Where to find play testers?

[mahks]

Does anyone know where I could find play testers for a game in development?

[Ighox]

One option is contacting some multi-gaming communities and ask if they're interested, offer the testers free games at release or something, but depending on your game/company it may not be that easy, it's way easier to find testers for lets say Magicka than McPixels (or some other low budget game you've never heard of before release/greenlight).

[loki504]

make topics on diffrent forums. and try to make a ingame feedback that everyone can use

[icedwarrior]

Does anyone know where I could find play testers for a game in development?

If it's a PC game, I wouldn't mind testing it, and I'm sure I could get at least a couple more people to play it. I'm currently in college, studying in Game Design; we're used to playtesting games and providing feedback, so I'd be happy to playtest your game.

[Sinnermighty]

Search up Combat Testing, they're a company that has playtesters to test out games. DICE have used them in the past, so has Harmonix, Gaikai, THQ and more.

[mahks]

I'd be happy to playtest your game.

Forum won't let me PM you with details, posts get spam botted...

- - - Updated - - -

Search up Combat Testing

Looks like a commercial enterprise.
My game will not be pay to play, so...

Thanks for the ideas though.

[Condemner]

If it's a commercial game I'd start to market it a bit, then when you built some interest in it, offer/ask for testers with some form of incentive. If you created a hype before that, testing it would be an incentive itself.

You can do that even if it isnt commercial though.

[icedwarrior]

Forum won't let me PM you with details, posts get spam botted...

Yeah, you've got to have a certain number of posts (10?) before you can PM.

I'll PM you.

[mahks]

Here are some screenshots and some reasons why this 4X may be a bit different :



The manoeuvre element is the fleet. Fleets move between stars by an instantaneous jump, but then must wait while the jump engine re-charges. This slows down the pace of the game, giving you time to plan. It creates the feel of a turn based game, even though it is a persistent universe.



Fleet movement may be automated.

• Patrol routes may be created to look for enemies.
• Gathering routes take minerals to stars with a refinery. This works kind of like railway tycoon.
• Other routes may be configured to move new ships to the front, return the battle weary for R & R, etc.

There is an emphasis on diplomacy.
Much effort has gone into creating organic "situations" that evolve into diplomatic crisis. These come about from conflict between several realms of influence. These being political relationships, trade, military actions, resource access and a feudal hierarchy.



Trade is encouraged by a mechanism whereby the number of types of minerals governs the efficiency of your refineries and thus your limits to production of assets. Since only a few mineral types are found locally you must trade with other areas to gain more mineral types.

The game is not played in "binges" (hours in a session) but in short play sessions. Think of a normal 4X that has its play session sliced into bits. This is by design, so that those with real lives may fit it into a busy schedule (or a fanatic gamer can play a session between all those other games) allowing them to play a deep, involving game even though "they have no time". Several people have interpreted this to mean it is a tick based game, it is not. Once your realm has grown, there is always things that need to be done, it is just not all time sensitive.

Fog of war is constant. If you have no ship or spy at a star you do not know what is there, you only know what was there last time you visited. This permits a "cat & mouse" situation, where cunning can win out.

Building assets takes a long time. This creates pressure to plan, as you cannot react immediately to a new threat by "popping out" fleets of new ships at a moments notice. You can build & assign additional builders to speed up a project, but there is cost there as well.



A large selection of technologies are available that affect all aspects of the game. There is no "tech tree" you just research the areas you want an advantage in. you may choose to be mediocre in all or focus on a few that complement your overall strategic direction.



There is a robust economic model that provides many ways to gain income and many ways to lose it. Taxation, tribute, piracy, export contracts, asset support, salaries are some of the factors.



In the beginning you manage all aspects, but as your empire grows you can do less micro-management and automate repetitive tasks.



There is a whole game within the game in regards to spies. Covert agents may conduct espionage, sabotage, incite labour or student unrest and incite rebellions. They can embezzle, slander and assassinate as well.

The game progresses though stages; exploration, buildup, contact and then the core game play begins with diplomacy, trade & conflict.

There is a play through of a typical 1st session on the website. Note this video has the old graphics and the colonising bit is out of date. The game begins slowly as you are mostly exploring and colonising, so the video may be a bit boring. Any suggestions on how to present a "cerebral" game and not make the presentation boring? This slow start is intentional as the game is complex and is designed so that a new player is not overwhelmed and has time to get his bearings.
http://www.starlords3k.com

We need a few more play testers, pm me if interested.
All feedback is welcome.

[Yunru]

Where are alien races?
Example:


Game is more interesting when some races have diferent + and - .
Some race is better in trading and worse in combat.
Some race is better in combat but worse in tehnology.
Some race is better in tehnology but worse in trading.
And so on.

[mahks]

There are no aliens. (well maybe one of the current test crew is ... alien brain at least)
All players are human.

The differentiation comes from the tech each player chooses to research.
If you want to be a spy monger, research the set of spy techs, a warmonger; weapons & ships, etc.

But the biggest difference comes from the fact your opponents are not lame AI with a bonus in some area, but thinking human beings with all their diverse foibles and unfathomable ways of doing things!

No AI has ever given me a challenge that wasn't a built in advantage.
Compared with all the grief I have been handed by humans ... no comparison.

The only reason to resort to AI is if you are developing a single player game.