Beta Testing for New Classes

[Brokkr]

We are now accepting role applications to be a beta tester of the new player classes.  The purpose of the beta test will be to assess the new classes for bugs, playability, balance and fun.  The testing period will be three months, at a minimum, and while we would like to keep it to that time frame, it may extend if we do not feel at that time the classes are ready for release.

This will be a limited beta, as we do want to control the numbers of these classes in the game at one time.  We also want to ensure a fruitful feedback process.  To that end, the details and requirements of the beta test are:

• Apply to participate by filling out a role application.  Please choose Tuluki Templarate as the clan, so they are all in one place.
• Please include the proposed guild, subguild and race of your character.  If you are specifically thinking to test out certain things with the character, letting us know would be great.  Other details like name, description, etc. not needed.  If approved, we will enable you to make the character through the regular chargen process.
• Please include your GDB handle in your application.  We may put in place a board for participants.  If you use secondary handles, using one such that other participants cannot identify your beta character through participation on clan boards would be ideal.
• Participants must have 1 karma or more to apply.  The ability to provide quality feedback in part relies upon a decent knowledge of what currently exists.  Karma is serving as a proxy limiting this to folks with some experience.
• No special applications or extended subguild requests please.  We feel the best feedback is when folks are otherwise using what they are familiar with, which would not be the case when applying for subguilds or races outside their normal karma.
• Storage with future un-storage of existing characters will not be offered.  Applying to participate "once my current character dies" will not be entertained.  You must either be without a character or be willing to store your current character.
• It is okay to apply at any point during the beta test, not just the beginning.  Although we would like some applications at the beginning to get things kicked off!
• We will require feedback as part of the participation.  Namely, I ask that within a week of starting with the character, you send in a character report with your initial thoughts.  Each month afterwards I ask that you send in a character report with any further thoughts.
• Folks who don't participate, through feedback or by no longer logging in, will be stored.  The primary purpose of this beta is not a preview of the classes for players, it is to help us ensure the best player experience when the classes are put in place for the general playerbase.
• Bugs.  You are helping us squash any, so they have to be reported.
• Custom crafting will not apply to any of the classes during the beta play test, unless you choose a subguild that currently offers custom crafting.  We are still working out how custom crafting will be handled for the new classes
• It is likely there will be changes like which classes get which skills and what the caps on skills are.  By participating, you are acknowledging that loosing skills, skill level or abilities may happen to your character.

It is likely we will not take all comers.  Please don't be discouraged!  Wait a month, and apply again if you are still interested and able to participate.

[Brokkr]

So folks don't  have to go hunting for it:

[Brokkr]

We are no longer taking applications for new play testers.  We are at a point in the process that we need to lock down on the feedback we have already received.

As a consolation prize, the help file for the Adventurer class is now active.  You may access this help file in game with "help adventurer" or through the website.  Note, those who do not want any spoilers will not want to adventure any further than that!

[Brokkr]

All the helpfiles for the new classes are now available.

Help Classes in game, or through the website, lists the classes and has links to the new help files.  Each class also has a help file which lists the branching for that class, for instance "Help Enforcer Branching".

I have also made the forum the play testers used open, for transparency and fairness, due to the information obtained.  It was not intended that the play testers have some sort of advantage due to the material discussed there.  Most discussion was one on one in Requests, but I believe showing what we can that was in the forum is valuable.

I have also opened a thread in that forum for discussion of the new classes.