Beta Participation

[what?]

Will there be an open beta/experimental version available before 1.0?

Like probably some other people here I'm open to helping squash bugs if needed to help keep upcoming updates running smooth.

[Andi]

People keep asking for a beta branch for years.
When I first heard of the term "soft launch" I thought it's gonna be it, but truth be told, I'm not even understanding the point of a soft launch when everyone's forced to it anyway and it's just an option to turn on/off like with the introduction of the drop ships.

Anyhow, an experimental branch on some dedicated, probably white listed servers would mean a lot more work and additional costs, so I don't think that's ever gonna happen.

[CrankyOldMan]

Yes, but a white listed group of players who know Scum well, who have the best for Scum as their intention testing things prior to them being released could bode well.
I would expect them to be under a strong NDA but have no idea how that would even work.

Right now IMO I see some negative things being said that are good for the game, but many that are not. Things being said that are not close to the truth from my experience!
A test branch might quite some of that down.

[what?]

I only play Single Player so I've got nothing to lose lol /jk, at least they could get feedback on certain things before releasing them to the main build, could just have minor changes or server settings, it doesn't have to contain all the good stuff, just things they don't mind players trying out or something. Doesn't DayZ still do this too (haven't really bothered with DayZ much since it fully released)? Either way not bothered personally.

[CrankyOldMan]

We all are doing that now though. Both online and in single player.

Many just don't realize the true function of Early Access.

I can't really explain my thoughts but I see 1.0 as Beta not release.
This game needs a lot more in it to be release ready as a full game imo.

I have been through other games alpha-beta-release before.

[what?]

No I'm aware of that, this is mostly asking if there will be a beta/experimental version available before 1.0, when we will no longer be in one, so we can then help keep the updates smooth, since we wont be in Early Access for long after 1.0.

"This game needs a lot more in it to be release ready as a full game imo"
Agreed!

[marktkm]

The flip side to doing that would be that there would then be considerably less people testing the additions and changes, well intentioned as they might be. EA is essentially a replacement for what used to be a beta branch. BG3 does this now, but that's a much bigger dev group, and the main game and it's base code is pretty much solidified. The changes the beta folks are testing are smaller in overall effect than changes to core mechanics.

[Andi]

The only imaginable way of doing that would be to provide a "experimental" in the beta branch on steam, but only for singleplayer.

But then again, I don't think that would be very helpful, since the singleplayer part tends to have different bugs than multiplayer.

7 Days To Die devs do this since the beginning, providing a test branch before an update goes live, but then, 7 Days also has P2P self hosting online co-op, if you're running the test version, buddies who come to join your game also have to be updated to that version, so that's 2 birds with one stone, sp and mp covered.

Scum's mp is relying on servers only. That's the issue. How'd one do it?

[Deathwhisper]

Hello OP :),

There are internal tests which are not public, these are primarily used to find the initial bugs and eliminate them as best as possible.
There is no public test before the release, as this would represent an additional delay, as errors would also appear when going live that the tests could not cover.
Basically, a relatively unnecessary intermediate step is omitted and the community can fully participate in what is happening through bug reports, but also feedback on new implementations. In this way, the spectrum is covered very well and you work together with the community "live" as it were.

[what?]

Thanks for the replies, so 1.0 will be the same as it is now in Early Access, release updates now then check sub forums later?

Not bothered just curious so I know where to go for issues as a lot of Early Access games do things differently around release.

[x8InViSible8X]

Originally posted by what?:

Will there be an open beta/experimental version available before 1.0?

Like probably some other people here I'm open to helping squash bugs if needed to help keep upcoming updates running smooth.

Just no.

[what?]

Originally posted by x8InViSible8X:

Just no.

Well lucky for you there wont be, not that you would need to participate anyway.