What's wrong and what's right with the Beta process?

**a player** · 03-03-2014, 06:44 PM

Lately, I've been thinking about what may be wrong with Wulven's Beta Test Process, and what might be done about it.

I can't help but feel that something is wrong. It is not my intention for this thread to be a gripe-fest. Please, no diatribes or condemnations here, but if things could be better, what do the players think it would take?

I think the very highest priority should be that every card should do what it says it does, and nothing else. Unbalanced or unplayable cards will come to the surface faster, without the present fog of improper card interactions. If this premise were adhered to, there would be a SHORT list of cards that are known to be bugged. This list would, itself be kept up-to-date, so beta-testers would easily know which cards to avoid, and which to test for edge conditions. This would result in a feedback process where more and more cards would become usable, testable, and refinable. Iteration of this process would ensure that the set - and the game as a whole - are everything they can be.

If updates were more frequent, beta-testing would feel productive. I don't want to have to skim through twenty pages, and I don't want to re-report old bugs.

Presently, many cards have bugs. I find it personally distasteful to take advantage of accidentally overpowered cards, and difficult to avoid cards that are disabled by bugs. If things were under control, I could build and test decks without the feeling that I am either a victim or an exploiter. Where is there a concise bug list? How long is that list? When was Shattered Fates last updated?

What do you think? What - if anything - is wrong? What could or should be done about it? What other priorities does or should Wulven Studios have? Are these being met? What degree of transparancy will facilitate the best experience and provide the best future for the game?

**Airact** · 03-03-2014, 07:27 PM

There are bug reports, there are suggestions, there is some discussion but when was the last patch we got?

I don't remember, nor do I remember what was in it. We can test for bugs all we want but what's the point if nothing of it is going to be fixed?

**Irell** · 03-05-2014, 10:32 AM

It feels like I have a déja-vù..I've read so many threads and posts similiar to this, the last big one was last year, where a lot of people raged about wulven being to slow and so on.
I say it this time again, even when I am not playing on TS, I would like to see smaller updates (for ts but for se in general). Don't wait untill you have a lot of bugs fixed, when you have fixed one and it's stable update the version...And don't say about it only in some changelogs in forum instead show it in loading screen what the changes are
So I am now one of these déja-vù-posters at all...

**kentuequi** · 03-05-2014, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Irell

It feels like I have a déja-vù..I've read so many threads and posts similiar to this, the last big one was last year, where a lot of people raged about wulven being to slow and so on.
I say it this time again, even when I am not playing on TS, I would like to see smaller updates (for ts but for se in general). Don't wait untill you have a lot of bugs fixed, when you have fixed one and it's stable update the version...And don't say about it only in some changelogs in forum instead show it in loading screen what the changes are
So I am now one of these déja-vù-posters at all...

"déjà vu" not "déja vù",

. And +1.

**Bazzel** · 03-06-2014, 01:27 AM

They do take a lot of time to make progress and not to be mean or anything but, sometimes I wondered if they hired people or not to help them.

**Bazzel** · 03-06-2014, 01:31 AM

And if not what did they do with the more-than 80,000 dollars that were pledged to the making of the game?

**Kip thorp** · 03-06-2014, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by Bazzel

And if not what did they do with the more-than 80,000 dollars that were pledged to the making of the game?

Wulven needs new shoes!

But really, I got into SE before DP came out, I yelled about the TS not being available on mobile platforms, ( which this game is designed for and which, with a little help from you tech heads out there, I understand why it's almost impossible)
I screamed about releases being to slow, losing players because they could not use the TS, and got board playing the same decks out there.
I even wonder why there are physical cards! Instead of focusing on an actual digital only trading system? ( the auction house, that will come out shortly before I die). I said , "sell t-shirts , hats, thumb drives and mouse pads with the SE images on it) hell I would have even bought one or two. But I'm not buying cards I can't use. ( I would even help promote them, but there are 3 "gaming stores " in my area and they are having a hard enough time as it is! ( btw they are called Hobbie shops )
I totally agree that a slow trickle of cards would be much better to keep the game exciting and changing as waiting for a whole new "balanced " expansion.

There are so many cards , that un balance Cotc , it's not funny. But hey, I'm not a game designer, I can't speak from experience.

All that being said. I'm excited to play the new cards, I've got kick starter access to the TS, but without the art, it was just no fun for me, I guess seeing the picture of my ally attacking , was as important as the attack, I guess the art of each card made the "fantasy" of the game come to life. Without that, it's more like an exercise at school,...Read card/cards, sac , cast, repeat. ( try to remember what you just read in your deck, and your players field and your field) and when the turn changes and the cards shift, repeat again. Sorry, not my idea of fun. ( interesting lesson on what game developers go through with things written on napkins and such and you play a game of words and numbers) but ZERO, fun for me.

I'm just hoping it don't take to long and Wulven remembers a bad card can always be adjusted mid season.
But the Thorps will be here waiting to play. SE is still to fun for me to give up.

**Bazzel** · 03-07-2014, 08:18 PM

Shadow era is amazing , but because of the slow updates , I've replace shadow era from my top tcg to 2nd place . Now I play more duel of champions which is quite fun and updated with cards a lot faster. IDK if I will go back to play shadow era game . Hell I don't think the game is going to be ready before March. But i still got My shadow crystals and my money so I'm just gonna wait until is release and judge then wether or not the game is worth keep playing.