Who should beta test Guild Wars 2?

yep just like what is going on with AoC LoL. it's a pity too.

Whoever can get it through Anets head how to start off with a very good skill balance and no underpowered lines.

If they can convince anet to ditch the planned levels, even better.

I think the players chosen to beta test GW2 should not just be well-known, prolific or hardcore players of GW1. A broader range of abilities, personalities and play styles will represent the community more accurately and could be more beneficial to the tests. After all, the common community are what makes the difference between a closed and open beta.

This is inevitible. Even though the bulk of the random people will take it all for granted and not contribute constructively, some folk will.

Yeah let the true testers of the game have a shot not just sign a NDA
and then go OMG OMG GW2 has this and they have that and and and across a few forums.
Seen it happen like this before in at lest 2 beta games I have participated in
a few get kicked out cause they broke the NDA but the damage and information has escaped.
Being in any beta game should be a privilege and for TESTING bugs and abnormalities it not just bragging rights.
So I hope they chose wisely.
My 2c anyway

<- Um, hello?

/raises hand, looks around

Definates:
Ensign
Racthoh
Trubs
Savio
Avarre

Maybes:
Witte Was
Zinger
Moloch Vein
Cthton
Faer
Inde

I have a feeling Anet wouldn't do small-scale invite beta because:
1) They didn't do that last time (well, not really....)
2) They wouldn't want super-respected people in GWO/Guru to potentially steer all of each community away from GW2 if they happen not to like it at first. I don't think GW2 is WoW-killer (although it could be...) enough to draw away a substantial amount of players (I'm talking millions ) so I will think that Anet will rely heavily on GW1 fan base. To have everyone in Guru/GWO not buy GW2 would be a nightmare.

But in the hypothetical situation, I would choose Racthoh for his understanding of PvE, and.....I don't do PvP so I couldn't tell you someone who is good. Some of the mods here would also be a nice addition. But I sincerely hope that they don't do private beta...mewants2play.

Ensign, FreekedOutFish, Fril, ArcaneMacabre, Savio, TMakanin, Mithran, HawkofStorms, Witte Was, Sab, Rezdogg, Inde

QFT. Last beta I was invited to I was good for the first few weeks, then ran out of time to keep playing and had other games I paid for that I wanted to play, so the beta stopped getting played.



BTW, you are always going to need some paid testers in an MMO enviroment because even if you don't have them test everything (and they should be testing basic functionality before one freebie tester is even notified) at the very least you need them to test fixes. You also need them to go back and make sure all the things are being tested are real bugs that can be reproduced, to fill in anything the bug reports from the players left out, and to help give the coders an idea of priority and what is wrong. Also you need someone to organize the tests and to make sure all the bugs that are reported get fixed and aren't just lost in the queue. Paid testers also have an idea what should happen when X,Y, and Z occurs that is never given out to the players. If there's something where you can't let the players know the explict details, it needs to be tested too, so you have to test it in house or hire a firm to do it for you.

So that's one loose definition of a professional tester.

MMSDome
Evove
DE
Arkantos
Knoll
Racthoh
Gaile Gray
Lemming
The Haxor
FENIX
ZenRgy


I think that sums it up quite well.

I like your list, because I'm in it. But as DE said,

Ensign
Racthoh
8 fillers

I was just thinking, why not clone ensign 9 times and invite all ten of them?

They'll probably just re-invite everyone they accepted into for ATS testing.

D:

Those paid testers are Alpha testers.

This is not going to happen, not one second. Given the secrecy of this project at Anet, I'm convinced they'll explain very clearly what an NDA is and give example of how people would be sued if they break it. They haven't done all this information control to just let it disappear for the beta-testing.

Total disagree. It's a RESPONSIBILITY, not a privilege. It shouldn't be a reward for what you've done for GW1 but the logical consequence of your personal character and abilities, as shown through what you've done for GW1 (but not because you did it). Being a GW2 beta-tester would be a huge responsibility IMHO, because you'd have the opportunity to make the game better and could miss these opportunities if you're too "OMG OMG OMG" (to be fair, you have to have people like this because they represent a portion of the community too).

I've seen many people mistakenly thinking that "beta-testing=debugging". It's only the case during LATE betas, while the EARLY ones are the ones where you focus on the game global design, structure, look&feel, NOT debugging the features. The earlier you correct/adapt the structure, the less work you'll have to do afterwards. Of course, the two are inseparable and you'll always have to report bugs, but during early beta I guess you can give your opinion about features and influence the game design (slighly).

I know a few people that really play good but most people on these lists excel at either whining (GW iz ded but I still play, Anet duz not caer but I iz still here, PvP iz ded but I can't let loose) or favoring repetitiveness/extreme grind (but it's optional!), technological regression.

I can't speak bad of Ensign/Avarre/Ractoh, they really know about game mechanics, but others should be avoided at all cost.

Heh, this entire thread made me chuckle

I can think of a few people perfect to do it, but they all already work for NCSoft and ANet, so thats a bust

I think Ensign will kill himself having to PvE with JR.

My list would probably be like:
Ensign
Racthoh
Avarre (sarcastic choice here, obviously)
Sab
Malice
2 guys in SMS
2 guys between me and the rawr guys (Torsen+Jaden+?) with God walking amongst mere mortals
Some random

Aww I've seen my name put forward a few times, massive thanks

But I'd like to think I could be in the first beta, I'd have a guide knocked together in no time flat

As anyone seen Ensign as of late?

There's a lot of interesting lists been put up, with all the names I'd expect.

Nominate RTS for GW2 beta But here's my list:

Ractoe
Faer
Avarre
Ensign
RTSFirebat
tmak
Makkert
Guru bug testers

Balan Makki, so he can see how much like WoW it is and have a heart attack.
Zinger, so the two can fight constantly.
Pablo for the bug testing.

Good choices. I would probably add a few to the list like Ensign, holymasamune and Avarre (some more possibly).

OT, is Uber/RT playing again? I've seen him on a few days ago.