Beta testing multiplayer game

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by z3dd, Sep 25, 2013.

  1. z3dd

    z3dd Well-Known Member

    Sep 29, 2012
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    Hello everybody,
    we are finishing our multiplayer game and we would like to start beta tests in next week. But we would like to get some clues how to organize it. We have in our minds three solutions, but a lot of questions:

    1. Use TestFlight SDK, but
    - we need integrade sdk
    - how much we have to pay ?
    - how to test Facebook ? (we have test accounts)

    2. Launch app with different name
    - is it legal to launch app with another name and after beta test with "normal" name ?
    - what if we want to get a publisher ?

    3. Launch app for few countries
    - what countries ?
    - what about publisher ?

    Maybe someone did anything similar and could share his experience with others ?
    I appreciate any help.
     
  2. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    The answer to b is it is clearly legal, but why would you want to do that? You build up some sort of userbase and then switch the name on them?

    Depending on platforms there are always ways to transfer to a publisher, but again either you get no userbase and think damn i better find a publisher and then only have your failure to encourage them, or you are successful and you are like I can be independent woooo.

    I think you need think about what you are trying to achieve more rather than how for now.

    By the way I don't have the all the answers, but to me looks like you don't have a plan at all.
     
  3. MarkFromBitmenStudios

    MarkFromBitmenStudios Well-Known Member

    Apr 4, 2011
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    IT Architecture, Development Project Manager
    Austria, Europe
    A testflight based approach means you prolly need an enterprise account instead of a standard Apple dev account if you want to test with a large user base.

    Alternatively, you can launch a free version in selected countries (most pick Canada or Australia but it depends on your location/prefs). Don't call it beta or Apple might reject it but otherwise you should be fine.

    Be sure to add some analytics like Flurry or you'll be practically blind.

    The biggest challenge is to get enough testers on board and get feedback from them, esp. if it's a synchronous game.

    Overall, since you're prolly having a harder time attracting active testers on testlightapp, I'd go with the free app and add some selected testflightapp testers ontop of it. You don't have to recruit the users of a free app and while they won't provide feedback, they'll provide good analytics. Then grab feedback from those beta testers you can get on testflightapp. At least that's what we did.
     
  4. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    Australia is always the best test market :)
     
  5. binaryhelix

    binaryhelix Well-Known Member

    Oct 15, 2011
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    We ended using Google Play as a sort of beta test for our multiplayer game in its MVP (minimum viable product) stage. App updates go live within hours, not the week(s) on iOS. So fixes can happen in the same day. Just have analytics and feedback capability, and do a very limited form of advertising--practically none in our case. Ramp up the advertising as the server code is stress tested, etc. When ready, launch on iOS and do full-scale court press (or should that be press court :) on Android.
     
  6. z3dd

    z3dd Well-Known Member

    Sep 29, 2012
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    Thanks all for response. Considering pros and cons we are going to launch app in one country to test our game. And we need need to add some analytics.

    You mentioned about Flurry. Are there any alternatives ?

    At the beta test what we expect is:
    1. reports about crashes, stacktrace
    2. iOS and Android implementation
    3. feedback from testers about game fe. what they like and don't

    Is Flurry good for this purpose ?
     
  7. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    flurry doesn't handle 1 or 3 directly.

    However in flurry you can set up things so you can tell when buttons are pushed, how long people are playing etc which is obviously a really useful non bias method of getting feedback.

    Get direct feedback you need to be in contact with the user or have a mechanisim in the game to give feedback.
     
  8. MarkFromBitmenStudios

    MarkFromBitmenStudios Well-Known Member

    Apr 4, 2011
    133
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    IT Architecture, Development Project Manager
    Austria, Europe
    See my post above. We combined Flurry & testflightapp in our open beta. Flurry for stats and testflightapp for all the rest you mentioned. For testflightapp feedback, a button will not result in much feedback, better ask directly at some checkpoint.

    Flurry is essential for getting stats on multiplayer balance.
     
  9. z3dd

    z3dd Well-Known Member

    Sep 29, 2012
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    And what about getting to new & noteworty. If we release game in one country for beta testing fe. Canada and then we turn on all countries. Can we then be placed in new & noteworthy in US ?
     

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