In order to improve your in-game experience we’re setting up a Private Test Server (PTS) which will allow us to test future content coming to Dirty Bomb with members of the community. Our goal is to better test upcoming content, including potential balance changes, without impacting Live servers.
The PTS is currently invite-only, but we may look to expand the user-base once we’ve had a number of successful tests. Please note that PTS content is under a strict Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This means players taking part will not be able to talk about or post any form of content relating to experiences in the PTS.
This is cool and hopefully allows balance changes to be analysed in a safe environment. I think though that a generally shared worry by the community is that there is a degree of opaqueness to what’s happening with the game and what players can look forward to. While I appreciate the purpose of the PTS environment is not to keep players in the loop or give a sneak peek, it does kind of mean that those of us who aren’t taking part are further in the dark about what’s happening and unless the system is leaky and information gets out, it may frustrate people a bit that some individuals have the inside scoop. Would it make sense to maybe have snapshots a week or two after tests letting the general playerbase know what has been achieved/tested on the PTS?
@hypnotoad That must have been a typo/mistake. They have always been referred to as PRIVATE test servers, or PRIVATE test realms. In no way does the nature of it imply it is “public”.
Just putting it out there, I’m interested in taking part too if need be. Even if it didn’t seem like the ones invited in the first batch were asked beforehand :*
aren’t you annoyed already that devs know what they are doing with their game, without giving you a sneak peek?
its not like PTS players will experience elements of the game that are never to be revealed: its just to test bugs and find loopholes in the system, not to have a first chance at new content.
how are the lucky individuals being selected? Are the requirements that only moderators and founding players only? meaning none of us post alpha/non mods won’t have a chance or randomly from people that want it?
aren’t you annoyed already that devs know what they are doing with their game, without giving you a sneak peek?
its not like PTS players will experience elements of the game that are never to be revealed: its just to test bugs and find loopholes in the system, not to have a first chance at new content.[/quote]
Honestly that’s kind of a dumb complaint, you had people doing alpha testing before a lot of us were here, and people testing the game before that even.
They just don’t want another Phantom situation, where something is added that creates a massive backlash. They can’t afford that at this point.
how are the lucky individuals being selected? Are the requirements that only moderators and founding players only? meaning none of us post alpha/non mods won’t have a chance or randomly from people that want it?
[/quote]
It’s basically people who have multiple hundreds of hours/are youtubers/streamers/ and people RazielWarmonic seems to like. Also high rep here on the forums without disagrees. (Like I have because some people are simple jackasses who spam disagrees).
For example FUNNYBLACKMAN got an invite. He fits in 2 criterias and isn’t a founder/Alpha as far as I know.
aren’t you annoyed already that devs know what they are doing with their game, without giving you a sneak peek?
its not like PTS players will experience elements of the game that are never to be revealed: its just to test bugs and find loopholes in the system, not to have a first chance at new content.[/quote]
I think you may be getting the wrong end of the stick here. I’m not annoyed, not at all. What I was trying to get at is that it would be nice if all players could be included in this aspect of the game’s progress, even if it’s just observational (i.e. a blog post or some kind of status update). SD seem really secretive about what’s happening, even trying to pin down dates of when content will be dropping is tough. Like it or not though players in the PTS will have first access to content, but as I said, that’s not the goal. It’s a side effect that’s no doubt got a lot of participants excited, and hell, I’d like to be excited about what’s in store as well.
) I’d have to say it would be getting into this 