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A Guide to Beta Testing and What to Expect

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:14 pm
by Miacoda
I found this thread by Dyrtnap on the MMO-Champion forums and I found it to be a helpful little guide. :)
Find the original post here.
Dyrtnap wrote:I decided to write this in hopes of making Mist's beta test a very productive one. I would guess at least 95% of Cata testers didn't even make a forum appearance and not many more even filled out a bug report. I want that to change. Everyone who doesn't make it in deserves our best attempt at making it a better game

It is our JOB to make sure we do our part to make Mists an amazing xpac. We may not be Devs but they do listen to testers if they actually raise their voices. For example I doubt many people know how UNPLAYABLE Blood DK's were until the last month or so of beta. On the Beta DK Forums we bitched over and over and gave ideas on how to fix it. Ya know what nearly every one of the the fixes they implemented came straight from our suggestions.


My "Credentials"

*I have Closed beta tested for Wrath, Cataclysm, D3, Rift, Tera, SWTOR, Wrath of Heroes, Path of Exiles, Drakensang Online, God and Hero's, Bloodline Champions and a couple others I feel like I'm forgetting.*
If you want in beta's sign up early and build/buy a really high/low end system. I stand by the whole "the odder the parts the better" philosophy on getting into beta.

First off I need to help some people get why we all don't get in day 1.

People need to take into account the fact that 1 MILLION people jumping onto ~4 servers at nearly the same time would be catastrophic. We would break everything so badly that it would be weeks before we got to play again. Look at D3 beta and how badly their first big wave screwed up the servers. It would be the same except instead of a few thousand people it would be several HUNDRED thousand people all logging in at once. Honestly things are most likely going to trickle in at first and then expand fairly rapidly once they start to stabilize things.

Don't get too excited or impatient to get in the first round or two if you don't have an abundance of patience and the ability to not be an annoying whiner.

Things go wrong in beta. Quest chains will be broken usually right when you're at the juiciest part. Classes will be either extremely OP or UP. The earlier you are the worse it is so be prepared. Don't get all bent out of shape when you can't do [insert] follow my suggestions about bug reporting and move on to another zone, BG, quest or class.

How to make good bug reports:

*Whining about things not working IS NOT FEEDBACK.*

Step 1: When something is broken you make a bug report ingame. There will be a blue button on your Mini-map and a tab in the help section (red ? on your menu bar)

Step 2: Go to the known bugs list and if the bug is on it stop there. The known bugs list is usually a sticky on top of the Bug Report Forums

Step 3: Next go to the bug report forums and check to see if there is a thread already started about this Bug. Check the date of the thread and make sure it is after the latest build came out. If it is go in and say its happening to you, where it happened, what you were doing, which if any addons you were using and what class you were playing(if applicable). Screen shot's when possible really helps them as well.

Step 4: If there isn't a current thread start one. Say what happened, where it happened, what you were doing, which if any addons you were using and what class you were playing(if applicable). Screen shots's when possible really helps them as well.

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How to make feedback reports: *In no particular order*

Use your voice it helps get things balanced and fixed.


This stuff applies especially to Balance feedback and doubly for PvP balance feedback.


1: Try to think about overall game balance when creating or responding to threads. You are here to make the game better for EVERYONE not to make your class OP as hell in Arena or dominate DPS charts.

2: Bring proof. Anecdotal evidence is absolutely useless especially with the small pool of people that actually do their jobs as testers and provide feedback.

3: If you have good credentials give your credentials. Especially with PvP a persons level of experience and the levels they play at makes a huge effect on how they perceive something. If your a active top 25 raiding guild member you probably have a better grasp on Raid mechanics and class PvE balance than someone who has only done a few LFR's.

4: If you have friends that agree that x is a problem then get them to come on your thread and talk about it.

5: Act like you're a reasonable intelligent person. If you're pissed off wait a few hours or until the next day to make the thread. You may have valid things to say that WILL get ignored or taken lightly if you can't make proper feedback.

6: Remember to give feedback on how you would fix it. Give feedback on what you think is the reason something is "wrong/broken". Give solutions not empty complaints. Remember what I said about Bloods DKs in Cata beta.

7: Don't throw out troll bait. Your feedback will get ignored if your threads sounds like a troll or is dripping with troll bait. Also attempt to keep your topic on track and bring it back if its getting derailed.

8: Check to see if there is another thread about the subject. If there is then chime in there. Remember the more voices saying the same thing is what causes them to change. A large single thread with good debate gets taken more seriously than several derailed or 3 post threads.

9: If it's class related check the Mega threads (a thread that attempts to cover all the aspects, pluses and minuses of a specific class/thing within its sub forums) to see if this feedback has already been brought up. The CM's pay attention to these threads because they are often moderated to an extent by the people that frequent it. If it is already there reintroduce the topic by saying I'm having this issue currently to make sure its understood that is it still an issue.

10: MAKE SURE that if you are joining into a thread that you aren't necroing (resurrecting a dead or outdated thread) it. Check to see if it was before the latest update. If it is start a new one. They are not likely to re-read something from a past build as it may not apply anymore.

11: Start threads in the appropriate sub-forum. If it's a PvP issue leave it in the PvP threads. If its an issue with x class under/over preforming go to that classes sub-forum. If x raid boss hit to hard go to the individual boss threads the Devs will start when they start raid testing. If its... you get the idea.

12: Use focused feedback. If you have problems with 3 separate things then start 3 threads. Don't derail your own threads with multiple subjects.

13: Give positive feedback as well. I can't stress enough how much I believe in giving back positive feedback. Just try and put yourselves in their shoes. If all you hear is bad feedback at your job about your performance how would you feel and how much would you respect said persons opinions? It's fine to give negative feedback they need that to fix things but remember to give credit where credit is due.

14: If starting a "Heres my idea for changing [insert ability] to be more fun/balanced/useful" style thread make sure you have thought it out and your idea isn't a completely retarded, OP or impossible suggestion.

Example of the wrong and right types of thread:

Scenario: You just got 1 shot by [insert class] in a BG... AGAIN


Thread in general forum reads:

"OMFG BLIZZ!!!!!1!1211!! That [insert class] is FUKIN broken and OP they 1 shot me. FIX IT FUKWADS or I'm unsubbing right FUKING NAO. Wait don't fix it I quit your shit game maybe it sucking even more will make others see the light. /seeya"

I call this the "childish douche that will never unsub because he takes this game so seriously that he can actually get this worked up about a perceived imbalance" syndrome. Don't be that guy. Please seriously don't be that guy. Everyone makes fun of you and sends their friends links so they can see what a retard you are.

Thread in PvP forum should read:

"Today in x BG x class hit me for x amount with x ability. Here is a SS of my combat log. I'm wearing pre-made PvP gear which gives me x defense. Guys this has been a problem for weeks now and these threads [insert link(s)] from the last 3 builds are all saying the same thing.

I think the issue is how (X person who did 174 hours of math to prove it) said its double dipping with mastery. You can either fix the bug or there are a couple ways to change it. Its a boring ability anyways so how about while you're fixing it you make it do (insert good idea). Does anyone else have any ideas or problems with mine I missed?"

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Random advice:

Don't take everything Blizzard does as a personal attack or a grave injustice. Remember they are sometimes just riffing when they make changes in beta. Give your feedback with the fact in mind that anything can and will change at anytime during a beta so don't get all worked up.

The game is changing drastically. Give yourself time to acclimate to the changes before you start screaming for them to be reverted. "The good ole' days aren't always as good as they seemed" so try and keep that in mind as you decide on what feedback to give.

You will often be asked "Can you reproduce that bug?" so before you go to the trouble of filling out reports and searching out or starting threads remember to spend a little time seeing if you can reproduce it. If it isn't possible to reproduce it I would personally report it with as much proof as possible. If I can't reproduce it I would personally try and gauge how "big" or "game breaking" of a bug I consider it to be and if it has potential to be a problem I would possibly report it even if I could reproduce it or provide proof.

Feedback like "I think this model is ugly" isn't probably all that important in the grand scheme of things but if you feel strongly let your voice be heard. Even if your feedback is cosmetic at least you are doing your job so don't hold back.

Normally I say something like "you're one of the lucky few that get a chance..." but since you just paid for a chance to be a tester I want to implore you to get the most out of what you paid for and do your best to make this a game as awesome as it was "in the good ole days" for all of us.

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Additions from others in this thread.




I realize that this is a long guide and I hope it was worth the time to not only write but to read. I really feel strongly that we have way more say in the game during beta then we ever will again. I want to see at least 50% of the community actually out there trying to make the game better instead of 100 people trying to make change happen with their tiny voices. Blizzard focus on how many people are saying the same thing so let your voice be heard. Encourage everyone you meet on Beta to do the same.

Re: A Guide to Beta Testing and What to Expect

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:37 pm
by Serendipity82
So This. Thank you!

Re: A Guide to Beta Testing and What to Expect

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:43 am
by Lisaara
Well said!

Re: A Guide to Beta Testing and What to Expect

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:18 pm
by lilaughingwolf
Nice, gave me some good info on reporting stuff that I might not have thought of, thank you.

And so cant wait..lol...but I am so not going to be one of those whom are allready posting freaking out about "I havent gotten my invite yet...I have played this game since for ever have every blizz game and I should have gotten mine mine mine mine first" ...lol...yes there are really allready those posts.

Re: A Guide to Beta Testing and What to Expect

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:51 am
by Yoruko
Thank you for reposting this! It's a very good guide and voices pretty much everything I always want to tell "beta testers" when they get in thinking they're playing some kind of trial or demo game instead of realizing they've got a chance to actually make a difference. :)

I implore everyone with the annual pass card who are going into beta take a few minutes to read this!