Should SE Implement a Public Test Server? (Talk on Released Content)

[KitingGenbu]

I guess people saying no dont realize that they are actually testing it for them anyway. But honestly, SE wont implement one till the game is on life support like they did with XI, only took them about 10 years to implement one there...

[Remus]

I guess people saying no dont realize that they are actually testing it for them anyway. But honestly, SE wont implement one till the game is on life support like they did with XI, only took them about 10 years to implement one there...

At least they eventually done it lol

[KitingGenbu]

At least they eventually done it lol

6 years to go? or maybe 5

But seriously, people saying no because it will delay the patch process dont really get that subpar content released on time only costs the company more money plus insures subs will decline till the next patch. If you have people testing your content and actually giving feedback, it helps insure that the content will have a bit longer longevity at least till the next patch, thus increasing retention and making the company more money in the long run. Dead content isn't content, people.

[Stormfur]

I guess this is a common thing with other MMOs? Letting some or all players test things before release?

[Remus]

I guess this is a common thing with other MMOs? Letting some or all players test things before release?

Yes, in order to find bugs or give feedback on the content.

[Zumi]

They did this in FFXI have test server but only 1-3 people would even be on it at a time so they stopped doing it. You really couldn't try out alliance content because so few people would be on it. Probably something similar would happen if they did it for ff14. In the end it turned into a log on just to see this NM that is never up so you can joke about actually killing it.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

They did this in FFXI have test server but only 1-3 people would even be on it at a time so they stopped doing it. You really couldn't try out alliance content because so few people would be on it. Probably something similar would happen if they did it for ff14. In the end it turned into a log on just to see this NM that is never up so you can joke about actually killing it.

Or the fact you'd also have people playing on test servers just to play with the new toys and not give any feedback.

[SgtPepperUK]

Or the fact you'd also have people playing on test servers just to play with the new toys and not give any feedback.

In other MMOs I've tried where there's been a test server it has been pretty much this to the point that test players have kept hush-hush about a discovered exploit so they can use it once the content goes live.

Test servers have the potential to be useful in theory but, in practice, I don't feel those games, at least the ones I've tried that had test servers, were any better for it.

[Rufalus]

They will change things based on feedback and player data when they get time. Diadem and other upcoming exploratory zones are being changed to more objectives-based content in a 3.x series patch, possibly 3.4, and separate matchmaking for gathering classes added. Verminion and other MGS activities will get cross-world lobbies and updated rewards to increase participation. Deep dungeon only just released but will be adjusted and updated like anything else. It's an MMO so things will constantly be re-evaluated and improved over its lifespan with or without a test world.

edit: gotta give S-E props for the latest patch reducing the damage of Raw Destruction in pvp and letting you buy primal mounts for 99 tokens, two things that were requested by many people on the English forums.