F.U.B.A.R. and x7
by Burbie52, HSM team writer
As gamers, we all know what beta testing is. It is the idea of getting the bugs out of a game before it is introduced to the masses. It helps the developer see what needs to be fixed or tweaked in order to make people happy with their product and therefore more apt to buy into it. The big lure for most of us, though, is the ability to try something before most everyone else does, especially in Home. Whether for the good or ill of the community at large, this is why x7 is such a popular place: because you are able to see things there in advance or purchase them before many others can.
When the October 17, 2012 update hits Home, it brings with it not only new gaming experiences, but an entirely new concept in beta testing. Instead of sending out emails to people with a code for entry into the beta, they are offering early testing of F.U.B.A.R to members of x7.
x7 has been giving people with PlayStation Plus membership or certain in-Home items early access to all sorts of various commodities for several months now, but this is something completely different — and it will be very interesting to see how the populace of Home reacts to it. Betas up until now have been supposedly random events without targeting any specific people or requiring any particular preset qualifications. This isn’t true in this circumstance, though: this is a very specific requirement. So if you don’t have the access to x7 and you want to be in this beta, you either have to buy short-term entry or buy something else that allows permanent entry, essentially paying for the privilege of early access to the game.
A good environment for beta testers?
Those who are in x7 already won’t be affected by this, of course, but many who aren’t and have been enticed by the ads for F.U.B.A.R from nDreams are potentially going to be very unhappy campers. Interestingly enough, there appears to be relatively little indignation about this on the Sony forum — so far. This doesn’t affect me, as I have access via my Plus membership, though I only go there to gather information about new commodities and purchase the cheap value packs occasionally. Besides, when it comes to the forum, I am not a regular user and I try to be a voice of reason when I do go there.
This idea has all the makings of a big bone of contention, though, and I can certainly see why it will be one. Beta testing has always been for everyone up to this point. All it required was having the right setting in your account management privacy area to allow them to contact you, and the selection process itself was randomized. Though Plus members have been given beta access before, during DC Universe Online and Gotham City Impostors, I think this is a bit different because Home is a social place. Having this in Home, where people are already polarizing themselves into groups, cliques and gangs, is only going to add to the feelings of separation and an elitist mentality among the haves and have-nots. Lets face it: many people like to flaunt this fact. It will not help those of us wanting to build rather than tear down the idea of community.
Mercia Beta was awesome!
I was privileged to be a part of the last beta test of an in-Home game: Mercia. This was done in the traditional way, I was contacted through email and gladly accepted the code that was sent. It was my first beta ever, and I was very happy with the whole process. But how would I have felt if it had been offered beta access in this manner instead, and I didn’t even have a shot at getting an invite to the game without an exclusive membership? I don’t think I would be very happy about it, especially as I love RPGs and this was Home’s first one ever.
I am not sure that this is a good idea for Home. Though many might argue that the people who have x7 access have already paid for that privilege, I think that this is going to be stepping on a lot of toes — and beta testing might have been better left out of the privileges that x7 confers, they already get quite enough as it is. At the very least, call it what it is: early access, rather than a beta test. Yes, such soft publishes are good to stress-test a new game before releasing it to the entire Home community, but classic beta testing is very different than these sorts of promotional maneuvers.
This might be an attempt by Sony to boost sales of those access passes they sell, or some of the other items that give you access to x7; and though I admit it is a clever way to do this, I am not sure it is a wise one. They stand a chance of alienating just as many consumers as they entice. It is a fine line and a delicate balancing act, trying to please the amount of people Home has, and it seems as though they are doing just as Norse has said many times and going after the “whales” in Home’s economy. But I think that up till now beta testing has been considered sacrosanct. Using it in this way may backfire on them.
As the trailer shows, the game F.U.B.A.R itself looks to be a very interesting addition to Home, and x7 access is also going to offer members an exclusive bundled value pack for use in the game. I will be very interested to see what this pack gives you that is different from what is universally available, but once again this seems a thinly veiled ploy to boost sales of the x7 exclusivity theme. I didn’t buy Plus membership so I could gain access to this place, and to tell you the truth I don’t really even like the space; aesthetically it isn’t my style at all, and I only go there for the store.
I think that Sony deserves to make as much profit as it can from whatever resource they can muster, I am just not too sure that using beta testing to do it is the best way to go about it. Only time will tell if I am right about this, but if this was my first reaction to the announcement for this beta testing — even though I can participate in it — I doubt I’ll remain alone in that sentiment.
October 17th, 2012 by Burbie52 | 6 comments
Burbie52 is a 62 year-old published author and founder of the Grey Gamers group within Home. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived there her entire life, with the exception of a twelve-year residency on the Big Island of Hawaii. She enjoys reading and writing, as well as video games, especially RPG's. She has one son in his twenties.
This wouldnt be a bad idea, but perhaps they should do this…
Once x7 members get a beta invite for a future game on Home, then say a week later several beta invites get sent out such as with No Man’s Land and Mercia. x7 members could/would recieve early beta access (which might entice people to either get plus or one of the Home items required to enter)and then other users would get chosen at random, or however they do it, a week later.
Great article and I think this would be a great discussion in the near future.
Which ever way its done users will not like it. If the emails are random why is it certain users have done more beta testing than others, Why give it to the upper class users of X7. Either could be right or wrong. Perhaps the Mercia beta fiasco where nothing seemed to be fixed between beta and released version and then when Lockwood decided to give portal away, testers got upset. But ultimately its an easy way to get to home users without the need for emails, there wont loads of user with multiple accounts picking up multiple limited items from shop, and if you were looking as a business to find where the big spenders were in home, where would you look.
I’m an X7 member. I’m also quite a spender in US Home. These things have nothing to do with beta testing though, and I do find it strange testers would be found this way. As it happens I’m also a gamer, and one that’s of the opinion that Tower Defence games are one of the worst cookie-cutter genres in this industry. Really, next to shooters they’re about as imaginative as a tabloid printer can get. Which is why I won’t be going near this, again, I’m disappointed in the offerings of games native to Home.
I never thought I’d say this but, The Midway was (is?) headed in the right direction for Home-only games. Hell, even that god awful grind-fest they call Edo is better than this approach. I’m sorry for my negativity here but I just think even the casual gamers of Home should be given something better than a Tower Defence game. What’s next, a Zuma clone? I’d rather a Peggle clone myself, if that’s how it’s gotta be.
Regarding the “exclusivity” of late beta access; I was grumpy about not getting into Mercia, but what can you do there? This is different, there’ll be people who want to know about this game, and I’m sure the access method will put yuck-faces on heads but still, it all comes down to the misplaced sense of entitlement that most Home users still have today. And, at least, if you really, REALLY want into this games final beta phase you can take action to ensure your place, unlike just being lucky enough to get an email.
Excellent point!!
I agree with this article, Burbie. You’ve touched up on some valid points that I’ve had on how this is presented. Personally, I’m not really interested in this game aesthetically but for many that’re into this genre might not like this “exclusive” move.
Great article, for sure.
Very thoughtful article, Burbie.
Unfortunately, I don’t think Sony cares one bit about any of this. I can confidently say that I no longer care either. They can keep their X7, their beta-tests and most likely their FUBAR.
Home is already FUBAR to me these days. And I mean that in the most respectfully traditional usage of the acronym. Aside from a few select activities, Home is dead to me.
2012 was supposed to be the year of the game for Home. Unfortunately, all of these over-hyped games are billed as blockbuster releases but only live up to the “bust” part. Nothing more than mind-numbingly repetitive mini-games released full of bugs with no long-term replay value. These games go from server-clogging traffic to forgotten spaces within a few weeks. Cutthroats, No Man’s Land, Mercia, Home Tycoon…can we expect any different from FUBAR or Uproar? zzz zzz zzz
I haven’t even mentioned the expenses that these games can pile on the user. 10, 20, 50, 100+ dollars that people have spent to be successful in some of these games?!? Would anybody even give these games a second glance if they were being sold outside of Home, much less spend money on them? Home Tycoon might have been revolutionary before I was even born. But now…not so much. I cannot understand the buying habits of Home consumers anymore. I might still consider buying something that I like in Home but I won’t buy anything simply because it’s in Home.
My Home usage has come full circle to some extent. When I first started using Home, I probably spent the most time playing poker at the EA space. My main activity lately…playing poker at Digital Leisure’s Casino. Not to say that I didn’t have a lot of good times with Home in between.