Guidelines for Blades Scenario Designers while Beta Testing Scenarios >+++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >The purpose of testing is to expose problems throughout the game, >not (necessarily) for the testers to have a good, fun gaming experience. >Good testers work hard, exploring and playing out all the corners >of a game, including those which can be bypassed by regular >players. Bugs are expected, and the process can be painful. To >lower the pain for this volunteer effort, testers require that >the authors have _completely_ finished the scenario to the best >of their ability _before_ giving it to the testers. If you just want >someone to say 'attaboy' to your half-finished scenario, or if >you are expecting testers to make up for your own laziness, go >elsewhere. The following are minimal standards for scenarios >submitted for playtesting. > >1) Any scenario with a rating other than Low must come with a >party generator which >builds the intended party. > >2) The scenario must be unpassworded or the password disclosed to >the tester. > >3) The scenario must have been passed repeatedly through a spelling >checker and problems fixed until no more errors are reported. > >4) The author must have played completely through the scenario with a >generated party, using the same version of the scenario actually >given to the testers. If that playthrough reveals problems, they >should be fixed and the result re-played through from scratch by >the author. That is, the version the testers receive must be >unchanged from one the author has successfully completed in alpha play >from the beginning. > >5) All readme and other documentaion must be included in its >expected final form. > > > >You can expect beta testing to reveal bugs which you will have to >fix. It may also reveal more fundimental problems of balance, >storyline, treasure etc. that may require a substantial rewrite. >The fixed/rewritten scenario should be beta'd a second time. >Do not use the same testers for both first and second rounds; no >tester can do a good job the second time through, because he >knows to much to do the dumb things that expose bugs. > >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ivan Godard