[TheDoc]

Saw a few things on Facebook that made me raise an eyebrow.

There are two new sites opening up, and I got an invitation to each of their pages through a friend. The owners went to outline the usual about their site etc. and that they have arranged for a test game to gain feedback from players.

I was just lurking and then saw said mate post

Why are people being told there is a €15 gaming fee, I thought this was a test game?

I know the assumption I had was that there was a test game, certain number and type of person was invited. But it seems its just a normal day for €15 labelled as a test day to generate some "FIRST" buzz.

Whats people opinions on this? Obviously you can't stop someone doing it, and I don't particularly get humped over it.

But when see things like this ( happened plenty in the past) just gives me the immediate impression that I don't want to go there, as it just gives me a bad first impression of a site owner(s). I went to one "test" game where it was just anyone that wants to go, charged a fee, and it was utter bollox.

And then there is the added notion that if just about anyone is going, its a normal skirmish day, with god knows who, and the site owner probably isn't going to give two ****s about any feedback. And if they are taking feedback from absolute randomers who they know nothing about, well then that says even more.

Might be just me, but just find it a bit lol and I make the immediate assumption the site will be ****. I've been on plenty of test games feedback days and they were site owners looking to actually test logistics of managing numbers, seeing how people play the site and what changes they need to make. And they typically get people who know what they are talking about, played various sites etc.

I remember Go Tact had a test game down in, what even still is probably the best site never to go public, and there was an invitation to IAA officials, other site owners and recognised players. Granted there was only about 6 on the day, it was a really productive day of testing and it wasn't just aimless gaming.

Thoughts?

[Jsmurff]

€15 isn't bad for a days gaming… tbh if I was opening a sight in the morning I wouldn't be inviting all of Facebook along for the first test match I would actually try and get my hands on some people who know what their doing instead of having to listen to every joe soap saying "oh you should put a thingy there like in that level in cod"

[Puding]

Granted there was only about 6 on the day, it was a really productive day of testing and it wasn't just aimless gaming.

the smaller games normally are, as tbh test games are not skirmishes in the normal sense the best test days I've had are normally more talking than playing, you need people that are going to give constructive practical feedback not things like 'lets have a trench system' or 'helicopters', they have to be realistic, unfortunately unless your just stress testing the time, simply opening the games does not do this

any test game that you have to pay for normally indicates as you say it is just there to create buzz

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by TheDoc

Saw a few things on Facebook that made me raise an eyebrow.

There are two new sites opening up, and I got an invitation to each of their pages through a friend. The owners went to outline the usual about their site etc. and that they have arranged for a test game to gain feedback from players.

I was just lurking and then saw said mate post



I know the assumption I had was that there was a test game, certain number and type of person was invited. But it seems its just a normal day for €15 labelled as a test day to generate some "FIRST" buzz.

Whats people opinions on this? Obviously you can't stop someone doing it, and I don't particularly get humped over it.

But when see things like this ( happened plenty in the past) just gives me the immediate impression that I don't want to go there, as it just gives me a bad first impression of a site owner(s). I went to one "test" game where it was just anyone that wants to go, charged a fee, and it was utter bollox.

And then there is the added notion that if just about anyone is going, its a normal skirmish day, with god knows who, and the site owner probably isn't going to give two ****s about any feedback. And if they are taking feedback from absolute randomers who they know nothing about, well then that says even more.

Might be just me, but just find it a bit lol and I make the immediate assumption the site will be ****. I've been on plenty of test games feedback days and they were site owners looking to actually test logistics of managing numbers, seeing how people play the site and what changes they need to make. And they typically get people who know what they are talking about, played various sites etc.

I remember Go Tact had a test game down in, what even still is probably the best site never to go public, and there was an invitation to IAA officials, other site owners and recognised players. Granted there was only about 6 on the day, it was a really productive day of testing and it wasn't just aimless gaming.

Thoughts?

I agree, to be honest I was put off by the whole "test game" for 15 euro, but I put it down to the fact that I believe the site is a paintball site and most likely the owner wanted to wet his beak straight away.

But paying for test games is something I don't like for the simple reason, for an extra fiver/tenner I could play at a site I know, is up and running and while some sites throw the odd "we're going to try a new game" now and then you still have the core games that always get played and work.

[Raccoon City Development Labs]

test games should be kept between a certain number of people if you ask me, invite only and free for whoever attends at the owners decision, now thats my opinion as that was done at my local site, the players that were invited were all great! thats my personal opinion though, others may think different + you find once you do a test game with certain people, it turns out to be a hell of a night of shooting between yourselves.

[gerrowadat]

Originally Posted by Keegan

I agree, to be honest I was put off by the whole "test game" for 15 euro, but I put it down to the fact that I believe the site is a paintball site and most likely the owner wanted to wet his beak straight away.

But paying for test games is something I don't like for the simple reason, for an extra fiver/tenner I could play at a site I know, is up and running and while some sites throw the odd "we're going to try a new game" now and then you still have the core games that always get played and work.

If the site is a paintball site, then a test game is pointless. The paintball games are the cash cow, so the airsoft side of it has absolutely no leeway whatsoever to change anything, in case it screws with the paintball.

[TheDoc]

In fairness I don't know of the specifics. I know a mate went to one Sunday and basically siad it was utter bollox.

But I know I got these Facebook invites to like three "test" games over the weekend, and had no intention of going near any of them.

And on a sidenote, Airsofters need to ****ing chill out on Facebook, bleedin 50 pages to trade your gear and its all the same hacked up ****e on all of them.

[MagicIRL]

That's a whole other thread, Doc!

Anonymity of the web = total wankers.

In relation to test games, I agree, there should be no fee. A test game is used to discuss the site, how the games flow, what needs tweaking and fixing, not for you to generate a batch of regulars by offering a intro fee. If you're going to do that, call it what it is, an introduction price!

Personally, I wouldn't attend a site that said test game and €x anywhere.

[Faolchu]

got to agree doc, a test game is just that a test. its should be used to see if the flow of the site works, then after each session you sit and chat about what works and what doesnt for that layout.

so if CQB is that area too dark, is the stuff on the floor causing too much of a hazerd where someone may get hurt or is it too open and no one can get across etc.

each particular game area should be tested, discussed, changed and tested again over a few days/weeks before opening to the public and asking for cash

[Arkslippy]

I was at the one in stradbally for half the day. its a potentially good site but the owners are a paintball company. the airsoft people are trying to partner up and the paintballers charged them 15 a head apparently.

i was disappointed that they charged for the games which were a bit thrown together but if id gone to the cinema or whatever it would have cost me that.

when vacant did test games it was invite only and players known to us.

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by Arkslippy

when vacant did test games it was invite only and players known to us.

Is Vacant the artist formally known as the office formally known as the warehouse?

Those lads had testing done well. Good invitees that knew the game, and they themselves had a fairly good idea on what they wanted, it was pretty much playability testing. They genuinely listened to feedback, identified what was good and reasonable and implemented it or atleast analysed it.

Then they started to gradually increase numbers until eventually doing a very large test game to test logistics. Its a staggered process. And its also a case of learning how to take on the good feedback against the rubbish one. Some of the pony people suggest for sites is unreal

[decoi]

is vacant site closed now.. the guy from SG airsoft told me they closed that site and that Office in Tallagh is back open?? i havent been to airsoft in about a year or more

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by decoi

is vacant site closed now.. the guy from SG airsoft told me they closed that site and that Office in Tallagh is back open?? i havent been to airsoft in about a year or more

The guys who ran the Office moved onto another place and someone else took over Tallaght, then it got repo'd by NAMA.

I believe the lads are still tipping away with Vacant no ?

[Dogwatch]

Tallaght CQB is still open.

See here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2056361830

[MagicIRL]

Originally Posted by TheDoc

The guys who ran the Office moved onto another place and someone else took over Tallaght, then it got repo'd by NAMA.

I believe the lads are still tipping away with Vacant no ?

Yer man who ran Oakridge took over The Office from the lads who ran The Warehouse who took over Vacant.