't complain about bugs in the demo!

Pretty much lost all meaning as to what they're for. So while yes, it could be used for feedback, handing out free preview does nothing but further delay content patches to throw in "feedback" from players who almost always just want things with less work (seen this a lot in other games with PTRs where content goes from challenging to essentially point a-b for best rewards in the game.)

[Teirshin]

Rift had public test servers, and they were great.

FFXIV needs one pretty bad imho. Either that or the dev team needs to stop smoking whatever it is they are and take a clear look at what the heck they've been doing lately.

[Dwill]

I kind of find it hilarious that a lot of people say they don't care about what other people do in this game yet someone suggests something that would benefit nearly everyone, people say that it shouldn't happen because some other people might have an advantage in content they wouldn't even do in the first place.

Quite the funny and hypocritical stance.

[Tupsi]

I kind of find it hilarious that a lot of people say they don't care about what other people do in this game yet someone suggests something that would benefit nearly everyone, people say that it shouldn't happen because some other people might have an advantage in content they wouldn't even do in the first place

The 'advantage' negates the purpose of the PTR.

[Baneus]

For this reason:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/13140424228