#Beta Testing

[prokopetz]

"Oh, but if video game beta testers unionise your games will suck" buddy, you think the kind of games I play are getting beta tested?

[pawborough]

Development Update!

01/15/25

We just developed the capabilities to generate hundreds of item codes custom tailored in seconds. Tested, and it worked! Generating Kickstarter reward codes will now be a breeze.

We have finished nearly all accessories on all starter poses. The only items missing a few pose renders are the Iridescent Trail and the Guard Set, both of which are being actively worked on.

Huge lift on optimizing for mobile. We now have most pages on the website working on mobile. It's not perfect, but it's getting good enough for the start of a closed beta. Slightly shoddy, but functional for mass testing and further improvement.

Pelt submissions are working. We have moderation tools and extensive testing tools for users. Users can now use the dynamic layering system on unclipped pelts by making two layers in a PSD. Users can test pelt previews on any cat they own. We also developed a coverage % system which will help determine the cost of a print.

The pelt shop has been implemented and is undergoing testing, including version 1.0 of a rough tagging system, allowing for extensive custom filtering. The goal is, after beta user testing, to expand this system site wide to forum threads, cat profiles, and eventually the notebook feature.

*As an aside, in the preview this was version 1 of the pelt submission testing. The terms "male" and "female" will be replaced with the venus and mars symbols

We're tentatively looking at dates for closed beta between February and March, and this week will hopefully help us determine a final decision for an official announcement. Thank you for the patience!

[beekeeperspicnic]

Beta 0.2

A second version of the beta of the game is now available for beta testers!

Big Changes:

The game no longer crashes if you ask Tilda a particular question.

Holmes no longer vanishes except for his shoes if you stand in a particular part of a marquee

Toby III is now forced to teleport onto the ground whenever Toby III enters a room, so there is a 0% chance that Toby III decides to appear in the sky, floating and tiny. Because apparently Toby III was doing that sometimes.

Some players felt unsure when they'd completed the game, so Mycroft now advises you when you have created the environment for a perfect picnic.

Now if things change on the beach, those changes are visible when you are looking down on the beach from the clifftop.

You can no longer pick up an infinite number of beakers of fizzy water. Apologies to everyone who was enjoying that, but it had the potential to affect other parts of the game so I had to fix it.

Lots of fixed typos!

New potential issues:

I've overhauled the way that the game decides which character is speaking/which portrait to show. I've done my absolute best to be thorough, but if I've messed up anywhere there may be instances where a character's dialogue appears without a portrait.

[thelonelyshore-if]

Just a heads-up: I am currently reaching out to beta testers, so if you applied keep a look out for a friend request on discord (or an email, if that was your preference!). If you get a friend request but no immediate response, it's possible I'll have gone to bed and I'll send a link to the beta server your way in the morning.

Thanks to everyone who was interested!

[disease]

after reviewing the new features included in iOS 18 (Beta)….. ???

[ddwcaph-game]

The Chapter 4 Public Beta is finally here!

138,000 words later, the Chapter 4 Public Beta is finally ready!

✨ CHAPTER 4 UPDATE HIGHLIGHTS:

~ 369,000 total wordcount (including code) ~ 138,000 additional words (including code) ~ New average playthrough of ~96,000 words!

21 New Secrets to discover, 20 New Character Traits, 17 New Passives, 1 New Phobia, 5 New Trinkets to collect, 8 New Achievements, 3 New Main Quests, 3 New Sidequests, 7 New Status Effects, and 1 New Song to sing along to!

Tito Nestor, Tita Stephanie, and Lily's moms' introductions!

Get a sneak peek into the story worlds you'll visit in future, in the Story Exchange!

You can now choose the name of MC's dad! (+Diary Entry!)

You can now choose a second bestfriend if you pick your twin as your bestfriend!

New choices and bestfriend scenes for JM and Lily in Chapter 3!

Added a new trait option that reduces the frequency of Filipino expressions and gives additional context.

A lot of references to In Auctorem Credimus!

Roselyna is now approximately 20% more huggable!

The full change log can be found by selecting "What’s New?” in the start menu. It's way too long to list here!

How do I join the Public Beta?

You can join the public beta by joining the DDWCaPH! Discord Server. From there, go to the #roles channel and ask Ma'am Bianes to give you the Open Beta Tester role and get access to the link and the discussion/bug report channels.

Why limit the beta test in the Discord?

Let me begin by saying that I didn't want to do this. But the last time I did a strictly private beta, I got ABSOLUTELY ZERO feedback weeks after release until I explicitly asked for it.

This is the best compromise I can think of for now, that should still be convenient for most people.

Chapter 4 also isn't 100% complete yet. There are still a bunch of choices I haven't written yet, but I'm leaving them for a later update because I'm not in the right headspace to finish them, and after 138k words, I need a break from writing.

When will Chapter 4 be out for everyone?

I'm not really sure. Depending on how well this beta goes, it might be after a couple weeks, or after a month.

I also want to draw some new character art, so I might wait until those are done as well.

Again, depending on how well the public beta goes, I may keep doing this, or go back to doing private beta tests. If I do go back to private beta testing, Chapter 4 will be the LAST PUBLIC UPDATE until Volume 1 is fully complete.

If you want the next chapters to still be in public, be sure to send in your playthrough codes and feedback in the survey! They really mean a lot to me, but I'm not releasing chapters publicly anymore if I'm getting absolutely zero reception.

And to the person who leaked an earlier version of the demo: I hope you liked that buggy mess. 😊 Send me your playthrough codes, will you? I'd really appreciate it.

[teddypoi-qd]

You stumble into the bedroom at this awful, spirit-soaked party. You are drunk, you are heartbroken, you are alone. And yet, there is a presence here. You call out to it: "I am A NOBODY. I am looking for FAME & GLORY, in order to WIN BACK SOMEONE I LOST. You will help me by MAKING ME GREAT."

You have been slumbering here for so long, in the cracks between reality. You have almost given up, when a hand reaches towards you, bathing you in unbearably bright reality. You call out to it: "I am SOMETHING UNKNOWABLE. I am looking for DEEP FEAR, in order to BECOME REAL. You will help me by SPREADING DREAD."

You seal your pact sloppily -- a palm cut on a broken bottle and a blackness seeping into your veins. You feel it within you, this unknowable thing, your new Patron. Your power grows.

You have a body. It's a bright, beating thing. Unruly, perhaps, but that will soon be amended. Your Warlock walks with shadow in its step, and you bleed into reality. Your power grows.

Together, you can TAKE ON THE WORLD.

~~

The beta test for my 2-player Warlock/Patron TTRPG is up! You can check it out right now for free on itch.io -- all you need to play is a d8, a deck of cards, a handful of tokens.

[larkingame]

hey friends, i'm in the process of looking for some more betas to test the new version of the game with the newest update (complete through nash's route in chapter two.) timeline is pretty lax, usually with about a weeks notice and then a couple weeks to test out the game. if you're comfortable with that and would like to help out you can fill out this quick form. thanks!

[sourmiiiilk]

❤️Online Obsession: Beta Test 2nd wave

Hi there, I'm happy to announce that the beta will be getting its second official build soon which brings the game closer to its release. However, the existing beta testers pool is too small for the amount of content being added to the game, which is why I'm announcing the second wave of beta test applications.

As a beta tester you:

Will be joining a group of around 15 already existing beta testers

Will get to playtest the second build and builds published after it

Will get free game keys for Steam and Itch upon the game's official release

Will have your name in credits of the game as a beta tester

The application process will last for around a week. I will be accepting a very limited group of beta testers but everyone has a chance, so feel free to apply!

❤️Google Forms

[ectafoole]

The Snapjaw VTuber is testing pets

[wekki-i]

SAILOR ALICE: Alice at Sea 🛟⚔️ 【Open Beta】

Public Open Beta— from now until August 18th! (v. 1.b.2.2) For Windows and MacOS

An indie RPG Maker game about an elf and the climate crisis.

Check it out on itch.io!

“Sailor Alice: Alice at Sea is a nautical fantasy adventure made in RPG MAKER MZ. The story follows the shut-in elf Lilibet, after she sends off her apprentice to become the hero that saves the princess. Shortly after her student's departure however, the innocent request of a red skinned foreigner sets in motion a series of events. Something's . . . not right about the sea, is it . . . ?

In 200 years, the world's atmosphere will collapse. Bringing disasters such as extreme weather, this is known as the "mana crisis." An environmentalist of 2,000 years, Lilibet has long abandoned her hope. If she can recover all her memories, perhaps she'll find a person who's still fighting. A "hero."

Part of the game's purpose is to raise awareness to the climate crisis it parallels. Lilibet's world might be set to end in 200 years, but parts of East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia (the region the game's archipelago is based on) will become uninhabitable within the next 20 years.”

-

Hi, I’m a 17 year old Filipino American digital illustrator and UTAU developer! Recently I wanted to take a swing at game dev, so I’ve been working on my first game, SAILOR ALICE: Alice at Sea! With my age and the threat to my motherland, I’ve been pretty worried about climate change ^^u. It’s a short light-hearted 3 hour game with 6 chapters, and in those three hours, the player gets to spend time completing side-quests and talking to NPCs to build MEMORIA FLOTSAM. The 3rd ending can only be unlocked on a second playthrough.

It’s currently not in a stable state, and is still meant to be at a stage in development where I can still make some large changes. I would really love to hear people’s thoughts, feedback, and ideas on the writing/narrative/characters/etc. The stable version will launch before August 31st as a submission to SuNoFes 2024.

Any reblogs and support is highly appreciated….!! 🛟⚔️

[st4rdom-if]

BETA TESTERS FOR ST4RDOM!

I think I am finally ready to open up testing for the game. So that means I have a form up!

As a member of the all-girl k-pop group ST4RDOM, fame comes naturally to you. From the moment your first album was released, everything went your way—money, fans, tours, merch, and most importantly, your rise to stardom. But fame comes with consequences—when does it not?—and it arrives in the form of your first world tour. After all, what is a tour without the looming threat of drama permanently disbanding the group? All of a sudden, your life is thrown into chaos for the next four months as tension rises between another popular k-pop group, heated fights break out, “coincidental” incidents occur, and complicated feelings arise. Will your career manage to stay afloat amidst the drama, or will it sink under the pressure? Well, there is only one way to find out; let’s see if you are still standing by the end of those eighteen weeks.

I will be taking in beta testers 17 years and older. There is currently no content warning specifically for this first part in the prologue, but this is subject to change in future rewrites.

READ THE INFO BELOW FIRST:

You must have a Tumblr account in order to apply. Otherwise I will not accept your application. This will be our only form of contact.

Beta-testers must be available and be "done" testing from February 19-26.

Must be willing to play through the entire game, try different routes, and test all of the links.

I am looking for constructive criticism, grammer errors, UI game functionality, writing, and overall condition of the game. IT WILL ALSO BE VERY HELPFUL IF YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE K-POP COMMUNITY.

I am looking for around five beta-testers. The form will be closing on February 16, 9:00 PM EST but the date can be extended if need be. I will communicate with the selected via Tumblr, and what I am hoping is that anyone who is not chosen will at least get early access the day before the game comes out.

Here is the form!

Please reblog for more potential testers!

[kirby-oc-fighting-tournament]

⚔️ ANNOUCEMENT! ⚔️

The brackets for the beta testing has been made! Look foward to the future polls and cast your votes, which are currency to the fighters. 💰

[infinitestarsdev]

Hay, Hoy, It's Friday! That means devlog time!

This week has been much of the same– we're working super hard on the next content release!

All the planned main story line content for this batch has been coded. Most of the expressions have been done. I'm still working on the lore items for the game, which is coming together nicely! We're planning on having a total of 20 unlockable lore entries on release, with many more to come.

Talking about the lore items, here is a preview of what they'll look like once unlocked.

Just look at that gorgeous artwork by Grace! <3

Tae is working on two surprise player portraits for all of you.

Stoffies is busy finishing up the last of the old backgrounds.

Crowbie is still on a well deserved break for the next 2-3 months.

Trix was invaluable in helping with the story controller for the system navigation screen!

This isn't a mockup, this is the actual, in-game system navigation screen that we'll be using more and more for future content. If you were a Captain or Admiral patron during the planning phase, you'll notice a play on your name somewhere on the screen! <3

I'm writing and coding like a madman, and I'm slowly shifting gears to focus on the launch preparations.

We've got 6 new tracks in the making, and I received the first track's draft earlier today. It's looking promising.

If you want to be considered as a Beta Tester for the upcoming content release, please apply over here! We have limited spots available, so don't wait too long!

In other news, some of you might recall our Spooktober 2023 Visual Novel Jam entry, and as it turns out we finished in the top 2% (4th place!) The jam entry was coded as a HRM (one of the player made mods that Tabitha can run as a simulation) and we'll integrate it into the full game as a triggerable seasonal event during October/Halloween.

As you can see, it's been a busy week, made possible by all of our amazing fans and patrons! We love you all to bits!

Have a fantastic weekend, stay safe and I can't wait to share the new content with all of you!

[fandomfrenzy97]

A miraculous thing has happened!! I randomly decided to spend some of the jewels I had saved up (in-game currency) to unlock and level up characters and suddenly, I unlocked Sora, Riku and Kairi!! I think I actually cried, died and sent to The Final World when the moment arrived. Naturally, I just had to enhance all 3 to Level 25 before adding them to my team…sure MP is used up more quickly in Auto Mode, but I don’t care, I’m just so happy!! 🤩😍🥹

[nonbinary-coder]

been thinking about beta testing

probably it would go better to provide a set of questions for them to answer, than to just go "here, play this game, what do you think?"

so here are some generic questions that should work for most to all games:

did you encounter any bugs? (if yes, what?)

do the rules, game mechanics, and controls make sense?

how's the pacing to learn the rules, mechanics, and controls? Too much at once, too gradual, too much tutorializing, not enough explanation?

how difficult is the game? (does it match the intended difficulty?)

does the art style work with this type of game? Is it cohesive?

did you encounter anything which made the gameplay experience less fun?

how does the rate of progression through the game feel? Are there parts that feel tedious or like they take too long? On the flip side, are there parts which you feel ought to have gone on longer?

Is the ending satisfying?