1.4 Public Beta

[DePhille]

Hi,

Since the release of 1.4 alot of complaining has started again, just like with every new version. THe main reason is not because people aren't used to it yet but because they cannot fall back to 1.3.1, a stable version which works.
I think 1.4 would've been perfect if it was launched as a public beta. You just spread the link abd make a seperate subforum for the bugreporting. But, you still need to supply the link for 1.3.1 as being the 'main Soldat Version' until public beta testing of 1.4 is over.

Because 1.4 is an important release, it appeared on many gaming websites. This means alot of new audience. However, since there are still alot of bugs which prevent Soldat from even running, the majority of this audience will delete Soldat already after the first run. That's because they don't come to these forums, and so they don't know 1.4.1 will be released soon and that alot of people are working on fixing or help fixing Soldat 1.4. We need to think alot further than just these forums. If 1.4 would've been released as public beta, you could launch it safely after having it fully tested and thus only a minority of the new audience will delete Soldat after the first run.

Another benefit would be the complaining. As you can see, this subforum "General Discussions" has clogged up already after a few hours, fully loaded with topics about 1.4. On first sight this is not a big problem. However, if you take the time to read trough them all you'll notice that all the bug reports are scattered around in those topics. If the beta-team wants to look up what to fix, they'll have to search trough several pages before they can find a reported bug. I'm pretty sure no-one is taking the time to do this, and I can understand that, but this way Soldat will always have some major bugs in it.

There are still smaller benefits, which I won't get into detail:
- Less serverload for the download mirrors.
- Organised beta-testing.

Feel free to discuss this, I'll try to update this main post with all pro's/contra's and their arguments.

Grtz, DePhille

[Xanatos]

im not sure why alot of people are having troubles running soldat, i downloaded the FULL not the patch version and it worked fine for me....

only thing i dont like is that theres no servers xD

[DePhille]

Well, that's already a 'bug'. I too can't get my serverlist updated, I have to press it several times before the serverlist gets filled. Though that's probably a lobby problem, and not related to the Soldat client.
It's these sort of 'bugs' that could be avoided by launching a public beta.

Also, I didn't delete Soldat because I know this problem will get fixed soon and I know that if I keep refreshing, the serverlist will eventually get filled. But imagine new players having this problem, they'll just think the game isn't popular at all because there are no servers and delete it.

Grtz, DePhille

[Ziem]

Well, that's already a 'bug'. I too can't get my serverlist updated, I have to press it several times before the serverlist gets filled. Though that's probably a lobby problem, and not related to the Soldat client.
It's these sort of 'bugs' that could be avoided by launching a public beta.

Also, I didn't delete Soldat because I know this problem will get fixed soon and I know that if I keep refreshing, the serverlist will eventually get filled. But imagine new players having this problem, they'll just think the game isn't popular at all because there are no servers and delete it.

Grtz, DePhille

Yes, it's lobby bug and it will be fixed soon - btw. use ASE if lobby isn't working.

[DePhille]

Well I want to stay ontopic, so let's discuss the idea of having a public beta before the actual release.

I know the existence of ASE and such (in fact there are tons of Soldat lobby websites too), but you can't expect newcomers to know any of them, so they'll just hook off. That's a reason for having a public beta before the actual release.

Grtz, DePhille

[LtHerbert]

ontopic: (on topic for second paragraph) yes this is a good idea. we should expand!!!! make soldat as well known as CS or something. MM you should slowly take away the free DL and make disks u must buy (unless u have already DLd it for free then u can keep it.) although that would create piracy and leaking problems :/. Or maybe you could offer registration with the purchase of a soldat CD that installs the game , polyworks, SSCC, taunt editor, dedicated server, remote admin, all that good stuff. If you let people buy them for like $20 (American) you would make a lot of money. Also someone should make soldat products like t-shirts, hats and everything. I would definitely buy a soldat t-shirt since most people in my school don't know about soldat i want to tell them. MM think of ll the possibilities here! think of the money! i mean for a single person these prices would be low but add each person (thousands) of people that play that would be a lot of money!

[Toumaz]

Also someone should make soldat products like t-shirts, hats and everything. I would definitely buy a soldat t-shirt since most people in my school don't know about soldat i want to tell them.

There is an old Cafepress Soldat shop.

[EnEsCe]

The mouse mat is the only good thing there.... I mean, who links to soldat.prv..pl these days?

[Maniatiko]

Well, that's already a 'bug'. I too can't get my serverlist updated, I have to press it several times before the serverlist gets filled. Though that's probably a lobby problem, and not related to the Soldat client.
It's these sort of 'bugs' that could be avoided by launching a public beta.

Also, I didn't delete Soldat because I know this problem will get fixed soon and I know that if I keep refreshing, the serverlist will eventually get filled. But imagine new players having this problem, they'll just think the game isn't popular at all because there are no servers and delete it.

Grtz, DePhille

I have the same REQUEST SERVER bug, i had it patched not "fully installed"



btw, i try to be objective, but this new game sux, the bullets are HUGE

[ds dude]

We should have like booster packs. Since soldat is coming to a end, MM could once in awhile wrap up a quick  booster pack, and people can download them. It could contain 4 carefully designed soldat map. I dunno maybe even an extra weapon, with some skins. MM can hire good people for map making and skin design.

[Aji]

God damnit it is public beta!
If it's not, everyone's screwed, soldat is dead. I mean, c'mon, this version really brings more problems to the clan war/irc community than any version before. Ouchek there even started a little petition of his, good job (not even being sarcastic).

Firstly, the always so blamed weapon balance. I really really like you got spraying and autos generally nerfed, they are perfect now, good job testers, but really, spas used to be very hard weapon to handle/master, and that's why i liked it. Now, 3 spasses defending on smaller maps and you generally don't have a chance if the clan has even a bit of skill in it. Oh, and seriously, if I play against Xyrus nowadays I would probably soil myself. Anyone who even has played actively should know why.
New balance looks like Xy's being the main architecht of it. Though, I'm fine with ruger. Don't **** my spas. Oh, and yes i do know most of the testers were active players, but the hell..

Ok, secondly the lag issue, hit's don't register as they used to, 100% sure shots in last version are down to 50% now. Seriously, oneshotters are useless. Since you can't make the miracles you used to, even if you hit.

Last but not least, the always so trendy "pole"-issue. It doesn't really exist anymore, except for the general lagginess which comes from the quality of Poland's network. Though, there is one little but.
Germans (or anyone with a server in their country for that matter) have an enormous advantage. I don't know if this goes for the middle-european people, but seriously, i know atleast finnish (and possibly polish) people have really hard time getting germans killed in their servers. Screw ruger, 4 shots won't kill. Oneshotters are even more useless, and best yet, you need to consume atleast 2 clips from aug.

Officially my first nag-post on the new version ever. Oh, maybe second, i really hated when you changed B2b back in 1.2.1, but i don't think i posted.







and bring ctf_Death back.

[?er]

this is the first bug i have has in soldat but i cant play anything cuz of violation address wich is p i s s i n g    me of  i realy want to play it arghhh

[DePhille]

Offtopic: Alright, thanks to some people for the ontopic replies but most were actually offtopic. I'm trying to discuss the idea of having a public beta before the actual release, not the bugs that are in 1.4.

Ontopic: An argument against having a public beta might be the chance that there are still alot of bugs even after the public beta due to the lack of interested 'public-beta-testers'. This would require an extra Soldat version before it's fully stable. However, I think this argument is pretty weak against those in the main post.

Grtz, DePhille

[sneakyg]

I really think 1.4.1 should be released as a public beta around a week before it goes official. To make sure there's no more obvious bugs and to get the job done right this time, it would get tested vastly better if capable people were allowed to do it this time.

[CheeSeMan.]

I've had no problems and like it Sure the lobby is annoying but i mostly play gathers... just be sure to add to favourites a good server so you can join it straight away. The map edits are amazing and the chainsaw is back to its v1.1.4 former glory; the one problem i have is: Why is the rugar shooting fireballs? xD

[MofoNofo]

The mouse mat is the only good thing there.... I mean, who links to soldat.prv.pl these days?

Umm, I do..

Date Posted: 03 May 2007, 03:46:57Oh and I would so buy a T-Shirt if it was in black, or a mousepad with a newer image >_>

[Morik]

Totally agree. This would really improve the amount of bugs that are hiding in the game. I understand that Michal is only one man who can only program so much, but showing him the problems that need to be fixed might motivate him. (or discourage him, one or the other)

[DePhille]

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking too.
Anyway, we could use some feedback from Michal maybe, after all he's capable of providing the most heavy arguments since he's the only one with the sourcecoude.

But as far as I see it, we haven't got any argument against, so arguments against are very welcome too.

Grtz, DePhille

[Mr. Domino]

I agree, but I'm sure in hindsight it's the obvious decision. For whatever reason, the beta testers could not find all of these seemingly obvious bugs, but MM had to have confidence that he was releasing a playable, essentially bug free product. At the very least, hopefully this will either make him consider this as an option or re-evaluate how the software is tested.

[SDFilm]

Arhg! I can't go online because of the 1.4 server problem and I can't go offline because of the blank screen bug! XD