57 replies to this topic

[Slystone]

I would spend money during beta and I'm hoping we can!

[William Petersen]

That would make it a little less "beta test" and a little more "head-start." <.< Just saiyan.

[Howling Mad Murdock]

William Petersen, on 22 May 2012 - 04:21 AM, said:

That would make it a little less "beta test" and a little more "head-start." <.< Just saiyan.

Agreed. as long as it was items such as custom paint jobs and nothing that can effect the battles then im ok with that if you are spending HARD CURRENCY.

[Slystone]

I'm sure they wouldn't mind getting the cash rolling in now.

[Quentin Yatoki]

First of all, I highly doubt they will let you spend real money during Beta. If it's at all like WoTs open Beta, then they will probably give you a set amount of gold. and you will be able to spend it as you wish in game. Because of this, I highly doubt you will be able to keep anything that you got during th beta.

Second, there is a whole world of ethical issues surrounding people spending real money on a Beta test. A beta is by nature a unfinished product, i.e. a test version to work out the kinks, so allowing people to spend money on things that may or may not be included in the final product or be severally tweaked often upsets those people who did spend money on it.

[Mopar]

No and personally I hate the current trend in so many games that if you pre-order the game you get to be in the beta. I mean in essence you are buying a chance to work for the game maker, not cool. In the case of a game like this, using the F2P model, allowing you to make and keep purchases is NOT a beta, that is an advance start.

[Razor 1]

This sounds interestring and I trust in development. I am in !

[Rofleupagus]

I would!!! Beta me pls!!

[DaZur]

Assuming it's an open beta, there is nothing wrong with purchasing items so long as they carry over into the final release...

If it's an open beta, all have equal access to the content, thus it's not really allowing some to get a head-start.

My bigger concern would be that I might purchase something early on that could potentially be nerfed upon release, leaving me with a worthless bobble or trinket.

Edited by DaZur, 22 May 2012 - 04:47 AM.

[oohawkoo]

maybe even if we couldnt keep it since it would give the company funds to improve the game with =3

perhaps for definate if it gave is a bonus to cbills or free access to get some cash items in full release up to at least the cost of what we previously spent i mean =3

ah well stuff getting nerfed always happens lol so worrying about what might be is kinda pointless =3

Edited by oohawkoo, 22 May 2012 - 04:48 AM.

[Aelos03]

I think beta is there to play report bug and test everything out before start let us even test shops und stuff and if everything is ready then game can fully start no need to call it beta if everything works.

[Banditman]

I sincerely hope they do not.

That isn't a beta at that point, it's a buggy release. If you want to see beta done right, check out Red 5 Studios. Those guys got it right.

[Quentin Yatoki]

Banditman, on 22 May 2012 - 04:51 AM, said:

I sincerely hope they do not.

That isn't a beta at that point, it's a buggy release.

Exactly, and all that will do is create bad blood between the Devs and the players. Nobody wants a buggy release and normally after a game finishes Beta and goes to release, all accounts are wiped clean anyways.

Additionally, it's in the Devs best interests to provide all beta testers with some form of Gold income free of charge, because that allows them to get the maxium testing of the products that they will be making money on, and allows them to tweak them to work best. If you charge people for items during a Beta, then those items won't get tested properly.

Edited by Quentin Yatoki, 22 May 2012 - 05:02 AM.

[Gamblit]

I, as some other above me, do not see much point in it. Since all the data will be wiped befor release.

Mopar, on 22 May 2012 - 04:29 AM, said:

No and personally I hate the current trend in so many games that if you pre-order the game you get to be in the beta. I mean in essence you are buying a chance to work for the game maker, not cool. In the case of a game like this, using the F2P model, allowing you to make and keep purchases is NOT a beta, that is an advance start.

I think you are not going to like what GW2 is doing then even more. In order to get in to Beta, you must pay a full price of the game, befor its even released.( in GW2 case, they don't even have a release date). They call it "pre-purchase".

[windicator]

I myself think it would be worth it IF we get the Gold back rather than the Parts.

BTW it would not be too much head start

EDIT: That is what i think

Edited by windicator, 22 May 2012 - 05:18 AM.

[Kaemon]

they do not always do a server wipe before Go Live (I believe they should) and opening the cash shop in BETA (and if I see the 'well we need to make sure it's working' comment from someone they'd better be wearing fireproof pants) is a cash grab.

If you open it and then try to wipe, it causes all sorts of issues (including some A-holes that will actually sue you), if you leave BETA content for players, it's no longer BETA (as mentioned) it's a head-start (which in this game makes little sense).

I understand the desire to get money coming in, they've been operating in the red now since they started.

But resist the urge to squeeze your players for money for an unfinished product, IMO it only leads to bitter resentment and community issues when Go Live comes around (which is the last thing you should be worrying about).

[Redshift2k5]

This has come up several times before.

I would be in favour of spending money during Beta if the progress was wiped and the MC value refunded.

Of course, even without a reset, any cash purchases made early are no different than anyone else making a Day 1 purchase, but I think a planned progress wipe will keep people from treating the Betas as a 'head start' and more like a test.

Edited by Redshift2k5, 22 May 2012 - 05:32 AM.

[Destroid]

It worked out ok in Tribes: Ascend. But they should be honest and call it a limited release or something instead of beta in that case. F2P games tend not to follow the traditional release model anyway, so I don't see anything wrong with that. At the end of T:A's "beta" they refunded all xp (not sure about gold, which is what you purchased with real money), so you could respec as you please.

[Bolo Warden]

Would I spend money during beta if I got to keep what I bought...hmm, an interesting question.

In one aspect, I'd say no, because beta is supposed to be testing the game/system out to see what works and what doesn't. Beta is to identify potential flaws/errors that are in the version of the game being Beta'd. So, if I bought an item which was found to have a flaw, would I have the right to keep it, I'd think not. For the presence of an item could create an in-balance within the game. But, what to do with the $ spent for those disallowed items? My simple suggestion would be to convert it to c-bills and include it in the pilots bank at startup.

On the other hand, if my purchases would allow me to gain mechs, skins, approved modules, why not? I think it'd be a win/win for everyone. If you want to complain that these purchases would make it an early release, what's to stop you from plunking down $30-$50-$100 the first day of release and having access to the same items I picked up during the beta testing? Then at that point we'd be on an even foot, i.e. I purchased the same mechs you did, just a few weeks earlier. But, I'd also have to say that at release, any mech/pilot skills, c-bills, whatever be reset to the default at startup.

[Angelicon]

My kids have spent a little money on a beta game named "Brick Force" -- I don't really see a problem with it, if as suggested by others, it doesn't really give you a head start/major advantage over those not in beta.