Should PTR's be more complete before release?

[styil]

The devs have mentioned that the PTR is a place where they test all their wacky internal ideas and not everything is set in stone.

My question is should they be releasing these wacky PTR builds for public testing? I feel that this just causes unnecessary frustration and anxiety when players are kept in the dark with only part of the picture. I think it would be much more beneficial for Blizzard to release their final version of the patch, then for us to test it, provide feedback, then Blizzard iterate on the patch based on feedback.

It's very hard to provide quality feedback when a class has been transformed, but only 20% of the changes are on the PTR. I think the process would work a lot better if they waited until most of the changes were ready for testing and feedback.

[SirCowdog]

The problem is not with having strange and wacky things on the PTR. The problem is when feedback on those wacky things gets ignored. What's the point of releasing stuff for testing if they're just going to do whatever they want anyway, and wait until it causes an actual problem in the live version to fix it?

I think the PTR and beta servers for new expansions are exactly the right place to try out ideas. But it needs to also be a place where Blizzard is more open to criticism and feedback as well.

[cFortyfive]

The problem is not with having strange and wacky things on the PTR. The problem is when feedback on those wacky things gets ignored. What's the point of releasing stuff for testing if they're just going to do whatever they want anyway, and wait until it causes an actual problem in the live version to fix it?

Pretty much. Some feedback might lineup with their design intend every once in a while but at the end of the day they are going through with what they want to do anyway even if it might be the most retarded decision to make.

[klaps_05]

even tough the whole wow team is hundreds of people, its not enough. if you really want a finished product on live and less PTR, they need to have a specialist for everything. Specialist for each class, specialist for each profession, specialist for each zone, specialist for each quest, specialist for legendaries, specialist for dungeons, specialist for raids, etc etc.

[SirCowdog]

Pretty much. Some feedback might lineup with their design intend every once in a while but at the end of the day they are going through with what they want to do anyway even if it might be the most retarded decision to make.

Which makes me wonder why they even call it the Public Test Realm. Why not just be honest and call it the Preview Teaser Realm instead? Or the "Hardcore raiders come practice realm".