26072013 wrote:...That would make sense. Egosoft could finish developing the game, declare it feature complete and ready for release, and then go into early access for a few months with quick bugfix releases until it's actually running well with a playable campaign.
That would be the only case where I would approve of any sort of Early Access program.
Furthermore, I'd limit that to a close beta scheme, where EA was not broadly open, no matter how much people wanted to pay for the game, but there was only a window of time for applicants, after which EA was closed until the game was finally released.
There are reasons for that weirdness, of course. But, since that really isn't how Early Access is normally used, it probably couldn't happen like that through Steam. (I'm much more in favor of closed/semi-closed late Beta and pre-candidate release "testing.")
dfm5000 wrote:Early access games help a lot, for one it funds their project. It allows users to provide feedback, it stops surprises on release date X-Rebirth...
Well with an army of beta testers, you wont have the problem of saying we had no one to test the game, because your community is here an eager to help.
I think that EA programs with very small developer shops might be of some help. But, they don't really work out well in the longrun for those who are trying to use them as some sort of "assistant developer" resource. For "ideas" that might actually improve the game then maybe... just maybe, they could be of help. But, most of those things don't need the actual game and can be hashed over in a forum. The dev knows their platform, so proper implementation is their job and they're suited for it.
Money. That could be a big help. But, there's an argument to be made that the possible negative impacts of EA ultimately outweigh any likely monetary compensation the dev would get in EA when compared to the slew of EA marketing failures that represent a very large loss in future sales.
If a dev can't get funding and can't continue because of that, then EA might be a good choice. But, it represents a serious threat to future sales.
Very few people who participate in EA actually contribute positively towards "testing" or in "helping to develop the game."
There was a time when there weren't any Early Access programs. There was no such thing as a public "Beta." Nobody got their hands on anything until release day. It didn't work out too badly.
Today, I think smart devs moderate how much they take advantage of certain sorts of modern opportunities involving their communities in their production process. I also think that the good ones fully understand exactly what they're doing when they choose to use such programs and have very accurate expectations of what the results will be.
desius wrote:26072013 wrote:
Well, whatever Egosoft did the last time... it didn't work for Rebirth.
The Devnet program was not the root of the difficulties behind the what the XRebirth launch experienced. Trust me, beta testers did their due diligence, as had been discussed many times before. The problems (in my opinion) were more in line with the design decisions and release schedule.
Early Access is not the same as Beta Testing.
There is no relation between the two except for a fundamental and widespread misunderstanding of what EA was actually intended to be......
I would wager that 95% of the folks who would buy into EA on Steam are not interested in, or capable of, the standards required for proper testing and valid reporting.
...
The vast majority of EA buyers only want to "get their game on" now; giving them instant gratification. When they see an unplayable game they're just going to leave a negative review and refund the game, having offered nothing constructive.
EA should only be used in the last few months before release, once 99% of the bugs are resolved, to generate hype and sales as part of the marketing plan.
The entire post was beautiful and a very accurate and appropriate description of the realities of "Early Access."
Nicely done.
, so don't rush them.![[ external image ]](http://i.imgur.com/ByxGjz7.jpg){kind=link}