The Beta is not fun...

... and that's exactly right. After I vented some of my frustration in a thread (in which it was only partially appropriate), I figured maybe I'd post a dedicated thread.

I get really annoyed by this idea that, what we falsely call "playing Starbound", should be fun, that balancing should happen so it's more fun now. This is a Beta. We are all in it to check for bugs, and to find out what isn't working, so that *the finished game* will be fun.

Of course, beta-testing means to report stuff other than outright bugs, and balancing might be a part of it. But please, treat this as a way to help out Chucklefish in doing what they're good at, instead of waiting for them to provide you with a fun game before its official release.

It doesn't matter if you don't enjoy grinding to find ores. What matters is that maybe ore distribution needs some work. The char reset does not need some soothing washover by saving items you had fun with. The char reset needs to happen so we can playtest further under new conditions.

The betatest is not about our fun. It's about bugs, issues, problems and the parts that suck about the game. None of which is fun.

I urge everyone to not drown the legitimate bug reports and balancing issues by flooding bug-related threads with new ideas, feature requests and alternative way to do it. I want Chucklefish to fix stuff, they are game devs. They need to be able to find the problems, so the more static we create, the harder it gets for them to find problems, so consequently it gets harder for them to improve gameplay.

Thank you for reading.

PS: By the way, I do find the beta quite enjoyable, the title was just meant to highlight my main point.

 

I thought this was going to be another post complaining, but it's actually a very nice post. I thank you for that.

 

The only note I'll make is that there is a suggestions forum for feature requests etc. But other than that you're pretty much spot on.

 

Well, i don't think you can really say It's not fun, or not supposed to be fun.
But I'd agree that many people don't seem to get we're here to test the game for bugs and flaws.

 

Ah you fall victim at one critical fallacy - The majority of the customer base don't actually "beta test". You don't see (many) people actually try to re-create bugs and properly document them. Or repeat the same scenarios over and over again to try and find a bug.

They play for fun.

Morale: Leave the actual beta testing to the people who know what it means to do so, and let the others play - But try to extrapolate some bugs and issues from the loud majority who just want to "Play"

 

there's an expectations gap, and that is Chucklefish's responsibility and fault.

it's called a Beta, it *looks* reasonably complete on first glance. but when you actually get into it, the major systems are not done and most content is missing. Traditionally I think most everyone would rate that as an Alpha.

To head off complaints related to the game's largely incompleteness, you need to do things like this:




Edit: Ugh. it won't let me doeither a non-embed or time link. Forum software too fancy. *grumbles*

 

Beat the beta twice and there is some serious balance issues as well as a few other things I would like to see addressed in the next update. As soon as you start the game make a yarn spinner and with a few leather you can make snow armor that has same defence as platinum. Platinum armor is needed to make titanium, but can't be found till you get to the level 31-40 planets, by which point is worthless cos you can then just make durasteel armor instead. There is no point making melee weapons cos it's easy to find a Sniper that can one shot most stuff and only costs a little over 700 pixels from most weapon stores. The 3rd boss drops the starchart upgrade instead of the means to make one meaning that if you beat it co-op, only one of you gets to advance. Once you buy the level 40 Sniper and realize the planets don't get any harder and there is no forth boss, you realize that farming to make armor higher than snow armor seems pointless. (made impervium armor anyway). Snow armor needs making alot weaker, preferably same as copper or less. Snipers either need making really expensive or harder to acquire in some way. A level 40 boss needs adding to make impervium armor worth grinding for. Also finding the grav bubble tech on level 1-10 planets make things too easy. Also the Apex electric obstacle course is pointless when you can just mine through the wall to the chest.

 

Cheers Mansen, decided Embed was at least clickable.

 

Indeed. It is commonly accepted knowledge that this is how you classify beta or alpha.

Alpha = Feature INCOMPLETE, all features and game mechanics NOT finalized.
Beta = Feature COMPLETE, ALL features and game mechanics DONE, bug fixing and polish plus some balance work remains.

It is clear that Starbound indeed is in Alpha.

 

Op this is the no logic zone this thread must be closed (saracam). Have to say this is a great thread op very well worded and thought out.

 

when someone says "this is beta!" then its like people forget what beta even means ... they think its paid early access to a finished game or something.

 

But... but.. i'm having fun playing. And also when I find something not fun I complain in the official feedback forums.

Am I doing the things wrong? All I want is the game have things I will find funny, and be like I want, if everybody likes that, is good.

I thought is how this game was going to work, growing in base the feedback of users.

Users who cry about difficulty, and pixels, and armor penetration, and world generation, and boring bosses, and repeat monsters and all.


I don't see whats wrong in playing, getting bored with something and post to the developers to think about it. I think is a good mechanic for game progression :S

 

Just because players are accessing the game at 'beta' doesn't mean that the post-release game is set in stone, also, if the game isn't fun pre-release then it's not going to be fun when the exactly same game pre-release is released with no bugs or glitches. This is a beta game, beta game, there should be no emphasis on beta.

 

Finding and pointing out what isn't fun is an important part of Beta testing. I for one am really tired of people complaining that people complain too much, and I will take this opportunity to complain about it.

If there's an aspect that a good chunk of the playerbase hates, then by all means, the devs should hear about it, even if it's presented under the header: "This game sucks and here's why"

 

I didn't pay 15 dollars to bug test. Nice of you to have, but no.

To think the Starbound beta's fun factor, and any problems it may have concerning "fun" are irrelevant to the games success and targeted development here in the beta is plain *mean word. The games problems aren't limited to bugs. Which is okay because it is an unfinished project. I suspect almost nothing will be the same in a year.

This is an artsy-fartsy game for artsy people who like to doll up their homes, dress their characters funny, explore fantasy based worlds and embark upon mindless journeys through a super strange universe. You have an artistic and imaginative crowd of dedicated gamers and you'd have them silence their concerns over progression, features and game play so that the dev team can see a random, minute bug? Sure glad you're not in charge, op.

 

This thread turned out better then what I expected it to be.

 

So this stage one, let's call it Starbound Alpha. It'll be beta at stage two and up.

 

The fact that the so called beta testers are paying customers invalidates this whole thread. You cant charge someone for a game and expect them to beta test for you. I dont care how many disclosures you put on the steam store. If your offering your game for money then the people paying money have a right to play as they want and voice criticisms/complaints as they want. This is NOT a traditional beta test. This is early access to an unfinished game.

 

With all du respects though.... the devs posted many times about what the beta would be like. And personally, I feel they actually went out of their ways to actually lower players expectations of what the first phase of the beta would be like.

In fact, from: http://playstarbound.com/how-the-beta-is-going-to-work/

"The beta will come in 3 main stages."
"Stage 1 will be move at a breakneck speed. This will be the buggiest and busiest stage of the beta. A bunch of unfinished features will be disabled whilst we finish them up. Updates will come thick and fast, sometimes as often as multiple updates a day."
"
DO take part in this stage if:

- You enjoy testing buggy and unfinished code

- You enjoy providing feedback

- You want to leave your mark on the game

- You just can’t wait any longer"

"
DO NOT take part in this stage if:

- Bugs infuriate you

- You don’t like spoilers

- You can’t stand losing your save

- You want the full Starbound ‘experience’ the first time you play."