Open/Close Beta version
- Thread starter welshchip
- Start date
Welcome to CFC 
there is likely to be a beta (maybe already going on)
unlikely that there are going to be many leaks or even leaked versions though - these kind of things tend to be rather frowned at by publishers' legal departments
there is likely to be a beta (maybe already going on)
unlikely that there are going to be many leaks or even leaked versions though - these kind of things tend to be rather frowned at by publishers' legal departments
Shurdus
Am I Napoleon?
Or Stardock.
Zhahz
PC Gamer
Yeah. Some companies are open in what they do. Just depends. Firaxis seems to be pretty tight, even when they have a game like Civ that'll definitely kill and sell. It was very similar with Civ IV - very little solid info until late, horrible website that didn't show up til late and wasn't really done or fully functional til after the game was live, etc.
When we do get official "info" it'll probably be a movie that has zero gameplay footage and nothing to do with the game.
Usually I'd be critical of companies that keep a tight lid (since it's usually a sign that they're not confident in what they're doing). With firaxis I can only be critical of their sad web presence/site and seemingly being way behind the times in that regard compared to many companies.
I can see a great reason for them keeping a tight lid on info, although I don't think this is why they do it (I think they're just behind the times and oblivious).
Many civ players are hyperfanatic. Many are wannabe game designers who think they know how the game should work. Every tiny shred of information solid or not is disected, criticized, and debated into the ground.
If your'e the professional designer/dev entrusted/paid to make the game, you don't necessarily want your every move shredded and criticized before you're even done.
I'm hoping there are some excellent gameplay examples like Sulla's walkthrus for Civ IV in the near future. IMO those were some of the best relays of info before release. Probably some of the best advertising too.
Danchops
Chieftain
I'm hoping there are some excellent gameplay examples like Sulla's walkthrus for Civ IV in the near future. IMO those were some of the best relays of info before release. Probably some of the best advertising too.
I purchased Civ IV shortly after release largely on the strength of Sulla's walkthroughs. I would love to have a similar resource for Civ V.
frekk
Scourge of St. Lawrence
Many civ players are hyperfanatic. Many are wannabe game designers who think they know how the game should work. Every tiny shred of information solid or not is disected, criticized, and debated into the ground.
If your'e the professional designer/dev entrusted/paid to make the game, you don't necessarily want your every move shredded and criticized before you're even done.
If I was developing civ, the only time I'd drop any early hints is when I was at an impasse on some aspect of the game. Free brainstorming.
Shurdus
Am I Napoleon?
And then ploughing your way through pages and pages of rants for one or two barely usable comments? No thanks.
frekk
Scourge of St. Lawrence
Oh idunno ... there's probably a diamond or two in the rough here and there.
The whole basis of civ5 itself more or less looks like some of the more popular concepts that were being bandied about prior to the release of civ4. Let's not forget the lead designer is (or was) a CFer.
J-man
Deity
I don't think Firaxis ever had an open beta. So it's not going to happen for civ 5.
No, they've always been pretty selective with their testers. They have a large community they can draw from so they can pretty much hand pick who they want testing the game. Which means they tend to have people that have alot of integrity, so it's highly unlikely anything is going to leak out.
J-man
Deity
I was already impressed by the fact that they developed civ 5 for 2 years (or was it 2.5 years?) without any leaks. Firaxis is good at keeping its secrets.
Jawa'sRevenge
Warlord
Someone is probably beta testing it right now, Firaxis seemed to have a working version of it in the pictures.
Tacgnol
Warlord
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2008
- Messages
- 216
I thought an alpha was a closed and unannounced initial testing phase and part of being a beta test is some degree of publicity, at least an official announcement even if there is an NDA?
And I wouldn't expect Civ to have an open beta, that's more used for games with a good degree of publicity to pump up opening day sales but in Civ we've got a decent hardcore fanbase and not terribly much publicity outside of that, so an open beta wouldn't do much beyond pleasing the real fans who are going to buy anyway.
And I wouldn't expect Civ to have an open beta, that's more used for games with a good degree of publicity to pump up opening day sales but in Civ we've got a decent hardcore fanbase and not terribly much publicity outside of that, so an open beta wouldn't do much beyond pleasing the real fans who are going to buy anyway.
No, Firaxis doesn't even announce the beta tests for it's patches, never mind the game itself. I was a beta tester for a couple of the Warlords patches and there was no official announcement of them at all. No one knew anything until the patches were actually released.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2007
- Messages
- 9,311
Generally speaking, an "alpha" tends to be an early prerelease version with some features still not present, whereas a "beta" usually has all the features present, but still needs bug fixing. The degree of publicity around either can vary - some web browser companies (Mozilla, Opera, etc.) have public alphas, whereas many betas are private or entirely internal and not announced. There is generally more hoopla around betas, though, as alphas are often buggy enough that the average Joe wouldn't want to use it - and too many bugs in a prerelease can indeed make the product seem bad to a potential customer.
Of course, companies can use whatever definitions they please for "alpha" and "beta".
I'd also bet against a public Civ5 beta, but you never know. On the whole the rate of public betas seems to be increasing.
ThERat
Deity
Unless I remember wrongly, Firaxis always had open betas. How so, you might ask. Well, the games I bought known as Civ 3 and Civ 4 vanilla were buggy to no end and were tested by all of us who purchased the unfinished product (and some bugs for C3C for example were never cleared and left for us to suffer with).
Whether this is going to happen again, one might only speculate.
Whether this is going to happen again, one might only speculate.
deanej
Deity
I think its true of the majority of games. At least most of the ones I've played.
Both Civ 3 and 4 have been the most bug-free games I've played in ages. Especially version 4. If you think they were that bad, maybe you should just switch to a console and play those games instead.
Andrewicus
Imperator
Hiding in plain sight? after all who wasn't expecting Civ 5
Yeah doubtful on any beta test that us peons can get into.
