They should open beta for map editor

[londerwost]

Some people want the editor now, whether or not it's a good editor. Other people want to wait for it in the hopes it will be done well. I say you can do both and eat your cake, too.

Ubi should have open beta on the editor. That way, those who want to, can get there hands on it, with full knowledge that it's not a finished product. Those who want to wait, can wait. Developers get to have the pressure lifted and can take more time to work on it. Plus developers will get feedback directly from the people using it. Win win win situation. Of course they should have massive disclaimers about it being in test phase so don't get pissed if it crashes and you lose your stuff. I would be willing to deal with that kind of frustration if it meant I can actually get to start using the editor.

I've seen this done by many companies and have participated in many. Gmail is very popular and it's STILL in beta.

GIVE US CAKE!

[Kalah]

I'd really like to know at what stage in the development they are. Why it's taking them so long... Are they planning to release the editor along with a patch, is that it? Have they experienced some newly arised problems they had not anticipated? Are they deliberately withholding it just to make us mad?

I agree - give us cake! (chocolate, please).

[Campaigner]

Fabrice once said open betas aren't that easy to do. You have to check forums pretty often and sometimes pretty thouroughly to get valuable information. Supplying updated build pretty often isn't that easy eithter.

Well, I would be content with a word every other week. Like: "Were x% done". Just "random feature left".

The best would have been Stardocks way though where they tell everything and interact with their customers directly.

[londerwost]

Considering how much the offical forum site su-... ah... er... is not so popular, I see your point.

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

Fabrice once said open betas aren't that easy to do. You have to check forums pretty often and sometimes pretty thouroughly to get valuable information. Supplying updated build pretty often isn't that easy eithter.

Well, I would be content with a word every other week. Like: "Were x% done". Just "random feature left".

The best would have been Stardocks way though where they tell everything and interact with their customers directly.

The Player's Resourse Consortium (fan based NWN fan modder group) does public alphas/betas and has produced greaaat results. Their mod is quite huge in scope.
(http://www.nwn-prc.com/)

The updated builds could be posted at a central site and threads for each updated version. Which means the editor testers would need to check the site frequently and keep good notes.

Hopefully this will all be moot in a couple of weeks though and we'll have the editor in our greedy little hands.

GOW

[asandir]

i must say that the only thing that is a real problem with doing the beta is the publishers desire to do it, the other "issues" are quite surmountable, and the benefits would likely significantly outweigh the negatives .... even if it could be given to some of the more prolific mapmakers for a trial

[Warlock]

Another thing is it's possible the map format could change between the beta and final products (never know, could be current map formats aren't sufficient for user creation in some way). So more or less it would end up as a demo than something to actually develop with yet. Not saying that would definately be the case, but it could be.

[asandir]

So??

i don't want it released as a beta to get new maps (although that would be good in itself) but so the thing can be properly tested both for reliability and functionality ... then on final release we can be confident that it will be what it should be (hopefully)

[Kristo]

I'm wondering what's taking them so long. If they don't have an editor yet, what did they use to make maps?

[Caradoc]

I'm wondering what's taking them so long. If they don't have an editor yet, what did they use to make maps?

What I heard was that the original editor could modify files outside the map's own directory. Why they made it that way, I can't imagine, but I can see why that would need fixing. It is interesting to look through a set of map file and see what is and is not there.

It may also be that they have incorporated some bits of proprietary software that they have not licensed for distribution. My guess would be that this is the part that creates the base terrain.

[asandir]

that could well be true, but still doesn't answer the Kristo's wondering, the fans need for a map editor were hardy a surprise and considering it was a advertised feature of the game, they should have been working on it as much as polishing the game, months before release

[Caradoc]

that could well be true, but still doesn't answer the Kristo's wondering, the fans need for a map editor were hardy a surprise and considering it was a advertised feature of the game, they should have been working on it as much as polishing the game, months before release

I totally agree. It was a massive blunder.

Let's recall that the purpose of a b-test is not to get help with debugging. Beta versions are expected to be in good condition, and the point is to determine whether the product satisfies the customer. Obviously, the editor is a big part of that. So we are well after the release date and the developer has no idea at all whether the editor will suit their customers. Recall that they never asked for inputs or put out preliminary specifications for comment.

What alarms me most is the developer's willful ignorance regarding Heroes IV. If they have not played the game, we can be sure they know nothing at all about the editor. They have never created a scripted encounter. Certainly, they have never seen what a really skillful mapmaker can do. So can we hope for anything better than the Heroes III editor? I seriously doubt it. Will it be as good as WOG? Very unlikely. Will it be buggy? For sure. Will mapmakers be motivated to use it? We shall see, but the prospects are dim.

[asandir]

i really hope you are wrong caradoc, but my gut tells me that you may be right