The type of bug report that I get the most grumpy about is the single screenshot, followed by "unbelievable" or some other response. Matt.
When you talk about mods, are reskins and community timetables counted as mods, even if they aren't in use?
Matt can correct me if I'm wrong but, anything installed from an external site as a pak file classifies as a mod, and this would include reskins and community timetables.
Fair point tbh Reporting form should probably be in a template format with required fields to mitigate this but even then I’m sure people are submitting incorrect data.
Sadly that one will have to wait for an upgrade or new PC! Needs a minimum of 6Gb GPU. When I tried the demo even the menu was running at 2FPS! So back to Snowrunner and trying to fall through the ice on Kola Peninsula!
Hi Matt According to you, approximately 400 users have applied. Can you tell us how many beta testers you will be accepting?
As Rob says, any mod is a mod. We've found that pak files from mods can introduce unexpected behaviours in all kinds of places - point is in beta you're not using even the right kind of build, you're using a dev build, and pak files are intended to work with shipping builds, so it's very much something that if you want to try it go ahead but if you find a bug, I need it repro'd without the mods, because *far* too often removing the mod *has* cured an issue. Not saying anything bad about mods here - just that, again, this is in testing unreleased software and on the development branch which is NOT the same as the released one, e.g. it's about twice the size on disk. Matt.
Thanks, Matt. I don't have many, so easily removed if I'm accepted. Most of the ones I have are from TSW4 anyway.
Is that more or less frustrating than people complaining about something they don't understand that's actually working as intended?
Yeah, totally lost count of those sorts of comments over the years. How anyone thinks they’re being helpful is beyond me. File in the bin and move on, eh
How is the person that is testing the game to know if something is working as intended or not if they don't query the perceived problem?
To be fair if it goes wrong where I work or someone doesn't like what we have supposedly done/not done, we tend to get dragged nationally on twitter/facebook/many many other places, so I've developed thick skin for that kind of stuff, it's always best to focus on the changes you've effected, and try not to sweat opinions you can't control That's really great to hear - same as working in theatre, film or TV etc. Yes you lose the magic of seeing just the finished product when you work behind the scenes, but for some, it's a far greater reward to see how far it's come to get to that point!
Most often they have a valid point - but - about half the time I have no idea what it is I'll go back and grumpily ask them for more detail, because I don't want to miss the opportunity to identify and fix an issue that's been found but honestly the number of times I look at those shots and just think... uhm... ok... and then they'll come back with a few words and say "ah its the wheels arent quite centered" or "i feel that angle on the livery is a bit blurry" - oh! yes! i see it now. Two things. A screenshot with "unbelievable" attached to it is passive aggressive and not conducive to anyone receiving it positively. Second, I now need to go back to get more info, wait for your reply, and then hopefully we can action it. So might be a couple of days delayed on it. Whereas if the report was just more descriptive in the first place, it could have got on an engineers desk immediately. Mat.
Is the Xbox Beta Version with the Insiders App Matt or we‘re getting the Keys Directly for the Microsoft Store?
Our xbox beta is just normal keys. We aren't using the insiders programme, it doesnt really work with TSW. Matt.
How will the people you've selected be contacted? Via the forum, discord, or email? Just to know which one I should check more regularly
I have read that, yes, but it's not really clear to me on which platform he means to send DM's to the people he chose, hence my question.
It does, because then you know where to look. Not everyone is always checking their phone for notifications.
I don’t think there’s any need to be rude to a user. He/she/they asked a perfectly reasonable question. This is a forum to ask questions and it’s completely unreasonable for the minority on here to pounce on people innocently asking for further details.
Given he posted this on the forums, and you need to give your forum username to complete the application, safe to say he'll send a pm on the forums.
This maybe off topic - in which case I understand if this becomes a separate thread - but have DTG ever thought about using volunteers for work other than beta testing. I suggest there are areas of development that possibly don't require an extensive knowledge of the dev platform. For example setting up schedules for routes - I am sure it is complex time consuming work - but given there are probably internal DTG tools for this would it not help you to spread the load to willing volunteers outside DTG? This goes back to beta testers being volunteers and getting a sense of satisfaction when a product is released. There must be others like me (with 42 years in IT before I retired) who would be happy to contribute some time to a game they really enjoy?
Thanks Matt. I've thrown my hat in the ring and I'll keep my fingers crossed. Been playing since 2019, so I do have lots of experience with the game
Not everyone has notifications enabled for everything, or goes on their phone frequently enough to be always up to date. I do, but if Matt was to ask someone through the forum's private message system they'll only get a notification for it if they went out of their way to do that - I turned off email notifications from the forum as soon as a signed up. Similarly, there are plenty of people who barely use their email addresses and so won't know they've got an email from Matt until they look. I was involved in some testing for TSW3 (not beta testing) and was messaged on the forum by Protagonist/Colonel Failure. However, I didn't sign up for that and he messaged me out of the blue - since the form required multiple methods of contact to be put in it is reasonable to assume any one of them could be used. Plus, it isn't a guarantee that everyone who signed up even has an account for the forums. Out of my friend group I'm the only one with an active account, so if they were to sign up they could just put 'NA' in the box.
I wonder where people have all this spare time. I'm envious. Even though I'm retired, with one thing or another, if I can catch an odd hour for gameplay, I'm grateful. I guess most of you have housekeepers, cooks and gardeners to take care of the mundane tasks.
I can’t work with 30 Years because of medical issues, So i have all the time to play the Games when I want.
Nope, but not having a garden helps. Having no children is also helpful. But I also don't have time every week as I have other interests as well that consume time.
Very true. If I’m lucky I get an hour or so after tea, then about 45 minutes before bedtime to indulge my hobby. Maybe half an hour on the PS5 version in the morning before lunch. I often joke that I’m busier since I retired than when I was at work! This time of year, the wife is always finding an odd job that needs doing around the house or in the garden, then there’s keeping fit and active in retirement so usually a quick bike ride in the morning (particularly if I can sneak into Asda or Sainsbury’s to buy a Steam Wallet gift card!), then in the afternoon driving out to one of our favourite country walks for a couple of hours. Then there’s cooking and all the other mundane stuff that has to be done!
And this is a choice. Other people don't do these kinds of walks but spend the time at home in front of the PC. Both are fine ways to spend a day (and there are plenty more) but it symbolises that we often take certain routines as an unchangable constant when in fact they can be changed if our priorities are different.
But who will live longer?! The person who spends 12 hours sat in front of a PC with cholesterol hardening the arteries and the muscles atrophying or the one who balances their lifestyle? I still hope to be enjoying this hobby in 15 years time when I’m getting on for 80… Anyhow this is all getting a bit off topic.
Having a sedentary job working mostly from home, something I am very much looking forward to when retired is not being chained to my work PC 7-8 hours/day. Don't mind a couple of hours on my gaming PC here and there, but desk work is not particularly good for you over time. It's not something that manifests itself so much when young, but once you hit 50-60 you realise the toll it takes (lumbar, waistline, carpal tunnel, etc).
Obviously cause people wanna see the promised fixes ASAP. People wanna touch the promised fixes. People wanna help. I'm glad that DTG decided to run a major update through beta testing first. It's obvious that when working painstakingly on major changes, the team is already have a blurred vision. They need people who will see it for the first time. People who have their own priorities of what to look for, where to look, and how it should be. People who are most interested in. Kepp going DTG.
If anyone asks "Are we there yet?" one more time, I swear I'm going to turn this car around and go home.
Me and Matt have just started looking into the list, its quite big It may take some time, we will post here once we have reached out and you should not expect it anymore
Carry on fellas…sure fire way to get the thread locked and more importantly how do you think this childish behaviour comes across from prospective beta testers?
Considering that Matt himself has stated that he will update the thread once those selected have been chosen/notified. Several have asked this by the way :P
